Standards Required from Future Development Partners in B2B Product Improvement

A recent investigation conducted by Engineerforce Inc., a Tokyo-based IT firm specializing in UI/UX design, uncovered crucial insights into the standards sought in development partners post-B2B product release. The survey involved 111 professionals involved in product improvement for B2B offerings like SaaS and enterprise systems, revealing significant trends in attitudes towards ongoing development partnerships.

Key Findings of the Survey

1. Importance of Continuous Support: A staggering 81.9% of respondents felt that it was vital to have development partners who can provide ongoing support even after the product's release.
2. Challenges in Product Improvements: Roughly 80% of professionals reported facing challenges in product enhancement, with the predominant issue being a lack of personnel and resources, identified by over half of the respondents.
3. Focus on Comprehensive Support: When selecting development partners, around 40.5% of participants emphasized the necessity for partners who can assist from the planning phase through to operations.

Challenges in Improvement Initiatives

Nearly 78.4% of the professionals described that their organizations set KPIs for measuring product improvements. However, a more detailed analysis revealed that actual improvement efforts primarily consist of bug fixes and maintenance (44.1%) rather than innovative enhancements that directly correlate with business KPIs. Some key challenges identified include a shortage of personnel (54.8%), insufficient knowledge and expertise within the organization (48.4%), and improvement priorities being downgraded or delayed (47.3%).

Insights into Development Partnerships

The scope of involvement from external partners was also explored. Most respondents stated that the primary role of external partners revolved around bug fixes (33.3%) and accommodating feature requests (30.6%). Alarmingly, only 1.8% of partners were involved in improvements driven by business KPIs and associated metrics. This suggests that many organizations are not leveraging external resources effectively to align product improvements with strategic business goals.

The Need for Comprehensive Engagement

The overwhelming consensus (81.9%) emphasizes that development partners capable of providing continued support post-release are essential. The participants highlighted the desire for partners that can address the complete development cycle—from planning through execution—integrating improvements seamlessly with operational requirements. The study also revealed that many are looking for partners who can identify and propose improvements based on business performance metrics.

Conclusion

These findings reflect a significant gap between the current state of product improvements in B2B sectors and the desired outcomes that support business growth. Despite an established framework for measuring KPIs, organizations frequently fall short in implementing substantial improvements, often relegating efforts to reactive maintenance rather than proactive development.

As firms continue to evolve, the emphasis on finding development partners that can provide ongoing, integrated support will likely become paramount. Building strong partnerships focused on collaborative improvement processes, enabling effective monitoring of outcomes, and driving strategic enhancement will be key to unlocking the full potential of B2B product offerings in the future.

For those interested in further insights from this survey, the full report can be downloaded here.

About Engineerforce

Established in 2020, Engineerforce focuses on accelerating corporate growth through innovative UI/UX design, advanced development techniques, and strategic marketing solutions. With a commitment to creating impactful partnerships, Engineerforce aims to deliver superior value to organizations in their product development journeys.

For more information, visit Engineerforce's official website or follow them on Twitter.