Digital.ai announced today it has expanded usage of machine learning algorithms within its namesake value stream management (VSM) platform to include modules to optimize flow and improve application quality in addition to enhancing its risk prediction and process optimization modules.
In addition, Digital.ai has expanded the number of pre-built integrations it now provides for hundreds of DevOps tools and platforms.
Derek Holt, general manager of agile and DevOps for Digital.ai, said the goal is to expand the bi-directional flow of data between the core Digital.ai platform and modules and tools provided by the company and its third-party DevOps partners.
Digital.ai was formed from the merger of XebiaLabs and CollabNet VersionOne. The combined company has rolled up Numerify, a provider of analytics tools infused with artificial intelligence (AI), Experitest, a set of testing tools and Arxan, a provider of an application security platform. With the latest release, these capabilities have been integrated into the core Digital.ai platform in a way that goes well beyond merely providing access via a common user interface, said Holt.
The goal is to provide organizations with a VSM platform through which better decisions can be made to optimize software development and delivery by first collecting data from all the DevOps tools employed and then using machine learning algorithms to surface optimization recommendations, noted Holt. As application development environments become more complex to manage, it’s already apparent that most IT teams will require AI capabilities embedded in a VSM platform to manage interdependent projects, noted Holt.
Armed with those recommendations, it becomes simpler to reallocate resources in the event a critical project is going to be completed later than planned or shift resources to make sure that project is completed on time. A VSM platform also enables IT organizations to assess the impact those decisions will have on the rest of the business at a time when organizations have never been more financially dependent on the timely delivery of software. The late delivery of a single application module can wind up having a profound impact on revenue projections for organizations that increasingly rely on digital processes to engage customers.
A recent survey conducted by Digital.ai found that many digital transformation initiatives are struggling, to some degree. Nearly half of respondents (49%) said they are not seeing the results they expected from their digital transformation efforts, and 54% admitted they were worried about their ability to compete. Over 90% need to see a better return on their digital transformation investments.
Digital.ai claims it currently has more than 1,200 customers, including Allianz, Commerzbank, eBay, Janus Henderson and Levi’s that are using elements of the Digital.ai platform to better manage software development projects. Many of the users of those tools now include business executives and other application stakeholders that are employing a VSM platform to track the progress of application development projects. Digital.ai Analytics Lenses that are domain-specific make it simpler for different classes of end users to access pre-built dashboards and metrics, noted Holt.
The market research firm Gartner has predicted that 70% of organizations will employ a value stream management platform by 2023 to improve flows across their DevOps pipelines. However, as DevOps platforms and project management applications continue to evolve, many are also adding many of the analytics capabilities found in a VSM platform. Each IT organization will need to decide which approach makes the most sense for them, but Digital.ai is clearly betting that as application development becomes more challenging, the need for an integrated VSM platform will become much more apparent.
