Now that The Forrester Wave™: Commerce Solutions for B2B, Q2 2024 is released, I can share an update of my perspective on The MACH Alliance. Four member companies were in the B2B Commerce Solutions Wave mix this time around and more espoused their architectural virtues (some didn’t qualify for MACH membership, and some didn’t qualify for Wave inclusion for a variety of reasons per the official Wave inclusion criteria).
It’s now about walking the path of change
In its fourth year, The MACH Alliance is changing its vibe. Now, it’s about changing a tech leader’s ability to compose tech stacks to deliver differentiated strategies. Reminder: the business is in charge – tech leaders are partners in bringing the strategy to life.
But change requires coaching. Specifically, businesses need a changed mindset to deliver experiences with new tech that blend the physical and digital worlds. The MACH program vehicle is called The MACH Ambassadors, whose revised mission is to coach digital practitioners through the change in mindset required to cooperate (in new ways) – with the help of (new) technology – to create (new) experiences for customers, partners, and employees.
To change mindset is hard. My colleague Betsy Summers and I are collaborating on a case study that chronicles how one company made this mind shift by very intentionally applying a coaching strategy. Stay tuned for that.
MACH wasn’t always like this
At its launch in June 2020, The MACH Alliance was appealing to ambitious technologists disenchanted with monolithic architectures, yearning for a countermovement. That excitement packed the perceived “Coolest Tech in Town Club.”
But once inside, the crowd became acutely aware that delivering great digital experiences still is both teamwork and hard work.
And work requires discipline.
And discipline is a mindset.
If you need help understanding how you’ll architect your own digital commerce stack, let’s talk.
Schedule an inquiry or guidance session with me to talk about how you can use this Wave to drive the selection of your B2B commerce provider that aligns with your strategic commitment to pursuit of continuously improving business results through technology.
Forrester clients can read The Forrester Wave™: Commerce Solutions for B2B, Q2 2024.
Forrester clients can also read Case Study: Wiley Unifies Its Digital Subscription Portfolio By Architecting Its Own Digital Experience Platform.
