Unlocking innovation through modern application development

When you hear "modern application development," what comes to mind? For some, it might sound like just another industry buzzword. But for tech leaders and IT managers who want to stay ahead of the curve, it represents something far more meaningful — a transformational approach that equips organizations to drive innovation, improve efficiency and build cutting-edge solutions at scale. 
 

At Thoughtworks, we've long championed the importance of modern application development (MAD). And it’s not just us saying that. We’re thrilled to have been named both a Leader and a Customer Favorite in The Forrester Wave™: Modern Application Development Services, Q1 2025. According to the report, “Thoughtworks has committed to the MAD philosophy since its inception in 1993” and is recognized for its AI-infused applications, cloud-native development and platform engineering. 
 

Here's why MAD deserves to be at the top of your IT strategy agenda and how it can be applied across your organization. 
 

Why modern application development matters 

Traditional methods of building software often struggle to keep pace with today’s business demands. Enter modern application development, an approach that’s agile, cloud-native and highly scalable. 
 

Here’s why forward-thinking businesses are adopting MAD strategies:
 

• Speed and agility: MAD embraces approaches like DevSecOps (development, security and operations) and site reliability engineering (SRE), allowing teams to deliver apps faster without compromising quality.
  
  

• Smarter decision-making: Data-driven insights, supported by AI-infused applications, ensure rapid, informed decisions that enhance business outcomes.
  
  

Future-proofing: Unsurprisingly, cutting-edge practices like genAI work alongside good engineering practices to lay the groundwork to meet future needs, providing adaptability in a shifting market. Our belief is that genAI adoption delivers maximum value when integrated throughout the entire software delivery lifecycle.

At its core, MAD isn’t just about building apps. It’s about enabling innovation and embedding resiliency into your operations, ensuring your organization is ready for whatever comes next.

Applications of modern application development across the enterprise 

At Thoughtworks, we see several recurring applications for clients as they adopt modern application development:
 

1. Customer-centric services
 

Engaging users and improving their experience has never been more important. By adopting MAD, organizations can use AI-infused features and event-driven architectures to improve responsiveness and personalization. 
 

2. AI-enhanced insights for decision makers
 

Whether it’s predictive analytics or adaptive algorithms, MAD helps organizations measure relentlessly, to consolidate and act on data in real time. Businesses that integrate AI and genAI gain powerful predictive capabilities that are no longer reserved just for the tech giants. 
 

3. Optimized workflows with cloud-native platforms
 

With companies requiring scalable solutions, cloud-native platforms allow for rapid prototyping and iteration, significantly speeding up development times. It also allows seamless integration with various ecosystems, maximizing operational efficiency. 
 

Thoughtworks’ cloud-native approach remains one of its most distinguished capabilities, as we help clients develop and deploy workloads in an automated, accelerated way on robust platforms. 
 

4. Security at the core
 

Speed without security is a recipe for risk. MAD integrates DevSecOps practices so that security becomes an inherent part of your development pipeline, minimizing vulnerabilities from the outset. It also helps you to continuously evolve your AI guardrails, using strong engineering practices and genAI capabilities for monitoring, detection and resolution workflows.
 

5. Empowering teams with the product operating model
 

MAD isn’t just about the software; it’s about creating cross-functional teams that own and continuously improve their digital products. This cultural change can enable teams to act faster and focus on delivering measurable value to the business.

Thoughtworks’ recognition in The Forrester Wave™ 
 

Why should you consider Thoughtworks as your MAD partner? Here’s what Forrester had to say in their report:
 

• Thoughtworks achieved the highest scores possible in 14 out of 25 evaluation criteria, including AI-infused applications (AIIAs) development, AI and data governance/engineering, DevSecOps practices and technologies, cloud-native and hybrid development services and platform engineering services.
   

• “Thoughtworks has committed to the MAD philosophy since its inception in 1993… [and] excels in developing AI-infused applications and implementing data governance and data engineering capabilities.”
   

For us, this recognition highlights our ability to seamlessly blend strategy and software engineering, helping our clients co-create robust, modern applications while transforming their development capabilities. 
 

Why choose Thoughtworks for modern application development? 
 

• Pioneers in innovation: Modern application development is in our DNA. With over 30 years of experience, we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible. 
   

• AI expertise: Thoughtworks is recognized for its leadership in building AI-infused applications, empowering enterprises to adopt emerging technologies like generative AI to supercharge growth. 
   

• Global staffing excellence: Our agile teams around the world ensure rapid mobilization and the ability to co-create solutions on a global scale. 
   

• Customer-centric approach: We're a trusted partner to our clients, focusing on what generates measurable value for their businesses. 
   

• Native AI mindset: Our AI-native teams embed AI throughout their core workflows, prioritize human-AI collaboration, maintain ethical standards, bake in secure practices and ensure AI democratization across the organization drives strategic business alignment.
   

Getting started
 

If your organization is ready to unlock untapped potential, modern application development is the key. But where should you begin? 
 

At Thoughtworks, we believe the first step is understanding your unique challenges and goals. Whether you need to scale operations, integrate AI, or adopt cloud-native solutions, our experts will be with you every step of the way to build applications that deliver impact. 
 

Want to learn more? Access your complimentary copy of The Forrester Wave™ Report to explore how Thoughtworks and other providers compare in MAD capabilities. 
 

Or better yet, get in touch and discover how innovative application development can transform your business. 

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here .