Think fast
Thoughts and ideas on how to build tools, automate workflows and speed-up the workplace.
Enterprise Software Development | Ultimate Guide
Enterprise software development is uniquely challenging. After all, balancing complex security, systems design, and process mapping with the need to provide efficient, intuitive user experiences is quite an ask. As such, building enterprise software solutions is really a specialism in itself. Whether this means relying on your in-house team or engaging with external contractors and development houses, enterprises are often faced with difficult, complex software lifecycles and expensive, lengthy, builds.
Ronan McQuillan
Oct 23, 2022
In-House vs Outsourcing Software Development | Quick Guide
Weighing up whether to opt for in-house vs outsourcing software development can be a tough decision. The trouble is that the factors at play here cut across a whole range of issues, including technical, operational, and financial concerns. Our decision is also inevitably going to be influenced by more project-specific variables, like the kind of solution we’re building and the resources we can dedicate to it. At the same time, it’s vitally important that we make the right call here/
Ronan McQuillan
Oct 15, 2022
When to Build vs Buy Software: 2024 Guide
Deciding whether to build vs buy software solutions is one of the central challenges for IT procurement teams. Each time we encounter a need for a new tool, capability, or other software asset, we’re faced with this decision. The trouble is, there are a lot of moving parts at play here. You see, on one level, this simply comes down to maximizing return on investment. However, so many different factors influence cost-effectiveness that it can be hard to know where to start.
Ronan McQuillan
Oct 13, 2022
6 In-House Development Examples for 2024
Internal IT teams have never faced greater demand for custom solutions. This is well documented. However, there’s a lot of misunderstanding about the kinds of tools they actually build. Today, we’re putting this right with our roundup of in-house development examples. Of course, every business faces its own unique challenges. As such, we need to be conscious of the underlying issues that feed this ever-growing demand. That way, we can begin to understand not just the kinds of tools that internal devs build, but also the strategies that modern teams can use to output better solutions, for less.
Ronan McQuillan
Oct 8, 2022
Citizen Developer Tools & Software | In-Depth Guide
Citizen developer tools are some of the hottest items on modern IT teams’ procurement lists. Unfortunately, if you asked 100 IT managers what this means, you’d probably get 100 different answers. That is, there’s no single established definition of what citizen development software is. Unlike a CRM tool or an ERP platform, a citizen developer tool isn’t so much defined by what it does in terms of specific features as it is by who uses it.
Ronan McQuillan
Sep 20, 2022
Enterprise App Development | In-Depth Guide
Enterprise app development is a huge topic. It’s no secret that large organizations are dealing with unprecedented demand for custom applications. However, it’s hard to generalize when you recognize the sheer scope and variety of the kinds of tools that are needed. Think about it. A custom GUI for your IT team and a mobile app for your customer loyalty scheme don’t have that much in common. Not on the face of it anyway.
Ronan McQuillan
Sep 20, 2022
Rapid Application Development | Ultimate Guide
Rapid application development (RAD) is having kind of a resurgence. It’s an idea that’s been around since at least the 1970s, but it’s returned to the fore in recent years. In part, this is because of a shift in the technology that businesses use to build software. But can a 50-year-old way of thinking about software development really offer value to modern businesses? The reality is that the RAD model never really went away.
Ronan McQuillan
Sep 20, 2022
Traditional SDLC vs RAD
Building software isn’t like other projects. It never will be. Requirements can change on a dime, so development teams must be ready to adapt. Today we’re looking at one solution, as we compare traditional SDLC vs RAD. The truth is that there’s no single right answer to managing software projects. Indeed, different kinds of applications and teams will necessitate different approaches. So, the question isn’t so much if you should use different approaches, as when you should use them.
Ronan McQuillan
Sep 20, 2022