Home topics technology Tech Tech Here’s how to grow your business by maximising developer resources Mac Wang November 7, 2018 A quarter-century into the internet era, many businesses are still grappling with the fundamental problem dubbed ‘digital transformation.’ One reason this challenge is so pernicious is that it can’t be solved the way most transitions can, with money and management consultants. Instead, it requires the expertise of a new breed of corporate leaders — software developers. As our global economy increasingly comes to run on technology-enabled rails, every company is becoming a tech company and demand for high-quality software engineers is at all-time high. This is very real in Australia, where a recent study from Stripe and Nielsen revealed 70 per cent of businesses are looking to hire developers in the next year, but 64 per cent find it a challenge to do so, primarily due to a lack of qualified developers with the required skills. And yet, despite being the lifeblood of many businesses, developer talent is all too often squandered. Australia is currently experiencing a major developer drought and skills shortage, with 69 per cent of Aussie companies reporting they struggle with limited developer resources ㄧthe highest figure reported globally. This is especially worrisome given the significant impact developers can have on a business’ success. Software developers don’t have a monopoly on good ideas, but their skill set makes them a unique source of innovation and productivity. When deployed correctly, developers function as economic multipliers, which Australian businesses