I was having a discussion with Michael Ambros, eKomi‘s CEO, on a platform we’re working together on. The discussion started about our project, but quickly turned into a discussion about the future of web development, and what tech companies and developers should be focusing on. I thought that was pretty interesting, so I asked Michael’s permission to post our conversation on this blog post, and he generously agreed. Here are the main points:
Next Generation Companies
Stop selling dinosaurs that won’t be relevant in two years
- Companies should focus on their core solutions, and outsource everything else. You cannot compete in this fast-changing world unless you focus on what you’re really good at. Sites like oDesk have allowed anyone to build anything very fast at a very low price, so the barrier to entry has become really low.
- Your platform should not be dependent on a few developers. Inhouse developers should focus on building your core system, while outsourced developers should extend your system using the power of APIs.
- Stop selling dinosaurs that won’t be relevant in two years, and start offering the most amazing products to your customers that they could use in the easiest and most flexible way.
Next Generation Web Developers
Developers need to focus on the problems the world is facing, and stop reinventing the wheel.
- Developers who market themselves as people who are good at a programming language will no longer matter. Developers need to focus on the problems the world is facing, and stop reinventing the wheel.
- More tools like Zapier will become common, and everyone will be able to build anything. This is the only way that the future makes sense. For example, ten years ago it was really hard to create a website. Nowadays, it’s a matter of a few clicks.
- Developers should shift focus to solving the heavier challenges the world is facing.
That’s lots of food for thought! What do you think the future of web development will be? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.