15 Top Digital Engineering and Digital Assurance Trends to Follow in 2024

The digital engineering and assurance landscape is swiftly changing, propelled by technological strides, sustainability initiatives, and shifting industry needs. With 2024 on the horizon, distinct trends are surfacing, demanding attention from sector experts and companies aiming to maintain their competitive edge.

Digital Engineering Trends to Follow in 2024

In 2024, an array of Digital Engineering trends promises to reshape technology and innovation. Platform Engineering leads the charge, integrating technologies into a cohesive ecosystem, while Cloud-Native solutions dominate with unparalleled scalability.

While GenAI represents the fusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human intuition by pioneering new frontiers in decision-making, Microservices and Containerization gain momentum for Agile development, and Edge Computing pushes boundaries by reducing latency.

The expansive field of Data Science unlocks insights, and the fusion of AI and Machine Learning transforms industries, automating processes and driving data-driven innovation. These top trends highlight a dynamic digital engineering landscape, pointing towards a limitless future of innovation and building organizational resilience.

Let’s take a closer look at these Digital Engineering Trends.

1. Cloud-Native Adoption

Gartner forecasts a substantial shift in digital workload deployment, projecting that more than 95% of upcoming digital workloads will be implemented on cloud-native platforms. This marks a significant surge from the mere 30% reported in 2021, signifying a remarkable transformation toward cloud-native infrastructure in the digital landscape.

The scalability, agility, and cost-efficiency of Cloud-native architecture continue to drive this trend, enabling businesses to enhance their applications’ performance and resilience.

Cloud ecosystems are on a trajectory of exponential growth in 2024, prompting the development of highly specialized monitoring tools. These tools are engineered to offer profound visibility into the intricate, cloud-native architectures that underpin modern applications. Expect to witness the emergence of innovative solutions tailored for multi-cloud management. This enables organizations to optimize both costs and performance across diverse cloud providers, ensuring an agile and cost-effective cloud strategy. This shift represents a pivotal milestone in the evolution of cloud technology, empowering businesses to leverage the potential of this dynamic computing paradigm fully.
Ram Mamidanna
SVP, Cigniti Technologies

2. Generative AI & AI Integration

AI’s role in application modernization is crucial, with Gartner projecting a significant uptick in Generative AI (GenAI) API and model adoption and integrating GenAI applications in operational settings. By 2026, about 80% of enterprises are expected to leverage GenAI technologies in their production setups.

IDC notes that by 2024, 35% of CIOs will adopt GenAI, gaining a short-term advantage by cultivating talent, experience, and training data. This transformative process requires a strategic approach, emphasizing talent development, experience accumulation, and robust training datasets.

GenAI integration ensures competitiveness and establishes a resilient foundation for future growth. To unlock GenAI’s full potential, organizations should prioritize cross-functional collaboration, embracing diverse expertise and perspectives.

This approach fosters innovative problem-solving, enabling CIOs to uncover new applications and insights, solidifying their leadership in the dynamic digital landscape.

In 2024, AIOps is poised to revolutionize IT operations. It will unveil self-learning algorithms operating in real-time, proactively detecting and autonomously resolving incidents. These algorithms will be fortified with sophisticated anomaly detection techniques capable of discerning even the most subtle deviations from established operational norms. Additionally, AIOps will leverage correlation engines that seamlessly integrate insights from diverse data sources, offering a comprehensive view across complex, hybrid infrastructures.
Sumitran Danabalan
SVP, Cigniti Technologies

3. Microservices Expansion

The rapid adoption of microservices architecture stems from its unparalleled benefits to businesses. Its hallmark lies in flexibility, scalability, and independence, allowing companies to revolutionize their operations. This trifecta is the driving force behind the swift embrace of this architectural approach.

The Business Research Company forecasts an impressive growth trajectory for microservices architecture, predicting a market size of $10.86 billion by 2027.

4. Containerization Surge

The digital landscape has witnessed an unmistakable shift toward containerization. A recent survey revealed a whopping 61% usage of containers for new applications, led by Docker and Kubernetes. Among these, Kubernetes stands out for simplifying deployment and management processes in the container realm. Its efficiency has reshaped how applications are handled, boosting scalability and productivity.

5. Edge Computing Evolution

The “2022 Global Edge Computing Market report” offers a compelling projection, foreseeing a meteoric rise in the edge computing industry. According to its insights, the market is slated to soar to a staggering $90 billion by 2030. This exponential growth trajectory owes much of its momentum to the increasing integration of AI capabilities at the edge—a pivotal factor propelling the industry into uncharted territories of innovation and efficiency.

6. Platform Engineering

Platform engineering will emerge as a prominent trend in 2024 and beyond. According to Gartner’s projections, by 2026, roughly 80% of software engineering entities will establish internal platform teams. These teams will provide reusable services, components, and tools crucial for efficient application delivery.

The advantages of top-notch platform engineering are manifold. It aids in reducing cognitive burden, enhancing developer productivity and experience, and empowering users with advanced self-service capabilities.

Organizations also amplify their flexibility and adaptability by constructing platforms composed of reusable, configurable components and services, fostering a more agile operational framework.

7. Data Science & Machine Learning

Gartner states, “As machine learning adoption continues to grow rapidly across industries, Data Science & Machine Learning is evolving from just focusing on predictive models, toward a more democratized, dynamic and data-centric discipline.” The evolution is marked by a shift from the traditional emphasis on predictive models.

It signifies a broader and more accessible landscape for individuals and businesses, highlighting the democratization of machine learning and data science, where the focus extends beyond predictions to embrace the dynamic and rich possibilities inherent in the data.

By 2024, Gartner predicts 60% of data for AI will be synthetic to simulate reality and future scenarios and derisk AI, up from 1% in 2021. This surge replicates real-world scenarios intricately, providing a powerful means to anticipate and mitigate potential risks associated with AI systems. This trend accelerates the simulated datasets for enhanced AI capabilities and better reliability on the developed AI models.

Top Digital Assurance Trends to Follow in 2024

Against the backdrop of a world shaped by the challenges of a pandemic and a relentless pace of digital transformation, Quality Assurance has undergone a profound evolution, emerging as the all-encompassing orbit of Quality Engineering. This paradigm shift entails meticulous oversight across every facet of business processes and customer touchpoints, proactively identifying and eliminating quality irregularities.

Let’s delve into the forefront of digital assurance trends shaping the landscape of quality engineering in this transformative era of 2024.

1. Embracing AI and ML for Defect Detection

According to The World Quality Report 2023-24, 77% of organizations consistently invest in and leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize QA processes. A key trend for 2024 is integrating AI and Machine Learning (ML) into defect detection.

AI-driven tools excel in pinpointing code issues and continually improving through adaptive learning. They provide a nuanced understanding of code patterns, enhancing precise defect identification by analyzing extensive datasets.

Adaptability is a distinguishing feature, allowing these tools to recognize specific error patterns and software nuances over time. This transformative trend in AI and ML is reshaping the defect detection landscape in quality assurance practices for 2024.

2. The Convergence of Agile and DevOps Methodologies

According to Gartner, by 2023, 90% of Agile and DevOps initiatives will fall short of expectations due to human rather than technical factors.

The seamless integration of Agile and DevOps in software development represents a pivotal evolution, aligning with cutting-edge digital assurance trends in 2024. This dynamic convergence accelerates development speed, transforms organizational culture, and enhances responsiveness to evolving customer requirements in a fiercely competitive market.

The reduced feedback loop fuels continuous improvement and aligns with the contemporary emphasis on innovation. In the rapidly evolving technological landscape of 2024, the unified approach of Agile and DevOps is a strategic necessity for companies aiming to thrive and stand out.

In 2024, DevOps will undergo a profound transformation. Automation will surge to unprecedented levels, revolutionizing development workflows and expediting deployment cycles. Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines will reach new heights of efficiency, enabling rapid and dependable software releases. DevOps will be synonymous with agility, allowing teams to respond swiftly to changing demands. The emphasis on collaboration, communication, and seamless integration between development and operations will continue to be the bedrock of successful software delivery. Expect 2024 to be a pivotal year in the DevOps journey, where organizations will harness their full potential to drive innovation and efficiency in software development.
Ramendeep Bhurjee
VP, Cigniti Technologies

3. Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience

In 2024, cybersecurity will be a critical strategic priority beyond the IT department. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 70% of boards will have a cybersecurity expert. This shift allows organizations to move from reactive defense to seizing new opportunities with preparedness.

Organizations must understand the distinction between cybersecurity and cyber resilience. While cybersecurity focuses on prevention, resilience is gaining importance as it acknowledges that no security is foolproof. Achieving agile recovery with minimal data loss is a strategic priority for 2024.

In tandem, aligning with digital assurance trends, organizations must aim to fortify their security measures, ensuring robust defense and swift recovery in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

In 2024, DevSecOps will experience a paradigm shift in integrating security into the development process. Security will no longer be seen as a separate function but an intrinsic part of the development lifecycle. Security tools and practices will be seamlessly integrated into CI/CD pipelines, enabling automated security checks throughout the software delivery process. Threat intelligence and vulnerability assessments will be leveraged in real-time, providing immediate insights into potential risks. Security champions within development teams will be pivotal in ensuring secure coding practices. The adoption of zero-trust principles will become more prevalent, emphasizing continuous verification and authorization for all users and devices. Overall, 2024 will be a year of heightened security consciousness, where DevSecOps becomes synonymous with agile, secure, and resilient software development. This evolution will protect organizations from cyber threats and foster a culture of security-first mindset within the development community.
Rajesh Sarangapani
SVP and Head of Innovation, Cigniti Technologies

4. IoT Systems & Low Code Will Cross Over

Forrester projects a 40% reliance on low-code/no-code platforms for developing Internet of Things (IoT) automation, aligning with current digital assurance trends.

Low-code platforms prove instrumental given the intricate nature of IoT applications that process substantial data from diverse endpoint devices such as mobile communication devices, sensors, and automobiles.

These platforms empower developers to construct high-performance mobile applications, efficiently transforming extensive data into visually intuitive content. This facilitates a resilient and expeditious user experience for business clients and resonates with the evolving landscape of digital assurance, ensuring robustness in the face of complexities.

Furthermore, the graphical interface of low-code platforms allows data scientists to adeptly translate available data into functional applications without requiring software engineers’ involvement.

The Low Code/No Code will redefine how applications are developed in 2024, democratizing the creation process. Advanced AI-driven automation will empower users with limited coding expertise to build complex, scalable applications effortlessly. Collaboration between professional developers and citizen developers will reach new heights, fostering innovation and agility. Low Code/No Code platforms will evolve to handle intricate business logic and integrate seamlessly with emerging technologies. It will mark a turning point where these platforms become the cornerstone of digital transformation, accelerating app development and empowering a broader spectrum of individuals to contribute to the innovation landscape.
Venkatesh Kovuri
EVP, Cigniti Technologies

5. Codeless Automation

Test automation, once confined to developers with advanced technical skills, has transformed with the advent of Codeless Automation. This trend aims to democratize automation, making it accessible to all, irrespective of technical expertise. This shift accelerates the automation process by eliminating the code barrier and enhances interdisciplinary collaboration. Analysts predict this trend will continue to shape the future, fostering a comprehensive approach to software quality by incorporating diverse perspectives from individuals with varying skills and knowledge.

6. 5G

5G networks herald the next era in mobile communication, promising incredible speed and a one-millisecond response time – a vast improvement from 4G’s 200 milliseconds. As online businesses embracing the Internet of Things await the mainstream adoption of 5G, they can anticipate faster broadband speeds, robust mobile networks, and a more interconnected future.

This technological shift will bring greater reliability, improved security, wider deployment, and increased bandwidth. It aligns with current Digital Assurance trends, ensuring a seamless and efficient digital experience.

7. Digital Banking

The banking landscape is rapidly transforming with AI, machine learning, IoT, RPA, and blockchain technologies. Online banking, now serving a user base expected to hit 2.5 billion by 2024, has revolutionized processes, reducing loan approval times from weeks to seconds.

Anticipated to reach 2.5 billion users by 2024, online banking is on the rise. In response to COVID-19, banks adapted by launching contactless payment methods, increasing payment limits, implementing fully digital processes, introducing appointment bookings in branches, and incorporating digital ID&V methods, as highlighted in a Digital Banking Maturity report.

These adaptations and the expanded provision of online loans and credit cards underscore the trend toward a more streamlined and customer-centric digital banking experience. This transformation aligns with the evolving landscape of Digital Assurance in 2024.

8. ESG

Environmental Social Governance (ESG) is poised to capture attention. These criteria serve as benchmarks for socially conscious investors evaluating potential investments by setting business operations standards. The governance aspect within ESG, encompassing leadership audits, internal controls, shareholder rights, and executive pay, wields a notable impact on a company’s financial metrics.

Amidst global prioritization of ESG, spanning climate issues to diversity, the narrative is expected to intensify in 2023 and beyond, aligning with the 2024 trend of Digital Assurance. This evolution is marked by substantial investments and commitments, particularly in sustainable product development, climate initiatives, and enhancing diversity and equity, reflecting a holistic approach to corporate responsibility and digital excellence.

Conclusion

Converging transformative trends reshape digital engineering and assurance practices. From redefined architectures like microservices and the ascent of containerization to the anticipated growth of edge computing, these changes signal a dynamic era for digital engineering.

Simultaneously, the landscape of digital assurance is undergoing shifts, emphasizing the seamless integration of Agile and DevOps methodologies, robust cybersecurity measures, and the innovative crossover of IoT with low-code platforms.

Collectively, these trends underscore the industry’s commitment to agility, security, and efficiency in development and quality assurance processes. As businesses navigate this intricate landscape, a holistic understanding of these dual dynamics becomes paramount for sustained success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Cigniti Technologies is the World’s Leading AI & IP-led Digital Assurance and Digital Engineering Services Company. Headquartered in Hyderabad, India, Cigniti’s 4200+ employees help Fortune 500 & Global 2000 enterprises across 24 countries accelerate their digital transformation journey across various stages of digital adoption and help them achieve market leadership by providing transformation services leveraging IP & Platform-led innovation with expertise across multiple verticals and domains.

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