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News
5 min read
Announcement : Spiria is certified SOC 2 Type 2
<div><h2>What is the certification SOC 2 ?</h2><p>SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2) certification is a standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) that assesses an organization's ability to manage the risks associated with the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy of the data it processes on behalf of its customers.</p><p>SOC 2 certification is based on five principles, known as trust criteria, which define the minimum requirements an organization must meet to ensure the security and quality of its services. These criteria are as follows:</p><ul> <li><strong>Security</strong>: the organization protects data against unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, damage or loss.</li> <li><strong>Availability</strong>: the organization ensures the availability and continuous operation of its services in accordance with customer agreements.</li> <li><strong>Integrity of processing</strong>: the organization processes data in a complete, valid, accurate, timely and authorized manner.</li> <li><strong>Confidentiality</strong>: the organization respects confidentiality commitments and obligations towards its customers and third parties concerning the data it processes.</li> <li><strong>Privacy protection</strong>: the organization respects the privacy principles defined by the AICPA and the laws in application concerning the collection, use, storage, disclosure and disposal of personal data.</li></ul><p>« Obtaining and maintaining the SOC 2 certification is to me like an ultramarathon, rather than a 100-meter sprint. It's a first step in a long and continuously evolving process. Cybersecurity, as a whole, requires rigour and constant attention to detail, which our team is ready to invest in. »</p><p>– Vincent Huard, Vice President of Data Management and Analytics</p><p>To receive the SOC 2 certification, an organization must undergo an independent audit by a qualified accounting firm to ensure that it complies with the trust criteria applicable to its services. The audit covers the conception and effectiveness of the controls put in place by the organization to ensure compliance with the five trust criteria.</p><h2>What is the difference between SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2 ?</h2><p>There are two types of SOC 2 certification. Among other things, it is the duration of the audit that distinguishes them. SOC 2 Type 2 is covered by a more extensive and rigorous audit.</p><ul> <li>SOC 2 Type 1 certification attests that the organization complies with trust criteria on a given date. It assesses the conception of controls, but not their effectiveness over time.</li> <li>SOC 2 Type 2 certification attests that the organization meets the trust criteria over a defined period of time, generally from three to twelve months. It assesses not only the conception but also the effectiveness of controls, taking into account their actual use and evolution.</li></ul><p>In other words, SOC 2 Type 2 certification meets more demanding and rigorous criteria, as it involves continuous monitoring and regular verification of controls. It offers greater assurance of the quality and security of the services provided by the organization.</p><h2>What are the benefits for our clients ?</h2><p>By obtaining the SOC 2 Type 2 certification, Spiria reaffirms its position as a trusted partner in the development of digital solutions for its customers.</p><p>Here are some of the main benefits that enable our customers to undertake large-scale projects with peace of mind:</p><ul> <li>The guarantee that we uphold the highest standards of data security.</li> <li>The guarantee that we protect our customers' data against internal and external threats.</li> <li>The confidence that we ensure the availability and performance of our services.</li> <li>The confidence that we are able to react quickly and effectively in the case of an incident.</li> <li>The certainty that we treat your data with integrity, while complying with validation, accuracy, traceability and authorization rules.</li> <li>The peace of mind that we respect your confidentiality obligations and do not disclose your data to unauthorized third parties.</li> <li>The security of knowing that we respect privacy principles and comply with applicable laws on personal data.</li></ul><p>SOC 2 Type 2 certification is a guarantee of trust and security for our clients, testifying to our commitment to delivering quality services and upholding industry best practices. It represents excellence in data security across industries, and is becoming increasingly sought after for software development projects. It was therefore only natural for Spiria to be one of the few expert firms in North America to be certified.</p><p>We are proud to be certified and to guarantee the excellence, reliability and rigor of our business practices.</p><p>Start a project with confidence : <a href="mailto:NewProject@spiria.com">NewProject@spiria.com</a>.</p></div>
Strategy
5 min read
Choosing Between a Time-and-Materials or a Fixed-Price Contract
<div><p>Spiria teams have thorough and extensive experience with both types of projects. In this blog, we’ll share what we have learned on the subject over the years and what criteria contribute to the success of each option.</p><p>But first, let’s go over those two types of projects:</p><h3>Time & Materials projects</h3><p>These are projects whose scope (activities, deliverables, inclusions and exclusions, etc.) are moderately well defined. The initial proposal provides an estimated price range for completing the project, after which costs are billed based on actual hours worked plus the required hardware and resource expenses (such as software licenses or cloud services). This approach is more flexible, as it allows both parties to adjust or change the specifications throughout the development process. This encourages agility and puts an emphasis on project management controls.</p><h3>Fixed-price contracts</h3><p>In contrast, the scope of this kind of project is usually well or very well defined. The initial cost estimate can be stated with confidence because it is based on more reliable information than in the T&M project. As the name suggests, costs are established at the outset, regardless of the actual hours worked and the materials and other resources expenses. Therefore, risk and profitability are critical considerations in opting with this type of contract. Any change to the initial specifications is policed by a change-request process and is billed as additional work.</p><p>Let’s imagine a first scenario in which a project has been previously defined. The client would opt for T&M or Fixed-price, a decision sometimes dictated by the organization’s internal requirements or even by industry regulations. This is often the case with calls-for-tender, which are mostly Fixed-price. Whenever possible, Spiria suggests an approach that leads to a better understanding of the project’s scope, thus mitigating risk. Spiria could recommend that the client invest in an initial discovery phase, whether in T&M or in Fixed-price mode, then propose the actual development and deployment phases as Fixed-cost. This helps the client assess whether it needs to change priorities or modify the scope as a result of the discovery phase. This flexibility allows us to negotiate the defined scope while amending the inclusions/exclusions, in order to remain within the agreed contractual Fixed-cost budget.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/process-en.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/process-en.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/process-en.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/process-en.webp" style="width: 60%; border: none;" alt="A Typical Project Cycle." title="A Typical Project Cycle."></source></source></source></picture></p><p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Figure 1. A Typical Project Cycle.</p><p>In a second case where the type of contract is not predetermined, we have more latitude to choose our strategy. A client schedules meetings with various suppliers for a Q&A session, followed by internal discussions to evaluate the factors leading to the best strategy. To help the teams decide, the table below presents a non-exhaustive list of criteria that are quantifiable (easily identifiable and measurable) or qualitative. The answers will depend on the information provided during the initial meetings and in the specifications, and on information obtained by asking the client directly. The symbols in the two right-hand columns suggest ways to weigh the answers relative to the two types of projects.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:76%"><strong>Points</strong></td> <td style="width:12%"><strong>Fixed</strong></td> <td style="width:12%"><strong>T&M</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td>The business plan, requirements, needs and expectations are clear.</td> <td>➕➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The business rules and processes are numerous and complex.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The client’s budget is defined and budget planning is set.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➖</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The schedule is tight or critical due to the client’s circumstances or business context.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➖</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The required expertise is clearly defined.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The organizational and decision-making structure is large and complex.</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The legal aspects are complex.</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>A past relationship already exists, or a mutual contact recommended us.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The risk, uncertainties and contingencies are high.</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>There is a high likelihood of scope-creep.</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The client has staff or other internal capacity<br> (designer, development team, QA, etc).</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The technological environment is familiar.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>There are significant technological constraints (e.g. legacy system).</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>There are many and complex challenges to integrating the solution.</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The choice of technology is pre-established.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Data is available to reliably do quality assurance.</td> <td>➕</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The solution is subject to special certifications.</td> <td>➖</td> <td>➕</td> </tr> </tbody></table><p><br>This reflection can lead to different approaches, represented in the following diagram:</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/strategies-en.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/strategies-en.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/strategies-en.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/11800/strategies-en.png" style="width: 100%; border-style:solid; border-width:1px;" alt=" Possible strategies or approaches." title=" Possible strategies or approaches."></source></source></source></picture></p><p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Figure 2. Possible strategies or approaches (click to enlarge).</p><p>The strategy selected dictates how the contract agreement is concluded and has implications for the entire life of the project and its final success. The relationship will start out on the right foot if our process is transparent and we can explain our reasoning to the client. Our ultimate objective is to deliver a project that respects our Spirian values and that provides the expected value to the client.</p></div>
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Culture
5 min read
October Outing for the Web Team
<div><div><p> At Spiria, every team is allocated a budget to organize activities. This allows team members to hang out outside of the office and have discussions that have nothing to do with needs analysis, unit testing or fixing bugs.</p><p> For its October outing, the Web team started its adventure at <a href="http://poutineville.com/" target="_blank">Poutineville</a>. What’s better that a <em>Pogo Poutine</em>, a <em>Three Meat Hat Trick</em> or the famous <em>Poutineville</em> with its comforting braised beef! The red wine sauce will have anyone begging for more!</p><p> However, the highlight of the evening was the <a href="http://www.echappetoi.com/" target="_blank">Échappe-toi</a> escape game, which revolves around observations, enigmas, codes and puzzles. The game is a hit in Asia and has been gaining popularity in Montréal.</p><p> <picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_22_33.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_22_33.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_22_33.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_22_33.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p> The concept is quite simple: in teams of 4 to 6, we are locked away in a room, the jail cell of famous gangster Al Patraz. The goal of the game is to gather all the clues that Al Patraz took 20 years hiding in order to escape… in 1 hour. For those of you who love <em>Indiana Jones </em>or <em>The Da Vinci Code</em>, you will love this game!</p><p> The game is completed adapted to families, groups of friends and work teams. It is not only perfect for us self-proclaimed <em>gamers</em> and <em>geeks</em>, but it’s also a great team building activity. All team members have to apply creative ingenuity to solve the mystery. Approximately 3% of participants are able to break out of jail. Unfortunately, our two teams were not able to gain their freedom, but we did complete 90% of the task.</p><p> Time spent inside the cell went by quickly. The feeling of immersion and animation was fantastic. The guard communicated with us from time to time, in order to help us out or simply stress us out by reminding us of how much time we had left.</p><p> Organizers are ecstatic about the growing popularity of the game. They are preparing a “crime scene” version for next month. We can’t wait to see what the next activity has in store for us! </p><p> Click here to make your reservation: <a href="http://www.echappetoi.com/" target="_blank">www.echappetoi.com</a>.</p><p> <picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_16_retouche.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_16_retouche.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_16_retouche.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_16_retouche.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture> <picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_49_retouche.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_49_retouche.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_49_retouche.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1877/photo_27-10-2014_21_21_49_retouche.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p></div>
News
5 min read
A New Name: From Innobec to Spiria
<div><img data-gifffer="/site/assets/files/1912/spiria-600px-en.gif" data-gifffer-alt="animation"><h2>The Name</h2><p>Our new name comes from “team spirit”, and represents our extremely horizontal approach to software development that involves close communication with clients. It is also inspired by the company’s services, which are based on employees’ knowledge and cognitive abilities, and refers to the mathematical mind, where developers are not considered coding machines.</p><p>Our new name is <strong>Spiria</strong>.</p><h2>The Logo</h2><p>To complete our “brand map”, we wanted a visual symbol drawn from the world of technologies. We drew from what is most familiar to us: coding. Look at the following code:</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code1.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code1.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code1.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code1.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>One symbol associated with coding immediately jumped out at us, as it is very commonly used in HTML, PHP, C, Java C++, and many other languages.</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code2.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code2.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code2.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code2.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>We isolated this mathematical symbol which originally meant “smaller than”. In other words, what is coming is greater than what is past. We are greater together than alone.</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code3.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code3.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code3.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code3.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>We flipped this symbol to obtain the following new symbol:</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code4.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code4.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code4.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/code4.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>Which represents the last letter of our new name, Spiria.</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>This new symbol can be used both as an “A” in modern font and as a logo:</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria2.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria2.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria2.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria2.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria3.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria3.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria3.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria3.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria4.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria4.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria4.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/spiria4.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><h2>Why Change Names?</h2><h3>Nobody liked our name</h3><p>After some discussions, it quickly became apparent that almost nobody liked our name, whether within our company or outside it.</p><p>¯\_(ツ)_/¯</p><p>So why didn’t we change names sooner? There were several reasons. First of all, over the last ten years, it was never a priority: a name is just a name, there are so many more important things to think about. However, as time went on, the following considerations weighed ever heavier on the scale.</p><h3>Innobec had Very Poor Brand Awareness</h3><p>Very few people in the world of technology had ever heard of Innobec even 2 or 3 years ago, making loss of awareness a non-issue. We felt that it was now or never to revamp our brand.</p><h3>Acquisitions: “Do we have to use the name Innobec?”</h3><p>This was a frequently-asked question in our acquisitions endeavours. It’s a perfectly legitimate question, but we felt the discomfort with the name and wanted to ease our expansion process.</p><h3>Local Service</h3><p>We are at a crossroads for the company. We are reaching out to new markets by setting up offices close to our future clients, since physical presence is the best way to ensure person-to-person communications. By adopting a name that is geographically neutral, we are supporting our philosophy of locally accessible developers.</p><h3>Innovation</h3><p>The other part of our name, “innovation”, is representative of our development process; unfortunately, it is probably the most overused word in our field today. In other words, having “innovation” as part of our name was paradoxical, as it showed a lack of creativity or sense of innovation. Isn’t it ironic that innovation is no longer innovative.</p><h2>So, What to Use?</h2><p>First and foremost, we wanted a name that was representative of our company and our values. We take pride in offering digital solutions that are diverse and to work with agile, drawing from many different technologies, from the simplest to the most complex. This is our main strength and what sets us apart from the competition. Few companies can boast of developing architecture software that is used world-wide, while simultaneously devising small-scale mobile applications, all under one roof. We provide service, not products.</p><p>We did not want to be associated with any one physical place, since we offer local service. We needed a name that supported this philosophy, with no geographical connotation.</p><p>Nor did we want any temporal or technologial connotations: a truly innovative company is not bound to a single technology, some of which are not yet in existence.</p><p>Language neutrality: our name also had to be usable both in English and French. It had to be easy to pronounce and to write in both languages.</p><p>Originality: we wanted a name that was different from what is commonly used in the ecosystem of local IT. First of all, out of respect for other companies: it would go against our values of integrity and collaboration; second of all, because it would be contrary to our brand, which stands for innovative solutions to problems.</p><h2>Take One: Let’s Try This on our Own</h2><p>At first, we tried to find a new name on our own. Our company’s most creative people, the design team, set to work on brainstorming, brand bucketing, defining our brand personality, listing inspiring words, you name it.</p><p>Having racked our brains and come up empty, we realized two important things:</p><ul> <li>We are too emotionally involved and don’t have the necessary objectivity to make an informed choice.</li> <li>We just aren’t a branding company. To each his own.</li></ul><p>In the end, we decided to outsource the process and to work with a company specialized in branding. We opted to give our visual brand a gentle touch-up until we are ready to transition to a new, permanent look.</p><h2>The Temporary Touch-Up: Graphical Specifications</h2><p>We decided to update the Innobec image, which was in need of sprucing up. But in order to avoid two consecutive image “breaks”, we created visual elements that could be folded over into the new brand. The graphical specifications were created with continuity in mind.</p><p>The logo, which will be used for just a few years, is based on a simple made-to-measure font:<picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/picture_1.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/picture_1.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/picture_1.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/picture_1.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/typographie.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/typographie.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/typographie.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/typographie.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>We kept the red to provide continuity, while tweaking the hue from a darker red to a lighter, more modern shade: we are a technology company, after all.</p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/en.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/en.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/en.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/en.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/timeline_0.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/timeline_0.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/timeline_0.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1912/timeline_0.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><h3>Take Two: Let’s Outsource</h3><p>We were looking for a small, creative company specialized in branding. A large part of the work consisted in understanding who we are and what we are trying to accomplish. The chosen company had to have a proven track record of brand creation, avoiding the trap of creating a beautiful brand for beauty’s sake, which would force us to go through this whole exercise again in a few years’ time.</p><p>Obviously, we had to take several tries at it. Personally, I was extremely aware of the challenge that a new look would represent for the company, and of the diversity of personalities involved in the project.</p><p>Despite the challenges, we did come up with several names which everyone could agree on as representing our company and what we wanted to be.</p><p>With this change finally made, we realize that a name does not a brand make. Nor does a name guarantee success. But now, we are ready for the next phase of our corporate life.</p></div>
News
5 min read
Spiria (Formely Innobec) Has the Wind in its Sails: a Fourth Consecutive Year in the Profit 500, New Office in Gatineau, and Several New Customers
<div><div><h2>New Office in Outaouais Region</h2><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1892/1.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1892/1.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1892/1.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1892/1.jpg" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><p>In 2014, Spiria acquired a software development firm in order to broaden its service offer and deploy a local presence in the Outaouais region. Soon enough, the Spiria local division had to find a larger office space in order to meet the demand. The chosen location is in the old Hull neighborhood, part of the former St.James Anglican church. Francis Hétu, general director of the Gatineau office, explained that the division “needed a suitable place to welcome all current and future employees, while nurturing the development of our Gatineau-Ottawa organization. We wanted to offer an unrivalled work space for our staff, since the talent search for high-caliber developers is very competitive…” The new offices include many details that preserve the historical heritage of the building.</p><h2>New Mandates: Garda World, Eidos-Montréal, Fourniture de Bureau Denis, Autodesk</h2><p>After its repositioning, Spiria acquired several major accounts on top of new projects with existing customers. Garda World, the global leader in security, trusted Spiria with a large-scale mandate for developing a custom software. Eidos-Montréal gave the software company a contract for creating a platform on the cloud to optimize their projects attribution. Fournitures de Bureau Denis, a major independent office supply provider in eastern Canada, contracted us for a Web development mandate. Finally, Autodesk, a longtime Innobec customer, grew its business through the development of new specific features for its software.</p><h2>About Spiria</h2><p> Founded in Montreal in 2003, Spiria now has around 100 employees and two office locations. The company specializes in creating custom digital solutions.</p></div>
Custom Development
5 min read
Ten signs it’s time to invest in custom-made software
<div><div><p><b>1.</b> <i>Does your company have <b>specific needs</b> that no off-the-shelf software package meets? </i><br>This is the most obvious clue that <a href="https://www.spiria.com/en/services/purpose-built-development/custom-software-development/">custom-made software</a> is the way to meet your specific needs.</p><p><b>2.</b> <i>Do your company’s specific needs require <b>more features</b> than any commercially available software is able to provide? </i><br><i>Conversely, are features you don’t need hampering your productivity?</i><br>Custom-made software could be the next step in significantly improving your productivity by concentrating on essentials.</p><p><b>3.</b> <i>Are the various software systems you use <b>incompatible with one another</b>? </i><br>If you use software X for one task and software Y for another, but X and Y don’t talk to each other, your performance will take a hit. Custom-made software can integrate your various programs in a single application program interface (API), providing for optimal compatibility.</p><p><b>4.</b> <i>Do you need <b>unfettered control of your software platform</b>, for competition, security-related or other reasons? </i><br>A custom-made solution will make you sole owner of the rights to your system and provide for optimal security.</p><p><b>5.</b> <i>Do you need a competitive edge? </i><br>Custom-made solutions provide <b>the best and fastest adaptation capabilities</b> to respond to change and opportunities in your field.</p><p><b>6.</b> <i>Do you need an application program interface (API) that isn’t supported by commercial software? </i><br>Software specifically developed for your company optimizes <b>communication and synchronization between data</b> originating from all your different systems and networks.</p><p><b>7.</b> <i>Have you found a chink in your <b>system security</b>? </i><br>Bugs in off-the-shelf software can seriously compromise your ability to do business. With custom-built software, you’re in control and you can act quickly and efficiently, without waiting for someone else to fix problems that affect you.</p><p><b>8.</b> <i>Is your legacy software hampering your company’s evolution? </i><br>Depending on the technology used, some of your software’s features may not be extendable, and not able to <b>grow with your company</b>. Custom-made software, on the other hand, provides infinite development possibilities.</p><p><b>9.</b> <i>Is technical support for your off-the-shelf software lacking? </i><br>Some software companies offer lacklustre customer service, sluggish support or incompetent help. But with custom-made software, <b>support is targeted and focused</b>; it is provided by the team who developed your software, and who knows it, and your business, inside-out.</p><p><b>10.</b> <i>Is your productivity flagging? </i><br>This could be due to inadequate software. By choosing the right technical platform, you <b>grow your productivity</b>.</p><p>If you answered “yes” to some or most of these questions, perhaps custom-built software is the missing link in your growth.</p></div>
Custom Development
5 min read
Bespoke or Off-the-Shelf?
<div><div><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1997/bespoke-472679242-en.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1997/bespoke-472679242-en.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1997/bespoke-472679242-en.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/1997/bespoke-472679242-en.webp" alt="Sur mesure - Bespoke." title="Sur mesure - Bespoke."></source></source></source></picture></p><p>Bespoke or not bespoke? That is the question that, sooner or later, any IT director will ask about software.</p><p>Buying off-the-shelf software can make a lot of sense: more often than not, it is the cheapest option, and it can be up and running quickly. On the other hand, there are always special situations when investing in<a href="https://www.spiria.com/en/services/purpose-built-development/custom-software-development/">custom-made software</a> can be the better choice.</p><p>As a general rule, the more specialized the company and the more complex and unique its processes, the less likely it is that its needs will be met by off-the-shelf software. And when using a new platform, sometimes there is no compatible software at all.</p><h2>Things to Consider</h2><p>The following issues should be considered before making a decision.</p><ul> <li><b>Your company’s specific needs</b>: Even the most powerful software may not match up exactly with your particular processes and operations.</li> <li><b>Compatibility</b>: Can any given software easily integrate with software that is essential to your company’s functioning, now and in the future?</li> <li><b>Flexibility</b>: Is it possible to adapt the software, for example by adding or removing modules, now or down the line?</li> <li><b>Upgradability</b>: Will any given software be able to evolve as your company grows and develops new processes?</li></ul><h2>Advantages of Off-the-Shelf Software</h2><p>As enterprise software has been commercially available for several generations now, most common enterprise problems and needs have a ready-made solution. You may have to make a few compromises, but there probably is a program out there that pretty much meets your needs.</p><p>Simply put: since these applications are developed for many potential clients, development costs can be spread out over all potential buyers, optimizing return on investment.</p><h2>Advantages of Bespoke Software</h2><p>For companies with specific needs, bespoke solutions mean better workflow and increased productivity.</p><p>Another advantage of bespoke solutions is adaptability to your specific situation. With this type of solution, you’ll never find yourself wishing you had a certain feature, or putting up with useless features… nor will you experience any problems integrating the software into your environment.</p><p>Besides, off-the-shelf is not necessarily cheaper: licensing fees are such that over the long run, it can be smarter to create your own solution.</p><p>Finally, in some industries, especially in the technology field, if all players are using the same software, a bespoke solution can become a competitive advantage.</p><h2>Drawbacks</h2><p>There are some drawbacks to using off-the-shelf software: recurrent licensing fees, integration costs and delays… In some cases, these systems can be too rigid to accommodate your processes, creating extra work.</p><p>The greatest drawback of bespoke software is its cost. Building software from the ground up is an expensive and lengthy process. Not to mention medium-to-long-term maintenance: can your IT team handle it?</p><p>The decision to have software custom-made is an important one for any company. All the more reason to weigh the pros and cons, and to be fully aware of all the issues at stake.</p></div>
Design
5 min read
The World of Project Launches
<div><div><p><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/image_demarrage_projet_01_1.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/image_demarrage_projet_01_1.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/image_demarrage_projet_01_1.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/image_demarrage_projet_01_1.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></p><h2>Let the odyssey begin!</h2><p>Over the last 10 years, I have embarked on every new project as if it were an odyssey. As a designer, I am very involved in the first phases of new projects, when we’re sailing blind in uncharted waters.</p><p>Any new bespoke software or Web site development project presents its share of challenges:</p><ul><li>Tight budget,</li><li>Tight deadline,</li><li>Vague specifications,</li><li>Unclear user or client needs,</li><li>Turnover in the development team,</li><li>Requests for obscure technologies.</li></ul><p>Happily, the perfect storm of challenges is rather rare!</p><p>Over the years, thanks to countless Agile post-mortems and with the help of my team, I have assembled a set of instruments to help us safely steer new projects to success. I hope you will find them useful!</p><h2>Client Questionnaire</h2><p>The first tool I developed was a client questionnaire. This is key to any new project as it opens the channels of communication and allows you to gain a better understanding of your client’s goals.</p><p>Here are some sample questions, which are adapted on a project-per-project basis:</p><ul><li>Why do you want a new application?</li><li>What will happen if you don’t get a new application?</li><li>Which problems are you hoping to solve for your clients?</li><li>Etc.</li></ul><p>The goal of the questionnaire is to get to the true motives and underlying business objectives of the client. Do they want to increase sales? Cut data entry and processing times? Reduce errors?</p><p>In order to measure success, you first have to understand your client’s business objectives and be able to quantify them so you’ll know when they’ve been reached. These objectives should be measurable, realistic and have a target date.</p><p>Clear objectives allow your team and the client to follow a clear direction during development, establish priorities and monitor progress. </p><h2>User Interviews</h2><p>User needs are important too. While administering the client questionnaire, you should also be running user interviews in order to establish “personas”, or types of profiles.</p><p>Data produced by services like Google Analytics also enable you to become better acquainted with important aspects of users’ technology use, for example how they access the existing system or site, how much time they spend on each page, or what browsers they use. This data can also help you define a project’s objectives.</p><p>The questions to ask users can vary widely depending on project context. The golden rule of a good user interview is to listen more than you talk, and to ask open-ended questions to encourage respondents to talk freely. You can start with general questions to identify irritants and define motives, then validate more specific aspects of the project, depending on the client’s business objectives.</p><p>The goal of these questions is to create one or two project “personas”. You have to put a face on the end-user in order to avoid developing just for the client’s or designer’s needs. Interfaces must follow the users’ needs and patterns of use.</p><p>The following user needs should be defined:</p><ul><li>What are their motives?</li><li>What are they frustrated by?</li><li>What are their objectives?</li></ul><h2>Meeting</h2><p>A team meeting should launch any project, yet it is too often skipped due to time or money constraints. The whole team should gather at the beginning of any new project to share the vision, and to question set ideas, identify potential risks and uncertainties, and define client and user objectives. </p><p>And don’t be afraid to involve the client in the launch meeting. Indeed, development teams often emerge from these meetings with more questions than answers, but when the client is present, they can quickly set you on the right course. And since they helped develop the vision, they are more likely to be on-board for the rest of the project. Finally, it will be easier to explain development decisions to them.</p><p>Besides information sharing, co-launching a project makes for a stronger, more engaged team. It’s so much more motivating for everyone involved than to be left out in the cold!</p><h2>Visibility</h2><p>And finally, here is an example of a project launch table. The objective of the table is to display every aspect of the project in summarized form, in a way that is easy to update from one meeting to the next.</p><p><a href="/sites/default/files/blog-2017/tableauv2_0-en.jpg" target="_blank"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/tableauv2_0-en.400x0.webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/tableauv2_0-en.760x0.webp" media="(max-width: 999px)"><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/tableauv2_0-en.1039x0.webp" media="(min-width: 1000px)"><img src="https://mirror.spiria.com/site/assets/files/2032/tableauv2_0-en.webp" alt="decorative"></source></source></source></picture></a></p><p>So, what are your “musts” when embarking on a project? Do you have other tools or best practices that help you stay on course?</p></div>