As Linkup Studio is a software development and design company, we want to share some of the latest updates on how we work in software development. You can also read our company’s general strategy in CDO outlook for 2023. Also, we recommend you read the changes undertaken by our design team in the article from our CDO and learn about the cutting-edge tools we use for designing products.
In the past year, we've noticed a growing trend in the IT market: clients want their solutions delivered even faster than before. To meet this requirement, they need to find a team that can work quickly and efficiently. This section will discuss the tools and techniques we use to streamline our software development services.
At Linkup, we take pride in delivering high-quality products to our clients. To achieve this, we offer our clients the option of prioritizing the primary and secondary features. Based on these priorities, we can develop a minimum viable product (MVP) that allows clients to start using the solution, attract early customers, and present the product to potential clients. Meanwhile, we continue working on developing other meaningful product features and parts. This way, clients get a fully functional product while we work on delivering the complete solution.
Design systems are an essential tool for combining design with development, even though they may not be visible in the final product. A design system is a shared document containing the same file names, categories, and blocks, making it easier for designers and developers to work together. It promotes product consistency and enables different team members to work on the product without overlooking the user experience. It also saves time on design, as technical specialists don't have to code the same element repeatedly.
According to our designers, visual bugs decreased by up to 70% with design systems. In 2019, Figma conducted a study that revealed that teams working with a design system completed their tasks 34% faster than those without. This shows that design systems are a valuable tool for improving product development.
We're always looking for new tools to improve our workflows at Linkup Studio. Webflow and Anima are two such tools we're incorporating into our projects. These tools allow us to convert design directly into code, which our specialists can then review and correct, rather than starting from scratch. Overall, this process speeds up the creation of simple sites or pages by up to 60%, including edits.
However, there are limitations to these tools. They're helpful for relatively simple tasks like creating one-page landings. These tools may not be sufficient if we're working on a multifunctional and complex product. In such cases, we need to follow the proven approach of design, coding, testing, and so on to ensure we deliver high-quality results to our clients.
Starting in 2020, we have begun incorporating boilerplates in our projects. With more than a decade of experience in the development industry, working with clients from different countries and diverse niches, we have developed different components required for particular project types. This understanding led us to create boilerplates that can help us kickstart new projects faster.
Rather than creating templates for every project, we rely on our unique techniques to configure the necessary product components for each specific case. By adopting this approach, we can save approximately 60% of the project setting up time!
We have a component library that includes a range of standard code functionalities, such as loading mechanisms, app localization, maps, app logic, and other elements. We tailor these components to the specific needs of each product, ensuring that everything functions precisely as required for that particular case. Before implementation, we thoroughly review these components to ensure they meet the necessary specifications.
It is no secret that AI cannot wholly replace developers. At least not yet, as human intervention is required to review AI-generated code. However, we regularly incorporate AI tools and experiment with their various features in nearly every project that involves working with media, such as images, videos, text, and more. We even have a team that researches recent trends and presents the results to the rest of the group.
Currently, we are using GitHub Copilot and Chat GPT for minor demands. When a developer is working on creating new functionality and realizes they need a little feature, we turn to AI tools, enter the request, and extract the ready code in just a few minutes. Without these tools, we would need to spend additional hours on these tasks. AI has been beneficial in streamlining our development process.
For the last three years, we primarily create client projects on the cloud. That’s due to a number of benefits.
Firstly, it enables faster time to market by allowing developers to deploy quickly and experiment with new ideas without hardware limitations. Secondly, it allows companies to scale up or down to meet demand quickly, saving costs and providing more flexibility. Cloud storage makes collaboration more manageable by making data accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, and cloud computing can even enhance security measures through centralized management and automatic maintenance.
At Linkup Studio, we combine established, proven techniques with new and progressive ones to achieve the best possible outcome for every project. Our focus is on delivering a detail-perfect result rather than simply following trends.
Our development team has worked with hundreds of clients. Over time, we have developed a formula for effective communication that works well for people, regardless of their tech proficiency.
For clients with a technical background, we provide a detailed explanation of what was done during the demo session. We discuss the technical details of the work, listen to their suggestions, and determine the best way forward together.
For clients without a technical background, we simplify the development terms and slang during calls. During demo calls, we show them the Jira board, describing tasks we handled during the last period and explaining its importance and efficiency to the business. Sometimes, some work done may not be visible in the final product, and it's vital to explain its significance to keep the client informed.
As mentioned in the plans of our CDO and CEO for this year, education is a top priority for our company. We are implementing internal and external learning programs, particularly in the development sector, to enhance team leads skills in project management and to provide our developers with the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and improve their hard and soft skills.
In addition to work-related activities such as workshops and meetups about various development topics, we organize teambuilding events such as Lego workshops to promote cooperation and problem-solving abilities and foster stronger relationships among team members.
My primary objective for this year is to foster a culture of open-mindedness for new tools and methods and broaden the perspectives of all our developers.
While we've made strides in this area, it's important to remind ourselves that the "product is king." Everything we do should impact product outcomes and bring value to our clients. It requires a significant amount of effort, as we need to take into account the client's resources and goals and determine where we can focus our efforts to provide the most impactful 20% of our services that will deliver 80% of the results.
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