Update from our Developers – Summer 2021

What have we been up to?

When it comes to development, something our team has always focused on is our user-centered design methodology.

Historically, developers have followed these steps:

• Project managers spend months taking a set of requirements
• Developers make a guess at a design that would meet those requirements
• Developers spend many more months implementing said design
• Sales releases the software on an unsuspecting public and hope that the designers guessed correctly

This isn’t necessarily the smartest development plan. This is, though, a common pattern in software development. It’s unbelievably risky, it’s heavily disengaged from what the users are doing, and it creates an echo chamber in development where there isn’t anyone qualified to judge a company’s designs.

We’re not doing that. User-centered design gives us so many more options with much better outcomes.

• We spend time getting developers and product owners talking directly with users to understand their workflows
  • It’s important to find out what information the users need, by when, to make which decision
• We spend time making a mock-up or prototype, and get it in front of users
  • If the user thinks it’s a nightmare/we missed the boat, iterate on the mockup, and try again
  • If the user thinks it’s great, continue moving forward
• We make the smallest viable piece of software that meets expressed needs
• We get the software in front of users
• Our team then grows the software in response to user feedback, pivoting as necessary

Central to this are our users (hopefully you!).  You end up with fast, small software that does exactly what you need and nothing more. If you need more, you have a good foundation to start from.  Additional functionality can be delivered in shorter timeframes.

How can you help?

If you’ve read this far, hopefully you’re thinking “this sounds great, how can I be a part of this?”  Well, delightfully, we’re always working on our software products, and specifically on our latest product Geology by SeisWare.  If you are a geologist who wants have a hand in creating software that works exactly how you desire it to, we want your help.  Please email us at info@seisware.com to learn more about how your insights can help.

Mitch Ousdahl
Senior Development Manager

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