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Agile and Waterfall Methodologies in Software
Waterfall and Agile are well known approaches in software development. They are two unique methodologies providing different directions for various types of projects.
Agile Software Development – a type of development framework that expects the need for flexibility and applies a level of efficiency to the delivery of the finished product through consistent deliverables & communication.
Agile
- Frequent meetings
- Works well in conjunction with MVP
- High flexibility
- Short term deadlines – quick deliverables
- Collaboration between parties
- Reduced risk
- Cost effective
This graph shows the flow of an agile timeline. There is constantly a new deliverable and after each deliverable, there is communication between parties to review what is working and what needs to shift in order to continue improving the product. The time between each deliverable is typically two to four weeks, although it can be shorter. Due to consistent communication between parties, agile is more cost effective because the project can shift easily and frequently.
Waterfall Software Development – With a waterfall methodology, the scope and requirements of the project are defined upfront. The client receives large batch deliverables at the end of each development phase.
Waterfall
- Goals set from the beginning
- Requirements are clear and fixed
- Infrequent meetings
- Complete deliverables before moving onto next phase
- Low flexibility
- Higher cost
Looking at the graph to the right, you’ll see that Waterfall project timelines are longer than Agile. While working on a Waterfall project, there is often less communication as the requirements are less flexible in the beginning phases of the project. Due to this, there is more risk associated because of less flexibility to change the product. In Waterfall, each stage of the project needs to be completed before moving on to the next step.
Agile is more commonly used today because of the flexibility, cost efficiency, and reduced risk associated with this methodology.
Does Your Business Need a Mobile App?
Mobile apps have increasingly become an integral part of the digital landscape. For many businesses, they are an indispensable asset and for others, the question still remains: “Should my business be utilizing a mobile app?” This article discusses a few things to consider before jumping into the world of app development and will give a better understanding of things to consider when deciding if an application is necessary for your business.
- Your audience
- The value of your app
- Your competitors
- Long term app support
- Current website
Your Audience
Consider who your audience and ideal customers are. Here is a great article from HubSpot that breaks down exactly how to figure out who your target audience is.
The Value of Your Mobile App
An app should add inherent value to both a business and its customers. Here are a few ways an app can add value:
- New Revenue
- Selling goods and services
- Process payments, track orders, and manage inventory
- Sell a new product
- Offer follow-up goods
- Build Relationships
- Connect to your customers through push notifications about new products, services, special offers, and events.
- Collect customer feedback and build relationships
- Better customer service
- Reduce Expenses
- Can help save time
- Answer questions
- Automate processes
Long Term App Support
Apps require maintenance of follow-up features and updates. Once an app is developed, there may be bug fixes to keep up with along with improving basic functionality of the app as time goes on. Consider the time commitment and cost associated with keeping an app updated.
Current Website
When deciding if you need a mobile app, consider whether you are able to accomplish what you need by adding small changes to your website. A well optimized website can provide many of the same functions as a mobile application. If you already have a website, think about the additional benefits a mobile app will provide and ask yourself the question, “Should my business be utilizing a mobile app?”
All in all, developing an app can be a very positive addition to your business when it adds value and helps you connect with your consumers. If you are interested in looking at the next steps, talking with a professional app development company is a great place to start in order to assess your business needs and determine if an app is right for you.
Marketing Websites vs Web Applications
We are often asked if we build “websites” – yes we do, but there is nuance to the answer. The websites that we build are better defined as “Web Applications”. And a “Web Application” is different from another type of website – a “Marketing Website”. How are these two different? In short: A Marketing Website presents information about a topic or business and a Web Application helps users get something done. The table below describes many of the differences between a Marketing Site and a Web Application. Since Matraex is the #1 Web Applications development firm in the Boise market – people looking for a local ‘Website Designer’ will often reach out to us – I added some links to the Google My Business page for several long term and reliable local resources to help people understand the different companies that comprise these different categories of “Website” builders.
Marketing Website Developers
Web Application Developers
- Matraex, Inc (this is us!!)
- Vynyl
- Ventive
The key differences between a Marketing Website and a Web Application
| Marketing Website | Web Application | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A marketing website’s goal is to provide information, most of these are corporate business sites providing details of a company’s offerings with resources, contact information and links to related industry | A Web Application is a website that helps a user accomplish something through its interfaces. |
| Development process | A Marketing Website can be developed by creating and approving a design, building on the information and content and then applying the design to the content. | A Web Application starts as an idea and forms into a list of features (a roadmap) with the most important features first. The developers implement the items in order of the roadmap. More sophisticated applications often have multiple environments so the complex logic can be tested be approving features to be moved to launch. |
| Time to launch | An entry Marketing Website can take between one week and one month depending on complexity and number of pages. | An entry Web Application MVP (minimum viable product), can take 2 to 6 months to launch. |
| Time Requirements | Most time goes to creating content and managing SEO. A larger one time cost to design the interface and layout is a close second | Most time is spent in developing code to create features and functionality. |
| Team | A project manager, a content creator, and a front-end developer. | Project manager and a full stack developer. Larger teams will have roles split into back-end and front-end developers. |
| Hosting Cost | Less expensive – MANY SOLUTIONS! | More expensive – the hosting is often decided by the technology stack and development group. Modern applications use cloud based hosting which only charge for usage, but can scale to high levels |
| Common Technology Platforms | WordPress, Wix, Square | PHP, React.js, NodeJS, ASP.NET, java |
| Specialties | HTML / CSS / Design / Front End SEO / Content Generation / Design / Copywriting | Programming / Database / Logic / Backend Testing / User Experience / QA Innovation / Security |
Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise
Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise
I was asked recently, what kinds of work do you do for your clients.
The short answer is “Matraex, Inc provides Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise to small businesses“
Below I describe our services in more depth.
Contact me to discuss what we can do for you – Michael Blood – 208.344.1115 x 250
Matraex, Inc – Nationwide Web Services
- We design online presence websites in WordPress.
- We custom build web applications for businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals with ideas.
- We create custom automation and time saving software using the web.
- We support, refresh, repair and enhance existing websites and custom applications.
- We provide Managed WordPress Hosting services.
- We build, host and support custom scale-able hosting environments.
Matraex, Inc – Basic consulting and technology list
- WordPress Website Development
- WordPress Plugin Development
- Custom Web Application Development
- Web Task Automation
- PHP Development
- MySQL and Postgres Database Administration
- Website Overhaul and Repair
Matraex Inc, – Boise, Idaho Web Services:
While we work for clients nationwide. A large percentage of our clients are from here in Boise, Idaho. When items become complex we are able to work directly with clients in our office onsite at our client’s office. We communicate via skype or just on the phone.
- Boise, Idaho WordPress Website Development
- Boise, Idaho WordPress Plugin Development
- Boise, Idaho Custom Web Application Development
- Boise, Idaho Web Task Automation
- Boise, Idaho PHP Development
- Boise, Idaho MySQL and PostgreSQL Database Administration
- Boise, Idaho Website Overhaul and Repair
WordPress Website Development
WordPress is an online, open source website creation tool written in PHP. WordPress allows Matraex, Inc to quickly create a beautiful online presence for your business and the give you the ability to login and make simple updates to your site. It is the easiest and most powerful blogging and website content management system (or CMS)
We offer WordPress Website Development solutions that are compatible with all business models and industry verticals. Our team of WordPress developers provides WordPress CMS development, plugin development. Also theme customization and maintenance services as well as ongoing security and update services through our Managed WordPress Hosting.
When you engage Matraex, Inc to build or enhance your online, unless you have another tool in place. We will likely recommend that we develop your marketing presence using the WordPress Content Management System. Depending on your vertical and your website needs we will either find existing WordPress plugins. We also build new plugins which add the needed custom touch to your website.
WordPress Plugin Development
A WordPress plugin is a piece of software that can be uploaded to extend and expand the functionality of your WordPress site. Matraex, Inc builds custom plugins such as this, any time that our client needs are not met with the base WordPress Package.
In each of these situations, Matraex, Inc relies on its deep knowledge of WordPress. Also the WordPress SDK and the PHP programming language to implement new and innovative website features.
Legacy WordPress Plugin Repair and Replacement
In many cases we have customers with existing WordPress websites with plugins which are out of date. Even some what wont work with newer versions of WordPress, in these cases we can:
- Find an up to date WordPress Plugin which replaces the functionality of the out of date plugin
- Make changes to the WordPress Plugin code to bring it up to date or
- Build a replacement plugin made for the current version of WordPress.
Custom Web Application Development
Matraex, Inc works with entreprenuers, business owners and individuals with ideas to define innovative Web based applications and solutions which solve real world problems. Our team takes stakeholders through a process to define problems and craft potential solutions. From this we build a project that our clients want and the Matraex team can commit to. We then work closely with the client to get constant feedback throughout the development process to implement a fabulous product. Each of our Custom Web Application projects are implemented into a production hosting environment, where we continue to support them as needed.
Web Task Automation
Most people that work within a small business recognize problems and issues within their industry that need to be fixed. Small tasks which take up more time, than the value they provide. They often know that if they had the software, the task could be automated. Matraex, Inc builds the custom software that provides this automation. We work with our clients, the industry professionals who understand the issues. We create software which reliably accomplishes and automates the tasks. We periodically followup on the process to confirm that the software continues to accomplishes what has been intended or whether it could be improved.
PHP Development
PHP Powers nearly 70% of websites and has emerged as the most preferred & widely used server-side language. Historically, 90% of our development projects have been done with PHP. All new development projects are done using PHP, whether it is within the WordPress CMS. The laravel Framework, uses other composer packages. Or a custom frameworkless PHP project using a homegrown library of functions.
Matraex builds PHP websites using MySQL, Linux and Apache which is popularly known as the LAMP platform. We are able to launch new LAMP shared or dedicated development and production environments in minutes at one of our two redundant Data Centers (Involta and Fiberpipe)
Our company’s PHP Development Services offer multipurpose solutions that encapsulate the following:
- PHP Web Development
- PHP Application Development
- Custom PHP Development
- PHP Software Customization and Integration
- PHP Porting and Migration
- Packaged PHP Applications
- PHP Professional Services
- PHP Outsourcing
MySQL and Postgres Database Administration
The custom applications that Matraex, Inc develops integrate with a database to store persistent application data. Some applications like WordPress automatically setup and manage all aspects of the MySQL database architecture. But our custom applications require database administration (DBA) services for setup and maintenance. Matraex, Inc has Oracle Certified MySQL Administration experts to address the Database needs of these custom applications.
Matraex, Inc internally follows very stringent Database Naming conventions which we have used for more than 10 years. These standards allow our development team to very quickly create custom relationships. We also area able to easily read and understand relationships in existing applications we have built.
Website Overhaul and Repair
Websites get old, designs get tired and software gets outdated. Matraex, Inc breathes new life into websites by either a small simple change. Or a complete website overhaul. Depending on the client need we address goals and budget to recreate websites which perform.
Matraex offers Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise.
Company Potluck – 4/27/2015
Matraex has moved
Matraex has moved
Matraex has outgrown our space at 1101 W Grove St in Boise. The space was great and everyone LOVES being downtown, but we were to big for the tight space.
We will be hiring 2 to 3 people in 2015, starting with a new Developer on January 5th, and so we decided to treat ourselves to a little holiday treat and find a larger space.
So we found an office with more than twice the space (at the historic Alaska Building about a block closer into downtown Boise and moved in on Monday the 15th of Decmber.
With a giant bank of windows looking out at Bogus Basin, we have been very happy with the amount of space and light.
Over the coming weeks we will be adding our unique blend of geeky design to the office space.
The new address is, all those that would like to use the mail to send us anything, please send it to the address below:
1020 W Main St
Suite 250
Boise, Idaho 83702
8Th Annual Matraex River Trip (Survivors)
8Th Annual Matraex River Trip (Survivors)
We completed the 8th1 Annual Matraex Trip and everyone returned safe and sound. We all got wet to varying degrees, everyone got tossed around, one tossed half out (but wholly rescued). Other than one knee-bruised rib and a single rib-bruised knee, we ended the day with smiles all around. Here are some highlights of the trip this year:
1 – The 8th annual Matraex river trip is only one year after the second 6th2 annual Matraex river trip.
2 – Basically this was the 8th because the 6th3 happened twice, and there never was a 7th.
3 – It was actually the 5th that happened twice, and there never was a 6th, the 7th trip actually happened.
Employee Appreciation Night – Wahooz
Employee Appreciation Night – Wahooz
The tema at Matraex went to Wahooz on Tuesday February 4th for some pizza, laser tag, go carts and video games.
We ended up with a group of 15 with family and all.
I was lots of fun and we will probably end up doing it again!
Employee Appreciation Night – Idaho Steelheads Hockey
Employee Appreciation Night – Idaho Steelheads Hockey
The crew at Matraex headed down to the Century Link Arena to watch the Idaho Steelheads play against the Colorado SomethingSomethings. Â The group of 13 (including some family that came along) sat just behind the east goal and caught some great action.
Unfortunately The Steelheads lost, but the everyone enjoyed the show!
Family Bowling Night
Family Bowling Night
At 6:00 Wednesday October 3rd Matraex employees with their families had a bowling night at Big Al’s. It was great to get together with coworkers, spouses and the kids and spend some time having fun and getting to know the families. John was the experienced bowler of our bunch scoring an impressive 199. We are learning that John is a man of many talents.
Bowling at Big Als
Wednesday October 3rd
6:00
http://www.ilovebigals.com/meridian/