"Business First" Approach
GKIM has a Business First Approach, possibly unique amongst developers.
1
Digitize the Business Idea
In our language we "Digitise the Business Idea" to develop a "Blueprint" of the "Money Making Machine".
2
Understand how your business should actually work!
We seek a rich understanding of the Digital Business Idea and crucially, how it should actually work, before looking for the right technology solution to assure its success.
3
Get it right
We spend time exploring what these concepts mean to each unique client, to avoid taking unnecessary risks with their time and money.
>> See how we strive to understand real and meaningful digital business requirements.
Digitize Business Idea
Our goal must be to deliver comprehensive and communicable digital strategy. This is the first step to assuring the success of our projects. To guide us we use the phrase "digitizing the business idea". This describes the art and craft of combining:
Business Strategy
Product Design
Technology Architecture
>> To deliver a blueprint for your digital business.
Money Making Machines
We love the concept of Money Making Machines. This phrase reminds us of the commercial and real world business goals of our projects.
By invoking the physical metaphor we also remember to figure out and describe how the software should actually work to deliver these goals.
>> This will be the blueprint of your Money Making Machine.
Assure the Software Development Cycle
GKIM aims to assure the success of all our projects, adopting a professional approach throughout the software development lifecycle. We work closely with clients through, what we call, the 4 D's.
>> We use the 4D's to remind managers of the efficiencies and effectiveness to be had by following a considered and phased approach to technology management.
Efficient and Effective Delivery
GKIM leads technology project management with time and money saving in mind. We aim to deliver software that works, the first time.
Let us introduce the powerful software management concepts of "left-shifting", "refactoring" and "agile project management".
These help us achieve our goals and work closely with our clients.
These help us achieve our goals and work closely with our clients.
1
Left Shifting
Left shifting reminds us that the cost of fixing mistakes early in the Software Development Life Cycle, in the design phase, is as much as 10x lower than fixing them when you are about to deploy. This may be common sense, but is rarely followed.
>> Left shifting the best way to save lots of time and money, and avoid embarrassment with failed or stalled releases.
2
Refactoring
Refactor is when a design, programming or technological framework is no longer quite fit for purpose, often due to changes in specification, understanding or assumptions. In the worst case, realizing the need to refactor too late, will result in code that is simply thrown away.
>> Combined with left shifting, this reminds us that big changes in structure or framework, should be done early - and to get the design right first!
3
Agile
Agile is a key religion of software development that most engineers subscribe to. It talks of development flexibility and releasing software in regular sprints, getting to market early and often. However, agile should not be an excuse for little or poor planning, documentation or contracted deliverables.
>> GKIM strives every day to get the best from the agile approach.
One of the many strategic digital design tools we use is one that we invented ourselves. Let us tell you about it.
