Has Composable Killed the DXP?

As businesses have evolved, so too has the technology that supports them. As websites became fully-fledged marketing and e-commerce platforms, customer experience became a top priority for companies seeking to achieve better outcomes. This led to the emergence of three primary areas of technology: content-driven tools, data capture tools, and personalization tools. These tools allowed businesses to create, organize, and deliver high-quality content, measure the performance of digital experiences, and tailor the user experience based on user behaviour, preferences, and history.

Over time, larger vendors and corporations acquired complete sets of these software applications. They bundled them as fully integrated, all-in-one experience suites - which we now know as Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs). DXPs initially offered a foundational technical architecture and proprietary frameworks for web development and integration. However, The legacy DXPs were soon plagued by feature bloat and became cumbersome and difficult to maintain, especially as the needs of customers continued to evolve.

A New Hypothesis of Composable Experiences

A new hypothesis for building customer experiences has emerged to address these challenges: composing a customer experience platform from vendors best suited to deliver capabilities for your specific needs is the most effective way to deliver, optimize, and manage contextual customer experiences. 

No longer are DXPs bought as prepackaged suites but built, assembled and owned by businesses. This alternative approach is made possible through the evolution of headless technology and MACH architecture. 

The composable hypothesis has successfully addressed the challenges of agility, differentiation, and scalability. Rather than relying on a monolithic DXP, businesses can select best-of-breed tools and build customized solutions that meet their unique needs. By doing so, companies can respond quickly to changing market conditions, customer behaviour, and new technology trends.

Is There A Need For DXP?

However, the move towards composable architecture, MACH Architecture, and best-of-breed selection has raised an important question: has it replaced the need for a DXP? The answer is more complex than yes or no. While the traditional DXP may only be suitable for some businesses, some cases still make sense. To make an informed decision, companies must understand the pros and cons of each approach. 

Composable architecture offers greater flexibility, agility, and scalability but is not a silver bullet. 

• It firmly relies on other emerging technologies, such as headless and MACH architectures. 
• Composing a DXP from Headless and MACH requires technical specialists that understand the complexities and nuances of building systems with distributed cloud services. 
• Enabling technologies used for composing experiences are nascent and evolving. Many have a narrow focus on the front-end visual elements of the customer experience, particularly for web development. 
• As well as the consumer front-end, Composability should encompass the back office and digital operations, as this is the engine that powers digital businesses. If you only compose the visible elements of your storefront and not your operations, you don't have a composable digital business.

Traditional DXPs, on the other hand, are often seen as easier to implement and as they are pre-integrated. But DXPs are proven to have many downsides:

• The range of features and capabilities that a DXP offers can be overwhelming and challenging to use, especially for small businesses or organizations with limited resources.
• Businesses can be caught in a never-ending cycle of updates and upgrades, as many traditional DXPs were born out of multiple products and companies.
• With DXPs, adding or replacing applications is very difficult and expensive, as it requires vast amounts of custom development. 
• Developing using DXPs can be awkward and slow, reducing agility and the ability for businesses to respond quickly to changing market conditions today.

In conclusion, the shift towards composable architecture and best-of-breed selection has brought about a new era of flexibility and agility in customer experience management. While traditional DXPs may still be suitable for some businesses, the composable hypothesis offers a more practical approach that allows companies to respond quickly to changing market conditions, customer behaviour, and new technology trends. 

Ultimately, the key to success in today's digital age is understanding the importance of connection and choosing the approach that best fits your organization's unique needs.