Category Archives: Thoughts

Software Development Partner for SMEs

The Importance of a Software Development Partner for SMEs?

Enterprise Application Development, IT Outsourcing, Organizations and Leadership, Small and Medium Businesses, Software Engineering, Software Industry, Thoughts, ,

Small and medium enterprises that been highly successful are found to have at least two things in common – relentless focus on the fundamentals of their businesses and the uncanny knack of identifying and riding on a market/technological wave. There is also another common thread that connects them all, one witnessing an exponentially rise in its relevance– ‘Information Technology’ as an enabler. Not surprisingly, the one question that gets discussed in any SME nowadays is: “How do we meet our software development needs?”

Developing software in-house is definitely an option. But it can only be pursued by trading off against investing the resources in the core business activities. The alternative course lies in outsourcing all the work to a partner who has the required expertise. Software development is a specialized field. It requires focused and continuous effort to build capabilities to deliver, and upgrade to avoid the risk of oblivion. Thus, a reliable software development partner is priceless. Here’s why

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Quality vis-a-vis Tenure?

The length of time a software partner has been in operation indicates how well it can adapt to the shifting demands of the industry and its clientele. A longish tenure essentially means that their investment in software engineering processes and related measures are robust and that the company can ascertain the benefits of expertise and flexibility in their engagement. Their deliverables, thus, are expected to be of a certain distinct level.

Technical Knowledge

It being its core area of work, a capable partner can provide quick access to technical skillsets with both depth and breadth of expertise. Building such capabilities in-house requires a continuous expenditure of time and money. The same if accessed through a partner relives an SME of a lot of headache. Infact, the services of multiple outsourcing providers can also be availed if the needs are varied, thus enabling the SMEs to be nimble-footed in responding to market opportunities.

Expense

The overall cost of establishing and maintaining a software team is quite high. It involves cost attached to hardware, software and most importantly acquiring and retaining relevant talent. Outsourcing offers the privilege of flexibility, for ramping up and down of resources, and of getting access to the exact type of technological expertise to handle exact needs and fluctuations in work generation.

Domain Knowledge

Seasoned developers with a track history of successful project execution in a certain domain can recommend the best of the industry practices while offering solutions. Domain knowledge translates to better and faster identifications of gaps, precision in technological solutions and identifying opportunities for improvisation.

Crisis Management

The true test of the character of a software partner arises during instances of crises. Software companies, which have served multiple clients over many years, end up facing multiple types & instances of crises during the tenure. The experience equips them to respond to such situations better in the future. The more diverse the experience of the partner the better the response expected.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

If the benefits of outsourcing to a partner seem businesswise prudent, then caution needs to be exercised in its execution. Just identifying a player is not good enough for the purpose. One runs the risk of being limited by the capabilities of the services provider in the long run. It needs to be ascertained that the partner is doing enough to keep pace with the rapids changes in the field of Information Technology. Besides that, exploring various models of engagement is also an important aspect of any partnership.

How much an SME truly gains out a partnership with a software development company is directly proportional to these factors mentioned above.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

If you have any queries in this field, talk to Mindfire Solutions. For over 19+ years now, we have been the preferred Software Development Partner of over 1000+ Small and Medium-sized enterprises across the globe.

Spread the love
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Musings : The Conundrum of Solving Problems

Thoughts,
“It’s elementary, my dear Watson! Or, is it (anymore)?”, Sherlock Homes

I haven’t read much of Sherlock Holmes. Of course, I’d like to. Though, I have seen the latest movies where Robert Downey Jr. has done a marvelous job. The fan inside me certainly woke up and took notice of certain mannerisms attributed to the Holmes’ character.

Coming straight to the point now, to the headline/phrase, which is why I am writing this. This phrase has proved itself numerous times (i.e., QED-ed) in several different contexts I have found myself observing, mostly during problem-solving analyses. I am sure this has been the case with most of you reading this – How often do people lose hold of elementary stuff! –  At work or in personal life, making decisions on worthless or utmost important objective question-marks or complex/subjective problems they face. Just look around and see what’s happened in only the last 3 months in your own work-life/personal-life setting (Not in/about your own life; Of others you are connected with – it is just a bit easier then.). You’ll perhaps need a counter. I know I would. ( PS: Don’t get into politics, otherwise “To infinity and beyond!”. There’s no need to count.)

How often do you feel that people don’t sit down or stop for a moment to actually think about a problem, its root-causes (fish-bone anyone?), or just the priority/severity (action-priority matrix, anyone?). If you just make a wild guess why they do not have time to think (time-management, anyone?), you might just be surprised. “They just don’t!” will also feature in the top root-causes, for sure, at least in today’s age. That’s the most frightening/eye-opening one.

What is/are, actually, the real problem(s) then?  Is it too much work? Too much stress? Too many distractions? Too many threads? Too much pseudo-social life (Yes, here you can add FB, WA etc.)? Too much of day-to-day randomly going about the wild-goose chases, i.e. everything is important, everyone is important, everything takes (the same) priority, everything is work, every possibility has to be explored etc., everything has to be perfect, everyone’s impression about my work/life (yes, here you can add “my image”) is important?

PS: Of course, “Couldn’t care less!” (the don’t-care bit is set) doesn’t count for anything.

Probably, someone else, up there, is one of the root-causes then!

What do you think? Your comments are welcome.

 

 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. To know more about our company, please click on Mindfire Solutions. 

 

Spread the love
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Printing Management Software

Print Management Software

Thoughts, , ,

Veteran Bruce Engles had recently taken a huge loan to fulfill his long-cherished dream of expanding his business. An innovative and versatile businessman himself, he had overcome all sorts of odds in life with utmost ease. But, this time around, surprisingly Bruce found himself acting nervous. His struggle seemed to stem from an array of hurdles that needed to be overcome to successfully proceed with the expansion plans. Plus, he had never taken a loan of this size. Continue reading Print Management Software →

Spread the love
  • 11
  • 3
  •  
  • 2
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    16
    Shares

IT Outsourcing Trends for 2018

Thoughts, ,

IT Outsourcing Trends for 2018There was a time when enterprises were outsourcing IT services to reduce operational expenses. But a large percentage of enterprises nowadays focus on the value of IT services and credibility of the IT service provider. Several studies suggest that IT services industry will grow steadily throughout 2018. But the enterprises will opt for IT outsourcing services to leverage next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), mixed realities, and big data analytics. The landscape for outsourced product development is ever changing. The enterprises will also look for outsourcing partners with the capability to automate business processes and operations more innovative way. Here are some IT outsourcing trends which will impact and shape the industry in the years to come. Continue reading IT Outsourcing Trends for 2018 →

Spread the love
  • 6
  • 2
  •  
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
  •  
  •  
  •  
    11
    Shares

Flask vs Django

Python Framework Comparison, Python Programming, Python Web Frameworks, Thoughts,

Flask vs DjangoA web developer has option to choose from a wide range of web frameworks while using Python as server-side programming languages. He can take advantage of the full-stack Python web frameworks to accelerate development of large and complex web applications by availing a number of robust features and tools. Likewise, he can also opt for micro and lightweight Python web frameworks to build simple web applications without putting extra time and effort. Continue reading Flask vs Django →

Spread the love
  • 18
  • 1
  •  
  • 2
  •  
  • 1
  •  
  •  
  •  
    22
    Shares

Pros and Cons of CodeIgniter Framework

PHP Frameworks, Thoughts, Mindfire Solutions

Pros and Cons of CodeIgniter Framework

The web developers can execute PHP code in a number of ways. They can embed PHP code into HTML code seamlessly. Likewise, they can combine PHP code with a number of web frameworks. But most programmers prefer combining PHP code with popular web frameworks for custom web applications development rapidly without writing additional code. The web frameworks even make it easier for users to accomplish common web development frameworks. At present, CodeIgniter is one of the one of the widely used PHP frameworks. Continue reading Pros and Cons of CodeIgniter Framework →

Spread the love
  • 7
  •  
  •  
  • 2
  • 2
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    11
    Shares

Fitness Delivers Swiftness

Thoughts, ,

Fitness Delivers Swiftness

If we jot down our new year goals, most of us will have “fitness” as the common one. We vowed at the end of 2017 that we will strive for an aerobicised body by the end of 2018. Now, let us analyze for how many years we have been pledging to do it. Probably for quite a few years!

Majority of us have been working in IT industries for a long time. We have had a very sedentary lifestyle all these years. We are desk-bound for the predominant part of our days, so much that if Yamraj sums up the hours of an IT engineer sitting at his computer in his life, the result will pretty much add up to the engineer’s whole life. Hope the lord then shows us some mercy. Continue reading Fitness Delivers Swiftness →

Spread the love
  • 46
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    46
    Shares
Telemedicine App

Call the Doctor – Telemedicine App

Thoughts, , , , Mainak Mittra

Dr. Rogers stood by the window of his clinic, looking down at the park on the other side of the street. As he watched a little boy run squealing after his puppy, he let his mind wander, thinking about the many years he had spent practicing medicine. He had attended to a lot of patients, perhaps thousands. But Lisa was special. He still remembered the day he first met her. He had stood nervously by the door of his brand new clinic, wiping away an imaginary fleck of dust from the plaque that hung on it Continue reading Call the Doctor – Telemedicine App →

Spread the love
  • 5
  • 2
  •  
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  •  
  •  
  •  
    8
    Shares

Love Your Work

Mindfire Solutions, Thoughts

Love Your Work
Love Your Work

Among all the mysteries that is there in the world, the one that conquers everyone’s mind is the fact that “Why work is always tiring?”. Whether you ask a kid about his homework, or a teacher about his classes, or a plumber, a carpenter, an electrician, a shopkeeper, a judge, an engineer or any HR person, each and everyone will agree to the point that their work is tiring. The level of loving work and getting bored of it varies from person to person.The golden thread that binds a person and his/her work is the love for work. If you love your work, you will nail it.

It is not what path that you take,rather it is the will that you make, decides your love for work.Instead of complaining, love it and live with it! – Neha Ambasta

Going back to the school days you’ll find that drawing classes and PT classes always used to bring smile over our face, they were also classes, but as we loved it, we did well in such classes. Similar is the case of any work in any profession, when you start loving the work, you’ll do it perfectly with all your potential. Of course there always lies a motivation in doing anything. And that motivation and love together pushes a person to accomplish the work without tiredness.

Make it Passion

A senior colleague once told me: Don’t make your career around money, make it around knowledge, money will automatically come with it one day.

He was right and looking at all the prospects, I felt his words were worth changing the path of my career. Generate a passion for the work you have to do and see how time flies completing the work. At the end of the day when you see that your work is completed in time and with perfection, it soothes the brain like spa for the body. That is the greatest satisfaction you can ever obtain from life.

Stop Complaining, do it happily

You have got one life to live, live it either criticizing your work, hereby living a monotonous and complaining life, or you can live your life by loving the work that you have been assigned to do, thereby training yourself for happiness.

You are capable of greatness don’t confuse yourself with “I can’t do.”. You can create a glorious life, if you choose to love your work.Work will be an adventure for you, and when you will go to bed after doing your work happily, you will feel that the pain that body got while doing the work is also refreshing.

Happiness ripple works

Yes, you read right.Happiness is like ripple, it will come to you once you have created the ripple.Make yourself comfortable with the work, you will surely get satisfied after completing it.That happiness will push you towards your work. When I am happy, I do all the stuffs with the cent percent potential. Sometimes I am submerged in my work and still I can’t find myself worried and tired. It mostly happens when I am doing the work I love to do.

Create a motivating environment around you when you embark upon something difficult 

Environment also matters for healthy work. A work place like mine will surely motivate one for work:

Sitting on the blue and black chairs they are working,
working endlessly, rigorously, to learn, to build, to earn,
to earn not only money, but also knowledge and attitude,
knowledge which is power and attitude which is controller of the knowledge.
They are the people of Mindfire.
Environment is the backbone for them,
the coffee, the bean bags, the colleagues, the monthly parties
act as fuel for them.
They try, they fall but the best thing is that
they start over again and then they win!
They are the people of Mindfire.

When such environment is not available, create them and motivate yourself for working.

Scribble positive affirmations

Affirmation which I make to generate love for the work:

  • It is my responsibility to do it and I will learn a lot from this, which will help me building a better future.
  • Complete this, you will get a better work after this.
  • Work hard now, don’t leave anything for regret!
  • Will travel to a good place after sometime. (promises :p)

Take a choice, be a better one. Compare yourself with the you who “was” and the one who you “are”. And take an action for the person who you “will be”. Compete with yourself!

Love your work!

Spread the love
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Gearing up for an “App”y Shopping

Mobile App Development, Thoughts, , , , ,

On Monday when I tried to open Myntra website on my laptop, I was in for a big surprise. In bold letters it said,

DOWNLOAD THE MYNTRA APP NOW
Your choice. Your taste. Your style.
All on your most personal device.

Obviously, I hadn’t followed up on the news and was oblivious to the fact that Myntra had shut down its website on 15th May 2015 and became an App only platform. It is rumored that Flipkart the parent company of Myntra would also follow suit in almost a year. Buoyed by the fact that almost 95% of the traffic at Myntra takes the mobile route and mobile commerce contributes to 70% of their sales, Myntra is all set for the metamorphosis. Recent proliferation of smartphones and tablets (especially in tier II and III cities) and greater access to the internet via broadband, 3G, 4G etc helped build the foundation of an ever growing online consumer base in India.
According to a recent Morgan Stanley report, eCommerce penetration in India is set to grow from 9% in 2013 to 36% by 2020 and most of it being contributed by mobile users. Indeed, I remember, one of my friends was busy adding items to the shopping on a popular eCommerce site on his iPhone coz he would get X% discount more for shopping via the mobile app. Agreed, most of us are deal hunters and we swim with the current but who wouldn’t like a bit of a personalization. With eCommerce companies with a serious eCommerce mobile strategy, encouraging customers to download and use the mobile app, it certainly means that app only culture is in the offing. Only Myntra is the first eCommerce company in the world to implement this bold step.
Needless to say, shopping is a personal experience and Myntra is trying to cash in on this. However, personalizing this experience to a level that it is only available on your personal device could actually make or mar the profits of the company. Not all users are of the same composition. While some would feel irritated of the constant notifications indicated by a beeping handheld device, there would be others who would feel neglected with very few notifications. It all depends upon Myntra now to hold and keep its customers on its mobile because we all know that an app can be deleted with greater ease than what was required to download it. Also, there is a fine line that separates engagement from intrusion.
I have shopped on Myntra a good number of times in the past and I was happy with the experience. I may even download the app for now. But whether I will shop only from Myntra is a matter of “choice”. This is because I cannot change my shopping habit. I love to browse through various eCommerce sites when I look forward to buy something, compare prices, add items to the cart and depending upon the urgency, proceed to check out which could be from a handheld device in case I did not complete the action on my desktop.
What would be the repercussions of app only platform for eCommerce application developers. Well more work possibly; demand for flawless work undoubtedly, greater attention to incorporate better UI/UX into the app definitely and increasingly better career opportunities for mobile app developers. In fact if this step leads to success, Myntra will have a first mover advantage for sure but there will be many other eCommerce sites and boutique online shops that will follow suit with varying degrees of success.
I keep my fingers crossed. At this point of time I am left to wonder how relevant that small icon on my mobile phone would be in the times to come. Only time will tell…

Spread the love
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •