Having the right approach and consistent, repeatable processes is the key to rapid growth and long-term success. Nail it, detail it, then scale it. We practice what we preach, implementing a proven set of Software Consulting Methodologies to ensure delivery of results that are on-time, on budget, and on spec.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT MODEL
Modeling your goals, functional areas, primary and secondary stakeholders and core competencies will identify the internal development initiatives and projects to undertake, in what order, and what impact they will have in reaching your business goals.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT MODEL
- Business Goals – We start with your current strategic plan. As secondary stakeholders are identified, core competencies reviewed, and gaps analyzed, goals get refined to fix the proceses that waste time, waste money, and distract from your efforts to scale the business.
- Stakeholders – No stakeholder can be ignored. They all have needs and motivations for those needs. If they aren’t identified and addressed, they lead to emergencies and fire drills that derail your progress. Turn them into raving fans by addressing them strategically.
- Grow your people – For a business to grow rapidly, its people have to grow rapidly too. No manager can focus on the growth picture unless routine knowledge, training, and decision making are handed off. can’t be delegated. Learn how to prepare you team to step up. ‘
- Long Chain Processes – The handoff between people and departments is where communication and knowledge transfer break down most often. See how your people interact as part of your major functions instead of dividing them by departments and job titles.
BUSINESS PROCESS MODELING METHODOLOGY
To improve a business process, you first have to understand it. We are busines process experts who love to dig deep, find out how things work, then apply our technical know-how to make them vastly better. Optimized and highly automated workflows pay for themselves many times over in record speed. We use standard process diagraning syntax and innovative proprietary tools to do the job right.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE BUSINESS PROCESS MODELING METHODOLOGY
- As-Is – Poor processes remain in place because no one understands them from end to end. Work gets thrown over the wall without knowing what becomes of it. First we document the “as-is” state so the workflow becomes clear.
- Pain Points – Once you can see the whole workflow, its easy to spot the inefficiencies and pain points. We can even put a dollar amount on them. Cost avoidance alone is worth the effort.
- Dig Deeper – We don’t stop with the obvious. We ask the “what-if” questions to see who else can contribute to or benefit from an improved workflow. Problems you didn’t know existed will be rooted out and fixed. We help you optimize the work, move inputs close to their source, and deliver the right output to the right people at the right time and place.
- Tools – We know processes, but we also know software and hardware. Your operations will hum when we help you locate the right tools. We will work with what you have so you save money, and add what makes sense.
REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY
Buying or building the right software depends on getting the requirements right. We use an agile hybrid Requirements Elicitation and Management methodology based on the popular Volaire business analysis system to nail the requirements before you spend money on software. Once all the right questions get asked, the software you end up needing isn’t the software you thought you needed at the start.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY
- Functionality – Applications are written for people. They make people more efficient. That’s the place to start, letting each stakeholder describe what they need to accomplish and what the final out come should be.
- Rules – Every process has rules for what tasks are performed, what order they are performed in, who can perform them, data format rules, calculations. We experienced business analysts who find and capture the rules up front instead of the trial and error method of most developers.
- Features – We design systems that scale by finding the common elements in your application and making them reusable throughout to speed development and eliminate chances for bugs. We also use our own frameworks to supply many features out of the box.
- Staged Delivery – Our agile development process breaks the project into stages, focuses on the most important functionality up front and gets a useful solution in your hands quickly. We fold in secondary features in later stages.
SOFTWARE SELECTION METHODOLOGY
We build on the Business Process Modeling Methodology and the Requirements Management Methodology to create a systematic way of evaluating vendors” products. There is a lot of great software out there, but every company is unique and a one-size-fits-all approach can get you in trouble. Our approach lets you ask the right questions and have confidence in your selection.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE SOFTWARE SELECTION METHODOLOGY
- Clarity – Vendors will try to tell you what you need based on what everyone else needs or, worse, what their software does. We show you exactly what functionality you need, what is critical, what is negotiable, and what is just nice to have.
- No Dog And Pony – Salespeople like to show the eye candy, the best parts of their software, in hopes of dazzling you into a purchase. We make them deliver the demonstration that proves they can solve your problems and how using their actual software, not slick marketing slides.
- Qualitative Selection – Our methodology acts as a scoreboard so you can objectively compare competing products according to your exact needs and standards. If there is a good match you will know it.
- No headaches – Picking the wrong software can turn into a nightmare, consuming time and money you didn’t budget for to get the software you thought you got in the first place. We help you get it right the first time.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY
Sometimes you just have a better way. No software on the market fits your unique circumstances. Custom software development solutions that fit your business processes like glove let you operate with speed by eliminating workarounds and poor hand-offs. They let you focus on scaling your business, not babysitting your core workflows.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY
- Modern Tooling – We are proficient in both open source and the Microsoft Stack. We use current versions of modern languages and the latest framework to speed development and save you money.
- Jump Start – We have our own frameworks and tools as well so we can get your project off to a quick start by focusing on what adds value rather than mundane, repetitive coding tasks.
- Any Platform – We build desktop applications, web applications, mobile applications even embedded solutions. If you have an idea, we want to hear it. Let’s brainstorm getting the most from your current technology investments.
- Clean Architecture – We architect our code to be robust, scalable, secure and easy to maintain or enhance. We build it in manageable chunks. The cost of a custom software development solution has to include the entire life-cycle. We make sure it will grow with your business.
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY
This methodology guides all the others. One-and-done doesn’t work with software. As your business scales, your software portfolio has to scale with it. We work with you to know what you need now and what the future looks like so you can buy or build software that enables your growth rather than hindering it.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY
- Project Management – Together we nail down the most critical function to have first. We then manage the deliverables, budgets, schedules and resources to deliver your solution on spec, on time, and on budget.
- Blue Sky – We track what you could do in future with your software. Taking the growth path into account can lead to better informed alternate solutions in the present so your software grows with you.
- Iron Triangle – We work within your schedule, budget and functionality constraints ensuring you get the most for your investment dollar. You are in the driver’s seat with ample opportunity to guide our efforts to your satisfaction.
- Track Progress – We execute our methodology to perfection. You will always be in the loop on progress, what we are working on, and what deliverables you can expect. We communicate promptly so you can address issues that arise and make decisions that keep the project moving forward.