Solutions Mapping

October 13, 2021October 11, 2021

From Desktop to Mobile: Digital Transformation with ChartSquad

ChartSquad provides patients with a simple, HIPPA- and HITECH-compliant way to access their medical records from any provider or practice on a connected desktop device. Its web platform allows patients to quickly access their medical records without having to travel from location to location picking up paper records.

Empowering Patients with Mobile Access to Healthcare Records

With only a web platform available, ChartSquad is expanding access for patients by building a user-friendly mobile application. The app would allow patients to request, view and upload medical records, and access their COVID-19 vaccine card while on the go.

With health and privacy laws, the transition to mobile required a strategic deployment plan. ChartSquad signed up for FUSION OF IDEAS’ Solutions Mapping services to take the next step in creating the mobile experience.

Exploration & Wireframing

The first step of ChartSquad’s mapping process is Exploration & Wireframing.

This phase allows for the client and FUSION OF IDEAS to take a deep dive into the business objectives and desired outcomes of the mobile application.

To maximize the mobile experience, a custom-developed solution is recommended.

The outcomes were then translated into a low-fidelity wireframe model showing a defined workflow process.

A low-fidelity wireframe is a visual representation of the app flow.

Custom Software Blueprinting

To take the wireframe into a more tangible view, FUSION OF IDEAS used ChartSquad’s logo and brand colors to create a high-fidelity wireframe and an interactive prototype of what the desired application would look like.

Upon the final delivery, ChartSquad was also presented with a written technical scope of work and a solutions plan that includes associated fixed costs to build and estimated timelines.

A high-fidelity wireframe adds a company’s brand and workflow to provide a static view of the intended app.

All deliverables presented to ChartSquad are theirs to keep. They can take them to investors or even shop around.

“FUSION OF IDEAS’ mapping product is fantastic,” said Chris Carpenter, ChartSquad CEO. “The way all the teams were tied together in the exploratory phase and the fluidity of the process, just perfect. FUSION OF IDEAS made what I had tried three different times in the past incredibly simple.”

March 31, 2021

The Great Divide: The Difference Between Planning and No Planning in Software Deployment

Would you go on a road trip without clear directions or a plan to get to your destination? Some would, and that’s OK.

The majority would have more confidence when going on a trip with a map and a plan to get to where you want to go. Without a roadmap or planned route, there is a great risk of losing time to get to your destination if you get lost, and losing money on wasted gas.

The same idea applies to any large business investment to be made at a company. It goes unsaid that companies lose time and money when they jump into a large project, such as software investment, without a “roadmap” or plan.

According to Innotas, 55 percent of IT professionals surveyed indicated that they have experienced software project failure. Most of these failures can be traced back to a lack of proper planning.

As companies consider Digital Transformation to plan for new or better software, having a clear plan for a solution can be the difference between business growth and a business failure.

Why software projects fail and how to make them succeed

Problem: Ambiguous business objectives

Less than 20 percent of business executives can clearly describe the requirement process of their business needs. With that statistic, if the company itself is unable to clearly define the requirements of their business needs, how can developers fully understand the specifications of the project? This ambiguity further also leaves the developers unsure of what features are essential. These expectations should be laid out from a very early stage but it is often not the case.

Solution: Engage key stakeholders early in the process

Software projects need to begin with a shared vision between executives, IT and all internal users of the software. Having a shared vision of the business objectives can mitigate confusion of the end goal. Resources like a Strategy Statement and Empathy Maps of your target audience are helpful tools to align this vision.

An Empathy Map defines your audience and helps to understand what drives user behavior

A Strategy Statement is used to define inputs and outputs to measure ROI.

Problem: Unrealistic timelines and budget

One of the most common reasons why software projects fail is because of arbitrary deadlines and plans that are set without sufficient data. In the early phase of a project, time estimation is the best-educated guess because teams are still comprehending the project requirements. When they are not revisited regularly or resourced properly, it can be costly and time-consuming for the business.

Solution: Have a Solutions Plan

Without a clear plan, it is inevitable that developers will need to build and rebuild, which increases the project budget and extends the timeline. Before you begin any project, have a Solutions Plan that outlines the associated fixed costs and estimated timing (with buffers) to complete the project. It is not to say that when you set a timeline upfront, it will be followed to a T. You should revisit your plans and estimates frequently. During development, sprint reviews are set by the developer to review project milestones and check to see if the project is still on track.

A Solutions Plan offers a birds-eye view of the development scope.

Problem: Unclaimed accountability

When determining who is responsible for the software project, the answer should not be “all of us.” There will be many stakeholders and teams involved in the process but with too many cooks in the kitchen, there is confusion around roles and responsibilities. This confusion is often the greatest barrier and source of frustration to delivering successful software.

Solution: Have a dedicated point of contact or team

Have a Dedicated Project Manager who is the go-to contact for the developer. It’s important to not assume that the dedicated contact needs to be in an IT role. Many organizations fall into thinking technology projects are exclusively an IT responsibility. Rather, it’s a joint responsibility between IT, business or sales team, operations and company executives. The dedicated resource manager should be the liaison between all these groups.

Once you determine a dedicated resource, it’s important to align expectations upfront with your development team so the build progresses smoothly toward your anticipated completion date.

A dedicated resource for a development project must have a clear understanding of the business needs and goals.

The software development process begins as early as the initial idea of creating a business software or mobile app. FUSION OF IDEAS’ Solution Mapping is a process to provide clear output so businesses can have a defined plan to participate in a development project or share with stakeholders. It makes for a much smoother and more effective design and evaluation process.

For more information, visit fusionofideas.com/mapping.

March 16, 2021March 16, 2021

5 Ways to Future-Proof Your Business With Technology

The way we work has significantly changed in the past decade due to workplace trends and technology advancements. Most would agree that the most significant changes occurred in 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis brought about years of change in the way companies in all sectors and regions do business. Employers were caught off guard by the pandemic and scrambled to shift their workforce efficiently to a remote environment.

COVID-19 presented an opportunity – and a need – for many companies to build digital competencies. According to McKinsey Global, the impacts of the global crisis on businesses have led executives to recognize the strategic importance of technology as a critical component of an organization, and not just a source of cost efficiencies.

Many employers are looking at digital transformation to future-proof their businesses. They are implementing technologies to make their organizations agile, so when unforeseen changes occur in the future, the business will be ready to adapt.

Here are 5 ways to future-proof your business using modern technology:

1. Go paperless

Moving from hard copies to digital ones enables your employees to easily access everything at their fingertips. With a remote workforce, digital collaboration tools make it easier to conduct teamwork, plan and transfer information faster. Paperless accounting is huge and allows companies to send and receive invoices, payments, and handle general accounting functions without the risk of losing, misfiling, or mislabeling financial paperwork. Going paperless puts all of your content online, instead of having the bulk of documents in your workplace. Plus, it’s good for the environment.

2. Reimagine the day-to-day work process

Nothing compares to having work processes that save time and increase efficiency. Business functions like onboarding new employees or resolving everyday customer-service issues are made up of hundreds of smaller processes, such as opening a service ticket or submitting a laptop request for approval. By identifying which existing processes would benefit from a digital overhaul, your employees will have an easier time keeping track of things and working more efficiently.

3. Leverage automation

Running a business in today’s competitive world requires gaining an advantage and operating efficiently. To support your growing business and unique process, businesses need the ability to integrate and automate critical applications whether they’re in the cloud, on-premise, or on-device. By leveraging an integration platform – such as Claris Connect – businesses can orchestrate tasks and create highly efficient, streamlined workflows.

4. Invest in customized software for scalability

According to research by Accenture, one of the main reasons digital initiatives don’t succeed is that they don’t scale adequately beyond initial pilot projects. It’s important to plan how the technology you use will grow with your business. Customized software solutions can scale to account for the current and future requirements of your company.

5. Make cybersecurity a priority

The threat of cyber attacks against modern businesses is increasingly relevant both inside and outside of the office. Particularly in today’s work-from-home environment, employees are working in a variety of unsecured locations, presenting business-sensitive data to a plethora of potential cyber threats. Cybersecurity strategies should include antivirus, encryption, software updates, and vulnerability scanning on mobile devices as well as mobile-specific security awareness training for relevant employees.

Even when you know future-proofing your business is essential, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the options offered on the market or get caught up in pursuing “the next big thing,” Before investing in or upgrading your business technology, it’s helpful to assess your current operations and identify the needs that most impact your organization.

FUSION OF IDEAS’ Solutions Mapping Services does just that. Whether you have a full technology plan but need help refining the strategy, or you need step-by-step guidance on how to begin your digital transformation journey, we can help. For a free initial consultation, contact us at 949.453.0740.

August 10, 2020November 4, 2020

FUSION OF IDEAS is a Claris Partner!

We are thrilled to share that FUSION OF IDEAS is now a Claris Partner. For 25 years, Claris – formerly known as FileMaker – has been at the forefront of software development and offers a suite of services that drive digital transformation in businesses of all sizes.

We are bringing more ways to create successful solutions for your business through software-powered innovation. Claris’ platform complements our App Development Mapping Service to bring you extended options for your software integration and solutions development needs.

Click on the video below to hear what Claris Vice President of Sales
Ryan McCann has to say about FUSION OF IDEAS.

FUSION OF IDEAS is invested now more than ever to be your go-to solutions provider to meet your business challenges. We strive to create meaningful brand experiences with our branding and customization, innovate with new software solutions and help your business deploy devices to your remote workforce.

Read the full announcement here..

July 16, 2020November 4, 2020

From Concept to Code: How These Entrepreneurs Turned a Business Idea Into a Mobile App

Sue-Ellen is a healthcare professional, who has worked with patients in a variety of settings. With 15-plus years of experience under her belt, she recognizes a common industry problem and has an idea to solve for it through a software solution.

After being introduced to FUSION OF IDEAS, Sue-Ellen and her husband and business partner, Michael, signed up for the App Development Mapping program and shared their app idea with the FUSION OF IDEAS team.

This began their journey to explore and plan out their software solution, which is now in the development stage.

Together with FUSION OF IDEAS, entrepreneurs Michael and Sue-Ellen are bringing their business idea to life with a custom software solution.

“FUSION OF IDEAS guided us as we worked through the key components of our app in detail, drawing out decision points and required functionality in the context of an intuitive user experience,” said Michael. “They helped us flesh out our ideas and offered other innovative ideas.”

The teams met multiple times, which allowed both parties to have a mutual understanding of the software solution needed. Through these crucial planning sessions, considerations were brought up that would have otherwise been overlooked or not considered until the app was deep in the development process.

Sue-Ellen and Michael participated in the design meetings with FUSION OF IDEAS to understand current app design trends, functionality and best practices.

At the end of the mapping process, FUSION OF IDEAS presented Sue-Ellen and Michael with tools that would help them make an informed decision on next steps and reduce their time to market. These tools included:

Empathy mapping to help understand what drives user behavior
Application flowchart that represents the anatomy and high-level functionality of the app
Wireframe models that show basic content
App prototype to represent the end product.

They chose to continue working with FUSION OF IDEAS for the development of their application.

“The entire process gave structure to work we would have had to complete on our own anyway,” added Michael. “We enjoyed the personal interaction and engagement of the FUSION OF IDEAS team members. [They] were professional and demonstrated a genuine interest in the success of our ideas. We look forward to working with them to make it a reality.”

To find out more about how our App Development Mapping services can help solve your business challenges, visit www.fusionofideas.com/mapping or contact us at 949-453-0740.

The Fusion of Ideas Blog

Category: Solutions Mapping