As a new version of SQL Server is under preview these days i.e. 2016 Preview and soon will be out for use. It might be possible that you would be wondering why SQL Server @Azure and how it’s different than traditional on-premises Server.
Those who have already gone through the process of purchase, downloading, and installation can understand the pain caused by it.
So here it is with
– No license purchasing
– No worry about new release
– No long hours of installation
– No need of latest compatible operating system
– No worry about disaster recovery
– No worry about availability and scalability
And the list goes on…..
Visit Azure portal get an account, create your server in the blink of eyes and start digging into it.
Let’s create a SQL Database @Azure…
Login to Azure portal [if don’t have a subscription please get one, don’t worry its free for one month which is good enough to enjoy the benefits of cloud and make an informed decision]
Create a Database and a Server for it
New > Data Services > SQL Database > Quick Create
Provide a name for Database
Choose a Server [if it’s your first DB then select “New SQL database server” else choose one from the drop down list]
So if you choose to create a new database server you will get some more cool options to choose from such as
Provide the Region [yeah these are the location which Microsoft has got its data centers]
Login Name for server
Password for Login
Click on “Create SQL Database”
Hey look it’s there under “SQL Databases” option on the left menu
In today’s world, the animation plays a crucial role in communication. It is incredibly versatile and can communicate abstract, complex and multidisciplinary concepts in an effective and easy manner. Gone are the days when people said: “ Animation is just a small part of interface design or product design and it is not essential “. Today, they are not used merely as eye candy, but as a powerful tool meant to enhance user experience. They are like heartbeats that brings life and soul to interfaces and products.
Latest web developments have allowed animations to be implemented easily which has given us designers truckload of opportunities. Simple or elaborate, animation can fascinate the users at every step. In this blog, I would like to highlight 5 ways you can use rich Animation’s to bring life to your designs:
Storytelling and fun way to convey any message
Who doesn’t like Stories? Probably no one. Animation can be used for storytelling and through them, even the most difficult concepts can be conveyed easily to the users. For example, previously, most brands were using the tutorial videos to help their users understand the process and benefits. But, today, the animation is ruling this space; pick up any app they are generally supplemented with ‘Splash Screens’ or step by step messages to guide users through the usage of the app.
Furthermore, it adds up to the personality of a website or mobile app, basically, your digital presence. Whether it is a long scroll of seamless sections of a website or showcasing of vision and capabilities, your story or action can be told in a fun and elegant manner. For instance, one of our clients, Hakunamatata, in space of Information Technology & Services wanted to communicate their strength in the development space through a website, hence, to highlight this we used ‘Unusual Navigation’ and empowered with many micro-interactions.
We believe, the animated design is a story best told; it adds an extra zing of awesome sauce that pushes the designs over the edge, bringing the very design to life in a subtle and friendly way which prompts the user to interact and explore more. You should check out this website to experience the zing I was talking about.
Interactive and Intuitive
Intelligent animations are very engaging and enable users to focus, get feedback, and communicate efficiently with the brand and its digital interface; this creates a pleasant illusion close to natural interaction as with physical objects. This is the very reason why Apple and Google give so much importance to animation and interactions in their guidelines.
Interactive animations put the user in the driving seat and impart a feeling of having complete control over the navigation while they go through an astounding interactive journey. This amazing website takes users through the interactive journey of Rome’s history. It is the most engaging history book you would come across and a user would feel like they are living the entire era.
Another, important thing to take note of is how a designer can effectively declutter his designs by concealing and revealing options with smooth animations and interactions which can be very useful while designing content/options heavy designs. A classic example would be the Android tray pulling animation with options.
Visual feedback and Micro interactions
These days we see a lot of animations giving visual feedback in the form of effects, transitions, animated colors, icons, and seamless backgrounds. They provide an unmatched user experience, because a user knows he is hovering on a clickable button or a link, and not just some content. Using Animation, the user is made aware of the progress and other features in an instance. An animated interface has the power to entertain the user with a fun loader while they wait for the page to load, inform them with a progress bar, load the animated skeleton of the layout, seek attention with beautifully animated signals when needed, alert a user about an error, help them navigate and what not! Micro-interactions also evokes emotions and feelings for the action. Animation applied for micro-interactions are hardly noticed by the user, however, as with all the small and simple elements of the interface, a lot of intelligence and understanding goes into designing micro interaction which boosts user’s interaction with the interface.
Great and beneficial for designers as well
Animations, not only helps the designer to make a delightful presentation of their designs, but it also enables the designers to discover a lot of potential improvisation while they prototype or animate their designs. I would say every designer should keep animations and interaction in mind while designing an interface, which is nothing but interaction designing.
When the designer does this, not only he takes the wireframes to the design stage, but he also takes the design to the next level for better development, where he has already visualized how a user is interacting with the interface. It speaks volumes about the attention to detail the designer has put into it, as he eliminates bugs, errors, missing links, and dig into a lot of innovative UX with his “ Interaction Thinking “.
An animated design is a living thing! Period.
Not only it is as satisfying as the ‘fidget spinner’, but it supports the very essence of real life interaction and it creates feelings and perception close to what we humans experience while interacting with a physical object. It speaks to you, plays with you, emotes with you, and understands you- Just like your best buddy.
The animation is the future of design and interfaces, which is very obvious with the evolution of VR and AR interfaces, where animation is the key property used to design them. People don’t just buy products, they actually buy the interfaces, the lively designs, and those appealing interactions.
So, if you are creating an innovative product or design, take heed as the future is animated designs. Technologies such as SVG animations and WebGL, which supports us designers to make use of rich animations and interactions to enhance and add life to designs, which eventually impacts millions of lives.
Back in 2008, the iOS App Store was launched with 500 apps. Today that number has skyrocketed to 1.85 million apps that are available for users to download. Android users have a bigger app universe to browse from that consists of over 2.56 million apps available in the Google Play Store. It is safe to say that we are living in the digital era! To prove we are in the digital era, let’s recall the numbers. Did you know that the number of smartphone users worldwide surpasses 3.5 billion? As per the Statista- Smartphone User forecast, it is estimated to further grow by several hundred million in the next few years. There are 7.94 billion devices connected worldwide and this number is more than the number of people in the globe! Hence, there is no denying the fact that mobile applications are an integral part of our daily lives. Keeping the above data in mind, many entrepreneurs are planning to start a mobile app centered business. If you are amongst those businessmen who are looking forward to creating a mobile app, then the first question to address is – which is better among Android vs iOS development?In this article you will walk through certain factors that will influence your choice, and embibe you with the iOS and Android App Development Platform.
Let’s get right to it.
Apple vs Android: Market Share
According to Statista, in 2020 the market share of Android and iOS was 86.6% and 13.4% respectively and these numbers are expected to reach 87.1% for Android and 12.9% for iOS in 2023.
Looking into the above graph, you can conclude that Android is a clear winner in the mobile operating system market share worldwide and is expected to remain so in the years to come. It is so because the Android startup apps are the most adopted ones for almost every smartphone vendor other than Apple.
Also, Android is an open source platform that allows and makes it easy for mobile phone manufacturers to add their own look to the operating system.
Apple vs Android: App Downloads
According to Statista Market Forecast 2016–2021, there will be 196 billion annual downloads from Google Play store by 2021, all thanks to growing smartphone and app adoption worldwide.
While from the iOS store there will be 42 billion downloads. Android again wins when it comes to app downloads worldwide and it is expected to enormously grow in the years to come.
After reading all the above facts and data it is highly advisable for you to make yourself familiar with the process of startup app development.
We have curated a complete guide on apps for startups, with A to Z information about the process of getting your idea live on a mobile application. In this article, we will answer all the questions that every entrepreneur who is new to the app industry might have.
Which Is Better – iOS Or Android?
Android vs iOS development is a never ending debate between software developers. The quest to- Which platform should startups choose has no one word answer. There are solutions that depend on various factors that an entrepreneur should consider before making a decision.
Let’s go through all the factors one by one:
1. Demographics
There is no denying the fact that Android smartphones have a larger demographic than apple users.
Also, there is no denying the fact that Apple is considered a high end device in which users are willing to purchase apps. So, Apple users are generally found in prosperous parts of the world.
For example: The USA is considered among the highest revenue making countries, thus you will find a larger number of iOS users there.
As per the reports by Statista, currently there are more than 113 million iPhone users in the United States, accounting for about 47 percent of all smartphone users in the United States. So if you are targeting the western demographic, I suggest you to hire iphone app developers.
2. Fragmentation
In simple words, fragmentation refers to when users are running different versions of a mobile operating system and using different mobile hardware models or mobile devices.
We are aware that iOS devices and their release cycles are controlled by Apple alone. As a result, once a year Apple synchronizes iOS version releases with device releases. Hence, fragmentation issues are less.
However, when we talk about Android, fragmentation issues occur constantly, further making life of the android application developers difficult at the time of testing and quality control. Thus, Android fragmentation increases development cost and maintenance time.
3. Design and development
In terms of designing, Google Material Design has a greater influence on UI and UX. Mobile app developers feel that when it is about coding mobile apps then Swift is a much easier language to start as compared to Java.
However, design and development is one factor that depends less on the platform and more on the skills of your partnered mobile app development company. When you are linked with a brand that has it specialization in the development of both Apple and Android apps, it is of the least matter about which platform requires less developmental efforts as both are done within equal efforts.
Now that we are aware of the factors involved, let us discuss the reasons to go for android startup apps and iphone startup apps separately.
Why Choose Android Startup Apps?
You should go with Android first if your audience is not concentrated on any one specific demographic or target audience. Also, if there are a good number of customization elements in your mobile app, go with Android.
Below are the advantages of using Android.
1. Greater user base
Majority of users globally use Android devices as compared to other devices, which gives you a large pool of potential users. Not having an android app for business means losing limitless opportunities and audiences for your product or services.
2. Open source platform
Android is an open-source platform which means Google doesn’t charge any fee for using this platform. Wherein, Google also provides Android app development tools and technology for free to the developers. Thus Android app cost is comparatively lesser than iOS app cost.
So, it is a cost-effective solution for your startup budget.
Hardware device manufacturers such as Samsung, Oppo, Xiaomi, etc., all use Android as their default OS.
3. Customizable apps
Android app development allows the app developers to customize the applications as per the business requirement. This means your business app development will get done with the right requirements and required flexibility which might not have been possible with any other platform. It is always a good idea to hire an android app development company that can help you with your startup app.
4. High ROI
The moment you publish your app on the store, you get a big pool of potential users that you can tap into. Since you have such a wide market to target, the return of investment on your android app would be instant and always on a higher end considering your Android app development cost.
5. Compatibility
One of the biggest advantages of choosing an android app over iOS is that there’s no restriction on devices that is to be used for building an android app. You can build an app on any device, be it Windows desktop, Mac, or the Linux system.
The fact that makes Android a go-to platform for all the sectors with interoperability needs is that it allows you to expand your brand across devices and systems .
We now understand the advantages of choosing android apps. Let’s dig deep and see what are the reasons to go for iOS app development for your startup.
Reasons To Choose iPhone Apps
You should place your startup’s first mobile app on iOS by investing in a sound reputed iOS app development company if you wish to come in the sight of the app store’s target demographics.
Let us discuss the advantages of choosing iOS apps for startups:
1. Security
Security is the utmost requirement for any business because sensitive enterprise data is lodged in apps. Android apps are a big risk when it comes to security while iPhone users are cushioned against hacking and malware. When you compare the iPhone vs Android on the basis of security, iPhone apps protect firmware and software through stringent security measures such as :
Integrated data handling systems
Measures to prevent duplication of data
Measures for loss of security by data encryption
2. Revenue
The ones that have a greater ROI than Android apps are the iPhone apps.. The best revenue generation opportunities that you can get from your iOS application development process, is to keep an eye on the mistakes, tips and tricks, and other related information would be a big advantage. You can look for iOS app development services that can help you with your vision.
3. Established customer base
The biggest USP of Apple is its established customer base. Apple is a pioneer in technology and applications. Apple has a well-established niche of its customer base that swear by Apple’s quality and performance and are loyal to the brand. That’s why it is said that once a smartphone user experiences the iOS platform, they will never be satisfied by any other OS and will stick to Apple.
4. Low fragmentation and testing
As discussed earlier, Apple generally develops just one updation on its existing OS every year. Also, the number of Apple devices are lesser than Android-based ones. Thus, Android apps should be tested comprehensively to get its better functioning on all the versions of Android OS.
On the other hand, iPhone apps just have to meet testing criteria of its previous iOS versions. This constantly reduces testing time and guarantees a rapid time to market for its apps. This also results in saving apple app development cost.
Wrapping Up
After reading the write up you must have understood that there is no right or wrong answer, it all depends on your requirements. We have seen specific scenarios favouring the iOS platform and others suggesting us to go for Android.
By keeping all the above information in mind, you can contact a mobile app development company that will help you build your app without worrying about the operating system.
Being an HR is one thing but being an HR in a design studio is a different ball game altogether. And, if you are hiring for the stream of UX and UI in India, the most sought-after skill today, well buckle up, it is not going to be an easy ride. But, after reading this article, I am sure you would be well prepared.
Fairly disrupted industry w.r.t. Quality vs. Cost
The first step for every HR is understanding the market space and expectations to chalk out an in-house budget for each role. But, like every other industry, this would not be an easy task. Since the industry is fairly new, you would come across many expectations that are exuberantly high as compared to experience. The best way to go about this is defining budgets based on your company’s standards and later it would just be a matter of finding a suitable candidate.
A readily available portal for hiring designers
We all are extremely used to various hiring portals that provide us with a varied number of services, but, in this industry, you must create your own channel. Use your networks, be more responsive and visible, visit design colleges and make ample use of references. This would definitely save a lot of your time and energy. Basically, keep your antennas switched on always!
Outstanding communication skills
This would come as a surprise but there will be instances where you would fall in love with designer’s creativity & skills but would be in two minds because communication would not be their strength. It’s advisable to chalk out the level of communication required for each role and your new team will be joining in no time because not every role calls for exceptionally good communication.
Designers are always BUSY
This is an amusing trait, you would find thousands of applicants but the ones who are willing to prove it out to the world and ready to go that extra mile is comparatively less. If your selection criteria demand’s some time off their current lifestyle don’t be disappointed if you do not receive a lot of responses. In fact, this would serve as an amazing yardstick in filtering out candidates.
Start-up Culture & Design Studio Culture – It’s Lethal
Most of the dedicated design studio in India are in Start-up phase and we all know that the culture is already laid back with a lot of flexibility. But, design studio goes an extra mile here because designer’s function differently and they are disciplined in their own way. But, sadly rest of the world does not function like this. So, hiring the right attitude and character becomes absolutely critical; next time when you are out on a look for some designer make sure this is always ticked off.
When it comes to social media networks, Facebook is certainly one of the most popular choices available. However, a lot of people who care about their privacy have been looking for an alternate, and that’s where MeWe comes into play.MeWe’s CEO, Mark Weinstein, in his Wall Street Journal op-ed, wrote, “MeWe is a full-featured social network engineered with privacy-by-design that’s freemium-based with no ads, targeting or news feed manipulation. Marketers and election meddlers cannot target or boost anything to anyone. These are significant competitive differentiations.” Weinstein also adds that, “It’s gratifying to see MeWe flourishing worldwide. MeWe is the uplifting social network with the features people love, and the respect, control and data privacy we all deserve.”
Technology is taking social media by storm, let’s see the most buzzing social platform that is taking the internet and individuals into a completely new and safe arena.
What is MeWe?
MeWe is a social media network based on a subscription model that focuses on privacy. The MeWe site terms itself as a ‘Next-Gen Social Network’ by providing users an ad free experience.
It has become extremely popular as a business-focused product that takes enterprise networking and communication to a completely new level.
The application is found by Mark Weinstein, an entrepreneur who considered himself as one of the early developers of the concept of social media. As of now, the MeWe platform has millions of users and is thriving as a popular privacy-focused alternative to Facebook.
Earlier, Weinstein launched a company named Ello, and based on the challenges he faced during that time, he learned several lessons that allowed him to shatter the social media dominance of Facebook.
Although the platform is free to use for personal users with several features like 8 gigabytes of storage, customized stickers, voice and video support, and newsfeed, enterprises are required to pay $1.99 per month to access additional features.
Why There is a Need for MeWe App Development?
It’s a no-brainer that Facebook is the most dynamic and popular social media network that has dominated the social cult ever since its initial launch. From job postings to community management, it includes a myriad of features that keep a user hooked and engaged to the app.
However as they made changes in their privacy policy, a lot of people started realizing that their privacy is being compromised by the platform.
According to their most recent update, Facebook has employed an algorithm that observes your behavioral patterns and deciphers them to serve you manipulated content in the application. This makes it more of a target-based platform that displays content as per your past preferences and choices.
In the wake of WhatsApp and Facebook data breach controversy, people are looking out for new social media platforms that are safe and secure. MeWe, a US based social network has come to the rescue and becomes the top downloaded social app in the Play store. MeWe app for android and MeWe app for iPhone has led to the increase of new users in the apps counting to more than 2.5 million users.
With the help of MeWe app development, you can keep your privacy protected by preventing targeting, ads, and political biases.
Essential Features in MeWe App Development
If you take a look at several social media networks available, you will notice that there are certain common features that each of them share. To be able to determine the cost of MeWe app development, you need to consider keeping these essential features in mind.
Moreover, as you introduce other specific features to your application, you will notice that the MeWe app cost will definitely bump further. With that said let’s take a look at some fundamental features required while developing the MeWe app:
What do you get with MeWe?
Profile creation
Your application needs to provide users the ability to express themselves through their personal profiles. It includes allowing them to enter their personal details such as name, address, website, email, birth date, and even mobile number.
Authorization
A proper authorization mechanism acts as the foundation block of the privacy and data of your users. Therefore it’s certainly a must-have feature in your MeWe application. It involves letting users signup and login in to your platform through their phone numbers or email addresses. Additionally, it also requires a password recovery and reset mechanism, some security interventions, and several other features.
Messaging
As you’re trying to make MeWe social media platform you surely need to ensure that your users have a proper communication channel. Moreover, in addition to simply sending texts, you may also need to add the ability to send media files such as messages, videos, and stickers through chat. The development cost may even vary depending on whether you want to allow your users to have group conversations or not.
Search function
To make the usability of your application easier for users, you need to include a search function that allows them to access the profile of their friends, communities of their interest, and posts they find engaging.
User interface
Apart from the crucial features, the design of an application is certainly one of the most important aspects because that’s what makes your creation unique. This may also be the costliest part of your MeWe social media app development process. While getting the user interface designed for your application, you need to make sure it looks attractive and provides an aesthetic feel to your users.
How is MeWe different from Facebook and Other Social Media Platforms?
Unlike other social media apps, MeWe social app has a different concept which does not replicate every other social media site. The MeWe creator’s intent is very clear when it comes to marketing the platform, as it has been directly indicated in interviews that MeWe wants to be the alternative to Facebook.
This most likely clarifies why the site attempts to imitate Facebook’s UI. Users can offer thumbs up, hearts, and smiley icons to posts. They can share their posts on their different feeds. There are user profiles and separate pages, and groups feature for individuals to assemble around a particular theme or topic.
The below image will show you which are the top categories and apps used by users.
Determining The Development Cost
When you’re developing an application like MeWe, it’s evident to say that there’s no specified cost associated with it. The expenses that you may incur depend on the functionality, complexity, and comprehensiveness of your application.
Moreover, if you’re outsourcing the development part, the MeWe app development cost becomes majorly dependent on the social media app development company you hire. On the other hand, if you have an in-house team of social media app developers, you need to keep their salaries in mind while determining the estimated development cost of your application.
Additionally, as you keep adding more features, the costs will keep piling up. It’s also worth determining the total number of hours required to complete the development phase of your application, in case you hire social media app builders on the basis of hourly payment. Therefore, make sure you keep all these things in mind while determining the social media app development cost of your MeWe Application.
The Takeaway
As Facebook made changes in its policies and tampered with its user’s privacy, people began looking for safer and more privacy-oriented platforms. This calls for the need for MeWe application development. While making an application like MeWe, you need to consider several things such as core features, UI design, and a lot more.
Additionally, to determine the costs associated with the development of this application, you may also need to consider several aspects like mode of development and required time. Hopefully, you may have found this guide helpful to come up with an estimated development cost for your application.
Still if you have any doubts, or are finding difficulty in hiring a social media app development agency in USA, just contact us.
Service names and port numbers are used to differentiate between the various services that execute over transport protocols, such as TCP/IP, UDP, DCCP and SCTP. The authority responsible for assigning service names and port numbers is the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). IANA also maintains the registries which store service names and port numbers.
The port registries for transport protocols are divided into three number ranges: those for System Ports, User Ports and Dynamic/Private ports. Their associated number ranges are:
System Ports (0-1023)
User Ports (1024-49151)
Dynamic / Private Ports (49152-65535)
For services to work effectively, hosts that run them and those that access them, together with intermediate devices, such as firewalls, have to agree on which specific destination port is used with the particular service. Often, many services use a default port and it is these that are recorded in the IANA registry.
The growing use of Windows and single-user Linux systems over the years, however, means that the original port model above is not strictly adhered to. It can no longer be assumed that a specific port number necessarily denotes a particular service. For example, if a host runs multiple instances of a service, they cannot all listen on the same port. Similarly, if there are multiple hosts behind the same NAT gateway, they cannot all map the same port on the external side of the gateway.
Today, there are thousands of applications and application-level protocols which have been assigned service names and port numbers and this number is set to rise in the future. Further confusion over port numbers can arise because IANA can de-assign a number no longer in use and reassign it to another service.
Common service names and their port numbers
The most common service names and their ports are listed in the chart below:
Service Name
Port Number
FTP
20, 21
SSH
22
Telnet
23
SMTP
25
DNS
53
DHCP
67, 68
TFTP
69
HTTP
80
POP3
110
NNTP
119
NTP
123
IMAP4
143
LDAP
389
HTTPS
443
IMAPS
993
RADIUS
1812
AIM
5190
On Linux machines, the /etc/services file stores the information about the various services that client applications might use. The file contains the service name, port number and the protocol it uses, as well as any aliases.
On Windows machines, the service names, port numbers and protocols can be found in the C:windows\system32\drivers\etc\services file. The file tells Microsoft services which ports to use.
Robotic process automation (RPA) has the potential to save companies significant amounts of money by shifting mundane, repetitive tasks, such as data extraction or data translation, from humans to robotic software agents. In fact, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that half of the activities that workers are currently paid $15 trillion in wages to perform globally could be automated with current technologies. An example of RPA would be a robotic agent that automatically opens and reads word documents or spreadsheets, identifies and extracts the necessary data, and transfers the data quickly and accurately to the appropriate business processing system. When it works right, RPA can speed up business processes, reduce manual data entry errors and free up employees to be more productive. RPA is also the first step on the road to higher value activities like machine learning and AI.
Unfortunately, many companies that have launched RPA projects have been disappointed when the savings have failed to meet lofty expectations. Other organizations have achieved early successes with proofs of concept, but have been unable to scale beyond the “low hanging fruit” processes.
In order to avoid the pitfalls that have prevented companies from realizing the full benefits of RPA, there are several key points to keep in mind, particularly when it comes to deciding whether to deploy assisted or unassisted RPA.
The first mistake companies make is jumping ahead and trying to grab quick and easy wins before doing the necessary strategic planning required to support a scalable, long-term and sustainable RPA deployment.
For example, companies need to make sure they don’t try to automate processes that are inherently inefficient because simply doing the wrong things faster doesn’t help the company achieve lasting business process improvement. Companies also need to analyze business processes in a holistic, end-to-end way, otherwise speeding up one part of the process might just create a bottleneck somewhere else.
For many companies, it’s tempting to implement unassisted RPA in which the software agent operates without human intervention. That can lead to early wins, but it can also lead the company into a dead end where they run out of projects that lend themselves to unassisted RPA.
Unassisted RPA requires processes that can be completed with simple decisioning, but it turns out that these processes are few and far between in the real world.
The real value of Robotic Process Automation will only be realized when companies adopt assisted along with unassisted RPA, combining the speed and accuracy of robots with the complex decision-making and creative abilities of humans. By working in tandem, humans and robots can achieve the efficiency goals that companies are seeking. And RPA, if done with the requisite strategic planning, can serve as the foundation for the organization’s business process automation journey to more complex, higher-value technologies like cognitive computing, machine learning and AI.
The world of software development and IT services have operated through well-defined requirements, scope and outcomes. 25 years of experience in software development have enabled IT services company to significantly learn and achieve higher maturity. There are enough patterns and standards that one can leverage in-order to avoid scope-creep and make on-time delivery and quality a reality. This world has a fair order.
It is quite contrary to the Analytics world we operate in. Analytics as an industry itself is a relatively new kid on the block. Analytical outcomes are usually insights generated from historical data viz. a viz. descriptive and inquisitive analysis. With the advent of machine learning, the focus is gradually shifting towards predictive and prescriptive analysis. What usually takes months or weeks in software development usually takes just days in the Analytics world. At best, this chaotic world posits the need for continuous experimentations.
The question enterprises need to ask is “how to leverage the best of both worlds to achieve the desired outcomes?”, “how do we bridge this analytics-software chasm?”
The answers require a fundamental shift in perception and approach towards problem solving and solution building. The time to move from what is generally a PPTware (in the world of analytics) to dashboards and furthermore a robust machine learning platform for predictive and prescriptive analyses needs to be as short as possible. The market is already moving towards this said purpose in the following ways:
Data Lakes – These are on-premise and built mostly with the amalgamation of open source technologies and existing COST software’s – homegrown approach that provides single unified platform for rapid experimentation on data along with capability to move quickly towards scaled solutions
Data Cafes / Hubs – Cloud-based SAAS-based approach that allows everything from data consolidation, analysis to visualizations
Custom niche solutions that serve specific purpose
Over a series of blogs, we will explore the above approaches in detail. These blogs will give you an understanding of how integrated and inter-operable systems rapidly allow you to take your experiments towards scaled solutions, in matter of days and in a collaborative manner.
The beauty and the beast are finally coming together!
Dell, HP, IBM have all tried to transform themselves from being box sellers to solution providers. Then, in the world of Uber, many traditional products are fast mutating into a service. At Walmart, it is no longer about grocery shopping. Their pick and go service tries to understand more about your journey as a customer, and grocery shopping is just one piece of the puzzle.
There’s a certain common thread that run across all three examples. And it’s about how to break through the complexity of your end customer’s life. Statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence can’t maketh the life of store managers at over 2000 Kroger stores across the country any simpler. It sounds way too complex.
Before I get to the main point, let me belabor a bit and humor you on other paradigms floating around. Meta software, Software as a Service, cloud computing, Service as a Software… Err! Did I just go to randomgenerator dot com and get those names out? I swear I did not.
The cliché in the recent past has been about how industries are racing to unlock the value of big data and create big insights. And with this herd mentality comes all the jargons in an effort to differentiate. Ultimately, it is about solving problems.
In the marketplace abstraction of problem solving, there’s a supply side and a demand side.
The demand side is an overflowing pot of problems. Driven by accelerating change, problems evolve really fast and newer ones keep popping up. Across Fortune 500 firms, there are very busy individuals and teams running businesses the world over, grappling with these problems. Ranging from store managers in a retail store, to trade promotion manager in a CPG firm, a district sales manager in a pharma firm, a decision engineer in a CPG firm and so on. For these individuals, time is a very precious commodity. Analytics is valuable to them only when it is actionable.
On the supply side, there are complex math (read algorithms), advanced technology and smart people to interpret the complexities. And, for the geek in you, this is a candy store situation. But, how do we make these complex math – machine learning, AI and everything else – actionable?
To help teams/individuals embrace the complexity and thrive in it, nature has evolved the concept of solutions. Solutions aim to translate the supply side intelligence into simple visual concepts. This approach takes intelligence to the edge, thereby scaling decision making.
So, how do solutions differ from products, from meta-software, service as a software and the gibberish?
Fundamentally, a solution is meant to exist as a standalone atomic unit – with a singular purpose of making the lives of decision makers easy and simple. It is not created to scale creation of analytics.
For example a solution created to detect anomalies in pharmacy billing will be designed to do just that. The design of this solution will not be affected by the efficiency motivation to apply it to a fraud detection problem as well. Because the design of a solution is driven by the needs of the individual dealing with the problem, it should not be driven by the motivation to scale the creation of analytics. Rather, it should be driven by the motivation to scale the consumption of analytics; to push all the power of machine learning and AI to the edge.
In Anteelo you have a partner who can execute the entire analytical value chain and deliver a solution at the end. No more running to the IT department with a deck/SAS/R/Python code, asking them to create a technology solution. Read more about our offerings here.
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
– Alvin Toffler
“Times have changed.” We’ve heard this statement ever so often. Generations have used it to exclaim “things are so complicated (or simple) these days,” or expressing disdain – “oh, so they think they are a cool” generation. Whichever way you exclaim, change has been truly the “constant”.
This change is bolstered by a tech-enabled world where the speed at which machines are learning is accelerating – the speed of light.
Let me set this in context with an example from the book of Sales. Unlike in the past, today sales reps are not gauged by the amount of sweat trickling down their foreheads. While they continue to be evaluated in terms of business development and lead conversions, it is not all manual and laborious. Technology advancements have made the process of identifying, prioritizing, scheduling, conversing and converting agile and real-time.
But just knowing change, gathering data and appreciating technology will not suffice. The three will need to be blended seamlessly to yield transformation. Applied to deeper organizational context, “Change” needs to be interpreted – its pace needs to be matched, or even better, its effect needs to be contextualized for differentiation.
Change management in this sense is the systematization of the entire process; right from the acceptance of change to its adoption and taking advantage of it to thrive in volatile times.
But what would it take for complex enterprises, that swear by legacy systems, to turbo charge into the Change Management mode?
To answer this, I will humanize enterprise change management with the Prosci-developed ADKAR Model.
Awareness (getting into the race) – Where can I set up the next retail store, what is the most optimal planogram, how do I determine the right marketing mix, what is my competition doing different, how do I improve customer experience, how do I ensure sales force effectiveness – the questions are ample. By the time you realize and start strategizing, a competitor has dislodged your market position and eaten a large portion of your pie. And while these business problems seem conventional, volatility in the marketplace cry foul. Compound this with high dependencies on dashboards, applications, and the likes for insights, and you’ve seen the side-effects – established enterprises biting the dust.
To survive, organizations will need to be knowledgeable about data that matter viz a viz the noise. They will need to interpret the data deluge in relevance and context; after all, not all data is diamond.
Desire (creating a business case for adoption) – Desire is a basic human instinct. Our insatiable urge to want something more, even better, accentuates this instinct. When it comes to enterprises, this desire is no different; to stay ahead of the curve, to make more profits, to be leaders. But there is no lock-and-key fix to achieve this mark. Realizing corporate “desire” will require a cultural and mindset shift across the organization – top-down. And so, one of the most opportune times could be when there are changes at the leadership, followed by re-organization in the rungs below.
Gamification could be a great starting point to drive adoption in such cases. Allow the scope of experimentation to creep in; invest consciously in simmer projects; give a freehand to analysts to look for the missing piece of the puzzle outside their firewall; incentivize them accordingly. Challenge business leaders to up their appreciation for the insights generated, encourage them to get their hands down and dirty when it comes to knowing their source, ask the right questions and challenge status quo – not just rely on familiarity and past experiences.
Knowledge and Ability (From adoption to implementation) – In business context, “desire” typically translate into business goals – revenue, process adoption, automation, newer market expansion, launch of a new product/solution, etc. Mere awareness of the changes taking place does not translate into achievements. It needs to be studied and change management needs to be initiated.
But how can you execute your day job and learn to change?
The trick here will be to make analytics seamless; almost second nature. Just as the message alert from the bank about any suspicious transaction made on your account, any deviation from the set course of business action needs to be alerted.
Such technology-assisted decisions are the need of today and the future. Tredence CHA solution is an example in this direction. It is intuitive, convenient and evolving, mirroring aspects of Robotics Process Automation (RPA).
Reinforcement (Stickiness will be key) – Your business problems are yours to know and yours to solve. Like my colleague mentioned in his blog, a one size fits all solution does not exist. Solving the business challenges of today requires going to the root cause of it, understanding the data sources available to you, and being knowledgeable about other data combinations (across the firewall or within) that matter. Match this stream of data with relevant tools and techniques that can give you the “desired” results.
Point to keep in mind during this drill is to ensure that you marry the old and new. Replacing a legacy system with something totally new could leave a bad taste in your mouth – with less adoption and greater resistance. Embedded analytics will be key – one that allows you to seamlessly time travel between the past, present and future.
To conclude, whether it is about time to implement change, improving customer service, reducing inefficiencies, or mitigating the negative effect of volatile markets, Change Management will be pivotal. It is a structured, on-going process to ensure you are not merely surviving, rather thriving in change.
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