Capt. Universal defies Fragmentor - the margin killer

Hey there agency friends, are you feeling beaten? Numb to the torture of digital fragmentation in your production studio? If you are, worry - a lot because you're not alone its a sector wide problem! But lets take a minute and if you're not sure what digital fragmentation is, let me break it down for you.

Digital fragmentation refers to the snowballing problem of using multiple development tools in your digital agency production studio. Maybe you’re using one tool for basic website development, another for volume campaign microsites, and yet another for data-driven web apps and UX/UI prototyping. The more tools you're using, the more fragmented your digital workflow becomes. Some agencies count as many as 8, sometimes even more individual technologies and the associated technologists on their studio roster to deliver a range of projects.

But you knew, you’re pretending it doesn’t apply right?

Not that dirty P word again: Productivity

So, what's the big deal? Well, there are hidden costs to all that fragmentation and you’re probably not even be aware. Let's start with the impact on your team's productivity. When you make your developers switch between multiple development tools, it’s a real productivity killer - demoralising even. They have to learn how to use each tool, and they have to figure out how to make them all work together. This can lead to a lot of wasted time and effort and heres the thing about dev’s - they hate wasting time.

Creativity crushed

Then there's the impact on your team's creative outputs. When your developers are hamstrung trying to make more than one development tool work at a time, switching from one work environment to the next stifles the vibe, kills their creative flow. They don't have time to research, experiment and try new things because they're too busy trying to make and deliver all your digital projects with all those different damn tools. This can lead to a lack of innovation, motivation and a decline in the quality of your studios work and that's a spiral you definitely don’t want to go down.

Marginalised margins

But wait, there's more! Digital fragmentation also impacts your agency's profitability. The more time and resources you spend trying to make multiple development tools work, chasing the technologists to build and maintain them because, y’know - its not only the initial build, the less profitable each project becomes. Your team will have to work harder and longer hours to create digital projects across all those different tools, and that means your costs go up. If you're not charging enough for your fragmented digital studio, you'll end up eating into your profit margins. Costs going up in today’s market? Get real.

Come out swinging

So, what can you do to combat digital fragmentation in your studio or across your network? The key is to focus on using a single, unified development tool that can handle all your digital needs. Instead of using separate tools for website development, microsites, and data-driven web apps, find a tool that can do it all. This means taking a more holistic approach to your digital workflow and considering how everything fits together from the start.

Digital fragmentation as a result of accumulating multiple development tools may seem like a minor annoyance, but it can have a significant impact on your production studio's productivity, creativity, and profitability. So, don't ignore the hidden costs of digital fragmentation – take steps to combat it and streamline your digital workflow. Your team, your clients, and your shareholders will thank you for it!