From Dabblers to Doers: Why 2024 Is the Year of Digital Maturity
So, there’s been a big shift in how companies are handling digital transformation over the past year. According to the latest F5 report, there’s been a massive increase in organisations reaching the highest level of digital maturity. This year, 29 percent of companies were classified as “doers” – meaning they’re really pushing forward with their digital efforts. That’s a huge jump from just 4 percent last year!
Most companies, about 54 percent, are in the “dabblers” category, which means they’re making progress but still have a lot to do. And then there are the “dawdlers,” who are lagging behind with just 17 percent in this group.
One major trend is the move towards hybrid and distributed infrastructures. This year’s “doers” are leading the way in managing complex systems across different environments. For instance, 82 percent of these advanced companies are using hybrid apps, compared to only 51 percent of dabblers and just 10 percent of dawdlers.
Automation is another big area where “doers” are excelling. They’re automating a lot of their systems and security measures. For example, 59 percent of doers have automated their systems to handle tasks like security policies, while only 37 percent of dabblers and 16 percent of dawdlers are doing the same.
When it comes to data, “doers” are really ahead. They’re either managing multiple data stores or consolidating them into a single data lake. Almost all of them (94 percent) are focused on making their data observable, which is crucial for AI. In contrast, 65 percent of dawdlers don’t even have a plan for data observability.
Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) practices are also a key indicator of digital maturity. Nearly all doers (97 percent) have adopted or are planning to use SRE, which helps with deploying hybrid apps and maintaining performance. On the other hand, most dawdlers (86 percent) haven’t adopted SRE practices.
Security is another critical area. “Doers” not only have better security measures in place but are also more confident in their ability to handle threats. For instance, they scored significantly higher in implementing secure development practices and adopting zero trust security policies. This gives them a strong edge in defending against sophisticated attacks.
Overall, the report highlights that while digital transformation is advancing rapidly, there’s still a big gap between the most and least mature organisations, especially in terms of security and data management.
