News from ERNI

Productivity in software development is slowed down by managing specifications across various requirements management (RM) tools. Although moving to a single, updated RM tool involves an upfront investment, the long-term benefits are considerable. These include increased process efficiency, enhanced collaboration, superior traceability, improved software specification quality, cost reductions, scalability and better integration with other RM tools, among others.

Data plays a very important role in every area of a company. When it comes to data, a distinction is made primarily between operational data and dispositive data. Operational data play an important role, especially in day-to-day business. However, they are not nearly as relevant as dispositive data. This is because these data are collected over a longer period of time and provide an initial insight into the history or the past.

For hospitals, it is not up for discussion as to whether they want to digitalise. The increasing age of the population in western countries and the progressive shortage of medical professionals mean that without digitalisation, the healthcare system will not be able to provide the quality that patients want in the future.

Discover the unique challenges faced in testing mobile applications and learn how to overcome them effectively. From selecting suitable devices and operating systems to leveraging cloud-based test platforms, test automation and emulators, this article provides seven essential strategies for optimising your mobile app testing process.

Traditional agile methodologies can sometimes struggle to accommodate the complexity and regulatory requirements of laboratory automation systems, leading to misalignment with stakeholder needs, scope creep, and potential delays. The lack of comprehensive requirements documentation can result in ambiguous expectations and hinder effective communication among cross-functional teams.

Transforming an idea into a successful machine learning (ML)-based product involves navigating various challenges. In this final part of our series, we delve into two crucial aspects: ensuring 24/7 operation of the product and prioritising user experience (UX).

Generative AI models have recently amazed with unprecedented outputs, such as hyper-realistic images, diverse music, coherent texts, and synthetic videos, sparking excitement. Despite this progress, addressing ethical and societal concerns is crucial for responsible and beneficial utilization, guarding against issues like misinformation and manipulation in this AI-powered creative era.

ERNI is setting an agenda for growth and innovation with the appointment of Peter Zuber as Managing Director of the Swiss business unit. With his previous experience and expertise, he will further expand the positioning of ERNI Switzerland, as a leading consulting firm for software development and digital innovation.

The second article from the series on data-driven projects, explores common challenges that arise during their execution. To illustrate these concepts, we will focus on one of ERNI’s latest project called GeoML. This second article focuses on the second part of the GeoML project: Idea2Proof.

In this series of articles (three in total), we look at data-driven projects and explore seven common challenges that arise during their execution. To illustrate these concepts, we will focus on one of ERNI’s latest project – GeoML, dealing with the development of a machine learning algorithm capable of assessing road accident risks more accurately than an individual relying solely on their years of personal experience as a road user, despite limited resources and data availability.

The future of work involves collaboration between robots and humans. After many years of integrating technology into work dynamics, the arrival of collaborative robots, or cobots, is a reality, boosting not only safety in the workplace but also productivity and efficiency in companies.

Struggling with a difficult software application is like forcing a lid onto a poorly fitting container. This article explores the significance of user experience (UX) in software development. Discover how prioritising UX improves efficiency and customer satisfaction and reduces risks and costs. Join us as we uncover the key to successful software applications through user-centric design.

With the rise of cyber threats and the growing dependence on technology, businesses must recognize the significance of application security as a fundamental pillar for protecting sensitive information and preserving operational resilience.

Ready for a taste of success? Transformation is brewing in the business world, and it’s time to embrace it. But navigating through uncharted waters can be a daunting task. Fear not! A transformation manager is a secret ingredient you need to navigate through the storming waters. Want to learn more about how a transformation manager can help you? Keep reading!

Have you ever wondered how the products you use every day are designed? Meet a user experience designer who believes that users are essential to their professional life. In this article, you’ll learn how designers create products that meet users’ needs and preferences through user-centred design. Get a glimpse into the design process and see why putting users first is crucial for creating enjoyable and effective products.

In software development, requirements are crucial for bridging the gap between stakeholders and the development team. Natural language is a popular technique for documenting requirements but is prone to misinterpretation. This article explores the challenges of using natural language and provides tips for writing effective requirements.

Have you ever thought about the challenges and goals of adopting Agile for large, traditional technology companies? In this series of articles, we will share how we approached them, how we worked together and, most importantly, what we learnt partnering with one of them.

Today marks the completion of my one-year anniversary at ERNI, and I am filled with gratitude for the incredible experiences I have had during this time. From the very first day, I was welcomed with open arms by a team of wonderfully supportive colleagues who not only helped me acclimate to my new role but also made me feel like a valuable member of the team.

Discover how to make better decisions using the decision analysis method (DAM). This article explains the theoretical and practical steps in creating a DAM, including working environment, formulating the decision problem, selecting alternatives, collecting decision criteria, and weighting and evaluating criteria. Learn how to calculate the benefit, perform sensitivity analysis and document your results. Make rational decisions with emotional impact using a DAM.

What do you think of when you hear the term user experience design? Do you picture adapted user interfaces? Do you ask yourself what a user experience designer can do? In both cases, this article is written just for you. We want to show you that user experience design produces more than appealing user interfaces. You should also be able to get an idea of what expertise UX design involves and what you can expect from it.

This article takes a closer look at selected aspects and provides some tips. It is based on the general understanding of software maintenance and personal experience from a long-term software development and maintenance mandate in the medical device industry. However, it is also applicable to other sectors.

Have you ever thought about the challenges and goals of adopting Agile for large, traditional technology companies? In this series of articles, we will share how we approached them, how we worked together and, most importantly, what we learnt partnering with one of them.

This article explains under which circumstances and in which projects Test Automation brings added value and how to choose an appropriate Test Automation solution.

In this article, I will explain how to use the DiSG model to identify the personality traits of your message receiver and how to adjust your communication to get their full attention.

Even though the importance of testing in software projects has been proven many times before, even large companies sometimes neglect it. In this article, with the help of two examples, I will emphasise the mistakes to avoid, followed by an introduction of the testing process set-up.

In the final chapter of the Triple-A Saga, I will be talking about the word “agile” and what it means to me. Of course, it will be in the context of architecture, and I will also introduce to you its connotation to the enablers, the architects.

When it comes to business-related face-to-face networking, I have had the experience that people either like the topic or try to avoid it consciously. Either way, this article should give some insights and tips on how someone can start building relationships and begin developing a potential network.

Do you want to share your full hardware setup with each developer in your team without passing it around? Or do you want to reduce the burden of the manual execution of your on-target tests to detect regression earlier? This article addresses these topics and gives you a conceptual overview of how to run your continuous integration pipeline stages on your embedded target.

The second part of the triple-A saga focuses on the enabler of architecture – the architect. I will explain the roles of the architects as well as the definition itself, followed by the types of architects and what I believe is required to be a successful architect with some examples from many years of my professional experience.

To keep up with market trends, many companies are faced with the decision of whether to implement Requirements Traceability. This article explains the advantages and challenges of Requirements Traceability and how these challenges can be overcome.

Data architectures undergo continuous changes and evolution. This article addresses some of the trade-offs when dealing with common questions around data architectures, and how a microservices architecture can help to answer them.

Architecture is as much about thinking and creating as it is about communicating. In my many years of experience, I have seen excellent ideas go to waste because they were neither understood nor communicated. I want to bring you on a journey to explore an essential triad in the Digital Era: Architecture, Architects, and Agile. This Triple-A concept or Triad shall be considered as the highest competitive level of quality or achievement.

Do you know the difference between an email with data delivery and a self-service data product? This short article presents a brief case for data productization and why you need to lay the data-centered groundwork before building upon it.

Concentrate on the needs of your customers and the challenges in the market. Innovations will only prevail if they create added value for your customers. Put yourself in their shoes and find out what your customers really want and what they would spend their money on.

Innovation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time for new ideas to take root. And it may take many years to introduce a new culture that makes innovation one of its central components.

Being innovative means acting differently to the competition. It means bringing new products, services or business models to the market. To get to new ideas, you first need to let go of existing patterns and structures and let fresh air in. The motto is: think different!

The aim of the innovation process should also encompass the creation of new product or service ideas with a high level of business benefit,
using new technologies or replacing the existing business model with a disruptive approach. Innovation means systematically creating ideas, selecting the value-creating solutions from among these and then implementing them as quickly as possible.

The digital transformation is rapidly accelerating the speed of innovation. Technological progress and social change are resulting in new products and services that better serve to satisfy the needs of consumers and which form the basis for new business models. At the same time, the possibilities of more intense collaboration have dramatically improved as a result of modern communication technologies.

Conventional understanding of the economy is based on a linear model; natural resources are extracted and processed into products. The consumer buys these and uses them. When they are worn out or are no longer needed the consumer disposes of the products. This model fails to recognise the high economic, environmental and social costs associated with the extraction, processing and disposal of raw materials and is therefore seen as unsustainable in the long term.

The 2022 edition of the European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, also known as EuroMedLab, was held this April in Munich (Germany), after being rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of delegates and visitors attended the congress, which took place from April 10^th to April 14^th at the International Congress Center of Munich.

Augmented reality is one of the big buzzwords that are decisively shaping Industry 4.0. In the IoT, the Internet of Things, machine and machine as well as man and machine are increasingly merging with each other. It is inevitable that this will also change people’s perception and thus their reality.

Human history is characterised by the search for more intelligent solutions for day-to-day problems. Whether it’s the hand axe, wheel or computer – without constant innovation there would never have been progress, simply stagnation. Innovation allows humans to accomplish more, gaining personal advantage more quickly than others with better or new solutions.

My first five months at ERNI were exciting and I learned a lot. Officially, I started my journey at ERNI (Germany) on the 2nd of November 2021. But I was given the chance to accompany our Managing Director and my people unit leader to a sales/get to know talk with a new customer even a couple of days early. As the recruiting process took place mostly online because of the COV-SARS II Pandemic, it was the first time I met our MD and the second time I met my people unit leader – right before we entered the customer’s office. I was excited and nervous, but they made me feel like part of the team from the start. We had a great appointment and I got extensive and appreciative feedback.

Once the decision to outsource has been made, the next question is: Which model should be chosen? For example, offshoring, nearshoring or onshoring? And how can you find a reliable partner who understands your corporate culture and goals so well that friction losses are kept to a minimum?

Here at ERNI, we foster interdisciplinary collaboration. This Technology Letter shows the collaboration within an interdisciplinary team. With our Experts in Agile Methodology, IoT and Machine Learning, we take a closer look at hyped buzzwords like Cloud Computing, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence. But we move beyond the hype this time to the perspective of practitioners, who share their condensed insights and perspective. Of course, we won’t forget about business and how all the activities need to be linked together so business benefits arise – to close the loop.

Ecosystems belong to the future, don’t they? To explore this question, we talked to Bernhard Lingens from the University of Lucerne. He explained to us not only how ecosystems create innovations and become dominant, but also that there is often an easier way.

For any company just starting out with IoT or simply considering implementing it, it’s important to understand that IoT is more of a concept than a technology that you simply install. This paradigm shift presents a cultural challenge for many organisations as they try to derive the most value from IoT.

The availability of data from a wide variety of sources along with their evaluation and further processing without bureaucratic or technical hurdles sounds like paradise. What seems almost utopian at a time when, due to the pandemic, we are still frequently entering contact data with pens on paper, will be the status quo in many areas of our lives in the not-too-distant future. More and more data will be captured and stored digitally. With the corresponding spread of this digitalisation potential, a Data Paradise will be created.