We have heard the necessity of software and how everything is software today. Yet, there are a lot of traditional companies believing they are not a software company. It is clear that somethings are here to exist forever and evolve forever. Software is one such thing. In the process, they make everything similar and everything complex.
Similarity comes from the way users experience, expect and behave. We need the flexibility of personalization, power of standardization and capital-free usage. To make products people love to buy, use and share, you need great software. Everything consumer electronics companies have struggled, strived and mastered is the code for all other companies.
Complexity comes from the way products are made, distributed and maintained. Everything can not be a mobile phone. Anything that can’t act like a mobile phone or work seamlessly with a mobile phone is no-more a useful product. More and more people making products are not familiar with the domain of their product and definitely not familiar with the nuances of software. Car makers are aging, new engineers not joining, technology evolving. Car software makers do not understand cars and nuances of technology to deliver the best user-experience.
Reinventing for this generation, requires to remodel the company as a software-centered-company. Build your software strength and borrow domain capability. If you are a car company, build your R&D around Software. Retain your automotive capability to support realization of the next best car through software. Software now is not a differentiator. It is the core. Product using the best of software becomes the differentiator.
CEOs have the ultimate and single responsibility for the success of the company. When the core function is failing, the business fails. When you ignore that Software is your core function and you allow it to fail, it just eats you. Like the latest episode of VW CEO. More to come. Reinvent yourself and your company to be relevant in the changed eco-system.