Don’t feel the need to rush after every new trend.There is so much being created every day make sure that if you’re adding to the pile that it’s work of value. Work with real purpose built into the heart of what you do.
Another soul-searching lesson for us to evaluate. So far all 7 have really given us food for thought.
“Rushing after every new trend” to us is the selection of our technology stack, hosting platform, development processes and industry.
This lesson seems rather out of place in today’s high tech, instant gratification world where new fads are born every day and most expire soon after their launch (think Pokemon), analogous to the lifespan of a moth to a flame. After all, doesn’t the exploitation of new technology keep us ahead of the curve and more importantly excite our team of developers, keeping them challenged and market ready. It’s a balancing act, as while the above is so true, the adoption of new technologies takes time, money and impacts on project delivery.
Technology Stack
Our prime development technologies are Java coupled with the Agile application development process. The relevance of both are assessed on an annual basis. They are evaluated through a market temperature test, where hot is good, rather than against a fixed set of criteria. When IBM made the choice to implement its first email system (PROFS) it would never have flown if the decision had been made on the basis of the ROI as a proven benchmark didn’t exist at the time.
Testing whether the selected technologies are HOT or COLD is evidenced by the growth in adoption without which the requisite development funds will dry up and the technology will stagnate. Just recently the Java world made strong representation to Larry Ellison to increase Oracle’s development efforts which seems to have had the desired effect. This proves that our 20 year Java journey is well invested. The technologies being sought by today’s job applicants has a bearing on our technology choices as has the move by our clients from face to face client interaction.
Hosting Platform
Our hosting platform choice has moved with the times, 4 times in the past 10 years, as our demands have increased to initially servicing our own requirements to serving those of our clients too. Our current platform of choice is Amazon Web Services (AWS) based largely on the growth in their client base, the regular introduction of new functionality and their client orientation.
Development Process
In order to minimize the impact of new technologies, their adoption is evolutionary and largely incorporated in our projects so as to maximize the practice and minimize the theory. The project timeline is adapted to cater for the introduction of new technologies and thought is being given to the transfer of expertise via a form of tutorship/mentoring within the project.
Industry
The industry in which we are most invested is the financial services industry due largely to the fact that IT is strategic as opposed to supportive. They cannot survive without technology and the current drive into mobile banking is a typical example. However, dependence on any particular industry is a little myopic and efforts to diversify into other industries are constantly assessed.
In conclusion
The value of what we deliver is contained to our clients as opposed to their client’s. The business case to build the application to support their strategic initiatives is their domain. Our role is to develop the application to fully meet their requirements and adapt to the inevitable changes introduced during the development cycle. Regular release of value is a fundamental principle of our Agile development enabling our client’s to validate their business case timeously. We agree the value of our deliverables with the client and contract for that value accordingly. Where our client’s are prepared to share their strategic intent with us is the ideal trusted relationship we seek as it commits us to their success.
10 Lessons on becoming a business that will survive the Internet Age
Published courtesy of Future World and because these lessons resonate with us