DEV Community

Jeffrey Hicks
Jeffrey Hicks

Posted on

The SaaS Paradox and the Future of Software Delivery

SaaS's Asymmetry Problem

  • Vendors control product and roadmap
  • Customers need tailored, evolving solutions
  • 67% of churn is due to poor experiences
  • Customers need features quickly to be successful
  • Exclusive use may be desired in some cases

SAAS Evolution not Extinction

  • If SaaS can't fix the asymmetry, customers will build in-house with AI.
  • Future-proofing SaaS means delivering outcomes, not platforms.
  • Measure features against customer-specific success, not vision led roadmaps and shared user needs.
  • AI-powered SWDLC allows small teams to manage 1000s of custom solutions.

Implementation Changes

  • From config specialists, to assemble specialists
  • Instead of config experts versed in limitations and capabilities of the platform
  • Assembly experts versed in components and architectures enable any capability

Developer Changes

  • Devs go from only automating Infrastructure and CI/CD but automate all steps of the SWDLC
  • One dev oversees from 30 to 100s of individual applications.
  • Devs assist, administer, review, evaluate, and employ agents
  • Agents build, test, monitor, refactor, and upgrade.

Product Changes

  • Engages in consultative services directly with individual clients
  • Establishes requirements for and curates set of re-usable components
  • Curates library of success patterns and common assemblies
  • Mission is always client success

Welcome to Success as a Service

  • Problems and opportunities addressed on a per customer basis
  • AI enables solution-per-customer applications at scale
  • Assembly becomes the new configuration
  • Developers guide, review, and optimize agent powered SWDLC
  • Product organizes around curating components and assembly patterns that drive customer success

Top comments (0)