Voice assistants, smart offices, biosensors on wearable devices, IoT technology is impacting every aspect of our lives. And there's more to come in the future. Let's look at some of the IoT trends. 

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW240385259 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;">Smart homes, where everything is controlled from the phone, wearable devices that read your health indicators are the things that we have heard about thousands of&nbsp;times. These devices are no longer a distant future, but our everyday reality.&nbsp;Internet of Things is a technology with enormous potential to improve human life and it impacts just about everything we interact with on a daily basis.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>As in any other field, IoT application development also has its own trends. So, which trends will&nbsp;stay with us in the next couple of years?</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Retail and storage&nbsp;</h1></div><div>IoT in retail is helping entrepreneurs improve their business and customer service. IoT can be used to monitor product expiration dates and track shipments. By 2025, the spread of IoT technologies in retail will reach more than $ 35 billion.&nbsp;</div><div>How&nbsp;IoT Trends Can Improve the Retail Industry?</div><div>1. Personalized content&nbsp;</div><div>The Internet of Things is a tool aimed at improving communication between the customer and the brand. Dedicated sensors can track customer actions and share this data with the company's marketing team. It is easier than ever to create personalized content for specific segments to help customers find the product they want quickly.&nbsp;</div><div>2. Store navigation&nbsp;</div><div>The lack of a well-thought-out system for moving around a large store is one of the common problems that can become an obstacle in the path of a potential buyer. IoT devices with built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, and VR technologies can simplify navigation and help shoppers find the product they want faster.&nbsp;</div><div>3. Delivery Tracking&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The Internet of Things has made online shopping available to all users, this technology allows the seller to update the delivery status so that the user can see the current location of the order.&nbsp;</div><div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">IoT &amp; Voice Recognition&nbsp;&nbsp;</h1></div><div>No matter how popular messengers are, for most people, live voice communication remains the most familiar way of interaction. IoT devices that can be controlled by voice are especially helpful for those who value their time and don’t have extra time to spend typing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>What factors made voice-controlled&nbsp;IoT so popular?&nbsp;</div><div>- mobility of voice devices&nbsp;- widespread use of smart speakers&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>- progress in natural language processing&nbsp;</div><div>Voice assistants&nbsp;</div><div>Virtual assistants, such as Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana, Apple Siri or Google Home&nbsp; are becoming more commonplace in households around the world. They know how to connect to other smart home systems (lighting, heating)&nbsp;to automate our daily lives and make it more comfortable.</div> Smart office&nbsp; <div>For a comfortable office environment, employees need an environment that helps them stay productive throughout the day. The organization of the workspace directly affects how comfortable a person will feel in it. The trends of the Internet of Things are influencing smart offices as well.</div></div><div><div>What can a smart office do?&nbsp;</div><div>- control air temperature and humidity&nbsp;- adjust room illumination depending on the time of day&nbsp;- simplify interaction with the security system&nbsp;- create a booking system for meeting rooms&nbsp;&nbsp;</div></div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">IoT trends in a smart office&nbsp;</h1></div> Office management from different locations&nbsp; <div>Smart office technology allows us to find out what is happening in the office from anywhere in the world in real-time by using cameras equipped with computer vision, motion sensors, and multipurpose trackers. It can track any activity inside. In addition, the smart office uses a pass system to keep track of visitors and deliveries. All data is available for viewing in a single interface, which is supported on a computer or smartphone.&nbsp;</div> Management and booking of rooms&nbsp; <div>The Internet of Things can help you schedule appointments and schedule meetings. Employees will be able to make appointments, book the necessary equipment and confirm their presence or absence remotely. Company managers will have more time for real tasks because they will not need to figure out where to hold a meeting or call in an emergency mode.&nbsp;</div> Access and control&nbsp; <div>If there is a need for increased security and access level management (banking or military institution), IoT solutions are needed that to make sure workflow is not interrupted. Biometric authentication methods already exist in closed areas - fingerprint scanning, retina scanning, voice, and face recognition.&nbsp;</div><div>In the future, this trend of the Internet of Things will capture 80% of companies. IoT-equipped offices are not just about controlling temperature or lighting using a smartphone but creating comfortable conditions to establish a more efficient and safer work environment.&nbsp;</div><div>Even such minor details, as a smart speaker in the kitchen, can significantly improve the overall mood of the team. We spend 8 (or more) hours a day in our offices, so why not make the routine enjoyable?&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Internet of&nbsp;Medical Things</h1></div><div><div>The Internet of Medical Things is an IoT that works to improve medical processes and helps professionals monitor and analyze a person's health status.&nbsp;&nbsp;IoT technologies will help with timely assistance to save lives and&nbsp;improve the very field of medicine - from remote monitoring of a patient's health and disease treatment.&nbsp;</div><div>Instead of the usual paper medical records, they will be electronic records. Instead of regular visits to a therapist - data on the state of health of patients on the devices.&nbsp;</div><div>What can we expect from IoT trends?&nbsp;- Rapid diagnosis and timely treatment of diseases by analyzing health data collected from a wearable biosensor&nbsp;- Automation of routine processes and autonomous data storage&nbsp;- Home monitoring with biometric scanners&nbsp;- Air quality sensors&nbsp;- Sleep phase tracking&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>- Remote patient monitoring&nbsp;</div></div><div>The constant flow of data will make analytics more accurate, this will allow&nbsp;identifying&nbsp;problems in the human body before they become serious. In the future,&nbsp;patients will&nbsp;not need to travel to the hospital to receive treatment, they will get&nbsp;it remotely.&nbsp;</div><div>Reducing readmission rate&nbsp;</div><div>It is unpleasant to stay in the hospital, but IoT devices now have a solution that will relieve patients of this experience. With the help of special devices, it is possible to monitor the patient's condition 24/7, which reduces the likelihood of re-hospitalization. This option will help in both emergency and preventive treatment.&nbsp;</div><div>Tracking chronic diseases&nbsp;</div><div>Chronic diseases are not cured but require constant monitoring to keep the patient's condition within the normal range. Virtual examinations, real-time monitoring and continuous contact with the attending physician are what the doctor ordered.&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Green Internet of Things&nbsp;</h1></div><div>Rapid population growth, industrialization, and urbanization also entail environmental problems. The more people there are, the more problems with the collection, sorting, and disposal of garbage appear. In&nbsp;environmental care, the trends of the Internet of Things have not been left behind.&nbsp;</div><div>Green IoT offers solutions that help people conserve resources and use technologies that minimize waste.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>For example, a waste management system with shredding mechanisms, or a transport system in which cars can move at the same speed at a short distance from each other. This will significantly reduce fuel consumption.&nbsp;</div><div>The eco-trend of the Internet of Things helps:&nbsp;</div><div>Monitor expenses&nbsp;</div><div>Special devices have long been monitoring how megacities affect the environment: they collect detailed information on air quality and the amount of garbage. To solve the problem of the negative impact of exhaust gases on the environment, for example,&nbsp;&nbsp;Air Quality Eggs, an Internet of Things platform for combating air pollution. Essentially, this system collects air quality data from the residents themselves. AQE is widely used in America, Western Europe and East Asia.&nbsp;</div><div>Manage resources&nbsp;</div><div>The Internet of Things helps track energy use and waste consumption. Smart sensors collect and transmit energy consumption data to specialists. For example, a thermostat uses the collected data to remind users when to turn off the heating, and water management sensors warn that soon the desired level of water consumption will be exceeded.&nbsp;</div>Summary<div>The IoT technology industry is capturing or has already captured us. This is a promising niche in which every business will definitely find a place. IoT trends will increase the level of user engagement, and with it, the conversion.&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW240385259 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;">A professional development team will help implement IoT technologies successfully to boost the company’s success.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

IoT Expansion Across Industries  

There are a number of prototyping tools to test ideas before they are fully developed and create an improved user experience. Prototyping is one of the easiest ways to save time and finances before launching a product.

<div>Prototyping is a proven method for product design.&nbsp;Prototyping translates the&nbsp;customer needs and desires, presented in the form of text, voice recordings, and sets of illustrations, into a visually designed prototype of a digital product.&nbsp;</div><div>Prototyping is used to identify both missing or incorrectly defined requirements and unverified assumptions by demonstrating what a product looks like and how it works in the early stages of development. Prototypes can be non-working models, working representations, or digital renderings of a solution or proposed product.&nbsp;They can be used for website layouts, serve as part of the working design of a product, or describe processes using a series of diagrams. Business rules and data prototypes can be used to discover the desired process flow and business rules. Data prototyping can be used to clean and transform data. &nbsp;</div><div>Every successful product starts with a prototype!&nbsp;</div><div>Let's look at some of the benefits of prototyping in software development,&nbsp;</div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Teamwork&nbsp;</h1><div>At the development stage, it’s crucially important to have a united vision of the project. Here’s where the prototype serves as a visual aid to make sure that all team members share the same project objectives and have a clear understanding of the plan and requirements. &nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Reduced time and cost&nbsp;</h1></div><div>Prototyping can improve the quality of requirements and specifics provided to developers. Because changes cost exponentially more to implement as they are discovered later in development, getting ahead of what the user really wants, ensuring long-term product quality and cost savings.&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Minimized Code Rework&nbsp;</h1></div><div>Having a detailed project plan minimizes new requirements that lead to code revisions and developers' extra work. Flaws, bugs, and other issues&nbsp;can be detected early in the development stage. Prototyping&nbsp;is a&nbsp;platform for various implementations and benchmarks for the product. It allows a quick&nbsp;product performance overview to make appropriate decisions.&nbsp;</div><div class="SCXW189541682 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;"><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Improved and increased user participation&nbsp;</h1></div><div>Prototyping requires user participation and allows&nbsp;them to see and interact with the prototype, allowing them to provide better and more complete feedback and specifications. Having a user-explorable prototype prevents many of the misunderstandings and micro-communications that occur. Because users know the domain problem better than anyone on the development team does, increased interaction can result in a better end-product. &nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Methods of Prototyping (Babok 3.0)</h1>Throwaway Prototype (Sketch, Power Point, Miro, Visio, others)This prototype method is generated using simple tools (such as paper and pencil, whiteboard, or software) to reveal and refine requirements. The prototype may be modified or refined during discussion and development, but it does not become workable code and is not maintained as an end result once the system or process is implemented. This prototyping technique is useful for defining functionality or processes that are not easily identified by other methods, that have conflicting viewpoints, or that are difficult to understand. These (one-time) prototypes can be a low-cost tool for identifying or validating requirements beyond the interface, including requirements related to processes, data, and business rules.&nbsp;</div><div>Functional Prototype (Axure RP, Web, Python, others)Functional prototypes are created to expand on the original requirements for functional solutions as the requirements are refined through the use of a functioning prototype by stakeholders. This approach creates a working solution and usually requires a specialized tool or prototyping language. Such prototypes can be used in the final solution. If specialized software is used, business processes, rules and data can be modeled to assess the impact of changes and verify desired results.&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Benefits of Prototyping (Babok 3.0)</h1></div><div>- Provides a visual representation of the future product&nbsp;- Allows stakeholders to participate in the creation and receive feedback early in the product design process &nbsp;- When using one-off prototypes or paper prototyping, users may feel more comfortable criticizing the layout (of the product) because it is not "polished" and not ready for release.&nbsp;- Narrow in scope but deep in functional depth, the vertically oriented prototype can be used for feasibility studies, proof of concept, or to identify technology or process gaps &nbsp;</div><div><h5>Disadvantages:&nbsp;</h5></div><div>- Risk of going too deep into the details at an early stage of product development&nbsp;- Dependency on the technological stack of the product&nbsp;- High expectations of the stakeholders &nbsp;- Risk of form over content dominance, at the development stage Prototyping in the life cycle of Agile project&nbsp;</div><div>- The prototype is updated with each iteration&nbsp;</div><div>- The prototype allows you to better understand the expected result and identify inconsistencies in the early stages&nbsp;</div><div>- "Live" prototype can be used for the development&nbsp;</div><div>- The prototype can be used to prepare self-tests of complex logic&nbsp;</div><div>Choosing prototyping tools&nbsp;</div><div>The choice of a prototyping tool is of great importance, and should consider such elements as,&nbsp;</div><div>- Design &nbsp;- Usability&nbsp;- Functionality &nbsp;- Fast prototyping&nbsp;</div><div>Here’s a short comparison of the two widely used prototyping tools &nbsp;</div><div>Balsamiq &nbsp;</div><div>- Simple interface &nbsp;- Fast wireframes creation&nbsp;- Looks like a hand-drawn sketch&nbsp;- You can link pages&nbsp;- Export to images, pdf format&nbsp;</div><div>Axure RP&nbsp;</div><div>- More professional, great functionality&nbsp;- Sketch of the small details&nbsp;- Prototype looks like a finished system&nbsp;- You can link, set up events and completely imitate the behavior of a real system&nbsp;- Export &amp; the ability to use the browser version for sharing, which is hosted in the Axure Cloud &nbsp;- Security when sharing a project&nbsp;- Teamwork&nbsp;- Libraries&nbsp;</div><div><h5>Summary&nbsp;</h5></div><div>The cost of the development time is high, that’s why prototyping models help get accurate feedback from the stakeholders and users early on, minimizing financial risks. Getting valuable feedback and identifying bugs and threats ahead of&nbsp;time is critically important. &nbsp;</div><div>There are a number of prototyping tools to test ideas before they are fully developed and create an&nbsp;improved user experience. Prototyping is one of the easiest ways to save financial and time resources and to avoid any resentment at the development stage. Contact one of our experts for a professional consultation on the best prototyping tools for your product development. &nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div></div>

Prototyping & Software Development    

How CSS methodology can help with software development and why BEM is still relevant today?

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW102886304" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;">Foundation with a strong CSS architecture can support a project as it grows and provides an integral basis for scalable products. HTML and CSS are the foundation bricks that should be built with careful thought and planning. &nbsp;</div><div>In this article,&nbsp;we’ll look closer at how CSS methodology can accelerate software development built on solid architecture solutions, taken from the tips from Edsson team of developer experts. &nbsp;</div><div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Methodology&nbsp;&nbsp;</h1>Efficiency: We want to reduce the time spent thinking about how things should be done and increase the time to get them done.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Consistency: We want to ensure that all developers start from the same point of view.&nbsp;</div><div>Some of the most used CSS architectures are,&nbsp;- OOCSS (Object-Oriented CSS)- SMACSS (Scalable and Modular Architecture for CSS)- ACSS (Atomic CSS)- BEM (Block Element Modifier)&nbsp;</div><div>Let’s look closer at BEM and discover what benefit for CSS it has.&nbsp;<h1 class="cche-сommon-title">What is BEM and how is it used?</h1></div></div><div><div>BEM is a methodology that proposes the division of all parts of the site into independent blocks. It allows simplifying the understanding of the code, its general structuring, and further support of the site. BEM stands for Block, Element, and Modifier, and is a&nbsp;suite of tools. &nbsp; To put it simply, this is a set of rules for naming objects in HTML code in such a way that it is easier for web developers, to continue working with the site.&nbsp;</div><div>Block&nbsp;</div><div>Logically and functionally independent page component. The block is completely self-sufficient: it can have its own behavior, templates, styles, documentation, and more. Blocks can be used anywhere on the page, reused, even in another project. (header, container, menu)&nbsp;</div><div>Element&nbsp;</div><div>A part of a block that cannot be used as standalone, and it makes sense only within its parent. Elements can be required or optional. (menu item,&nbsp;list item,&nbsp;checkbox caption )&nbsp;</div><div>Modifier&nbsp;</div><div>A property of a block or element that changes its appearance, state, or behavior. The modifier has a name and may have a value. The use of modifiers is optional. A block/element can have several different modifiers at the same time. (disabled,&nbsp;highlighted,&nbsp;enabled,&nbsp;checked )&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Development acceleration</h1>&nbsp;Blocks can be reused</div><div>The implementation of blocks can be changed at a new redefinition level without affecting the underlying functionality and styles.&nbsp;</div><div>A block is an independent page component and its directory contains everything that is necessary for correct functioning. Therefore, blocks are easy to transfer from project to project, just by copying the block directory.&nbsp;</div><div>Speed up refactoring&nbsp;</div><div>The developer works with small blocks of code. The implementation technologies of one block are not related to the technologies of another. The same structure of the repository allows&nbsp;to quickly navigate the project and find needed files.&nbsp;</div><div>BEM is actively used across industries for various benefits,&nbsp;- Conflicts with other CSS names are excluded due to its strict naming rules. Everyone on the development team uses a single codebase.&nbsp;- It gives CSS code a solid structure that is simple and easy to understand. &nbsp;- CSS specificity is very flat and low, meaning developers won’t face issues with specificity. Everything is a class, nothing is nested.&nbsp;</div><div>How to get started with BEM&nbsp;</div><div>Our team started with BEM gradually. The flexibility of the BEM methodology allows to customize it for current processes.&nbsp;</div><div>There is no universal method to start applying the methodology in a company's project. Each specific team builds it into the development process and uses it in a way that suits them.&nbsp;</div><div>For example, there’s a project where you want to use BEM only for layout. When using CSS and HTML in the project, so you can start with CSS selector naming rules. This is the most common way to use the BEM methodology. Many teams start with this. When new rules are implemented, there is a need for proprietary tools and technologies. BEM is a valuable addition to the list of front-end developer tools, regardless of the project.&nbsp;</div><div>Development acceleration, scalability.&nbsp;</div><div>Therefore, the project code is stored block by block: each block has its own CSS file required for its implementation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>This approach speeds up the development and debugging of the code and provides an optimal runtime:&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>- allows to include only the necessary files in the assembly&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>- allows to make point changes and reuse the code&nbsp;</div><div>As a result:&nbsp;- the code base of the project is growing;&nbsp;&nbsp;- it is difficult to debug the code when an error is detected;&nbsp;</div><div>It becomes easier to maintain projects over time, to refine both individual visual details and global elements of the application layout.&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Customizable Features &nbsp;</h1></div><div>Custom properties allow to describe and manage the configuration of blocks or the entire site. This simplifies the maintenance of the project because instead of searching for the right values inside many CSS blocks, developers create a single source of data for the entire design system of the site.&nbsp;</div><div>It is especially convenient to use custom properties to set different themes for the entire application or its individual blocks. By changing the values of a custom property, all the zones in the code that store them are updated reactively. In this article, we will consider the use of custom properties on tasks related to theming.&nbsp;</div><div>Simplicity&nbsp;- project support over time&nbsp;- refinement of individual visual details&nbsp;- development app layout global elements&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>Scalability&nbsp;&nbsp;- When the page is typeset by one developer in a short time, name collisions can be avoided. But if several people are working on the project, or changes need to be made after some time, then it becomes difficult to track down the dependent names of the components.&nbsp;&nbsp;- This approach speeds up the development and debugging of the code, and also provides an optimal runtime, allowing to include only the necessary files in the assembly, making point changes, and code reuse.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div></div><div class="SCXW102886304 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;"><h5 class="cche-сommon-paragraph-title"></h5>Summary<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW102886304 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;">Maintaining a consistent style of the CSS code is vitally important for the project’s architecture. This simplifies work for the new engineers allowing them to make necessary changes with confidence. Another important element is rule documentation and enforcement. It pays off spending time to create a solid foundation with a strong set of rules, this way eliminating any problems in the future. The goal is to make sure that new code leads to new features, there’s no space for small bugs.With a professional team of developers, CSS methodology can yield results in acceleration development and product’s growth. &nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW102886304" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;"> </div></div>

Using CSS methodology to accelerate software development  

Why is business analyst role important in agile projects and software development .

<div class="SCXW71994295 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;"><h5 class="cche-сommon-paragraph-title"></h5><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">What is an Agile Software Development Model?&nbsp;</h1><div>To begin with, Agile is neither a framework nor a methodology. It is more of&nbsp;philosophy with a combination of principles focused on accelerating software development. There are 12 principles in total, with 4 core ones:&nbsp;<ul><li>- People and collaboration are more important than processes and tools </li><li>- A working product is more important than comprehensive documentation </li><li>- Cooperation with the customer is more important than discussing the terms of the contract </li><li>- Desire to change is more important than following a plan&nbsp;</li></ul></div></div><div><div>Agile implies breaking down huge projects into a series of small tasks (commonly referred to as user stories) and prioritizing them. Prioritization is very important, in fact, it is the most important element in agile development. The team is focused on one sprint or on the most important result at the moment. This way,&nbsp; team members don't get lost in the flow of requests and requirements and&nbsp;know&nbsp;that every sub-task they're currently working on is important to the progress of the entire project.&nbsp;</div><div><h1 class="cche-сommon-title">Why Business Analyst role is&nbsp;important?</h1>Business analyst is the link between the Scrum team and the customer's business. And it is especially important in case of lack of time for stakeholders, or product owner absence.&nbsp;</div><div>Business analyst will be the center of knowledge accumulation on the subject area of the product, will control the quality of the product, conduct product reviews, prepare data for backlog refinement, etc.&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>However, business analysts also face challenges which can be summarized as follows:&nbsp;- No mandatory documentation requirements - Lack of analysis phase and short iterations of development &amp; delivery- New Product Owner role&nbsp;</div><div>According to our team of business analysts who have been involved in various projects at Edsson, all of these challenges can be solved by using consecutive steps,&nbsp;Interaction and communication with the team to jointly determine the optimal set of documentation for the most effective product development and delivery based on the principle: Do Stakeholders Need It? Does the team need it? At the project's start. Form a common understanding of the purpose and the initial decomposition of product requirements.Before each iteration.&nbsp;Describe in detail and explain the requirements for planned changes.&nbsp; At each iteration.&nbsp;Support and detailed team mentoring. Product Owner’s Help. Decompose requirements and determine the relationships between them during the formation and prioritization of the backlog.&nbsp;</div></div><div>All roles in an agile environment have specific responsibilities, but business analysts take on different roles depending on the characteristics of the project. Usually supported the product owner and perform a number of necessary functions:&nbsp;- Conducting assessments - Creating of business process models and system requirements ensuring that user stories are properly maintained in the product backlog - Planning, writing, analyzing, reviewing, and maintaining project documentation&nbsp;</div><div>These features are important for a flexible environment. There are three specific areas where agility defines how business analysts do their job.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Communication&nbsp;</div><div>If you've ever worked in an agile environment, you know that good communication is vital to the success of the project. Agile requires consistency in the decisions of all stakeholders, including managers and users. Development also relies heavily on user stories and active feedback loops.&nbsp;</div><div>But for communication to be effective, there must be a bridge between different levels and teams in an agile environment. This bridge is the business analyst.&nbsp;</div><div>It is especially important to close the gap between developers and stakeholders. A business analyst can help by translating business needs into user stories and communicating&nbsp;them to the developers, as well as prioritizing different solutions for all teams on the task list.&nbsp;</div><div><div>Business Analyst helps ensure&nbsp;disciplined communications between all teams involved during development.&nbsp;</div><div>Creating&nbsp;a product roadmapA product roadmap is paramount to the timely development and success of any agile project.&nbsp;</div><div>Roadmaps helps:&nbsp;-&nbsp;Turn business needs into technological workflow management&nbsp;- Compile graphs used in project dynamics analysis&nbsp;- Mark up test periods throughout the life cycle of the project&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>As a communication bridge, the business analyst can capture all requirements and turn them into planned, actionable steps for the team.&nbsp;</div><div>Keeping the team on the right track&nbsp;</div><div>Focusing teams is another fundamental responsibility of the business analysts. They make sure that managers, developers and users are focused on the end goal of the project.&nbsp;</div></div><div><div>An experienced business analyst creates a lot of models and shares them with the teams so that they all have a common view of the situation. Modeling is an important tool for several reasons:&nbsp;- Translates project business requirements into business values, functionality, and user experience. - Transmits the same understanding of the subject area to teams operating in different environments.- Reminds and keeps attention on the goals and prospects for the development of the project for all participants.&nbsp;</div><div>Summary&nbsp;&nbsp;</div></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW71994295" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;">Business analyst delivers significant value to the agile team, focusing on improving collaboration, sharing knowledge, transferring skills, adding value to work, maintaining focus on project priorities, and all-round professional development.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

Role & Skills of Business Analyst in Agile Projects

Industrialized AI, self-parking cars, hyperpersonalization, and IoT data mangement. What does 2022 hold for us?

Top 10 Technology Trends to Watch in 2022 

How fintech is changing the world, and what are some fintech tools?

<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative;">Fintech is about technological growth in the world of finance. This ranges from credit cards to cryptocurrency exchange or stock trading apps. Users can get instant credit in a matter of minutes now. With extended lockdowns, Covid 19 restrictions, remote work, everyone is shifting towards online financial activity. This has boosted software development in Fintech software.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;how&nbsp;fintech is&nbsp;changing the world, and what are some fintech&nbsp;tools?&nbsp;Let’s look closer at some of the top fintech trends that are going to be hot next year.&nbsp;&nbsp; </div><div>Top Fintech Trends&nbsp;Mobile Banking&nbsp;</div><div><div>Mobile banking is on the rise after the pandemic and is growing rapidly.&nbsp;The question that needs to be asked,&nbsp;is mobile banking a fintech?&nbsp;Cashless transactions have been encouraged starting from 2019. Previously users who were not used to doing financial transactions are getting more familiar with mobile banking apps.&nbsp;Mobile banking&nbsp;software providers&nbsp;allow users to make transfers from one account to another by simply clicking&nbsp;a few&nbsp;buttons. Bank account statements, bill&nbsp;payments, online shopping are simplified due to mobile banking.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Digital Wallets&nbsp;</div><div>Digital wallets are considered more secure than traditional card payments due to the enhanced security that a phone app provides. A Digital wallet or a mobile app allows users to pay at the cash register with just their phone. Digital wallets also store driver’s licenses, transportation passes, gift cards, tickets.&nbsp;Digital wallets make shopping more convenient, bringing technological advancements&nbsp;in&nbsp;the fintech world. Some of the most used digital wallets are Android&nbsp;Pay,&nbsp;Apple Pay.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div></div><div>Big Data, Machine Learning, and AI&nbsp;</div><div>Machine Learning&nbsp;in fintech&nbsp;and AI are actively used across many industries to identify trends, and fintech is not an exception. ML &amp; AI lets users monitor their financial activity and possibilities using various data, such as investments and credit history. Banks are using ML &amp;&nbsp;Artificial&nbsp;Intelligence in fintech&nbsp;to identify if a person is qualified for a loan analyzing hundreds of factors, even social media accounts.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Some examples of how&nbsp;AI&nbsp;in fintech&nbsp;&amp; ML are implemented in the fintech world: data collection &amp; analysis are&nbsp;applied as operational improvements and optimizations, in order to forecast customer needs, and promote fintech products that might be interesting to them.&nbsp;</div><div>Alternative credit decision-making models (ACD)&nbsp;apply ML to reduce the risk of loan failures.&nbsp;Intelligent chatbots&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;smart systems&nbsp;are used for interaction with a customer.&nbsp;</div><div>Security. Machine Learning helps&nbsp;analyze user behavior and detect abnormal patterns in user activity or transactions, in order to prevent financial fraud or security breaches.&nbsp;</div><div>Smart risk management.&nbsp;Applies predictive algorithms and reacts to changes proactively.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Blockchain Technologies&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>With the acceptance of blockchain technology financial institutions are planning to facilitate and renovate their operations. When cryptocurrency is adopted at a broader level this will lead towards redesigned economic infrastructures and growth in contactless transactions. Financial organizations and the&nbsp;banking&nbsp;sector are expected to display&nbsp;a boost&nbsp;in blockchain adoption in the next few years.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Blockchain&nbsp;in fintech&nbsp;provides&nbsp;transparency and added security that greatly facilitates accounting and auditing. All the transaction information is stored and available to the public, eliminating ting modification or falsification of the previous transactions. This makes blockchain an ideal audit&nbsp;tool.&nbsp;Today many companies are accepting&nbsp;cryptocurrency&nbsp;as payment options (Ethereum, Bitcoin,&nbsp;Dogecoing).&nbsp;</div><div>Apps&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Technological advancements and the active use of smartphones resulted in a growing number of in-app purchases.&nbsp; E-commerce and subscription-based services are increasingly using in-app purchases. Market share for in-app services is estimated to reach $340 billion by the year 2027. Completing transactions for a product or service from gaming to&nbsp;fitness, using&nbsp;an app on the mobile device lets users easily perform financial transactions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Fintech security methods guarantee safe and secure transactions across the board. Clearly, in-app purchases are growing to be a common financial practice accepted by businesses of all sizes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;Biometric technologies&nbsp;</div><div>When it comes to security, biometric authentication provides the best security measure there is on the financial market. Since Apple included fingerprint authentication in 2013 allowing users to authorize transactions in banking apps and online stores. All modern smartphones have a fingerprint reader that&nbsp;allows&nbsp;software developers to integrate&nbsp;biometrics in fintech&nbsp;authorizations through API.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Another use of biometric data is retina and iris patterns, voice and facial authentication, and even DNA biometrics. Contactless biometric authorization becomes increasingly widespread during the pandemic, as it excludes any contact with device surfaces.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>What is the relation between fintech software development and software technologies?&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Security&nbsp;&amp; UX/UI&nbsp;</div><div>Security is the number one concern in the software development world. As financial fraud and cybercrime are growing, companies need to guarantee their customers secure and safe data storage. When it comes to fintech&nbsp;security, it&nbsp;needs to be proactive and predictive in identifying unusual behavior and eliminating any fraud possibility. That’s where fintech relies closely on ML and AI.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>As Fintech is a&nbsp;fast-growing industry, flexibility and agility are required not only on an individual level but also from the whole IT team departments. With cutting-edge&nbsp;technologies,&nbsp;regulatory measures, IT teams should be ready to adapt to changes quickly, keeping the customer in mind.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>UX/UI&nbsp;</div><div>A large and expanding number of users are using banking and financial apps on their mobile devices, smooth running user and customer experience are becoming highly important. Highly skilled UI/UX specialists help create fintech solutions that are applied in B2C and B2B business operations. Previously banking apps were inconvenient, rigid, and user-unfriendly, but thanks to cutting-edge technology solutions they have become transparent and easier to use.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Conclusion&nbsp;</div><div>Changes in the fintech industry and new financial challenges have forced&nbsp;the fintech&nbsp;industry to&nbsp;undergo&nbsp;considerable transformations.&nbsp;New technologies such as blockchain-based solutions,&nbsp;financial software development companies,&nbsp;ML &amp; AI, mobile apps help make transactions safer and more secure and interact with clients more effectively.&nbsp;Companies that strive to be on the top of the market need to seek new opportunities to ensure fintech digital experience runs as&nbsp;smoothly, securely, and profitable as possible.&nbsp;</div><div>Historically, breakthrough accomplishments have been moved forward by technology and innovation. Crisis accelerates technology adoption and innovation. With deep knowledge&nbsp;of&nbsp;fintech technology trends and software solutions, at Edsson we implement technologies to enhance financial services. We are happy to become a reliable, strategic partner.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web&quot;, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="EOP SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, &quot;Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont&quot;, &quot;Times New Roman_MSFontService&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web&quot;, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="EOP SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, &quot;Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont&quot;, &quot;Times New Roman_MSFontService&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;</div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; cursor: text; clear: both; position: relative; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Web&quot;, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="EOP SCXW82179253 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19.425px; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, &quot;Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont&quot;, &quot;Times New Roman_MSFontService&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;</div>

 Fintech & Software Development Trends  

What are the benefits of artificial intelligence technology and machine learning techniques?

 AI & ML. What are those and how to make them worth it?

Short description of our development process or quick manual how to read project specifications.

Overview of Edsson best practice of software products engineering process for customers and new employees.
Times when customer just would tell developer what to do has gone.&nbsp; Now we live not only between developers, but also among business analysts and project managers. And each participant has its own role in software development process.
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img width="520" height="215" style="HEIGHT: 215px; WIDTH: 520px; DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-1(1).JPG" /></div>
We want to avoid any misunderstandings and misinterpretations of customer requests because it will cost us real money. That’s why we document all requirements.
Yes, of course, our customer can send us requirements in any suitable form, as documents (long or short one), as website pages mockup, or as flow diagrams. Our business analyst will interpret those requirements into specifications which will tell developers and testers what to do, allow customers to check if everything is correct, will describe data models, web interfaces, use cases, and user interfaces. Our specifications are subject to change management. We will keep documents updated with any changes from customers.
How to read our specifications?
During years of productive work, we developed our internal standards for specifying all changes in documentation. We save all change history and developers can easily find what and where was changed.
When you will open any document, first what you will find will be lyrics (just trust me), such as title, the general purpose of this document, and so on. The main things usually start at ‘Data model’ chapter.&nbsp;
Usually data models contain descriptions of tables, their attributes, and links. For better understanding and visualization, we draw data model (per module, of course) schemes in Visio. We draw tables with their attributes and relations.&nbsp;Here is an&nbsp;example:
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img height="200" style="HEIGHT: 200px; DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-1.JPG" /></div>
Our rules to describe tables are next. Classes, attributes, and relations marked ▼ are system managed – means the User cannot set this value. Underlined attributes and relations are mandatory – means the User should input those data. Relations marked * prevent deletion of the linked entity. ∆ means value can only be set on creation. At the end of the table description, we can put any data constraints. This means, developers also should put those constraints into code after they will create tables. Here is an example – part (you can easily find differences) of one table ‘User Account’:
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-2.JPG" /></div>
For our biggest project, developers made their own document with coding rules and standards. This will allow anybody (including new employees) to understand written code and continue the project.&nbsp;Here is an example from this document - database naming conventions for tables and columns:
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-3.JPG" /></div>
Next main chapter in all our specifications is ‘Use Cases’.&nbsp; Or how system should behave in this or that way. The good style of writing specifications means that every operations should be described through use cases: add new item, edit existing item, delete item. Also, all system actions should be described, for example what if system will get file. How to process new data?&nbsp;Here is an example – operation of locking user account:
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-4.JPG" /></div>
A good question, how to read and understand this table? Success Scenario – step by step rules for developers. This means what the system will do in a successful situation. But what if the User will input the wrong value in a text field? This means system will get wrong value. All possible ‘what if’ situations should be described in Extensions. We always try to explain every step as clear as possible. Our aim is that not only developers should understand what is going on, but customers too.
And the last main part in specifications is User Interface or simply ‘UI’.
We design prototypes of used forms. Of course, real developed form will not be exactly the same. Our design allow the developer to understand which text labels and input fields should be used. How to arrange all fields on form, how to align fields, if any field should be marked as mandatory or not, what buttons should be developed for this form and where those buttons should be situated. Usually under-designed prototype, we describe which use cases should be USED by pressing button (or by any other possible action). Also, we describe constraints for input data.
Good style of specification writing means that almost all system reactions will be described in use cases, not under the designed prototype or data grids.
In ‘UI’ part we describe which data should be displayed on pages in grids. Which actions can be done on those data.&nbsp;Here is an&nbsp;example&nbsp;– Role Page:&nbsp;Page contains List of Roles with filter row.
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-5.JPG" /></div>
For many projects the DevExpress controls (<a href="http://www.devexpress.com/">http://www.devexpress.com/</a>) are taken as standard of user interface design.
Of course, sometimes we add more parts into specifications. If system should send and get data, let say, in xml format, we will describe web intrfaces: request and response with all fields and their types inside. (Well, for other format, such as json, we also will do the same work.) 
If system should be used by Users with different permissions, we will describe permissions as separate chapter in one document. And than, will put links from other specifications of this project to the document. We will not describe twice the same information. Yeah, this is one more rule for writing specifications. 
The next step is testing according to specifications. Based on initial requirements our testers will write test plans. The plan will describe which scenario will be tested and how, including scenario steps with expected results, which initial data is required to execute the described scenario. Testers will define if the plan is subject of manual testing or requirements of automated test.&nbsp;Here is an&nbsp;example&nbsp;– view of one of our test plans:
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-1test.JPG" /></div>
To assume everything written above, all our specifications and test plans are subjects of change management. What does it mean? It means that every change or bug should be registered in our bugtracking system. Years of productive work tell us, it’s easy and really handy for all team members. No more questions “why?” and “who has done this?”, all update history is logged.&nbsp;Here is an&nbsp;example&nbsp;– part of our bugtracking system. Changes and bugs (marked with red ladybird) with their descriptions, statuses, phases and users who now is responsible for the topic.&nbsp;
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-1custom.JPG" /></div>
As the next step project manager or business analyst will include those changes to release planning.&nbsp;
And, of course, business analyst will update specifications with those changes. BA will create new version of existing specification, will put tracking numbers near changes and will update history. &nbsp;The same will do testers with test plans. Our test plans always correspond to current versions of specifications.&nbsp;Here is an&nbsp;example&nbsp;– view of specification document with new changes, numbers are marked yellow.
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-1spec.JPG" /></div>
Developers will update the code. Testers will execute tests and close tasks in bugtracking system. The project manager or business analyst will prepare notes for release with included changes.&nbsp;Here is an&nbsp;example&nbsp;– part of release notes.

<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><img style="DISPLAY: block" alt="" src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/Article-1release.JPG" /></div>
 
The customer is happy with the new release!

Edsson Software Product Engineering Process

Edsson Lab Initiative.
The success of outsourcing providers depends on their competence level. Especially attractive for potential customers are companies that have experience in new perspective tools and technologies widely recognized by the professional community as future stars in particular segments.
But how to get experience if there are no projects for those who don't have experience? This typical chicken and egg problem in Edsson can be resolved with help of employees who also are drivers in new discovery of new technologies because their natural curiosity and personal market value.
Edsson Lab initiative is part-time facultative project defined by Edsson employees and management. Projects for Lab selected according to following principles- Edsson employee takes initiative to offer his time for Lab- Subject for research is the result of an agreement between employee and management- Lab projects are non-working hours activities, time is not billable but in case of successful results awarded with a pre-defined bonus payment- Technical report in English language have to be a part of results- Duration is 1-4 weeks, complexity not more than 40 hours
&nbsp;

Meet Edsson Lab!

We decided to give you a helping hand and discuss the best front-end framework choices with our developers. Find out which framework suits your particular needs best. 

Ok, let’s face it: picking the best-fitting front-end framework can be tough. So many options are out there that it feels overwhelming to decide on the only one. This choice becomes even more difficult if you are limited on budget or time. So, what should you do?First and foremost, it’s important to understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to the choice of a relevant tech stack. It depends on a wide range of factors, which include company preferences, project type/character, the experience of the product owner, and so on.We decided to give you a helping hand and discuss the best front-end framework choices with our developers. So keep reading to find out which framework suits your particular needs best. <h2>Survey description</h2>For the survey, we choose 2 project types: a Web Application and an E-commerce shop. These two projects are quite different in terms of the complexity and tech stack they require. The survey had 27 participants - all of them are developers from Edsson, who work with frameworks. The experience and specialization of developers varied largely. For the details, look at the info below.Experience of developers:Experience more than 5 years with frameworks - 40% Less than 2-5 years - 35%From 1st year - 15%Specialization of developers by roles:Developers back-end - 30%Front-end - 20%Full-stack - 40%To see the complete list of Edsson developers with CVs simply do the <a href="https://www.edsson.com/en/services/it-experts?department=developers-programmers" target="_blank">r</a>egistration.<ul></ul><h2>Survey results</h2>Each respondent had to choose the most appropriate technologies that can be used for developing an e-commerce shop or a web app. In particular, they had to pick the top 5 front-end frameworks.As for the first project,&nbsp;the results were as follows:1. React2. Vue.js3. jQuery4. Angular5. Polymer<div><div><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/mm4jtysa.jpg" alt="" /></div>For the second project, an E-commerce store, the results were slightly different. Vue.js outperformed React, taking the first position. Angular and Polymer also got one place higher, with AngularJS closing the list.</div>1. Vue.js2. React3. Angular4. Polymer5. AngularJS<div><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/aqfzkh55.jpg" alt="" /> </div><h2>Search popularity</h2>We decided to go deeper and compare these front-end frameworks between each other in terms of their search popularity in the world. For a comprehensive comparison, we took all 5 front-end frameworks preferred by Edsson developers. Then, we went to Google Trends and analyzed global trends based on certain search queries over the last 12 months. Here’s what we’ve got:Front-end Frameworks overview:ReactAs a Javascript library for UI, React is known for its potential to create irresistible user interfaces. Chosen by such world-renowned companies as Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, and PayPal, React is perfect for small, medium, and large-scale projects.VueThe main idea behind this framework is to make components of UI easier for comprehension. Compared to other frameworks, Vue.js is less dogmatic and easier for use. Probably, that’s one of the reasons Alibaba, Expedia, and Nintendo go for it.JQuery&nbsp;This cross-platform Javascript library became completely irreplaceable in certain contexts. Its main strengths are quick bug detection and nearly instant processing speed. These strengths make JQuery a preferred choice among LinkedIn, StackOverflow, Twitter, Reddit, and Wikipedia.4.AngularBased on TypeScript, this JS framework is considered to be a safe choice for everyone looking for a solution with all components already packed in. Probably that’s the reason Forbes and Wix are built on Angular too. PolymerPolymer is a functional library for developing various web components which are then used to develop web pages or web apps. These components may include browser APIs and various HTML elements. Businesses go for Polymer because it reduces the complexity of processes required to build a modern website. As a result, they get lighter libraries and faster apps, which are extremely easy to understand, scale or customize. Polymer is currently chosen by YouTube Web, Google Music, Google Earth, and others.<h2>Interests over time</h2>Now that you know what front-end frameworks are popular and why, we suggest you go one step further and take a look at the chart below. The numbers represent search interests in relation to the highest point of the chart for the given geographical and time scope. As you can see, a value of 100 is the peak of the popularity for the search term. A value of 50 means that the term is half as popular compared to the most popular one. A zero score means that the data for this term was not representative enough or was missing.Front-end frameworks popularity<div style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=Vue,React,Angular,jQuery,Polymer" target="_blank"><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/google trends.png" alt="" /></a><h2>Over to you</h2>As you can see, there is no perfect front-end framework out there. Every tech stack suits for individual needs of the project. For this reason, your choice of the best-fitting framework should always rely on the specific goals and objectives of your business at this specific time.We carried out this research to drive your attention to the choices of top front-end frameworks. As you can see, universal frameworks simply do not exist. However, there are certain technology trends that make an impact on the choice of the tech stack. If you take them into account, the ideal framework will find you. Good luck! </div>

Top 5 Front-end Frameworks Recommended by Edsson

What data science actually is? Business cases & advantages.

What is data science?You cannot answer this question in a simple way, even though the term seems to be on people’s minds lately. Everyone is increasingly talking about data science, some are claiming to do it, others are hiring for it. But, what data science actually is?In fact, it is a combination of knowledge from interdisciplinary fields like mathematics, business analysis, statistics, and computer science. A huge evolutionary step in these technologies paved the way for the growth of data science. As a result, it becomes a popular analysis method, even though researchers are still figuring out the exact definition of this term.<img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/bl3im5i4.jpg" alt="" />At its core, data science is all about using various automated ways to scan, analyze, and extract large amounts of information. With advanced automated analysis techniques popping up everywhere, data science is creating new fields of study, making a direct impact on areas like humanities and social studies. Data scientists gather huge amounts of information and then use advanced algorithms to identify knowledge gaps and extract the information they want.Currently, 65% of businesses already report the positive influence of big data on their competitive potential. Noteworthy is that the influence of data science on different studying fields is expected to grow even further in order to bring innovation and change to the industries like academic research, media, and healthcare.Cases in business- Data-driven decision-making. Enterprises can use data science to track the reactions of users to their services and products. Analysis of <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/63862">consumer behavior patterns</a> should be based on real data, not gut feelings or hypotheses. Otherwise, it would be needless to make any business decisions at all.- Reasonable budgeting. Data science can help you identify both positive and negative financial trends, which you can afterward use to drive the right spending habits. With the aid of data science, you can significantly cut costs on the use of low-priority services, focusing on those that fuel your business growth instead.- Idea validation testing. If you have fresh ideas for products or services to offer, data science can help you test them before you move on to implementation. Advanced AI and ML technologies can help you estimate the demand for certain services/products in the future, predicting future market trends, and thus making a go/no-go decision.- Market research. Leveraging customer data is good, but usage alone is absolutely non-effective without research and analysis. Studying the consumption habits of your target audience is crucial for making the right marketing choices. Analyzing the demographics of your customers also helps you to understand, where your target market is, and how you can capitalize on it.- Cash logistics. <a href="https://portfolio.edsson.com/AI-Technology-in-cash-logistics/8/">Forecasting in cash management systems</a> is a very specific use case, which may be beneficial for ATM networks worldwide. Owners of these networks need to ensure that they hit the right balance of cash across their branch and the entire ATM network. But how to know what amount of payments to expect each day, week or month? Data science can help find the right answers. Historical analysis of payment leftovers gives an opportunity to evaluate payments data from current and previous seasons. Based on that, you can draw objective, data-driven predictions for the future.How data science helps businessTo be honest, the benefits of data science brings to businesses worldwide all boil down to three things. These include nearly unlimited capabilities of business analytics, predictive analysis, and data-based decision-making. Let’s take a closer look at each of these three to fully understand their potential.Business analyticsThe most important questions business analytics is expected to answer include:<ul><li>‘Where we are now?’</li><li>‘How we got where we are now?’</li><li>‘What happened to customers, product, and revenue in the past?’</li></ul>Things like retention measuring, funnel analysis, and user segmentation can help businesses grab answers to the listed above and any additional questions. Result? A deeper understanding of a product and a customer with an exact vision for their past and ongoing interactions.Predictive analyticsThis type of analytics is supposed to answer the question ‘What will happen to your audience, product, and revenue in the future?’Based on the data obtained from advanced business analysis, predictive analytics makes estimations of how much budgeting is needed to hit your marketing goals. Also, it can help you identify problem areas before they reach your business. Hence, predictive analytics can help you identify your weakest points of failure and the biggest areas of concern, as well as find areas for growth.Data-based productUsing data science for creating data-based products is critical, as this method can help you find a place in an innovative niche and market. Products that work using different historical data are in demand, as they represent something new. Various types of recommendation systems, AI-driven chatbots, voice recognition tools, and image recognition systems are all the buzz these days. The need for these products grows continually, so does the use of data science for creating these products.So, what’s the benefit?Basically, the biggest benefit of using data science for business is the increase in ROI. Different types of analysis, tailored to your specific business needs, can help you implement strategic business decisions faster than competitors.As a result, you get a better understanding of the market, a higher return on investment, and more efficient business growth.Over to youIf data science is done right, it will generate tremendous value for your business. By analyzing historical data and drawing predictions for the future, you can make your business decisions more strategic and workable.Plus, getting into your audience’s behavior patterns is a sure-fire way to map out a user-need, and thus set your business on the road to success.

How data science helps business

Transmission from Waterfall to Agile. Comparison of technologies in the reals business case

If you are reading this article, you probably know what agile methodologies are. But in case if you don’t, here’s a very brief description. Agile is a linear way of organizing your software development processes. The idea of Agile boils down to breaking large projects into smaller tasks, with regular review, analysis, and adaptation processes. In its essence, Agile is called upon to maximize the efficiency of your software development efforts. But is it working, actually?<div> In this article, we’ll discuss the process of transmission from Waterfall to Agile. We’ll show you a proven case of using Agile in a real-world enterprise scenario. In particular, we’ll discuss the benefits of going Agile, the process of transmission to Agile, and the differences between Agile and Waterfall. Let’s dive in! The case We are developing an efficient solution for managing and preventing cash machines incidents. The idea of the project is to allow clients and customer service representatives to easily deal with ATM issues of varying complexity and scale. The service desk should comprise a variety of complex systems listed below: - customizable workflow,&nbsp;- query management integrated into SLA monitoring,&nbsp;- issue tracking within a single system used by multiple departments,- progress and query management reporting,- escalation to management (manual and automatic). The project lasts for 2 years. The working process is fully transparent and easily trackable. The client is continually monitoring the progress, bringing lots of valuable optimization ideas to the table. Any improvements are discussed with the client before they get implemented. This way, all changes are adjusted in response to specific demands and expectations of the client. Transmission from Waterfall The project listed above was supposed to be built using a Waterfall approach. But in the process of implementing this methodology, we found out that Waterfall has many drawbacks. In short, these are listed below. Significant business risks. When you start estimating the revenue using a Waterfall approach -- your risks of losing money increase, as the market changes so rapidly that it is difficult to draw clear predictions using Waterfall. Estimating potential project revenue is more difficult but not less efficient in Agile. Documentation blockers. In Waterfall, you need to document all processes, get approval, and only after that pass it over to development. Working with documentation is very time- and energy-consuming, which is a significant demotivation factor overall. Absence of global vision. It is absolutely OK to have all processes documented, but it is not OK to miss out on team communication because of it. When all project details are put into written texts, not words, everyone gets its own vision of a project, which results in countless revisions that never end. Implementation of Agile The drawbacks of Waterfall significantly slowed down the project completion status. As a result, we decided to move on with a different approach. Transmission to Agile was not hassle-free, but it was absolutely worth it. Below are the benefits we noticed on our way from Waterfall to Agile.- Team interest. Agile helps a team dive deeper into a product. Team members now can fully understand the project and each individual contribution to it.- Team motivation.&nbsp;Developers host a product demo after each sprint. They get a full picture of the changes made in a product and their role in it.- Team dedication. After each product demo, developers have a chance to hear constructive feedback about the results of their work. Regular feedback, especially positive, motivates them to delve deeper into the process and work with the product more closely. Waterfall vs. Agile: comparison One of the major differences between these two approaches is their method of work organization. While in Waterfall Project Manager is fully responsible for the process, in Agile Scrum Master is the one who oversees it. Plus, the Waterfall methodology is fully internal. It does not require input from clients, while the Agile approach focuses on customer satisfaction and participation first. In addition to this, Waterfall is quite rigid at its core, while Agile is maximally flexible. It allows for operational changes to be made during and after the initial project planning. The team Many people were involved in our transmission. In particular, our team included:- Scrum Master- Business Analyst- Front-End Developers- Back-End Developers- Quality Assurance Specialists Though each of our team members had a different set of responsibilities, deadlines, and goals, everyone was similarly involved in a process, which resulted in a positive, pain-free, and promising change. Instead of conclusion As a wrap-up to our experiment, it is essential to indicate the following. The Waterfall has many benefits and can be regarded as a stringently sequential process. The Agile methodology is very different at its core. It can be regarded as a flexible and highly collaborative approach, which drives better team cooperation and faster problem-solving.&nbsp; For this reason, Agile is rather a necessity than an opportunity, especially for the big tech giants that adapt to the ever-changing market. </div>

Agile processes in enterprises are working. Proved business case

Our experts review the top 10 cloud-based services seeking for the most optimal functionality for IoT applications.

<div style="text-align: center;"> </div>The Internet of Things is one of the fastest-growing industries today. We see the proof of this literally everywhere - our homes, offices, cars, and connected devices are becoming smarter, faster, and much more efficient.The new generation of consumers is extremely demanding. That’s why completely new business models, services, and other innovations crop up everywhere. IoT technology offers unprecedented opportunities for represents of both business and the public sector. As a result, the use of IoT technology is growing year by year.Edsson experts work with the IoT regularly. They know firsthand that the initial choice of proper technology leads to final success in the ongoing product development.For this reason, our experts review the top 10 cloud-based services seeking for the most optimal functionality for IoT applications. The platforms listed below support Internet app functions, such as launch, maintenance, data storage, analysis &amp; security mechanisms.&nbsp;<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">1. Amazon Web Services</h1><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/1-aws.jpeg" alt="" /></h1>With AWS Iot, connecting and managing devices, exchanging and collecting data is a breeze. AWS is capable of supporting any cloud projects with almost 100% probability. Cloud services provided by Amazon include a comprehensive IoT package. This is a suite of tools that supports all possible features of Internet applications.- AWS IoT Core - the base layer on which any IoT application can be built. Using AWS IoT Core, devices can smoothly integrate with each other over a secure connection. This way, they can send billions of messages and exchange data through cloud storage on the fly. The platform supports various communication protocols, including user-generated ones. This allows for better communication between devices from different manufacturers.- AWS IoT Device Management - the service that makes gadget management hassle-free. Due to its scalable and safe performance, you can easily add and connect devices with the ability to monitor, troubleshoot, and update their functionality.- AWS IoT Analytics - the service that is capable of automatically analyzing large amounts of IoT information. This information may include unstructured data from different device types. Once the data are collected and processed, they are absolutely ready for the use in machine learning.- AWS IoT Device Defender - the tool for smooth management and configuration of IoT security mechanisms. With AWS IoT Device Defender, you can customize and manage security policies, control device authentication &amp; authorization, as well as use advanced encryption mechanisms.These are just a few examples of IoT services offered by AWS. If you go for the Amazon environment for your IoT app, you will get a system which is hundred-percent scalable, secure, and properly functioning.<h1>2. Google Cloud IoT</h1><h1><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/micwjwul.jpeg" alt="" /> </h1>The Google Cloud Platform is another global cloud service that offers IoT support. With Google Cloud IoT package, you can develop and manage IoT networks of any complexity and size. The Google Cloud IoT suite provides you with comprehensive tools for building IoT networks:- Cloud IoT Core is fully equipped for establishing a secure connection, as well as managing and transmitting data between various gadgets.- Cloud Pub / Sub is a service that processes information about events, providing you with real-time stream analytics.- Cloud Machine Learning Engine is a service that allows you to build ML models, collect and use the information you get from IoT devices.The IoT solution developed by Google consists of many other services that may come in handy for building complex interconnected ecosystems.<h1>3. Microsoft Azure IoT Suite</h1><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/azur.jpeg" alt="" />Microsoft Azure is a king of cloud services that stays next to the Google Cloud and the AWS platforms. Microsoft Azure IoT Suite offers both pre-customized solutions and the ability to configure them on the go.As a result, you can use both a ready-made working flow or create your own based on the requirements of a specific project.With Microsoft Azure IoT Suite, you get the most advanced security mechanisms, transparent scalability, and full integration with any existing or future systems. The service allows you to connect hundreds of devices from different manufacturers, collect IoT information and use it for analytical and machine learning purposes.<h1>4. SAP</h1><div><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/sap.jpeg" alt="" /></div>The need for IoT tools and applications is growing at a rapid pace. This German developer of enterprise software solutions could not ignore it. The SAP cloud service has everything you need to develop and manage IoT applications.SAP is a convenient environment for remote management of all connected devices that belong to one IoT system. You can either connect such devices directly or use a cloud service instead. Powerful analytical capabilities allow you to process, systematize and analyze information obtained from sensors, meters and other IoT devices.Since SAP stays ahead of the latest technological trends, it grants an opportunity to use IoT data and build your AI and ML applications.<h1>5. Salesforce IoT</h1><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/salesforse.jpeg" alt="" />If you are looking for a reliable and flexible IoT platform, you should definitely check out this US-based company offering enterprise solutions and cloud computing software. Salesforce narrows down its IoT development efforts to an integrated system that connects IoT devices with customers that belong to the Salesforce network. The main purpose behind it is to make IoT data available to everyone.With Salesforce IoT, you can develop your own IoT applications adaptable to any device and interpret IoT data for any future use. The ‘customer-first’ approach, adopted by Salesforce, makes the platform stand out from competitors.<h1>6. Oracle Internet of Things</h1><div><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/oracle.jpeg" alt="" /></div> It would be foolish to not include this platform in our "best of the best" list. Oracle is a global software corporation known for its advanced database management. Its product line goes beyond cloud computing and enterprise software, offering an extensive IoT toolkit.The Oracle Internet of Things platform connects enterprise software with the ‘real world’ of gadgets and their metrics. Oracle offers exceptional business-oriented opportunities through a user-friendly environment for building commercial apps. As a recognized leader in database management, Oracle can handle large amounts of data. For this reason, creating large-scale IoT ecosystems is not a problem at all.In the age of data breaches and security loopholes found literally everywhere, the use of advanced protection mechanisms is more than a good idea. It’s no news that IoT ecosystems usually integrate with various devices. Since not all of them have security features already built-in, it is essential to use centralized protection tools. Oracle takes advantage of high-quality security mechanisms. The reliable protection of IoT systems from any external threats is what makes Oracle exclusive.<h1>7. Cisco IoT Cloud Connect</h1>Cisco developed a convenient, mobile-friendly platform for cloud-based IoT solutions. This service offers voice and data transfer, various monetization options, and extensive configuration features for IoT applications.If you choose Cisco for hosting your IoT app, you will get a complete suite of device management functions, advanced security mechanisms, and scalability options - all with a principal focus on a high-quality mobile environment and user interaction.Thanks to a wide range of additional services offered by Cisco, you can take advantage of many other cool functions as well. For instance, you can use IoT Services for Utility Networks to create systems designed specifically for utilities. Also, you can use the IoT Advisory. It gives you access to expert advice related to key business challenges in the IoT industry.<h1>8. Bosch IoT Suite</h1><div><img src="/edssonsite/Images/AppData/Blog/bosch.jpeg" alt="" /></div>Bosch is another technology giant based in Germany. Its product line varies from devices to software solutions that meet various business needs and integrate with different application types. With German reliability and innovative approach in mind, Bosch IoT Suite is considered to be one of the most reliable platforms for IoT applications.To develop its IoT platform, Bosch uses open standards and open-source code. It also takes into account the requirements of projects designed specifically for connected devices. Today, Bosch IoT Suite supports the full application development cycle, from prototype issuance to application deployment and further maintenance.One of the core benefits of Bosch IoT solutions is that they function as both cloud services and autonomous systems which operate locally. The service supports cross-platform apps, expanding the integration opportunities and thus minimizing compatibility issues.<h1>9. IBM Watson Internet of Things</h1><h1>As IBM Watson puts it, with their contribution “the Internet of Things is becoming the Internet that thinks.” This bold statement means that IBM is experimenting all the time. Their innovative approach to integrating IoT with AI is creating unique experiences and paves the way for new technological breakthroughs.The IBM platform offers a wide range of features for efficient remote device management, including:&nbsp;</h1>- cloud storage- secure data transmission- real-time information exchange- machine-learning through AI technology integration.All-in-all, this platform connects a number of tools and services that make it easy to create highly efficient IoT software from scratch.<h1>10. ThingWorx IoT Platform</h1><h1>PTC's ThingWorx is designed to develop industrial IoT solutions. It is considered one of the most functional toolkits for building IoT apps of varying complexity and size.&nbsp;</h1>The platform offers extensive opportunities for collaboration and sharing, which turns it into a best-fitting solution for large developers groups. Its capabilities are powerful enough to create various IoT applications without the need to use third-party components or libraries.IoT apps built on the ThingWorx platform are not less technically capable than an advanced enterprise solution. Wide scalability and integration with advanced technologies, such as augmented reality and extensive analytics, make ThingWorx absolutely worth a shot. These powerful functionalities are possible thanks to a simple user interface combining first-class performance and usability in one place.<h1>Key findings</h1><h2>Tips for choosing the right IoT service</h2>This comparative analysis of IoT cloud platforms proves that there are many options to choose from. It may be very difficult to find the best solution for your specific project. Whatever platform you go for, one thing is clear: all platforms are included in this list for a very specific reason: they all have a wide range of advantages you can benefit from.<div> </div>We compared the top 10 IoT cloud platforms to show you the opportunities they hold for your business. Since all of these Iot platforms have their own features, it is rather difficult to select the best-fitting solution. Hopefully, the criteria listed below will guide you toward making the right choice.<h2>Criteria for selecting the best-fitting platform</h2>- Price and pricing model. Some platforms use a pay-per-use model (pay for the services you actually use - ex. AWS IoT Core), while others use a monthly subscription model with a fixed price (ex. Salesforce). Depending on the peculiarities of your project, you may choose the pricing model that works best for you.- Free trial. This is a great option for situations when you need to test something out. You get the opportunity to start a simple project with minimal investment. AWS has a free trial option with certain limitations, while Oracle does not offer any, as this tool is quite expensive in general.- Team collaboration. Interviewing developers is the right way to properly select tools and services. Ask the development team about their experience and knowledge of the options available. This will help you make the right choice of the IoT platform, striking the right balance between the requirements of your project and the team.Sure thing, each project is unique. It may have special requirements for security, scalability, and storage. To find the perfect environment for building a connected network, we recommend you request some professional assistance.Tell us about your IoT project, and our experts will offer the best technological solutions available on the market. With our advice, you will create software that meets all project requirements, getting where you want to be.<div> </div>

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