My First 8 Months at Arrk Group
By Will, a physics grad that wants to learn anything and everything!
Show all topics
Agile software development
Analytics
Cloud
Customer Experience
cyber
cyber security
data
digital platform development
digital transformation
digitising public services
distributed teams
EmbArrk
events
GDPR
Insurtech
Lean Software Engineering
management team
mobile application development
mobile solutions
mobile technology
northshoring
Software Testing
team building
technology
technology trends
usability
user experience
webinar
white papers
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GDPR: The Positives for your OrganisationGDPR compliance is going to take a lot of hard work but there are a host of benefits for organisations that succeed -
Digital Transformation: This is How!How your organisation can get a jump on the competition by looking beyond traditional ways of working -
Creating a Winning Membership Engagement StrategyWe look at how you can adapt to survive in the world of membership engagement. -
Why Digital Matters to the CFOThe role of the Finance team in organisations is changing. In this short blog, we explore why digital matters to the CFO -
Google taking positive action on web securityWe take a look at the impact of Google's announcement on how its Chrome browser will warn users about unsecured websites -
Rapid Development + Serverless Cloud: Event RecapA recap of Arrk and AWS's serverless computing breakfast briefing -
Using Psychological Safety to Build Great TeamsThe first in a series looking at what sets the best teams apart, and how we can all emulate them -
Disruption in Lawtech is on the HorizonEven the legal industry isn’t immune to technological disruption. In this article we explore examples of lawtech and the advantages to businesses -
Big Data Trends in BusinessData underpins most of the technologies popular today. In this article we explore Big Data trends and the impacts they have on businesses -
Arrk’s Radical Transition Towards Test AutomationThe story of how Arrk made a success of Test Automation -
The Rise of Voice SearchWhat is voice search? What are the benefits? We explain how your business can adapt to this rising technology -
The Dawn of a New Era for Technology in the Construction IndustryIn a world of traditional paper-based communication, we look at the challenges faced in the construction industry and digital solutions for the future -
GDPR: A year to get compliantImportant information about General Data Protection Regulation including a compliance check-list -
The Slow but Steady Rise of Civic Tech and Smart CitiesAn introduction to Smart Cities including the impact and benefits for citizens -
Open Source Software: DemystifiedWe discuss open source in the context of software programming and the pros and cons for businesses -
What is Cloud Sprawl?Just what is cloud sprawl? Why is it an issue for organisations and what you can do to manage cloud sprawl -
Native, Hybrid or Web apps: Which one to choose?The app marketplace is fiercely competitive, we look at some of the pros and cons of Native, Hybrid and Web apps -
Why Optimise Cloud Deployments?A guide to the importance of optimising Cloud deployment including best practices and the five key pillars to focus on. -
SaaS: Software as a Service and How it's Taking OverAn exploration of SaaS, its growth, benefits and future -
Cyber Security: Impacts on the Insurance WorldCyber security has become a vital area with high-profile breaches increasing – while cyber insurance is a rapidly emerging market offering a new line of defence. -
Using Analytics to improve the User ExperienceWe lift the lid on how we use analytics tools to improve the user experience -
The Rise of Open APIs and Software as a ServiceAs the software market becomes more crowded, applications have become increasingly specialised in order to compete with one another. We look at the benefits and downsides of open APIs.... -
Customer Journey Optimisation and How it Defines the Future of BusinessCustomer Journey Optimisation is a term applied to online retail. In this piece, we assess the advantages and disadvantages and how it defines the future of business -
An Introduction to Insurtech: What You Should Know About This New IndustryThe insurance industry has remained much the same for decades and, due to a risk-averse culture, particularly resistant to change. That is all about to change. -
PSD2: Impacts on the Banking and Fintech IndustryMany businesses will be affected by PSD2 coming into force in 2018. It has huge potential to impact the banking sector and signals new growth for payment services. -
Bringing the Omnichannel to the Supply ChainThe omnichannel concept is relatively new, but vital to making a retail business thrive- here's how to apply it to your supply chain -
Someone, somewhere mentioned there was an AWS S3 outage?On the last day of February 2017, AWS suffered a major outage and the rain started to fall... -
Northshoring: What's the deal?An insight into ‘Northshoring’, the advantages, and how it could affect your business as Manchester becomes a number one landing spot -
Artificial Intelligence: The Advantages and DisadvantagesAn examination of artificial intelligence, its pros and cons and whether it is a throat or an advantage for humans -
Reinventing Public Services Through Digital Channel ShiftHow to use lean methods to deliver improved public service outcomes -
Using DevOps to Solve your Delivery ChallengesAs DevOps continues to evolve globally, we look at it through the eyes of an IT professional and explore the common challenges -
Digital Predictions - What will happen in 2017?As the digital transformation continues, what changes can we anticipate in the digital sphere during 2017? From virtual reality to blockchain and insurtech, we take a look -
Software Testing with Tokina in 2049A fictional account of a day in a software tester's life in 2049; we believe exploration, creativity and problem-solving will stand the test of time, regardless of technological advances -
Frugal Innovation: A GuideExamining frugal innovation and how it is making business processes more effective and its differences from Agile and lean -
EU GDPR | What impact will it have on your business?Wondering what changes with EU GDPR and whether it will still apply after the Brexit decision? Find out all about EU GDPR and its impact on data protection now -
Fintech | The trends and their impactFintech is revolutionising the financial services sector – but what trends are emerging and will this be an opportunity or a threat for businesses? -
Staying ahead of the mobile app maturity curveMobile apps have grown up, the fact is most smartphone users only use a small number of applications, we take a look at what's happened -
Cyber-crime - How to protect your organisationFrom the basics of malware protection and password management to complicated encryption and cyber insurance, this guide looks at how to protect your business from cyber-crime -
The Tester and the Project Discovery WorkshopWe make the case for having a Test lead present for the duration of a project discovery workshop (which in Arrk parlance is the EmbArrk) -
What is a customer-centric organisation?What does it mean to be customer-centric? And why understanding your customers is the key to long-term success -
How technical should a software tester be?What level of technical expertise should a software tester have in order to excel in their role? -
Guide to Algorithmic Business: An introductionHow can you utilise algorithms in your business? This guide to algorithmic business looks at algorithm applications and the challenges that algorithms can cause -
Introduction to multi-tenant architectureMulti-tenant architecture has the potential to offer cost savings and speed up release management – however, there are potential disadvantages too... -
Being Agile, not FragileAgile is not easy to adopt, it is an exploratory cum experiment-laden journey into a land of high promise, openness and innovation... -
Introduction to right-shoringRight-shoring is often viewed as a happy medium between off-shoring and near-shoring – in this guide to right-shoring we define the terminology and examine its challenges considering the manufacturing... -
The Software Tester Evolution | From Waterfall To AgileWe take an in-depth journey into the evolution of software testers -
The changing role of the CIOThe days of a Chief Information Officer being solely concerned with IT performance are long gone, we look at what the modern day CIO needs to do to keep... -
Ethnographic research: Giving your project a fighting chanceWe take a look at the growing priority given to ethnographic research when looking at capturing and understanding customer and service user intent -
Guide to containerisationWant to know more about containerisation? In this containerisation guide we look at the differences with virtualisation, Docker and its advantages and disadvantages -
The role of governance in digital transformationThe key to a successful digital transformation can be the right form of digital governance. Here we look at the different elements that can make governance work and the... -
Pairing - why do we need it?Married couple Jai and Jane casually discuss the idea of pairing up developers with testers on Jai's next project... -
Business Analytics | The story of 2016A host of new trends have emerged in the sphere of business analytics during 2016 – here we offer an analysis of its development and the business analytics tools... -
Is the 2038 problem the new Y2K bug?We explain why now is the time to consider whether your organisation will face a 2038 apocalypse! -
Introduction to low-code development platformsLow-code development is a new buzz term – here we explain its benefits and downsides and how low-code platforms work -
Guide to bimodal ITConfused by bimodal IT? This guide to bimodal IT explains the key stages to making it work as well as the pitfalls you should try to avoid -
Introduction to the systems development lifecycleWant to know more about the systems/software development lifecycle? In this introduction we examine SDLC methodology and SDLC models -
Mobile Payments Popularity: The Surge ExplainedFrom Apple Pay to Android Pay, mobile payment methods just keep on coming. Here we take a look at some of the key developments in mobile payments during 2016 -
Making money from content in the age of the ad-blockerSince ad-blockers have come along, website owners have struggled to find new ways to monetise their websites. However, we have several examples that could put you on track -
Lightweight Software Development ExplainedWhat is lightweight software development and what are lightweight methodologies? This guide explains how lightweight methods work and looks at some of the most popular methodologies -
Machine Learning | What it is and why you should careMaking sense of all that stored data and more importantly making good use of it is where Machine Learning comes into play. Where smart insights can be discovered by... -
Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace WebinarWebinar Replay | Watch the re-run at your leisure -
Why do you need apps when your website is mobile friendly?Don't think you need a mobile app because you have a mobile-friendly website? Think again, here are ten reasons why you need both -
Blockchain Technology | An Introductory GuideBlockchain used to refer only to bitcoin's underlying technology but the term is now used on a much wider scale to mean any electronic ledger that is able to... -
An Introduction to Design ThinkingThe concept of design thinking is universal and applicable in all circumstances and helps solve the simplest to the most complex of problems -
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Reviewing the code reviewWe explore the history and basics of code reviews and detail how we maximise their value and impact by reviewing the code review -
What factors influence customer loyalty?An organisation's use of digital technology is vital in maintaining and improving customer loyalty. We examine the factors that influence customer loyalty and how digital plays a vital role. -
Connecting with Millennials | Consumer Behaviour ShiftWhat do millennials really want? We take a look at how consumer behaviour has changed and how you can use digital platforms to connect with millennials -
Digital Predictions 2016 | What will happen in 2016?From the way we use our tablets and smart phones to how advertising spend will increase, here are our digital predictions for 2016 -
Eliminating Waste in Software DevelopmentLean software development is here to stay, so how do you go about eliminating waste? -
What is Ruby on Rails?Sounding like it could be an exotic cocktail, this framework provides a fun, elegant and compact way to build web applications quickly -
Analysing Performance Testing Results WebinarWebinar Replay | Watch the re-run at your leisure -
Psychology and the webExploring the impact human psychology has on the web through past experiences, emotions, colour and layout -
Continuous Delivery | A GuideContinuous delivery is a software engineering technique that aims at the faster release of software through frequent building and testing -
Fail Fast, Fail Often | ExplainedHave you heard of the Fail Fast, Fail Often concept? It is one of the keys to Agile development and here we look at how the concept can be... -
Thirteen Great Ways to make your Offshore Project Fail | White PaperThe truth is offshoring is complex, beware the pitfalls into which organisations fall into time and again -
Human Resource challenges in an Agile environmentWhat part does the Human Resources team play in an Agile organisation? -
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The Importance Of Getting The Discovery Phase RightOften rushed, sometimes forgotten and generally unloved. Do you get the discovery phase right? -
Test Driven Development | A GuideTest driven development represents a new approach to software development that focuses on unit testing being carried out repeatedly using source code -
Handling Non-Functional Requirements in AgileThis article looks at how to best tackle Non-functional Requirements in Agile mode. -
Empowering the AgilistThe core elements of being Agile are the spirit of ongoing collaboration, self-management and empowerment of the team to achieve product development goals -
How safe is the cloud? Security in the cloudAfter the Apple iCloud security breach of 2014 there have been concerns about cloud safety: so just how safe is it to store your data in the cloud? -
Reasons to move away from legacy systemsThere is a lot to be said for loyalty in life: but applying this loyalty to an outdated system could be holding your organisation back... -
Digital Personalisation | What does the future hold?The personalisation phenomenon promises to stretch much further than marketing and into digital product design and delivery -
White Paper: Creative Uses for iBeaconsThis white paper sets out some of our latest thinking on how iBeacons can be used now and in the future. -
Google's Mobilegeddon and the Importance of Mobile First DevelopmentIgnore mobile at your peril! Today's users demand digital products and services to be accessible regardless of their devices screen size. -
Windows 10: What To ExpectLaunching at the end of July 2015, we take a closer look at some of Windows 10 key features... -
Requirement Gathering TechniquesHow do you know what your users want? We take a look at what different requirement gathering techniques can be used. -
White Paper: Putting The User FirstThis white paper sets out the latest thinking on why putting the service user at the heart of all design and development decisions is vital for any successful project. -
White Paper: Microsoft Azure StorageThis white paper sets out some of our understanding of using Microsoft Azure Storage. -
Continuous Integration: A GuideIn this continuous integration guide we take a closer look at how the practise works, its benefits and how to introduce it in your organisation... -
Appification of the Enterprise ExplainedToday's enterprise applications are focused on simplicity and flexibility, offering apps which are task-oriented and address user needs -
What is Google Brillo?So what can we expect from Google Brillo? Little is confirmed at this stage: but some information has been revealed and rumours are flying. Here is what we know... -
A Need for Speed: Rapid DigitisationAt the heart of the rapid digitisation is the idea that the service is built around the individual user, in a structured but highly flexible way -
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SQL or NoSQL: The fairy tale"Find me a database that will meet all my needs, now and in the future!" bellowed the great ogre to the database designer... -
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White Paper: The Digital ImperativeThis white paper sets out the latest thinking on how companies and organisations can best harness the power of digital transformation. -
Microservices: An IntroductionMicroservices architecture is a new approach to developing a single application by using a combination of small services -
Applying the Red Route Theory to your OrganisationRed routes in London offer a usability and analysis guide for business websites in their approach to key business and consumer objectives. -
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How 3D printing will change the worldExamining how 3D Printing will change manufacturing and services in the UK and beyond, and how it could affect your business. -
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SMAC - Social, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud: A GuideSMAC represents the concept that four technologies are driving the way we do business. -
Feature Driven Development: A GuideQuick development cycles, fast functionality and feature-rich systems are just some of the benefits of feature driven development. -
Team Dynamics in Agile: An ExplorationAlthough team dynamics is hugely important it can often get left behind due to the workload pressures. We look at why it should never be overlooked. -
Bespoke or Off the Shelf Software: A ComparisonComparing bespoke and off the shelf software offers: explaining the differences between the two and the advantages and disadvantages of both. -
Digitising public services in the UK: An introductionA guide to the digitalisation of public services in the UK including new approaches to digital working in local authorities -
Can Agile Methodology work on a fixed bid project?Despite Agile methodologies becoming ever more popular, demand for fixed bid projects has yet to die down... -
Innovation Games: An Online GuideGuide to innovation games including how they can be used to advance your market research and what the games are. -
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Wearable technology explainedExamining wearable technology in 2015 including the future of wearable technology, the Wearable Technology Show and examples. -
Hybrid Cloud: What is the hybrid cloud?Find out about hybrid cloud computing and its benefits: including why it could be a good idea for your business -
Guide to Big Data AnalyticsExplaining big data analytics including a big data definition and how big data analytics can benefit your business. -
iBeacons: Tomorrow's retail stores todayThe creative use of iBeacon technology promises to revolutionise the way we shop, we share our vision of tomorrow's retail store -
Guide to GamificationAn in-depth guide to gamification, including gamification examples, explaining how it works and how it can be applied for consumers, employees and users. -
Benefits of going Open SourceAn in-depth guide to the benefits and risks of utilising open source software to take your business products to a new level. -
Guide to lean software developmentAn overview of lean software development, explaining what it is and how it can be applied to your business. -
Prediction of digital trends for 2015How will the digital world transform during 2015? This article offers some bold predictions about changing digital trends in the year ahead. -
Tips on Remaining Productive During Testing Schedule LullsEight ideas to help beat the testing downtime blues. -
Beginner's Guide to Internet of Things (IoT)One acronym to breakthrough into the mainstream is IoT (Internet of things) but what does it mean and what impact will it have? -
What is iBeacon technology?An in-depth guide to iBeacon technology in the UK including iBeacon Apple and iBeacon Android hardware. -
What does Digital by Default mean?An in-depth guide to the UK Government’s Digital by Default concept: including its implications and accessibility barriers. -
Beginner's Guide to BYODA guide to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), including: advantages and disadvantages of BYOD and how to implement a BYOD policy. -
Purple Paper: Contextualising Agile Development MethodologiesA key decision when approaching any software development project is deciding upon the right Agile methodology. -
Using Selenium to automate browser testingAutomating browser testing is an important aspect of many projects, we take a closer look at Selenium, an open source suite of tools. -
A Guide to Usability Testing SuccessA necessary evil of software development or an educational experience which provides useful feedback prior to a launch? -
Prototyping IoT To Link Bookings With Meeting Room DoorWe create a working Internet of Things prototype; wirelessly linking a meeting room booking system with a LCD display -
A guide to submitting iOS apps to iTunesEver wondered how easy (or difficult) it is to have your iOS app published on Apple's iTunes store? -
Digital transformation best practice thoughtsThe evolution in technology has revolutionised the way consumers interact with each other and the organisations they do business with. -
Agile Forecasting with Focus FactorThe pre-requisites of using focus factor in an agile software development environment are velocity, capacity and requirement. -
Our Journey into ScrumbanTake a look at how we incorporated Scrumban methodologies into our Agile software development practices, with excellent results. -
What is DevOps?A method of software development which focuses on the communication, integration and collaboration between IT development and operations. -
The Cross-browser Testing Conundrum: Strategy and SolutionsWe look at how to minimize the problem of cross-browser testing conundrum, to ensure consistency of applications across browsers and devices. -
Driving Out Humdrum From RetrospectivesHow do you ensure that enthusiasm remains high in each sprint retrospective? We look at ways to keep scrum teams interested. -
White Paper | Open Source, Global DeliveryIT management is tasked to deliver more, faster and for less. Organisations require a nimble and rapid platform. -
White Paper | The 7 Deadly Web Application Security SinsWe explore the sins of web application security and expose the myths that cause organisations to operate without appropriate security. -
White Paper: Anti Money Laundering and Affordability AssessmentHow does IT play an effective role in implementing solutions for Anti Money Laundering and Assessment of Affordability?
