More than half of technology organisations across the globe plan to increase their investment in human-centred software design in the next year, according to a recent survey by leading software solutions provider, Progress. This global study, titled 'Human-Centered Software Design: A State of the Marketplace Report', was conducted with the assistance of independent research firm Insight Avenue and gathered responses from over 700 application developers and IT decision-makers.

The research aimed to provide insights into companies’ approaches and maturity levels towards constructing human-centred applications. This is due to the escalating significance of accessibility amidst widespread digital inclusion mandates in regions such as the European Union and the United States. Such user-centric application development necessitates the construction of websites and apps that cater to the varying needs of user demographics, including those with different abilities, backgrounds, and cultural and language barriers.

Although a notable 98% of the survey's respondents acknowledged the importance of human-centric app development, there’s a palpable gap between affirmative intent and actual implementation. Only 34% of the surveyed entities are presently tackling this issue via tools, training, and policy. Survey participants cited the quick pace of development concurrent with meeting consumer demands (42%), complexity and a lack of agility (41%), and a deficiency in-house skills (29%) as hindrances to execution.

Progress's research reveals a rather intriguing portrayal of the current state of affairs in human-centric application development. Approximately 76% of respondents consider crafting human-centric applications more crucial than it was two years ago, driven by a blend of business motives and cultural shifts. Moreover, a significant 56% of respondents envisaged it as a major requirement and intend to vest in these applications in the coming 12–18 months. In a telling revelation, a hefty 86% affirmed that it was more of a challenge to retrofit inclusivity and accessibility features into extant applications than incorporating them into novel applications right from the inception.

John Yang, VP for Asia Pacific and Japan at Progress, emphasises the urgency of digital inclusivity and accessibility: "Focusing on digital applications inclusivity and accessibility is a need organisations in Singapore can't ignore. By investing in that, they not only increase user engagement but also can create new business opportunities and reach new customers. Building human-centric software is not only a good business practice, it's the right thing to do."

Creating human-centred digital experiences denotes personalising and tailoring them to individuals and their context to enhance relevance. Equally crucially, it indicates making these experiences accessible to a broader segment of people with a wide range of needs and abilities," adds Loren Jarrett, EVP & GM, Digital Experience, Progress. "At Progress, we are committed to aiding organisations proactively invest to conceive more inclusive, contextual and bespoke digital products."

The 'Human-Centered Software Design: A State of the Marketplace Report' survey spanned 13 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. It divulged that an average of only 59% of present applications in surveyed organisations are believed to comply with accessibility requirements, while a staggering 97% of surveyed entities are encountering challenges in adopting human-centricity.