Fix software front-end from back: Forrester

COMPANIES looking to spruce up their software front-ends should first examine their back-end IT architecture, says Forrester vice-president John McCarthy.

Mr McCarthy, who is the research firm's principal analyst working with CIOs (chief information officers), told BizIT that there has been a fundamental shift in mindsets among IT chiefs over the last nine months. They have realised that putting up a good digital "storefront" requires rethinking the underlying software on the server side.

Before, most efforts to redesign customer-facing software would have focused on facelifting the front interface. Now, companies are investing more resources in getting their software to work on more devices, from browsers on desktops to mobile devices.