Companies today have more data than ever before, but their data is only as valuable as the insights it provides to teams. For many companies, data is spread across several systems, channels and gatekeepers. This leaves data inaccessible to teams and unable to offer comprehensive insights into the performance of an organization, departments and projects. Companies also can’t properly run AI when data is siloed like this because the technology needs to easily access data in one place, to learn from and make decisions. In fact, 45% of companies say they haven’t implemented AI because their organization’s data is not yet ready, according to the 2024 Digital Work Trends Report.

Slingshot has been solving for disparate data since its inception by centralizing companies’ data across multiple data sources and systems. By bringing together this data, the work management platform has created an AI foundation for companies, directly in its platform. Now, Slingshot is pairing this centralized data with conversational AI to automate insights for teams, so they can quickly access and analyze data to integrate it into their everyday workflows and decisions.

Quickly understand performance and identify trends to make informed business decisions.

Teams are already bringing together analytics from multiple data sources in Slingshot, including databases and spreadsheets (e.g. Excel and Google Sheets), SaaS systems, Big Data and Cloud data products (e.g. Google Analytics, BigQuery and Snowflake), and financial, marketing and sales tools (e.g. Salesforce Marketing Cloud, HubSpot and Marketo).

With Slingshot AI, teams can ask questions in simple business terms and receive an answer in seconds, based on an interpretation of company data. This AI-driven analysis saves teams hours of searching and sifting through data, so they can focus instead on making the data drive value for the business.

For example, teams can understand how their latest marketing campaign performed across different platforms or identify the most recent customer trends from CRM and sales data, without manually going through any of the data. A marketing team, for instance, may ask, “How much did we spend on advertising last year?” or “How is marketing spend distributed by channel?” Slingshot AI will deliver immediate insights and answers based on company data across departments, platforms and channels.

Create dashboards to visualize data.

Teams can also automate multi-source data visualizations to identify trends, assess performance and forecast the next best steps for the business or a given project. When teams ask questions about business performance and trends, Slingshot AI will create visualizations–or charts, graphs and other types of visuals–based on company data. These data visualizations offer teams a holistic view into data so they can quickly understand patterns that are important for their overall performance and strategy.

These automated visualizations can be easily added to a permanent dashboard within Slingshot, so teams can regularly review them and evaluate performance in real-time.

Empower every employee to be a data analyst.

Historically, data has been managed and analyzed by highly skilled data analysts with years of training. Slingshot enables everyday business users-–or employees without prior data analysis experience–to derive value from data.

Slingshot AI analyzes and visualizes every piece of data and puts it into understandable terms for teams. Slingshot users simply have to ask questions regarding their data, and they will receive actionable responses in seconds. This empowers teams to use data in their day-to-day work, because they understand the meaning behind it and can easily use it to make decisions and drive productivity.

Translate insights directly into action. 

Slingshot’s AI capabilities enhance team collaboration and productivity by giving employees better access to both data and discussion highlights.

Data insights and visualizations created with AI can be seamlessly shared with other team members across Slingshot, creating alignment and setting a solid base for discussions and brainstorms. Slingshot AI also enables teams to summarize these discussions and extract action items. For instance, instead of reading through a week-long discussion after being out of the office, a team member can use Slingshot AI to summarize the discussion and understand what they missed in a few minutes. Teams can also automate action items from discussions or meeting notes, and immediately create tasks in Slingshot for team members to complete those action items.

“We’ve spent years building companies’ AI foundations as we created one place where companies can bring together all of their data, and now we’re giving teams the ability to act on that data quickly with automated insights,” said Dean Guida, Founder of Slingshot. “With Slingshot AI, we’re making it easy for every company to be a data-driven organization, to power better decisions, improve productivity, and ultimately, increase business growth.”

Slingshot is available as a desktop app (Mac and Windows) and mobile app (Apple App Store and Google Play) and via slingshot app.io.

Learn how Slingshot AI can unify your business data at the website here.

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The new 2024 Digital Work Trends report, based on research conducted by market research firm Dynata, on behalf of Slingshot, reveals that only 23% of employees feel completely educated and trained on AI. And while 72% of employers say their employees are at least adequately trained on AI, only 53% of employees believe they are. There’s also a significant difference between genders with AI training: two-thirds (66%) of males feel they are adequately trained on AI, while only 44% of females say the same.

Additional findings of the report include:

• Employers believe AI is driving more productivity than employees are experiencing: While more than half (60%) of employers believe that AI is significantly increasing employees’ productivity, only 44% of employees say they’re seeing a significant increase to their productivity with AI. Ten percent (10%) of employees say that AI is not increasing their productivity at all.
• A majority of employees are getting at least one to two hours back in their workday with AI. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of employees say that AI saves them at least 1-2 hours a day, with 37% of employees saving 3-4 hours using AI tools. With the extra time in their workday, 63% of employees are reducing their overload of work to complete tasks in a timely manner, and 54% are using the time saved to re-prioritize and manage their workload more efficiently.
• Many employers say their company’s data is not ready to support AI. Nearly half (45%) of employers say they haven’t yet implemented AI because their company’s data—or information that tracks performance, process, people and profitability–is not ready. For many companies, this means their data is siloed across departments, platforms and channels, and without centralized data, AI cannot run. Data is top of mind for employees too: 32% of employees say their company would be ready to support AI if it offered more training around data and AI.

“The workplace continues to undergo a rapid transformation as we now see more employers implementing AI tools into their businesses to drive efficiencies and increase productivity. While employers have specific intentions for AI in the workplace, it’s clear that they’re not aligned with employees’ current use of AI. Much of this comes down to employees’ education and training around AI tools,” said Dean Guida, Founder of Slingshot.

“AI has the potential to change the way teams work by allowing them to trade in highly repetitive, mundane tasks for more high-level, strategic projects. But the only way to unlock AI’s full potential in the workplace is to properly prepare employees and companies’ overall operations. Employers and employees are certainly on their way, but there’s still a lot more to be done, starting with centralizing data, increasing education around AI and reskilling and upskilling employees through continued training,” continued Guida.

Slingshot’s research is based on responses from 253 adult respondents across four age groups and all 50 states. Part 1 of the 2024 Digital Work Trends Report can be viewed here.

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“App Builder is a game-changer in the app development process,” said Jason Beres, SVP Developer Tools, Infragistics. “With its cloud-based visual builder, low-code capabilities, and new features, it’s a must-have tool for any organization.”

The new product update of App Builder brought a much-anticipated feature, React code generation. Known for its flexibility and efficiency, React is growing in popularity within the development community. With this added feature, App Builder now provides users the ability to generate production ready code across every major web framework.

In an ongoing effort to enhance the functionality of App Builder, Infragistics has added two-way data binding support to the Select, Text-area, and Radio-group components. This improvement ensures that any changes made to the user interface are immediately reflected in the underlying data model and vice versa. Seamless synchronization simplifies the development process, reducing the need for manual updates and ensuring data consistency across your application.

The new release also includes updated Datasource notifications, enabling users to view and manage changes more effectively. The Datasource notification feature allows you to view the changes and stay on top of any modifications that may affect your application, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted operation.

In addition, the new release introduces an easier way for first-time visitors to explore and use App Builder without the immediate need to sign up for an account thanks to the newly introduced Guest-access mode. This feature enables potential users to get a feel for the platform and start building their projects right away. Visitors can also save their progress at any time by signing in with an account, ensuring that their work is never lost.

“App Builder eliminates the complexity of user interface design and development so anyone can quickly build modern business web applications from scratch or from a library of pre-built templates and responsive screen layouts,” Beres said. “Easily customizable, the low-code App Builder includes essential app-building features like databinding and themes and brings a toolbox of over 60 UI controls to kick-start digital product design. Designs created in Sketch or Figma can be imported as completed screens. Whether you are working with Angular, Blazor, or Web Components and now React, App Builder will generate code for pixel-perfect apps that are production-ready, performant, and maintainable.”

App Builder offers:

High-Speed RAD

Deliver projects early and on-budget with a beautiful, differentiating user experience in the only RAD tool on the market that gives you production-ready Angular, Blazor & Web Components and React code. With a full toolbox of UI controls, including a full suite of high-performance data grids and data charts, transform your legacy apps to modern, responsive web experiences ten times faster than hand coding.

Limitless App Themes and Styling

Use pre-built themes and typography (Material, Bootstrap & Fluent) or customize to match your own app theme and corporate branding on a per-control, per-screen, or per-app basis.

Import Sketch and Figma Designs

Take your static files from the design system and get interactive, responsive and component-based apps with real UI controls and styling. Then easily turn Sketch or Figma designs into an HTML code with one click.

Data Binding and OpenAPI

Don’t settle for building apps that have empty data grids or input screens – connect to any REST data source and light up your design with data that matters. App Builder comes with Swagger UI Support and Localhost data access.

Single Workplace

App Builder improves designer-developer collaboration because it provides a single place where designers and developers can all see and work on designs and real code at the same time. No need for a developer handoff.

App Builder On-Prem

All the same great features and functionality of App Builder in a version to be used in your network and behind your firewalls. Easy to download, easy to install, easy to start using to build new apps within the safety of your existing environment.

Learn more about Infragistics’ App Builder at the website here.

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The post Low-Code Software Provides Productivity Boost Survey Revealed appeared first on Digital IT News.

However, those who have not jumped on the AI bandwagon cite concerns such as: generative AI code lacks the creativity and innovation of human developers, AI can produce code with security vulnerabilities, and code developed with AI may contain errors, bugs, or inefficiencies. There is also a concern that AI might make the developer’s role obsolete.

The main reasons software developers are using generative AI in creating software are:

• Increase developer productivity 49%
• Eliminate repetitive tasks 38.4%
• Speed up development time 35.9%
• Cut down on errors 32.1%

AI is expected to have widespread integration this year as it becomes a ubiquitous presence among consumers, businesses, and global markets. Nearly half of the Reveal survey respondents (49.2%) plan to implement AI tools in 2024 compared to 27% in 2023.

Business Intelligence and Embedded Analytic Continues to Grow

Due to more customer and internal interest, the use of business intelligence and embedded analytics is expected to rise again in 2024. Almost three-quarters of software developers currently incorporate embedded analytics into their apps (73.2%) and 71.6% expect their organization’s focus on business intelligence to rise in 2024.

“Organizations are embracing embedded analytics tools because they are the key to achieving a competitive edge and business growth,” explained Casey Ciniello, Reveal and Slingshot Senior Product Manager at Infragistics. “Our survey found that the main reasons software developers and their customers want embedded analytics/business intelligence software are to make better business decisions, improve productivity, increase sales/revenue, understand business problems, and identify trends.”

Top Challenges in 2024

While the biggest software development challenge in 2024 will be incorporating AI into the development process, security threats are surging, as evidenced by recent cybersecurity attacks on healthcare systems, financial institutions, retailers and even government. Other software development challenges include high workload (29.6%) and increased customer demands (29.2%).

The survey found that the biggest business challenge for the technology industry in 2024 will be working with limited resources (40.9%) — surpassing the biggest business challenge of the past two years – recruiting developers with the right skills (34%). Other top 2024 business challenges are retaining current talent (32.1%), difficulty landing new business (30.6%) and inability to pay competitive salaries (30.3%).

“While the developer shortage is no longer the top challenge in 2024, respondents did indicate that Software Developer was their hardest job to fill, followed by Data Analyst, Web Designer (UX/UI) and Web Developer,” notes Ciniello.

The top four skills that will be crucial in software development this year are:

1. Working with web layouts (41.7%)
2. UX/UI Design (39.2%)
3. Data Analysis (37.2%)
4. Data Visualization (31.7%)

Company Growth is Expected to Slow

Last year was positive in terms of revenue growth with two in 10 survey respondents (19%) seeing revenue grow by 50% in 2023. However, expectations for new business in 2024 is expected to take a downturn. In 2023, more than a third of software developers took on new projects (35.7%), compared to 32.8% expecting to in 2024. Another third saw an increase in requests for proposals in 2023 (33%) while only 27.5% expect to see an increase in 2024. On the bright side, the survey found that software developers plan to expand into new markets (33.3%) in 2024.

“The tech industry is facing challenges on all fronts, from the implementation of generative AI to increasing cybersecurity attacks. As AI begins to shake up the software development industry, some are taking advantage of its initial capabilities while others are taking a “wait and see” approach,” said Ciniello. “While AI may not replace developers any time soon, we must learn more about AI, explore its potential and prepare for its impact on the future of software development.”

Read the fifth annual Reveal 2024 Top Software Development Challenges survey report here.

Survey Methodology: A total of 585 software developers and IT professionals participated in Reveal’s fifth annual survey from December 2023 to January 2024.

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The post Top Software Development Challenges in 2024 Will be AI Integration appeared first on Digital IT News.

Slingshot’s Digital Work Trends Report explores the relationship between employees’ productivity and management. The report shines a light on how employees’ productivity and performance are impacted by many of the things they look to their leaders for, including priorities, deadlines, and the amount of work they’re responsible for. The report also reveals a generational divide in the ways employees navigate work and manage as leaders.

“Employees often feel overloaded, unsure of priorities and deadlines, and afraid to say no to additional work–even when they have too much on their plates already. And leaders are left scrambling when employees haven’t been focusing on the highest-value task or miss deadlines after taking on too much. This is all caused by a lack of visibility and alignment across teams,” said Dean Guida, Founder, Slingshot.

The new, inaugural report is based on research conducted by market research firm Dynata, on behalf of Slingshot.

Among the findings:

• Employees are overloaded and unguided–and they’re losing half of their day because of it. Employees say their productivity is most negatively impacted when they have too many projects/tasks on their plate (37%), don’t know what their priorities are (25%) and have no set deadlines (17%). A majority of employees (64%) say they lose at least 1-2 productive hours a day when they don’t have deadlines–with 22% of employees saying they lose 3-4 hours each day. Having to juggle too many projects follows closely, with 62% of employees losing at least 1-2 productive hours a day and 20% saying they lose 3+ hours to it.
• More meetings don’t mean more productivity. More than half of leaders feel the need to closely supervise employees when they are not delivering quality work (69%) or hitting deadlines (52%). But employees feel micromanaged when their boss checks in on them too often (45%) or they have unnecessary status meetings (43%). In fact, 25% of employees say work meetings are the most frustrating interruption throughout their day.
• Generations and genders differ in their approach to determining priorities in the workplace. Nearly half (49%) of Millennial workers (ages 27-42) guess what’s most important when they are not given priorities, while 33% of Boomer workers (ages 59+) and 35% of Gen X + Y workers (ages 43-58) choose what to do. A majority (55%) of Gen Z workers (ages 18-26) say they communicate with their colleagues to identify priorities. Males and females differ in their approach as well: 43% of females communicate with their colleagues to identify priorities while 45% of males say they choose what they want to do.

“Where employees spend their time is where their priorities lie–but this often doesn’t line up with their leaders and the larger goals of the company. Once teams are aligned on goals and objectives, employees are clear on their priorities and expected outcomes and leaders can have peace of mind that the right things are getting done in a timely manner. This is what will drive business results,” continued Guida.

The two-part 2023 Digital Work Trends Report is based on responses from 305 adult respondents working full-time as employees and leaders, across four age groups and all 50 states. View the full Slingshot 2023 Digital Work Trends Report Findings.

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The Rise of Data as Primary Informant  Data has transcended its status as a mere buzzword, evolving into an indispensable tool that guides decision-making, fuels innovation, and informs research. It has become a primary informant, driving business progress. Data is being generated at an astonishing rate and it offers unparalleled opportunities to gain insights into every facet of our lives, including our work. According to Slingshot’s 2023 Digital Work Trends Report, employee productivity now hinges more on data accessibility than flexibility. The survey found that 72% use data to improve performance, more than half of workers (56%) gather and use data to make workplace decisions, and more than half of workers (54%) use data to prioritize goals.

Workers thrive when equipped with data to inform their tasks. Consequently, ensuring the ease of finding, analyzing, comprehending, and sharing data becomes paramount, fostering trust in data-driven solutions that rise to this challenge.

5 Ways to Use Data to Make Workplace Decisions

To optimize efficiency, boost employee morale, and streamline resource allocation, it’s imperative to wield data effectively. Here are five strategies to make data work for you:

1. Customer Segmentation for Targeted Marketing & Product Development: Leverage data to segment your customer base. Delve into customer demographics, purchase histories, and behaviors to craft comprehensive customer profiles. This empowers your marketing and sales teams to tailor their strategies, messages, and product offerings to specific customer segments, thus enhancing marketing campaign efficacy and sales performance. Insights derived from data ensure that your product offerings align seamlessly with customer needs and market demands, driving sales and customer satisfaction.
2. Budgeting and Financial Analysis: Harness data for financial decision-making. Monitor and analyze financial data, including revenue, expenses, and profitability. Data-driven budgeting enables effective fund allocation, well-informed decisions on cost-cutting measures, and the identification of revenue growth opportunities.
3. Market Research and Customer Feedback: Utilize data to inform decisions regarding product development, marketing strategies, and customer service. Conduct comprehensive market research to gather insights on industry trends, competitor performance, and customer preferences. Additionally, analyze customer feedback and reviews to gauge satisfaction levels and identify product or service enhancement avenues.
4. Marketing ROI Analysis: Measure the return on investment (ROI) of marketing campaigns by meticulously tracking data on marketing expenditures, customer acquisition costs, and revenue generated from each campaign. Data analysis empowers you to pinpoint the most effective marketing channels and strategies, allocate your marketing budget optimally, and maximize your efforts with a data-driven approach.
5. Sales Forecasting and Inventory Management: Visualize your historical sales data in dashboards to easily forecast future demand and optimize inventory management. By analyzing sales trends, seasonal fluctuations, and customer preferences, you can make data-driven decisions about inventory levels, production schedules, and pricing strategies in order to meet customer demand.

How to Achieve Data Efficiency

Employing data for workplace decisions is a structured process involving several key steps. Here are the essential elements of effective data-driven decision-making:

• Utilize Data-Driven Work Management Apps with Dashboards: Modern work management apps featuring integrated dashboards provide holistic insights into organizational operations. These dashboards offer real-time visibility into project progress, team performance, and resource allocation. By leveraging such tools, you can identify bottlenecks, track key performance indicators, and make data-informed decisions on project priorities. Furthermore, these tools facilitate seamless data sharing and collaboration, which is crucial for keeping your team well-informed and data-driven.
• Have Data Storage and Accessibility: Establish a secure and organized data storage system, whether through database creation, data catalogs, or cloud-based solutions. It is imperative to ensure that data is structured and labeled appropriately for easy retrieval.
• Always Interpret Results: Analyze the outcomes of data analysis and decipher the implications. Be prepared to address questions related to trends, patterns, and the alignment of data with objectives. Visualizing data in an engaging and comprehensible manner aids in enhancing data interpretation.
• Assure Monitoring and Feedback: Continuously monitor the outcomes of decisions, comparing expected results with actual outcomes. Incorporate feedback mechanisms to evaluate decision effectiveness.

By following these steps, organizations can establish a systematic and efficient approach to using data to inform workplace decisions, leading to strategic and successful outcomes.

Incorporating data-driven decision-making strategies into the workplace is pivotal for adapting to the dynamic demands of the modern world. Embrace these strategies to empower your organization, enhance productivity, and stay ahead in today’s data-centric business environment. Don’t wait; start leveraging the power of data today.

Review the Slingshot’s 2023 Digital Work Trends Report to make the best workplace decisions for your organization.

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