technology Archives - Page 7 of 7

How to Use an AI SaaS Platform for Business?

Posted on January 19, 2022August 31, 2023 by mkoftielieva

An AI SaaS platform is a way for businesses and developers to access artificial intelligence without huge risks and investments. Also referred to as AIaaS, this type of software as a service enables businesses to achieve various goals using the immense power of AI.

Combining custom SaaS development services with an AI-powered platform opens an infinite number of opportunities for a company. You can reduce costs, boost your marketing, improve various processes and workflows, and automate multiple tasks. And the best thing is that as AI grows, the same happens to its capabilities. So, the more you use an AIaaS platform, the more this technology would be able to do for you.

How to Use an AI SaaS Platform in Real Life

Chatbots & Virtual Assistants

The most popular type of an AI SaaS platform is chatbots. Nowadays, they are used in nearly every area of customer service. Businesses also often create chatbots for communication and education within the company. Bots that run on NLP algorithms and machine learning are an area of AI that’s developing extremely fast. So, they grow more sophisticated every day. Therefore, the extent of the services they can provide keeps increasing.

This technology is also used to create virtual assistants that can perform multiple jobs. Their applications range from providing basic health consultations to personalized education.

API (Application Programming Interfaces)

Cognitive computing application programming interfaces enable developers to include various features in their apps. The important benefit of APIs is that the developer doesn’t need to actually write out the entire code. As such, APIs have a big impact on AI-driven software development services and cut costs for customers by saving developers time.

APIs are most often used for:

Knowledge mapping
Sentiment analysis (a crucial feature for using AI in marketing)
NLP and multiple languages translations
Computer speech
Computer vision
Search

ML Frameworks

ML, or machine learning, frameworks enable the use of an AI SaaS platform for making personalized AIs. This particular AI will learn by processing the business’ data over time. Therefore, it would be perfectly suited for handling custom tasks within the company.

It’s a way for a business to use the power of AI without relying on Big Data. It’s also an opportunity to make the most out of custom SaaS development services for a business. So, if you consider making an AIaaS platform of your own, this is where you might wish to start.

Benefits of Using an AI SaaS Platform

Applications of an AI SaaS platform vary greatly. However, no matter how you use it exactly, it would bring some important boons to your business.

Low-cost access to AI capabilities.
AI technology is insanely powerful but also very costly. An average SME has no chance of building a top-grade AI platform from scratch. However, a ready-to-use AIaaS allows you to enjoy all the benefits of an AI-powered platform for a fraction of a cost. So, even a small business can increase its growth opportunities by using AI tech creatively.

Easy scalability.
AI SaaS development services are flexible in a way that means that you can get more power/features/bandwidth immediately when needed. It means that as your business starts growing with the help of AIaaS, it will scale along with you to constantly provide greater benefits.

Flexible costs.
With an AI SaaS platform, you pay exactly for what you use. Therefore, a business can regulate its costs exactly to get the highest value for money. It also means that you have a chance to increase your capabilities fast as an opportunity presents itself. Note that some AIaaS platforms will even allow you to use processing power for short periods of time on an ad hoc basis.

Higher usability compared to open-source AI.
There are open-source AI available, so you might wonder why pay more for an AI SaaS platform. The answer is that the platform is an out-of-the-box solution you can use for your intended purposes right away. On the other hand, using open-source AI will require you to hire a team of developers to create a solution that actually does what you need. Therefore, an AIaaS is more cost-efficient in the long run.

In Conclusion: When You Should Use AI SaaS Development Services

There can be no doubt that using an AI SaaS platform can benefit a business. However, you also need to understand that this technology has some inherent weaknesses. First of all, there is a security risk because you are giving third-party software access to your data.

In addition, you can’t expect transparency when working with AIaaS. You only get to see the input and output of the information. So, you won’t be able to know and even understand how that information is processed, etc.

Furthermore, some industry standards might prohibit you from using an AI SaaS platform altogether because of data security regulations. You’ll have to research all requirements for your industry in detail, especially if your business deals with sensitive information.

All things considered, custom AI SaaS development services might be the only choice for some types of businesses. Therefore, in order to get the highest value from AIaaS technology, you need to find out how to implement it in your business. Then, learn what options are available to you and how to use them with maximum efficiency. Contact us anytime and learn more about creating AI SaaS solutions perfectly tailored to your business needs!

Best Books for Programmers and Other IT Pros by Andrii Bohatyr

Posted on January 14, 2022August 31, 2023 by mkoftielieva

Today we are sharing insights and recommendations for IT pros from our current Head of Development Andrii Bohatyr, who introduces his personal list of the best books for programmers and other IT pros.

Andrii has been working in development for over a decade. During this time he received multiple certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect and SAFe. Although, when asked, he calls himself a ‘regular software engineer aspiring to become an Evil Galactic Emperor’.

The ability to see the best in any situation and a fantastic sense of humor are highly valued Andrii’s qualities. And so is his focus on teamwork and helping junior developers to grow and realize their potential. It’s not a surprise that he managed to boost the productivity of the company’s development department by 30%.

Andrii always strives to get better at what he does. And today he is sharing some of his favorite sources that can help all developers, QAs, and other IT professionals to reach new heights in their professions.

Best Books for Programmers as Recommended by Andrii Bohatyr

Now’s the moment. You’re standing amidst the dusty bookshelves trying to pick out something robust and relevant. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Developer, young and eager to learn, a Project Manager with your eyes shining, or a QA Engineer with a never-ending itch to explore new horizons. Here you go! Below is a comprehensive compilation for any IT-related professional. I wish I could call it ultimate, but it is rather streamlined in the chaos of modern development hype and trends.

Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship – Robert C. Martin

This one may help you to differentiate “good” and “evil”. It helps you transform an ugly and smelly pile of code into shimmering gold. Naming conventions, formatting, proper commenting, exception handling, unit testing – it’s all there!
Amazon link

Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction – Steve McConnell

This book emphasizes the construction of software, which is a large part of software development, fostering programmer’s productivity enormously. It covers major aspects of detailed design, coding, and debugging, as well as unit and integration testing. It’s one of the timeless pieces in the art of software development.

Amazon link

Clean Architecture: A Craftsman’s Guide to Software Structure and Design – Robert C. Martin

Uncle Bob writes simply, cleanly, and with enough examples. Also, he’s writing without delving into excessively complicated details. It is a cornerstone to understanding the architecture and building applications as a solid entity. It also explains what the good and bad patterns are. Martin describes some of the software projects from his personal experience and what he learned from them.

Amazon link

Test-Driven Development: By Example – Kent Beck

The book focuses on TDD practices, showcases, and the implementation of numerous programming tasks. It delivers the mindset and approach when applying test-driven development. The author highlights the Patterns for Test-Driven Development and helps to master TDD as a whole.

Amazon link

The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master – Andrew Hunt, David Thomas

This book is designed to make you think and challenge yourself and the way you currently do things. Andrew Hunt and David Thomas were kind enough to transform their years of experience and knowledge into a book with practical advice you can apply instantly. This is rather a conversation than a book, it’s easy and fun to read. Each chapter gives tips on multiple topics, such as estimating, testing, debugging, prototyping, effective communication, and much more.

Amazon link

The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering – Frederick P. Brooks Jr.

The Mythical Man-Month is essentially a collection of old-school articles. But those can still be considered one of the fundamental sources for software engineering. While reading this book it’s hard to deny that software architecture and the personality of an architect can influence the implementation. Some chapters stress that an architect should have their own idea of implementing things while accepting alternative approaches. It’s a must-read as an introduction to project management and leadership.

Amazon link

Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams – Tom DeMarco

It’s one of the best books for programmers about the pitfalls and practices in software development. Its content revolves around managing human resources, having a decent work and office environment, and the “right” people and atmosphere in place. It fosters understanding and introducing a better alignment between team members and a culture of quality. Remember: people are not just resources. That’s what you’ll learn here.

Amazon link

More posts from the Devtorium crew members:

Artificial Intelligence Software Development: First Exposure to Computer Vision by Oleksii Makarov.
Role of a Business Analyst in Outsourced Software Product Development by Daryna Volynets.

QA Software Testing: Types, Methods, Techniques

Posted on December 29, 2021August 31, 2023 by mkoftielieva

You can’t launch a great app without extensive QA software testing. It’s simply impossible because testing is a crucial stage that weeds out the bugs. Of course, nothing is truly perfect in our world. But QA testing is the way to make sure your app comes as close to perfection as possible.

However, before you go looking for the best software testing services company, you need to know what tests you need. There are dozens of options that can work for your project. So keep reading to understand what will be the best choice for you.

Manual Vs. Automated QA Software Testing

First of all, it’s imperative to understand that QA software testing can be automated and manual. Moreover, you must know that you need to use both to achieve the best results. Also, manual testing is much more expensive because it requires highly-qualified professional labor. However, it’s the type that runs a higher risk of errors because of human involvement.

Automated tests are incredibly varied and robust. They can boost the speed and accuracy of testing as well as make it more affordable. However, it’s crucial to know that automated QA solutions are only as good as the test scripts they are based on. If the script can’t account for a complex series of events accurately, the result will be faulty. Therefore, quality is vital when choosing automated QA software testing automation services.

In addition, you need to know that software testing can be functional, which tests the system’s operability, and non-functional. Non-functional QA testing covers all other types of tests. For example, use it to assure the quality of the system’s UI/UX interface, response speed, etc.

QA Software Testing: Types of Tests

Unit Tests

The lowest, simplest, and most easily-automated type of QA software testing is unit tests. These are the tests that analyze individual functions and methods of the classes as well as modules and components. They test the lowest level elements of the software solution.

Integration Tests

Your application isn’t going to be a single element. Therefore, you need to rely on integration testing to assess how all services and modules go together. All integrations within the application must be tested, so this type of service is much more complex and expensive. Moreover, you need to have most of the solution up and running to perform this testing.

Functional Tests

As mentioned above, functional testing assesses the system’s essential functions. Simply put, it determines if the app meets its business goals. Similar to integration testing, functional tests are complex because they must assess multiple components and their relationships. However, note that these tests only assess the system’s output. Therefore, they do not focus on the process itself and might not ascertain where precisely the issue is in the chain that leads to a bad result. Also, unlike integration testing, functional tests don’t check the ability to send a query to the database. Instead, they determine if the database sends the correct answer based on the set product requirements.

End-to-End Tests

End-to-end QA software testing can be rather complex. It’s a type of test that verifies an entire process from end to end. It can be a simple process, like logging in, or something more complicated, like email verification. Depending on the scenario, these tests can be rather hard to automate and maintain in that environment. Therefore, it’s usually best to run them periodically and instead focus on simpler integration unit tests to find weaknesses.

Performance Tests

Performance testing assesses the system under an increased workload. It’s an expensive but necessary test, especially in preparation for an expansion or a “hot” season. For example, eCommerce platforms would want to run a performance test before holiday sales. Note that it’s a non-functional test. So, it can be delayed for a while, depending on your system and objectives.

Acceptance Tests

Acceptance testing is performed when the entire application is up and running. At this time, the test will determine if it meets the business objectives set by the owner. The tester will replicate user behaviors in-app to assess every feature. They can go as far as measuring the entire system’s performance. Acceptance tests can be used to evaluate and approve/reject changes in the existing system.

Smoke Tests

Smoke testing is a quick and straightforward way to ascertain your app’s basic functionality. Your software testing services company is likely to run them right after deployment to see if the application is running as it should. In addition, these tests will help determine which more expensive QA services you will need further.

QA Software Testing Methodologies

Waterfall Model

The waterfall model is straightforward. That’s its defining quality because all processes within it move sequentially (logically following each other). Note that a new phase can begin only when the previous one ends in this model. QA software testing in the waterfall model will start at the requirements phase, where all project requirements are outlined. The testing will also follow the development phases.

This QA software testing method is simple to manage. However, there is no way to speed up the process or effectively deal with unplanned events.

Iterative Development

Interestingly, the iterative development methodology is based on the waterfall model. However, unlike the original, the iterative model comprises multiple components. Each of those components is made up of numerous iterations of the waterfall model. So, the testing process can start after every single iteration is complete.

This method allows more flexibility. However, the process might become unduly complicated because testing feedback must be provided and processed at the end of every iteration.

Agile Methodology

The agile software development methodology is prevalent today due to its high efficiency. In this model, the requirements don’t remain constant throughout the development process. Therefore, the agile method can accommodate many factors and even change the project drastically over time. As a result, the development runs in short fast cycles. The model focuses on the communication between developers and customers instead of tools.

QA software testing approach for this development method is also incremental. It means that the project goes through extensive testing after every release. This approach dramatically reduces the number of bugs left at the final release.

On the one hand, the agile method allows minimizing risks and losses. On the other hand, as it relies a lot on constant communication with the customer, the pressure and added time requirements can mess with the development process.

Extreme Programming

Extreme programming is, in fact, a type of agile software development. Development cycles in this model are short, so developers constantly present short batches of code to the customer. Then, once the review passes, they start on the next piece.

In essence, extreme programming is a test-driven development approach. The product is tested multiple times before and after any new feature is added.

This method is excellent for projects where the customer isn’t sure of the final product’s features. But this process can also take a long time due to communication and brainstorming.

Bottom Line: Do You Need to Hire a Software Testing Services Company?

In a word, yes! If you are looking for custom software development services, QA software testing must be a part of the process. A good development company will have its own QA team to ensure that you get the best result within the shortest amount of time.

What’s in the Future of AI-Driven Software Development?

Posted on December 15, 2021August 30, 2023 by mkoftielieva

AI-driven software development is revolutionizing every area of the world. We, users, hardly notice it, just enjoying the benefits that technology brings to our lives. But, it’s quite a bit different for developers.

Already over 80%of enterprises invest in AI. And Gartner says the artificial intelligence industry will create a value of about $2.9 trillion in 2021. The capabilities of AI are fantastic, which you can see from the rise of technologies like computer vision.

Writing code seems like it could be one of the tasks AI excels in, and in some ways, it is. However, AI-based software development isn’t about replacing developers with machines. Instead, it’s about creating a world where people augment their skills with technology.

How AI-Driven Software Development Will Reshape the Programmers

First of all, it’s crucial to note that AI-based software development isn’t going to replace the traditional development we have now. Human experts are the ones who drive and will continue driving this industry.

In the age of rising AI, developers will need to shift their priorities and expand their skills. Therefore, developers should focus on products that enhance automation and data processing when creating AI solutions for business. In essence, the primary purpose of AI-driven software development is to provide businesses with opportunities to:

Become leaner.
AI’s superior data analytics and forecasting capabilities should help businesses make better cost planning and risk assessment decisions. As a result, companies can become leaner and more efficient, increasing their revenue due to accessing better data.
Conduct market analysis.
Market Analytics is a very expensive service, so SMBs can’t hope to afford it. But AI-based software development can create solutions that will automate market analysis and make it more affordable. Therefore, small businesses will get a chance to become more competitive.
Getting intelligent assistance.
AI-based assistance can help people handle various tasks, from accounting to providing automated customer support. Therefore, businesses can use it in multiple ways to benefit themselves and their customers.

All in all, a developer of the future will need to focus on more creative aspects of the job. Routine and mind-numbing tasks like going over the code to make minute fixes and improvements can be assigned to an AI. Meanwhile, developers must work on tasks that can’t be automated as easily, like designing and creating custom solutions.

AI-Based Software Development: Top Benefits for Coders

The main reason software developers should appreciate artificial intelligence is that it can help resolve many challenges they face. Moreover, AI-driven software development can automate quite a few tedious menial tasks that take a lot of time. Therefore, it enables developers to focus on what’s important and allows exercising their talents to the fullest.

Security assessment improvements

Maintaining the highest level of security is crucial for software developers. Involving AI in this process can be a great help. Artificial Intelligence can analyze the data coming from the system itself and network sensors. Then, use it to identify any abnormalities extremely fast.

In essence, AI can automate code defense. Subsequently, it will significantly reduce the time and effort human developers need to spend on ensuring security.

In addition, AI-based software development quality assessment reduces the time it takes to complete a project.

DevOps automation

Making multiple changes and upgrades to the software is essential for SaaS development services. However, as any developer knows, frequent deployments can be taxing. Also, there is a risk of making a mistake at some step of the process. AI can be a great assistant during the deployment, reducing room for errors and automating many processes.

Meanwhile, machine learning algorithms will study the deployment process and analyze it. Then, the AI can use the data to offer insights on improvements and increase its response time based on learned patterns.

QA automation

Software quality testing and assurance are vitally important parts of development. So, one of the main benefits of AI-driven software development is that AI can automate these processes running them continuously.

As a result, the product quality grows and developers get real-time data on whether their ideas work.

Software design assistance

Software design is a complicated task, to say the least. It’s also one where human developers are sure to prevail over artificial intelligence. However, AI-driven software development can be implemented here as well.

It can be used to create AI assistants to help designers better communicate with clients and understand their needs. The software can allow clients to select options that will enable the designer to see their preferences more clearly. AI will generate the most likely combinations of elements. Then, a designer can use them to create a highly custom-tailored project.

Bottom Line: AI-Driven Software Development Making the World a Better Place for Developers

Any artificial intelligence software development company is a power to be reckoned with today. And the relevance of AI will only grow. AI-based software development can augment the work of human professionals freeing up their time and resources.

Developers can use AI powers for:

Providing accurate estimates
Automating code refactoring
Automating testing for abnormalities and errors
Assisting in handling errors
Speeding up the creation of prototypes

But most of all, AI-driven software development can help with strategic decision-making. Using the insights provided by AI and time saved by the machines crunching the data, developers can create better products, thus benefiting their clients.

So, we are sure to keep seeing more artificial intelligence applications as the world of technology evolves and becomes more user-friendly.

Role of a Business Analyst in Outsourced Software Product Development by Daryna Volynets

Posted on December 8, 2021August 30, 2023 by mkoftielieva

Being a business analyst on an outsourced software product development project is a challenge, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity. So says Daryna Volynets, our expert BA, who faces this challenge every day and loves it. Daryna says that a BA is a person who has to be proficient in a great number of IT and business-related subjects.

Daryna herself has been a business analyst for nearly four years. However, before choosing this profession, she got a well-rounded IT business experience. She’s worked as a PHP developer, PM, HTML coder, HR professional, and even has experience as an SEO specialist.

However, once Daryna discovered business analytics, she fell in love. Now she considers herself to be an ambassador for BA as a profession. She is also a mentor for Devtorium BA trainees and juniors. Therefore, she has a lot of experience explaining what it takes to build a successful career as a business analyst.

Today she is going to share her experience through the article below.

Daryna also made a fantastic presentation about this topic as well as our BA Internship Program during the Devtorium IT Crowd event in Vinnytsia. We are looking forward to learning more from her!

What Business Analyst Does for Outsourced Software Product Development

A BA is a bridge between customers and developers in the IT industry. It means that this person must have expertise in both the information technology and business administration spheres. Moreover, a business analyst must also be proficient in communication. It’s because you will need to liaise between these two sides and reason with both of them.

The goals of a BA are analyzing the company’s needs and the market situation. Then, you use this data to develop strategies to improve business outcomes.

The tasks of an IT business analyst will vary depending on the project. However, generally, they follow the same cycle:

Initiation phase.
At this stage, the BA conducts analysis and develops an initial work plan.
Planning phase.
Next, the BA analyzes the problem and defines the project’s boundaries.
Execution, monitoring & control phase.
This is the stage where the plan is put into action. The business analyst will monitor every step and control the execution where necessary.
Closure phase.
Finally, there comes the closure, during which the BA will summarize results and derive insights they can learn from. You will also follow up with the client.

Although these cycle stages are clearly defined, a BA must be fluid and flexible. It’s because new problems or data may emerge, and the entire plan will need to be corrected mid-process. The business analyst must always remain alert for any news and discoveries that might affect the project or market. Therefore, the BA has to monitor the entire process of outsourced software product development.

Requirements Life Cycle Management, or Daily Life of a Business Analyst

Business analysts are people directly involved in managing the life cycle of requirements. It’s a process during which the BA can manage and maintain business requirements and determine all necessary activities. Therefore, it’s a crucial component of the outsourced software product development process.

You can get some idea of how it goes through this scheme:

The length and complexity of the approval and some other processes can differ from project to project. However, usually the steps you need to ensure all requirements are identified, analyzed, and added to the project properly include:

Identifying the stakeholders
Gathering all necessary business requirements
Analyzing the requirements
Identifying necessary documents
Obtaining relevant approvals
Communicating with stakeholders regarding the approved requirements
Tracking the progress of requirements throughout the entire project
Identifying and managing any necessary changes to the original requirements
Tracing business requirements progress and reporting on their status

The business requirements gathering process can vary depending on the business’ needs. However, the tools used during it remain the same. These tools and techniques include focus groups research and interviews, documentation analysis, surveys, observations, and brainstorming.

Business requirements tracing is a critical factor in the project’s success. First of all, traceability ensures that each requirement is relevant and contributes to the project’s development. In addition, it tracks the relationships between requirements and their relationships with business needs and project deliverables. A business analyst will trace the requirements, which means they need to have a clear understanding of the business’ needs, direction, mission, and goals.

Business analysts rely on the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) developed by the International Institute of Business Analysts for guidance through these processes.

What You Need to Grow From a Junior to Senior Business Analyst

Like in any other profession, your growth from a junior business analyst to senior happens by gaining experience and developing your skills. Admittedly, a BA is a professional who needs expertise in a significant number of subjects. However, this job is rewarding in every way. From the salary point of view, business analysts are highly in demand and can expect to get a decent salary from the beginning. Moreover, the job outlook is great as it’s forecasted that the number of BA jobs will grow by 11% over the next decade. It means that it’s going to be one of the most in-demand jobs for the outsourced software product development industry.

In order to become a successful senior business analyst, you’ll need to gain knowledge in many areas, including:

Software development methodologies
Unified Modeling Language (UML)
Modeling concepts
Requirements types and management
Research and development activities
Document preparation
Project management life cycle
Product development life cycle
PMO activities
Software testing
Global business analysis

As a business analyst, you will use a great number of techniques and tools in your work. The most prominent of them include but aren’t limited to:

Acceptance and evaluation criteria
Backlog management
Benchmark and market analysis
Brainstorming
Business capability and rules analyses
Collaborative games
Concept modeling
Decision modeling and analysis
Data mining and modeling
Financial analysis
Estimation
Functional decomposition
Mind mapping
Metrics and KPIs
Observation
Organizational modeling
Prioritization
Process analysis and modeling
Prototyping
SWOT analysis
Risks analysis and management
Roles and permissions matrix
Scope modeling
Use cases and scenarios
Vendor assessment

To put it in a different way, a business analyst’s competency model looks like this:

So, Can Outsourced Software Product Development Projects Succeed Without a Business Analyst?

Frankly, business analytics consulting services are crucial for the success of any IT project. So, a successful outsourced software product development company should have its own team of talented business analysts.

It’s also important to remember that business analysts work not only within the software development outsourcing industry. These professionals can use their expertise to analyse markets and businesses and offer insights that can be used when:

Opening and staffing new departments
Restructuring existing companies
Resolving any business issues from logistics to cost reduction
Performance quality improvements

Business analysis is everywhere, the only question is who has the foresight to do it. Essentially, a BA is a person who must be proactive in order to identify issues problems and find solutions before the problem arises.

Our expert Daryna also notes that to be a good BA in the IT sphere, you need to enjoy communicating with people as much as you love technology. This job requires a lot of communicating and you should be highly efficient in it.

Being a business analyst is very rewarding. It’s not only because you are a crucial part of the team’s success. This work will throw tests at you every day. Moreover, you get to be the person who finds the solution and guides the entire project to success. If this is the kind of work you want to do, become a part of our team!

Your Helpers on the Way of the Business Analyst

As an expert BA herself, Daryna made a list of materials that can help beginners in this profession:

Software Requirements by Karl Wiegers (third edition).
Requirements Engineering Fundamentals by Klaus Pohl & Chris Rupp
User Stories Applied For Agile Software Development by Mike Cohn
Business Analysis for Practitioners (PMI)
Business Analysis (Second Edition) by James Cadle & Malcolm Eva, et al.
Business Analysis Techniques: 72 Essential Tools for Success by James Cadle & Debra Paul & Paul Turner
Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug
EFive Trainings YouTube channel
Web Academy YouTube channel
Artofba.com blog
iiba.org BA certification
BA & Product Management Z-Days YouTube playlist
BA digests from DOU.ua

For more posts based on presentations from the Devtorium IT Crowd event see:

Artificial Intelligence Software Development: First Exposure to Computer Vision by Oleksii Makarov.

Artificial Intelligence Software Development: First Exposure to Computer Vision

Posted on November 24, 2021September 25, 2023 by mkoftielieva

Oleksii Makarov is one of the leading experts on artificial intelligence software development at Devtorium. During our recent IT Crowd event in Vinnytsia, Oleksii made a short presentation about computer vision. This technology is undoubtedly exciting and already has a huge impact on the world. Today, Oleksii will tell us more about what it is and how computers learning to ‘see’ affects our everyday lives. With his 21 years of experience and a passion for math, Oleksii can make this complicated subject easy to understand.

What Is Computer Vision for Artificial Intelligence Software Development?

In the simplest way possible, computer vision is a set of technologies that aims to make computers process images in a manner similar to human vision. However, the math behind the process is a lot more complicated.

One thing you need to know first is that computer vision technology already exists. It’s used in a variety of ways, including SaaS development. In fact, each of us has been exposed to it multiple times. However, you likely don’t even realize how often you come in touch with this AI-based software development product.

Also, it’s crucial to note that computer vision was somewhat limited until the recent jump in artificial intelligence software development. Due to advancements in deep learning and neural networks, this technology can now surpass human vision in some capacities. But, this particular level of computer vision is only about a decade old.

In ten short years, this technology achieved outstanding results in many areas. It means that we can expect more global transformations powered by AI-driven software development.

Of course, tech plays a significant part in this leap. However, the main driver behind the growth of computer vision and artificial intelligence software development is data.

As a society, we generate tons and tons of data. And AI learns by processing these massive databases. Just image-wise, there are over three billion pictures shared online in a single day. Every day. So, AI and computer vision have an opportunity to become better at an unprecedented rate.

Already this technology is capable of processing images at extreme speeds and identifying objects with 99% accuracy. The results of these processes are used everywhere, from crime investigation to marketing and self-driving cars.

AI-Based Software Development: Deep & Machine Learning Technologies

One of the leading technologies used in computer vision is machine learning. To be exact, this type of tech uses its subset called deep learning. Deep learning methodology learns through neural networks, enabling it to improve with every progressive deeper layer of data.

This machine learning method is currently used in computer vision and other vital areas of artificial intelligence software development. The industries where it makes the most significant impact include:

Healthcare and drug research
Genomic sequencing
Self-driving automobiles

For computer vision, deep learning algorithms enable machines to understand the context of visual data they process. That’s how computers eventually learn to tell one image from another and identify similarities or differences. Computer processing can be much more powerful and faster than the human brain. Therefore, applying computer vision in various real-life situations makes it possible for machines to identify minor discrepancies in images. So, they can alert humans of any potentially dangerous inconsistencies.

AI-based software development powered by deep learning algorithms makes it possible to have machines ‘look’. However, they do not perceive images the way we do. Instead, they break down a single image into layers of pixels. That’s where convolution neural networks come into play.

Convolution and Deconvolution Networks in Computer Vision AI-Driven Software Development

“Alert! This might sound convoluted, but it’s actually not so bad”. It’s what Oleksii says when he starts explaining the neural networks technology used in computer vision. In order to make computers see, artificial intelligence software development engineers use convolution networks. Simply put, this is a process of machine breaking down the image into layers and layers of pixels. Each following layer is simpler and therefore less understandable for humans. But to a machine, they are the true ‘objects’ its ‘vision’ can process.

The machine will run predictions based on what it’s seeing and eventually trigger a deconvolution process. Basically, it’s the opposite of convolution. And predictive data analysis powered by Ai is a popular technology today.

We see the results of these complicated mathematical processes within AI-powered systems of computer vision through the actions of machines. You can find the easiest to understand example in self-driving cars. First, the machine recognizes the shapes of all objects within its ‘field of vision’. Then, it runs multiple iterations of predictions. And the car uses the data to drive and safely avoid obstacles.

Artificial Intelligence Software Development: Computer Vision Tasks

When you get down to the heart of it, computer vision is all about pattern recognition. Essentially, it performs two main tasks: classification and segmentation. Machines learn to identify objects and segment images into multiple views to make predictions.

Processes involved in computer vision analysis include, but aren’t limited to:

Object classification: understanding the category of an object.
Object identification: Understanding the exact type of an object.
Object detection: determining where the object is located within the image.
Object verification: verifying whether the object is present in the image.
Object segmentation: breaking down the object image into layers of pixels.
Object recognition: identifying objects in the image and their locations.

How Computer Vision Technology in Artificial Intelligence Software Development Will Change the World

Unsurprisingly, Oleksii gets many questions about the applications of computer vision and the impact of this tech on the world. According to him, the scope of it is nearly impossible to define because this technology has tremendous potential.

Oleksii believes that the main areas of computer vision, as well as AI-based software development implementation, will be:

Autopilot technologies, which will revolutionize the transportation sector as a whole. This won’t stop at self-driving cars as piloting other modes of transport can be automated. Moreover, machine pilots can be more efficient and reduce the risk of accidents.
Healthcare research is another area where the capabilities of artificial intelligence software development are tremendous. Already some companies use AI to predict the human body’s reactions and develop medications based on this data. For example, DeepMind is one of the leaders in this innovative industry.

To those worried that machines will take away human jobs, Oleksii recommends to stay calm. Of course, automation will make some professions redundant. However, many other new jobs will appear in response to global and technological changes.

To those interested in learning more about computer vision and artificial intelligence development software, Oleksii suggests the following resources:

TowardsDataScience: great portal with news about the latest AI tech developments.
3Blue1Brown: a YouTube channel where high-level maths is explained in simple and easy-to-understand terms.
Jeff Heaton: a YouTube channel by a Ph.D. VP, Data Science at RGA, Adjunct at Washington University, St. Louis, who explains neural networks and other technologies in a simple way.

If you want to talk to Oleksii regarding artificial intelligence software development or engage our services to create an AI of your own, contact us!

Hiring a SaaS Development Company: All You Need to Know

Posted on November 10, 2021August 30, 2023 by mkoftielieva

Hiring a SaaS development company might be the most important decision in the entirety of your business career. The reason is that making a mistake with this team could ruin any chances of success you have. Your idea might be exceptional and your budget might be unlimited. But if you go wrong with developers, none of it will matter.

So, it’s vitally important to know how to choose the best SaaS software development company. In fact, first, you need to understand exactly what makes this company ‘the best’. Read on and find out.

Why Hire a SaaS Development Company?

Custom software development for small business is always a good idea because it helps boost business productivity and cut costs. SaaS software development services can benefit your company greatly for similar reasons. But the usefulness of software as a service goes beyond that. First and foremost, this type of software product development is beneficial to the end-user. It means that if your business is planning to sell this product instead of using it internally, you can get a competitive advantage in the market.

The main reasons why investing in the services of a SaaS development company is suitable for your business include:

SaaS products are cheaper

It’s a simple truth. SaaS software p[eroduct development is cheaper for everyone. For those who order the product, the development itself is more affordable, and so is the software license. As the solution is hosted on third-party hardware, the overall cost is going further down.

Of course, there is also a matter of the product’s complexity. When hiring a SaaS development company, you can start small. It means that at the initial launch, your product can have only a few features. Then, as it starts making money, you can employ SaaS development consulting services to improve it. Adding more features as you can afford it will make the product more cost-efficient in the long run.

You also need to remember that SaaS software products are more affordable for users. It means that it’ll be easier for you to sell them. In addition, people don’t need to have expensive hardware to run these solutions. Therefore, your target audience can expand significantly.

SaaS products are highly accessible and easy to distribute

Speaking of accessibility. With SaaS products, you can take advantage of globalization right away. Simply put, there will be able to distribute your solution worldwide with minimal effort. So, you’ll be able to target multiple markets, thus increasing your chance of success.

Sometimes, you’ll need to invest in localization or at least content translation. However, your SaaS development company might be able to help you with this and create a multilingual product. Furthermore, it means that you’ll have a headstart on the market due to your international outreach.

Another advantage of the SaaS online distribution model is that you can make good use of tiered subscriptions. This pricing model can be highly beneficial for small businesses. Especially if you plan to add more features to the product later on. Those extra features can be rolled out to your Premium subscribers first. Also, you can launch various polls and questionnaires among these subscribers to find out what features people are most interested in. This will greatly supplement the data from your SaaS development consulting company.

Your business is 100% scalable

Scalability is the name of the game today. The best thing about SaaS software development is that it enables you to build a business that’s easy to scale. In essence, the SaaS business model is scalable by default.

It’s vitally important for any startup that wants to take over the world by storm. So, this type of software development is the best way to realize an innovative app idea. Moreover, it’s a great business model to choose if you want to launch several products simultaneously. SaaS software development flexibility allows you a lot of freedom to create products users really need. And you can update and change them based on the audience’s response through comments and reviews.

What Can Go Wrong When Hiring a SaaS Development Company?

The worst thing that can happen when hiring a software development company is choosing developers not qualified to do the job. Please note that they can be superb quality professionals in some specific type of development. However, if they aren’t experts in creating SaaS products in particular, there’s a high risk of your entire project failing.

It’s because, for all their benefits, SaaS software products do have some weaknesses. And it’s essential to understand them so that you can work around them and create a reliable and secure product. The best way to achieve this is to start by talking to a SaaS development consulting company. These are people who specialize in SaaS and business analysis. Therefore, they are able to explain both strengths and weaknesses your future app might have.

The main things to look out for with SaaS software development services are:

Security

A trustworthy SaaS development company must guarantee that your product will comply with all SaaS security standards. In fact, these professionals should go a step beyond and make sure your app is safe from all current cybersecurity threats. Moreover, they need to stay aware of these threats and improve your app with regular updates to increase its security level.

Note that SaaS software products are more vulnerable to attacks due to the fact that they are hosted separately. Also, their design sometimes compromises top security features to make the product accessible.

Therefore, it’s vitally important to find a SaaS development company with expertise in securing SaaS products. Check the certifications of their cybersecurity professionals. Top certificates in this area today are:

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
NCSF (NIST Cybersecurity Framework)
CHFI (Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator)
CISSP (Certified Information System Security Professional)
CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional)
CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)

Third-party payment systems

Integrating third-party products into a SaaS platform triples security risks by default. The matter becomes even more severe when this third-party software is a payment system. Talk to your SaaS development consulting professionals about these systems and how you will monetize your product.

If you need to add a payment system, discuss whether it’s safer to use an existing payment solution or develop your own. In some businesses and in some countries, the selection of payment processing operators might be limited. In this case, you’ll have no choice but to use one of the existing options. Therefore, a SaaS development company must have experience with this particular system. Moreover, the product must be developed with this particular integration in mind.

In addition, if your goal is to scale fast and go international, you might need to integrate additional payment providers. Discuss this with your SaaS development company to create the most efficient strategy.

System availability

Your SaaS development company must be able to ensure that the system doesn’t go offline with every update. Zero downtime deployment is vitally essential for SaaS software products that require frequent releases of new improved versions. There are some techniques that developers can use in order to minimize inconveniences to the platform’s users. You need to think through this strategy at the product development stage. It’s because such a system is a long-term project. Therefore, you must release it with optimal parameters for future updates.

However, bear in mind that zero-downtime deployment technologies will be more expensive. So you need to plan your budget very carefully.

SaaS Development Company: Best Practices

In order to provide top-quality SaaS development services, the company you hire must employ a set of specific practices. They will ensure that the software engineers and solution architects can overcome any challenges associated with the creation and launch of SaaS platforms. Moreover, adherence to the following principles will guarantee that the solution you get performs at maximum efficiency.

Developing an appropriate SaaS architecture

Designing the right architecture is crucially important to ensure a SaaS product runs smoothly and efficiently. Expert opinions differ on whether SaaS software development should be based on monolithic or microservices architecture. There are pretty solid arguments for and against both options. Therefore, it’s vital to find a SaaS development company that will be able to create the best plan for you.

Monolithic architecture is stable, which is vital for SaaS platforms. However, it’s all a vast codebase, meaning that any changes to the solution will require changing the entire thing. It’s time-consuming, complicated, and risky. However, in a big way, this disadvantage of monolithic architecture for SaaS can be offset by developing a layered architecture. In this case, ‘layers’ of code add flexibility for further improvements.

Microservices architecture is much more flexible by default because it consists of multiple components. Therefore, it’s an excellent option for highly complex SaaS solutions. But it also has drawbacks, in particular, it’s tough to manage. So, a SaaS development company that works with microservices architecture must prove that it’s capable of doing it well. Check out case studies and developers’ portfolios as proof of experience.

Also, note that the solution architect on your SaaS development project must be highly qualified and experienced. Moreover, it must have experience with this specific type of software. This expertise is necessary to make the best decisions for your product after assessing all the factors.

Setting up a CI/CD pipeline

The DevOps team of your SaaS development company must be just as experienced with this type of project. These people must ensure that your future platform is built with an integrated CI/CD pipeline.

It’s necessary to ensure that your SaaS product can be easily updated later on. The DevOps team working on your project will focus on continuous improvements and upgrades of every process. And in order to do that, the system must be designed to accommodate any of these future changes.

The entire development lifecycle of a SaaS product needs close monitoring. Therefore, CI/CD is essential to bring together the development and operation activities.

Fighting latency with CDN

Using CDN (content delivery network) during SaaS software product development helps fight latency, a problem of many SaaS platforms. It’s a highly important issue for anyone who wants to go global with the SaaS business.

CDNs, like CloudFront from Amazon, can be used to ensure that users from different countries can access all the materials within your app without suffering from latency. It means that the CDN makes the physical location of the servers irrelevant.

In order to make the most of this technology, you need a SaaS development company experienced in using CDN. So, be sure to ask what the developers plan to do in order to fight latency.

Conducting a security compliance audit

No matter how much effort you put into ensuring the security of your SaaS product, it could have more. Considering the fast-growing cybersecurity threats, you need to do everything possible to make your SaaS application safe. And your SaaS development company must understand this.

One crucial consideration during the development process is security standards compliance. If you don’t want your product to be banned, it must comply with all relevant regulations. Note that although there are international SaaS security standards, some countries have extras of their own. Therefore, it’s best to have a security audit of the application that takes all of these in mind.

You either need to hire a SaaS development and consulting provider with experts that can do this audit or hire an independent compliance expert. This might seem like too big an expense. However, it’s a must-have requirement for any SaaS business that wants to operate internationally.

What to Look for in a Provider of SaaS Software Development Services

Finding a trustworthy and experienced SaaS development company can be a challenge. As a client, you need to know exactly what to look for:

Expertise with all necessary tools and technologies

First and foremost is for the SaaS development team to have experience working with all technologies needed to create a superb SaaS platform. Go over the points listed above to see what the best practices of SaaS creation are. These are the things that your development team must know well.

Also, be sure to not only take their words for it. A trustworthy SaaS development & consulting provider must be able to back up their words with case studies. Take a look at what the company had already done and what certifications its developers and solution architects have. This way, you’ll make sure that they are adept in technologies needed to make your SaaS solutions outstanding.

Just to give you some idea, here is a list of technologies that are often used during SaaS software development:

CDN
NodeJS
.NET
Java
PHP
Angular
React
UI/UX design
AWS
Azure

This is not a complete list. However, it should give you a better perception of just how versatile the SaaS development company’s team has to be. In addition, do not forget that this team must include experienced DevOps and a top-grade solution architect.

Ability to provide streamlined agile processes

Your SaaS development company must be adept in agile software development. It’s because agile processes are far superior in cost-efficiency and productivity. Therefore, check if the company has certified PMs involved in your project.

In fact, a reliable company should tell you that they work on agile streamlined processes right away. It’s an essential advantage for software developers. Therefore, those who are accredited experts in it always make sure to include this information in their profile.

In order to provide the most efficient processes, your SaaS development team should include:

Solution architect (or several, depending on the complexity of your product)
DevOps experts
Front and back-end software developers
Project manager
QA testers

Do not forget about the importance of QA testing services for any software development project. Testers often don’t get enough credit for their work. However, without them, no solution will have a chance to succeed.

Bottom Line: Hire a SaaS Development Company You Can Trust

If you want to build a SaaS product, you need to hire a development company that is skilled and experienced in this type of projects. It’s essential to take your time exploring the options because this company will have a huge impact on your business’ success.

To find the best team, you should start with engaging SaaS development consulting services. At this stage, you’ll be able to understand what kind of services your SaaS creation team must provide.

Never forget that every SaaS product is unique. So, the development team can take several approaches to bring your ideas to life. It’s also important to understand that different companies might have different plans. They might all have strong and weak points. Therefore, you’ll need to do your own research to evaluate and compare various offers.

When searching for a SaaS development team, you should look for honesty and expertise. A team that can be trusted will openly share their credentials as well as case studies. Skilled developers are proud of their work and ready to back up their words with concrete evidence.

If this is the kind of SaaS development company you are looking for, contact us! Our expert solution architects, DevOps, and software engineers are ready to take on any challenge.

True Cost of Custom Mobile App Development Services

Posted on November 3, 2021August 30, 2023 by mkoftielieva

So, you have a fantastic idea for an app and want to make it a reality, right? So, naturally, you want to find out how much custom mobile app development services cost.

However, the answer to that question won’t be simple. It’s because the cost of end-to-end web application development is affected by many factors. Read on to learn what they are. And most importantly, find out how to manage them to get maximum value for your money.

What Custom Mobile App Development Services Are Included in the Cost?

The first thing you need to understand is that the cost of end-to-end web application development can vary quite a bit. That’s because many factors affect this number. The foremost among them is the list of custom mobile app development services included in the solution development.

In the majority of cases, custom mobile app development services include:

UI/UX design.
Designers are responsible for how the app will look like starting from layout to the final design.
Software engineering.
The engineering stage is when the app’s code is designed. Also, it’s an ongoing process that manages application development and future improvements.
Back and front-end development.
The stage when your app is actually created using the design to develop the expected functionality.
QA testing.
QA testing is an essential part of mobile application development because it ensures the app’s smooth performance.
PM services.
All the stages of the app development process must be managed efficiently. Therefore, you can’t do without a Project Manager who will keep it all running smoothly.

In essence, the list of services that go into the custom software product development mostly remains the same. However, it’s the scale and complexity of the app that dictate how much it’s going to cost. It’s because these are the main factors that determine what kind of team you need to hire.

Additional Considerations That Affect the Cost of End-toEnd Web Application Development

The main factors that influence the cost of custom mobile app development services include:

Platform the app will run on

Web and mobile apps are incredibly versatile. Therefore, they can be built using a wide range of platforms and operating systems. For example, there are well over ten great eCommerce platforms you can use to develop an online store. Each will have some advantages as well as disadvantages. So, it’s usually impossible to say that a single option is “the best” for some specific kind of development.

Also, you will need to choose whether to create a native or cross-platform app. Native apps will ensure seamless integration with your chosen system. However, if you want the app to run on multiple devices, you’ll need to develop several native solutions or a cross-platform one. It’ll often be a compromise between cost efficiency and stability of the application.

Functionality of the app

Functionality is one of the most critical factors that determine the price of end-to-end web application development. It’s because the more features you want to add, the more complex the app becomes. The more complex the development process – the more expensive it is.

It really is that simple.

Also, you’ve got to remember that cross-platform applications with comprehensive functionality can be quite tricky. The risk of bugs and crashes increases with every added feature. Therefore, you should develop a balanced app that can perform a few core functions equally well on all devices. If your mobile app idea is very ambitious, consider creating several connected apps. For example, this will be the best approach to launch some healthcare management apps that are in demand now.

Do not forget that some apps are more complex by default. For instance, mobile games are the most difficult, meaning the most expensive type of applications to develop. However, they can also bring the highest revenue. Already, the mobile gaming industry is generating over $90 billion in revenue, and this number is growing fast. So, if you want to launch an app that will bring you money, investing in game development is worth it.

Location of the custom mobile app development services provider

Location is an essential factor for end-to-end web application development. In fact, it matters on several levels. The most important is the location of your development team. In the majority of cases, they charge an hourly rate for the experts’ work. And this rate will vary greatly depending on the cost of living in the country.

Therefore, it’s unsurprising that development is the most expensive in North America (up to $250 per hour), the UK (up to $175), and Australia (up to $150). But those are also the places where the market for mobile apps is highly lucrative.

Considering this, the most cost-efficient solution is to outsource your custom mobile app development services. The best locations for this today are Ukraine ($34-64), Poland ($40-77), and India ($10-75). It’s because development companies in these countries offer the highest value for money.

Another important factor that has to do with location is the localization of your app. For example, are you only targeting one country or multiple? Do you need to create a multilingual app? If yes, will content translation suffice, or do you need to get a full-scale localization?

Bear in mind that each ‘yes’ answer to these questions will increase the application development cost. Moreover, every new language will add quite a hefty bit to it. However, you must never settle for a low-quality of localization and translation. They significantly affect the chances of your app to succeed with the target audience.

Post-Launch Support for End-to-End Web Application Development

Another crucial thing to understand is that custom mobile app development services aren’t limited to development only. Post-launch support and updates are just as important, if not more, as the development itself. It’s because your app should grow its user base and generate downloads constantly to bring revenue. Therefore, you have to make it better all the time. And it’s best to have the same team working on it.

Also, there is a cost of marketing to be considered. Your application needs promotion as well as good app store optimization so it can be noticed. Therefore, mobile app development costs are going to keep growing. The revenue it brings in must cover these continuous improvements.

In Conclusion: Should You Invest in Custom Mobile App Development Services?

According to Statista, projected revenues from mobile apps will reach $935.2 billion by 2023. Considering how the COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the development of this industry, real numbers might well exceed these forecasts. Therefore, anyone with a sense of business acumen should be looking to invest in this business.

Mobile and web apps are changing and evolving fast. They are also taking over regular downloadable software.

All things considered, if you have an idea for an app, you should go for it! Contact us if you are looking for cost-efficient custom mobile app development services, and we’ll find a way to turn your idea into a profitable business.

SaaS Development Services: How to Build a SaaS Product

Posted on October 13, 2021August 30, 2023 by mkoftielieva

Investing in SaaS development services can be the best decision of your life. For one, this is the most cost-efficient way to launch an application these days. Second, SaaS platforms are flexible and can be adapted to multiple industries. It means that the customer pool for your product can be all but endless.

Sounds interesting?

Keep reading to learn how SaaS software development can help achieve your business goals. And get inspired with ideas for your own product.

What Are SaaS Development Services and Who Needs Them?

SaaS software development has become extremely popular nowadays because it allows people to use great solutions regardless of their hardware power. SaaS is not some specific type of software in itself but a method of delivering apps to the user. The solution is hosted by the product owner or on the SaaS application development company’s servers. Therefore, the user doesn’t have to download and install anything on their own computer.

The user might need to install a client app to access the SaaS product from their PC or smartphone in some cases. However, these solutions are relatively simple and don’t have high hardware requirements.

The majority of SaaS applications can be accessed using a regular web browser. That’s why it’s often referred to as SaaS web development.

Because there are usually no hardware or software requirements for SaaS products everyone can use them. Therefore, SaaS development services are in demand for every type of software. So it doesn’t matter what your target industry is, developing a SaaS product is always a good idea.

In fact, you should research your niche and see what your competitors do. If they aren’t offering this type of service, you are already ahead by choosing it.

But remember, SaaS is a subscription service. So you’ll need to work on product improvements and marketing continuously. Your goal will be to retain the loyalty of your customers. For this, you’ll need to compete against newer and more innovative apps.

That said, SaaS application development can be extremely rewarding. But it’s also a continuous challenge that will require you to keep getting better.

Benefits of Using SaaS Development Services

The benefits of hiring a SaaS development company to bring your ideas to life are many. The most notable of them is that it’s sure to be lucrative because SaaS products have advantages that customers love. Better yet, these same advantages will benefit you as well as the users of your product.

The most important of them are:

SaaS development services are highly cost-efficient, and the product is affordable for the end-user. For you as a SaaS owner, the product will cost less compared to developing a top-grade solution that must be perfect and fully stacked at launch. In addition, SaaS software development is highly flexible. Therefore, you can launch a product with only a few essential features that you can afford now. Then, you’ll keep adding more and improving it as your revenue grows. Perhaps, you might even be able to develop a series of related products, like multiple Google Apps Services.
SaaS web development is faster. For you, it’s because developing a smaller product takes less time than creating a large multi-functional downloadable solution. For the user, SaaS products are great because they are quick to set up. In the majority of cases, one can start using this solution within a few minutes as there are no mandatory downloads or other time (and bandwidth) consuming tasks. However, do not forget that you must make the signup process as simple as possible. Otherwise, you risk losing users before they even try your product.
SaaS software development produces a highly accessible product. Of course, as a product owner, you will love this because your consumer base will be huge. But, on the other hand, users enjoy this particular perk because it enables them to access top-grade solutions regardless of how good their hardware is.

Business Perks of SaaS Development Services: Why Your App Can Bring Money

When building a successful business is your primary goal, a SaaS development company can become your greatest ally because:

SaaS products generate a regular stream of revenue.
That’s the primary and most important advantage of the SaaS business model. Subscriptions bring you revenue monthly. And if you roll out improvements regularly, this stream of income will keep growing.
SaaS application development allows you to create a secure product. It’ll be a major selling point for consumers today. For you as a business owner, ensuring the highest possible security level is a top priority. Remember that the year 2021 saw the cost of data breaches reach a shocking $4.24 million! This number is sure to keep rising with every passing year. So, invest in security improvements all the time. The fact that SaaS web development allows for constant improvement is another significant advantage. Due to this, you’ll be able to update cybersecurity features as soon as new threats pop up.
Flexible subscription plans make SaaS apps even more accessible. Therefore, you can reach a wider audience with the solution. Moreover, you can expand your customer base greatly by offering a free subscription. At this point, your app can generate revenue through advertisements.
Using the services of an experienced SaaS development company and good hosting will make your app very reliable. Obviously, the consumers will love this, thus increasing your number of subscriptions. However, the main advantage for you is that you won’t lose users in droves because of some basic bug or server failure. But note that you need to make sure the servers that host your app are distributed across the globe. This way, even if some server crashes, the solution won’t go down completely.

SaaS Software Development: Types of Apps

SaaS development services are flexible and versatile. Therefore, the apps created with them can be used for a variety of industries. If you are looking for inspiration for your product, the most popular applications of the SaaS model are:

eCommerce SaaS Application Development

SaaS development services for eCommerce are among the most complex and most popular. Essentially, eCommerce SaaS are solutions like Shopify, BigCommerce, and other top eCommerce platforms. These platforms enable the user to create and sometimes even host their own online store. As the online shopping niche is highly demanding, a platform like this will require a lot of features. Absolute must-haves are shipping and delivery tracking, payment processing, SEO, CRM, warehouse management, product management, and order processing.

If you consider eCommerce SaaS application development, be aware that it will require a significant investment. This niche is extremely competitive, and its leaders are giants that are nearly impossible to get close to.

Vertical SaaS Software Development

Vertical SaaS application development is a more promising niche for beginners. First, with this type of app, you’ll need to choose a niche. Then, create a product that will help improve business processes within it.

Such solutions are diverse, but all of them are focused on optimization. In this case, developing a highly specialized solution will be a benefit. It will enable you to offer the best possible result to the customer. Therefore, it makes sense to create a subscription plan that offers top-grade customization. Essentially, it means your SaaS development company will need to personalize the product to fit the needs of every customer.

CRM SaaS Applications

One of the top examples of a SaaS Customer Relationship Management system is HubSpot. This type of solution needs to integrate with a variety of systems in order to fit into business processes effectively.

If you want to apply your talents in SaaS development services to this niche, you’ll need to create a solution that automates marketing tasks. Note that CRM systems are an integral part of the sales process as well. Ultimately, the goal of this SaaS platform is to facilitate the business’ relationship with customers.

Nowadays, personalization is one of the main requirements by consumers in any industry. Therefore, advanced CRM systems that allow for detailed segmentation and targeting are in high demand.

Enterprise SaaS Development Services (ERP)

Enterprise SaaS software development is extremely versatile. It’s because enterprise requirements are enormous, and these companies often need unique custom-tailored products. For example, many big companies use SaaS development services to create ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software, like Oracle.

In order to be useful to such big customers, enterprise SaaS platforms need to have tremendous processing power. They also have to integrate easily with other popular management systems.

SaaS products for Collaboration

In the era of remote work and digital nomads, collaboration software is a highly lucrative niche. These SaaS platforms vary in functionality, for example, Asana and Miro. Such platforms aim to provide remote teams a space to connect, share, and track the progress of various tasks. Some of them will also have integrated messenger systems and video conferencing tools.

This niche is growing fast. However, it’s still a fantastic opportunity for your SaaS development services because the demand grows even faster. But to make a solution with a chance at success as collaborative SaaS, you have to do detailed market research. Find out what exactly is lacking in the most popular tools to create your unique selling proposition.

Project Management SaaS Solutions

Project management platforms are, in essence, a more ‘formal’ variation of collaborative SaaS software. Tools like Jira are essential for businesses today as they maximize the efficiency of remote teams.

Note that these tools can also be adapted for unique enterprise needs. Therefore, you have a lot of room for creativity with this type of SaaS web development.

SaaS Software Development for Billing

SaaS billing solutions are extremely popular with small and medium businesses. Tools like Zoho help these companies do their bookkeeping without hiring in-house accountants.

These tools are also highly useful for eCommerce. So, there are a lot of areas for you to target with such products. But bear in mind that this SaaS must be extremely secure and efficient as well as comply with legal requirements.

SaaS Development Services for Data Analytics

Some SaaS platforms take a completely different look at business optimization. For example, AI-based software like Marquètte can be used for data analytics. This platform processes vast blocks of data to provide a forecast or analysis of specific industries.

Companies can use this type of SaaS platform to predict trends and adjust their business and marketing plans. Big Data analytics is costly if you hire a specialized company for it. However, AI can make this service much more affordable. Therefore, such a platform enables small businesses to use the power of Big Data.

SaaS Application Development Process Explained

Market Analysis

The first thing to do before finalizing your app idea is to analyze the market. You have to determine two things:

What apps already exist in the niche (your competition)?
What are the features your target audience is most interested in?

Only armed with these answers can you come up with a concept that will have a chance to succeed. Your objective is to develop a unique selling proposition that will make you stand out from the competition. Moreover, you will get the ability to understand what it is that can offer value to your prospective customers.

Determine SaaS Requirements

This is more of an analysis step as well. The requirements you need to consider are consumer demands such as usability, UI/UX design, and security.

During this step, you’ve got to understand how to use SaaS development services to adapt to the ever-changing demands. You need to plan your platform to be flexible. Therefore, you must outline priority directions in which it will need to evolve.

Define the MVP

MVP, or a minimal viable product, is the core of your future SaaS solution. This is what you’ll take to developers or show investors. You need to define it in order to calculate the costs of SaaS development services.

To define your MVP, you have to answer questions like:

Who are your target customers?
What is their main problem that you are going to solve?
How are you going to solve this problem?
Can you offer several solutions?

Set the Pricing Model

SaaS software development relies on the subscription payment model. Therefore, you need to decide how exactly you are going to charge your customers for the use of the platform.

The most popular subscription payment plans are:

Flat rate: when you charge a set price for the product or sets of features.
Pay per feature.
Usage-based plan: when the user pays based on the time/amount of using the platform.
Freemium: when the user has a free basic subscription but pays for a broader set of premium features.
Pay per active user: when any active user pays a set amount.

Set Technical Requirements

At this stage, you have to consult a SaaS development company to outline the product’s technical requirements. But remember to keep in mind your target audience. Do your research to understand what devices they use most often.

Your platform’s technical requirements must aim to fit the most basic devices used by the consumers. It’ll ensure maximum accessibility.

Finalize the Budget

Now that you understand what it is that you need to make, you must finalize your budget. Then, evaluate your available funds and either start development or keep looking for investors.

As an option, consider investing in minimal SaaS development services. But build a business plan that will allow you to reinvest a large portion of revenue into further product development.

Also, consider that your budget must not only be limited to development costs. You also need to market your app. In addition, you need to set aside an emergency fund to deal with any possible issues or bugs.

Start Working with the Development Team

Finally, you’ve got to hire a trustworthy SaaS development company. It’s essential to find a team that has experience creating the type of SaaS products you want to make. Moreover, choose a company that has relevant certifications. Finally, you need to be sure that these people are experts in what they do.

However, personalities also matter when choosing a SaaS application development company. You should look for people you are comfortable with to discuss ideas and share your vision. Also, they must show a high level of professionalism and organization. That way, you can be sure that they will indeed be able to deliver top-quality results.

Lastly, look for a SaaS development company that employs multiple professionals with different specializations. You need to be sure that these people will be able to handle everything ‘in-house’. It’s crucial to avoid dispersing your product development across several contractors. Having everything done by one team will increase the quality of the final product.

SaaS development services providers vary greatly. Therefore, you’ve got to take your time and explore your options. Make sure that you are hiring a team you can trust completely.

In Conclusion: Is Hiring a SaaS Development Company Right for You?

Now is the time to invest in SaaS development services if you have a great app idea. In case you don’t have one yet, check out this post for inspiration.

The demand for high-quality software that helps automate and optimize various processes is huge now. Therefore, if you have an opportunity, you should consider entering this industry. SaaS software development, in particular, is a good business model due to its cost-efficiency and relatively low entry capital requirements.

If you have any questions regarding SaaS, creating your own product, or how much it will cost, contact us anytime! Devtorium offers SaaS development consulting services to all businesses and private entrepreneurs with ambitious ideas.

How AI Based Software Development Is Transforming Healthcare

Posted on October 6, 2021August 30, 2023 by mkoftielieva

When you hear about AI-based software development for healthcare, what do you imagine this tech can do? Are you thinking about AI-powered devices that tune into your brainwaves? Or do you think of technology capable of diagnosing diseases remotely? Perhaps, you can even imagine talking to a robot-therapist?

Or do these things sound like something out of a sci-fi movie?

It turns out that all of it is true now. The applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare are revolutionizing many medical fields. Already, VR and AR solutions can help people who had almost no hope for recovery only a decade ago. Moreover, various methods of AI automation in healthcare make help available to those living in remote communities.

AI technology is literally saving lives. Keep reading to find out how it does it and what we can expect to see in the future.

Uses of AI-Based Software Development in Healthcare 2021

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Assisted Therapy

The most basic form of AI-assisted therapy is the use of a chatbot for primary therapeutic interventions. Basically, the AI acts as a therapist and offers support and guidance in a patient’s moment of need.

The efficiency of psychotherapy has long been proven. But now, you might wonder whether Artificial Intelligence can replicate the effects of talking to a human therapist.

According to an extensive study from Stanford University, AI is capable of effectively helping people suffering from anxiety and depression.

The most crucial benefit of AI-assisted therapy is that it makes mental healthcare accessible to people who have no other way to get it. At the moment, there are both free and paid therapy apps that offer different interventions for depression and anxiety. The user, essentially, receives a type of self-guided therapy with AI acting as an assistant on this path.

Chatbots can also be used as support in a traditional therapy course. Patients can turn to them between sessions when they require immediate help. This both improves the patient’s mental state and makes therapy more affordable.

Moreover, chatbots do not only offer support and guidance. These healthcare AI software solutions also collect data about your condition daily. Then, they can analyze this data to provide insights into anxiety or depression-inducing patterns that a therapist can use to improve your treatment.

Using the app, you can also track your own progress. In itself, this kind of tracking can be highly beneficial for a person struggling with challenges, like depression. To have tangible proof of one’s positive progress is a vital motivator.

AI Automation in Healthcare: Chatbots and Telehealth for Remote Areas

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted many problems within the healthcare system. One of the biggest among them is a desperate need to make healthcare services more accessible. And AI-based software development can do that.

Conversational artificial intelligence and telemedicine have saved hundreds of lives already. Moreover, these technologies are fast becoming indispensable for offering preliminary diagnostics and ongoing treatments.

Healthcare AI software solutions allow doctors to stay connected with patients no matter where they are located. In addition, they can offer basic education, support, and guidance to people who require immediate help or ongoing supportive treatments.

The potential of artificial intelligence in these areas is immense, states a study published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Its full transformative power can be realized in rural areas, especially in developing countries where access to healthcare is limited. And the situation got exponentially worse with the added strain of pandemic restrictions.

At the moment, there are technologies in development that will enable immediate and effective use of telemedicine in emergencies. However, this field is only growing. Therefore, everyone with ambitions to create an outstanding app that can change the world should consider this industry.

AI-Based Software Development: VR Treatments for PTSD

Exposure therapy has proven to be a highly effective treatment for phobias and PTSD. VR tech has the power to enhance these treatments and make them much more accessible. Already, there is solid evidence that VRET (VR Exposure Therapy) can help treat phobias. In addition, studies of using this treatment as part of PTSD therapy showed positive results, reports Frontiers.

Unfortunately, at the moment, this technology isn’t widely available in clinics. Therefore, applications of VRET are limited. Also, there are only studies conducted with soldiers and veterans. Therefore, broader possibilities of VR healthcare AI solutions are still unexplored.

However, there is hope that making the tech accessible will enable researchers and therapists to develop more effective treatments. We are only starting to acknowledge the severity of the impact that PTSD has on society as a whole. And while there are some effective treatments for this condition, they are limited. So, this branch of applying artificial intelligence in healthcare is still full of possibilities.

Specialized Healthcare AI Software Solutions: Healium

The applications of AI-based software development for healthcare take many forms. But none of them so far are as futuristic as Healium, an app that tunes into your brainwaves. The app claims to be an ‘immersive media’, as Healium’s CEO said to Forbes.

This app uses wearable devices to ‘read’ the body’s electricity and help users create their own unique relaxing world. The goal of Healium is to help fight anxiety and ease stress management.

The app uses a combination of AR and VR tech, game design, and storytelling, all powered by research in neuroscience. The result is a solution that can help people manage anxiety through techniques of immersive meditation.

Healium is currently unique, but its rising popularity indicates that it won’t be the only app of this kind. The pandemic made anxiety levels skyrocket worldwide. Therefore, various stress-reducing techniques are popular as never before. Artificial intelligence applications in healthcare are most efficient for this purpose as AI can adapt to every user’s individual needs. Therefore, it can offer highly personalized treatments.

AI-Based Software Development in Healthcare: Prescription Video Games

Here is the validation of all those hours spent playing by all computer gamers worldwide. FDA approved the first computer game as a valid treatment for children with ADHD. Granted, it’s not an excuse to spend 14 hours playing PUBG every day. However, it’s clear evidence that games can be a power for good.

Prescription games are very different from regular ones. But they rely on the same interactive technology. The first-ever FDA-approved game went through seven years of clinical trials and proved that an interactive play could make a quality change for some people’s lives.

At the moment, this technology is only used for ADHD. But the potential for applying AI-based software development in this area is tremendous. So, if you have an app idea, you should go for it!

Bottom Line: AI-Based Software Development for Healthcare Is Saving Lives

There are many uses for artificial intelligence in healthcare and even more are possible. This is a field that requires more ideas and products that can improve and even save countless people’s lives. Today, there are solutions that make healthcare accessible. But there is a lot of room for growth. An experienced AI software development team working with scientists and powered by innovative ideas can transform the world by improving healthcare.