Meet Ken Parmelee, Principal Analyst For AppGen And Low-Code

I have had the challenge and honor of running several very large software businesses, $1 billion and larger. I have also had the excitement of creating new software businesses from concepts to commercially sold products. As a lifelong techie, the excitement of identifying business problems, conceptualizing software solutions, and then bringing them into reality still seems like magic! Driving business success through software has been my passion for years, and I’ve had great successes that I’m proud of.

In my roles advising and consulting with companies, I find so many obstacles that get in the way of their value realization through software. Having built software products that are required to scale globally, delight customers, and drive big revenue, I can help companies see that same success by advising them on the massive transformation happening in application generation (AppGen, or AI-generated applications) and low-code.

Where Did You Work Prior To Forrester?

My career has been varied and exciting but always in the enterprise software industry. That includes executive leadership and product management roles at both startups and large software companies: IBM, Pegasystems, and Antenna Software (to name a few). I was also an analyst at Gartner, where I covered mobile applications and platforms. Over the last year, I ran a software consulting business, Growth XLerator, and worked with software vendors and enterprise clients to modernize their development processes and build internal systems to adopt AI with value. The threads through all of these are enterprise applications, integration, product management, software engineering team leadership, and building the organizations to create and sustain enterprise-grade software.

How Did You Get Involved In Low-Code And AI-Generated Apps?

Since my early career in IT at Sony Electronics, I have seen how apps are both a blessing and a curse for enterprises. As I’ve moved from IT into software development, I have always focused on customer value, ease of use, and innovation to provide businesses an edge. That has carried through my product ownership of mobile platforms for applications, integration platforms as a service, and other integration products into business process platforms that support professional and citizen developers throughout the software development lifecycle — and now into agents and AppGen as new production methods.

Why Forrester?

I have a dream job with Forrester! I get to lead the future of the low-code and AppGen areas, which is about not just the technology but how companies will see value and success, what they need to do to adapt, and what it will mean for their organizations. With my hands-on experience delivering enterprise-grade software, I have a perspective that has driven value for thousands of clients over my career. Forrester’s unique approach to providing long-term value to clients aligns with my own personal drive. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to work with great clients as a result.

What Will Be Your Research Focus?

My research focus areas are:

AppGen.
Low-code development.
Organizational success in building software and modernizing both processes and the tech stack.
Software leadership strategy.

Let’s Connect

We are at a point of great market inflection for AppGen and low-code, which are converging with other software segments. Now more than ever, enterprises and software vendors need clarity of direction, paths to success, and guidance on how to adapt. I look forward to working with you on any of these topics.

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