Strategy & Innovation Articles

Artificial Intelligence | 11 min read

Planning-First AI Methodology: The Foundation of Successful AI Collaboration

Why starting with understanding, not code, is the key to unlocking AI’s full potential in software development Picture this: You’re 7 hours into your work day, you’re on your third cup of coffee, and the AI just generated 200 lines of code that compile perfectly… and do absolutely nothing you wanted. Sound familiar? If you’ve […]

product design team reviewing mobile prototype in a discovery session
Practices | 8 min read

How to Make Bets That Pay Off: Effective Prototyping for Product Organizations

Many product organizations today face similar struggles: delivery cycles take longer than expected, timeframes are unpredictable, and schedules lead to unforeseen costs and outcomes. Often, designed, built, and delivered features go unused, ultimately failing to achieve the desired business results. We’ve seen these struggles appear when organizations pursue a solution without understanding critical assumptions about […]

View of the inside of a three-story library with curved walls filled with books
Practices | 3 min read

Optimizing Discoverability in 5 Simple Steps: Unmatched IA in UX Design

In user experience (UX) design, taxonomy and ontology are two powerful—yet often overlooked—tools. Taxonomies organize information into logical groups, while ontologies define relationships and concepts within a domain. Together, they form the backbone of effective information architecture, making products easier to navigate and more intuitive to use. Before we dive into applying these principles to […]

gladiator helmet outside stadium
Product Design & UX | 4 min read

Harnessing UX Competitive Analysis: A Product Playbook for Strategic Domination

In the digital colosseum, where businesses duke it out for supremacy, User Experience (UX) emerges. It navigates the treacherous road of SaaS, firmware, and B2C/B2B software ventures. Don’t think of design as a trusty sidekick but as a gladiator in its own right. Understanding the immense value of UX in our strategic arsenal is more […]

large agriculture vehicle in crop field
Artificial Intelligence | 5 min read

The Future is Now: Dig Into the Advantages of AI in Agriculture

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing agriculture in major ways. Some of the cutting-edge advantages of AI in agriculture include improved crop management, increased efficiency, and reduced costs. AI Drives Precision Ag One of the most significant advantages of AI in agriculture is improved crop management in precision ag. It allows us to understand data […]

Practices | 5 min read

Systems Thinking: Chaos or Clarity? Improve Your Product Design

Exploring the Power of Systems Thinking in Product Design Ever notice how every new project feels like navigating uncharted territory? In many ways, it is. Product design means working within a web of relationships where every decision creates ripple effects, both visible and hidden. To make sense of that complexity, we rely on a powerful […]

Product Design & UX | 4 min read

Storyboarding for Client Meeting Success

Storyboarding as a UX Designer One of the most intimidating parts of being an Associate UX Designer is leading client meetings about ideas and interactions. How do you communicate concepts clearly, acknowledge client needs, use your expertise to guide decisions, and keep the conversation focused? There is no universal formula because every client is different, […]

complex manufacturing plant machine photo
Artificial Intelligence | 5 min read

The Common Business Applications of AI That We Rely on Every Day

In the modern era, many of us feel like we understand what AI is.  After all, it’s around us every day.  It’s in our novels and movies and news.  It’s in our businesses and our competitors. It’s in our medicine and our health care.  Though we may not think about it, it touches nearly every […]

Chris Shinkle speaking at AgildIndy, 2023
Practices | 2 min read

AgileIndy Conference – Bringing The Best in Indianapolis Tech Back Together

AgileIndy 2023 was buzzing with innovation around all things software development. We were thrilled to be back with so many clients and colleagues for inspiring and thought-provoking conversations about the industry’s future. This year’s keynotes were compelling—Mike Cottmeyer at LeadingAgile and Ryan Ripley and Todd Miller from Agile for Humans—outlining systematic approaches and evidence-based management […]

Agile | 6 min read

Five Strategies for a Happy and Healthy Software Maintenance Team

Software Maintenance Teams provide a broad array of services, customized to the industries they support. As a software development consultancy, our portfolio includes industries like energy, aerospace, healthcare, medical devices, precision agriculture, and others. The products we build live on Desktop, Embedded, Mobile, Web, and Cloud platforms. With such a diversity of industries and platforms, […]

SEP's Software Discovery Methods Wall
Practices | 5 min read

How Product Discovery Maximizes Your Chances of Success

Savvy companies use product discovery to bring focus to new projects and during projects to shape upcoming releases. This helps design software for the three needs of effective products: Functionality: The software has the requested features, is well built, and maintainable. Business: The software is designed to accomplish specific business objectives. User: The software has […]

Chris Shinkle Presenting at SEPTalks
Practices | 1 min read

In Product Strategy, Ideas Are Important, but Execution is Critical

Ideas are important, but executing them is even more so! I had the opportunity to present at our recent SEPTalks event about how companies can close the gap between idea and delivery. We touched on the North Star Framework, what barriers get in the way of trying to achieve these goals, and a mental model […]