Product Development
& Engineering
Whether it’s applications, websites or software, our
talented team of engineers & developers are passionate
about building anything from the firmware up.
As insiders, you know where the lines are drawn. When to climb. Who to
ask. You produce at capacity, every day. Now Labs bring the outside
world into focus. We ask different questions. And see the strategic
leverage points to find new solutions.
Examples & Development Process
Discovery & Estimation
We start at the glass.
That is to say, we start with the user experience. Who is using it? What’s their day like? What do they need to get done? How does each action or transaction behave? How do users interact with one another? What constraints are we working with? What is the context (technical or practical) of their use? In short, what is supposed to happen here?
We map out connection points.
Are there any existing systems will we need to interact with? What APIs and interaction points will be needed?
We survey the terrain.
The “Core Sample”: How is the current (if any) stack setup? What technologies we can leverage? What technologies will we need to build from the ground up? We create detailed wireframes and architectural plans, mapping engineering needs to your business goals and market requirements.
Design & Build
Once a market opportunity has been identified, we move rapidly to prototype and build applications. Because iteration and communication are essential, we have developed a flexible production workflow that is highly collaborative and uses a virtuous cycle of design, development and testing, balancing our ethos of excellence and iteration.
In the early stages of prototyping, our design and development teams run parallel to one another. We do early release planning, aiming to get to a minimum viable product, and then add on secondary features in rapid release cycles, alternating between front-end and back-end ‘sprints”.
Front-end
Great software is more than the application of code and theory, it requires artistry, imagination and sensitivity to the experience and needs of your core users. In our User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design process, we are looking for the optimal balance of simplicity, beauty and functionality.
Typical front-end prototype process includes:
- User research: Expert interviews & discussions, product functionality & analytics audit; moderated user testing
- Design analysis & ideation: Product use-case scenarios, user flows and story-boarding; persona creation
- Fast prototyping: Interaction studies & component diagrams; paper prototypes, wireframing, and information architecture
- Visual design: Hi-fidelity visual comps and interactive components
- User testing at each iteration
Back-end
A robust, flexible solution requires a solid foundation. Once the project scope has been defined we select a Technology Lead (usually a senior engineer with the greatest project specific expertise) who is then responsible for distributing the tasks, stories and debugging assignments to other team members. This engineering project lead is accountable for the entire back-end development work.
Back-end prototype process often includes:
- Alpha builds: fast-track technical implementation in web, software, and apps.
- Beta builds: soft launches with user participation.
- Gamma build: Go-to-market product; start collecting some more real-world users for quantitative and qualitative user testing.
- Component sourcing: When needed, we will craft and run full processes for system components.
- Make it to break it: In software, all the way to working code, in hardware or 3D, through to depository printing.
UX & Prototypes
- Research
- Analysis
- Web user interface design
Front-end
- HTML5, CSS3, Java Script
- Fully responsive
- Self-diagnosis web app
Back-end
- Drupal installation CMS
Architecture
- Anyplace: Architecture, RFPs, HW/SW integration, and at the glass
- Panasonic Aupeo
UX & Prototypes
- Research
- Analysis
- Web User Interface design
Presentations
- CES
- Connected Screens
UX & Prototypes
- Research
- Analysis
- Web user Interface design
Front-end
- HTML5, CSS3, Java Script
- Fully responsive
- Custom Report Web App
Back-end
- Drupal installation CMS
Trumpet
- Trumpet is a a platform that connects social media and commerce. Merchants have the ability to communicate directly with customers through unique posts and special offers.
- Customers have the ability to respond via purchases and to share offers and purchases with their friends and followers on various social networks.
- Trumpet’s website and app will be released in Q1 2015
Megafone
- Megafone is a social network that helps users get things done.
- More efficient than phone, text, email and large social networks, Megafone gets you help from from close family and friends for any situation (daily needs, tasks and events and for emergency situations)
- Each situation has its own help group that can be alerted with a single tap.
- Megafone is currently available for iOS with V2 coming out in Q1 2015
Comet
- Management, HR, and business development sales tool. Unifying international and sales team with same message
- Complex 90+ touch screen interface, animated interactions, flyout menus, global navigation, embedded document library
- Internal Android Tablet App
Ebeam
- Management, HR, and business development sales tool. Unifying international and sales team with same message
- Complex 130+ touch screen interface, animated interactions, flyout menus, global navigation, embedded document library
- Internal Android Tablet App
Work with us!
We help clients identify and execute on business opportunities in science and technology. We find markets, craft brands and products, and then create design & communication platforms to support growth.
Find out how
Now Labs can help
your business.
News & Perspectives
