Cloud Studio is committed to building solutions on the force.com platform that align with our key technology principles, which are:

USER ACCEPTED

"We strive to make systems that end users actually LIKE using."

What good is a new piece of technology if end users don’t use it or try to sidestep it?  The best way to avoid this is two-fold:  First, involve end users in the process, take their daily use of the system into consideration when designing, and get feedback from them along the way.  Second, and something any good user experience designer knows, think in terms of user flows.  Actually think through how the user will use the system.  Where in the system does the process begin?  Can we save a few clicks by summarizing information somewhere else?  Can automation be put in place to take care of any subsequent actions?  This user experience aspect is often lost when a system is designed but can make all the difference in a successful roll-out / process change.  Simply put, we strive to make systems that end users actually LIKE using.

SCALABLE

"a solid bedrock to build atop of, not a quick “band-aid”

The higher the building becomes (ie. the more integrated and mission critical Salesforce is to your business), the more it’s crucial the foundation is solid.  It’s often quicker to just “pile it on” and build something quick and without thought as to how it fits in the larger picture of the org, but there are always consequences to this.  The term for this is “technical debt”...which as the name implies, must be paid back at some point down the road.  The best approach to avoid this scenario is to build something scalable.   We take the time to understand the whole org, the business it supports, future enhancements that may be in the pipeline, and provide guidance on how the current structure can be improved.  Simply put, we strive to build a solid bedrock to build atop of, not a quick “band-aid” one off solution for your business.

EFFICIENT

"Our systems save time for all stakeholders"

The best systems are a combination of great technical solutions and solid business processes.  We try to provide both.  Having a background firmly rooted in operations and finance (technology in a close 2nd), we understand that a system is only as good as its inputs.  We help talk through the business processes surrounding the system, understanding the larger picture, and can help streamline inputs from end users.  The second part is designing technical processes in the system that are short, easy to use, and automated.  The end result is a clear efficient process for all, automation wherever possible in the system for end users, and more transparency into business operations for stakeholders (managers, directors, etc…).  Simply put, our systems save time for all stakeholders, freeing people up to focus on other priorities.

INTUITIVE

"We design and build systems that work the way a user would expect them to."

This comes back to the User Accepted principle.  As stated we are business process first, and technology in a close 2nd.  Having been on the user end of many poorly designed systems, we strive to provide solutions that barely need instructions.  A user logs in, buttons are labeled accurately and it’s clear what they do, fields are labeled well and have help text, and the process flows through the system effortlessly.  If there needs to be exhaustive documentation (more than a 1-2 minute video) on how to use the system, we have not done our job correctly.  Simply put, we design and build systems that work the way a user would expect them to.

MODERN

"We always build on the latest technology."

In a testament to how great the force.com ecosystem is, the tools and technologies available to developers is constantly being updated.  We always build on the latest technology.  As they are released, we learn the new technology and begin as quickly as possible integrating it into our solutions going forward.  There’s no sense in building on old technology when it will eventually need to be replaced anyways.  Better to build with the most modern technology available at all times.