Services

Software architecture and development

Software is eating the world - Marc Andreessen

The biggest bookstore (Amazon) is a software company, the biggest video service (Netflix) is a software company, the fastest growing recruiter (LinkedIn) is a software company. Software is eating much of the value chain of manufacturing industries too. In modern cars software runs the engines, controls safety and entertains the passengers.

How could your business benefit from software?

We have worked on several projects for startup clients, and we have seen the shortcomings of "tutorial driven programming". This approach may be efficient for a quick prototype, but to get long lasting software it is wise to think of the architecture early.

If you need architecture and don't buy it, then you will ultimately find that you have paid for it and don't have it.

Therefore we pay attention to architecture on our software projects. When designing software, we believe that it is dangerous to design against the requirements. Instead, start with the core use cases, the essence of the business. Then Identify the smallest number of architectural components that can satisfy the use cases (present and future). Encapsulate volatility to make it adaptable to future change and requirements.

We'd love to help you with developing software.

Keywords: TypeScript, architecture, SOLID, DDD (Domain Driven Design), full-stack, React, React-Native, MongoDB, Redis, GraphQL, JAM-stack, AWS, HTML, CSS, data-science, Pandas, TensorFlow

Workshops

We run workshops for your team.

Ideation workshop

Ideation is the activity of generating ideas. Start with divergent thinking to produce many ideas in a short period.

Our ideation workshops are designed to elicit the creativity that all people have, but forget to apply. We apply principles from neuroscience in the exercises and activities.

Some techniques we use:

  • Collaborative mind-mapping
  • Bad ideas - good ideas
  • Five whys
  • Question burst
  • Artificial constraints

Event Storming

For collaborative exploration of complex business domains

Event Storming is done by mapping out all events that happen in the business on a huge canvas. All stakeholders participate - leaders, business experts and developers. The benefit is that we get a common understanding of the business,

Use Event Storming for

  • Assess health of existing business, and discover effective areas of improvements
  • Explore the viability of a new (startup) business model
  • Envision new services
  • Designing Event-Driven software.

More info: eventstorming.com

Hackathon

A hackathon is a competition where teams of people work on "hacking" solutions to given challenges. The teams develop concrete concepts and prototypes. The duration of a hackathon can be between a few hours and 2-3 days. At the end the teams present their hacks and concept to of a jury. This forces the participants to create something concrete and tangible.

Hackathons can be a good way to generate new ideas and test them quickly.

Companies choose between internal hackathon with own employees or an external hackathon where they invite the general public, students and entrepreneurs to hack on a challenge they sponsor.

The pressure of having to pitch an idea at the end of the hackathon urges creativity, fast decisions and making something concrete.

Uses of hackathons

  • Solve concrete problems
  • Team-building
  • Recruiting
  • Innovation
  • Learning

Marketing and Strategy

Marketing

Marketing is the process of spreading and promoting your ideas, products or services.

Understanding the market(s) is fundamental to effective marketing.

  • Who are the customers?
  • How do we reach the customers?
  • What is the psychology and motivation of the buyers (consumer or companies)?

Strategy

A strategy is a deliberate choice on a position you take in the market.

A strategy is not to be "the best insurance company". There is no insurance company that is best for everybody. But, to take the position to be the "best insurance company for eco-friendly chemical producers", and how you are different from the competition, is a strategy.

To "grow by 20 percent" is not a strategy. That is a goal or aspiration.

A strategy is made up of a diagnosis, policies and actions.

  • The diagnosis is (your) insight into what is holding you back from reaching your goal. A good diagnosis uses a metaphor, analogy or an existing framework to make it understandable.
  • A guiding policy is an overall approach chosen to cope with the obstacles identified in the diagnosis.
  • A set of coherent actions dictate how the policies will be carried out.

Our experience is that marketing and strategy are closely related. You need to understand the market to make a good strategy. And once your strategy is decided, marketing will help you execute to take that position.

Some tools we use

  • Customer insight
  • Brand Stamp
  • Good Strategy - Bad Strategy
  • What business are you in?
  • From zero-sum to positive-sum