Applied Techniques

We take these advanced approaches and combine them in a robust architecture that provides agility, reliability, scalability...

Proficiencies

Software Analysis
- SOA Readiness and Enablement
- SaaS Readiness and Enablement
- System Architecture Assessment
- Component Prototyping and Advanced Modeling
Software Design
- Application Infrastructure
- Architectural Styles
- Integration Patterns
- Concept Models
Strategic Planning
- Enterprise Architecture
- Technology Roadmaps
- Business Process Re-engineering
- Information Lifecycle
Project Oversight
- SOA Governance
- Design Direction
- Security and Compliance
- Integration Methods
Training
- Technology Adoption
- Full Systems Life-cycle
- Agile Development
- Implementation Techniques
Custom Development
Research and Proposals

We solve hard problems found in the everyday world. These problems can be hard to solve for many reasons:

Most solutions require concurrent usage of multiple applied techniques (shown to the right).

An Enterprise is full of complex situations. Complex situations require simple solutions geared toward maintainability. Creating business solutions that not only meet business requirements, but also enable reasonable maintenance is a matter of experience. This is not a question of elegance or perfection, but one of sufficiency. Solutions must be deployable in a production environment and be "good enough" to meet functional and non-functional requirements. Our seasoned engineers have managed this fine balance successfully on many past projects.

Cloud Integration is very difficult to do well. There are few standards and most SaaS vendors have proprietary solutions on various platforms grown from their prior shrink-wrapped implementations. Moving data into and out of their domains means format, semantic and API hurdles. Experience is critical to re-use or create a re-usable solution that is also maintainable. Integration is second nature to our staff.

Most Companies aren't equipped for service-oriented environments. Adoption of Service-Oriented Architecture and usage of SaaS offerings both depend upon levels of capability in application infrastructure that are abstract, confusing and arduous to create. Improperly assembled, the result can be a system that fails to provide the expected ROI. An assessment of SOA capabilities and recommendations around the approach for its adoption can be the key to success. Our engineers can provide this guidance based upon years of expertise.

Re-usability and Interoperability require advanced planning and foresight. Neither of these "-ility" qualities come for free, but both are sought by most development teams. Advanced planning and foresight mean considering usage outside of current scope or beyond current requirements. This doesn't mean an increase in scope, but indicates a consideration to leave a design open for extension. This is a very fine line to tread and requires much practice and forebearance to achieve. Our team builds these qualities into every implementation.

Data Security and Regulatory Compliance need special consideration. Both of these can be very elusive goals. Regulations can change so often that poor implementations become a maintenance nightmare. Lack of data security can have very costly implications in fines and fees. Extreme care should be taken when creating solutions with these kinds of requirements. This kind of special consideration is old hat to our staff.

Information without Semantics (i.e. meaning) is just Data. Where data comes from and how it is used drives what it means. Semantic representations allow applications to locate and use information in meaningful ways. Static data is subject to multiple interpretations. This leaves too much room for error and results in brittle implementations. Creating good semantic representations is extremely intricate and requires very specific expertise. Members of our staff have labored for years to build this skill.

"There's no inherent meaning in information, it's what we do with the information that matters" - Beau Lotto

An Enterprise perspective is necessary to ensure everything is considered. Comprehensive solutions encompass the entire business. Selective solutions result in higher overall long-term maintenance costs and less flexibility. An enterprise perspective comes from breadth of view, and demands years of familiarity with many different business models. Our expertise spans over a dozen market verticals.

Without governance, SOA projects fail. The average SOA contains many moving parts that can get out of control if not managed well. A good governance model is required to fully realize the advantages of an SOA. SOA projects implemented in absence of governance degrade over time and become very formidable to maintain. This kind of governance can be problematic at best and requires specific insight. Our organization is well versed in the loosely-coupled, component architecture.