Software Development Blog | Optimus Information Inc.

Q&A About Open Source and Azure with Mark Godfrey of Microsoft

April 11, 2018/0 Comments/in Cloud Computing /by Optimus Information

Mark Godfrey is a TSP with Microsoft Canada. Recently he spent time presenting to an audience of more than 200 application developers about Open Source, Azure and Optimus Information at the Vancouver Microsoft Technology Summit Open Source is everywhere at Microsoft. Check out what’s running on Microsoft Azure today. Q: Welcome Mark, and thanks for […]

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Microsoft Technology Summit – Open Source and Azure and the Optimus Test Harness

April 10, 2018/0 Comments/in Cloud Computing, Web Applications /by Optimus Information

Ryan O’Connor presenting the Optimus Test Harness at Microsoft Tech Summit in Vancouver It was both a pleasure and a privilege to represent Optimus at the Vancouver Microsoft Technology Summit last week. The tech summit is one of my favourite events. It attracts a lot of people – especially those who are working individually or […]

How a Global Puzzle Competition is Changing Software Application Development and QA Testing

April 9, 2018/0 Comments/in Events, News /by Optimus Information

Teams of people including students, interns, software application developers, QA testers and more from around the world competed recently in the third annual CS50 Puzzle Day, sponsored by Harvard University. CS50 is a Harvard-developed academic course that explores the theory of computer science, its purpose and intent and while the competition was originally created for […]

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Digital Collaboration: Superhighway to Innovation and Economic Transformation

April 4, 2018/0 Comments/in Industry Spotlight /by Optimus Information

Federal and provincial governments in Canada along with the private sector are undertaking a major initiative to establish the nation as a global centre for digital transformation and innovation, generating 50 thousand jobs and boosting GDP by some 15 billion dollars over the next 10 years. 1.4 billion dollars is being committed in a collaboration […]

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Think Big: How Design Plus Data Will Change Your Business

March 26, 2018/0 Comments/in Data Analytics, Development Process /by Optimus Information

Is design thinking catching your attention? It should. Data insights not available before now can transform your business models and allow you to lead in your industry when you incorporate elements such as predictive, mobile dashboards and machine learning. This wave of change is forcing data architects to re-think and re-design how programs and applications […]

How Cloud is Cooking Up Change in the Restaurant Industry

March 19, 2018/0 Comments/in Industry Spotlight /by Optimus Information

As more and more restaurant owners look for ways to cut costs, improve customer service and drive loyalty initiatives, application modernization including cloud applications, mobile apps and predictive data modelling are featuring at the top of their personal “must do” menus. Software companies and ISVs that serve the restaurant and hospitality industry are in a […]

Game Changers: The Role of Big Data in the Future of Credit Unions

March 1, 2018/0 Comments/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Discover how credit unions are embracing data analytics and machine learning to improve services and find new business opportunities.

Outsourcing Your Software Testing: When Does it Make Sense

January 17, 2018/0 Comments/in Outsourcing, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

One of the biggest challenges facing any organization that produces software is testing it. Using in-house testing methods may lead to a number of issues. Insiders often have a particular feel for how a program works, and this can lead to them miss problems. Also, many organizations simply don’t have the experience dealing with testing […]

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Types of Performance Testing and the Best Tools for the Job

January 5, 2018/0 Comments/in Software Testing, Uncategorized /by Optimus Information

In the abstract, it’s easy to think of testing a piece of software as a single set of actions. Within the industry, however, it has become common practice to look upon performance testing as a multifaceted task. The process includes: Load testing Stress testing Endurance testing Scalability testing Volume testing Spike testing Each phase has […]

Test Automation for SaaS Products

December 12, 2017/1 Comment/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Software as a service is a popular delivery model for various business application domains including content management, service desk applications, accounting, invoicing, human resource management, CRM and ERP. Versus long-term software licensing of client packages, cloud delivery of SaaS enterprise apps offers greater convenience, lower risk and the economic advantages of reduced capital and operational […]

Infographic – Why Move Your Application Development to Microsoft Azure?

November 3, 2017/0 Comments/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

At Optimus, we’re seeing more and more of our clients take advantage of the cloud. Applications once thought impossible to move to the cloud due to scale, complexity or simply because of their mission-critical nature are now being migrated successfully. Our most recent infographic walks you through why enterprises are moving to the cloud, and […]

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Optimus Breakfast Series: The Do’s and Don’ts of Software Outsourcing Recap

October 6, 2017/0 Comments/in Events, Outsourcing /by Optimus Information

The most recent installment of the Optimus Breakfast Series took place yesterday morning, Oct. 5th, 2017. This event hosted an engaging discussion on when and how to outsource software projects effectively. If you missed it, stay tuned to the Optimus blog for the complete video recording! For those that attended, there were excellent networking opportunities […]

Optimus Information Ranks on the 2017 PROFIT 500!

September 19, 2017/0 Comments/in Announcements /by Optimus Information

Vancouver, BC (September 19, 2017) Canadian Business and PROFIT has named Optimus Information Inc. to the 2017 PROFIT 500! The ranking of Canada’s fastest-growing companies is based on five year revenue growth. Optimus was ranked No. 336 on the 29th annual PROFIT 500, with five-year revenue growth of 168%. “It is never easy to earn […]

Azure Architect Wouter van Eck’s Do’s & Don’ts for Azure Cloud Application Development

September 7, 2017/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

The Azure Cloud is transforming application development as we know it. Applications that would have been too costly and time-consuming to develop on legacy infrastructure take a fraction of the resources on Azure. Azure also provides the ability to process big data, further expanding an organizations’ options for innovation in application development. However, developing applications […]

4 Ways Azure is Rising to Meet Data Warehouse Demands

August 23, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

In today’s data-first world, IT infrastructure is the foundation for strategic decision-making, with companies requiring larger quantities in shorter periods of time. This is putting the traditional data model – where data from systems like CRM, ERP and LOB applications are extracted, transformed and loaded (ETL) into the data warehouse – under pressure. The problem […]

Does Your Data Warehouse Belong in the Azure Cloud? Here are Some Things to Consider

August 21, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

It’s no secret: Microsoft Azure is hot right now. This is demonstrated by their 97% growth in Q2 2017. With more organizations migrating their data infrastructure to the cloud every day, some companies are asking themselves: does my data warehouse belong in Azure? While there’s no simple answer to this question, there are some ways […]

Infographic – The Modern Data Warehouse Framework

August 4, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Check our latest infographic, The Modern Data Warehouse Framework! As organizations are collecting and processing increasing amounts of data from a growing number data sources, data systems must evolve to keep up. In order to make the best data-driven decision possible, you need to reimagine the way you look at data warehousing. We took a […]

Three Trends Influencing the Rise of Application Development on Microsoft Azure

July 26, 2017/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

In today’s always-on, data driven world, organizations will either disrupt, or be disrupted. For those that choose the former, a fast application development cycle is critical for success. This is why companies are turning to Azure for application development. Azure can help cut costs and reduce development wait and integration time. Additionally, the flexibility of […]

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Optimus Breakfast Series: Testing in an Interconnected World – Video

July 11, 2017/in Events, Videos /by Optimus Information

How to Test Applications as They Become Increasingly Universal In case you couldn’t make it to Testing in an Interconnected World on June 13th, 2017, you can watch the entire panel discussion here. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow our events page to register for the next event. Panelists: Steve Whitfield – […]

Testing in an Interconnected World: Event Recap

June 14, 2017/in Events, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

How to test applications as they become increasingly universal In case you missed it, the latest instalment of the Optimus Breakfast Series went off Tuesday morning, June 13th, 2017. The event brought together three of the top software testing executives from Vancouver’s leading companies to talk software testing and the complexities they face in our […]

Power BI for Mobile: Take Your Data on the Road

February 28, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

One area where the Power BI software stack really shines is the mobile space. The Power BI product line includes three apps: one for iOS, Windows Phone and Android. These apps allow you to take anything you can generate in Power BI and make it readily available to any stakeholder with a mobile phone or […]

Building a On-Site Data Warehouse Using Microsoft Stack

February 20, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Most IT specialists are aware of individual components within SQL Server and may use one or two of them regularly for data analytics or general operations. Outside of IT, others may be familiar with one of several analytics-oriented SQL Server add-ons such as those for Excel that are targeted at data analysis or data mining in general. […]

Data Analytics in the Cloud: Where to Start?

February 8, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

An enterprise-wide data analytics system pulling data from multiple sources, correlating and presenting results in relevant, insightful visualizations to enable prompt, informed decisions is the dream of many organizations. Those in the lead already reap the benefits of faster, high-accuracy, proactive decisions that data analytics provides. Getting to that point requires exquisite planning and execution by stakeholders […]

Automated Testing for SSRS Reports

January 23, 2017/in Data Analytics, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Motivations for SSRS Report Testing Both data warehouse developers and end users of data analytics reports have a keen interest in the accuracy and appearance of data content. As SSRS reports are being developed, they are typically tested piecemeal during construction and as a whole when completed for both these aspects. However, it is always […]

Cloud Data Warehousing with Azure SQL

January 11, 2017/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

If you are running an on-premise data analytics stack on Microsoft’s SQL Server, but running into maintenance, cost and scaling issues, you can consider moving your data system to a cloud-based database service such as Azure SQL Database. Especially for your first data analytics stack, Azure SQL Database provides low startup costs with the ability to easily expand […]

Power BI and SSRS: How Do They Pair?

December 14, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

SQL Server Reporting Services is a powerful reporting tool in its own right with strong programmability, extensibility and scalability features that have led to its widespread adoption. As a report authoring tool, however, SSRS has lacked the powerful dashboard creation features of its competitors. With the release of SQL Server 2016, it now has the […]

Migrating Crystal Reports to SSRS

November 10, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Most legacy ERP systems still utilize Crystal Reports for creating detailed, flexible and dynamic business reports. However, multiple acquisitions of the software over the years has resulted in it falling behind software trends in Data Analytics systems. Even its latest owner, SAP, is moving to Microsoft’s SQL Server Reporting Service as its go-to solution. The […]

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Announcing Transform 2016 – A data analytics breakfast event

September 19, 2016/in Events /by Optimus Information

Optimus is excited to bring you Transform 2016 on Oct. 20th 2016! Transform 2016 will bring three executives from leading Vancouver organizations to talk about how they are using data analytics to grow and transform their business. Learn how they used analytics to uncover the story their data is telling, the problems that it uncovered and how […]

SSRS Best Practices

September 14, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Installing, configuring and running SQL Server Reporting Services is a non-trivial set of tasks. To successfully perform these, a company needs people with skills related to databases, system administration, report creation and data analysis. Most initial deployments and their usage can take advantage of several best practices in order to improve performance, maintenance and the […]

SSIS Best Practices

September 7, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

SSIS represents a complete rewrite of its early predecessor Data Transformation Services. Usability, parallelism and performance have all been vastly improved over the years resulting in an SQL Server component aimed at high-volume, high-performance ETL applications. Here are several additional tuning steps that can further increase SSIS performance for your particular jobs. Managing Parallel Execution […]

Power BI vs QlikView

August 11, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

In the world of business intelligence, putting the right tools in the hands of the right people is critical to success. Two of the most popular tools in the industry today are Microsoft Power BI and QlikView. Both provide modeling capabilities and allow you to generate visualizations and dashboards, but there are key differences between […]

Power BI for Office 365

August 4, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

If you’re like many folks in today’s business world, there’s a good chance you’re already using Microsoft’s Office 365 software suite. You may even already feel like you have a fairly data-centric approach to using Office, especially if your company is a heavy Excel user. Putting all that information to use, however, requires powerful data […]

Steps to Getting Good BI Requirements

July 27, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Half the battle for many projects is getting started. BI projects are no different in that respect. A critical phase in realizing your BI project vision is developing thorough project requirements in clear, crisp, implementable and measurable terms. The temptation is to rush this phase, which often produces excessive churn or even failure as unguided […]

How SSIS Fits into an ETL Process

July 26, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

MicrosoftSQL Server Integration Services – SSIS – is a common solution for many organizations’ data management requirements with regard to their Business Intelligence systems. Specifically, SSIS and SQL Server together streamline Extract, Transform and Load – ETL – operations on data warehouses. The process is essential to providing efficient, accessible data flows to BI system […]

10 Tips for Success with Big Data – Part 2

July 20, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

The following is part two of a two part blog post. Click here to read part one. 6. Apps and Dashboards Beat Reports BI owes much of its existence to the desire decision makers have to see reports. Reports, however, suffer from being boring and static. Whenever possible, try to move your BI output into […]

10 Tips for Success with Big Data – Part 1

July 18, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

The age of big data has been a boon for anyone in the business intelligence world. Creating reports, apps and visuals that motivate decision-making processes is simply easier when you have a large data set to draw upon. There are, however, a number of issues to keep in mind. Here are 10 tips for anyone […]

BI: Cloud vs On-premise

July 14, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

The model for how companies acquire and field software for business intelligence purposes has changed dramatically in the last five years. One major factor driving this change has been the emergence of cloud-based computing options and software as a service. Modern operations are increasingly comfortable having large amounts of their data, processing capacities and even […]

Product comparison: Power BI, Tableau, QlikView and SAP

July 11, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Few topics that come up during a business meeting are at once as simple and as challenging to address as the question of how the company is doing. It wasn’t long ago that someone involved in the process would toss around printouts of a few Excel sheets and declare the discussion over. In recent years, […]

Best Practices for Successful Business Intelligence

July 7, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Few, if any, companies doubt BI’s value to their internal and customer-facing operations and the crucial role it plays in making accurate, lightning-fast tactical and strategic decisions that affect the business’ competitive position. The difficult bit is ensuring that BI’s deployment in your company is fetching the best data, crunching it in a timely fashion […]

What is Business Intelligence?

July 5, 2016/in Data Analytics /by Optimus Information

Modern companies are compiling a huge amount of data on a daily basis. Answering the question of what to do with all this information is the domain of business intelligence. BI covers a large range of functions within a firm, including everything from database compilation to the creation of presentation materials. BI tasks typically center […]

Dos and Don’ts of Software Outsourcing

June 28, 2016/in Data Analytics, Mobile Development, Software Development, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Outsourcing software development can be a great way to save your company or organization time and money. However, if done haphazardly, it can also become a source of great headaches. It’s easy to make common mistakes, such as not clearly defining goals or expecting the process to magically produce results. It’s much harder to manage […]

Tactical Outsourcing vs Strategic Outsourcing

June 24, 2016/in Data Analytics, Mobile Development, Software Development, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

The term outsourcing scares people for various reasons, but there is no reason that it should. Outsourcing is very effective for certain situations, especially when developing software solutions. For a company to grow its internal IT department, it must search for a qualified candidate and go through the long process of interviewing, hiring, and training […]

Pros and Cons of Pure Onshore, Pure Offshore and Hybrid Model Outsourcing

June 22, 2016/in Outsourcing /by Optimus Information

North American companies contemplating outsourcing some or all of their software development have more options than ever before. They can choose from among onshore outsourcers close to home, offshore services halfway across the globe or a blend of these in unique combinations. In a few situations, which model to choose may seem straightforward, however, each […]

What to Look for in an Outsourcing Partner

June 16, 2016/in Data Analytics, Mobile Development, Software Development, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Bad experiences with outsourcing providers are often traceable to badly designed selection processes or the use of deficient selection criteria. Whereas, you can find ample guidance online on how to build a robust selection framework, we will share the most important vendor attributes for comparing and contrasting outsourcing companies to ensure you select one right […]

Top Ten Software Development Outsourcing Trends for 2016

June 9, 2016/in Data Analytics, Mobile Development, Software Development, Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Originally, the primary motivation to outsource software development was to achieve lower labor costs, but continuing and emerging business and technology trends in 2016 are leading to new client requirements on outsourcers. When choosing an outsourcing partner, more and more businesses are looking for closer alignment to their business goals, flexibility demands and quality requirements. […]

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Tips on Keeping Your Intellectual Property Secure When Outsourcing

June 8, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Security has been and continues to be one of the top concerns for enterprises considering outsourcing some or all of their software development or IT functions. Within the sphere of security concerns, one risk especially stands out, which is the potential to lose control over your enterprise’s intellectual property. Reputable outsourcing vendors would not remain […]

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Using Context Driven Testing

June 3, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

The premise behind context-driven testing is that software should be viewed first and foremost as providing solutions to real problems. In order to effectively test software, the problems it solves, the end-user needs and usage contexts must be taken into consideration when creating a test plan and applying tests. It recognizes that test processes must […]

Test Automation in Agile

May 31, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Although both agile development and automated testing have more or less independently come into more widespread use with each passing year, it seems they were made for each other from the start. The advantages of both are derived from the same desire to increase software production efficiency overall. Both work best when there is a […]

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5 Ways to Improve Mobile App Testing Quality and Efficiency

May 26, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Mobile device application development faces significant challenges, which pass through to their testing. Though the obstacles appear daunting, there are ways to mitigate such complications, improve your team’s testing effectiveness and also raise app quality. Mobile App Challenges Mobile device fragmentation is rising. There are a myriad of hardware platforms, OS versions and network connection […]

How to Select a Test Automation Language

May 19, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

There are times when the language of choice for your test automation is essentially already made for you, such as when you must rely on a single test developer whose programming language proficiency is limited to one or two languages. If you can make the space for an evaluation, however, it often pays to consider […]

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Performance Testing Fallacies

May 17, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

When testing software performance, there are several erroneous assumptions commonly made about when and how to go about it, what is to be measured, and how to make improvements based on the results of such testing. Performance, Load and Stress Testing Are Not Equivalent Thinking that load and stress testing are the same as performance […]

How to Test a Project with Bad Requirements

May 12, 2016/1 Comment/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Testing software with poor requirements is clearly undesirable. It is often the sign of an immature software development process, especially with small start-ups. If it is an ongoing situation, it represents a serious risk to the organization’s viability. Testers, however, are in a position to improve this situation by applying best practices, working to understand […]

Mobile Breakfast Series April 2016 Recap

May 10, 2016/in Events /by Optimus Information

On April 28th, 2016, we were overwhelmed by the response to Vancouver’s Mobile Breakfast Series! Optimus Information brought this event to Vancouver with Chetan Sharma Consulting and was met with a completely packed house. The event brought together four executives from leading brands to discuss IoT, where it’s heading and how their different organizations are approaching […]

Popular Java Testing Tools and Frameworks

May 10, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

There are a wide variety of testing tools and test frameworks for automating the testing of Java/J2EE applications and server components. Many are aimed at unit or functional testing, while others are utilized for specific types of Java components such as view, logic and validation components. Unit Testing JUnit is perhaps the best known testing […]

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What Is Positive and Negative Testing?

May 6, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Finding bugs is the main goal for testers, which primarily involves verifying that the software correctly provides a solution to an end-user’s problem. However, no interface has been designed that can anticipate all the ways users can run amok operating the program. Thus, testers must also verify that the program fails gracefully versus crashing in the […]

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VanQ April 2016: Automated and Manual Testing for Web & App Accessibility

April 30, 2016/in Events, Videos /by Optimus Information

Each month, Optimus Information hosts VanQ, Vancouver’s testing and quality assurance meetup group. To attend the next event, join VanQ here. Date: April 28, 2016 Topic: Methods in Automated and Manual Testing for Web & App Accessibility. This presentation will: Provide a background on web accessibility standards and legislation Discuss software tools to automate the discovery […]

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Top 10 Most Innovative IoT Companies

April 27, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

The IoT ecosystem has come a long way in recent years with multiple big players coming into the field. We take a brief look at the top companies investing heavily in IoT including industrial giants, semiconductor manufacturers, cloud providers and key players in the consumer and retail sectors. Samsung Samsung’s goal is to have 100 […]

IoT Challenges and Opportunities

April 22, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

The Internet of Things is poised to exponentially expand from the millions of devices and services available today to billions of components in the coming years. It is difficult to envisage all the ramifications that follow its full-on manifestation not unlike when the Internet took off in the 1980s. Despite a lack of prediction precision, […]

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IoT Goes Open Source With the Linux Foundation’s Zephyr Project

April 14, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Linux is well-known for being the OS of choice by adept PC users. It is also widely deployed in Internet servers and industrial control systems due to its small footprint, operating efficiency and open-source legacy. Attributes such as these also make it a natural choice to be a driving technology in the nascent Internet of […]

Internet of Things (IoT) Predictions for 2016

April 12, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

This year, nearly every major intelligence gatherer/analyst is jumping on the IoT bandwagon making forecasts about where IoT is heading in 2016 including Gartner, IDC, Forrester, WEF and Machina Research. We did the same thing to bring to you what we think are the best-of-the-best predictions for IoT trends on 2016. IoT Enterprise Adoption Reaches a Tipping […]

How IoT Impacts Your Organization

April 8, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Increasingly, companies across all business sectors are realizing they need to adopt an Internet of Things mentality, or Internet of Everything as some put it, in order to keep their business expanding in the right direction. In many cases, IoT is only understood as a newly coined buzzword without a full comprehension of how it […]

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IoT and Enterprise Security Risks

April 6, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

In one sense, the Internet of Things has been around since the early days of the Internet. The geekiest of early Internet users found that it was child’s play, for instance, to discover and interact with – unauthorized of course – thousands of unprotected Windows PCs and their peripherals. The IP addresses of these devices […]

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How to Develop Apps for the Internet of Things

April 4, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Analysts are generally in agreement that the Internet of Things will generate an enormous amount of economic value. They only disagree on how big the wave will be. Indications are that 10s of billions of IoT edge devices will be in place over the next few years and that over half of homes in developed […]

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5 Steps to Troubleshooting iOS Applications

March 31, 2016/1 Comment/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

When your users are facing issues, how do you go about troubleshooting? The first step is to recreate the issue so that when you think you’ve fixed it you can actually test to confirm. Sometimes even recreating the issue is a challenge because some issues are very specific combinations of devices, OS, app version, account […]

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5 Reasons Why Mobile Strategy Fails

March 29, 2016/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

Mobile marketing cannot simply consist of building an app and watching it being downloaded. There has to be a concrete mobile strategy to oversee your moves and plan for scenarios. Of course, there is good strategy and there is bad. Here, we look at some of the bad, and try to learn from those mistakes. […]

5 Steps for Creating a Successful Mobile App (Part 2)

March 24, 2016/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

The following is Part 2 of our article on the 5 Steps for Creating a Successful Mobile App. Click here to read Part 1. 3 – Building Your App Native, Web or Hybrid A key decision concerns whether your app will run natively, be web-based or be a hybrid of these two methods. It is […]

5 Steps for Creating a Successful Mobile App (Part 1)

March 22, 2016/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

The inspiration and motivation for creating a mobile app usually falls into three categories: You want to use it as part of a promotional strategy for an existing business You are certain you have the next killer app, which does not yet exist among the nearly 3 million apps already available for download You have […]

Advantages of Native Mobile App Development (Part 2)

March 17, 2016/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

The following is Part 2 of our article on the Advantages of Native Mobile App Development. Click here to read Part 1. Cross-Platform Frameworks A number of companies are producing cross-development frameworks for mobile applications that produce native mobile apps that can run on both iOS and Android from the same code base. These are […]

Advantages of Native Mobile App Development (Part 1)

March 15, 2016/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

A Perennial Debate The debate about the advantages and disadvantages of differing approaches to mobile device application development is one without resolution. Each approach – native, web or hybrid – has specific pros and cons that determine its fit with an organization’s resources and the goals for a specific app. With regard to portability across […]

10 Considerations for Mobile App Testing (Part 2)

March 10, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

The following is Part 2 of our article on the top 10 Considerations for Mobile App Testing. Click here to read Part 1. 6 – Device Constraints In general, mobile devices whether they be phones, tablets or wearable devices have severe constraints in terms of power, processing and storage compared to an average PC. Furthermore, their […]

10 Considerations for Mobile App Testing (Part 1)

March 8, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

As the world decidedly transitions from desktops and laptops to mobile devices, application developers and testers face enormous challenges to ensure that their products meet basic metrics of functionality, performance and usability. These are requirements for desktop apps too, but they are compounded for mobile apps due to the immense variance in platform resources, input […]

Microservices vs Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)

March 3, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

At first glance, Microservice architectures appear suspiciously similar to software developers who are familiar with Service-Oriented Architecture or SOA. In general, they both provide solutions to avoiding the creation of inefficient, unwieldy monolithic or layered applications that are difficult to develop, modify and deploy. However, each has distinctly different approaches in terms of scalability, messaging […]

Introduction To Microservices Architecture

March 1, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

The Motivation for Microservices Separating the various components of a single application’s architecture carries a number of well-known advantages. For one, the components can be distributed among several members of a development team, which increases the ability to deliver the application more quickly. With well-defined interfaces between the components, developers and testers increase their focus […]

5 Common API Testing Mistakes

February 25, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

APIs may not appear as end-products to clients, but they play a vital role internally in an enterprise’s products or workforce applications. They often represent valuable assets for creating several top-level products around them. As such, they deserve respect and the best way to show that respect is to thoroughly test them. Unfortunately, through either […]

Using Testing to Improve API Performance

February 23, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

For application programmers, APIs are the user-interfaces upon which they build their own APIs, services and applications. They have been in use almost since software programming began. Until recently, their main acceptance criteria were their ease of use and functionality. However, in today’s world, they are on the critical path for determining application end-user performance, […]

Amazon Launches AWS Mobile Hub

February 18, 2016/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

Last autumn, Amazon announced a new service dashboard in their ever-expanding universe of Amazon Web Services that specifically targets mobile app development called the AWS Mobile Hub. This will significantly streamline the processes of building, testing and monitoring mobile apps built for both iOS and Android using a wide variety of development and testing tools. […]

Test-Driven Development (TDD) vs Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD)

February 16, 2016/2 Comments/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

What is TDD? As its name implies, Test-Driven Development puts the development of test scripts ahead of the actual code that will be tested. Using TDD, developers must ponder the end goals of their code first in a way that is more tangible than simply reading a specification. They are actually implementing the end behaviours […]

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The Tester’s Role in Continuous Integration

February 11, 2016/1 Comment/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

At first glance, it may appear that a Continuous Integration model of software development leaves testers out in the cold. One such feature is the increased responsibility for defect detection falling into the laps of developers. This so-called “left shift” of testing is intended to find bugs sooner, faster and facilitate their repair. CI also […]

QA’s Strategic Role in DevOps

February 9, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Fundamentally, DevOps adoption is about streamlining an organization’s conventional Software Development Life Cycle to achieve faster time-to-market for company products. Other factors held equal, faster TTM imparts increased competitive value due to the ability to meet customer requirements more accurately and more frequently. In the quest for speed, however, many organizations transforming to a DevOps […]

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6 Test Automation Trends for 2016

February 4, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Although the number of test organizations utilizing test automation has only incrementally increased over last year, the demands for automation overall are increasing significantly. As a result of new technologies, new approaches to software development, the increasing sophistication of cloud testing services and an enormous increase in the complexity of deployment environments, those using automation […]

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10 Top Tech Priorities for CIOs in 2016

February 2, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Results from multiple CIO surveys from the likes of Gartner, Deloitte and IDG Enterprise are pointing out clear trends and priorities this year reflecting CIOs’ efforts to increasingly digitalize their businesses. These are generating a number of spin-off effects for how business is conducted, the incorporation of new technologies and the evolving role and responsibilities […]

The Impact of DevOps on Testing

January 28, 2016/1 Comment/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

A fundamental principle of DevOps is that the concept demands close collaboration between all the stakeholders involved in an end-to-end software production process from requirements to development to deployment and delivery. However, because the portrayal of DevOps often exclusively emphasize melding development and IT Operations, other stakeholders may seem peripheral to the process. In particular, […]

Effective Project Management While Outsourcing Software Development

January 27, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

How to Manage the Outsourcing of a Software Development Project? Choosing to outsource software development instead of managing it in-house is often a decision that takes a lot of work off your plate. At the same time, you need to be concerned with the managerial role that you adopt to handle an outsourced project. Here […]

5 Software Testing Trends for 2016

January 26, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

As long-term transitions continue around the increasing market dominance of mobile and cloud apps and the adoption of faster software development life-cycles, testers in 2016 are taking on an increasingly critical role in software organizations. Several trends this year are building on the contributions of the testing to enhance both quality and efficiency. Test Automation […]

Tips for Reproducing a Non-Reproducible Defect

January 21, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Defects that are seemingly non-repeatable are the nemesis of both developers and testers alike. They consume an inordinate amount of time compared to other bugs and significantly reduce confidence in the quality of the software under development besides having the potential to drive everyone to the edge of madness. Many such defects should actually be […]

Is Scaling Up Quicker Through BaaS?

January 20, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Backend as a Service is a relatively new concept that is catching on quickly in the industry. If used the right way, opting for BaaS instead of working on the backend in-house can make a huge difference in your profit margins and company success. Advantages of BaaS When we talk about mobile application development, we […]

The Importance of Wireframe (Prototype) Testing

January 19, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

The value in discovering defects as early as possible in any software development process is difficult to overstate. This is especially true when applied to the user experience of a web site or end-user application. Too often, an app’s UX carries flaws from a design that gelled too early and which became difficult to modify […]

Exploratory Testing vs. Scripted Testing

January 14, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

In scripted testing, test designers develop detailed test scenarios that testers transform into scripts. Scripted tests provide rigid guidance based on intimate knowledge of the software application under test and are expected to produce a well-defined set of outcomes. Exploratory testers, however are able to make lane changes as they from a looser set of […]

Traditional vs Agile Software Development

January 13, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

The modern software development life cycle methodology can be subdivided into two types – the Traditional process and the agile process. In this post, we will look at what each of these processes are and then do a comparative analysis between them. A software system is built in such a way that it can perform […]

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Smoke Testing vs. Sanity Testing – Key Differences

January 12, 2016/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Smoke and sanity tests are different filtering methods used to quickly determine the stability of a particular software system build before it moves on to more rigorous and expensive test stages. Smoke tests are typically performed as part of a daily build/regression process, whereas sanity tests are often a gateway to more detailed acceptance testing. […]

What is Software Development Life Cycle and How Does it Affect Outsourcing?

January 6, 2016/in Software Development /by Optimus Information

Last year we spoke about the Software Development Outsourcing Life Cycle, that deals with the process of outsourcing development from a client’s point of view. Here we talk about the SDLC, that is, the actual development process for a software, and how it might affect the outsourcing of the software. SDLCs & How They Affect Outsourcing […]

Most Common Types of Software Testing

December 31, 2015/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Lack of complete and comprehensive software testing have a potential to result into unmitigated disasters in terms of failures, costs and overruns. It is essential to get acquainted with the basic ideas of software testing before making decisions. An unsecure, under tested software with no performance guarantee can drastically affect a complete network. For example, […]

The Secret of Great Android App Design

December 30, 2015/in Mobile Development /by Optimus Information

With hundreds of new apps rolling on the market every day, the industry is getting saturated in every niche you can imagine. To set one’s product apart in a tremendously competitive field like this, the app design plays a major part. Let us look at how android apps can be designed better by keeping a […]

HP UFT/QTP vs. Selenium – Automated Test Tool Comparison

December 29, 2015/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

HP Quick Test Pro, also known as HP Unified Functional Testing, is currently a well-known force in the web-based testing market, but Selenium is quickly gaining mindshare and advocates as a more capable, open-source competitor. There are several clear-cut distinctions between each test tool that should make choosing one or the other a straightforward decision […]

Areas of Focus in Web Browser Testing

December 24, 2015/1 Comment/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Web browsers are arguably the most widely used computer applications around the world. Web browser testing thus becomes a vital part of any browser transfer or upgrade process. This is our approach to web browser and compatibility testing. Compatibility Testing: What does it mean? Compatibility testing is done to evaluate the user’s visual experience and […]

6 Popular Test Automation Frameworks

December 24, 2015/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

What Is a Test Automation Framework? Automated testing frameworks provide test environment structure that is typically missing from underlying test tools. Each framework style offers unique rules, guidelines, protocols and procedures for test creating, organization and execution. Six types of test automation frameworks are regularly encountered. Those covered here increase in complexity and levels of […]

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Regression Testing Mobile Apps

December 23, 2015/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

Mobile app development is fast paced. In the last few short years, smartphones have exploded in popularity and user’s expectations of their software have dramatically increased. Release cycles have shortened and if apps aren’t regularly improving, users will start to look for alternatives. With this comes a pain: regression testing. It’s fun to design, develop, […]

Selenium Testing: Advantages and Disadvantages

December 22, 2015/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

When we speak of Selenium, we are actually talking about both its flavours: Selenium WebDriver and Selenium IDE. Both automate browsers in support of web application testing. WebDriver is typically used to create browser-based regression tests, whereas Selenium IDE is most advantageous in creating unit tests, exploratory tests and one-off bug reproduction scripts. There is […]

Benefits of a Cloud-Based Point-of-Sale Solution

December 18, 2015/in Industry Spotlight /by Optimus Information

Traditional POS systems require proprietary servers and client machines, which are expensive to acquire, difficult to maintain, and prone to security issues, which merchants must diagnose and repair while suffering costly downtime and inconvenience for their customers. And for all that, they pay hefty upfront and monthly fees to their old-style POS provider. Fortunately, there […]

Importance of Exploratory Testing in Agile Projects

December 17, 2015/in Software Testing /by Optimus Information

What Is Exploratory Testing? Exploratory testing may elicit connotations of hacking through a jungle at random, but in the context of software testing it is a disciplined investigative process with a well-defined role and guidelines that lead to an efficient and effective testing approach. In a nutshell, it is a simultaneous combination of learning, designing […]

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