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Beliefs that guide our product development

E-commerce software poses a challenge to develop because while it may offer admin users a consistent feature set, each public storefront ought appear unique. Moreover, e-commerce sites often grow up with order placement and fulfillment requirements that are unique to the companies that rely on them for critical daily operations. Over the years, we've created a process for balancing the desire for custom features with the undisputed advantage of a common core base of code. Here's some of the convictions that guide this process and our overall product development:

Beliefs about web-based software

• The web as a platform makes it possible to compete with anyone.
• The web is how software can be optimally delivered in many cases. It requires no on-site installation or maintenance, ought be continuously updated via the Internet, and will be accessible from any web browser on any computer platform.
• There are enormous efficiencies to be gained by the software developer hosting its own application. When it comes to web-based software, there's often a blurry line between what's "software" and what's "hosting."
• Great software developers have more in common with the artist or writer, than they do with the computer hardware technician or mechanic. Either kind of person requires the proper tools to achieve excellence.
• With the right toolset, a small team can create software that's both extraordinarily powerful and a delight to create and maintain.

Beliefs about the software development process

• Great software is not necessarily a long list of features. In fact, we're always looking to remove features that, as it turns out, don't matter.
• "Custom" software to power a core business activity is a notion appropriate to companies who are themselves software developers. Custom software is probably not what you want. It's not what we can offer and still serve you well over the long-term.
• Creating great software requires saying no at least as often as saying yes. The art is in knowing when.
• Three words: Watch, listen, and test.
• Results rule. Questionable new features or unique "customizations" can prove their value over time. Techniques like limited roll-outs and "live beta" tests or features with "sunset provisions" can help balance the fact of urgent client timelines with the requirement for a product with long-term integrity.
• A software product is never finished. it has more in common with an on-going subscription service than a product that's delivered.

Continuously updated software, delivered over the web and developed by a discriminating, inventive small team, is a recent phenomenon that promises to bring people's satisfaction with their computers to new heights. Among other things, that improves people's willingness to shop on-line.

Can you imagine using a product designed by a team of software developers with such a perspective? Can you imagine helping build such a product, working alongside us as our next colleague? Contact us now.