When choosing a software provider, no matter the industry or purpose, one of the most important things to look for is a close alignment between the vendor’s product roadmap and marketplace needs. When it comes to those selecting EHS (Environmental, Health & Safety) software, the need for that alignment is even more critical. EHS software must accommodate the complex nature of EHS regulations, evolving EHS strategies and models, and newly emerging risks within the workplace.
Below, we take a deeper dive into why this is important by answering the following questions:
- Why is it important to choose an EHS software provider that aligns its product roadmap with future marketplace needs?
- How do leading EHS software providers decide what to prioritize in their roadmap?
Why is it important to choose an EHS software provider that aligns its product roadmap with future marketplace needs?
Selecting an EHS software provider with a product roadmap aligned to future marketplace needs is critical for staying ahead in the dynamic field of EHS. An aligned roadmap not only ensures the software can support the ever-evolving EHS landscape, but that the tools and workflows embedded within the product will enable individuals across the organizations to take a more engaged, proactive and targeted approach to risk management and harm avoidance.
Ensuring that your preferred EHS software provider aligns its product roadmap to future marketplace needs is crucial for several reasons:
Regulatory Compliance
EHS regulations are subject to change over time. A provider that keeps its software updated in alignment with evolving regulations enables your organization to remain compliant with the latest standards and codes of practice. And as everyone knows, failure to comply with regulations can result in citations and fines, not to mention damage to your company’s brand and reputation.
Risk Management
The EHS landscape is dynamic, and new risks emerge as industries and operating models evolve. A software provider that anticipates and addresses emerging risks in its product roadmap helps organizations stay ahead of potential issues. This proactive approach to risk management can minimize the likelihood of adverse events, whether injuries, illnesses or environmental damage.
Technological Advancements
The field of EHS is continually influenced by advancements in technology. A software provider that integrates new technologies – such as artificial intelligence (AI), IoT (Internet of Things), and data analytics – into its platform can offer more effective tools for collecting, monitoring, analyzing, and drawing insights from EHS data to inform decision-making. This helps organizations realize greater EHS performance over time.
Scalability
As organizations grow or undergo changes, they need an EHS solution that can scale and adapt to their evolving needs. A software provider with a forward-looking roadmap is more likely to offer scalable solutions that can accommodate the changing needs and complexities of businesses.
Cost-Efficiency
Investing in EHS software is a significant financial commitment. Choosing a provider with a well-thought-out roadmap ensures that your software investment is future-proof, reducing the need for frequent software replacements or major updates. This long-term perspective can lower your organization’s total cost of software ownership and ensure greater platform sustainability and user adoption.
Competitive Advantage
Staying ahead of the curve with cutting-edge EHS technology can provide organizations with a competitive advantage. By choosing a provider that aligns its roadmap with future marketplace needs, organizations are positioned to lead in EHS practices, sustainability, and corporate responsibility.
How does a leading EHS software provider decide what to prioritize in its roadmap?
So now that we know why it’s important for EHS software providers to align their product roadmap to future marketplace needs, let’s explore how leading providers decide what to include – and prioritize – on its roadmap.
Deciding what features and/or enhancements to include in the product roadmap involves careful consideration of multiple factors. Some of the most common elements include:
Customer Feedback
Developing an effective product roadmap is achievable when supported by a collaborative partnership approach between the software vendor and its customers. Leading software providers actively seek customer feedback – from buyers, administrators and end users alike – to ensure their needs and challenges are considered in innovation discussions. Surveys, support channels, and user forums are commonly used to help identify prevalent pain points and user needs, helping providers align the roadmap with the most critical user base requirements.
Usability and User Experience
Leading software providers frequently prioritize product enhancements designed to optimize the user experience, improving the ease of solution navigation, and offering more engaging, intuitive and personalized access to the features required to manage operational risk.
Industry Regulations and Standards
The software partner stays abreast of dynamic industry regulations and standards, prioritizing updates to enable its customers to remain in strict compliance with the latest laws and requirements.
Market Trends, Evolving EHS Practices and Technological Advancements
Market trends and advancements in technology are regularly weighed when prioritizing what new product features and enhancements to include in the roadmap, to both close current functionality gaps while also expanding features to service new use cases, and helping to ensure that the software remains at the forefront of innovation.
Strategic Vision & Mission
The best software providers are guided by an overarching vision to enable customers to realize greater EHS performance, leading to safer workplaces, lower environmental impact, and a stronger contribution to the communities they serve. With the best providers, it’s easy to see how their vision and mission permeates into every new product they build.
Resource Constraints
The best software providers are transparent on what they’re able to achieve within specific timeframes, and what they cannot. That’s why the best providers put careful consideration into their level of available development resources, along with development budgets, to ensure the product roadmap is achievable. Many vendors often promise the world with respect to their product roadmap, but frequently fail to deliver on those promises. But great features that never make it off the sketch pad are just ‘vaporware’. It’s important to consider not only what the vendor is promising, but also what it has the capacity to deliver.
The importance of EHS expertise
Don’t forget – The ability to transform customer feedback, evolving regulations, market trends, best practices and even tech advancements into tangible features that solve real EHS challenges requires a robust team of internal EHS experts. These subject matter experts can proactively identify these issues, understand their impacts, and translate those requirements into practical solutions. That’s why the best EHS software providers have EHS professionals embedded in all aspects of the business – from product design, to deployment, and customer support.
By considering these factors and maintaining a dynamic feedback loop with customers and stakeholders, leading EHS software providers can create a product roadmap that addresses the most pressing needs of its user base while staying responsive to changes in the market and regulatory landscape.
Curious how Cority has strategically aligned its roadmap to marketplace needs? Check out Part 2 of our series, How Cority’s EHS Product Roadmap Excels at Meeting Marketplace Needs, to find out more.
To find out more about Cority’s market-leading and integrated suite of EHS & Sustainability software solutions, connect with one of our experts today.
