Did you realize that mobile and web-based apps save employees over 725 million work hours per year? There is simply no denying just how important the utilization of technology is to the overall success of small to medium-sized businesses.
If you are in the process of designing apps for your employees or consumers to use, one of your main concerns should be putting the right technology stack in place.
With the right tech stack in place, you can somewhat futureproof the apps and software programs you use on a daily basis. A future proof tech stack will have to be scalable, flexible and adaptable. While constructing a future proof tech stack may sound like a relatively easy process, it is anything but.
Often times, the tech stack you have in place will require a number of elements to work properly. Using custom software to bridge the gaps between the needs of your company and the fast-growing world of technology is a must. In order to learn how to properly utilize technology, you will need the guidance of an IT professional and a willingness to experiment.
The following are some of the things you should consider when trying to build a scalable technology stack.
1) Consider the Interconnectivity of Your Entire Pipeline
Have a large degree of interconnectivity between things like your data sources, computations and delivery systems is a vital component of a great technology stack. What you are actually able to do with the data you collect often hinges on the efficiency of these types of connections. This is why you need to work on choosing tech stack components that can easily communicate with and help each other over the course of time.
When the time comes to scale up your app or software programs, you need to look at the big picture of what this will do to your entire data pipeline. Increasing functionality in one part of your pipeline may put more stress on other components. While building your technology stack, you need to focus on choosing components that are designed to scale quickly and efficiently. Putting growth as your main focus will allow you to properly construct a future proof tech stack.
2) Getting an Idea of What You Need
Getting fascinated with a new piece of technology is common for business owners. However, you need to avoid letting this fascination dictate the type of components in your company’s technology stack. Before choosing tech stack components, you need to get a handle on what you actually need. Once you have an idea of the goals you are trying to accomplish, you can look at your options objectively and see which tools can help you reach these goals.
Some business owners completely discount older programs and tools when putting together their technology stack. This is usually a mistake that will lead to common-sense solutions being overlooked. Often times, older technology will have far fewer problems and will cost less than newer tools.
If you are going to collect a lot of data, choosing technology that has the capacity to store this information is a must. Cloud-based solutions are often the best fit for companies looking to mine data and learn from it.
3) Core Functionality Should Be One of Your Concerns
Adding components to your tech stack without first assessing whether or not they will affect the core functionality of your software or app is foolish. Most of the technology systems on the market today are designed to interconnect with various components. While this interconnectivity can be a good thing, it can also lead to some unforeseen issues.
Testing technology integrations on your existing system beforehand can be beneficial. Some of the components that you put into your tech stack may have to alter the code of core functions to work properly. With a quick test of these code modifications, you can see whether or not they are going to make your existing system go haywire.
4) Establish a Way to Monitor and Address Issues With Your Tech Stack
Anytime you add new components to your existing technology stack, you want to monitor them for a while. Not only will this monitoring allow you to see whether or not there are compatibility issues, it can help you surmise whether or not the new component is performing the job it was intended for.
Knowing whether or not the new components you have added to your tech stack are worth the money can help you make better decisions in the future. Simply implementing changes in your technology stack without adequate monitoring is a recipe for disaster. Your main goal when adding these components should be improving both efficiency and the user experience. The only way to see if these goals are being met is by closely monitoring your technology stack and the alterations you have made.
5) Educate Employees About the New Tech Stack
One of the best ways to futureproof your company is by teaching your employees about the value of a great technology stack. Each time something new is added to your existing technology stack, you need to inform your employees why these decisions have been made and what you hope to achieve with the new components. Doing this will allow your employees to learn and feel like they are a part of these changes.
By using the tips mentioned in this article, you can create a technology stack that is both functional and future proof.
