Confession: we know some people who used to work in agencies who became the clients who had to be nagged to “do their homework.” After all the effort that goes into finding the right help, signing the agreement and letting the agency get to work feels like a great time to get back to everything else on your plate. 

If you think about it, a discovery call is a bit like a first date: both parties are putting their best selves forward and seeing if they have enough in common to keep going. And, just like a first date, it’s easy enough to set up. Unlike a first date, however, a quick Google search (or are we chatGPT-ing exclusively now) of the other person isn’t necessarily enough. There are five areas of a discovery call conversation that an agency will typically cover. If you can put some notes together on each area ahead of time, you’ll be in a stronger position to assess the agency you’re meeting.

When you're building a startup or guiding a company through its early phase, implementing a solid growth strategy is crucial – and choosing the right custom software development partner is an important step in this process. The first fork in the road you may encounter is whether to find help onshore or overseas. We’ve noticed folks have strong opinions one way or the other about this, but it’s not either/or. There are times when onshore (especially local!) makes more sense, and times when overseas can instead make more sense. Let’s take a look. 

As we get into 2024, you’ve probably thought about how business automation might play a role in your company, whether you want to or not. The talk about Business Automation (BA) is everywhere and it’s clear that the way we now do business has shifted. Here we discuss how BA can benefit your organization with three real-world examples of how The SilverLogic (TSL) leveraged business automation for clients with measurable results.

Introduction

In his workshop, (watch it here), TSL software engineer Nick Prat discusses advanced query techniques in Django, focusing on Aggregates, Annotations, and Subqueries. The session is designed to provide a deeper understanding of these features, demonstrating their role in improving query efficiency and handling larger datasets in Django.  Specifically, Nick covered:

In Agile software development, writing user stories is an essential skill for any Scrum team. A well-crafted user story serves as a building block for delivering valuable features to customers efficiently. An effective strategy to improve the quality of your user stories is the INVEST criteria. In this blog post, we'll delve into the INVEST criteria and explore how it can be a useful tool for enhancing your team's storywriting skills.

Introduction

In the world of software development or any business, change is the lifeblood of progress. When issues arise and it becomes clear that existing processes are no longer effective, the logical step is to make the necessary changes. It may sound straightforward, but in reality, the decision to alter established processes can be an incredibly daunting one. Often, this fear of change becomes the barrier that holds organizations back from reaching their full potential.

Fear, as described by Dr. Otto Scharmer, a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management, wields a powerful influence over our actions, often stifling creativity. It prompts us to stick to familiar, though ineffective, patterns. We end up defending the status quo, even when it contradicts reason and obstructs growth. Thankfully, Dr. Scharmer provides a method to overcome this fear by guiding us through three internal voices: judgment, cynicism, and ultimately, fear. (Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges, 2nd Edition by C. Otto Scharmer, 2016)

Introduction

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, delivering exceptional user experiences has become a key differentiator for businesses striving to stay ahead of the competition. Companies that prioritize user-centric design and optimize their business processes gain a significant advantage in attracting and retaining customers. In this blog, we will delve into the significance of UX and Business Flow research and how it can transform your business.

The Manifest Names The SilverLogic as one of the Most Reviewed Custom Software Development Companies in Miami

The SilverLogic team is proud to share our latest award within the technology industry! We’ve been named one of the most-reviewed custom software development companies in Miami by The Manifest. This is another amazing accomplishment made by our company so far this year!

Mitigating ethical concerns is good for business

Introduction

If you've ever needed to translate a document from English into another language, you understand the importance of getting the translation right. The accuracy of your translation can significantly impact your business endeavors, potentially opening up new markets or sealing critical business deals. While professional human translation is often the gold standard for important documents, machine translation, such as Google Translate, can be a handy tool for quick translations. In this blog, we'll explore the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of Google Translate and localization.

Have you ever noticed commercial buildings with lighting that changes through a range of colors and patterns at different locations on the structure and wondered how that works? Have you ever thought about what kind of system would allow you to control lighting and scheduling? We are going to discuss lighting control systems and hopefully shed some light on how it all works.