Composable Architecture: A Meaningful Change in Creating Digital Experiences 

The internet is a different place in the mid 2020s than it was in the early 1990s when IBM developed FileNet, which is often regarded as the first real content management system (CMS). Websites are no longer simple brochures or information sharing platforms, but complex ecosystems of interconnected technologies.  

This expansion of the digital world has impacted most aspects of life, and it is now deeply intertwined with daily living. Nearly every person uses multiple devices, often interchangeably, and expects to interact seamlessly across them. This means that every business, government agency, nonprofit/association, or other organization is, at least to some extent, a digital company, with a digital presence that is often the primary touchpoint with customers/constituents.  

The changes in the online world, and its related impact on the (formerly) offline world means the tools used to manage a digital presence have also evolved. While CMSs are still available, they are no longer sufficient to manage a portfolio of channels that includes – but is not limited to – websites, voice-activated technologies (such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, mobile applications, chatbots and other AI-assisted technology, wearables, microsites, blogs, email, and social / print media.  

While few businesses will need every single one of these channels, most will need several, and integrating them in the seamless way that modern customers expect requires more than the traditional CMS. Enter: composable architecture. 

Composable architecture for the web consists of building web structures in reusable components that can be mixed and matched to create varied digital experiences. The backend components are separated from the front-end user interface, so they can be displayed in different ways depending on where they appear. This separation of front and back end allows for maximum flexibility and speeds development.

In a composable system, elements that would have been large and complex in the past are instead broken down into microservices that are designed to be independent of one another and perform their functions separately. This allows them to be deployed in a nearly infinite number of combinations depending upon the needs of the site or application where they are being used. This allows for a nimble development process, where a site can be live and functional even as additional pieces are being added and allows for easy adaptability to future needs. 

Application Programming Interface (API): Wikipedia defines an API as “a way for two or more computer programs or components to communicate with each other”—essentially, they act as bridges between various services and applications, enabling data exchange and functionality sharing. By prioritizing APIs, organizations can ensure that their systems are interoperable and future-proof. Composable systems use APIs to display back-end data to front-end users.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence “is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities,” as defined by IBM.

Digital Experience Platform (DXP): The marketing glossary developed by Gartner defines DXP as “A digital experience platform (DXP) is an integrated set of core technologies that support the composition, management, delivery and optimization of contextualized digital experiences.”  

Headless architecture: Headless—also known as Headless CMS—is one of the earlier types of composable architecture, though one focused primarily on traditional website presentations. It allows content to be created once in a back end and displayed across multiple web-based presentations, but it is not fully modular across an expansive digital presence.

Microservices: Microservices break down applications into smaller, independent pieces that can be developed, deployed, and scaled individually. Each microservice performs a specific function and communicates with other services through APIs. This modular approach contrasts with traditional monolithic architectures, where all functionalities are bundled into a single unit. Microservices offer greater flexibility, allowing teams to update or scale individual components without affecting the entire system.

Personalization: Gartner defines personalization as “a process that creates a relevant, individualized interaction between two parties designed to enhance the experience of the recipient.”  

The advantages of adopting composable architecture are numerous and can have a significant impact on a customer’s digital experience—and a business’ bottom line. Benefits include:  

• Increased flexibility and scalability
• Accelerated development
• Enhanced performance and personalization
• Unified brand voice
• Maximized content
• Expanded capacity for AI integration
• Improved cost efficiency

Increased flexibility and scalability

Having a digital experience built of individual components allows for sites to be quickly modified as needs arise and does not lock an organization into a single website presentation and functionality for years in between major redevelopments; instead, new components can be added (and unneeded ones removed) on a rolling basis as needs change.

Composable architecture enables organizations to scale their digital experiences more easily than with traditional architecture. Because each component operates independently, specific parts of the system can be expanded quickly based on demand without overhauling the entire infrastructure.  

This flexibility also means no longer being strictly bound by the technical constraints of a platform. Composable is technology agnostic and therefore, it is possible to choose a toolset and development methodology that best suits a business model—audiences can be engaged with a toolset that directly fits the purpose and direction of business objectives. This freedom can net considerable gains in development effectiveness by genuinely allowing for the “right tool for the job” approach.

Accelerated development

The modern ecosystem provided by composable enhances development agility and deployment efficiency, because each component of a site can be developed and tested separately. This allows for easier adaptation to market changes and reduces time-to-market for new products and services. Additionally, the modular nature of composable architecture allows organizations to experiment and innovate rapidly. It is possible to introduce new features or updates without disrupting existing functionalities, enabling continuous improvement and responsiveness to market trends.

Separating architecture from content, as happens with composable, also speeds development because it allows content and technical teams to work in parallel, rather than sequentially, which can dramatically reduce project timelines by as much as 50%. Usually, this is not possible in a traditional content management system (CMS) scenario, because the system must be built before it can be used by the content creators. This makes deploying large projects faster and speeds the launch of marketing campaigns and updates to digital experiences.

Enhanced performance and personalization

A composable system can deliver seamless, personalized digital experiences across multiple channels, such as custom recommendations, real-time analytics, and interactive elements. This sort of personalized digital experience enhances user engagement and satisfaction, fostering brand loyalty and driving conversions.

Composable architecture also creates a process for easily connecting systems such as customer relationship management (CRM), call centers, and social media channels to develop a complete picture of each customer. Machine learning can further enhance this, providing deep insights about customers to get the best information / product to them right when it is needed. This ability to accurately understand and predict customer needs leads to increased sales and loyalty. 

Unified brand voice

 The reality is that a traditional CMS is not focused on managing content—it merely manages websites. In today’s digital environment, the conventional website is just one aspect of a digital presence, and in many scenarios, other channels are gaining greater importance. This distribution of digital infrastructure means increasingly, content is being created and stored in many locations—and therefore needing to be updated in multiple places. This, of course, leads to errors. But it is crucial that customers receive the same message and brand identity whether they interact with a website, a social media network, a chat-bot answers question, or by talking to Amazon Alexa.

Storing content in a composable system allows it to be created and/or updated once but displayed across all interfaces. This ensures consistent brand messaging and improves overall efficiency.

Maximized content

Content is an asset that should be exploited to its full potential. Building on a platform dedicated to making content a primary focus instead of being beholden to the presentation model (i.e., website) will reap huge rewards in the long term.

All companies must have a strong digital presence to compete, which, in many cases, means it is no longer sufficient to have content be in the sole domain of a marketing team or copywriter. Those teams need to maintain responsibility for coordinating and guiding content creation, but it is becoming increasingly necessary for content to be aggregated from multiple sources and distributed through various workflows.  

This means platforms for collecting and distributing content must change. Tools need to be more straightforward to be usable without web expertise, and at the same time, they need to be more flexible to fulfill the digital vision. Once content is placed on a platform, the platform needs to be capable of distributing it seamlessly, consistently, and on demand—exactly what a composable system is designed to do.

Expanded capacity for AI integration

The modular nature of composable architecture makes it ideal for AI integration. The ability to mix and match components – and therefore AI tools – allows for maximum flexibility in how AI is used as part of a digital experience.

In the same way that breaking down large digital experiences into individual components makes it easier to develop new experiences by mixing and matching, AI components can be re-used and re-combined. And as AI carries its learning with it, the reused components will improve with each implementation.

Improved Cost Efficiency

By leveraging reusable components and microservices, organizations can optimize resource utilization and reduce operational costs. Composable architecture minimizes redundancy and streamlines development, leading to significant cost savings.  

Furthermore, the ability to update or replace individual components without affecting the entire system reduces maintenance costs. Organizations can adopt a phased approach to modernization, spreading costs over time and avoiding expensive, large-scale upgrades. This is an effective way to future-proof digital development, as massive, expensive one-time upgrades are replaced by components that are changed out routinely as business needs and customer demands evolve. 

Everyone has been there: The creative team has an impressive new idea to get the organization’s message out to the world. Everyone is excited; it looks like it could be a game changer. But then the bad news strikes — “We can’t do that because...”—and inevitably the reason has something to do with the platform and tools that are being used. The answer is often as simple as picking different tools to enable this great new idea, but in a traditional web model, this can be so cumbersome that it becomes infeasible, or potentially downright impossible. But that is where composable architecture can shine.  

Because composable is an API-first model, it does not matter if the consuming application is an iPhone app built with Swift, a .NET application hosted in Azure, a Node.JS Module running in AWS, or any other combination of technology. It only matters that the tools can leverage a set of standardized web-based communication protocols to retrieve the data.  

This flexibility frees organizations to maximize content deployment and ensure that all objectives can be achieved, without technology getting in the way. It is important to keep in mind that technology should always be an enabling tool, not a stumbling block. 

Determining the right time to implement composable architecture depends on a range of factors. Here are some scenarios where adopting composable architecture is beneficial:  

Growing Complexity: If an organization’s digital ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex, composable architecture can simplify management and enhance agility. By breaking down monolithic structures into manageable components, operations and efficiency can be streamlined and improved.  

For instance, enterprises with diverse product lines or a growing number of digital touchpoints can benefit from composable architecture. It allows for centralized management and seamless integration of services, ensuring a cohesive digital experience.  

Requiring Agility: Organizations that require rapid adaptation to market changes or frequent updates to their digital experiences will find composable architecture invaluable. Its modular nature supports quick iterations and continuous improvement.  

In fast-paced industries like e-commerce or digital marketing, agility is crucial. Composable architecture empowers teams to respond swiftly to customer feedback, market trends, and technological advancements, maintaining a competitive edge.  

Focusing on Personalization: If delivering personalized experiences is a priority, composable architecture provides the flexibility needed to integrate advanced personalization tools and techniques seamlessly.  

By leveraging data from various sources and integrating AI-driven analytics, organizations can create highly targeted and relevant digital experiences. This personalization boosts engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction.

Composable architecture represents a meaningful change in how organizations approach digital experiences. Its modular, flexible, and scalable nature offers numerous benefits, including faster time-to-market, enhanced user experiences, and cost efficiency.  

Digital marketers and IT professionals should consider composable architecture as a strategic investment to stay competitive in an increasingly dynamic digital landscape. For businesses looking to streamline operations, deliver personalized experiences, and/or enhance agility, composable architecture provides the tools and framework to achieve these goals.

Ready to explore the potential of composable architecture? Contact AgencyQ to start the conversation about how composable architecture can revolutionize digital strategy.