If we look back over the past seventy years at the history of software, we arrive at a conclusion that comes as no surprise: the most successful software programmes have always sought to answer the same question – what is the greatest business challenge of the age?
In the 1960s, computers were primarily used for calculations: they carried out bookkeeping, payroll accounting and banking transactions, and did so more accurately and quickly than humans.
In the 1970s, the focus shifted to production. MRP systems came into use, which were already designed to determine what, when and how much needed to be produced or ordered.
The 1980s and 1990s were all about corporate management. The aim of ERP systems is to ensure that finance, stock, procurement and sales are finally accessible, traceable and transparent in one place.
With the advent of the internet, the focus shifted to ‘the customer’: CRM systems, online shops and online services emerged, and cloud technology then made it possible to access them from anywhere, at any time.
Over the past decade, the focus has been on automation: workflows, RPA and no-code solutions have helped to reduce manual work and ensure error-free operations.
And now – or so it seems, at least from here – a new era is beginning: with the advent of artificial intelligence, the question is no longer what sort of software we should develop or use, but what AI can do for us.
The lesson from the history of software: technology changes, and it is changing ever more rapidly, but the aim remains the same: to remove the biggest obstacles facing businesses.
So the question today is: what will be the next major business challenge?