The fifth edition of MuleSoft’s Connectivity benchmark report is here! This annual report takes a look at digital transformation and integration through the data and survey insights from over 800 IT leaders spanning public and private sectors and worldwide geographies. MuleSoft, an expert in data integration and API connectivity, provides this MuleSoft-agnostic report in order to learn more about the integration challenges haunting digital transformation efforts. 

Eighty-five percent of digital transformation initiatives are hindered by integration problems, but MuleSoft’s analysis provides several key insights to address those pain points with data-backed solutions. Take a look at the four biggest takeaways, from eliminating silos and API advantages to the best business strategies for APIs, and be sure to download the full report for more stats and insights. 

1. Eliminate silos from your digital transformation efforts

According to MuleSoft’s findings, the average organization has over 900 applications but only integrates 28 percent of them. What that means is a lot of data and business processes being siloed off in unintegrated corners of the organization. A digital transformation effort is only as good as the data involved in it; if your organization’s data is unorganized between integrated and unintegrated applications, you’ll find an increasing amount of problems down the road as your enterprise solutions scale and the amount of data only rises. 

Take the time now, sooner rather than later, to eliminate those business silos and integrate all your applications. MuleSoft has the tools and Simplus has the past expertise to clean up your data with you. 

2. Discover the organizational advantages of APIs

Eighty percent of the surveyed IT leaders come from organizations using APIs, and it’s not for just one reason. There are several characteristics of APIs that make them advantageous for data integration needs. As a key part of the development process for new projects and building integrations, APIs come complete with third-party exposure, reusability, discoverability, product-like management, and the ability to be monetized. This leads to several benefits for organizations overall:

– Improved productivity

– Increased innovation

– Greater agility to self-serve IT

– Increased employee engagement and collaboration 

…And much more outlined in the Connectivity report. 

With 60 percent of organizations claiming APIs are critical to their digital transformation efforts, it’s high time your organization hopped on the API train, too. 

3. Use API strategies to attain business outcomes

Using APIs is one thing. But having a clear business strategy for that use of APIs across the organization is the next level. Nearly all organizations surveyed in MuleSoft’s report have some sort of API strategy in place to drive productivity better. And the potential is high for great results from these strategies: 54 percent increased innovation and 46 percent increased IT agility. 

Establishing an API strategy makes it all the more likely that your organization will meet those some stats and then some. Companies with a strategy for API are more likely to complete projects on time, on budget, and generate new revenue through their APIs. You can find out how BP used a clear API strategy to meet its goals by downloading the complete report here. 

4. Make sure your API strategy is organized top-down

You know your organization has silos that need addressing, APIs that need using, and a strategy for it all that needs to be established. But the linchpin in all that is leadership. Leadership-mandated strategies ensure the hopes and dreams of all your data integration plans actually see the light of day and come to fruition. 

MuleSoft found that leadership-mandated, top-down API approaches yield 67 percent more productivity than bottom-up ones. The power of executive leader sponsorship also leads to better employee collaboration on APIs, more citizen integrators, and greater revenue from APIs. If it isn’t already, make sure your organization’s API strategy has a strong leadership sending the message out. 

The connectivity of your organization’s data is no small thing. But by leveraging the insights from MuleSoft’s report you can take the first steps towards integrating data the right way and revamping your digital transformation initiatives. Learn more about how Simplus partners with MuleSoft for data integration solutions here.