Tag: Devtorium

What Are Devtorium AI Software Development Services?

Posted on by mkoftielieva

Innovation is our everything, and AI software development services offered by Devtorium reflect that. We aim to ensure that our clients have access to cutting-edge technology. Together with you, we can create tech solutions that will give your business a competitive advantage even in this age of hi-tech races. Our software engineers, who specialize in artificial intelligence solution development, can use a variety of AI tools to ensure your business stays ahead.

In this post we’ll explain exactly what kind of AI solution development services Devtorium offers. Moreover, we’ll give you concrete examples of how these technologies can be implemented to give any business a boost.

Devtorium AI Software Development Services: Technologies We Use

Artificial Intelligence technologies used today can be roughly divided into three groups:

  • AI/Deep Learning/Machine Learning
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Generative Networks

It’s vital to understand that when creating AI software solutions, developers usually have to use all these technologies. The solution architect working on your project will analyze the requirements and suggest a combination of technologies to fit your needs best. AI software is highly complex and usually takes both software developers and data scientists to create.

Data Science services are an integral part of any AI software development. Artificial intelligence literally runs on data. Therefore, working with different types of databases and optimizing these processes, for example, through vector embeddings, is crucial for producing solutions that can learn and improve as they evolve. Devtorium AI software development services create self-educating systems that will grow with your business and adapt to its changing needs.

How AI software development services can be implemented in real life.

AI Software Development Technologies: Areas of Implementation

Computer vision

  • Object Detection
  • Segmentation
  • OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
  • Human Pose Detection
  • Face Detection

Computer vision is one of the AI software development services we encounter daily. It’s combined with other types of AI tech to produce solutions that surround us everywhere, for example:

  • Auto-pilots for vehicles
  • Security systems (FaceID, fingertip scanners, building security footage analysis, etc.)
  • AR applications used for eCommerce and gaming
  • Scanning and transcribing text via a photo (try this feature in GoogleTranslate)
  • Advanced search through images, videos, and large documents

Large Language Models (LLM)

  • Text generation
  • Searching
  • Analytics
  • Summarising

The most well-known example of an LLM is ChatGPT. Pretty much everyone who is even a little tech-savvy today used this platform at least once. Its most popular features are text generative and writing code. However, it can do much more than that. For example, an LLM can create text summaries, descriptions of images, and different versions of the same content. It can ‘give advice’. However, the system is pretty straightforward in the sense that its advice is content generated based on your inquiry.

Note that these AI solutions can process literary texts, code, and any other kind of textual data. A part of Devtorium AI software development services is creating and ‘training’ LLMs to automatically deliver the type of service you need.

Role of data science in AI software development services.

Big Data

  • Statistic/Data Analytics
  • Data Transformation

Our world is data, and AI-powered data science solutions can make it work for you in every way possible. Devtorium’s team of data scientists is experienced in creating solutions that can extract and process data from various sources. Some of their projects included:

  • Deriving relevant information from digital reports and massive databases. Then, processing this data and visualizing multiple reports for eCommerce businesses to help the client make educated decisions.
  • Processing data from multiple sources and creating a predictive analytics model to forecast trends and market changes.
  • Transform data from one format to another for future processing and analysis. For example, one of our projects included collating handwritten notes from medical specialists, adding medical records data, prescriptions, and medical test results. The data was transformed, processed, and analyzed to provide necessary insights for an AI-powered healthcare solution.
  • Another project Devtorium completed entailed collecting data from fitness trackers, medical records, prescriptions, notes, and trainer comments as a part of an interactive athletes’ training tracking app.

Robotics & Automation Engineering

Implementation of robotics technologies at manufacturing lines is nothing new today. However, recent advancements in artificial intelligence solutions take this type of service to the next level. As a part of Devtorium AI software development services, our engineers can do much more than simply program the machines to do specific actions automatically.

We are now able to ‘teach’ robots the basics of behavior and program them to learn. As a result, you get automation that improves with every iteration. So, instead of a mindless drone, you get a helper that can increase overall business productivity and significantly reduce the risk of errors.

Bottom Line: Should You Invest in AI Software Development Services?

Answering the question of whether your business needs an AI-powered solution is easy. Just decide for yourself if you want your business to stay competitive on the market. Today implementing AI in various business processes is not about getting head through groundbreaking innovation. Already this technology is becoming so popular and widespread that not using it is sure to put you hopelessly behind.

If you want to not only retain a competitive edge but actually move forward, taking over a bigger portion of the market, contact us today. Devtorium’s team of AI software engineers will work with you to develop a strategy that can help your company succeed.

What Is the Best Messenger App for Business?

Posted on by mkoftielieva

Choosing a messenger app for business isn’t as easy as it might seem at first glance. Of course, you begin the search thinking that whatever you use for personal messaging in your daily life must be good enough, right?

But businesses aren’t personal daily life. Therefore, you need to consider a dozen extra factors, like integrations, performance, compatibility, affordability, subscription plans, and security. When Devtorium was working on choosing the best business messenger platform for our company, we conducted a detailed study to compare all the most popular options on the market. A team of our employees from different departments tested half a dozen apps for over a month. They assessed the platforms based on the following criteria:

  • Usability
  • Functionality
  • Price
  • Performance
  • Compatibility
  • Security

Admittedly, some options we’ve studied are fun but not business-appropriate (Discord). Meanwhile, some don’t even rate a mention as their ‘ready to switch’ rate was so low (2.17% for Mattermost Pro). Yet none of this means that these messenger platforms are bad. It’s just that they don’t fit our specific business model.

Today we will share a detailed analysis of the top three messenger apps for business based on Devtorium’s in-house study. 

Best Messenger App for Business: Comparison by the Devtorium Team

Slack is the best overall messnger app for business.

Slack: Best Overall Messenger App for Business

Slack is probably the most popular, and definitely the most well-known, messaging app for business, and with good reason. This app passed our functionality testing with flying colors. Moreover, its performance, compatibility, and usability testing proved the platform to be top-notch.

A few of our testers encountered some minor issues, but those were rare. Also, only a couple of people didn’t find this app intuitive and easy to use. However, ultimately, none of the employees using this app deemed it a failure or a wrong choice for any business.

During our investigation, the Devtorium team noticed some minor issues with:

  • Authentication process
  • Notification status (when the message is delivered/read/etc.)
  • Notifications when a user joins or leaves a group chat
  • Blocking contacts

Please bear in mind that those were only one-time minor inconveniences, not major issues that affected the app’s overall performance.

Overall, Slack proved to be an excellent messenger app for business on every level. Its performance is outstanding, and it can effectively integrate with Zoom and Google Drive. Therefore, conference calls and file sharing are never an issue. The best thing about it is that Slack is a rather flexible solution designed to meet the majority of business needs. In addition, it runs equally smoothly on all devices.

One of the biggest advantages of Slack as a messenger app for business is its flexibility for customization. For example, users can set up precise notification alerts, filter discussions by various parameters, edit messages, etc. Therefore, the user can set up the app in a way to maximize their personal productivity.

Slack Pros:

  • High level of customization and personalization
  • Effective integrations with popular third-party tools (e.g. Zoom, Google Drive, Asana, Dropbox, Outlook Calendar etc.)
  • Stores conversation history that every member that joins the group can access
  • Easy and smooth file sharing in real-time
  • Good performance and stability across devices

Slack Cons:

  • Occasional issues with the quality of calls
  • Minor issues with notifications and statuses (rare)
  • Quite expensive subscription plans (can be unfeasible for SMBs)

Google Chat: Best messenger app for business if you use Workspace by Google

Google Chat: Google Workspace Messenger App for Businesses

If your company uses Google Workspace, choosing Google Chat as your messenger app for business makes sense. It’s efficient overall, its performance is good, and Google-backed security is excellent. Moreover, being a Google Service, it easily integrates with all other Google services and tools. Therefore, it’s reasonably easy to set up a communication and file-sharing infrastructure within your organization.

That said, almost 40% of Devtorium employees who tested business messenger platforms would prefer NOT to switch to Google Chat. This choice comes from the limitations of the app’s functionality and occasional issues with everything that isn’t a Google service.

All in all, our testers conclude that Google Chat is an excellent tool for short messages exchanged within the Workspace. However, it’s insufficient for multi-faceted international teams that need to exchange files, calls, videos, and feedback, all in real-time.

Perhaps, the main issue is that Google developed so many excellent but single-purpose tools. Therefore, its group-messaging solution lacks all the features that other tools have built-in from the start. So, it works well as an element of a comprehensive Workspace environment but not well enough to be an efficient stand-alone messaging app for business.

Don’t get us wrong, Google Chat is fantastic for use along with other Google services. It allows you to combine emails and chat and even set tasks managing your team’s calendars during the conversation. However, it’s not a stand-alone messenger app for business. In fact, it doesn’t even have a separate desktop/mobile app, only a web version that runs via the Google Chrome browser.

Google Chat Pros:

  • Excellent integration with all Google Workspace services
  • Easy and intuitive to use
  • Connected to Gmail, which allows conversing via chat and email within groups

Google Chat Cons:

  • Only really useful as a part of Google Workspace
  • No Reply feature, which makes communication difficult, especially in groups
  • Only web app available

Rocket Chat: Best alternative to Slack as a messenger app for business

Rocket Chat Messenger App for Business

In essence, Rocket Chat, as it is today, is an approximation of Slack. It’s similar in UI and functionality, leaving the user with a similar feel. That said, it’s still not Slack-level technology.

For all that it passed all functional tests our team put the solution through, only about 2% of people were ready to switch to this app. First of all, it’s because, as a messenger app for business, it’s really not cost-efficient. At the minimum, you will need to pay $7 a month per user (no less than 25 users). The free version of the app has limited notifications and functionality, so it’s not very useful even for a small business.

There are some distinctions in the package offering depending on whether you install Rocket Chat on your company’s server or use Rocket’s resources. However, both options end up being quite expensive.

In addition, the app has fewer robust features and integrations compared to Slack. There are also some issues with updating the app. Therefore, it can eventually become a security risk. In addition, it’s not intuitive in some cases, especially with the newer features.

Rocket Chat Pros:

  • Similar to Slack in design and functionality
  • Has a versatile collection of features and integrations
  • Can be installed on the company’s servers directly

Rocket Chat Cons:

  • Expensive overall, considering its limited functionality when compared to Slack
  • Issues with updating the solution to a newer version
  • Not intuitive in some features
  • Quote a message feature isn’t particularly easy to use

Bottom Line: What is the Best Messenger App for Business?

After evaluating some of the leading messenger apps for business, the Devtorium team came to the conclusion that the best option overall is Slack. Of all the platforms on the market, it has the most robust functionality and can easily integrate with all other solutions your business uses today.

However, we’d like to note that every top platform on the market has many strong points. Therefore, every business should explore the pros and cons of each option after considering its unique needs.

Moreover, with how fast AI technology is advancing right now, we are sure that we’ll soon see a messenger app for business that uses AI-powered tools in some fashion. We’re looking forward to this. Are you?

Best messanger app for business: top 3 options

Devtorium Software Product Development Company: 2022 Progress Report

Posted on by mkoftielieva

The war in Ukraine, the worldwide COVID-induced supply chain collapse and the global economic crisis are the things that defined the year 2022. Of course, no software product development company remained unaffected by these major factors. As a result, the already competitive industry has become a cutthroat battle for new projects. Devtorium is proud to report that despite all challenges, we are closing the year with new projects, promising negotiations with prospective clients, and mastering innovative technologies.

Devtorium Software Product Development Company: Yearly Report

At Devtorium, we’ve always believed that the true strength of a business is the people. This year provided us with solid proof of that. Our teams turned the trials they faced into opportunities to show their strength of spirit and admirable work ethics. Delivery schedules became the topmost priority for every developer as they refused to get behind on their work regardless of the circumstances.

The results of this dedication and professionalism speak for themselves:

  • Many of our developers work from Ukraine and struggle with disruptions caused by the war. However, wartime challenges didn’t make us lose a single client. We remain firmly within project deadlines regardless of any power outages and missile strikes.
  • We’ve started two new projects in 2022. One is a comprehensive insuretech solution that consists of several products. It’s powered by .NET, React, and PostgreSQL technologies and is completely cloud-based (AWS). Another is a React-powered travel app focused on accessibility.
  • We’ve completed negotiations and will launch two new projects in January 2023. One is a large-scale ad-tech solution powered by .NET and Angular. The other is a verification software product based on Node.js and React.
  • We’ve launched two proprietary products developed by Devtorium teams. Our AI-powered content generation platform Marquètte is currently receiving a big upgrade with the release of the Templates feature. Now it’s even easier for copywriters to use it for creating top-quality original content. Devtorium also used the Bubble no-code platform to develop our own ERP solution. Our HR and recruiting specialists are currently testing it, and developers are improving the solution based on their feedback.

Happy New Year! Devtorium software product development company plans for 2023

Devtorium Software Development Plans & Goals for 2023

Devtorium is always looking into the future as a software product development company. We are implementing innovative technologies in our workflows to achieve better results. Our primary focus for 2023 is AI development.

The company already has experience in creating our AI-powered platform, Marquètte. Working on this project has been both challenging and exciting. Most importantly, it gave us the experience of interacting with AI engines and a better understanding of what we can achieve with this tech.

We plan to further this work next year. At the moment, our company is in the process of negotiations for an auspicious AI project. It could result in the development of an AI-powered chatbot for foreign language learning. The team will be creating it from scratch using GODEL by Microsoft.

We are delighted to share that the company is currently negotiating with several prospective clients. Moreover, our potential projects will engage not only our outstanding developers, Business Analysts, and Project Management specialists. In addition, we have plenty of exciting work planned for our Data Science team.

Also, we keep searching for new opportunities constantly. Our sales and marketing teams are always active, looking for clients both online and offline. In January, our American management representatives will present Devtorium at a big conference in Las Vegas. ASW is one of the foremost hubs for IT service networking, so we look forward to this event’s results.

All in all, our work never stops!

Devtorium is proud of what we have accomplished this year, and we are looking at a brighter future with new opportunities.

We’d like to thank our incredible team. None of it would have been possible without you!

Hiring an IT Security Services Company: Understand Types of IT Security

Posted on by mkoftielieva

Hiring an IT security services company is a big responsibility because these people will significantly impact your business. Therefore, you need to do a lot of research beforehand to know exactly what to look for.

Today we will discuss the types of IT security services a business needs. This post will help you understand what to consider from the contractor’s list of services and experience.

If you need a reminder of why investing in cyber security services company matters, remember that companies like Equifax and Yahoo lost over $425 and $117 million, respectively, due to data breaches. The number of cybercrimes and losses they cause is growing exponentially. So, today, cyber security should be the highest priority for any business.

Types of services offered by an IT security services company.

Things to Consider When Hiring an IT Security Services Company

Of course, you want maximum benefit for your money, right?

So, the cyber security services company you hire must offer all types of protections that a business needs. Check out the most critical types of IT security services today:

  • Network security.
    The company you hire must be able to ensure the usability, integrity, and reliability of your entire network. So they do not only protect it from hackers but also prevent problems the users might have accessing the network.
  • Internet security.
    Your IT security company must protect your browsers and web-based apps. Also, you should find out whether they offer training or find it elsewhere. Employee training is an integral part of the complex measures that ensure your online business security.
  • Endpoint security.
    Endpoint security is device protection. Note that this includes not only desktop computers and laptops used in the workplace but also smartphones and tablets. It primarily relies on device management solutions and malware protection.
  • Application security.
    Bear in mind that application security is literally coded in when the app is in development. That said, it’s possible to increase the security of an existing app after evaluating its code and covering vulnerabilities. But it’s always best to have the highest security level from the start.
  • Cloud security.
    Tools used to ensure cloud services security include, but aren’t limited to, Secure Interner Gateways (SIG), cloud-based unified threat management (UTM), and cloud access security broker (CASB).

How to hire an IT security services company: final tips.

How to Hire a Cyber Security Services Company: Other Factors That Matter

When hiring an IT security services company, you need to consider what they can do for you on a broader scale. For example, as a business, you often need to prove that your customers are well-protected. You can do it by displaying certificates from trusted security solutions integrated into your services. In addition, you can educate your clients about the data encryption methods you implement. The security company can provide you with all this.

But businesses dealing with more sensitive data or, for instance, participating in the tendering process need more advanced security verifications. In this case, you can have an IT security services company with an ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Certificate audit your business. This will allow you to use the internationally-recognized certificate as proof that your company is above reproach. Note that such an audit is a mandatory requirement for some contracts, especially with the government.

Are You Ready to Hire an IT Security Services Company?

You are ready to hire a cyber security services company whenever you even think about starting a business. If you already have a company of your own and no one is providing you with top-notch security services, you are at risk.

Contact Devtorium Information Security Department and arrange an audit right away!

We are an ISO 21007:2013-certified company. Our experts will conduct a detailed audit of all your security systems and protocols and provide a list of suggestions on how to protect your business in the best possible way.

Devtorium SaaS Development Company Gained New Achievement from SuperbCompanies

Posted on by mkoftielieva

As a SaaS development company, Devtorium has been working on our proprietary AI-powered platform Marquètte. We’ve been fascinated by the incredible opportunities the marketing software industry presents. So Marquètte is a product that aims to make top-grade marketing services more accessible to everyone. Now we can say that our efforts have been recognized. SuperbCompanies.com, a trusted portal that lists the best IT & marketing companies, included Devtorium in its Top Mobile App Marketing Companies rating for 2022.

We are very proud that Marquètte and Devtorium got this acknowledgment from a highly reputed IT ranking portal.

Devtorium keeps growing and expanding the list of services we offer beyond custom software product development. At the moment, our team includes highly qualified professionals that specialize in the following:

  • Custom Software Development
  • MVP/Product Development
  • Low-Code & No-Code
  • Cloud Migration Consulting
  • Software QA Testing & Automation
  • UI/UX Design
  • Data Science
  • Information Security Services
  • Mobile App Development
  • eCommerce                  
  • SaaS Development

We are working on expanding this list and, of course, developing Marquètte further. At the moment, this is a piece of AI content writing software that can help both professional copywriters and businesses that can’t afford to hire a full-time writer for their content marketing.

However, our plan as a SaaS development company includes expanding this platform to become an intelligent assistant to a business owner or entrepreneur. In the future. Marquètte will help conduct research, generate content, and make business decisions by offering data-powered opinions from AI.

How SaaS Development Company Devtorium Got on SuperbCompanies.com

SuperbCompanies is a service that helps clients find the best providers of IT services worldwide. Professionals working for SuperbCompanies have over ten years of experience, and they spend their days collecting, processing, and analyzing information about various IT service providers.

Their research is extensive as they study every service the company provides. It means that, for example, if the company offers custom mobile app development and UI/UX design, they will investigate both of these services separately. This way, SuperbCompanies can provide customers with the most accurate information about every IT business in their database.

They evaluate IT companies based on such factors as:

  • Quality
  • Market presence
  • Reliability
  • Experience
  • Portfolio
  • Professionalism
  • Customer service
  • Awards
  • Fair pricing
  • Proven customer feedback

Most importantly, SuperbCompanies only the companies that show a high and consistent growth rate. In addition, the research is ongoing, so information is reviewed and updated monthly.

Marquètte currently is Devtorium’s foremost marketing app, but we have plans for many more. We are proud to be recognized by SuperbCompanies. We hope to see more of our services in their Top rankings soon!

It’s not All Devs: How PMs Keep Software Product Development on Track

Posted on by mkoftielieva

There’s a common misconception that devs are the only people involved in the software product development process. However, that’s far from the truth. Creating and launching a product requires input from a wide range of specialists. Project Managers should take the place of pride among them. But they are downright criminally undervalued.

In our humble opinion, Project Managers, or PMs as we call them, are magicians. They often hold the entire project together and ensure everything stays on track. They are the ones who settle all the miscommunication issues and even battles of wills between clients and devs. But above all, PMs articulate the client’s requirements in a way that developers can understand.

Devtorium has an extensive Project Management department comprised of extraordinary people. Today we talked to them about their profession so you could learn what it’s like to be a PM from PMs’ own words.

What PM does for outsourced software product development.

Victor Savinov, Senior PM/Delivery Manager: What Does a PM Do During Software Product Development?

We decided to start our interviews with Victor, a senior PM with years of experience in outsourced software product development. Victor can find humor in everything and can bring under control even the most difficult situations.

What does a PM do during software development?

Nothing 😁 Well, at least, it may look like that at first glance. Especially when you, as a PM, are utterly exhausted after another work day during which you have resolved dozens of issues. However, you have nothing to show as a result of all that work. There’s nothing tangible, at least.

Nowadays, PM’s work is not about paperwork, reports, or following a well-prepared plan. It’s more about interactions with people, quick response to changes, coaching, and maintaining a healthy, happy, and highly motivated team. Meanwhile, you also keep the customer satisfied by delivering a high-quality, valuable product.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

To maintain a high level of quality while balancing the budget, time, and scope (see PM Triangle). At the same time, I also need to keep up a healthy pace and save my team from burnout and exhaustion.

How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?

It’s an absolutely normal situation when a client isn’t a professional Product Owner. It can be challenging for them sometimes to express what they really need in terms of software product development. We can use quite a few techniques that can help gather product requirements. I usually suggest starting with visualization and using analogies to explain one’s concept or idea. A piece of paper and pencil are extremely useful when you’re not sure where to start😉

What do you do when a developer fails?

Well, first off, no finger-pointing! Instead, we should embrace a culture of collective commitment to improvement as a team and measure our successes and failures. Then we look at what went wrong and how we can do better next time. The whole point is to focus not on the failure but on what can help you move forward.

Can an IT project survive without a PM?

Sure! The only question is how successful the project will be. What will be the quality of that survival? How well-informed will the key stakeholders be? Who will manage risks and deadlines? What about budget and costs?

We can actually eliminate any role in a project. First, however, we must ensure all essential responsibilities and activities that the ‘role’ manages are reassigned to other people.

How can a PM impact the overall software product development process?

A PM/SM/Agile Coach is often a bridge between the business and engineering, stakeholders and developers or operations, or customers and providers facilitating their interaction. Although a PM is a composite role, it can sometimes coordinate the majority of the vital aspects of the organization. This includes budget, resources, staffing, costs, deadlines, risks, and quality. Taking that into account, it’s pretty difficult to overestimate a PM’s impact, whether positive or negative.

What is project manager's role in software product development.

Diana Novytska, Strong Junior Project Coordinator: PM’s Role in the Software Creation Process

Diana is only growing into her role as a Project Coordinator, but she is doing so with style and success. Her gentle nature might make it both easier and more challenging for her to manage complex communications within teams. However, no one can argue her reliability and dedication to making every project run smoothly to completion.

What does a PM do during software development?

A PM is the person who organizes the whole process by starting from the idea of the future project/product to its realization and support. It means that communications between customers and the team, development planning, and solving various problems are all PM’s duties. In reality, it’s only a small list of a PM’s responsibilities.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

For me personally, it’s being a good leader and having strong ‘soft skills’.

How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?

The secret here is asking the right questions related to his/her idea, time limits, and expectations.

What do you do when a developer fails?

We are all only people, not robots. So, we will discuss the cause of this failure and how to resolve it. Then, I just wait to check the fixed result.

Can an IT project survive without a PM?

This is a good question. Every role in the development team is very important, including a PM’s role. Without a PM, other team members should cover his/her responsibilities. Therefore, their workload increases above their individual responsibilities. As a result, the lack of a PM impacts the overall quality of work.

How can a PM impact the overall project?

A well-organized workflow, easy communication scheme, and quick resolution of unexpected issues are markers of a PM’s positive impact.

How a project manager impacts software product development process.

Artem Levenko, Middle Project Manager: What a PM Does for Outsourced Software Product Development

Artem is new to Devtorium but not new to being a Project Manager. He is highly efficient in his approach and makes every project run like clockwork.

What does a PM do during software development?

The role of a Project Manager in the software product development process encompasses a lot of different activities. The responsibilities may vary depending on a particular project. However, to put it simply, PM’s work includes:

  • Managing stakeholders
  • Collecting and analyzing requirements
  • Setting tasks for the team
  • Coordinating work processes
  • Monitoring progress
  • Ensuring that the project stays within time, budget, quality requirements, and according to scope

What is the most challenging part of your job?

For me, the hardest part of the job is to keep everything in focus and not miss anything. Also, it can be hard to make sure that neither stakeholders nor the team’s (company’s) interests are neglected.

How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?

I always try to get to the bottom of the situation by asking them pointed and specific questions about their requirements and needs. I do everything possible to make sure there is no room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation.

What do you do when a developer fails?

When a developer fails, I usually try to discuss the situation with them directly so that we can find the reason. Then, together, we work out steps of action to improve the situation.

Can an IT project survive without a PM?

I believe an IT project can literally “survive”. However, it will be at a high risk of failure on all parts of the PM triangle. In addition, it likely won’t meet the stakeholders’ expectations.

How can a PM impact the overall software product development project?

A PM can constantly work with the team so that the team stays productive and motivated. Also, we keep up transparent communication with clients to make sure their needs are satisfied. Also, we constantly try to find bottlenecks and improve processes, which will benefit the project’s success.

What project manager does as part of software development.

Anton Shpak, Junior Project Manager: PM’s Outlook on the Software Product Development Process

Anton is a PM who is not afraid of challenges. He is full of energy to resolve any issue and always strives to get to the button of it. He works closely with clients to help create products that meet their exact requirements.

What does a PM do during software development?

He must ensure that the customer is satisfied. In my opinion, it’s the most important thing. More specifically, the PM makes sure that everything is done as promised.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Doing tasks that you don’t believe in when you don’t understand why you have to do them at all. However, that issue probably isn’t exclusive to PMs. Speaking of PM’s duties, the biggest challenge is not having complete information about the project. The less information PMs have, the less effective they are.

How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?

This is where you have to make assumptions and clarify whether you’re assuming correctly. Then, step by step, we’ll find out what the exact requirements are.

What do you do when a developer fails?

It depends on the situation. First, you can determine whether or not some extra time will help and how much is needed. If a little more time solves everything, then the developer continues to work on the problem. If the developer feels that it won’t work, we ask colleagues with more experience for assistance or brainstorm how to solve the problem with the team.

Can an IT project survive without a PM?

Of course, it can. However, the project manager’s role must still be performed by someone. In many cases, it falls to the main developer in the team. Sadly, in these situations, the person might get frustrated because they are doing so much extra work. Sometimes they might get angry and leave the project entirely.

How can a PM impact the software project development process?

I feel it’s important to note that a bad PM might ruin a project. However, we can help developers solve problems faster. Being the main contact point for the client, we can protect the project and the team. We do it by communicating to clients what’s happening now, why it is needed, and when it will be over. We do it in a language that a non-developer person can understand, which is key to avoiding conflicts and miscommunications.

What it's like to be a project manager for IT.

Kateryna Mazur, Middle Project Manager: Being a PM Can Be Like Herding Cats

Kateryna is a very experienced Project Manager. She worked with a versatile selection of projects and aced many different challenges. Due to this experience, she can handle any task and bring the software product development process in order in any circumstances.

What does a PM do during software development?

Sometimes our work is similar to kindergarten teachers who need to corral a group of unruly kids. It’s because clients and developers often suffer from miscommunication issues. The PM’s duty is to be the bridge between them to ensure that everyone is satisfied and the development process runs smoothly.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Personally, the hardest part of my job is to stop working. You get used to working with time differences in the outsourced software product development industry. However, I find it hard to stick to my schedule and NOT answer emails at all times of day and night. It’s critical to draw a firm line between work and personal life.

How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?

When working with clients, I document absolutely everything. We discuss their ideas in detail, and I ask as many questions as needed. I also explain risks and maintain clear lines of communication to ensure all requests, risks, and adjustments are well-documented.

What do you do when a developer fails?

I’ve had my share of issues caused by irresponsible devs in my career. In this case, I believe that the most important thing is to warn the client as early as possible that something is going wrong. It’s imperative to be absolutely transparent and explain the situation, as well as offer several solutions. All in all, I do my best to smooth out the situation while being completely honest.

On the developer’s side, I talk to them to find out what caused the issue and how we can resolve it. I analyze the entire case in detail to prevent this from repeating.

Can an IT project survive without a PM?

Yes, it can. But it’s only if the whole software product development process and team-client communications are set.

How can a PM impact the software project development process?

A PM connects every person involved in the project and manages all processes to ensure everything runs smoothly. It’s a critical role because no project can succeed without efficient organization.

Project Manager’s Role Is Crucial for Outsourced Software Product Development

Being a Project Manager can be hard, but all PMs we interviewed agree that it’s extremely rewarding. Most importantly, it’s a non-developer role that has a huge impact on the success of the software product.

Software development is a complex process, and communication is key to it. So, Project Managers’ role is huge, and we value our PMs greatly. An efficient PM department with high quality standards is definitely one of the important elements of our and, therefore, our clients’ success.

Devtorium Building an ERP Solution Using the Best No-Code Tools

Posted on by mkoftielieva

Do you agree that Bubble is among the best no-code tools today? The Devtorium investigative team studying low-code/no-code platforms seems to think so. That’s why our talented young developers are now using that platform to create their first ERP product.

According to the HR department, it’s looking great so far.

At Devtorium, we strive to stay ahead of all the latest technology trends, and no-code development is on that list. We’ve discussed this technology’s history in one of our previous posts. Today our team of devs, Anastasiia Shtopko and Roman Dziuba, will explain why they think Bubble is among the best no-code tools and how it can be used for building efficient ERP solutions for SMBs.

Best No-Code Tools Analysis: Why Bubble?

Devtorium’s resident expert researcher of the best no-code tools, Anastasiia, investigated all the leading platforms. She concluded that Bubble, while not perfect, is best-suited for developing highly functional software solutions with minimum input from the developer.

According to her, the biggest advantage of Bubble is that it’s similar to JavaScript in the sense that the developer can write their own logic for the solution. This feature gives Bubble users the flexibility to create highly versatile solutions.

Another massive advantage of Bubble is that it’s a highly comprehensive platform for no-code development. Of course, having some understanding of software development is an advantage. However, the platform is so easy to use that literally anyone can build an app with it.

Bubble also offers an excellent selection of courses called Bubble Academy. They guide students through mastering the Bubble platform and using its technical capabilities to the maximum. You don’t need any background knowledge of coding to succeed in these courses and use the platform efficiently.

On the downside, Bubble isn’t as flexible as a developer might expect from one of the best no-code tools. During their work with this platform, Anastasiia and Roman discovered that it has some serious design limitations.

According to Anastasiia, the way to overcome this drawback is to have the application design ready before you start building it in Bubble. This way, you can set everything up the way you need it.

However, it’s extremely hard to change the design of the ‘bubble’ you created. Therefore, if you choose to develop and improve your ‘bubble’ further, it might be hard or even impossible to upgrade its UI and UX.

ERP developed by Devtorium using the best no-code tools.

Custom ERP Made by Devtorium, or Our Experience of Working with Low-Code/No-Code Platforms

Of course, to explore the best no-code tools, our team needed to use them to create solutions. So we chose to develop an ERP, enterprise resource planning app to use within our own company first.

There are some fantastic cloud-based ERPs in the software market. However, the majority of them are designed for large-scale businesses. Our company needed some particular features and a solution that would be fast and efficient for an SMB-level business. So, that’s what Roman and Anastasiia are now working on using no-code development.

Both devs creating this in-house ERP system have just started their careers, and it’s their first project of this type. That’s why the resources offered by Bubble, and the extensive plugin library this platform has, are so necessary.

It might be just the beginning, but already our HR department has a chance to appreciate the solution. At the moment, the Devtorium ERP (sadly, it has no cooler name yet) can automate and facilitate essential tasks.

  • HR professionals can compile a database of all company employees with added important information. For example, when the work is finished, HRs or any other system user will be able to see what project the employee is working on or their vacation/days-off information. This can help small businesses track and manage their human resources more efficiently.
  • Our ERP can already manage the entire review process. At Devtorium, all employees receive 360-degree feedback. The Review functionality of our system allows the HR department to collect and process feedback, generate reports, and put in additional data, such as superior’s reviews and salary raise notifications.

According to updates from Roman and Anastasiia, there are more features to come. We are all looking forward to the things they will create!

ERP solution built using no-code development.

In Conclusion: Will Devtorium Use the Best No-Code Tools in Future Projects?

We are futurists at Devtorium, so we use cutting-edge technologies to their utmost potential. Being a company of developers, we also create such technologies.

It means that we greatly value our developers’ time. Therefore, we are sure to keep looking for and using the best no-code tools.

It’s true that today some people are anxious about rapid AI development and its impact on our society. However, we are 100% sure that AI-powered low-code/no-code technologies won’t replace developers. On the contrary, they offer fantastic assistance to software engineers.

Bubble and similar platforms are efficient and allow one to create very useful software. However, the resulting solutions are SMB-level at best. Professional and enterprise-level software is too complex, so no-code development can’t handle such tasks.

Moreover, developers today often need to spend a lot of time doing repetitive tasks or working on small projects. They are important, no doubt of that. However, this kind of work takes a lot of valuable time.

Low-code/no-code platforms can help automate tasks, saving time and effort for the developer. In addition, using those services cuts costs for the client. So, a software engineer has more time to work on more advanced and complicated tasks and test their ideas, while the client gets high-quality solutions at a lower price.

Everyone wins!

That’s the result we are working for at Devtorium. If you have a software idea and want to see how we can bring it to life in the most cost-efficient manner, contact us today!

Challenges for Ukrainian IT Outsourcing Services in 2022

Posted on by mkoftielieva

Did you know Ukraine has been the largest exporter of IT outsourcing services in Europe over the last few years? From 2016-2020, the total value of this export amounted to $16 billion. Of course, the COVID crisis of 2020 hit Ukraine the same as the rest of the world. However, the result was not an industry collapse but a reduction in the sector growth from 30% to 24%.

Ukrainian software developers are talented and unstoppable, as you can see. Moreover, the country itself promotes their work as the state doesn’t regulate this market. Therefore, Ukrainian IT outsourcing companies have the freedom to work with a wide range of international clients, offering them excellent conditions for collaboration. So, it’s not a surprise that over 30% of all services exported by Ukraine are IT services.

However, the war started by russia when it invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, impacted the outsourced IT services industry. As a result, many global businesses that hired Ukrainian developers rightfully became anxious.

But we are proud to say that the global business community did not abandon Ukrainian developers. As an IT outsourcing company, Devtorium took immediate steps to reassure customers and remain operational despite the outrageous challenges.

Devtorium hasn’t lost a single client in this difficult time due to our business continuity plan that ensures we can deliver top-notch services on time.

Challenges for IT Outsourcing Services in Ukraine in 2022

We asked our Global Partnership Lead expert Irene Matkovska about the main challenges to hiring Ukrainian developers for businesses that seek IT outsourcing services. Irene spends most of her time communicating with business leaders worldwide, and this topic is coming up right now. According to her, the main concerns of companies that have IT outsourcing projects in Ukraine today are:

  • What if the developer working on my project gets drafted?
  • What is the plan of action if the russians attack the city where my developer or team is located?
  • What will you do if russian forces start a more aggressive offensive making it impossible to work for developers?

These are all critical questions, and businesses that employ IT outsourcing services from Ukrainian devs have the right to be sure that their investments remain protected. At Devtorium, we took great care to build a system that will keep delivering high-quality IT services to our clients no matter the circumstances.

How Devtorium team oversomes challenges for IT outsourcing services in Ukraine during war.

How Devtorium Delivers Reliable IT Outsourcing During the War

We developed a business continuity plan that covers all possible scenarios to minimize risks for our clients employing IT outsourcing services.

  • Devtorium offices are spread out geographically.
    Our five offices in Ukraine are all located in cities that are mostly untouched by the war. Therefore, life and work continue there at the usual pace.
  • We have an office in Poland for those specialists who choose to move to this country.
  • Devtorium established efficient relocation protocols, so we can help move our experts fast if this becomes necessary.
  • All our employees can work remotely. Many have already opted to do so, and they currently operate in the Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary, Moldova, and other countries.
  • We adhere to coding standards. Therefore, even if we need to replace a developer on a project, the new person can integrate into the process immediately.
  • We build versatile teams that are also spread out geographically, so the risk of disruption is minimal.

Above all, all Devtorium employees take pride in their work. So, we prioritize ensuring it’s done at the highest level. The Devtorium team has been actively involved in supporting Ukraine in its time of need since day one of the war. And the best way to help for Ukrainian developers is to stay active and pay taxes as well as donate. That’s exactly what we do!

Moreover, we are supremely grateful to our clients, who accepted our business continuity plan and showed great support and understanding. All of them stayed with us, and many went even further to show their support of Ukraine. Some of our clients donated to the humanitarian funds and joined #StandwithUkraine rallies in their cities worldwide. Some offered paid time off for developers who needed to take personal leave and allowed our teams to work at their own pace.

We are grateful, and we made sure to meet every deadline and prove that our performance on every project won’t suffer because of the circumstances.

This dedication helped Devtorium keep all its IT outsourcing services projects and start several new ones since February. And we keep growing!

Your Intelligent Assistant: AI-Powered Platform Marquètte

Posted on by mkoftielieva

Devtorium is a software development company that not only outsources its services but also creates proprietary software. One of our products is Marquètte, an AI-powered platform used for content generation. We’ve worked on this product for over a year and released the MVP in April 2022.

We are proud to share that an enhanced version of Marquètte is available to users! Moreover, it still comes with a 7-Day Free Trial that enables anyone to sign up and test the full power of AI content generation.

The purpose of Marquètte is to become an intelligent assistant for content writers, marketing specialists, and small business owners who want to improve theory content marketing. As your personal assistant in this quest, Marquètte does not only generate content. This AI-powered platform also offers a broad view of the industry trends and provides insights that can inspire you.

One of the biggest challenges of content creation is that you just don’t know what to write about. With Marquètte, you’ll get multiple ideas just by seeing your Account home page.

Using the product is extremely simple:

  1. Sign up.
    You don’t have to provide your credit card information. Just sign up anytime and test the SaaS platform for free.
  2. Ask your questions.
    You can ask the AI about anything and it will generate an answer using its massive databases.
  3. Use the answer!
    You can use Marquètte answers as blog posts, as answers on forums, as posts on your social media accounts, and even as part of general topic research.

Ne on the Marquette AI-powered platform.

Latest Marquètte AI-Powered Platform Updates

The part of the Devtorium Team working on Marquètte keeps improving it. Here’s what they came up with during the last update.

  • Improved design.
    Our AI-powered platform looks even prettier now. Seriously, just check it out. Our designers are incredible, and they improve user experience as well as aesthetics.
  • ‘Ask a question’ page.
    Users have a dedicated form to ask the engine a question. It has easy prompts that will guide you.
  • Interactive question validation.
    Note that some questions might be rejected. For example, if your question concerns politics, contains swearwords, or can be interpreted as extremist, the AI will block it. We have a preliminary validation system that will alert you if you need to do some editing.
  • Easy feedback.
    More freedom to the users! We love that you can help us make Marquètte better. Do it by clicking the emoji to express what you think about the quality of the answer.
  • Updated notifications.
    Our AI-powered platform communicates with users via emails, which we recently updated to ensure they serve a broader range of scenarios.
  • Contact Us page.
    We added a separate Contact Us page that contains a form you can fill out and a way to schedule a meeting with a team expert.
  • New video.
    Check out a new video introduction of Marquètte!
  • Buy Credits.
    After your first set of credits expires, you can buy more to keep using Marquètte without the need to re-subscribe.
  • Subscription auto-renewal.
    Using Marquètte is even easier now because you can automate the subscription and it will renew every month. Furthermore, you can disable this feature in a few clicks if needed.
  • Popular Questions.
    More inspiration for Marquètte users! There is now a Popular Questions section showing the most trending question topics.

Marquètte updates

Marquètte Applications as an AI Content Generation Platform

Marquètte is the first SaaS platform developed by Devtorium. Driven by machine learning, it keeps getting better with every use. Moreover, people appreciate the answers it gives, which we can see from Quora, where Marquètte already has hundreds of upvotes and authority as a trusted source of information.

Check out yourself by evaluating a Marquètte-generated answer:

What are the top ten pitfalls in doing business in China?

  • Lack of understanding of the Chinese market: Many foreign companies enter the Chinese market without a clear understanding of the consumer landscape and preferences. As a result, they are unable to tailor their products and services to meet the needs of Chinese consumers, leading to poor sales and ultimately, failure.
  • Lack of local partnerships: In China, it is essential to have local partners who can help you navigate the often-complex business landscape. Without these partnerships, foreign companies are at a significant disadvantage.
  • Poorly executed market entry strategy: Many foreign companies make the mistake of trying to enter the Chinese market without a well-thought-out plan. This often leads to wasted resources and ultimately, failure.
  • Lack of understanding of the Chinese legal system: The Chinese legal system is vastly different from that of the West and many foreign companies are not familiar with it. This lack of understanding can lead to problems such as intellectual property theft and contract disputes.
  • Lack of understanding of the Chinese culture: The Chinese culture is very different from that of the West and many foreign companies are not familiar with it. This lack of understanding can lead to problems such as miscommunication and cultural misunderstandings.
  • Lack of a dedicated China team: Many foreign companies try to enter the Chinese market without setting up a dedicated team to manage their operations there. This often leads to problems such as poor coordination and communication.
  • Over-reliance on expatriates: Many foreign companies entering the Chinese market rely too heavily on expatriates to manage their operations. This often leads to problems such as high turnover and difficulty adapting to the local culture.
  • Inadequate preparation.

Use of Marquètte AI-powered platform on Quora.

Future Plans for the AI-Powered Platform Marquètte

We are all futurists at Devtorium, so we have many ideas for the future of Marquètte. Right now, we are working on enhancements that will diversify the AI content generation and ‘teach’ AI to create texts based on different templates.

The next version of the product will become even more useful for content writers, marketers, and SMBs. You can follow the track of Marquètte’s development and growth through our social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram!

Energy Management Software Development Uses in Real Life

Posted on by mkoftielieva

A global energy crisis is upon us, so energy management software development is fast becoming an indispensable solution for everyone. It might surprise many, but these products can be extremely versatile. Their applications vary from enabling smart energy management to minimizing losses to finding the best energy plans in your region. As a result, many businesses could benefit greatly from investing in this niche of custom software products.

Here at Devtorium, we have first-hand experience in energy management software development that we’d like to share today.

Energy Management Software Types and Uses

First of all, it’s crucial to note that no matter its exact functionality, the primary purpose of energy management software development is to make our world cleaner. That’s why most of these solutions work with clean energy or smart home products.

The most basic application of this software literally is energy management. Therefore, such solutions are integrated into the IoT and help users ensure that no appliance in their home uses more power than absolutely necessary. Considering current power price rates for enterprises, developing such custom solutions is essential for manufacturers and other power-consuming businesses.

In this case, energy management software can be used to:

  • Collect all data on energy use and emissions.
  • Apply various data analytics techniques to analyze energy use efficiency and predict waste and power use changes depending on multiple factors.
  • Generate an optimization plan and other helpful suggestions based on data analytics.
  • Measure the results of implemented optimizations.
  • Monitor the overall energy use and waste performance of a business/building constantly.

This type of energy management software development application is straightforward to understand. However, there are applications for custom software products in the power business. For example, solutions that run power plants and energy distribution also fall into this software category.

In addition, there is a type of consumer-oriented energy management software that is often overlooked. Flexible utility rates that change with the season and other factors make it challenging for people to handle their energy bills. Solutions that enable residential power users to pick the best plans also fall into the category of energy management software.

How one company used energy management software development.

One Interesting Case of Energy Management Software Development

Devtorium has an interesting energy management case for consumer-oriented use in our portfolio. It was (and is) a fascinating custom software product development project.

The client is one of the leading energy management companies in the US. It helps customers choose clean energy plans that help them save money and reduce their household carbon footprint. Currently, the company reports that its efforts managed to help the Earth avoid 344,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, they also planted 354,768 trees as a contribution to restoring the planet’s ecology.

The solution provided by Devtorium enables the company to interact with customers and help those find the best energy plan for them. To create such energy management software, we used:

  • Angular JS
  • Angular 7
  • WordPress
  • PHP
  • .NET Framework 4.6.1
  • ASP.NET Web API
  • ASP.NET MVC
  • MS SQL
  • EntityFramework 6.4.4
  • IdentityServer4

The resulting solution included:

  • A stylish website that offers both excellent user experience and aesthetic enjoyment. We were aiming for a site that people would actually like and enjoy browsing. In addition, the visuals focus on clean energy and its importance to our planet’s health.
  • My Account functionality website visitors can use to enroll, perform payments, etc. In essence, the system is used to interact with the user in everything the company needs, including email notifications, payment processing, and plan management.
  • CyberSource payment system that enables customers to make secure, regular, and automated payments. Our priorities were security and ease of use. CyberSource payment platform guarantees both. 
  • SendGrid email system to provide easy and efficient interaction with customers. Email remains the most efficient way of communication and marketing in the digital world. So, the client company needed a great email platform integration, which we provided.

Bottom Line: Who Should Invest in Custom Energy Management Solutions?

Custom energy management software development isn’t for everyone. However, some types of businesses can save a lot of money through such solutions. For example, big companies and enterprises that manage vast production/storage/etc. facilities. They will require efficient power management to reduce waste and cut costs.

Other types of businesses that require such software are energy companies and providers. They can use a wide range of solutions that help manufacture, distribute, and manage power flows.

Finally, businesses that work with regular energy consumers can benefit from efficient management solutions. They can use software to search for plans and otherwise help optimize the power costs directly for the consumer.

Does your business fall into one of these categories? Contact Devtorium, an expert in energy management software development. We’ll be happy to help bring your project to life!

We are a team of 200+ qualified software engineers, business analysts, data scientists, project managers, and UI/UX designers. All our professionals hold specialized certifications in their niches and have expertise in complex projects for a variety of industries.

    Contact Us

    sales@devtorium.com

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