We’re happy to announce that we have a new managing partner on board – Rami Wazni. With over two decades of experience in the software development industry, Wazni will be responsible for overseeing Appstronauts’ North American division and helping to increase our presence in the region.
With geolocation, you offer extra value to your app’s users and increase the competitive advantage. And it’s super easy to implement with Ionic. Discover what are the benefits and how to do it.
Starting a new project involves many activities. Definitely, the best way to start any project is to proceed in accordance with the following steps: make a plan, prepare the budget and start the work. However, the complex environment of the IT industry repeatedly proves that it is not that simple. The practiced solution is to first evaluate what the client wants, then analyze what we can provide to the client, and then go by baby steps with each phase and part of the project. Therefore, the so-called workshops are a very popular solution in the IT industry. Thanks to them, it is possible to determine on an ongoing basis what the project should look like, what it should contain, and what goals should be set. Properly conducted and respectively organized workshops can be extremely beneficial for both clients and service providers.
This article will cover the following topics:
The first question we have to answer is what exactly workshops are? In a nutshell, workshops are scoping or ideation sessions where all the parties discuss the details of the vision and project. Workshops are therefore perfect in situations when the requirements from the client are on the general level, and the company does not have the capability to define the product backlog precisely. What is more, properly prepared and implemented workshops are also a great starting point of the project! It is always a good idea to let all people dive deeply into the details of the case. A better understanding of the objectives at the very beginning of the project brings significant benefits during its lifetime. Also, the proper product vision can be developed during such workshops. The scoping session during the workshop and its outcomes help to prepare an explicit plan. The result is, that it can speed up work on the project and minimize the risk of unnecessary misunderstandings.
We already know what workshops are, but why is the implementation of the workshops at the beginning of the project so important? It is because a project scoping workshop is not only the method to create requirements for the project! Workshops are also a suitable way to start the project with all other parties. Developers, stakeholders, designers, as well as the client, can work together. This gives the great opportunity to exchange views between those groups and allows all the members to align with the vision and objectives for the project. Furthermore, the scoping, workshop session is also a great starting point for every startup! It is certainly a reasonable approach to determine the startup feasibility and any other details without wasting budget on many trials and errors that can occur during the project. Also, from a business point of view, such meetings are needed, because we can properly estimate the budget and consult it with the client
By implementing the workshops at the beginning of the project you will be able to:
It is also very important to list possible benefits that you will receive by implementing the workshops at the beginning of the project:
The workshop is not only the method to create requirements for the project, but it is also a great way to kick-off the project with all the parties. You will be able to talk with clients, developers, project managers, and other stakeholders. Thanks to this it is possible to establish a specific and actual plan, and allow all of the members to align with the project vision.
During the workshops, it is possible to identify key roles along with the responsibilities of all team members. Such action will ensure efficient work during the whole project and even better communication between all the parties! Thanks to this, many unnecessary problems can be avoided.
The scoping, workshop session is the best method to determine the cost and delivery time estimation. During the workshop, you are able to consult with the client, the ways and details of the delivery of the stages of the project, specific prices as well as other details that should be taken into account at the very beginning. By doing this you will be able to avoid any misunderstandings, that can delay work or cause unnecessary trouble.
This point is directly related to the previous ones, and by implementing the workshops you will be able to define what should be created and how it should be delivered. It is a perfect moment to create the right strategy for the project, minimize further risks, and make the budget predictable. A clear roadmap and direction for development will make the project possible!
Apart from workshops, there are also alternative methods that enable proper preparation to start a project. Therefore, if you are not interested in workshops, you can choose a different solution. Such a solution is a Design Sprint. We have discussed this topic thoroughly in our other article, however, it is worth mentioning briefly this methodology again. Design Sprint is a methodology that was developed by Google and it allows to solve problems through design, prototyping, and testing ideas with the users. The whole Design Sprint is a 5-day process that is designed to compress the months of work in just one week! Each day of the Design Sprint is another step of this process that gives the necessary answers about the product and the business itself. If you are interested more in this methodology be sure to read our article.
To summarizing, the workshops are certainly a useful methodology that will allow us to save a lot of time on negotiating with the client. Due to the numerous benefits from the implementation of workshops, everyone should consider such a choice before starting a project. It will certainly be a good business solution and a positive choice from the client’s perspective.
Conducting a comprehensive research is one of the most critical stages in product development. It allows you to learn if there’s a demand for your idea, find out what your target audience is and check what they think about your vision.
It lasts for 5 days. Gives you answers, solutions, and a prototype of your idea, which is tested on real users. Design Sprint – get ready to validate your product idea in a week!
If you want to put a new product on the market, you need to understand your target audience. That way, you will know how to address their problems with your solution. And the best tool to learn about your future customer is User Persona.
