Miguel Fermin


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"When can we launch?"


This is probably the most frequently asked question we get from our clients. As
always, we love the eagerness, but as any software development goes, there
should be critical planning and proper prioritization of which features should
be done first.


Here at White Cloak, we also want to launch as soon as possible! This is why we
opt to work with our clients who understand how to work with agility in mind.
Through conducting workshops about the agile mindset, our clients get a better
picture of how they can get to the launch date as quickly and efficiently as
possible. By having measurable ROIs through a definied iterative delivery of
features, there is constant feedback and small but continous releases.


In the coming weeks, we will do a high-level explanation of the methodologies,
how to get feedback, and what success metrics to look out for. At the end of
this series, we hope that everyone will have a better understanding of how to
use these practices to the fullest.

insights

Agile


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Test Automation is using software to control the execution of tests and compare
the expected outcome versus the actual outcome.


With the ability to run hundreds of thousands of tests, test automation allows
us to try out features quickly. It gives us the agility we need to refine our
software more efficiently. The result, award-winning apps, efficiently
fine-tuned thousands of times, perfectly working and ready to use.


Our clients also love automated software testing not only can they:
a) Deploy products faster

b) Reduce testing costs and most importantly

c) Get a fully-working, 100% tested software that ensures their users will have
a seamless user experience.


So, what are you waiting for? Don't know where to start?

Send us a message!

Automation


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Did you know that testing cars are a lot like the best practices in testing
software?


Much like car manufacturers go through rigorous tests before they deliver their
cars to customers, we too in the software development industry have different
stages wherein we make sure that the app of our clients is operating perfectly.
We call these different stages: Environments.


We have the development environment where features are incrementally added and
tested by developers. Once passed, developers hand the build off to quality
assurance to be checked in the Testing Environment. Here they perform testing
activities to detect all possible defects or faults related to the added
feature. After this, we move on to the Staging Environment to simulate all
possible user behaviors and use real data to see how the application behaves.
Similar to crash testing in cars, we want to know how our software fares in
extreme circumstances.


Finally, once the car or the software is done through these testing environments
it is now ready to be used in production. Are you testing your software like how
you test cars? Are you making sure that the personal data of your software users
are protected? Have you tested if the security of your applications is
impenetrable? Are you confident that users will be able to use your app as
planned without issues? If any of your answers in the questions above are no,
then you might want to revisit how you test your software.


At White Cloak, we test our software the way car manufacturers do, like our
users' lives depend on it.

Environments in Software Design

White Cloak Technologies Inc.

Administrator




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

White Cloak Technologies, Inc. holds its first-ever webinar on December 2, 2020
(Wed) entitled Digital Transformation In Action: Where you’re at & Where to
next. In this free-to-register webinar, White Cloak tackles the next big thing
in digital transformation to prepare enterprises to quickly adapt to emerging
technologies.

Digital Transformation In Action: Where you’re at & Where to next December 2,
2020 | Wednesday | 1:30 PM - 3:15 PM GMT+8 | ZoomSign up at: 
https://bit.ly/WhiteCloakWebinar2020

White Cloak has also invited keynote speakers experts in their field. Hot topics
discussed are:

Indicators of a Successful Digital Transformation Journey by Ernest Valencia •
Head of Digital Marketing • Ayala Malls

 * How to know if the business is on the right track in digital transformation?
 * What should they do during digital transformation to prepare for the next big
   thing?
 * When and how to choose partners / vendors for digital transformation
   projects?

Data as the Fuel to your Relevanceby John William Orillo • Lead Engineer, Data
Analysis, Algorithm and Research	Samsung Research Philippines

 * How can businesses leverage data to fuel their relevance in the digital
   space?
 * How can businesses make data-driven decisions?
 * What are the tried-and-tested practices and tools in storing, defining,
   maintaining, and using data?

Gearing Up for the Next Big Thing in Digital Transformationby Ralph Vincent
Regalado • CEO & Founder • Senti AI

 * What will be the next big thing in digital transformation?
 * What are the emerging tools and trends in digital transformation?
 * Should businesses invest in these ahead? Why or why not?

Presentations per speaker will be followed by a Q&A session moderated by Cindy
Burdette, CEO & Co-founder of ALLCARE. 
Register through: https://bit.ly/WhiteCloakWebinar2020

Next Big Thing in Digital Transformation: White Cloak Holds First Webinar


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More often than not, even when the puzzle is still unfinished, you already have
a rough idea of the final picture. An MVP or Minimum Viable Product is similar
to that. An MVP is a version of your product that shows your customers the value
you bring them with the least amount of resources and effort. Sounds great,
right? But you might wonder how one starts building an MVP. It is critical that
we list down the most critical features and only work on those that will
convince our customers to try our product or service.


The MVP is only a piece of an even larger picture called Build-Measure-Learn
framework that teaches us to get feedback early that leads to launching a
business model that actually works. If you think you have a big idea to launch,
and you are worried about the resources needed, make sure you start with only
the most critical to your customers - not to you.


Thinking of building your MVP, send us a message and we can brainstorm on it
together!

MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

Amy Domingo


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

User Experience Design (UX) is like preparing food according to your customer’s
“taste”. What do they feel like eating? What spice level do they want it in? Are
they following a certain diet? There will even be times that they won’t even be
able to describe what they want. They’ll just know it when they taste it. Sounds
familiar? 


Likewise, when making your product, you really need to get to know your
customers to make your product palatable to them. Put yourself in their shoes.
Discover which ingredients work best with their taste and needs. Through the
process of getting to know them, you might even find out that what they need is
actually different from what their current taste is. As a UX designer, your job
involves balancing out their needs with their wants.


Now that you’ve got the taste and nutrition right, it’s now time to make it look
great and aesthetically pleasing. It looks as good (or even better) as it
tastes! That’s where the User Interface (UI) Design comes in. Can you make your
product appealing enough so that your customers can’t wait to dig into your
product?


"But wait, is making it look good is part of the cooking and food preparation
process too?"


Yes, you’re right! And that’s why UX and UI need to work seamlessly together.
This is the White Cloak way. You need to consider both practices to cook up a
great product that keeps your customers coming back for more!

UX and UI Cooking 101


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this day and age of technological advancements, it is rare to see companies
that do not have websites or even software applications. From automating
business processes (internal and external) to improving customer processes,
having a software application can provide reliability and improve businesses,
regardless of the industry.

However, most companies struggle with one question; to outsource or not. While
having an internal IT department can provide several benefits, it also has
drawbacks, including purchasing necessary equipment, hiring specialists, and a
whole lot more. On the other hand, outsourcing allows companies to focus on
their core business activities and strategy while saving both money and time.

Outsourcing software development is becoming more common today, as companies
globally turn to third-party services to deliver intrinsic solutions that can
alleviate pressure on internal staff. According to Statista
[https://www.statista.com/topics/1900/it-outsourcing/], the global market for 
outsourced IT services is worth US$92.5 billion, which means more and more
companies are leveraging third-party software developers.

Apart from the increasing number of businesses outsourcing software development,
below are some of the reasons why you should also leverage third-party
developers.



1. No more tedious recruitment process
Hiring IT professionals for a development project is a lengthy procedure
[https://www.glassdoor.com/research/time-to-hire-study/#]. Apart from making
sure that you recruit people with the necessary expertise, you also need to
ensure good employment conditions so your developers will stay with you for a
long time or until you release your software. If you choose a reliable
third-party software development company, you can be sure that your software is
created by highly experienced programmers that will be there with you throughout
the development process, plus, no need to stress about the recruitment process
and other problems.



2. Reduce operational cost
According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a developer is Php200,000
[https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/philippines-information-technology-salary-SRCH_IL.0,11_IN204_KO12,34.htm] 
(as of April 2021) per year.  That doesn’t include benefits, training, outside
consulting, bonuses, or other employee-related expenses. Apart from that, an
internal IT team must have space to work and the necessary equipment and
furniture. As their employer, you need to provide all of them. So if you decide
to hire your own team, you need to think about all the additional operational
and overhead costs. Outsourcing developers removes all of these problems because
you don’t need to maintain a whole team. All you need to do is pay the actual
hours the developers work on your project; no need to spend money on additional
rent, furniture, and equipment.



3. Work with developers with exceptional skills and team chemistry
An outsourced software development team allows you to hire developers with
extensive experience and exceptional skills. You can rarely find developers with
these experiences, and they indeed have an expensive price tag of as much as
Php
73,000 per month
[http://www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-survey.php?loc=171&loctype=1&job=1&jobtype=1] 
if you wish to hire them in your internal team. By outsourcing your IT team, you
get to have more than a developer. Usually, external IT agencies have teams of
designers, product managers, quality assurance engineers, and, of course,
developers. All of the members have experienced working together on multiple
projects, thus, giving them the team chemistry to work through various projects.
Apart from team chemistry, developers from an outsourced team have experienced
working with different IT projects across various clients and industries, giving
them an edge over an internal team.



4. More time to focus on your business
When you outsource developers, you don’t need to worry about managing a team.
The agency will appoint you a manager whom you can contact directly for updates
on your project. This means that you only have minimal involvement, such as
making sure that you and the team are on the same page. Because of this, you
have more time to focus on your core business processes and strategies rather
than worrying and managing a whole team of developers.



Outsource Your Software Development Team Today
When you outsource a software development company [https://www.whitecloak.com/],
you ensure that your business processes are supported by IT experts and your
custom business apps are developed by an exceptionally skilled team of
professionals. Outsourcing also helps you concentrate on your core business and
streamline your company’s workflow, ensuring that you only focus your energy on
developing and improving your business. 


Ready to outsource your developers? Contact White Cloak today
[https://www.whitecloak.com/contact-us] and find out how we can help create the
best solution for your business in this age of globalization and technological
advances.

4 Reasons Why You Should Outsource Your Software Development


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results from a 2020 survey by Twilio show that businesses have started to put
more money  into digital transformation initiatives. 79% of respondents have
increased their budgets for  new digital strategies in response to COVID-19.
This surge in demand for technology will  continue at least through 2023
according to a report by the IDC.

Global research firm Gartner also predicts IT spending will increase 8.4% to
$4.1 trillion this  year as more companies across industries move their
operations online.

Today, we’re seeing technology being adopted to create new business models.
Retail brands  are building their presence in eCommerce platforms and shifting
sales online. Automation is  enabling companies that have had to reduce their
workforce due to the pandemic by  increasing productivity despite having fewer
employees.

Digital transformation means closing the gaps left by mandated lockdowns and
other  restrictions that have used technology to limit the way people work. At
first glance, the criteria  for doing this are simple: business owners and CEOs
consider what's on the market, what it  can do to increase productivity, and how
it meets their needs.

But often, generic, off-the-shelf software doesn't meet the companies’ specific
needs. This is the reason why businesses look for custom solutions.

Custom software is a solution that is created, deployed, and maintained for a
specific  business. It is developed to solve a company's specific problems with
the features it needs to  be more effective.

If you're wondering if developing a custom software is the right route to take
for your  company, let's take a look at some of its advantages and
disadvantages.



Advantages of Custom Software
1. It's a personalised solution for all your needs

Developing a custom software solution ensures that it's tailored to suit your
needs. You can  be particular about how it should be built and how it should
support your business needs.  The problem with ready-made products in the market
is that there's no assurance that they  will all fit seamlessly into your
operations.


Custom software can be personalised the way you like and need it to be. When you
have a  solution designed to do exactly what you want it to do, it optimises
processes and increases  productivity. One example of custom software is
automated invoicing, which allows  businesses to pay, get paid, process
payments, and get real-time notifications. This kind of  cloud-based solution is
effective for small to mid-sized online businesses who need an  efficient means
of distributing invoices between suppliers and buyers in a safe and fully
 integrated digital format.

2. It’s a smart long-term investment

Some businesses are hesitant to invest in custom software development due to
cost. And  while the up-front costs are usually higher, it saves businesses
money long-term. There is no  need to buy extra hardware, acquire annual
licenses, or pay for features that your team is  likely never going to use. All
these recurring costs will cumulatively be more expensive if you  incur them
yearly.

3. It allows seamless integration

Customising software allows easier integration with your existing applications.
Businesses can  avoid having to maintain several programs, reducing stress, and
accomplishing more.



Disadvantages of Custom Software
1. It requires a higher technical proficiency

If you choose to develop custom software, an extra level of technical
understanding is  required. Implementing custom software requires you to invest
in training your people as  well. If your employees lack the skill set necessary
to configure it and maximise its functions,  going for an off-shelf program
would be better.

2. It needs more time to develop and deploy

The designing, implementation, and set up stages of custom software will take
time that some  businesses can't afford to lose. During development, you may
also face various complications  that may delay the delivery of the product. If
you need a fast solution so as not to disrupt your  workflow, a custom software
might not be worth the risk.



Why Choose Custom Software Development 
Although the initial cost of this project can be high, especially for SMEs, it
has the potential to  be more cost effective in the long run.

The ROI of custom software is not as simple as investing a certain amount and
receiving  another amount as profit, but once implemented, take a look at how it
benefits the overall internal productivity of the business and establish the
right metrics for growth to evaluate its  effectiveness.

Companies can cut down their expenses by up to 50-60% when they outsource a
developer  to help them build their custom software. This is due to the reduced
cost of onboarding,  salaries, and other employee benefits. Apart from these
savings, they are able to avail the  services of specialized professionals who
are able to speed up development for the  company.

Let us know how we can help your business today.

What is Customer Software? Things to Consider Before Investing in One


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tech leader’s role has immensely changed over the past few years, thanks to
the technological advancements driving the digitization of businesses today.
Now, IT leaders should not only understand how, when, where, and why information
is disseminated throughout the company, but they also need to have an
understanding of the business as any CEO would.






25% of CIOs will be held accountable for digital business results
A study by Gartner
[https://emtemp.gcom.cloud/ngw/globalassets/en/publications/documents/top-priorities-for-it-leadership-vision-for-2021-cio-ebook.pdf] 
shows that by 2024, 25% of traditional large enterprise CIOs will be held
accountable for digital business operational results, effectively becoming “COO
by proxy.” It has also predicted that by last year
[https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/develop-business-acumen-in-the-it-workforce/#:~:text=In%20the%20digital%20business%20world,new%20business%20value%20and%20growth.]
, 100% of roles in IT will require an intermediate level of proficiency in
business acumen to execute the digital business strategy effectively. 


While the latter prediction didn’t fully happen, the changes in the landscape of
the IT industry show that leaders in the field should have a better
understanding of the business, learn how to interact with visionaries across the
business, and drive a smart digital agenda. Technology will always be the
foundation, but now, business should also be part of the mindset of IT leaders.








Business acumen
[https://trainingindustry.com/magazine/sep-oct-2020/how-to-leverage-business-acumen-to-create-a-future-ready-organization/] 
isn't a single skill.
Instead, it is a much broader set of competencies that require understanding
across multiple aspects of a business, including but not limited to financial
acumen, market perspective, and business system thinking. It is basically a
portfolio of skills that allow leaders to support an organization in achieving
its financial and strategic goals. 


So why is business acumen becoming essential for IT and tech leaders? Below are
some of the reasons why.





Business acumen can help IT leaders build partnerships across the business.
For any leadership role, it is apparent that strategic partnerships are
essential. However, for IT leaders, such as CIOs, partnerships are critical to
helping generate business value from key digital initiatives. Tech leaders
should learn how to map the digital strategy to what the other C-suite
executives are doing. By collaborating with them, adapt and improve the strategy
to continuously meet business goals. 


For example, tech leaders should have the mindset of how technology can improve
the leader’s effort to provide demonstrable benefits, including new revenue
opportunities, significant operational cost savings, or competitive advantages.






[http://bit.ly/wcb1-Leading-IT-Tech-Teams-Webinar]



Business acumen can  help leaders become business advisors, not just tech
advisors
The role of an IT leader
[https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cio.asp#:~:text=A%20CIO%20is%20a%20high,technology%20systems%20of%20a%20company.&text=A%20CIO%20must%20be%20agile,people%2C%20and%20those%20it%20serves.] 
is generally internally focused, advising on what technology stakeholders and
employees need to be more efficient, productive, and operate a support function.
As technology plays a more critical role in the success of a business, tech
leaders should take on an advisory role where they’re guiding the digital
transformation of the entire company. 
According to a report by Wipro Digital,
[http://www.wipro.com/newsroom/press-releases/New-survey-highlights-leadership-crisis-in-digital-transformation/] 
nearly 50% of executives believe that there is a lack of knowledge as to what
the term digital transformation actually means. Only tech leaders with business
acumen have the capacity to execute a digital leadership strategy that will make
the business more efficient and simultaneously create new, profitable digital
channels.







Business acumen can help communicate tech leaders' initiatives' impact to the
broader organization.
It’s no surprise that excellent communication is not often synonymous with IT
leaders compared to CEOs. However, for them to drive transformational change
across the organization, they need to step outside of their comfort zone and
figure out how to communicate key IT initiatives to the rest of the company. 


By communicating your vision, you can shift your employees’ perceptions of IT
from simply a support function to a driver of digital innovation across the
enterprise and ensuring that everyone understands how it will impact them
individually. Tech leaders have the power to create a new digital-first culture
and frame the narrative around how these initiatives can support the overall
business goals, especially if equipped with the right skills.






Conclusion
Traditionally, CIOs have mainly focused on honing their technical skillset.
However, in today’s ever-changing digital landscape, an effective CIO with
business acumen is in high demand. This is why it is imperative for IT leaders
of today to build their business acumen skills to better shape the companies of
tomorrow. 
Want to learn how to lead your own IT and tech team successfully? Watch White
Cloak Technologies [https://www.whitecloak.com/]’ Leading IT Teams Into Digital
Business Acceleration webinar for free and learn applicable skills from the top
CTOs of the country! Watch the video recording here
[https://bit.ly/Watch-Leading-IT-Tech-Teams-Webinar] now!

The New Breed of IT Leaders: Why You Should Have Business Acumen


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this age of technological advancements, if you are running a business or
starting a new one, you must consider having a mobile app to boost your
business’s growth. However, coming up with a unique app idea, no matter what
goals you are trying to achieve with it, is not enough anymore, as the app
market is becoming increasingly competitive. 


According to Grand View Research
[https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/mobile-application-market],
the global mobile application market size was valued at USD 154.05 billion in
2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5%
from 2020 to 2027. This continued growth means that it will become more
challenging to stand out. Apart from that, the investment in app development is
substantial, both considering your time and budget. 


Diving into the mobile app development stage unprepared can result in costly,
frustrating, and brand-damaging mistakes. To help you avoid such errors, below
are some tips that you should consider before developing an app.





Conduct initial market research and empirical expirements
Before developing an app, most people will recommend conducting deep market
research to understand the current market. However, deep research is unnecessary
and may waste your time and effort. Instead, do some initial market research
quickly followed by empirical experiments, where you test your proof of concepts
(POCs) on a small scale. You can also use split cases and test different unique
selling points (USPs) and check where more users would sign up. 


Once you have completed this research, you will have all the information you
need to clearly define your unique take on the problem you are solving. There
are millions of mobile apps in the market, and this is your opportunity to
ensure yours stands out.




Decide whether you'll develop a native, web, or cross-platform app
Native apps are exclusively developed for a single platform using
native-to-the-operating-system language. It acquires all of the operating
system’s features and the advantages of the app. On the other hand, web apps are
best for solutions that don’t necessarily require access to the device’s native
abilities. Cross-platform apps are the best solution for low-cost custom apps
with secure and easy-to-maintain features. 


To help you decide, below is a table differentiating the three app types: 





Native

Web

Cross-platform


Technology

iOS:  Objective-C / Swift

Android: Java / Kotlin

Coded in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, platform-agnostic

React Native / Flutter / Kotlin Multiplatform


Performance



Highest. Native apps have the full capability to access the device’s features
and APIs

Limited. They run through the browser and don’t have full access to the device’s
functionalities

Close to native. A modern cross-platform solution such as Flutter is able to
utilize native SDK

Cost

Most expensive. Separate code base per platform.

Significantly cheaper than native due to a single code base.

Significantly cheaper than native due to shared codebase.



Create your business model
According to a research
[https://www.businessofapps.com/app-developers/research/app-development-cost/] 
by Business of Apps, an application with a set of must-have features starts from
US$120,000. You should have a business model in place to recoup the cost of
developing your app. A business model will also be your guide that will turn
your app ideas into action. You should start with visualizing the project and
formulating the key concepts that will provide the basis for your business.
Think of it as the roadmap of your app development journey. From its budget,
monetization options for the app to your marketing strategy, you must have a
 business model ready to make your application successful.




Know your target audience
Defining your target audience is one of the essential steps you should take
before developing an app, as the audience plays an integral part of your app.
You should try to answer questions such as who will be using this app and how it
will help them. If your app can meet your target audience’s expectations, it
will likely increase popularity and success.





Be open to change during the development process.
App development should be an ongoing process. Along the way, you may encounter
several conundra that may lead to changes in your original plan. Most of these
changes are incremental but be ready and open as there may be some adjustments
and modifications that need to be made during the app development journey. For
example, the popular messaging platform, Slack, was first developed as an
online
game called Glitch [https://mashable.com/article/slack-glitch/]. The company
then took the customized communication platform the team used to build Glitch
and transformed it into the business communication tool we know of today.





Conclusion
There is no sure-shot success way of anything you do in this entire world, but
these tips can help make the app development process as seamless as possible.
Remember, the success of your app doesn’t only depend on one thing; it is an
ongoing process, and there will always be areas for improvement even after you
have launched your app. 
Do you have a killer app idea? White Cloak Technologies
[https://www.whitecloak.com/] has executed various killer app ideas and yours
could be the next. Contact us today [https://www.whitecloak.com/contact-us] and
let us know how we can help you achieve the mobile app of your dreams. 

You can also check out Mobile App Marketing Agencies here.
[https://www.designrush.com/agency/digital-marketing/app-marketing]

5 Important Tips To Know Before Developing A Mobile App


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



White Cloak Technologies, Inc. was named winner of two Bronze Stevie® Awards in
the categories: Innovation in Technology Development; and Innovation in
Technology Management, Planning & Implementation in the eighth annual
Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.


The Innovation in Technology Development award recognizes White Cloak’s
contribution to the tech industry with its high-quality, highly-rated custom
software; while the Innovation in Technology Management, Planning &
Implementation category, recognizes the efficiency and agility of White Cloak’s
software development from ideation, launch up to the apps’ continuous
improvement.



The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards program to recognize
innovation in the workplace in all 29 nations of the Asia-Pacific region.  The
Stevie Awards are widely considered to be the world's premier business awards,
conferring recognition for achievement in programs such as The International
Business Awards® for 19 years.


Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the winners were
celebrated during a virtual (online) awards ceremony on Wednesday, 14 July 2021.





White Cloak President and CEO, Donn Gamboa, remarks, “I’m honored to accept this
award for Innovation in Tech Management, Planning & Implementation.” Donn
further adds, “Being able to scale from a handful of developers to a
fast-growing tech company who’s working with some of the top firms in the
country, is a team accomplishment we’re proud of.”


Miguel Fermin, White Cloak Chief Technology Officer also stated in his
acceptance speech, “It’s a privilege to accept this award for Innovation in
Technology Development.” Miguel further remarks, “This is a validation of our
efforts to enable organizations to scale their business through effective and
efficient software delivery. Our team is proud of making an impact on the
digital transformation in the country.”


Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average
scores of more than 100 executives around the world acting as judges in March
and April.


“The eighth edition of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards attracted many remarkable
nominations,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Gallagher.  “The organizations
that won this year have demonstrated that they have continued to innovate and
succeed despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and we applaud them for their
perseverance and creativity.  We look forward to celebrating many of this year’s
winners during our virtual awards ceremony on 14 July.”


Details about the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and the 14 July awards ceremony,
and the list of Stevie Award winners, are available at 
http://Asia.Stevieawards.com. [http://asia.stevieawards.com.]


About the Stevie® Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards,
the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The
American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards
for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie
Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more
than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations.
Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the
Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn
more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.


Sponsors and partners of the 2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards include Adobo
Magazine, PR Newswire Asia, and the Korea Business Communicators Association.

White Cloak wins two Technology Stevies in 2021 APAC Stevie Awards

Digital transformation continues to transform the way businesses operate for the better, digitalization has become the way forward for many organizations, especially in today’s rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive environment.  

Why You Need To Kickstart Your Digital Transformation Journey


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Digital transformation is a buzz phrase that has been often thrown around a lot
for years. And for a good reason. As it continues to transform the way
businesses operate for the better, digitalization has become the way forward for
many organizations, especially in today’s rapidly evolving and increasingly
competitive environment.

Finding businesses that are riding the wave of digitalization isn’t hard because
they’re everywhere. E-commerce continues to boom and the shift to the cloud
remains imminent. The mobile phone has likewise become an extremely powerful
channel for communication. The ‘why’ behind all these disruptions is even much
clearer in view. When done correctly, adopting a digital model not only promises
but also delivers measurable results such as improved operational efficiency,
increased customer satisfaction, reduced product development costs, new revenue
streams, reduced cost of poor quality and high yields. 


What exactly is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is not one and the same for all companies, and so there
is no one definition that is suitable for all. In essence, however, digital
transformation is the weaving of digital technology to every fabric of your
business -- from marketing to accounting -- with the goal of optimizing business
processes and creating new ones to better respond to customers’ needs and
deliver more value to them and the business.

With the COVID-19 global health crisis, businesses that have long been
traditional or looking to digitally transform, found themselves standing at a
crossroads. With the unprecedented impact of the pandemic, which still persists
globally, digital transformation is suddenly no longer an option, but an
imperative in order for any business to survive and thrive. The need for a
digital strategy becomes reinforced as it plays a critical role in meeting the
urgent need for adaptability, speed and efficiency in the new normal. 

The rise of the digital economy has accelerated -- digital transactions, remote
working, online learning, among many others, were widely adopted. Now, enabling
products and solutions to be digital is a necessity, not a premium to build
engaging customer experiences. 

Why do you need a digital transformation strategy? How to build one?

While much has been said about technology alongside digitalization, the strength
of digital transformation goes beyond just technology. True success lies within
each element and how well each element is interwoven across your entire
organization. And this is why you need a well-defined and executed digital
transformation strategy that is laser-focused on innovation and puts the needs
of the customer at its core.

But how exactly do you get there? How do you develop a winning strategy that
will position your company for success?  Here’s a practical guide for you.

 1. Define your scope and vision
    
    First off, you need to have a clear main objective and vision in mind for
    implementing the digital transformation initiative. A key aspect here is
    identifying your current situation, problems and pain points you wish to
    solve, goals, performance indicators, and potential opportunities for
    growth. Why do you need to transform the enterprise? What do you need to
    transform? How do you transform? The most common mistake that companies make
    is diving into the adoption of all sorts of new technologies right away
    without first fully understanding the need for the project and what it is
    aimed at solving. 
 2. Research the market
    
    Every digital transformation project requires a comprehensive look at the
    current market dynamics to make sure your strategy remains relevant and
    updated.  What digital transformation strategies do your competitors have in
    place? What digital solutions have they adopted and will adopt? How are
    these solutions adding value to their business? A competitive analysis will
    give you a better look into the readiness and success of digital
    transformation programs. And having this insight will help you stay ahead of
    the competition. Doing in-depth market research also opens doors to new
    opportunities within and outside your industry. 
 3. Reimagine the experience 

It goes without saying that digital transformation is inexorably linked with the
purpose of building improved customer and employee experience through
technology. So once you’re done with your competitive analysis, it’s time to pay
special attention to how you want to deliver value to your customers and
employees based on your digital efforts. The central idea here is to consider
how you can ease the productivity flow for your employees and how your customers
can have a better shopping or purchasing and brand experience. To fully maximize
the opportunities of digital, adopting a people-first approach is a core
component. 

4. Choose the right technology and partner

Before making any digital transformation effort, you’ll need to identify the
technologies and solutions that you’ll need to invest in to make your strategy
come to life. Prior to this, it’s likewise important to audit your existing
platforms and technologies and see which ones you can revamp, optimize or
integrate with new technologies. You’ll also need to make sure you prioritize
your most important needs and introduce new technology at a measured pace that
is in line with your environment.  Depending on your actual needs and
requirements, these technologies can include cloud computing, mobile
applications, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, virtual reality,
to name a few. This step also requires the involvement of other people outside
your organization such as consultants, vendors, or suppliers -- those with
expertise who can partner with you in developing and implementing transformation
strategies and helping you in the transition. 

Whether you’re a new venture or an established player, establishing a digitally
transformed business can greatly impact your odds of success and rate of return.
Companies who have charted their digital transformation path are now reaping the
most significant rewards of a future-forward business strategy. Have you charted
yours? Let White Cloak help you in accelerating true digital transformation for
your business. Turning your vision into action is critical, and is a rigorous
process but with a reliable partner like White Cloak, and the comprehensive
suite of tools it offers, it can be done 

Interested to learn more about how White Cloak can help you? Contact us today
[https://www.whitecloak.com/contact-us]!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having a dedicated software platform brings huge benefits to your bottom line,
including increased visibility for customers,  an additional direct marketing
channel, increased value, stronger brand recognition, improved customer
engagement and customer loyalty, insights on customer behavior, and a better
overall brand experience.  More recently, companies have accelerated the shift
from basic, single-use apps to multi-purpose ones, also known as super apps,
which, from a business perspective, essentially offer greater convenience and
simplicity for users. 


What is a super app?

Coined by BlackBerry founder Mike Lazaridis in 2010, a “super app” is defined as
a “closed ecosystem of many apps that people would use every day because they
offer such a seamless, integrated, contextualized, and efficient experience.”
That is, super apps provide multiple functions in one application. Or in other
words, super apps are a one-stop app that covers a diverse range of daily
services in a single place — whether it be for shopping, healthcare, payments,
audio or video streaming, etc. A few commonplace examples of super apps in Asia
are Grab, AliPay, Uber, Line, WeChat, GoJek, etc. 

To ensure you build the super app that your brand truly needs, it’s important to
consider the following factors before diving into your super app development
strategy.


1. One solid and strong main use case

Behind every successful super app is a solid and strong frequent core use case.
In various markets, the most common use cases are payments, transportation and
food. Other capabilities that your super app can host include: social,
e-commerce, health services, hotel and flight booking, gaming, insurance,
government, and public services. You can start your super app with one strong
main use case then gradually add other functions to it later on. Given the deep
interweaving of customer service into these capabilities, super apps serve as a
channel for your brand to connect with your customers when needed. 


2. Cohesive additional use cases

To build a more meaningful connection with your customers via your super app,
delivering a consistent experience for your users.  It is, therefore, important
to take into consideration that the functions or services you wish to augment
into your app should be relevant or adjacent to your core use cases. Grab, for
example, Over the years, has broadened its offerings across Southeast Asia to
include deliveries, mobility, financial services, and others. This synergistic
combination of many different services enhances the ability of your brand to
provide reliable and high-quality services to your users. 


3. Ease of payment access

Generally speaking, super apps use payment systems to its advantage in order to
build a wide-ranging ecosystem based on multiple functions or services. A good,
unified payment scheme is vital to ensuring streamlined end-to-end user journey.
Later on, you can also integrate an e-wallet function so your users can
conveniently process and complete their payments without the need to exit the
app. 


4. Accessibility

Whether it be single-purpose or multi-purpose, the bedrock of any successful
application is user experience. From the moment they open your app, deciding
which item to order or purchase to making the payment, your super app must
guarantee a simplified experience for your users. Your ability to enable such
consumer-focused experiences related to your super app will be a huge
determining factor whether your users will use your app or be encouraged to keep
using it. It is therefore crucial to ask: Is your user experience value-adding,
easy to use and effective for your target audiences? 


5. Building a long-term mindset

Setting long-term goals is crucial for planning a successful super app strategy.
Businesses, regardless of nature and size, that are looking to develop a super
app must not only visualize the success of a super app in a single moment, but
also how it can be sustained. Taking the long view from the very beginning also
helps guide decision-making processes and better amplifies the relevance of your
super app development, keeping in mind how it can deliver superior value and
improved results based on digitized customer journeys and experiences. It's also
important to consider the reduction of technical debt
[https://www.productplan.com/glossary/technical-debt/#:~:text=Technical%20debt%20(also%20known%20as,speedy%20delivery%20over%20perfect%20code.] 
to ensure that your app is built for the long haul.


6. Expert resources

Super app development requires a better-established infrastructure and more
excellent resources than a simple app. Data is also a fundamental component of
your super app; and without data infrastructure, you cannot create value of
data, which you need a vast wealth of to deliver better services. This is why it
is critical that before you embark on your super app journey, you have the best
software development service providers
[https://www.designrush.com/agency/software-development] and highly experienced
and skilled teams to help you put the complex pieces of the puzzle together in a
way that benefits your customers and yields maximum results for your business. 


In today’s competitive digital-first era, the game-changing super apps are
taking the leap and are definitely here to stay, shaping the future of digital
innovation as they continue to change the way consumers socialize, shop, eat,
travel and pay. With that, they unlock great potentials that expand your brand
presence and present new opportunities for attracting new customers, helping
boost innovation and the customer experience in the online space.  With the
capabilities it can offer for increased growth, customer engagement and
retention, super apps are likely to remain strong and healthy for many years. 


White Cloak is a trusted and renowned mobile application company that you can
partner with in bringing your super app to life. Backed with expertise in
software platform and mobile app development, White Cloak’s high-caliber and
passionate teams aim to deliver tailor-fit high-performing mobile apps that
bring high efficiency, productivity and value to empower our partners. Contact
us [https://www.whitecloak.com/contact-us] today to book a consultation and
explore the best industry practices for your own super app development.

6 Factors to Consider Before Developing Your Super App

In such a fast-moving arena as software development, time is everything and things need to be immediate and fast for the customer. But more often than not, companies run the risk of critical frictions in cost and productivity for the sake of speed. This is where the concept of technical debt comes in.

In the software community, the term technical debt, also known as tech debt or code debt, is often thrown everywhere. Similar to financial debt where one incurs this when something is needed urgently but full cash payment is not at one’s disposal; In software development, this means opting for sub-optimal methods and results in favor of speed in production and delivery. And much like financial debt, the cost of dealing with debt becomes higher and goes out of control the longer it remains unaddressed or neglected.

But what exactly is technical debt?

Coined by software developer Ward Cunningham in the 1990s, technical debt is a phrase that explains the ongoing cost of development decisions made in the short term for the sake of earlier software release and faster time-to-market. He described the concept as:

"Shipping first-time code is like going into debt. A little debt speeds development so long as it is paid back promptly with a rewrite. The danger occurs when the debt is not repaid. Every minute spent on not-quite-right code counts as interest on that debt. Entire engineering organizations can be brought to a stand-still under the debt load of an unconsolidated implementation, object-oriented or otherwise."

Wikipedia defines technical debt (also known as design debt or code debt) as “a concept in software development that reflects the implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy (limited) solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer. As with monetary debt, if technical debt is not repaid, it can accumulate ‘interest’, making it harder to implement changes.” The Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University defines technical debt as something that “conceptualizes the tradeoff between the short-term benefit of rapid delivery and long-term value.

Why should your company care about technical debt?

Regardless of interpretations in the definition, recognizing the importance of the concept of technical debt is a good starting point to gain control over it. Often, companies incur technical debt because it’s the only feasible option at their current scenario that matches market and customer demands. Over time, however, technical debt can be a bottleneck that further slows down your production-test-release cycle. Moreover, while it’s an inherent outcome of teams working in collaboration with one another to accomplish business targets, the resultant technical debt, if left unchecked, can be a difficult burden to bear for a business as it affects different levels such as on an individual, departmental, and at an organizational level.

Technical debt in agile software development is real and very significant, and manifests itself in various forms: poorly designed code, delays, reduced productivity and efficiency, delivered negative value to the customers, diminished transparency, loss of opportunity, extra unplanned costs, and so on and so forth. Costs also include both hard costs, such as headcount, rent and material, and soft costs, such as longer hours due to suboptimal code. With respect to individuals and teams, tech debt can also lead to lower morale and high turnover due to work dissatisfaction. On the organizational level, there is the risk of suffering a slower pace of innovation and increased difficulty in managing the software asset portfolio.

With the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and its strain on businesses to digitally transform, most companies are in a tight corner to deliver and market at an even more accelerated pace with greater reason. This is why it’s important to be calculating and circumspect in terms of risks and compromise levels related to cost, quality and security. Time is an expensive and valuable resource that technical debt can impinge upon over the long term.  


How to steer clear of technical debt?

Technical debt is a normal part of the modern enterprise and it inevitably happens with time. Effective management of technical debt entails systematic effort and visionary thinking.  


But as with most undesirable circumstances, prevention is always better than cure. Future-proofing solutions and following rigorous best practices are key to making sure technical debt is reduced. While it is sometimes necessary to expedite products and services to market, it’s critical to eliminate the debt before it becomes larger and leads to risks and further costs, as it can undermine the performance of a business and its ability to leverage digital transformation as an engine for growth and value creation.


Here are three proven ways to help you reduce and manage technical debt:

1. Catalogue your IT infrastructure

Having a comprehensive view of your IT stack helps you correctly identify the potential drivers of your debt load, conduct gap analysis more efficiently, resolve issues sooner, and ensure high-quality processes and end-to-end delivery.

2. Perform routine code reviews

Regular code reviews help you stay on top of your business goals through streamlined and advanced software development. Apart from reduced technical debt, making code reviews part of your routine provides benefits including improved code quality, shorter development and test cycles, stronger user satisfaction, among others.

3. Build a good architecture design

The importance of flexible, easily scalable structures cannot be overstated. As software and solutions constantly evolve to meet the rising demand for innovation, choosing the right architecture that’s sustainable can save you a lot of time, energy, and money in the long run.

As a leader in the software development industry in the Philippines, White Cloak is a reliable solutions provider that builds systems and applications based on best practices, methodologies, and regulatory frameworks, ensuring projects are successful not just within a few months but also further down the line. To help companies mitigate technical debt, White Cloak takes advantage of a combination of automation technologies that eliminates complexities and redundancy from development and delivery, enabling enterprises to improve their agility and deliver best-in-class results to their customers.

Do you need help with a technical debt strategy or other software development issues? Our team at White Cloak is ready to help. Contact us today!

Understanding Tech Debt: What is Technical Debt And Why It Matters


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In today’s digital era, cyber threats are ever-present and remain a growing
concern for businesses and organizations, whether small ones or large
corporations, especially those that have embarked or are starting to embrace
digital transformation. 

Amidst the heightened IT demands prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, cyber risks
likewise continue to grow, with remote work setups becoming the new norm in the
work environment. A Statista research
[https://www.statista.com/statistics/1268283/philippines-amount-of-cyberattacks/] 
revealed that in June 2021, there were over  98,000 cyber attacks reported in
the Philippines and that the number of cyberattacks in the country mounted,
totaling around 1.76 million during the first quarter of the year. Kaspersky
[https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2021/09/16/200224/nearly-5-million-cyber-attacks-detected-in-work-from-home-desktops-in-2021-report/#:~:text=Nearly%20five%20million%20attacks%20against,19%20pandemic%20in%20the%20country.] 
also reported that almost five million attacks against desktops at home in the
Philippines were recorded from January to June in 2021. Hence, creating and
implementing a strong cyber security strategy is now more critical than ever. 

This is why business and IT leaders are now compelled to bring cybersecurity to
the forefront of their operations, especially as the penetration of threats into
business systems can bring damaging ripple effects to the bottomline of a
company. Having exposure to cyber threats, a company is not only at risk of
losing its data, but also their customers’, likewise endangering a company’s
credibility, sales, and profits. 

Here are five factors to consider to get you on the right path in order to keep
your business safe and secure and to pave the road to cyber-resiliency. 

 1. Employee training 

Data security needs to be regarded as everyone’s responsibility in an
organization. With that in mind, providing employees with adequate and effective
training on the fundamentals and beyond-the-basics of protecting information is
an important step. Cybersecurity training programs will reduce the risk of data
breaches and will better equip employees to recognize potential risks, and
prevent costly mistakes at present and in the long run. Given the new surge of
threats brought by the pandemic, creating a culture of safety though defense
measures such as cybersecurity training programs must be ramped up to fend off
any forms of attack on company and customer data.

2.   Governance 

Another pillar of a sound cybersecurity strategy is governance, which describes
the policies and processes that determine how a company or organization will
detect, prevent and respond to cybercrimes or incidents, and how resources,
business drivers, data, and organizational dynamics will be taken into account.
In developing your cybersecurity strategy, the involvement of the board or
senior management also plays a critical role in managing and evaluating the
organization’s overall risk profile, its portfolio of initiatives, and the level
of oversight warranted. Communication is an important component in this regard,
so operational leaders must be able to articulate what the contributing value of
cybersecurity is and why it must be considered a permanent capital expenditure,
as well as the best practices, in a manner that they can comprehend and
internalize. 

3.   A risk-based approach

Developing your cybersecurity strategy and compliance from a risk-based
perspective is important for proactive problem identification and resolution. A
risk-based approach is a systematic method that identifies, evaluates,
prioritizes threats facing the organization and is tailored to specific
organizational needs. This approach includes business impact analysis; risk
assessment; implementation of needed controls, testing, validation and
reporting; and continuous monitoring and governance. 

4.   Disaster recovery plan

One of the critical questions you need to ask in effectively crafting and
deploying your cybersecurity strategy is whether your organization has an
established risk remediation plan. Despite your best efforts to build and
maintain resilient controls against potential threats, attackers can still find
ways to make breaches happen. Thus, your data security strategy will need to
consider the next steps through a disaster recovery plan, a list of all the
processes to maintain or rebuild IT systems, which needs to be in place to
secure your network, prevent further damage, and safeguard the sustainability of
your company’s initiatives. 

5.   Adaptive Security Focused Technology

The need to adopt the latest cybersecurity technologies has fortified the
problems and challenges presented by the pandemic as attacks continue to develop
to be highly sophisticated. Given the dynamic and evolving nature of cyber
threats as well as the technical expertise of cybercrime doers, constantly
identifying and adopting innovative cybersecurity technologies are becoming a
pressing need to build stronger defenses around business cybersecurity. Business
endpoints can be made secure by leveraging tools and technologies such as
advanced threat intelligence and deep learning, hardware authentication,
user-behavior analytics, data loss prevention, the cloud, among others. 

By keeping in mind these five factors of cybersecurity, you can build a strong
framework for ensuring a robust, forward-thinking information security strategy
that gives you peace of mind and your business’ ability to focus on what’s most
important for your business. 

White Cloak is a technology services company dedicated to driving client
innovation, helping organizations of all sizes and industries transform their
cybersecurity efforts and strictly meet the highest level of industry compliance
and security standards used by the banks and the military. At the heart of White
Cloak’s processes are efficiency and scalability, ensuring the latest
technologies are employed where needed.

If your organization is looking to implement a cyber security strategy and
mitigate cyber risk, our passionate and highly skilled teams are here to help!

5 Factors to Consider For Your Business’ Cybersecurity


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In today’s digital era, cyber threats are ever-present and remain a growing
concern for businesses and organizations, whether small ones or large
corporations, especially those that have embarked or are starting to embrace
digital transformation. 

Amidst the heightened IT demands prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, cyber risks
likewise continue to grow, with remote work setups becoming the new norm in the
work environment. A Statista research
[https://www.statista.com/statistics/1268283/philippines-amount-of-cyberattacks/] 
revealed that in June 2021, there were over 98,000 cyber attacks reported in the
Philippines and that the number of cyberattacks in the country mounted, totaling
around 1.76 million during the first quarter of the year. Kaspersky
[https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2021/09/16/200224/nearly-5-million-cyber-attacks-detected-in-work-from-home-desktops-in-2021-report/#:~:text=Nearly%20five%20million%20attacks%20against,19%20pandemic%20in%20the%20country.] 
also reported that almost five million attacks against desktops at home in the
Philippines were recorded from January to June in 2021. Hence, creating and
implementing a strong cyber security strategy is now more critical than ever. 

This is why business and IT leaders are now compelled to bring cybersecurity to
the forefront of their operations, especially as the penetration of threats into
business systems can bring damaging ripple effects to the bottomline of a
company. Having exposure to cyber threats, a company is not only at risk of
losing its data, but also their customers’, likewise endangering a company’s
credibility, sales, and profits. 

Here are five factors to consider to get you on the right path in order to keep
your business safe and secure and to pave the road to cyber-resiliency. 

1. Employee training 

Data security needs to be regarded as everyone’s responsibility in an
organization. With that in mind, providing employees with adequate and effective
training on the fundamentals and beyond-the-basics of protecting information is
an important step. Cybersecurity training programs will reduce the risk of data
breaches and will better equip employees to recognize potential risks, and
prevent costly mistakes at present and in the long run. Given the new surge of
threats brought by the pandemic, creating a culture of safety though defense
measures such as cybersecurity training programs must be ramped up to fend off
any forms of attack on company and customer data.

2. Governance 

Another pillar of a sound cybersecurity strategy is governance, which describes
the policies and processes that determine how a company or organization will
detect, prevent and respond to cyber crimes or incidents, and how resources,
business drivers, data, and organizational dynamics will be taken into account.
In developing your cybersecurity strategy, the involvement of the board or
senior management also plays a critical role in managing and evaluating the
organization’s overall risk profile, its portfolio of initiatives, and the level
of oversight warranted. Communication is an important component in this regard,
so operational leaders must be able to articulate what the contributing value of
cybersecurity is and why it must be considered a permanent capital expenditure,
as well as the best practices, in a manner that they can comprehend and
internalize.. 


3. A risk-based approach

Developing your cybersecurity strategy and compliance from a risk-based
perspective is important for proactive problem identification and resolution. A
risk-based approach is a systematic method that identifies, evaluates,
prioritizes threats facing the organization and is tailored to specific
organizational needs. This approach includes business impact analysis; risk
assessment; implementation of needed controls, testing, validation, and
reporting; and continuous monitoring and governance. 

4. Disaster recovery plan

One of the critical questions you need to ask in effectively crafting and
deploying your cybersecurity strategy is whether your organization has an
established risk remediation plan. Despite your best efforts to build and
maintain resilient controls against potential threats, attackers can still find
ways to make breaches happen. Thus, your data security strategy will need to
consider the next steps through a disaster recovery plan, a list of all the
processes to maintain or rebuild IT systems, which needs to be in place to
secure your network, prevent further damage, and safeguard the sustainability of
your company’s initiatives. 

5. Adaptive Security Focused Technology

The need to adopt the latest cybersecurity technologies has fortified the
problems and challenges presented by the pandemic as attacks continue to develop
to be highly sophisticated. Given the dynamic and evolving nature of cyber
threats as well as the technical expertise of cybercrime doers, constantly
identifying and adopting innovative cybersecurity technologies are becoming a
pressing need to build stronger defenses around business cybersecurity. Business
endpoints can be made secure by leveraging tools and technologies such as
advanced threat intelligence and deep learning, hardware authentication,
user-behavior analytics, data loss prevention, the cloud, among others. 

By keeping in mind these five factors of cybersecurity, you can build a strong
framework for ensuring a robust, forward-thinking information security strategy
that gives you peace of mind and your business’ ability to focus on what’s most
important for your business. White Cloak is a technology services company
dedicated to driving client innovation, helping organizations of all sizes and
industries transform their cybersecurity efforts and strictly meet the highest
level of industry compliance and security standards used by the banks and the
military. 

At the heart of White Cloak’s processes are efficiency and scalability, ensuring
the latest technologies are employed where needed.If your organization is
looking to implement a cyber security strategy and mitigate cyber risk, our
passionate and highly skilled teams are here to help!

Search functionalities are vital for software applications but can be
challenging to implement. For this reason, you can use a Javascript-based
library called Fuse.js to implement a user-friendly search.

When to use Fuzzy searching?

Fuzzy search is a search behavior that allows users to search for data in a
software application dataset, even if they have no, incomplete, or incorrect
information about what they are looking for. If you think about it, it is the
best way to implement searching in any application.


The best example of this behavior is a Google search where you can provide vague
search queries or even misspelled words, but it will still try to give you the
best result.


Fuse.js
Fuse.js is the library we are exploring today because it is fast, lightweight,
has zero dependencies, and can work on both the backend and frontend sides of
your application. What’s more, it is super easy to get started. Finally, it
returns the closest possible result for search queries, even for misspelled
ones.


Usage:
 * You can begin by downloading Fuse.js using yarn or NPM

You can then proceed to import it into your file as shown below:

From here you can define a JSON object that you want to search, then create a
Fuse.js instance where you can pass the object to search and keys that you would
like Fuse.js to focus on.

Try Full Demo here. [https://fusejs.io/demo.html]

As you can see, it will return the nearest possible match from the search
parameter.

Conclusion

Now, although Fuse.js is awesome, it does have some limitations. Being a
JavaScript search library, it can only do so much on the backend and the
frontend side of your application. For instance, searching a JSON dataset can be
resource intensive, and is not ideal for critical applications that deal with a
large amount of data. For small to medium-scale applications, however, Fuse.js
is highly recommended. You can learn more about it here [https://fusejs.io/].

Quickly Implement Fuzzy Searching in your Software Application

According to Gartner, data fabric is defined as a design concept that serves as an integrated layer (fabric) of data and connecting processes. 


An Overview of Data Fabric and How it can Impact Data Management

The volume of data that is being processed and consumed is getting bigger and
bigger every year. There was a time when 8 Gb was big enough to store everything
we needed on our smartphones, but now even a 128 Gb smartphone is not enough.
The size of the software and applications that we used has also grown. Ten years
ago you could hardly find an app that took up more than 500 MB of storage but
now you see applications take as much as 5GB. This is just what the typical
consumer sees. Now imagine the volume of data organizations and businesses
collect, store and manage to run their business processes and operations. 
According to Cisco
[https://anyconnector.com/en/cloud-based/enterprise-data-strategy.html#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20study%20from,establish%20an%20enterprise%20data%20strategy.]
, a usual business enterprise, on average, manages up to 347.56 terabytes of
data.

Data Management
IT and data management teams in an organization typically handle the big data
that comes in and out of the business or organization. They normally use data
management processes and technology to help collect, store, organize and
maintain the data created and collected. 

As data lakes and data silos continued to expand, the job of handling and
managing data also became more complex and time-consuming. This is where data
fabric architecture comes in.

What is Data Fabric Architecture
According to Gartner
[https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/data-fabric-architecture-is-key-to-modernizing-data-management-and-integration]
, data fabric is defined as a design concept that serves as an integrated layer
(fabric) of data and connecting processes. 

It is considered an end-to-end data integration and management process that
consists of multiple data sources, data types, and locations instead of a
centralized data store. 

Data fabric architecture improves integration and data management from multiple
data sources like on-premise, cloud, and hybrid sources. Consolidating multiple
data sources into one data fabric allows businesses to access, process, and
analyze data in real-time.

Components of Data Fabric
1. Data Catalog

The foundation of the data fabric is the data catalog. This component supports
the identification, collection, and analysis of data sources in the fabric.

2. Data Governance

Data governance is an essential component of the data fabric, especially when
handling customer data and ensuring compliance with data privacy and protection
laws.

3. Data Orchestration

This critical layer is responsible for transforming, integrating, and cleansing
the data from data sources.

4. Data Discovery

The data discovery layer allows users from the organization to identify,
catalog, and classify data according to their needs and requirements.

Advantages of Data Fabric
 * Data fabric enables businesses to consolidate data from multiple sources onto
   a single platform
 * Real-time access to data and business analytics
 * Improved connectivity and integration from multiple data sources and location
 * Improved automation of data governance and data management

Data Fabric and Business

A data fabric architecture helps businesses overcome the limitations of previous
data technologies like data warehouses and data lakes. Data fabric can handle
both structured and unstructured data. The use of analytics and knowledge graph
systems also helps transform multiple data types into a consistent format that
is easy to understand for end-users. 

Implementing data fabric provides a lot of benefits to businesses including
improving the efficiency of handling and managing data, improving scalability,
and the ability to integrate data from multiple sources.

Design pattern is a term that is often heard within software development teams and among IT professionals.

Design pattern is a term that is often heard within software development teams
and among IT professionals. It is easy to think that this word would be more at
home with creative teams responsible for making graphics design or visual
creatives but its origin can be traced back to civil engineering. So, what are
design patterns?



Design Pattern in Software Development


In software development, a design pattern is referred to as a general reusable
solution to a commonly recurring problem that is encountered during the
development process. Design patterns may be viewed as best practices or
guidelines to solve common issues or problems in software design and
development. 


Design patterns are documented to ensure that team members can reproduce them in
any context. Typically they contain the intent of the solution, the description
of the problem they intend to solve, and the motivation behind why the solution
was created. They should also include the structure of classes that show how the
patterns are related and a code example.

Design Patterns vs Algorithms


Design patterns are distinct from algorithms because a design pattern is not a
specific set of code that a developer can copy or replicate but more like a
framework of a solution or general concept that has a set of guidelines on how
to approach and solve a problem.

Algorithms, on the other hand, are defined as a clear set of well-defined
actions and formulas designed to solve a problem or perform a computation.

The Types of Design Patterns


A. Creational Patterns
Creational design patterns focus on object-creation mechanisms that generate
objects in a controlled manner. This type of design pattern provides guidance on
how objects are created for specific situations or circumstances. The following
are examples of creational patterns.



Pattern

Description

Abstract Factory

Provides an interface for creating objects without specifying classes

Builder

Helps separate the construction of a complex object from its representation

Factory Method

Creates an object with several derived classes

Prototype

Specifies the kind of objects to create

Singleton

Provides a class with a single instance

B. Structural Patterns
Structural patterns are like a collection of objects and classes that are built
like templates that can be integrated into other objects of the software to form
bigger structures or provide new functionality. The following are examples of
structural patterns.



Pattern

Description

Adapter

Converts or matches the interface of different classes

Bridge

Decouples or separates the object’s interface from its implementation

Composite

Helps compose objects into tree structures  and build hierarchies

Decorator

Dynamically adds responsibilities to objects

Facade

Provides a unified interface to a group or set of interfaces

Flyweight

A fine-grained instance that is utilized for efficient sharing

Proxy

A placeholder for another object

C. Behavioral Patterns
Behavioral patterns focus on dealing with object-oriented software applications.
They identify common communication patterns between objects. The following are
examples of behavioral patterns.



Patterns

Description

Chain of Responsibility

Used to provide loose coupling in which a request is passed between a chain of
objects

Command

Used to encapsulate a command request as an object

Interpreter

Used to define a grammatical representation for a language

Iterator

Provides sequential access to elements of a collection

Mediator

A centralized medium of communication between different objects in a system

Memento

Used to save or capture the state of an object so it can be reverted or restored

Null Object

Used as the default value of an object

Observer

Used as a way of notifying changes to a number of classes

State

Used to change or alter an object’s behavior when its state changes

Strategy

Used to encapsulate an algorithm within a class

Template Method

Used to defer the exact steps of an algorithm to a subclass

Visitor

Provides a definition of a new operation to a class without change

Advantages of Using Design Pattern
Design patterns provide software developers and engineers with a set of proven
and reusable solutions to help them solve or overcome problems encountered
during development.

 * Improves Communication: Design patterns help improve the communications
   between developers and other stakeholders in the team. By standardizing and
   providing detailed documentation of reusable design patterns, solutions can
   be easily communicated and discussed.
   
 * Reduces the Complexity of Problem-Solving: Design patterns can help with the
   problem-solving process by providing developers with defined guidelines on
   how to approach well-documented or commonly recurring problems encountered
   during development.
   
 * Improves the Efficiency of Software Development Teams: Design patterns
   provide teams with scalable and reusable solutions that will help them face a
   variety of problems encountered during development.

By mastering when and how to use these design patterns, development teams are
able to build large-scale applications quickly and efficiently.

Design Patterns and How they Help with Software Development

White Cloak was mentioned as the bank’s partner for their flagship apps. Our Chief Executive Officer, Donn Carlo Gamboa, expressed appreciation for UnionBank’s continued partnership.



On 16 November 2022, Business World issued an article
[https://www.bworldonline.com/special-features/2022/11/16/487480/unionbanks-evolving-ecosystem-showcased-at-singapore-fintech-festival-2022/] 
highlighting UnionBank’s evolving ecosystem, which the latter showcased at the
Singapore FinTech Festival 2022. White Cloak has always been a proud partner in
supporting UnionBank and its digital banking subsidiary, UnionDigital.

In the same article, White Cloak was mentioned as the bank’s partner for their
flagship apps. Our Chief Executive Officer, Donn Carlo Gamboa, expressed
appreciation for UnionBank’s continued partnership.

“We’re drawn to their disposition about innovation and their compassion to
technology. It’s been such a proud moment to see UnionDigital being so
successful, and we want to be part of that journey all throughout,” Donn Gamboa
said, adding that White Cloak will continue to support and provide innovative
software solutions [https://www.whitecloak.com/services] to help businesses
evolve in the fast-paced digital world.

White Cloak is Proud to Support UnionBank in its Digital Transformation

ctivity and sequence diagrams are essential tools in the software development process. These diagrams help teams visualize the workflow and interactions of their system, providing a common language for all team members to use when discussing and aligning product and technical requirements.

The Power of Activity and Sequence Diagrams for Team Alignment in Software Development

Activity and sequence diagrams are essential tools in the software development
process. These diagrams help teams visualize the workflow and interactions of
their system, providing a common language for all team members to use when
discussing and aligning product and technical requirements.

Understanding Universal Modelling Language


Universal Modeling Language (UML) is used to ensure that there is a common,
semantically and syntactical modeling system that consists of diagrams and
visual graphics that will help developers and stakeholders understand,
visualize, construct and document software applications and systems.


In software development [https://www.whitecloak.com/services], UML is used to
visualize projects and is used in activity diagrams and sequence diagrams.

What are Activity Diagrams


Activity diagrams are used to represent and document the business and software
processes as a progression of actions. They are similar to flowcharts because
they provide a visualization of the flow between actions in an activity or
process. The diagrams are typically used before the start of the project to help
model important workflows, during the discovery or requirement phase to
illustrate the flow of events on specific use cases, and during the analysis and
design phase where they define the behavior of operations.


Activity diagrams show the different steps involved in a process, as well as the
decisions that need to be made along the way. This helps teams ensure that all
necessary tasks are accounted for and that the workflow is efficient and
effective.

Activity Diagrams Symbols and Notations


Activity diagrams have specific UML symbols that help concisely visualize the
items and the flow of the action.

Name

Description

Symbol

Initial State

The symbol represents the beginning or start point of a process or workflow in
the activity diagram.



Action/ Connector Flow

The arrows visualize the flow of one action to another.



Action/ Activity State

The activity symbol is represented by a box that has rounded edges. They
represent the activities that are modeled in the process.



Branches and Decisions

The symbol visualizes a decision node in the diagram and has at least two paths
branching out of the symbol with conditions that provide information on the
flow.



Fork Symbol

The symbol represents a split in a single activity flow into two concurrent
activities.



Joint/Synchronization Symbol

The join symbol is a representation of two concurrent activities that join into
one activity flow.



Final/ End State

The symbol represents the end state of an activity and indicates that the flow
of a process has been completed.




What are Sequence Diagrams


Sequence diagrams, on the other hand, focus on the interactions between
different components of a system. They show the messages that are sent between
these components, and the order in which they are sent. This allows teams to see
how different parts of the system will work together and identify any potential
issues or bottlenecks.


In software development, sequence diagrams are a Unified Modeling Language (UML)
that provides a visual representation of the sequence of messages between
objects in a specific interaction. Sequence diagrams can also be used to show
control structures between objects.

Sequence Diagram Symbols and Notations
A sequence diagram is represented by specific symbols and notations that
represent the behavior between objects within a system.

Name

Description

Symbol

Object

The symbol visualizes a class or object in the diagram.



Actor

The symbol for actor in the diagram. They represent how users interact with the
system.



Activation Box

The activation box is represented by a thin upright rectangular box. They
indicate the time needed for an object to complete the task. The longer the
time, the longer the activation box.



Lifeline

The lifeline symbol visualizes the passage of time as it extends away from the
object. It is visualized as a dashed line and shows the sequential events that
happen to an object.





Call Message

Call messages are visualized as a solid line with an arrow. It represents a call
message from one object to another object.



Return Message

Return message is visualized as a dashed line with an arrowhead. It represents a
reply to a call requested by an object.



Destroy Message

The destroy message symbol is represented by an X on a lifeline. This symbol
destroys an object.




The Difference Between Activity and Sequence Diagrams


The activity diagram and sequence diagrams are both UML diagrams. They are both
used to represent the flow of messages between objects in a system or process.
However, both have specific differences in how they are represented and in their
use case.


Activity diagrams provide a graphical visualization of a workflow or process in
a flowchart. They are used to provide an overview of the general sequence of
activities or actions for several objects in the system. It is also used to
visualize how a process is executed.


Sequence diagrams focuses on how objects interact with each other in a system
over time. They provide a visual representation of the behavior of objects and
model their interaction within a system.

Use Cases of Activity Diagrams


Activity diagrams have several use cases and can be used for multiple purposes
during the software development lifecycle. 


At the planning stage of software development, activity diagrams can be used to
visualize the workflow and provide an overview of the sequence of activities in
a system.


During the discovery or requirement phase, the activity diagrams can help
illustrate the different use cases for a system. Most importantly, during the
design phase, the diagram can be used to model software elements like method,
operation, and functionality.

Use Cases of Sequence Diagrams


The main use case of sequence diagrams is to illustrate the behavior and
interaction [https://www.whitecloak.com/insights/design-patterns-overview] of
objects within a system. They are great at visualizing how a group of objects
interact or work together to provide a specific output. 


Sequence diagrams are great for creating usage scenarios and visualizing how a
system can be used. They help provide a visual representation of the logic of
every use case or scenario of a system.


The diagrams can also be used to visualize, and model the method logic of a
function, procedure, or process. They can be used to model how a system
functions or behaves when a user interacts with it in multiple scenarios.

Using Activity and Sequence Diagrams


Using activity and sequence diagrams can help teams stay aligned on their
product and technical requirements, which is crucial for the success of any
software project. With clear visualizations of the workflow and interactions,
everyone on the team can have a shared understanding of the system and its
requirements.


But don't let their usefulness fool you - activity and sequence diagrams can be
fun too! Just try not to get too carried away with all the arrows and boxes.
Remember, it's all about finding the right balance between function and
entertainment.


In conclusion, activity and sequence diagrams are valuable tools for software
development teams. They help with team alignment by providing a common language
for discussing and understanding product and technical requirements. And who
knows, with a little creativity, they might even bring a smile to your face.

Mobile first is an approach that focuses on product design for mobile devices first. The design approach prioritizes the user experience.

Mobile internet usage has reached 4.32 billion users
[https://www.statista.com/topics/779/mobile-internet/#topicOverview] according
to 2021 statistics published by Statista. This means that mobile devices have
become the platform of choice for quickly accessing the internet and transacting
businesses.


Businesses must quickly adapt from solely focusing on optimizing the user
experience on desktop applications to prioritizing mobile devices first on their
applications. Using a mobile-first design on applications will help ensure that
the user experience on mobile devices is at the core of the application's
design.

What is Mobile First Design
Mobile-first design is an approach that focuses on product design for mobile
devices first. The design approach prioritizes the user experience on the
smallest screen dimensions of mobile devices.


The approach before was to take a desktop-first application and port it directly
for mobile phones by taking away visual elements or functionality. This approach
had a negative effect on user experience [https://www.whitecloak.com/services] 
because the navigation and content were not designed to fit properly to smaller
screen sizes.

The Concepts of Mobile First Design


Responsive Web Design
Responsive web design is a web design approach that enables the layout of the
web or application to change based on the size and capabilities of the mobile
device. This approach automatically fits the application to the screen size. It
presents a rough user experience compared to applications purposely designed for
mobile devices.


Progressive Advancement
Progressive advancement echoes closely with the agile development approach. The 
development of the application [https://www.whitecloak.com/services] is centered
on identifying the basic features and functionality first that can be applied to
mobile devices with the smallest screen. As the screen size progressively
increases to a desktop layout more functionality and features are added. Using
progressive advancement helps ensure that the user experience on mobile devices
is built into the design of the product from the start.

Graceful Degradation
Graceful degradation is an inverted approach to progressive advancement. This
means that the web application is developed for desktops first and a separate
version is created for smaller screen sizes for phones and tablets. Using
graceful degradation can mean a lot of compromises between functionality and
compatibility on mobile devices as functionality is slowly degraded as the
capabilities of the devices decrease.


Best Practices for Mobile-First Design
On-Page Content: The key constraint of using mobile devices is the screen size.
The layout of the content is critical to user experience. Prototyping and
testing the content layout in multiple screen dimensions and orientations can
help ensure that the content is easily read from any device.


 1. Intuitive Navigation: An intuitive and straightforward navigation system
    provides a neat and clean user experience. Using features like navigation
    drawers and hamburger menus ensure that the screen is not cluttered and the
    user is not overwhelmed with information.
    
 2. Limit Pop-ups: Pop-ups are useful in providing important information to
    customers when using the application. However, excessive pop-ups can cause
    content layout shifts and clutter the screen. 
    
 3. Network Speed: Mobile devices often use mobile networks to connect to the
    internet. This means that network bandwidth should be considered in
    designing the applications.

A Cross-Platform Approach to Product Design


Advances in technology have led to the development of frameworks that allow
software developers to create applications that can be used on multiple
operating systems. A cross-platform approach to product design and development
provides a number of advantages like reduced development cost, streamlined
workflows, and faster deployments. Using a cross-platform framework allows
developers to have a single code base for both iOS and Android operating
systems.

Flutter
Flutter is an open-source development framework that is developed by Google. The
framework allows developers to build cross-platform applications using
object-oriented programming and rich libraries.

React Native
React Native is another popular native cross-platform development framework that
utilizes the JavaScript programming language. React native is a UI-focused
platform that uses the React JavaScript library to build user interfaces that
are fast and responsive.

Importance of Mobile First in Product Design

Mobile devices account for 58.99% of global website traffic
[https://www.statista.com/statistics/277125/share-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices/] 
and have become an integral part of how we transact business. This is especially
true in the banking and financial industry. A national survey in the United
States conducted by the American Bankers Association
[https://www.aba.com/about-us/press-room/press-releases/bank-customers-turn-to-mobile-apps-more-than-any-other-channel-to-manage-their-accounts] 
has shown that 44% of customers use mobile apps to transact business versus 26%
who use the desktop web version. In addition to the high number of mobile users,
there are other compelling statistics that support the importance of mobile
first design. For example, according to a study by Google (2018), 61% of users
are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing and 40% visit
a competitor's site instead. This demonstrates the importance of designing for
mobile devices to provide a positive user experience and avoid losing potential
customers.


Another study by Google (2018) found that 53% of mobile site visits are
abandoned if pages take longer than three seconds to load. This highlights the
importance of optimizing for performance on mobile devices to ensure a fast and
responsive user experience.

Mobile First Design

Ish Fusilero

Editor

A web-based application is a software or program that allows users to interact with a remote server through a web browser interface.

What is a Web Based Application

A web-based application is a software or program that allows users to interact with a remote server through a web browser interface. When web applications are accessed on a mobile device it can be hard for users to spot the difference between web applications and mobile apps but there are subtle differences on the backend.

Although mobile web traffic is superseding desktop traffic, the latter still accounts for 43.5% of global internet traffic. This means that web-based applications are still an important channel for businesses to interact with their users.


Web Based Apps vs Native Mobile Apps

Native mobile applications differ from web apps because they are purposely designed to be installed and used on mobile devices. They are developed for specific mobile operating systems like Android OS or iOS. Typically, users can access the apps via app stores like the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

Native mobile applications can be relatively expensive to build and develop compared to web applications. It will also be necessary to build the application for iOS and Android which may increase the maintenance costs for the apps.

Despite native mobile apps being costlier than web-based apps, they provide inherent advantages like a more streamlined user experience, improved security, and access to system or device resources like GPS, camera, and biometrics to add an extra layer of security or functionality.




Web-based Apps vs Website

Web-based apps and websites are both accessible via web browsers which can make it hard for end users to differentiate between the two.

One of the key differences between a website and a web-based app is that websites mostly consist of static content that is designed to provide information to all website visitors. Typically, website users can read the content but not manipulate it. Web applications, on the other hand, are designed to interact with end-users. They allow users to read, write and manipulate content or data on the application. They provide a higher level of functionality compared to websites.


Examples of Web Applications

Typically web applications are used by cloud-based SaaS companies like Google’s Gmail web app and Shopify’s eCommerce web app. They are also used by other businesses such as Unionbank's web banking platform.




Advantages of Web-Based Applications

 * Platform Agnostic: One of the advantages of web applications is that they are platform agnostic which can streamline the development costs of the app. They can be accessed from any device or operating system through a compatible web browser.
 * Quick Implementation: Web applications are inherently easier and faster to build compared to native mobile applications.
 * Low Maintenance Cost: Developers can provide real-time updates to web applications compared to the tedious process on most mobile app stores. They are also easier to maintain because they have a common code base for both mobile and desktop browsers.




Developing Web Applications

Although the use of native mobile applications is rising because of the popularity of mobile devices, the usefulness of web-based applications cannot be discounted. It is still an important platform for businesses to provide services or products to their customers and end-users. They are relatively easy to build and inexpensive to maintain.

Need help in deciding whether to opt for a web-based application or a native mobile application? Talk to us today!










What is a Web-based Application

Bryce Mercines

Google Analytics 4 is more than just an upgrade over the previous version but a complete redesign of how the analytic platform collects and handles user data. GA4 is also purpose-built for cross-platform and cross-device tracking for more precise end-to-end tracking of user behavior.

Introduction to Google Analytics 4

Google is rolling out a new version of its analytics tools with the Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The new version was first introduced in October 2020 and is a huge leap over the existing Universal Analytics (UA) currently in use.


New Features in Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 is more than just an upgrade over the previous version but a complete redesign of how the analytic platform collects and handles user data. GA4 is also purpose-built for cross-platform and cross-device tracking for more precise end-to-end tracking of user behavior.

Changes in how metrics are reported

 * Event-based tracking
 * Granular control of data collection and handling
 * Improved privacy settings to ensure GPDR compliance
 * New Account and property hierarchy


Google Universal Analytics Sunset

Google Universal Analytics will no longer process data on Jul 1, 2023. Website managers will no longer be able to see new data pushed to the UA property after the date.


Comparing Metrics with GA4 and UA

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) introduces new changes in how we interpret and report on several key metrics. This is done to provide a more accurate end-to-end view of how customers interact with the website or application. The section below provides a comparison between how UA and GA4 handle several metrics according to the documentation supplied by Google.


Users

Universal Analytics has two user metrics and Google Analytics 4 has three user metrics. UA highlights the total users (shown as users) in most reports but GA4 focuses on the new active users metric which is now shown as users in the new report interface.


Page Views

The pageview metric between UA and GA4 is fairly similar, however, UA tracks screen views in separate mobile-specific properties while GA4 combines both web and app data within the same property.

One key difference is that UA properties can use filters to exclude data but GA4 currently does not support filters.


Purchases

The web purchases metric between UA and GA4 is interpreted similarly between the two versions but with some slight differences.


Sessions

The sessions metrics can vary from several different factors.

 * Geography: The geo location of users can affect how the sessions are recorded on the daily report as the midnight threshold can restart a session.
 * UTMs: UTM tagging within the website can reset a session in Universal Analytics. This can cause a discrepancy between the reported session on UA and GA4.


Sessions / Traffic-Based Acquisition Metrics


Conversion

Conversions between UA and GA4 are similar if the conversion events are set up correctly. UA supports five goal types, destination, duration, pages/session, smart goals and event goals. Currently, GA4 only supports conversion events.


Conversions

Conversions between UA and GA4 are similar if the conversion events are set up correctly. UA supports five goal types, destination, duration, pages/session, smart goals and event goals. Currently, GA4 only supports conversion events.


Bounce Rate


Event Count


New Hierarchy of Google GA4 Properties

A Google Analytics 4 property represents both an app or a website. Google Analytics 4 properties provide separated data streams for the customer touchpoints that send data to the property. We can see from the diagram below that multiple data streams from web and app data can be pushed to a single properly to consolidate the data.


Migrating from UA to GA4

There are several methods to migrate a Univeral Analytics property to the new Google Analytics 4. This step would require editor or administrator permissions on the


A.Analytics data collection for the first time


This method is specific for websites or applications that are implementing Google Analytics for the first time. The first step is to create a new account, this can be done by clicking on the setting icon and hovering over the admin pane.

Once you click the “Create Account” button. This will then generate a Google Analytics account for your website or App. Once you have created the account the next step is to create a property.


Click on the “Create Property” button and Google Analytics will provide you with a series of instructions on how to implement Google Analytics on the website. You can learn more about implementing Google Analytics here.


B. Add Google Analytics 4 to a Site with Universal Analytics

If your website already has an existing Google Universal Analytics account you can use the GA4 setup assistant to set up the Google Analytics 4 account alongside your Universal Property. This method simply creates a new GA4 property alongside your UA4 and will not migrate historical data from UA to GA4.

Click on the”GA4 Setup Assistant” and Google Analytics will provide a walkthrough on how to create a new GA4 property under your Google Analytics account. Learn more about adding GA4 to an existing Google Analytics account here.


Advantages of Migrating to GA4


Migrating to GA4 from Universal Analytics is fairly straightforward thanks to the amount of documentation Google provides. This process usually does not require downtime on your websites or web app. The deadline might be a couple of months away but there several key advantages of migrating ahead to Google Analytics 4 before the sunset date.

 * Parallel Reporting: One of the key advantages of migrating to GA4 early is you can run your Universal Analytics property in parallel with your GA4 property. This will allow website owners to see the difference in how both versions collect and handle data. This also allows you to familiarize yourself with new dimensions and metric labels.
   
 * Improved Data Privacy Compliance: Google Analytics 4 is built specifically to improve the data privacy of website visitors. It has built-in IP anonymization and provides more granular control over data collection and device data.
   
 * Intuitive Event Tracking: Google Analytics 4 comes with a set of pre-configured event tracking templates that will allow you to track events without needing to call on developers to add additional tracking tags to your website or app.
   
 * Machine Learning: Google Analytics 4 introduces predictive metrics which uses machine learning to predict future user behavior based on historical data and other metrics.
   
 * BigQuery Integration: This feature was previously exclusive to the paid Google Analytics 360. The BigQuery Integration allows GA4 to perform analysis and reporting for websites that have a high volume of data.

Google Analytics 4 is definitely a set above the existing Universal Analytics property. Although it still uses cookies to track user behavior it is a step in the right direction in respecting the privacy of web visitors and at the same time providing businesses with accurate metrics to allow them to monitor the performance of the site.

Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management and software development. 

A study from digital.ai has shown that the adoption of agile has increased from 37% to 86% for software development teams. Agile methodology helps teams adapt to changing requirements and timelines.


What is Agile Methodology

Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management and software development. The agile manifesto follows the values of individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiations, and responding to change over following a plan.


The Benefits of Agile

Agile methodology is a customer-focused approach to software development that values collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. It allows software development teams to deliver high-quality output through an iterative development process that promotes collaboration through continuous feedback between client stakeholders and the software development team.


Understanding Scrum and Agile

The Agile methodology is a methodology with a set of principles for software development that is outlined in the Agile manifesto that emphasizes customer collaboration, adaptability and continuous improvement. Scrum is a specific agile framework for managing software development projects and applying agile principles to the project.


Roles in a Scrum Team

The roles in a Scrum team are defined to ensure that each team member is aware of their key responsibilities in the team.


 1. Product Owner: The product owner is responsible for defining the project’s goals, priorities, and the needs of the stakeholders.
 2. Scrum Master: The scrum master is responsible for facilitating scrums or time-boxed iterations called sprints. Scrum masters remove impediments and obstacles that can potentially block the progress of the team including scope creep.
 3. Development team: The development team is composed of business analysts, software developers, designers and testers.  The development team is responsible for delivering the work of the software development project.


Scrum Events

Scrum events are key meetings or time-boxed events that occur during a Scrum sprint cycle. These events help ensure that the team is on track and that everyone is aligned with the project goals and objectives.


 1. Sprint: Sprints are short and time-boxed periods with a specific number of work or deliverables that need to be completed in the time period specified.
 2. Sprint Planning: The purpose of sprint planning is to plan the work and action items for the next sprint.
 3. Daily Stand-up: It is a brief daily meeting where team members share their progress, identify any roadblocks, and coordinate their work.
 4. Sprint Review: Sprint review is a meeting at the end of each sprint where the team outlines the work and action items completed during the sprint and recalibrate product plans based on feedback from stakeholders.
 5. Sprint Retrospective: The objective of the retrospective is to do an autopsy of the previous sprint and identify areas of improvement to help streamline the next sprint.


Agile Scrum Artifacts

Agile Scrum artifacts are tangible, visible items or documents that are created or used during the Scrum process. These artifacts serve as a way to facilitate communication and collaboration and also provides transparency to the team and stakeholders

 1. Product Backlog: The product backlog is a list of new features, bug fixes, action items and deliverables for the entire project.
 2. Sprint Backlog: The sprint backlog is a list of action items from the product backlog that is planned to be completed in a sprint.
 3. Increment: The product increment is the list of deliverables and action items that were completed on the backlog during a sprint.


Advantages of Agile Software Development

The Agile methodology in software development is a customer-focused approach that values collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. It has proven to be an effective method for delivering high-quality software quickly and efficiently and has become widely adopted in the software development industry. By embracing the principles of agile, organizations can achieve improved results, increased customer satisfaction, and a more efficient and productive software development process.










Agile Software Development with Scrum

The API first approach in software development is a development approach that focuses on designing and building the API first before the actual application.

API First Approach to Software Development

On February 7, 2000, Salesforce launched the Salesforce API at the IDG Demo 2000 conference. The Salesforce API is what many considered the first modern web-based API which paved the way for other companies like eBay and Amazon to develop their own APIs.


What is an API


An application Programming Interface (API) is a set of protocols, routines and definitions that enables two software components or applications to communicate with each other. Web-based APIs are APIs that can be accessed over the internet using standard HTTPS protocols.


Types of API

 1. Open APIs: Open APIs or also known as public APs or external APIs are APIs that can be publicly accessible by any developer.
 2. Internal APIs: Internal APIs also known as private APSs are only available within a company or organization. They are typically used for internal company systems and applications to communicate and share data.
 3. Partner APIs: Partner APIs are typically used by companies or partners to share information within each application but typically provide limited access to the data and information.


Types of API Protocols or Architecture

 1. REST API: These are APIs that conform to the Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. REST APIs are also referred to as RESTful APIs. REST APIs use HTTP requests to perform database functions or operations like creating, reading, updating and deleting records or also known as CRUD-type operations. REST APIs are lightweight, flexible and scalable and are typically used for web applications and mobile applications.
 2. SOAP API: A Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) API is a protocol system that utilizes XML to define a messaging framework for communication that allows for a structured exchange of information in a decentralized and distributed environment.


API First Approach to Software Development

The API first approach in software development is a development approach that focuses on designing and building the API first before the actual application. This approach focuses on the API as the foundation of the application product design. The API is the first user interface of the application and is the primary means of interaction between the application and the users.

Benefits of API First Approach

 * Improved documentation and testing: The API-first approach makes it easier to document the application and to test the API separately from the implementation, leading to quicker and more accurate results.
 * Increased focus on microservices architecture: The API-first approach aligns well with microservices architecture, which involves building applications as a collection of small, independent components. This approach makes it easier to scale and maintain applications, and the API-first approach provides a clear and well-defined interface for these components.
 * Better user experience: By putting the API first, the development team can ensure that the application is built with a well-defined and easy-to-use interface, leading to better user experience and overall success of the application.

An API-first approach in software development focuses on the design and development of the API before the implementation. This approach aligns with the agile software development principle of iterative development which makes it a perfect fit for businesses and organizations who want to quickly launch and scale applications.


Comparing API - First Approach to Mobile First Development

Mobile-first in software development is an approach that prioritizes the development of mobile applications before any other platform or device. This ensures that the application is designed to work seamlessly on mobile devices and user experience is built-in the development process.


Comparing API - First Approach to Design First Approach

The design first approach prioritizes the design of the user interface (UI) and prioritizes the User Experience (UX) in the software development process. The design first approach typically involves creating mockups, prototypes, and wireframes to visualize the design and user flow before any code is written.


Comparing API - First Approach to Code First Approach

The code first approach prioritizes the development of the software code as the primary focus of the development process. The code is developed to implement the required functionality of the application and the API is created after the application is built.


The choice of which approach to take will ultimately depend on the project requirements, budget, and goals of the project.


How White Cloak can Help




Choosing the right software development approach can be difficult because of the number of variables and requirements that needs to be considered. Our experience and expertise help eliminate the guesswork and trial and error in software development. We understand that each business is unique and has its own set of requirements and goals. That's why we work closely with our clients to determine the best approach for their specific needs. We take the time to understand their business processes, workflows, and pain points to develop software solutions that are tailored to their requirements.


Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you develop a custom software solution that meets your business needs and goals.













What is an API-First Approach to Software Development

Software development outsourcing refers to the practice of hiring an external vendor or team to handle the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software products. 

A Guide to Software Development Outsourcing

In today's digital age, software development has become a crucial part of almost every business. However, not every business has the resources or expertise to handle software development in-house. This is where software development outsourcing comes into play.


What is Software Development Outsourcing

Software development outsourcing refers to the practice of hiring an external vendor or team to handle the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software products. Outsourcing software development can provide B2B companies with access to specialized expertise, cost savings, scalability, faster time-to-market, and the ability to focus on core business functions


Benefits of Software Development Outsourcing

There are a number of benefits to outsourcing software development to expert software development partners or vendors.


 1. Access to specialized expertise: Outsourcing software development can give companies access to a pool of specialized talent, including software developers, testers, designers, and project managers. This can help B2B companies to get the best talent for their specific needs.
    
 2. Cost savings: Outsourcing software development can be a cost-effective solution for companies. It allows them to avoid the costs associated with recruiting, training, and managing an in-house team. Additionally, outsourcing to countries with lower labor costs can significantly reduce costs.
    
 3. Scalability: Outsourcing software development can provide companies with the flexibility and scalability to meet changing demands. It allows them to quickly ramp up or down their software development capacity based on their business needs.
    
 4. Faster time-to-market: Outsourcing software development can help companies speed up their time-to-market by leveraging the expertise and experience of the outsourcing team. This can help companies to stay ahead of their competitors.
    
 5. Focus on core business functions: Outsourcing software development can free up companies' time and resources to focus on their core competencies, such as sales, marketing, and customer service.


Best Practices for Choosing the Right Software Development Outsourcing Partner

There are plenty of companies and agencies that provide software development outsourcing services and the cheapest option may not necessarily be the best option.


 1. Define Business Requirements: The first step in selecting a software development outsourcing vendor or partner is to clearly define the project requirements like the project scope, technology stack, development timeline and budget.
    
 2. Research Outsourcing Partners: Conduct research and evaluate potential outsourcing partners and vendors based on their experience, expertise, services offered, and reputation.
    
 3. Find the Right Engagement Models: Software development partners or vendors have several engagement services that businesses can choose from, this can typically include staff augmentation, managed software development, and other types of outsourcing models.
    
 4. Meeting the team: When shortlisting vendors and software development outsourcing it is best practice to conduct a site visit to the outsourcing partner to help establish a collaborative working relationship, build communication channels, understand the culture of the vendor or partner and see if the company’s vision and mission align.
    
 5. Evaluate the Vendor’s capabilities: Depending on the business requirements or scope of the project it is important to consider the vendor or partner’s capabilities including team size, infrastructure, processes and flexibility.
    
 6. Evaluate the Total Cost and Contracts: Review the contract and the scope of work and determine the cost and benefits of outsourcing the development process.


Types of Software Development Outsourcing Services


White Cloak provides end-to-end software development outsourcing solutions to help businesses overcome development challenges and achieve their goals. Our team of experienced software engineers, project managers, UI/UX designers, and QA experts work closely with project stakeholders to deliver high-quality solutions that help drive growth and ROI,


Managed Software Development Services


Our managed software development services provide cost-effective solutions for businesses to leverage White Cloak’s expertise and experience in managing software development projects from ideation, requirements gathering, development, deployment, and support.


IT Staff Augmentation


White Cloak also provides IT Staff Augmentation to help businesses overcome the challenges of scaling a software development team. IT staff augmentation provides businesses access to specialized skills and a diverse talent pool that may not be available within their internal team.

Contact us today to learn more about how White Cloak can help.


Owner

As the demand for software development continues to soar, it's crucial for development teams to deliver high-quality software products within tight timeframes. 

As the demand for software development continues to soar, it's crucial for development teams to deliver high-quality software products within tight timeframes. This requires a flexible and adaptive approach, which is where Agile software development and the Scrum framework come into play.


Understanding Agile Software Development and Scrum


Agile software development is an iterative and incremental methodology that prioritizes collaboration, flexibility, and quick adaptation to changing project requirements. It breaks the software development process into smaller, manageable pieces called iterations or sprints, allowing teams to continuously improve and refine the product as they receive feedback from stakeholders.

Scrum is a popular Agile framework that provides a structured approach for managing complex projects. It emphasizes communication, teamwork, and iterative progress towards a well-defined goal. Scrum employs specific roles, events, and artifacts to facilitate the Agile development process, ensuring transparency, adaptability, and efficient project management.


Stages of Agile Software Development with Scrum

 * Product Backlog Creation: The product owner collaborates with stakeholders to identify and prioritize features and requirements for the software application. These items are documented in the product backlog, which serves as the foundation for the project.
 * Sprint Planning: The development team, product owner, and Scrum Master select a subset of items from the product backlog to work on during a sprint, typically lasting two to four weeks. The sprint goal is defined, and a sprint backlog is created with the selected items.
 * Implementation: During the sprint, the development team works on the items in the sprint backlog, writing code, integrating components, and creating databases. Unit tests are also conducted to ensure the code functions as expected.
 * Daily Stand-up: The team holds daily 15-minute meetings to discuss progress, share updates, and address any obstacles. This ensures that the team stays aligned and on track to achieve the sprint goal.
 * Sprint Review: At the end of each sprint, the development team presents the completed work to stakeholders for feedback. This helps identify any adjustments needed for the next sprint.
 * Sprint Retrospective: The team conducts a retrospective to evaluate the sprint's success, identify areas for improvement, and make any necessary adjustments to the process.
 * Continuous Integration and Testing: Throughout the Agile process, the development team consistently integrates and tests the software to ensure that it meets stakeholders' requirements and functions correctly.
 * Deployment and Maintenance: As the software application is developed incrementally, it is continuously deployed and updated, addressing bugs and adding new features as needed. This ensures that the software remains up-to-date and meets users' needs throughout its lifecycle.


The Importance of Agile Software Development and Scrum


Agile software development with the Scrum framework offers numerous advantages to development teams, project managers, and other stakeholders involved in software development. It encourages collaboration, open communication, and accountability, enabling teams to quickly adapt to changing requirements and deliver high-quality software products. Agile and Scrum also reduce the risk of delays and operational challenges, ensuring projects are executed efficiently and effectively.


How White Cloak Can Help


White Cloak offers managed software development solutions tailored to your business's unique needs and requirements. We help transform your vision into a fully functional and scalable software solution, leveraging the power of Agile methodology and the Scrum framework.

Our Agile approach emphasizes flexibility and responsiveness, allowing us to adapt swiftly to project changes and deliver results faster. Our team of expert developers, designers, and Scrum Masters collaborate to ensure your software meets the highest standards of quality, reliability, and security. Contact us today to learn more about how White Cloak can help.

Modern Agile Software Development with Agile and Scrum

Thinking About Creating a Mobile Application

Mobile applications have become an essential part of our daily lives both in our personal day-to-day tasks and how we conduct business. According to an article in the Entrepreneur, there are at least 1.96 million applications available on the Apple Store and 2.87 million on the Google Play store. The report also highlighted that there are now at least 6.3 billion smartphone users across the world. This shows the popularity of mobile applications and how businesses can reach their audience.


What is a Mobile Application

A mobile application, commonly referred to as an app, is a software program designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile apps can provide a wide range of functionality, including social media access, messaging, entertainment, productivity, and more. They are typically downloaded from app stores, such as Apple's App Store or Google Play, and can be either native or web-based.


Key Mobile Application Statistics

Statista estimates that revenue from mobile applications will reach around 613 billion U.S. dollars by 2025

 * Global mobile app downloads in 2022 have surpassed 225 million downloads
 * Mobile apps are expected to generate $935 billion in revenue by 2023 accordion to Business of Apps

These key mobile application statistics further highlight the importance of mobile applications as a key channel for revenue generation and customer engagement.


What are the Types of Mobile Applications



Mobile applications are generally classified into three categories:

 1. Native Applications
    

Native apps are developed specifically for a particular platform or operating system, such as iOS or Android. Native apps offer a high level of performance and user experience, as they are optimized for the specific hardware and software of the device. However, native apps can be more expensive to develop and maintain, as they require separate development for each platform.

2. Web Applications

Web apps, on the other hand, are essentially mobile-optimized websites that can be accessed through a mobile browser. They are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and are often used for simpler applications such as mobile versions of websites. Web apps are easier and more cost-effective to develop than native apps since they require only one codebase that can be accessed from any device with a browser. However, they may offer a lower level of performance and user experience than native apps.

3. Hybrid Applications

A hybrid mobile application is a type of mobile app that combines elements of both native and web-based apps. Hybrid apps are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but are packaged and distributed as native apps. This allows them to be installed and run on a mobile device just like a native app, but with the ability to access device features and hardware through plugins and native API calls.


The Rise of Cross-Platform Applications


There are currently more than 6.3 billion smartphone users worldwide and according to Statista, the Android OS accounts for 71.8% of the operating system for mobile devices globally and 27.6% for Apple iOS. These statistics highlight the importance of considering cross-platform compatibility with developing applications for mobile devices.


What is Cross Platform Development


Cross-platform development is the process of building software applications that can run on multiple platforms, devices, or operating systems. Cross-platform development utilizes frameworks and libraries that allow the mobile application to run smoothly on several operating systems.

The Top Cross-Platform Solutions Frameworks


 1. React Native: A framework developed by Facebook for building native mobile applications for iOS and Android using JavaScript and React.
 2. Xamarin: A framework that allows developers to create native iOS, Android, and Windows applications using C# and the .NET framework.
 3. Flutter: A framework developed by Google for building native mobile, web, and desktop applications using Dart.

Utilizing a cross-platform development framework allows businesses to reduce development time, reduce cost and streamline maintenance. These are just the top three cross-platform development frameworks that businesses can use to develop cross-platform mobile applications. Out of the three, we recommend Flutter.


Choosing the Right Development Partner for Your Business


Having the right mobile applications development partner can be key in ensuring that the project requirements are met, within budget, and delivered on time.

White Cloak is a leading software development company that can help businesses create high-quality and user-friendly applications that work seamlessly across multiple platforms and devices cost-effectively.

We can help businesses navigate the complexities of mobile application development by providing cost-effective solutions that are tailored to meet the unique needs and requirements of each business. Our user-centered approach to mobile application development has already helped companies in industries like banking, retail and real estate to name a few.

Start a project and contact us today.






Thinking About Creating a Mobile Application?

Phishing is a type of cyber attack in which attackers use deceptive tactics to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card details, or personal data. It typically involves impersonating a trustworthy entity

Cyber Security: Understanding and Preventing Phishing

Phishing attacks have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, targeting individuals and organizations across the globe. It is estimated that 36% of data breaches are caused by phishing attacks and 75% of phishing websites are using SSL certificates to appear legitimate making it harder for users to detect a fake website. The statistics might look grim but there are simple and easy steps in preventing or reducing the risk of a phishing attack.


What is Phishing


Phishing is a type of cyber attack in which attackers use deceptive tactics to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card details, or personal data. It typically involves impersonating a trustworthy entity, such as a reputable organization like a bank or digital wallet, in order to gain the user’s trust and manipulate them into taking certain actions like providing sensitive information.


The Risks of a Phishing Attack


Phishing attacks can lead to unauthorized access to mobile applications and software like social media apps, banking apps and digital wallets. Cyberattackers through phishing attacks can trick users into providing sensitive information like credit card details, usernames and passwords which can lead to financial loss, data breaches and identity theft.


Example: Attackers Accessing a Digital Wallet Through a Phishing Attack


Cyber attackers can use the data and information they have obtained like usernames and passwords to access applications like banking applications or mobile wallets. In this example, we demonstrate how cyber attackers can potentially gain access and initiate transactions in a digital wallet app.

The attack starts when users click on links in an email, website or app that leads to a fake website or landing page. These websites are purposely designed to look like legitimate websites that will trick users into submitting sensitive information like credit card details, usernames and passwords.

Once the attackers have the username and password attackers will then use a phishing attract to counteract security checks like two-factor authentication (2FA). These attacks unknowingly ask users to provide access to attackers by providing them with a one-time password (OTP) through fake emails, forms, and websites that are delivered through a phishing attack. Attackers will then use time-sensitive prompts to convince users to quickly send the OTP or risk losing access to their accounts and losing out on limited offers like discounts or freebies.

Once the attackers have access to the usernames, passwords and OTP, they can initiate unauthorized transactions in the app.

These types of attacks can easily be prevented through awareness and following cyber security best practices.


Preventing a Phishing Attack


Here are some helpful steps in preventing and reducing the risk of a phishing attack.

 1. Always double-check the sender's email or number. A minor spelling difference can be a major red flag." (i.e. janedoe@digitalwallet-online.com vs janedoe@digitalwallet.com)
 2. Be skeptical of requests for personal info. Legitimate companies will NEVER ask for your sensitive data via email or SMS.
 3. Don’t click on links or download attachments from unknown sources. If in doubt, visit the official website directly.
 4. Enable two-factor authentication where possible for an extra layer of security.
 5. Regularly update your software. Updates often include patches for new security threats.
 6. Be cautious when authorizing third-party apps, such as non-PAGCOR-accredited gambling apps, to use your e-wallet account.

A proactive approach to cybersecurity can dramatically reduce the risk of a cyber attack. Using these cybersecurity best practices can help keep applications like mobile banking apps and digital wallets secure.

At White Cloak Technologies, we're committed to building secure fintech solutions. For more advice on how to keep your data safe, feel free to reach out to us.

5 Factors to Consider For Your Business’ Cybersecurity

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5 Factors to Consider For Your Business’ Cybersecurity

RECENT ARTICLES

Let's create something amazing together

Let's create something
amazing together