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Augmented Reality in Manufacturing - Manufacturing/Industrial Equipment Demonstration Using Augmented Reality
Are you tired of being the last one to know the latest news in the manufacturing industry? Are you looking for new ways to improve efficiency, accuracy, and safety?
With Augmented Reality (AR) you will never be in the dark again. From the location of your colleagues to malfunctioning machinery, you can get the details with the help of this cutting-edge technology.
That is not all. AR technology offers a unique way to demonstrate industrial equipment, enabling users to interact with the environment in a more practical way. Augmented reality is a great option to help you smoothen your industry process.
The concept of AR may sound like a sci-fi movie, but this is the reality we live in.
Robust growth worldwide
By 2024 there will be an estimated 1.7 billion mobile AR user devices worldwide.
– Statista
In this article, we explore how AR technology can be used to effectively demonstrate industrial equipment, highlighting the potential benefits it offers. We will also look at some examples of how AR is being used to provide a more immersive experience when demonstrating industrial equipment.
By the end of the article, you will have a better understanding of how AR can help streamline industrial processes.
What Role Does Augmented Reality (AR) Play in Manufacturing?
Augmented reality is an interactive technology that combines virtual elements with the physical world to create an immersive environment or experience. It can be enabled through the use of eyeglasses or a simple display piece to enhance the experience for construction workers, plant workers, delivery personnel, and others. The application of this revolutionary technology can mean an extraordinary transformation for industries like Manufacturing and Construction. Equipment maintenance, product demonstration, and much more can be taken to the next level with AR. The possibilities are limitless!
“I believe that augmented reality will be the biggest technological revolution that happens in our lifetimes.”
– Tim Sweeney, CEO and Founder of Epic Games
Hyper-personalized shopping experiences through AR-powered smart malls are revolutionizing retail engagement. By integrating advanced technologies like augmented reality (AR), these malls offer customized interactions to enhance customer satisfaction. AR enables virtual try-on, allowing shoppers to visualize products without physically wearing them. This streamlines the shopping experience and aids in making purchase decisions. Additionally, smart malls provide 3D product visualizations, allowing customers to interact with virtual representations and gain a better understanding of the products. Personalized recommendations based on customer preferences, purchase history, and contextual data further enhance the shopping experience. With AR, smart malls also simplify navigation by providing real-time directions to stores and amenities, saving customers time and effort. Furthermore, interactive advertising using AR engages customers by allowing them to scan QR codes or markers for additional information and promotions. Overall, AR-powered smart malls bridge the gap between online and physical shopping, offering customers personalized experiences, convenient virtual try-ons, and enhanced product visualization.
Challenges in The Manufacturing Industry Today
The manufacturing and equipment demonstration industry is facing a number of challenges in today’s market. With increasing global competition, rising costs, and surging demand for quality products, the industry is being pushed to its limit in order to stay competitive. To make matters worse, the industry is also facing a skill gap with the lack of qualified workers.
Unplanned downtime in manufacturing can lead to significant losses in productivity, resulting in delays customer dissatisfaction, and reduced revenue.
Did You Know
Research shows that unplanned downtime costs an estimated $50 billion each year.
– Wall Street Journal.
Such downtime can interrupt the entire production line, causing major issues with meeting customer demands, managing schedules, and meeting deadlines. In addition, unplanned downtime can lead to decreased morale among employees and an overall decrease in efficiency.
Did You Know
Studies revealed that a three-year average showed that 82% of companies experienced at least one unplanned downtime outage.
– BusinessWire
Here are some specific challenges faced by the manufacturing industry:
Struggle to anticipate future demand today
Most businesses struggle to choose the right forecasting approach despite substantial advancements in demand forecasting and information technology. A major challenge is the lack of effective monitoring systems that would enable them to forecast effectively helping them decide how many goods they should sell in the next few months. This can result in disappointed clients and plummeting sales.
Skilled labor Deficiency syndrome
The manufacturing industry is facing a severe crisis due to the looming retirement of the baby boomer generation, causing what we call skilled labor deficiency syndrome or shortage of skilled labor. Automation and robotics can help reduce the labor gap, but humans will still be required to assess, solve problems, and manage the machinery. This labor gap is one of the most pressing issues for the manufacturing industry today. Employers must take steps to address this problem to ensure the long-term stability of their businesses.
Managing inventory
Managing inventory is still a challenge for the manufacturing industry, but automation is improving things. Still, many manufacturers manage their inventories manually. Inventory management can be simplified by using the software. Manual stock checks result in mistakes, shortages, excess, and unidentified losses. There is a lot of pressure on businesses to deliver high-quality goods consistently. On the other hand, if a manufacturer has trouble keeping track of inventory, shortages, and other problems could arise.
Identifying, managing, and evaluating sales leads
Manufacturing companies find it challenging to identify potential leads. This results in a glorified search for unpromising opportunities and missing out on high-potential leads. Another problem that manufacturing companies experience is not being able to keep track of sales leads. Each sale lead is unique in terms of persona, preferences, and requirements. Hence, they must be treated individually.
The question is: how can manufacturing overcome these challenges successfully? Let’s see.
Augmented Reality - The Ultimate Solution to Manufacturing Challenges
The Good News – AR has become a powerful tool for manufacturers and maintenance and demonstration technicians, providing them with the ability to easily access and visualize complex data in real time. AR is also being used to create virtual training simulations without the need for costly physical training. A recent study shows that manufacturers around the world are recognizing the impact of AR.
Did You Know
“The global augmented reality & virtual reality in manufacturing market size was valued at USD 5.57 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.3% from 2022 to 2030.”
– Grand View Research
AR gives manufacturers the ability to monitor production processes from afar and troubleshoot problems faster and more efficiently. Additionally, AR can be used to create interactive demonstrations of products and services, allowing manufacturers to better showcase their capabilities to potential customers.
An example of this is the launch of the mixed reality headset HoloLens 2 by Microsoft Corporation Inc.
Consider the impact of Microsoft Hololens 2:
- Manufacturers saved an average of $3,500 per avoided expert trip.
- Manufacturers increased revenue by up to 5% with mixed reality.
- Manufacturers reduced training time by 75% at an average savings of $30 per labor hour.
– Forrester Research
How Can AR be Leveraged in The Best Way?
AR technology can disrupt businesses in many ways. For example, in manufacturing, workers can use AR wearables to measure changes, identify unsafe working conditions, or visualize a finished structure or product. The beauty of it is that you can use it to overlay text, stats, and information relevant to the worker’s current task.
Robust growth worldwide
Global AR glasses market is expected to reach 8.8 million units by 2026.
– CISION PR Newswire.
The question is how you can make this work for your business. Here are a few ways:
Training new personnel does not have to be a burden anymore! Thanks to AR application, new workers can now be informed and protected with minimal effort and additional resources. An enterprise-centric AR application can provide step-by-step guidance, contextual documentation and manuals, additional resources, and even barcode scanning if required.
AR is revolutionizing warehouses and making it easier for workers to do their job. With AR, workers can quickly access information on where goods are located and scan necessary data to process orders. This eliminates the need to spend time manually searching for items.
AR can equip maintenance crews with all the information they need – from the exact equipment and hardware that requires servicing to the date of the last services, and even potential points of failure.
Rather than manually searching for potential issues, AR devices can give workers real-time updates on their visits to any factory or warehouse. This makes it easier to identify and repair equipment quickly, allowing them to respond faster and more accurately.
AR can enable executives and directors to view the product being developed in real-time. This enables them to provide valuable input and direction without having to go back and forth.
Promising future: PWC researchers predict that the integration of VR and AR into product and service development could raise GDP by a total of $359.4 billion by the year 2030.
Personnel can detect and monitor assets in real-time using AR, which leads to more accurate and faster identification. Furthermore, they are able to access associated digital data, such as the equipment’s maintenance history and spare parts, to ensure a quick repair or replacement.
Additionally, AR can provide the output of current equipment indicators, like machine temperatures, humidity levels, and pressure settings, by connecting a series of sensors to an AR headset. For example, these sensors can monitor a factory’s HVAC system. The feedback it could provide on temperatures and humidity levels would help to keep the production facility’s working conditions at the optimal level.
From smartphones to airplanes, every product needs to be assembled precisely. Product design and development help ensure assembly instructions are followed. Product design and development involves creating a detailed blueprint of a product, outlining the components and how they fit together. This serves as a guide for putting together complex assemblies. AR technology eases this task ensuring there is no room for error.
AR has revolutionized spatial computing, allowing us to visualize data in the physical world and create interactive experiences with physical objects. In the manufacturing industry, it has streamlined processes by providing a way to view extra data and context around the items being worked on.
For instance, producers can use AR to gain insights about a particular material such as its density, hardness, or other characteristics in 3D space with the help of a headset like an Oculus or HoloLens. Additionally, AR makes it possible to preview the finished product and any issues that may arise during production.
Did you know? As reported by Grand View Research, the growth of Augmented Reality in the manufacturing sector has been significant, with the global manufacturing market estimated to be valued at USD 5.6 billion in 2021. This market is projected to increase at a CAGR of around 30% from 2021 to 2030.
Augmented Reality services provides customers with the ability to virtually connect with a trained technician who can view their environment in AR and give them instant help. This could range from offering easy directions to assisting with intricate processes. Suppose a customer has an issue with their device. In this case, an expert can use AR to give step-by-step instructions and even view the customer’s environment on a video call.
Robust growth worldwide: By 2030, the AR smart glasses market is estimated to reach USD 97,384.1 million, at a CAGR of 20.3% during the forecast period 2023 to 2030. – CDI.
Did You Know
By the year 2025, the total market value of Industrial Augmented Reality is projected to reach US$70 Billion.
– PR Newswire.
Use Cases - Top Industries That Understand ‘Seeing Is Believing!’
Manufacturers across multiple industries globally have embraced AR technology, recognizing its potential to overcome various challenges and deliver increased value.
Please take a look at four leading manufacturing industries that are leveraging the power of AR to boost their operational efficiency.
Did You Know
The AR & VR market is currently producing an annual estimate of $25.21 billion, and is estimated to see exponential growth at a CAGR of 15.6% through 2027.
– Statista.
Electronics manufacturing
In the electronics manufacturing sector, both output quantity and product quality are essential for a successful business. Although it is big brand names that we see on laptops and phones, the actual manufacturing is often completed by contracted companies. These companies need to ensure that their margins of error remain low (as low as 1-2%) to meet the needs of their clients.
To do this, contractors need to employ workers that are capable of learning quickly and working without errors. However, only a few are able to meet the expected standard due to high turnover rates in the industry.
To add to that, the electronic industry is innovating every other minute. We can only imagine how often work instructions have to be updated throughout the same time frame. AR-guided instructions have been a boon here as they help visualize those work instructions making them faster and easier to comprehend.
Automotive industry
It is an understatement to say that production possibilities for automotive manufacturing are vast. For example, Ford has 41 different models around the world, not to mention the variations of those models, with some having up to 15 different styles.
Considering the different colors and the potential for individual customizations, it’s clear that production could do with some help. With the help of augmented reality, OEMs and tiered suppliers can quickly and accurately transition from one model to the next, such as going from the Ford Ranger to the Mustang in a single hour.
Did You Know
According to Statista, AR in vehicles is expected to reach an economic value of $2 billion to $3 billion by 2025. And it is expected to grow to between $4 and $7 billion by 2030.
Use Cases:
AR can be particularly useful for the assembly of headliners, one of the largest parts of the manufacturing process. In order to precisely place padding, glue, wire harness, and other components, workers must have accurate positioning information, to match the model they’re working on. With AR-enabled digital work instructions, workers can have an exact visual template of what needs to be produced, with placements mapped out onto the part in millimeter precision. By using AR technology, automotive manufacturers can ensure an efficient, accurate assembly process.
Medical manufacturing
Did You Know
According to Statista, AR in hospitals is expected to reach an economic value of $20 billion to $30 billion by 2025. And it is expected to grow to between $40 and $90 billion by 2030.
Medical and pharmaceutical manufacturers must adhere to stringent protocols and testing methods to gain FDA approval. Maintaining the utmost integrity is of paramount importance in order to ensure safety both for the operator and end-user. This is crucial irrespective of the nature of the process – be it kitting, pill counting, or drug development.
Augmented Reality verification is becoming commonplace among medical manufacturers. AR can act as a guide for workers, helping them identify from which bin to pick the component, what tool to use, and where to place it correctly. To confirm that the product is properly assembled, product validation can be achieved through the use of high-precision machine vision cameras and sensor technology, right down to the last bolt or screw.
Aerospace and defense
When it comes to aerospace and defense, quality is of the utmost importance. Products must be built and assembled with 100% accuracy and precision, even if it means sacrificing throughput. As a passenger, you would be much more willing to board a plane knowing it had been properly assembled with no missing parts.
To achieve higher levels of quality, aerospace and defense companies often rely on a single-piece flow process. This process involves sub-assemblies being built and moved from station to station until the final product is completed. With augmented reality work instructions, operators can be guided through the entire production process.
This technology can effectively reduce errors and increase throughput. Single-piece flow is particularly advantageous for aerospace and defense due to the high variation and long production cycle times. This process helps to ensure products are built correctly, which is critical for safety and reliability.
Did You Know
By the year 2025, the total market value of Industrial Augmented Reality is projected to reach US$70 Billion.
– PR Newswire.
There are many more applications of Augmented Reality in Manufacturing that can be used effectively to increase efficiency, eliminate defects, visualize products and more. In this video, you can see some use cases which include industrial product demos, marketing demos, gamified experience of products, defect detection visualizer, and more.
Top Benefits of Utilizing AR In Manufacturing and Equipment Maintenance & Demonstration
Augmented reality (AR) is revolutionizing the way industrial equipment is maintained and demonstrated. By overlaying digital information onto the physical world, it provides intuitive and efficient ways of training and repairing industrial equipment. Here are the top benefits of utilizing AR in manufacturing and equipment maintenance & demonstration:·
- Improved training and maintenance efficiency: AR allows workers to more easily access instructions and receive real-time feedback from a remote expert. This reduces the need for costly and time-consuming on-site visits.
- Streamlined production cycles: AR industrial applications can give shop floor personnel limitless and contextualized support in real time. This can streamline production cycles and instantly alert workers of any mistakes, allowing them to take care of any potential issues before they impact efficiency or quality. Moreover, these apps provide workers with a visualization of the final product before its creation, so they can comprehend how their individual task is relevant to the bigger picture.
- Cost savings: AR-based training and maintenance reduce the cost of parts and labor, while also eliminating the need for expensive specialized tools and equipment.
- Time-saving: AR can drastically reduce the time spent on maintenance in a manufacturing setting. Operators, technicians, and engineers have the benefit of obtaining live assistance with the maintenance process, while experienced professionals can provide remote help to complete tasks as quickly as possible. This access to added resources minimizes downtime and maintenance and allows for a higher-quality outcome and faster delivery times. Plus, AR systems can recognize mechanical issues and propose solutions to prevent further complications.
- Promotes informed decision-making: Augmented Reality grants manufacturing workers a comprehensive overview of various data points at a glance, allowing them to make more informed decisions. This is achieved by rendering the data into a visual format, enabling the discovery of trends that may otherwise be overlooked. Additionally, it provides contextual data such as instructions on how to use a machine or performance metrics. All of this serves to streamline data access while facilitating the resolution of problems and the optimization of processes.
- Enhanced customer experience: AR-powered equipment demonstrations can provide customers with a realistic, interactive experience, allowing them to better understand how the equipment works.
Did You Know
Luxury brand Gucci made news for selling a bee-embroidered Gucci Dionysus bag in the game for $4,115 on a game Roblox that is almost $800 USD more than the real Dionysus bag that sells for $3,400.
– TFL
Overall, augmented reality is proving to be a powerful tool for the training of workers and maintenance of industrial equipment. AR has become an invaluable tool for manufacturers, allowing them to virtually repair and construct equipment, conduct demonstrations, and maintain equipment.
Using AR, technicians can utilize a headset to visualize and interact with equipment in an interactive 3D environment. This opens up the possibility for virtual repairs, allowing technicians to see what needs to be fixed without the need to physically dismantle the equipment.
AR also provides a new level of interactivity during the equipment demonstration process. With AR, customers are able to visualize and explore the equipment in a way that was never before possible. This can help increase customer engagement and understanding of the equipment.
Finally, AR can help with the maintenance process, allowing technicians to gain a better understanding of the equipment and detect any problems before they even arise.
The integration of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), augmented reality (AR), and big data is transforming equipment maintenance. With IIoT, industrial equipment is connected to sensors that collect real-time data for monitoring and predictive analytics. AR enhances maintenance procedures by providing technicians with real-time data visualizations, step-by-step instructions, and remote expert support. Meanwhile, big data analytics processes large volumes of data from sensors, maintenance logs, and historical records to identify patterns and predict equipment failures. By combining these technologies, equipment maintenance shifts from reactive to proactive, minimizing downtime, optimizing performance, and reducing costs. Real-time data monitoring, augmented visualization, and predictive maintenance empower technicians to diagnose and repair equipment more efficiently. Additionally, remote collaboration capabilities improve communication and enable expert guidance regardless of physical location. Overall, the integration of IIoT, AR, and big data brings new dimensions to equipment maintenance, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and reliability in industrial operations.
The Difference between AR and VR
Augmented Reality is the use of technology to combine the digital and physical worlds to create an enhanced user experience. Visual, audio and sensory digital elements are used to create this experience in the real world.
Virtual Reality, as its name signifies, is the use of technology to create an exclusively virtual world. Using a head-mounted display (HMD), users can enter a simulated 3D environment as virtual beings.
Though they are sometimes used synonymously and have both made a great impact on technology and business as we know it, AR and VR are in fact two separate technologies. Here we see a few differences between the two.
Augmented Reality
- AR uses elements of the digital world but brings them into a real world setting.
- AR does not require a headset.
- AR can be applied to elements in the real world as well the virtual realm.
- An AR user is able to control his presence in the real world.
Virtual Reality
- This is a completely simulated experience, set in the virtual world.
- You will need a headset to use VR
- VR can only be applied to virtual settings and cannot enhance real world elements.
- VR takes complete control of the uses in the virtual world.
Debunking A Few Myths About Implementing AR
Augmented Reality (AR) is being embraced by many industries as a game-changer for training and maintenance activities. However, there are many misconceptions and myths circulating around AR implementation in the field of industrial equipment maintenance and demonstration.
Myth #1: Implementing AR is a costly affair.
This misconception has caused companies to fear that it is very expensive in terms of hardware and software. However, the truth is that AR can be very cost-effective since it is easy to install and maintain, and the hardware and software costs are quite reasonable.
Myth #2: AR would require a lot of training and technical expertise.
This is not the case. AR tools are designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly and easily learn how to use them.
Myth #3: Implementing AR is difficult and time-consuming.
In actuality, the installation and implementation of AR for maintenance and demonstration are relatively quick and straightforward. Talk to one of our experts who will run you through how simple this can be!
Strategizing Successful AR Implementation with Fingent
AR has great potential to revolutionize the way we do business. However, successful implementation can be tricky. It is important to have a clear strategy for how to use the technology in order to maximize its value and avoid any possible pitfalls.
One key step is to identify any existing gaps in your current process and consider how AR could help fill those gaps. Additionally, invest the necessary resources in the development of AR solutions to ensure that the technology works as intended. Finally, ensure that all stakeholders are on board with the AR implementation and that they are aware of its potential benefits.
Fingent is a custom software development company with expertise in developing budget-friendly, yet innovative AR solutions. We have the perfect solution for your challenges. Our custom AR apps are designed to give you the edge you need. Our team of experts will work with you to help you maximize your business growth and success. Do not wait to get ahead of the pack – contact Fingent today to know more.
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Secure Software Development - CTO's Guide
Considering the recent surge of cyber-attacks, securing a newly built software application is of the utmost importance, now more than ever!
“The hacker didn't succeed through sophistication. Rather he poked at obvious places, trying to enter through unlock doors. Persistence, not wizardry, let him through.”
– Clifford Stoll, the system administrator who helped with the capture of hacker Markus Hess.
The key is to secure each and every door making it hackproof. In today’s digital world, secure software helps protect sensitive user information from theft or manipulation, prevents financial and legal consequences, maintains trust in the product, and safeguards the reputation and brand of the company.
Though there have been many more companies adopting secure software development, there are still many who skirt danger.
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Did you know ?
60% businesses have had production applications exploited by OWASP top-10 6040R vulnerabilities over a period of just 12 months.
– Enterprise Strategy Group
You don’t want to be one of them, do you? So, let’s take a deep dive into what you will need to ensure watertight security.
What Is Secure Software Development?
Secure software development essentially is the process of designing, building, and testing software to minimize the risk of security vulnerabilities. It involves incorporating security considerations throughout the development life cycle, from the initial design phase to the final deployment of the product.
With the assistance of Secure Software Development Practices, developers can curate better and safer software applications. A poorly constructed application is subjected to a high risk of attackers who can compromise information and resources, and harm other aspects of the company. It is always smart to start applying good security protocols as part of the security architecture well before the development process when requirements are formed.
What is a Secure Software Development Policy?
The Secure Software Development Policy is a document that houses a set of guidelines of good practices that analysts and software developers must adopt to make the process of designing systems more reliable, balanced, stable, and protected against threats. It elucidates the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, outlines security measures, and provides guidance on incident management and response.
The first technical step in a secure software development policy is to form the governing rules for programming languages and coding. Programming and coding languages contain numerous weak spots, so analysts and developers must be well-informed on the strategies that efficiently minimize attack routes.
5 Software Security Goals
Aside from eradicating threats, correctly implemented software security can evidently provide significant business benefits. While designing secure software, developers have to remember to keep the application security code basic and ensure that security behavior is simple to further extend in the future.
5 major goals of software security are:
#1Applications Use Modern Security Standards
Using Modern Standards or security is the most important aspect to consider while developing secure software. Each standard should be carefully appraised by professionals in order to stunt threats and mitigations.
Selecting a well-reputed Identification and Access Management (IMA) is the right decision since this will directly impact your business outcome. Making the right technical investments and selecting the right partner is very important.
#2A Secure Token Design That Protects APIs
Most developers and analysts clearly understand that an application will redirect to the IAM system when user authentication is needed. Following this, the application calls Application Programming Interface (API) using tokens. The IAM system then writes secure values into the tokens titled as “claims”.
These tokens are identified by your APIs later to trust and use for authorization. For example, user ID, email, tenant ID, role, or subscription levels are encoded into tokens. IMA is tasked with having to retrieve stored business data while internet clients receive only confidential reference tokens.
#3Users Authenticate In Many Ways, With A Single Identity
Your applications are enabled to run a simple code flow which is enabled by your IAM system, after which many ways of user authentication can be built. Durable authentication also requires a data integrity design.
Every business data usually has its own user concept, with business user IDs stored beside business resources. The developed system should be able to avoid duplication of users with respect to identity or business data when users apply different authentication methods.
#4Engineering Teams Follow Security Best Practices
Creating secure software developments usually has a complex framework and applying it can be highly architectural. It is astonishing how frequently expensive mistakes are made while developing secure software.
These mishaps can delay time to market or affect future productivity and be a burden on your business’s finances. Considering that most analysts and developers are not security experts, they should always access detailed IAM online resources.
#5DevOps Teams Operate Production Systems Securely and Reliably
Your company IAM provider should provide a support package along with punctual access to real product experts. During production, the DevOps team operates the company’s APIs, the API gateway, and the IAM system.
These components are programmed to interact frequently. Hence it is beneficial if they are placed next to each other inside your backend cluster. What works best here is a cloud-native approach. It also enables teams to restrict endpoints that are exposed to the internet.
What Is a Secure Software Development Framework?
A Secure Software Development Framework is a set of fundamental, sound practices for secure software development. It is a comprehensive approach to building software that integrates security considerations throughout development. It includes guidelines, consistency, standards, best practices for designing, building, and testing secure software, and processes for incident management and ongoing maintenance and updates.
What Is a Secure Software Development Lifecycle?
The Secure Software Development Lifecycle, also known as SDLC, is a structured procedure that enables good quality software application development, in the shortest possible time with the lowest expense. Among many other functions, secure SDLC ensures that security requirements are gathered alongside functional requirements, routine risk analysis is being undertaken during the design phase, and security testing happens in parallel with development.
There are 5 essential phases of the Secure Software Development Lifecycle –
1. Requirements Planning
Proper planning is always an important aspect of any project development. If your plan is ironclad, then your development process is already 80% foolproof. During this phase, you will have to identify your project’s security requirements. This gives you an essential threshold understanding of how you need to design security protections for the software you’re developing and what aspects of it need more attention.
2. Design
After the completion of the Planning Phase comes the Design Phase. Here the key point to remember is that the software design should be according to the previously conducted planning and should be done keeping the future deployment of the project into the real world in mind.
In this phase, developers implement and code security requirements in accordance with secure coding standards. They should give extensive thought to designing appropriate security architectures, implementing all relevant security requirements and control for a variety of factors, including risk management and legal restrictions.
3. Development
The next phase is the actual development of the software, meaning the actual coding and programming of the application. Here developers must use secure coding standards, they must appropriately implement secure design patterns and frameworks and finally, the development created must take advantage of the latest secure coding practices.
4. Testing
Once the design and development phases are successfully completed, the product can be sent out for alpha and beta testing. Most companies underestimate the importance of this phase and try to skip past it but usually end up regretting their neglect later. Do not be like them. Pass the project through a series of rigorous security tests and hire professional penetration testers to try hacking the software. These testers will record your project’s weak spots and subsequently report them to you. They can also make suggestions concerning the types of improvements you can implement in order to protect your program better.
5. Deployment and Maintenance
The last step of your software development is its deployment, if you have meticulously followed all the above steps then this will be a smooth process. A developer’s work does not end with the deployment phase, however. Developers need to regularly update the deployed applications and address any issues that may arise. Aftercare and maintenance are just as important as any other step of secure software development.
What Happens Without Secure Software Development?
The internet has a large supply of hackers who are waiting for easy opportunities to sabotage software applications through hacking, phishing, and ransomware attacks. These hackers identify specific flaws in the software’s security barriers and exploit them to interfere with the software’s system. This later leads to theft of confidential information, financial loss, and damage to a company’s reputation and brand. The only way to prevent this from happening is with secure software development. Software defects and vulnerabilities can lead to legal consequences and compliance issues, resulting in costly penalties and fines.
Four Stages To Organize a Secure Software Development Processes
Ensuring security needs to be a well-thought-out and carefully implemented process. This process is sometimes underemphasized in organizations, Take for example, the training that developers receive in this regard.
– Enterprise Strategy Group
Things like this can derail your plans to ensure the best security for your business. This is why, we have compiled a list of steps that you need to take to organize a secure software development process.
Prepare the Organization:
This stage is simply about clearly identifying both internal (e.g., Policies, risk management strategies) and external (e.g., Laws, regulations) development security requirements.
Practice
Secure Software Development Framework roles are distributed and teams begin preparing with role-specific training. Supporting tools are also implemented to improve speed and efficiency and security checks are instated.
Tasks
This includes defining, communicating, and maintaining all security requirements. Ensuring that training schemes are prepared, management support is attached, and tools are appointed us vital. Finally, benchmarks are defined to register the achievement of security standards.
Examples
- Defining specifics (coding practices and architecture requirements),
- Reviewing and updating security requirements
- Assigning SSDF-related roles training plans
- Specifying tools and incorporating automation
- Creating proof and evidence of secure development-related actions
- Recognizing key performance indicators and reviewing all security check evidence
Protect the Software:
This stage comprises protecting the code and ensuring that the software’s integrity is safeguarded.
Practice
It focuses on protecting code from unauthorized tampering, validating the software’s integrity, and shielding the software after deployment.
Tasks
Its task is to store codes based on the least-privilege principle to ensure only authorized users can access it. Consequently, a copy of every release with listed components and verification information is proffered to every customer.
Examples
- Store code in safe, restricted-access depositories
- Track all code changes
- Using cryptographic hashes for deployed applications and permitting only trusted certificate authorities for code signing
Produce Well-secured Software:
This stage includes multiple steps and involves numerous actors and practices.
Practice
- The software is fabricated and reviewed to line up with security requirements.
- Third parties are thoroughly examined for compliance.
- Developers write code, configure the build process, and automated means to uncover vulnerabilities.
- The software is designed with secure default settings for protection and trusted components are often reused in production.
Tasks
These include creating a loyal component list, assessing risk, studying external security requirements, and communicating standards to third parties while simultaneously examining their compliance, and verifying code from multiple angles through review. Final tasks also include designing and performing alpha and beta tests, documenting the results, and fixing all uncovered issues.
Examples
- Study weak-spots reports on previous releases to ensure all potential risks and security requirements are tackled
- Include security requirements in third-party contracts
- Avoid all unsafe building functions and only develop in spaces that mandate safe coding
- Employ a combination of reviews, dynamic/static report testing, and penetration testing to detect software shortcomings
- Create an organized depository of trusted building components
Respond to Vulnerabilities:
Hunting for vulnerabilities is the biggest part of a security professional’s job. This final stage focuses on rectifying existing vulnerabilities and collecting data for future prevention.
Practice
Once the vulnerability is identified and confirmed, it must be pragmatically prioritized and mended. Speed is essential in decreasing the time that threat hackers have to launch attacks. In addition, once mitigated, it is always beneficial to analyze the shortcoming’s root cause to help prevent future mishaps.
Tasks
They include collecting customer information and diligently testing code for any undetected flaws, creating a team to plan, processing rapid vulnerability responses, creating and implementing a rectification plan for each discovered malfunction, and determining the causes in order to construct a well-informed knowledge base for the future.
Examples
- Create a vulnerability report and response program
- Employ automation to effectively monitor malfunction data and automated code analysis
- Gauge the resources required to fix each mishap while prioritizing correction
- Identify and document the root causes of malfunctions automatic future detection and implement accurate adjustments to the Secure Software Development Framework.
Examples of Software Development Security Efforts
Software security efforts mainly focus on security testing at each developmental stage, from the design and development to the deployment and maintenance. These efforts also include applications designing to ensure that your software is fool-proof, implementing secure coding practices, running regular security testing and audits, incorporating security risk factors, and following industry-standard security frameworks such as The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Top 10 Software Security Development Best Practices
The threat of software vulnerability is very real. Consider this report from Qualys Web Application Scanner. The report includes findings after scanning 370,000 web applications. The scans revealed more than 25 million vulnerabilities!
Plugging these vulnerabilities is of utmost importance, so let’s get cracking on how this can be achieved through these 10 software security development best practices
It is a great benefit to implement a Secure Software Development Life Cycle (SSDLC) approach to your software development process in order to decrease cyber-attacks and threats. The SSDLC approach is not only restricted to developers and the security team this way no one without authorization can access it. It can also be easily endorsed by other organizational teams to enhance security over multiple stages of software development.
Technologies use multi-factor authentication such as One Time Passwords (OTP), Certificate Based Authentication (CBA), and Context-Based Authentication. All of these methods proffer flexibility and yet keep the security door shut air-tight. It is absolutely important to be aware of who accesses the software and why they do so, ignorance here will cost you heftily in the long run.
“Quantum Encryption is essential to protect our digital assets and infrastructure from attackers”, as quoted by the president and CEO of Coleman Research, Kevin Coleman is right on point. Encryption means to protect data from being stolen, misused, or compromised by packing data into a secret code and programming it such that a unique digital key can unlock it. Encryption through transit and at rest is the only way to properly secure the confidentiality of user data on a network.
As we discussed earlier, security tests are an intrinsic step in software development. They effectively help spot weaknesses in the system before they can be ravaged by a cyber attacker, hence reducing the overall risk of a security breach or data theft.
When it comes to technology, consistent upkeeping and mindful maintenance is very important. This implies the need to install “patches” that are released by the software developers to cover any security holes found in their products. Updating your software regularly helps enhance existing features, patch security flaws, implement additional new security features, fix any issues that may have arrived below the surface, and improve overall performance.
An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a famous system that scans network traffic for malicious activities or policy violations and immediately alerts users when it is spotted. All illegal activities or violations are often recorded either using a central Security information and event management (SIEM) system or notifications sent to the administration. Any dangerous activity even from insiders will be recorded and reported by this system.
Everyone should be aware and prepared. Security awareness and training for developers and end-users are important as it protects an organization from cyber attacks which will result in data breaches. The center focus of this training is to prevent any incidents that could lead to loss of brand reputation and cause financial losses. Effective education and knowledge dissemination will also help your software developers write secure applications from day one. This training should include learning basic information about common software development vulnerabilities and information about how hackers and cybercriminals work.
“Least privilege” is a concept where users trying to access applications are given only the minimum resources and permissions needed to run securely and perform their job. According to PLOP, users are proffered permission to only read, write or execute the files or resources necessary to do their jobs. This way, if there is any vulnerability in the web apps or back-end services, hackers cannot use it as an entry point.
A widely registered risk in software development is faultily written code. The basic crux of any application is its code and if this code is not written well, the entire application will fall apart. Applications with poorly written codes are especially challenging to secure. Good coding practices such as input validation, output encoding, error handling, and secure storage should be strictly followed. Lethargy and ignorance should be avoided as much as possible when it comes to coding.
Finally, develop and test incident response plans to ensure a quick and effective response to security incidents. A strong incident response plan will provide guidance on what to do in the event of a security breach and is vital in ensuring that organizations recover from an attack or other security event spontaneously. Incident response planning outlines how to minimize the damage of security breaches, restore business operations, improve recovery time and reduce negative publicity and avoid high costs for damage control.
How Fingent Can Help
Developing secure software can be a daunting task but with the right support from your partner, it can run smoothly without any hiccups. Trusting the right Software Development Solution with your project is very important and Fingent exemplifies a perfect partner.
Fingent top custom software development company, ensure that your security-related requirements are addressed across the development lifecycle, governance, and hosting. Our solutions are tailor-made for each client and take a cloud-based hosting approach which ensures airtight security. We have successfully completed more than 800 projects and have earned the trust of big companies such as Raymond, Johnson&Johnson, Royal Enfield, Sony, Apollo, and many more. We can do the same for you too. Give us a call and let’s start discussing your security needs.
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Taking Your Business To New Heights With Microservices - With Use Cases
Recent years have been testimony to the omnipresence of mobile computing. This rise has required application developers to design applications that are lightweight and self-contained. That is not all. They are expected to deploy these applications quickly and make changes to the application without a complete redeployment. This has led to the development of microservices architecture.
Microservices were created to overcome the challenges and difficulties created by monolithic architecture. Monolithic architecture is like a large container holding all software components. Its challenges include a lack of agility, reliability, slow development, and more. Microservices were developed to bypass these challenges.
This blog aims to help you understand how microservices can take your business to new heights. We will also take a look at some of the real-world use cases of microservices to give you a more detailed understanding.
What Is Microservices Architecture?
Microservices architecture and microservices are used interchangeably. It is an architectural approach to application development, where an application is divided into a suite of small, independent units that are capable of functioning and communicating via APIs.
Though these are independent units, the application can pull any of these microservices to work together. Microservices can help achieve the scalability, simplicity, and flexibility needed to build highly sophisticated software applications.
Why Implement Microservices Architecture?
The microservices architecture makes application development quicker and more efficient. When agile deployment is married to the flexible application of different technologies, the duration of the development cycle reduces drastically. Here are a few reasons why businesses must implement a microservices architecture:
Data Processing Made Easy
Applications that run on microservices architecture can handle simultaneous requests. Simply put, large amounts of data can be processed in less time allowing quicker data processing and more efficient application performance.
Modernizing Legacy Application
Moving from legacy to modern platforms will enable businesses to be future-ready. To ensure a strong and modern infrastructure it is essential for all businesses to refactor it with microservices that allow them to deploy full-stack development technologies. This can lead to improvements in application performance with horizontal scalability.
Big Data Applications
Microservices coupled with Event-Driven Architecture provide scalability and extensibility to the required application.
Real-Time Data Processing
Microservices architecture has a publish-subscribe messaging pattern. This pattern enables seamless asynchronous communication to process and analyze data in real-time to generate intelligent outputs.
Multi-group Developments
Multiple developers will have to work on the same piece of application feature if they have to meet release deadlines on time. microservices architecture enables the splitting of an application into independent services. These independent services can then be managed and plugged in together by individual groups.
Improved DevOps
DevOps and microservices improve productivity when applied together. The common toolset used for both development and operations enables a common terminology and processes for project requirements, task dependencies, and challenges. This allows the teams to work together on a problem and successfully fix a build configuration or build script.
What benefits can microservices architecture bring to your business?
The benefits of microservices are many. These include independent scaling, easy deployment, technology stack flexibility, and faster time to market. Apart from these, here are seven top benefits of microservices:
1 Flexible approach
- The tech-agnostic approach allows businesses to select the stack that works best for each of the components. As a result, your business can avoid unnecessary tradeoffs.
2 Effective migration to newer technologies
- Microservices enable the ability to migrate to newer technologies quickly and easily. Instead of rewriting the code, your engineers can develop and support smaller parts and can effectively upgrade on demand.
3 Unparalleled scalability
- Unparalleled scalability and capacity to grow are the strongest advantages of microservices architecture. Autonomous services can be scaled individually without affecting other services and inflating the cost of scalability.
4 Improve agility
- With microservices, small teams can work independently reducing development cycle time and improving time-to-market. This allows businesses to allocate resources and time according to their current business goals and changing market needs. Instead of investing in full-scale development, businesses can keep a laser focus on critical modules and business functions, resulting in significant savings.
5 Improved automation and easier maintenance
- The microservices ecosystem is easier to maintain as it can be updated frequently and deployed independently of other services. The modern DevOps tools and practices allow adjusting this process to changing needs of each team. This automation makes application development effective and error-free.
6 Reliable and stable
- Because the services are reliable and stable, any error or security issues in one service will not affect the performance of another component.
7 Optimized development time and cost
- The flexible nature of microservices architecture allows leveraging a dedicated team model that can work in parallel. As a result, it boosts your productivity and delivery speed.
Top Example
Amazon simplified its pipeline, detected problem areas, and rebuilt a robust application framework. It did all that while introducing a solid open-source system to manage the huge volume of data processing. The microservices optimally supported every function across the globe.
eBay was overwhelmed with growing traffic and it was becoming increasingly difficult for the systems to handle the complexities of growth. By adopting microservices architecture, eBay decided to divide the application, database, and even search engines. Doing so stabilized its website while boosting its time-to-market rate.
Netflix is an over-the-top content platform. It has been an early adopter of microservices and has made an engrossing case study that focuses on various benefits of microservices. It takes over 500 microservices and APIs to deliver this refined product.
Twitter is a social media network that needs to capture large amounts of unstructured data. Hence, it needs to be scalable and at the same time flexible. Twitter moved to microservices architecture and that made it seamless to identify roadblocks and enable faster deployments.
How Can Fingent Help?
Mature startups and rapidly evolving product companies choose microservices for agility, faster time-to-market, and the ability to scale. Are you considering starting your microservices development project? Or leverage it to improve scalability and boost performance?
We at Fingent, have been working with multiple microservices-based systems. Currently, we are helping several clients to migrate from the monolith architecture. We can help you navigate through the advantages and disadvantages of microservices and work out a strategy for your business. we can take on an entire project and help you reach your delivery goals faster. Contact our tech specialists today and describe your project and needs.
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3D Product Configurators for Construction & Manufacturing Companies
When the pandemic hit, it was as if the tap was turned off for parts of the business in the construction and manufacturing sector, and supply to the site simply stopped. Despite the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry quickly recovered and implemented various continuity strategies for sustained growth. Within a three-to-four-day period, contractors looked for new ways of working to ensure productivity.
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In 2020, the global construction market reached a value of USD 11.7 trillion, estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% between 2023 and 2028.
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As per the Global Construction Market Outlook, Expert Market Research, the expected construction market growth rate through 2031 is a staggering 11.5%.
If your manufacturing & construction company needs a boost in its marketing strategy or is struggling with the manufacturing process, 3D configuration may be the solution you are looking for!
The Next Big Thing in Construction and Manufacturing – 3D Configuration
The world we operate in is constantly transforming. Gone are the days of sketching, drawings, and models. 3D product configurators’ evolution has led construction and manufacturing industries into the virtual world.
Today we can step into a virtual building and see the entire project, from exterior color to the pipes laid inside the wall. The 3D product configuration has opened a new connection between business owners and their customers. In this post, we will discuss all that you must know about 3D web configurators.
The Issue Faced By Construction & Manufacturing Companies
- Canary in a Coal Mine Syndrome - Some businesses behave like a canary in a coal mine that signals dangerous changes by falling quiet and dropping dead. Instead, to survive, construction and manufacturing companies must evolve by embracing technologies that support automation and integrated project delivery. Your business is left with two options: step up or fall fatally behind!
- Clutter Flutter - An uptick in the market has not magically made the challenges disappear. In other words, the path to construction is not rosy as it may seem. For instance, a manager’s desk is usually covered with orders, receipts, contracts, construction drawings, and insurance confirmations. Failing to manage them properly can lead to extremely serious consequences.
- Say What? - Meanwhile, communication between various contractors remains one of the biggest challenges. Delayed or inconsistent reporting, miscommunication between stakeholders, and other problems lead to project delays, unnecessary rework, increase in project costs, and disputes.
- You Snooze You Lose- Making matters worse, is that the construction industry is slow in incorporating new technologies. Businesses and stakeholders are guilty of underinvesting in technology.
Did You Know?
US private construction continued to grow nearly three times larger than construction spending in the public sector in 2021 and is expected to keep growing in the coming years.
Source: Statista Research Department
Let Go of The Past to Welcome Technological Advances And Stay Ahead
Here is the good news: there are plenty of solutions to help.
For certain individualized products, distribution via the network has been difficult until recently. But today, such products can be configured independently by the customer using 3D configurators. What was unthinkable a couple of decades ago is made possible today through configurators. Hence, what was the epitome of luxury once is now just a few mouse clicks away.
3 Reasons Why 3D Construction Makes Perfect Sense For Manufacturing And Construction Companies.
It helps speed up the purchasing process and reduces the possibility of returns.
It enables the company to track inventory and order by demand, not guesswork.
It allows customers to create structures and products without the need or the expense of hiring architects straight away.
What Is 3D Web Configurator?
A 3D is a software tool that allows your potential customer to visualize your product from all directions and then customize it as per their liking through the selection of interactive options. It is based on cloud technology and so it can be used from any part of the world. This tool features a 3D model of the product that changes with every customization.
Users can choose all possible combinations of the selected product. For example, a customizer for a house can let the user pick the color of the interior wall paint and add any texture of his liking before they place an order for it or use the new design for another purpose.
How Can 3D Web Configurators Help?
- More creative freedom - It is always said that ‘customer is king’. If that is so, the web configurator gives the king the power to make changes according to his liking. A user is allowed to configure materials, components, colors, textures, and variants.
- Ease of sharing the product without the physical product - 3D web configurator eliminates the need for a physical product. With all its variants, the related 3D model is sufficient for a user to make a choice.
- Breaks the language barrier - The configurator is equipped to manage multiple languages. It shows UI in the language of the potential customers’ browser. It also allows the user to manually choose another language.
- An easy hop from one platform to another - The 3D configurator can be accessed from a PC, tablet, or smartphone.
Top Ways It Can Jack Up Capabilities in Construction and Manufacturing
Apart from these advantages, here below are a few other reasons that make the 3D configurators worth your investment:
Increased mobility is one of the best things about 3D configuration technology. You can access it using desktop computers and mobile devices, and even kiosks at trade shows. Such mobility helps sales representatives to give customers a virtual tour or a feel of their product. Also, it allows customers to configure it themselves and place the order on the spot.
The current configurators can easily integrate with third-party systems. These integrations extend the functionalities and enable companies to create sales opportunities and track their order. On top of that, the company can integrate the configurator with a database to store configuration parameters and customer data.
Custom-configured products and buildings are almost always considered premium quality. After all, it is the customer who puts it together with their specific requirements in mind. When a customer is directly responsible for the design and appearance of the building or product, they are more likely to be satisfied with the end product and more loyal to your brand.
Customers have boosted the perception of quality when they have the ability to take ownership of the design. When customers are allowed to customize their homes or products that perfectly fit their lifestyles and personality, they will be inclined to pay more. Additionally, customer acquisition costs are lower because the 3D configurators allow brands to get much higher engagement rates on their digital properties and therefore, higher conversion rates.
When customers are empowered to design their products, they will be excited to share this empowering experience with their circle of trust. Photo-real 3D configurators allow customers to capture beauty shots and get immediate social validation from friends and family. This can skyrocket a manufacturer’s brand awareness as more and more customers share their creations.
3D configurator frees up sales representatives in the construction industry, reducing the number of hours your salespeople spend daily dealing with transactional calls. Apart from this, it reduces the number of CAD drawings a sales rep will need to show a customer to make a sale. Finally, customization enables an accurate, clear list of instructions that the manufacturers can follow to speed up the production cycle.
A 3D configurator can significantly reduce the time taken for customers’ journey from configuration to pricing and then quoting. It can expedite processes and push information to other systems to gain better insights into the order process. The 3D configurator empowers the salesperson to show multiple configurations in seconds to quickly recommend the best option available to their customers.
Most manufacturing processes are separated. Hence, data silos are the biggest challenge to the manufacturing industry. However, a configurator can automate product design, pricing, and ordering. Apart from this, it allows the company to train its salespersons to offer guided selling solutions across channels and construction sites to deploy a system that unlocks insights and patterns.
The 3D configurator empowers clients to put together large orders with ease. On the other hand, to a sales representative, configuration presents cross-selling and upselling opportunities as extra customization can be chargeable. Another benefit of the 3D configurator is knowing the customers’ needs, preferences, and budgets. This will enable the salesperson to personalize his sales pitch.
AR Taking Cabin Manufacturing To New Heights: Use Case
Complex designs, large customer requests, and inaccurate floor plans often challenge and restrict the operational efficiencies of shed and cabin manufactures. Leading players of the industry are now trying to implement modern approaches at each stage of their process to streamline functions and improve performance. How can AR help in this?
With a customized software solution featuring 3D web configurators
- Customers can build and design their own sheds using AR
- Automate floor plans
- Reduced human errors
- Streamline planning of cabin constructions
- Estimate pricing accurately
Increasing Adoption Rate of 3D Configurator
Increased 3D configurator adoption is replacing the sales funnel with a sales flywheel. Here are some small facts that will lead you to great knowledge:
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The human brain processes visuals about 60,000 times faster than texts. In fact, 80% of all information that our brain processes are visual. It clearly shows the marketers’ importance of 3D visuals in attracting, engaging, persuading, and converting the target.
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25-30% of customers show high levels of interest in buying custom-made products. It was also noted that they are willing to pay a premium for such personalized products as was confirmed by 57.2% interviewed by Deloitte.
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Research shows that the European 3D rendering market is likely to capture 25% of the global share by 2030. What’s more, the personalized gifts market is estimated to increase by USD 13011.27 million between 2022 and 2027. 82% of prospective customers activate the 3D view.
Interactive product visualization and personalization are the new realities of the future. Such a shopping environment provides a tangible in-store experience to online customers. This helps them make quick decisions without hesitation, which drives higher sales and conversions.
Bust Down the Door of Myths Around Leveraging 3D Configurations
True 3D configurations are becoming more popular. However, there are still quite a few untenable myths floating around it. So, let’s bust down that door of myths for you.
Myth #13D configuration takes time
Well, every good thing takes time. However, it does not take nearly as long as some claim. With engine-based visualization, the entire development time can be seriously reduced. As a rule of thumb, the simpler the scale of the project is, the faster the 3D configuration process is.
3D configuration can reduce turnaround time. Hence, it can accelerate the project approval process and speed-up sales.
Myth #2 3D configuration can never look as realistic as traditional photographs
The fact is, 3D configuration can be convincingly realistic. It can be difficult to differentiate them from actual photographs. Moreover, they give you the kind of that could never be achieved with a photo. The best part is, a talented 3D designer can bring it to life with extreme precision.
Myth #3 Outsourcing 3D service is way too expensive
Truth is, outsourcing 3D services is not a luxury anymore. It is low-risk investment with high returns. 3D configurations are entirely computer-made. Hence, you save up on building expensive sets for photography. Besides, with a building set, there is no way to go back and adjust some minor details quickly.
On the other hand, 3D service allows you to experiment with designs and definitely costs you less than having to organize a whole new photoshoot. Therefore, you really do not need to dig deep into your pockets to enjoy the benefits of 3D configuration.
Myth #4 Outsourcing 3D services can be risky
Security is not an issue if it is done the right way. Given that, do your background checks on the 3D designer. Is your project safe with them? Are the payment methods lawful? Is your contract on paper to protect you? Considering these questions will protect you. Another way is to check the 3D agency’s online profile. Read their reviews and if possible, interview the company. Building trust can ease security concerns.
Myth #5 Outsourcing may compromise quality
It is a prevalent myth that is holding some businesses as its prisoners. In reality, you can ensure nothing compromises quality. How do you do that? Do not simply write a technical task over an email. Instead, you should hire and treat 3D artists the way you would treat your home team. Hence the key is selection and communication.
Now that we have busted the door of myths, you are ready to embark on your business journey.
Steps To Strategize Success With 3D Web Configurators - Construction & Manufacturing
Experts need to focus on several aspects in order to offer effective product rendering. Here are 10 steps that would help in the creation of a high-quality, realistic 3D product:
Maximum possible reference material will help you get the needed views from all angles: top, side, and front. This will ensure the products looks perfect. If you fail to take care of the proportions, the final render would not be photoreal 3D.
To create photorealistic models, model to the scale of the real world. To that end, ensure to check if the scene lighting behaves just as it would in real life. This will help in future-proofing especially if you need to introduce other dynamics later on.
It is important to keep the mesh clean and low-poly. This is a proven technique to keep the scene size lower, making it easy to work with complex models. Additionally, your model will suit any scenario.
There are no sharp edges in real-world objects. Hence, softening edges give a realistic appearance to the models. Plus, when illuminated, these are properly highlighted.
The strategy of using Booleans hole may work well for low-resolution renderings. However, it is good to remember that for higher-resolution renderings Booleans may change the refractions and reflections of the model. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid them when possible.
Little things can have a major impact on 3D configurations. It may be tempting to take shortcuts and ignore little details. However, these little things can have a great influence on tricking viewers to make them believe the 3D rendering is real.
At times images can be overpowered by the background color. It can affect the reflection, shadow colors, and refraction in the rendering and visualization. The effect can be manipulated by using override materials.
The 32-bit linear workflow will help you create a realistic rendering, making it look accurate.
The three-point lighting has a key light, a fill light, and a back-light. It is an ideal setup.
Rendering 3D in slots can save time. It also improves quality.
The Dos And Don’ts While Adopting 3D Configuration
3D configuration is both an art and a science. This would mean that the outcome depends on technical proficiency and human skill. Hence, we have compiled a list of dos and don’ts to help you succeed in your journey. Let’s start with the dos:
The dos
- Select the right outsourcing firm.
- Be open to new ideas and techniques.
- Have proper lighting - it is the most important part of 3D configuration.
- Use real-world units for accurate lighting.
- Use automation and scripting to create daylight studies for your design or customize your user interface.
- Explore diverse geographies and landscapes to help you gain a better understanding.
- Give consideration to using a 3D camera, its position, and object placement.
- Think about how you will use your 3D configuration especially if you are low on budget.
The don’ts
- Do not get into a rut. Versatility should be the norm.
- Do not add too many displacements as it may take days before rending a single frame.
- Do not use too many caustics.
- Do not be afraid to experiment.
- Do not rely on just a few programs. Explore all available options.
- Do not go overboard with particle systems.
How Can Fingent Ease the Transition with Modern Technologies?
A unique feature, the 3D configurator, which was once costly and time-consuming to implement has now become a common tool. Looking to the future, 3D configurators expand beyond architecture and design.
Fingent is a leader in the 3D configuration industry with several years of experience. Combined with AR (Augmented Reality), we are able to offer an upgraded and engaging online experience to your customers, like what we did with Lakeside Cabin. We can enable our clients to configure and personalize products on your manufacturing or construction websites.
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Augmented Reality in Education: Improve Engagement and Perception
What is Augmented Reality in Education?
Augmented reality in education allows students to be immersed in realistic experiences which make the learning process more active, effective, and meaningful. Augmented Reality Services in education and training enables users to interact with virtual and real-time applications that explain and demonstrate concepts through multimedia, computer-based simulations, animations, and statistical software. Augmented reality education effectively complements the traditional forms of teaching and learning by promoting critical-thinking and improving the levels of student engagement and perception.
Augmented Reality in Education Enhances Teaching and Learning Processes
Augmented Reality learning technology allows teachers and educators to incorporate personalized, game-based learning that extends beyond the classroom. It helps students gain knowledge and acquire new learning skills. Use of AR in education sector improves the learning environment by driving student engagement and experience.
Several industries – engineering, science and technology, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, medical education, and space exploration – use AR to reduce their training efforts and costs, and save productivity.
- AR-powered virtual field trips to historical monuments and museums allow students to experience history in a more engaging way.
- Molecular structures and complex chemical compounds can be taught effortlessly through AR explanatory videos and animation.
- Students struggling with geometric lessons can use AR to examine and manipulate 3D geometrical shapes.
- Presentations are vital in today’s knowledge sharing culture. AR is a handy tool that makes your presentations more immersive and in-depth.
Recent report from ResearchAndMarkets.com shows that the global market for Augmented Reality in education and training is projected to grow from 10.37 billion USD in 2022 to 68.71 billion USD in 2026 at a CAGR of 60.4%.
Source: ResearchAndMarkets.com
How is Augmented Reality Learning Applied Across Different Fields of Education?
Augmented reality in education allows students to be immersed in realistic experiences which make the learning process more active, effective, and meaningful. AR in education and training enables users to interact with virtual and real-time applications that explain and demonstrate concepts through multimedia, computer-based simulations, animations, and statistical software. Augmented reality education effectively complements the traditional forms of teaching and learning by promoting critical-thinking and improving the levels of student engagement and perception.
“As educators, students, and parents become more comfortable with virtual learning, AR/VR have emerged as engaging tools for teachers to support their curriculums across K12, higher education, and lifelong learning institutions.”
Source: Amazon Web Services
Adopting and applying information at the right time and right place is needed to maintain efficiency in schools and academic venues as well as business, workplace, and corporate settings. AR dramatically shifts the location and timing of education and training by bridging the gap between the real and virtual in a seamless way.
A study conducted by Kucuk et al. found that teaching English courses at primary and secondary school levels using AR technology increases learning motivation, improves learning performance, and enables students to exert minimal effort to acquire the knowledge. The study further identified that the students who used AR applications in English courses scored high in English reading, comprehension, listening, and speaking skills compared to those who relied on traditional textbook-based classroom learning.
Augmented Reality training allows teachers to leverage multimedia learning environments, such as images, texts, audios, 3D objects, 2D or 3D animations and videos depending on the learning objectives. Well-designed Augmented Reality learning environments can decrease the cognitive load of students at junior high school levels, ensure effective learning, cultivate problem-solving skills, improve learning outcomes, and develop a positive attitude towards comprehending complex concepts.
AR in higher education supports continuous practice and immersive learning, which are highly important to ensure quality learning in colleges and universities. The SkyView app, for example, allows students to explore stars, planets, constellations, satellites, and space in a whole new way with an augmented reality view, without leaving the lecture hall.
AR makes distance learning more interesting, practical, and fun-filled by helping lecturers organize gamified tasks, virtual explorations, and practice sessions, regardless of where the learners are located. AR facilitates contextually enriched interaction which helps students understand complicated mechanisms and difficult theories more quickly. Augmented 3D models of human organs and systems have incredibly transformed the way medical students learn physiology, anatomy, and pathology today.
In today’s business setting, AR is a collaborative, explainable, skill-learning tool that guides employees and managers. The cost of maintaining AR learning applications is much lower than updating traditional training tools. AR is a handy aid for industrial maintenance staff who have to perform highly demanding technical work, such as regular monitoring and maintenance of heavy machines operating in hazardous conditions.
AR based tour assistant systems, museum and cultural heritage guides, augmented sales and marketing presentations, corporate training games, and manufacturing assemblies promote effective education and training in corporate surroundings. AR makes information available at the right time and place, through rich content with computer-generated 3D imagery.
Edutainment hints at the positive correlations between the fields of education and entertainment. Leading data sources like HubSpot and others reveal that 90% of information transmitted to our brains is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000X faster by the brain than text. These facts undeniably prove that most of our learning happens through watching. MathAlive, an AR-based supplemental mathematics curriculum kit leverages the key learning modalities of seeing, hearing, and doing to engage early learners and get them excited about mathematics. The platform uses AR 3D imagery (without glasses) and gaming technology to teach math concepts to early learners.
Deploying AR in education enables students to retain more of a lesson through immersive experience, engaging simulations, and increased participation in the learning process.
STEM education practitioners have to address many intrinsic issues in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research. They often face challenges like expensive or inadequate laboratory systems, faulty equipment, difficulty in simulating experimental circumstances, lack of instructors who are knowledgeable in computer-aided design (CAD), and resistance towards learning technology adoption. AR technology is well-suited for enhancing STEM learning environments, specifically because the virtual objects in an AR application appear to co-exist in the same space as the objects located in the real-world.
Marker-based AR applications are commonly used in Mathematics and Physics studies as a problem-based simulator, which is usually conducted in classrooms and virtual labs. Location-based AR is widely used in Natural Science inquiry-based learning, conducted mostly at the out-of-school contexts. AR stimulates learning achievement, assists in visualization, and promotes student-centered learning in STEM education.
Augmented Reality in Education and Training: Use Cases
The actual capability of AR isn’t just limited to chasing pokemon around the town or adding photo filters in Instagram or Facebook. Here are some of the real-world manifestations of augmented reality in education and training.
1 AR for Early Learners
- Quiver Masks combines augmented reality coloring pages with face-tracking that allows kids to create interactive AR masks. Kids can apply their own imagination and retell exciting stories using the AR masks. The app offers an educational platform that enables educators and students to better visualize and understand various learning subjects.
- Catchy Words AR is a fun augmented reality app for students to practice their spelling skills. Using the app, students will be able to see letters floating all around them. By moving their phones or tablets and changing their positions, students have to catch the letters and solve the word. This improves their spelling skills and memory.
2 AR in Classroom
- Octagon Studio’s Dinosaur 4D+ augmented reality flashcards allow teachers to explain the origin and physiology of dinosaurs, while the students discern the animated reptiles with rapt attention. Through visual simulation, discovery-based learning, and interactivity, the app keeps students engaged in the classroom.
- AssemblerEDU AR app allows teachers to present complex concepts in 3D as if it is right in the classroom. Through its powerful AR editors, 3D library, and importing options, Assembler helps create a more accessible and exciting learning experience at school, which arouses curiosity and understanding among students.
3 AR in Remote Learning
- 3DBear AR app supports both in-class and remote learning by allowing students to create and experience their own virtual worlds. It’s a great tool for homework when learning remotely. Teachers can access lesson plans, assign challenges to students, and track them easily using this AR application.
- Human Anatomy Atlas 2023＋ is a cross-platform (web & mobile) AR app that offers full female and male 3D interactive visual content and models to study gross anatomy. It’s the most comprehensive and portable anatomy and physiology reference available today.
4 AR to Increase Campus Enrollments
- The University of Scranton, Pennsylvania has successfully leveraged Augmented Reality in their admissions marketing campaign, way back in 2014 itself. Visitors at the university were asked to download a free AR app called Layar, and then point their phone towards the university logo on the marketing poster. The logo was transformed into a video that appeared to be playing on the poster.
- The Savannah College of Arts and Science has rolled out an augmented reality catalog detailing various courses, programs, degrees, majors, and other learning opportunities for students. The AR-driven catalog enables prospective students to learn more about the institution before enrolling.
Augmented Reality EdTech Trends That Reign Supreme Now
Augmented Reality is an effective educational tool and a highly sought-after EdTech trend that educators and organizational training providers should pursue without fail. Here are some of the top Augmented Reality EdTech trends:
1. AI and AR Will Work Together
Though Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence are separate technologies, AI will help AR work better. Complicated AI algorithms enable AR applications and devices to infer the sensor data generated in the real-life environment. Techniques like 3D scanning allows educators to import real-world objects into metaverse environments. Automatic design apps like Sketch AR enables users to draw designs in AR. Users of this app can also rely on AI to draw designs on their behalf. Using AI to design objects in 3D space, with a real-life environment as the source, will further augment automatic designs.
2. Mobile Augmented Reality
Mobile devices are the main vehicles that drive augmented reality experiences. Since mobile devices are more convenient and handy than AR headsets, businesses have immense opportunities to leverage mobile devices for AR.
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According to ARtillery Intelligence, the global mobile AR revenue is projected to grow from $6.87 billion in 2020 to $26.05 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 30.5%.
Google’s recently launched Geospatial API allows developers to create new geospatial experiences by setting latitude and longitude coordinates for AR content. Apple’s ARKit 6 enhancements make scene occlusion and other virtual experiences much more realistic.
According to MOJET, mobile devices are the most preferred delivery channel in educational AR.
Mobile Devices: 57%
Desktops and Laptops: 24%
AR Glasses: 6%
Not Specified: 13%
3. WebAR Solutions
WebAR solutions, powered by web browsers, don’t require users to download additional software. This feature makes WebAR more accessible. Educators can use WebAR to create simple 3D objects that convey complex concepts to students in a highly intuitive manner. Pre-K students and early learners can use WebAR to perform simple, yet engaging exercises, such as coloring pictures or performing memory boosting exercises.
4. Cross-Platform AR Applications
Cross-Platform AR development is an ideal choice if your requirement is to create a simple application without complex functions. Cross-platform development ensures faster time to market as it is easier to code such apps. Non-platform dependent, simple product views with lower performance requirements are a suitable case for cross-platform AR applications.
5. Interactive AR Manuals
Businesses looking to provide their customers with feature-rich instructions and detailed documentation can leverage interactive AR manuals. This saves the customer from spending too much time understanding a product and its features. AR helps share information in a more engaging way, enabling the customer to make informed decisions. They will also get to know the best practices for using and maintaining a product for a longer term, without turning to customer service reps frequently.
Three Types of AR Used in Education Today
Marker-based AR
(59.38%)
- Requires target images or markers to annotate things in a given space
- Phone camera feeds are used to place 3D digital content within the user’s visual field
Marker-less AR
(12.50%)
- No object tracking systems required
- Utilizes advancements in cameras, sensors, algorithms, and processors to detect and map the real-world
Location-based AR
(21.88%)
- Merges virtual 3D objects into the user’s physical location
- Superimposes information based on your geographical location
Debunking The Myths About AR in Education
Being a relatively nascent technology, Augmented Reality is yet to hit the mainstream learning and development space. Lack of knowledge about the potential of AR in education has given rise to several misconceptions, including the ones mentioned below:
Myth #1 AR is Only for Fun, Gaming, and Entertainment
The popularity gained by AR due to its practical applications in the gaming and entertainment industry lead many to believe this myth.
Adding AR experiences to gamify learning will improve the level of learner engagement and motivation and help develop intuitive thinking among students. Wall hangings and posters, classroom exhibits, course materials, textbooks, and eLearning content can be infused with AR experience to revolutionize the overall learning experience. For example, Ohio-based Case Western Reserve University uses Microsoft HoloLens devices to study human anatomy where an entire class can view the same life-sized 3D image at once.
Myth #2 AR in Education is Expensive
Several educators adopt other training and teaching methods as they consider AR too expensive. When used right, AR applications can reduce your training costs and provide higher ROI in the long run. Augmented Reality is a feasible educational technology that needs minimal and inexpensive configuration. With a stable internet connection, mobile devices, and an AR app, you can deliver impactful learning experiences, both within and outside the classroom.
Myth #3 Teachers Face a Huge Learning Curve
Many teachers hesitate to incorporate AR in teaching because they consider the technology complex and difficult to integrate. AR is an effective advanced technology that can be easily integrated into teaching. AR allows teachers to contribute towards the development of creativity in students, ensure effective student participation in lessons, and support students to pursue learning at their own pace. Approaching AR in a logical, step-by-step manner allows teachers to evaluate the technology’s potential, personalize lessons, and transform the way their students absorb and apply knowledge.
Myth #4 AR is Only a Short-Lived Trend
Like any other emerging technology that takes years to gain acceptance, AR too is making slow yet steady progress across various realms, including education. Augmented reality offers more convenient features for schools to encourage student interactivity and involvement. It allows teachers to create immersive learning experiences in a relatively shorter time with dedicated AR apps.
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According to Fact.MR, the demand for Augmented Reality in K-12 education is projected to increase at a CAGR of 75% across the assessment period of 2021 to 2031.
Augmented reality education isn’t a passing fad. It’s here to stay and enrich learning and teaching experiences in the coming years.
Myth #5 AR Experiences are Solely Designed For Classroom Learning
Many educators assume that AR experiences are possible only within the confines of the classroom and cannot be reproduced in different environments. AR can help students do their homework and assignments, even when they aren’t interacting with a teacher. AR-enabled worksheets enable students to explore their lessons and do their homework at their own time. AR-based virtual field trips, museum visits, and lab experiments broaden the scope of learning outside the classroom.
Augmented Reality Education Applied in Professional Training
Most of the learned skills today have a shrinking half-life of about five years. Continuous reskilling and upskilling are important for companies to stay relevant. Augmented reality education can solve the skill crisis that negatively impacts the workforce productivity.
Remote Assistance
Faster Onboarding of Employees
Field Service Staff Training
Product Knowledge Training
Training to Manage High-Risk Scenarios
Remote Assistance
Using an AR-supporting device, a junior technician working on-site can receive assistance from an SME located elsewhere. An AR-enabled portable device, such as a smartphone or tablet, allows the novice technician to share their view of a machine or faulty equipment with a remotely located senior technician. The experienced technician can see the device’s condition in real-time and guide the newbie through the task remotely. This improves first-time fix rates, helps record training sessions for future reference, and preserves the skills from retiring completely.
Faster Onboarding of Employees
Organizations can reduce onboarding efforts and costs by sharing 3D navigation routes and interactive virtual simulations of office premises, buildings, floors, shops, business processes, and workflows with the newly hired employees. Mandatory employee training programs, such as HR processes, occupational health and safety, cybersecurity, ISO, and other courses can be made more interesting and meaningful for employees through custom-built AR training software.
Field Service Staff Training
Field service professionals, including sales agents, field service technicians, on-site service engineers, and equipment maintenance staff can use AR headsets that project problem detection steps and troubleshooting tips on the screen of the headset. This allows field crews to quickly understand the entire process, such as how the machine is expected to function and where it needs fixing.
Product Knowledge Training
Conventional training methods like classroom learning, printed textbooks and learning materials, dull instruction guides, and unappealing visual illustrations are insufficient to keep pace with the industry’s rising learning curve. 3D product tours and augmented work instructions place products right in front of the employee, so they can familiarize themselves with the product components and its functioning, right away using their smartphone, tablet, or AR headset.
Training to Manage High-Risk Scenarios
Employees, specifically those working in high-risk industries, should be trained to deal with risky scenarios, without getting themselves exposed to real-life dangers. Augmented Reality enables us to virtually recreate vulnerable scenarios, such as fire hazards, riots, and other disasters. AR-based training equips firefighters, defense personnel, riot handling cops,and disaster management squads to hone their skills in encountering life-threatening risks and bringing them under control.
AR in Education Enables Industries To Improve Training Efficiency and Outcomes
Several industries use Augmented Reality to improve their workforce’s productivity, bridge skill gaps, impart workplace training, save the time and effort of their employees, and cut down on hiring and training costs.
1. Healthcare and Medicine
Due to its versatility, AR in healthcare is becoming more accessible and affordable for medical imaging, medical education, dentistry, and nurses’ training. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reports that the United States could see an estimated shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2034, including shortfalls in both primary and specialty care. AR-enabled virtualized training provides deeper insights into the nuances of body functions, enabling medical practitioners to address more critical cases in a given period of time. Life sciences companies can use AR to educate care providers on the latest therapies and drugs that improve treatment outcomes.
Example:
Fingent’s Neonatal Resuscitation Simulator – Golden Minute Protocol is an effective remote medical training aid that allows medical residents to learn complex concepts faster. The training simulator provides a risk-free environment to practice emergency situations and offers 360-degree immersive learning content. Reduce medical errors and improve performance with Fingent’s virtual and augmented reality capabilities.
2. Retail
Recent data shows that 40% of consumers are ready to pay more for a product that they could test and customize using AR. Augmented Reality in retail allows shoppers to interact, customize, and engage with products better, and make the right purchase decisions. Virtual fitting rooms, placement previews, interactive AR packaging and user guides, product visualizers, and similar AR solutions allow retailers to improve consumer awareness and influence buying decisions. Philips, the leading electronics brand, for instance, uses AR tags to mark their range of products. By pointing their smartphone towards a product’s AR tag, customers can learn more about that product, without turning to a store assistant.
Example:
Fingent helps retailers develop custom eCommerce AR applications to promote smart selling. Increase your sales through virtual product catalogs, enhanced product visualization, virtual try-on, 3D modeling, interactive user manuals, product placement previews, and more. Take your eCommerce business to the next-level with Fingent.
3. Manufacturing
AR is the most accessible immersive technology in manufacturing. In a typical industrial setting, such as a factory floor, AR works by utilizing the camera of the device used by an employee. It captures live footage and displays it on the employee’s screen with 3D elements overlaid. Life-like simulations of machines or devices allow workers to properly recognize surfaces, measure their size and scale, and perform operations as required. Instant objection recognition done by AR tracking software reduces the manual effort involved in picking up details and making decisions. Customized AR apps can save costs by keeping workers out of risky sites and hazardous work conditions.
Example:
Augmented Reality enables GE mechanics to be more productive by offering them step-by-step instructions and visuals directly within their line of sight. The mechanics also get alerts in real-time through AR smart glasses, so they can inspect every step before moving on.
4. Military Training
Rigorous military training strengthens a nation’s defense and empowers soldiers to face real combat. AR-enabled head-mounted displays can project critical military data feeds from satellites, maps, blueprints, or drones into the soldier’s field of view. This allows them to survey opposition hideouts and identify suspicious enemy movement. Besides training military personnel, augmented reality is used for the efficient maintenance of defense vehicles, ships and submarines, aircrafts, gadgets, and other equipment.
Example:
The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), adopted recently by the U.S. army, uses augmented reality to overlay maps, enemy positions, locations of their own squad members, and other key information into a soldier’s field of vision.
5. Equipment Installation and Maintenance
Equipment installers and maintenance professionals face constant pressure to maximize machine availability for an uninterrupted and quality production in factory units and manufacturing facilities. Even a single piece of faulty machinery can cause unplanned downtimes that will affect the bottom line and reputation of a business. To avoid such financial and reputational damage, companies and manufacturing facilities are banking on disruptive technologies like Augmented reality that enable effective and timely equipment maintenance. AR-guided employee training and remote maintenance help minimize production downtimes, optimize operational costs, automate repetitive processes, and improve operational efficiency.
Example:
Augmented Reality enables GE mechanics to be more productive by offering them step-by-step instructions and visuals directly within their line of sight. The mechanics also get alerts in real-time through AR smart glasses, so they can inspect every step before moving on.
6. Space Exploration
The space industry has always been at the forefront of technology adoption, and AR is no exception. Augmented reality learning is being used to train astronauts as well as spacecraft and satellite engineers to perform complex maintenance and repair activities that demand advanced technical skills and precision. Space station crew members can receive procedures through augmented reality goggles. It reduces the time astronauts spend training and completing such tasks.
Example:
NASA’s T2 Augmented Reality project uses Microsoft HoloLens in combination with custom-built AR software to enable astronauts to inspect and maintain major pieces of hardware equipment, without receiving assistance from the ground team.
Top 3 professional educational fields in which AR is used the most:
Medical Training
Science
Engineering
Top Benefits of Augmented Reality in Education
The opportunities and benefits of Augmented Reality are not limited to a single group or level of education. Right from pre-K and K-12 education up to college and workplace training, AR can transform learning environments, enable faster knowledge acquisition, and improve competencies.
Accessible Learning Materials
Several educational institutions struggle both technically and financially to update outdated learning materials. This can be solved using a customized AR application that helps download the latest content and present it in a highly interactive format. Replacing printed textbooks, manuals, brochures, and posters with AR can save your printing costs. Mobile-based AR apps allow anyone to access learning materials from anywhere.
Higher Student Engagement and Interest
Through interactive and gamified learning, AR keeps students engaged throughout the lesson. This makes learning effortless and fun-filled. Immersion techniques, such as virtual worlds, encourage students to explore the learning materials more deeply. It makes lessons appear more interesting, relevant, and real. Motivation drives higher student engagement and improves the pace of learning.
Interactive Learning Environment
AR helps implement more self-practice sessions and hands-on learning exercises to provide students an interactive learning environment, even within their classrooms. For example, an AR app that takes students to a virtual aviary can help them learn more about different bird species. Students also get an opportunity to learn and practice new skills in an interactive learning environment.
Improve Memory and Concentration
Augmented Reality helps bring lessons to life, so students can easily recollect the key details. For example, a history lecturer can use AR technology to create memorable interactive stories to narrate the Colonial American period, instead of presenting plain images on an LCD projector.
No Expensive Hardware Required
Augmented Reality can work without any expensive hardware. What you only need is a contemporary smartphone that already has the hardware needed to run AR apps. Augmented reality can present the required 3D models and accompanying explanations in situations where it is necessary to explore scientific devices, equipment, blueprints, charts, tables, or any other physical learning materials.
Safe and Effective Workplace Training
Through interactive and gamified learning, AR keeps students engaged throughout the lesson. This makes learning effortless and fun-filled. Immersion techniques, such as virtual worlds, encourage students to explore the learning materials more deeply. It makes lessons appear more interesting, relevant, and real. Motivation drives higher student engagement and improves the pace of learning.
Develop Your AR Training Application with Fingent
Publicly available, pre-packaged AR applications may not have all the functionalities needed to run your business effortlessly. Canned software lacks the industry knowledge and topnotch features which are required to optimize your operations. At Fingent top custom software development company, we understand how important it is for you to build an impactful learning environment that supports your trainers as well as learners. Our engineers are keen on customized AR development and we keep contributing to the open-source AR communities.
We are an augmented reality company with expertise in crafting innovative, customized AR solutions at budget-friendly price points. We help bring advanced AR capabilities – 3D modeling, 360-degree panoramic imaging, real-time character identification, location-based tracking, and other immersive capabilities – to your fingertips through custom AR app development, so you achieve a competitive edge in the market.
Develop your own custom AR application. Accomplish your educational and training goals without any compromise.
Frequently Asked Questions About AR in Education
Augmented Reality enhances the real-world environment with graphics, sound, text, videos, and other multimedia components. AR superimposes digital content on top of the graphic representation of the actual world.
AR in Education:
Right from K-12 to higher education and employee training in corporate settings, AR can be applied to improve both teaching and learning. Augmented Reality learning technology allows teachers and educators to incorporate personalized, game-based learning that extends beyond the classroom. Use of AR in education sector improves the learning environment by driving student engagement and experience.AR in Training:
Augmented reality applications can solve the skill crisis that negatively impacts the workforce productivity. Several industries use Augmented Reality to improve their workforce’s productivity, bridge skill gaps, impart workplace training, save the time and effort of their employees, and cut down on hiring and training costs. AR allows new employees to receive training on-the go using real-time instructions.Teachers can use AR in the following five ways:
- >> Make classes more interactive through 3D simulations and models that help students try physical experiments in a virtual world.
- >> Instead of giving orders and instructions, teachers can act as guides who help students learn concepts by themselves. Experiential learning improves knowledge retention among students.
- >> Game-based learning improves teacher-student collaboration in classrooms. Simple lesson plans and question-answer sessions conducted using AR make classes more fun and interesting.
- >> 2D images and textbooks can be easily converted into 3D interactive models using AR. Teachers can exploit this feature to grab the attention of their students. Conducting practice sessions using AR-based learning simulations keep student engagement levels high.
- >> AR can be used to create fun quizzes, mock tests, and puzzles that drive student participation. It can replace dreadful examinations. AR-based evaluation also excites teachers as they can save time and personally assess how each student is making progress.
AR doesn’t completely replace the traditional learning process in the classroom. Instead, it provides a visual learning opportunity powered by immersive and interactive learning. AR applications encourage students to experience and learn courses virtually, improve their level of engagement, and boost knowledge retention. It makes monotonous classroom lectures more impactful through visualization, interactivity, involvement, and discovery-based learning.
The four major difficulties in using AR in education are:
- 1) Technical challenges, such as hardware issues, device malfunctioning, content glitches, and poor usability.
- 2) Limited content capabilities to create AR-based learning curriculum. Not all training topics are suited to fit within AR’s capabilities. This forces AR content creators to design microlearning experiences.
- 3) Outsourcing your app development requirement to a reliable AR software development partner.
- 4) Compared to a Virtual Reality (VR) experience, AR doesn’t support all the training modalities. You need to perform a complete training analysis to understand if AR training can deliver the immersive experience that you seek.
Most Augmented Reality learning applications support sharing online AR experience with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. No technical expertise is required to screen-cast AR experiences from your AR learning app to these live meeting applications. These AR experiences work seamlessly with both the mobile app and web app links. Online educators can use this method to teach complex concepts more efficiently. Digital teaching aids, such as 3D images, slide decks, models, videos, and 360-degree content can be created using your educational AR app and screen-casted live through video meeting platforms.
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Legacy Application Migration: Excerpts from a CTO
Editor’s note
Dileep Jacob, Senior Vice President –
Global Operations, talks about the business benefits of legacy software modernization, the key cloud adoption options, and the success factors behind legacy-to-cloud transformations. And should you plan to deploy your app in the cloud, Fingent, with two decades of experience and expertise, can gladly offer assistance in migrating legacy systems to the cloud or modernizing your existing application.
What is a Legacy System? Why Legacy Application Migration?
A legacy system is any outdated software, hardware, or application that organizations still use. The term legacy system isn’t necessarily an aged technology. It can be a system that lacks platform support or vendor support or doesn’t meet an organization’s evolving needs and demands.
It is not easy for businesses to make a thoughtful decision to move out from their legacy system and quickly transform their IT processes. Hence, it is imperative to make a comprehensive approach to legacy system migration with proper planning and strategy.
Technology has come a long way. Are you still lighting up your legacy system?
At one time, legacy systems were the backbone of technology, driven by industry standards created by IBM, Dell, COBOL, and others. A few years back, the financial giant Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) faced a meltdown on the busiest online shopping day, leaving customers unable to use cards or pay for goods online. They faced a complete blackout with blocked account access and payment processing glitches. The sole reason behind this breakdown was that they relied on their ancient IT infrastructure, built way before the mobile banking age.
"RBS CEO Stephen Hester admitted in an interview that the major IT glitch could have been avoided if the bank had focused more on keeping its existing systems up-to-date."
source: theguardian.com
Evolution of Applications - Then & Now
BEFORE
- Monolithic services
- Siloed applications
- Difficult to scale
- On-premises
- Time-consuming to deploy
- Managing servers and infra
- Supports only limited platforms
TODAY
- Microservices
- Multi-channel applications
- Unlimited scalability and flexibility
- SaaS
- Easy and quick to deploy
- Focus on application development
- Supports cutting-edge platforms
Due to a lack of technology modernization over the last eight years, from about $14 billion to nearly $11 billion, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) eventually faced a computer glitch that caused damaging results to their system. The computer failure blocked the agency’s ability to process nearly five million Americans’ electronically filed tax returns.
The stories of legacy system users still continue to evolve.
Do you know how a legacy system can sloth your business growth?
Legacy systems used despite their advanced age can become obsolete, and ongoing use of these systems can delay your business upgrade and enhancement. If you’re hanging onto your legacy systems, chances are you’re doing your business a great disservice.
Common Issues with Legacy Systems
- Increased downtime
- Non-compliance
- Reliance on legacy skillsets
- Vulnerability to cyberattacks
- Tremendous maintenance cost
Stubborn legacy systems hesitate to listen to your business needs
Legacy systems may lack the ability to integrate with other IT resources or third-party systems- keeping data siloed and separate. With the changing markets and growing business requirements, legacy systems need help to align with the new goals defined. Thus, incorrect working reduces productivity and results in slow and laggy systems that provide poor user satisfaction.
Legacy systems are not capable of adopting new features and functionality required to compete. It is too difficult to improve its usability and provide the best experience to the customer. A poor customer experience can harm your business’s revenue.
Forcing older systems to blend with the new ones
Another significant disadvantage of outdated technology or system is their incompatibility. Your business may have some new systems that are more advanced than the others. When you try to blend your old system with the new one, a host of problems will inevitably occur.
Newer software and older software don’t integrate well, and because of these incompatibilities, you will more than likely have to use more systems or resources than you would otherwise since modern models offer a multitude of features that support a wide range of processes.
An easy avenue for cybercriminals
A major downside of using legacy systems is that they are more susceptible to cyber-attacks. Data breaches, ransomware attacks, and cybersecurity problems are increasingly widespread today as hackers use more sophisticated approaches in cybercrimes.
Outdated software is usually vulnerable because it doesn’t feature the new security patches released by the vendor. Vendors prioritize up-to-date models for their version upgrades and updates on the latest iterations of malware and guard against issues. Depending on outdated software won’t receive these updates, thus putting the entire business at risk.
Yet, why businesses can’t let go of their legacy system?
Maintaining or upgrading legacy systems is one of the major challenges for CIOs. Here are a few listed factors that often challenge CIOs in delaying the decision-making process in legacy application migration to the cloud.
| Cost | Lack of funds for modernization? |
| Time | Will legacy migration take too long? |
| Inertia | Why modernize when my existing system works fine? |
| Business disruption | Can I move without disrupting my existing operations? |
| Underskilled Resources | Can my employees operate the new system? |
| Data Security | Will the changes compromise data security? |
Many survey reports show that while everyone wants to modernize their applications, not everyone is actually doing it. So what’s pulling back?
Tell us what reasons make you anxious about taking the big leap.
Today, technology can unhook your business from the legacy system without issues!
Legacy system migration is a timely process, and the fear that it will disrupt the regular operations of businesses prevents companies from going through it. Contrary to popular belief, the modernization or migration process doesn’t disrupt your business functions, as the old system can stay up and running while a team of experts works on the new and improved one.
| Cost | Cost of software licensing and infrastructure costs are cheaper in modern systems than in legacy systems. |
| Time | Modern system software is quick to deploy, easier, reliable, and faster to use. |
| Inertia | Did you compare your system with your competitor’s advanced software system? |
| Business disruption | The right solution partner can assist in legacy migration without any disruptions to your existing system. |
| Underskilled Resources | Modern tech methodologies make it simple and hassle-free to handle the system. |
| Data Security | Modern systems guarantee uncompromised security of your data and systems. |
How do you make a perfect choice in your Legacy Application Modernization?
Every organization’s legacy context is different, as are its business goals. The first and most important starting point to deciding on migration or modernization is understanding your business’s pain points. Also, consider the age and maintainability of your legacy system when putting together a legacy system migration strategy.
Then, choose the cloud platform that best suits your demands and develop the corresponding architecture to execute your migration from legacy systems to the cloud.
Before you choose what to do with your legacy system, ask yourself why you want to move your legacy applications to the cloud.
I want faster processing with minimal errors.
“Do you know you can increase speed and scalability by 90%.”
I want to maximize my ROI.
“Do you know most clients start seeing an ROI within three to five years moving to cloud.”
I want to reduce my operational expenses.
“Do you know you can reduce maintenance costs by up to 30%.”
I want to innovate and compete.
“Do you know you can achieve a 30% reduction in time-to-market.”
Get a free evaluation of your legacy system for modernization
Take our quick assessment and get a tailored report of your application readiness to help you make a decision.
The 6 Rs for your Legacy Modernization Options
There are several paths to legacy migration. Migrating from legacy systems to the cloud is a wiser and smarter choice to run your business and stay competitive with the changing demands.
Migrating to the cloud is not simply about replacing or adding an application or software but choosing the right approach that aligns with your business needs.
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By 2024, more than 45% of IT spending will shift from traditional solutions to the cloud.
The 6 Rs of the cloud migration process will help you prioritize your business needs and optimize your budgets.
6 R’s for Legacy Migration
Re-host
Re-platform
Re-purchase
Re-factor
Retire
Retain
Re-host (lift and shift)
Find what needs to be shifted from on-premises to the cloud, and take the necessary steps to migrate applications, data, and infrastructure.
Re-platform (lift tinker and shift)
Compatibility is essential to facilitate seamless integration between legacy systems and modern cloud solutions. Suppose you have a legacy system that runs on an obsolete platform and is no longer supportable. Then you must change its platform to make it compatible while maintaining its core application.
Re-purchase
Replacing applications that run on your infrastructure with SaaS applications from one vendor with another vendor.
Re-factor or Re-architect (cloud-native)
Transform server-based applications to serverless applications, allowing them to achieve agility and scalability. This is the most advanced process in cloud migration strategy that boosts overall productivity, collaboration, agility, and business continuity.
Retire
It is a good practice to conduct a thorough analysis to help you identify applications that won't be required for future use. This can help you retire those applications, thereby saving time and the cost of migration.
Retain
While developing a cloud migration strategy, it is vital to identify applications that should remain on-premises and those that should not be replaced.
When should you make your move to migration?
The digital world today thrives on speed and higher performance to stay competitive. It is hard to meet modern world requirements with obsolete legacy systems, as they are built using old technologies. Hence, migrating systems to the cloud is the preferred choice, but the journey to the cloud is different for every organization, as there is no one-size-fits-all migration plan.
Surf the cloud wave and make your legacy migration
Legacy migration to the cloud results in significant bottom-line savings by eliminating the need for a larger security and maintenance staff and reducing server costs. It brings ample benefits to the organization and allows for efficient and cost-effective scalability that takes minutes instead of days.
With 75% of companies already focusing on cloud-native applications and a complete transformation expected by 2025, it is only a matter of time.
Business Impact Brief by 451 Research
Explore exciting insights on how to get smarter with cloud-native applications.
Get started with your Legacy Application Modernization before it reaches the tipping point
Make your legacy migration move before it is on the verge of collapsing. Don’t wait till the last minute. If your legacy software poses a growing security threat, lacks support for modern functionalities, curbs productivity, or starts incurring higher maintenance costs, it calls for a shift.
With two decades of experience and expertise working on several migration projects, we can help you pick the best migration strategy that aligns with your business ecosystem without compromising or disrupting your existing business operations.
Migrating a legacy system to a mobile application
In the modern business environment, companies are bound to adopt cutting-edge tools and applications to stay competitive and target new markets. This includes mobile applications. With smartphones being ubiquitous, mobile application development can unlock smarter opportunities without requiring scarce and costly development resources. Mobile applications open up a host of advantages to businesses, regardless of their industry. Such as delivering great user experiences to help businesses to stay ahead of the competition.
At Fingent, we have a team of specialists who can assist you with mobile application development. Whether your company is looking to move away from its legacy system and embrace mobile applications, we can help you find the right solution that can push your business to the next level.
Have you wondered why some migrations fail?
Migrating legacy applications is not straightforward and will likely go astray without proper planning and implementation. Some common reasons migration projects fail are
- Lack of proper strategy and the inability of applications to restart correctly in the cloud.
- Disruptions during the migrating process cause threats to the efficient working of the organization and its stability.
- Poor evaluation of the system and its dependencies when migrating legacy apps poses system breakdowns.
Given the many migration risks, business owners should be careful when choosing the software company they partner with. With profound expertise and in-depth knowledge of cloud technologies, we can ensure that your migration goes smoothly without any technical glitches.
Flawless software is not a fancy dream anymore! Legacy Application Modernization with FINGENT!
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Creating an RFP That Will Get a Response
Table of Contents
- What Is An RFP?
- When And Why Do You Need to Issue an RFP?
- Why Is It Necessary To Effectively Write An RFP?
- How To Write An RFP That Will Get A Response
- Takeaway Tips To Write An Effective RFP
- Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing An RFP
- Top Q&As Asked While Writing An RFP
- Are You Ready to Write Your RFP?
What Is An RFP?
RFP is a document presented to announce new projects, ask for bids and give out project details to vendors or interested parties. In simple words, it is a means you use to ask vendors if and how they can support your project or provide a solution to your problem. A good RFP allows you to:
- Outline your expectations so all bidding vendors know how and what to bid to win the proposal.
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of vendors.
- Gather and compare the skills and rates of different vendors to choose one that meets all your requirements.
Issuing an RPF is a multi-step and complex process. However, it is important to draft it in a manner that is professional, accurate, and fair or it may cost you your reputation and more.
When and Why Do You Need to Issue an RFP?
First, let us consider when you need to issue an RFP. You may decide to issue an RFP when you have a need that cannot be addressed internally. It is an effective way to connect with vendors or service providers to meet that need.
However, issuing an RFP should be a well-thought-out process. It is important to determine if it is really necessary to issue an RFP or if you can manage with a request for a quotation. Although RFP is beneficial and necessary for complex, specialized projects, it may not be necessary for a simple, straightforward project.
One key reason why organizations must create an RFP is to gauge how well your vendors understand your project. It helps government agencies and non-profit organizations ensure transparency. It also encourages organizations to create benchmarks to measure project success.
Why Is It Necessary To Effectively Write An RFP?
An effective RFP is as concise as possible, highly customized, clear, and thoughtful. It offers helpful contextual information to vendors while asking the right questions. However, when you write a high-quality RFP, you will receive proposals that are likewise of high quality. A poorly written RFP may signal a red flag to your vendors making them feel that it is really not worth their time.
The key to writing an effective RFP that can get a response is to strike a balance between too little and too much information, and that is a hard balance to strike. If you offer too little information, you may get a proposal that misses the mark and if you offer too much information, vendors may get discouraged from responding to your RFP. This makes it important to analyze your specific needs and decide how much detail you need to provide so that your RFP will get a response.
How To Write An RFP That Will Get A Response
Once you decide to issue an RFP, begin the multi-step RFP process. Though each organization may have its own way of doing things, you can typically expect that the RFP process will follow five steps. However, you can change the basic flow to suit your needs, company size, and industry type.
1 Form a team
First, you need to decide on a team. This team should include a person in charge, key stakeholders, a person who can research and draft the RFP, an expert to review the RFP, and a project manager to ensure everything runs smoothly and on time.
Thereafter, you can gather the team to discuss your business goals, identify problems, create a budget, and set a timeline. While setting the timeline make sure you allot sufficient time for research, drafting, and evaluation. Your initial assessment must include the assessment of the companies who will receive your final RFP to ensure they match your requirements.
2 Draft the RFP
Now that your team is ready and all the necessary research is done, it’s time to draft an RFP. This draft must include all that relevant project information. Anticipate the questions your potential vendor may ask and include the answers for those in the draft. If all in the team are satisfied with the draft, send it to an expert for review. Once you review the feedback, incorporate those suggestions and then issue the final RFP.
Here is how you can write an effective RFP:
RFPs require a great deal of planning. During the research, it is easy to get distracted by all the information gathered. To keep your focus, prepare a basic outline of how your document must look and what points you want to include in it.
To ensure you have relevant information, continue to review and reevaluate all areas of your document. Remember, the quality of your RFP will either help you attract the right vendor or steer them away from you. To ensure you don’t miss out any critical points in the RFP, take notes during all team meetings. Encourage everyone to share ideas, answer all questions raised during these discussions, and make note of all the relevant points.
RFPs are formal documents. Keep it precise and clear while explaining exactly what your requirements are and what information you must provide your potential vendor. To that end, you must communicate your needs with utmost clarity. For clarity, use subheadings and bullet points. Though each company may have its own way of writing an RFP, here is the basic structure you may follow:
- Title: Finalize a well-suited and attractive title.
- Overview: Summarize your issue and explain what solution you expect from your potential vendors.
- Company background: Explain what your company does and mention project history.
- Scope of Work: Describe your problem and project goals.
- Timeframe: Clearly mention the expected timeframe for proposal submissions.
- Questions: In the end, sum up all the questions to make it easier for vendors to manage each one without missing any.
- Evaluation: Explain what your selection criteria is so they are prepared to present compelling bids.
- Proposal guidelines: Explain your proposal expectations. Do not hesitate to ask for sample work, projected cost, and deadline.
- Attachments: Analyze to see if you need to include some attachments.
- Contact details: Share contact information to ensure easy communication.
- Proofread: Proofread your RFPs to check for grammatical or spelling errors.
3 Method of distribution
Share the RFP with potential bidders or vendors. But how you share it with them is entirely up to you. You could share it by creating a web page or via email. However, once you begin receiving responses, organize them into a separate folder so that they are not lost among other email threads.
4 Sort and select
Sort through the responses to select a group of bidders that best fit your needs. After the selection, evaluate each of the bidders based on the selected scoring method. This will help you decide on two or three best-matched bidders with whom you can now negotiate. Before finalizing a vendor, evaluate their strengths and understand why they are better than their competitors.
5 Final analysis before signing
Do not hesitate to request a demo or in-person meeting with potential vendors. Research the vendor thoroughly before you negotiate the budget and timeline. Once you negotiate, you can ask them to submit the final offer. Then select the one that best suits your needs and sign the contract. Make sure you inform the other vendors that they are not selected so they do not wait in expectation.
Takeaway Tips To Write An Effective RFP
An RFP can provide major gains for your company as long as you put in the necessary time, research and effort. Here are a few tips:
Brainstorm with stakeholders
Bring Subject Matter Experts early
Create a library of questions
Strive for transparency
Customize and optimize
Brainstorm with stakeholders
To find the best solution, you need to define and understand the problem. Start by brainstorming with stakeholders to categorize functionality as must-have, nice to have, or outside the scope.
Bring Subject Matter Experts early
Doing so will help avoid unnecessary delays and cumbersome back and forth with the vendors
Create a library of questions
Creating and maintaining a knowledge library can accelerate your process, improve consistency, and reduce the risk of issuing an incomplete RFP.
Strive for transparency
Provide clear, concise goals and instructions. Provide information on what you currently have and the problems you are trying to solve.
Customize and optimize
Customizing and optimizing your RFP can avoid confusion. It can help avoid irrelevant questions from your potential vendors.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing An RFP
A bad RFP wastes everyone’s time and causes confusion. Worst of all, you may be stuck with the wrong vendor. Avoiding these three commonly made mistakes can help you get closer to achieving your desired results.
- Avoid writing statements: If you write statements and ask your vendors to respond, they may simply agree with your statement. Ask a question instead. Asking a question will allow them the opportunity to explain how they will get the work done. Knowing that can help in selecting the right vendor that suits your requirements.
- Avoid jamming similar requests under a single RFP question: Asking several questions under one single question may result in losing track of answers. Remove the confusion by consolidating similar questions into just one meaningful one. Alternatively, you can add levels to related questions.
- Avoid spreading RFP questions across several documents:Keep all questions at one location (document/attachment/appendix) to make it easy for you as well as the vendors
Top Q&As Asked While Writing An RFP
RFP requirements are important, but when buying an intangible like an IT solution, it becomes absolutely critical. This is why your team must have a clear idea of how to go about documenting your needs. Here are some steps to follow:
- >> Start by writing down each step of your current business process. Doing so can also help update your internal controls risk assessments.
- >> Model your business process graphically and gather copies of any inputs (forms) and outputs (reports).
- >> Consider what should be improved: speed, process, and so on.
- >> Transform the steps into requirements.
- >> Consider the needs documented in other organizations in your industry.
Once vendors are scored based on their response to the RFP, an internal review is generally made and further interviews or checks can be made to come to a final decision.
Once this is done, a Statement of Work (SOW) must be drafted keeping the RFP requirements in mind. The SOW is an important process as it details the vendor-issuer relationship clearly. Detailing the review process along with the performance metrics used for the RFP in the SOW and contract will help you establish the exact requirements and expectations from your vendor.
The deadline indicates the date by which the vendors must submit their responses. Establish a list of requirements and deadlines that must be satisfied and include what the vendors should provide in their offers. The deadline should take into account the date by which the project is meant to begin and give sufficient time for evaluation and decision-making. Publish the deadline in the RFP itself. The deadline is usually set for four to six weeks from the day of release.
An RFP is a Request for Proposal. It announces a specific project that is planned and solicits capable vendors who can get the job done. On the other hand, an RFQ is a Request for Quotation. It is a solicitation sent to several vendors requesting them to bid for a contract to supply a specific product or service. It specifies the quality and quantity, and the deadline required by the organization.
Are You Ready to Write Your RFP?
Writing an effective RFP might seem overwhelming but following the tips in this guide and using the right platform to issue it can make it the most powerful sourcing tool you’ll find.
So create a powerful RFP and share it with us now! Fingent is an ISO 27001:2013 certified global software development company, with a client base and technological expertise spanning across 4 continents. We can give you the reach and the acceleration you need to lead your company to greater success.
Connect with us now and see how we can make this happen.
If you still think that writing an RFP is a complicated and time consuming process, then choose our consultation service. Fingent can help you create and customize your RFP for a streamlined RFP Process!
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Selecting The Right Vendor For Your RFP
A partnership can take your business to great heights OR it could pitch it into a downward spiral that could ruin it all. This is why, selecting the right vendors, who are your business partners and stakeholders, is vital.
An RFP (Request of Proposal) is a business document that presents a project in context of the organisation. Its main purpose is to announce a project and its goals so that suitable vendors can submit the best possible proposals. Once these proposals come in, it is time to make the important decisions that affect the efficiency of your project – and at large your business.
It is imperative to set strong criteria and create an adequate selection process when choosing a vendor for your business. Be stern and straight forward with your requirements; make it very simple and clear as to what kind of service you require. This will urge vendors to analyse their own capabilities before submitting their proposal. Making the wrong decision in this step can cost your business significantly in terms of time, money and reputation.
Why Is Vendor Selection An Essential Phase Of RFP?
Here are a few reasons why the Vendor Selection Phase is important –
- The key intention is to reduce human emotion and political viewpoint in order to arrive at an unbiased decision that benefits the company.
- Careful evaluation will help your business avoid low-quality or dishonest vendors.
- Your business will achieve better terms and reasonable pricing through competitive bids, hence making it cost effective. You can aim to get the best outcome for a reasonable price.
- The process includes getting customer references ensuring that a vendor is financially viable and punctual in meeting your business needs.
- Your company’s reputation can sometimes depend solely on the kind of work or service the vendor provides and nothing is worth risking that.
Step By Step Process to Follow When Evaluating RFP Proposals
1
Form an evaluation team with the best suited representatives from each of the listed departments.
2
Create a first short list of eligible vendors based on how they meet the requirements listed in your RFP. Ideally, your RFP should have a scorecard with weighted scores which can help you evaluate vendors objectively.
3
Rate to which degree each proposal and vendor meets your company needs against the scorecard and discuss scores and review the alignment.
4
After scoring each proposal, a list of finalists can be created. Request these finalists to perform presentations/demo and filter accordingly.
5
Conduct a thorough back-ground check on vendors of interest. Collect multiple customer reviews and read any relevant case study on the vendor’s website. Negotiate terms, prices, discounts, delivery dates and deadlines.
6
The previous step should lead you to your winner. If it is a tie between two or more vendors,
scrutinise them, request more information or presentations until you are left with a clear winner.
7
The final step is to draft a detailed contract with the selected vendor.
Things To Consider When Selecting A Vendor
Price
To get the best deal your aim should be to receive the maximum value for the lowest possible cost. A word of caution is not to choose the lowest bid without analysing the value you will receive. Other components to consider are travel surcharges, administrative expenses, and maintenance fees. Discuss these details with the vendors beforehand to avoid any conflicts later and make sure the bid includes every line-item cost.
Quality of service
Price doesn’t matter if the service falls short of your expectations. Make sure the quality of the service will meet your needs. Learn all you can about the vendor’s performance history. Ask for referrals and talk to other companies whose opinions you trust and ask them if they were satisfied with the quality of work provided by this vendor. References are truly invaluable. Request for a list of at least three references and enquire with those customers about their experience with the vendor’s service.
Reliability and Flexibility
The vendor will be an integral part of the business so make sure that you know if you can depend on them to do what they say they will do in due time. Your customer should not be let down because your vendor let you down. Another good quality to look for in a vendor is flexibility. Ask if they will be able to handle sudden changes in schedule or deliveries at a time that is convenient for you or any rush decision in general that may arise. Find a vendor that perfectly fits in with the way your business operates.
Ethics and Integrity
Your business integrity and reputation depends on the integrity of the vendors you hire. Make an honest effort to learn a bit about your vendor, their style of working and how important high ethical standards is to them.
Dos And Don’ts In The RFP Vendor Selection Process
- Do – Negotiate for best and final pricing and service level from your vendor.
- Do – Conduct thorough checks before you make a final decision.
- Do – Take the references provide seriously. Use them to understand client-side stories and experiences better.
- Don’t – Sign the contract without thoroughly reviewing it first. (Get your legal team to appraisal as well)
- Don’t – Draw a conclusion based on price alone.
- Don’t – Judge a vendor by the proposal alone.
- Don’t – Assume that you know all the players, even the top ones from your vendor list.
How To Decide The Project Budget
Deciding and finalising the budget on a project can be a tedious task.A few techniques can make this much simpler than it appears:
- Bottom To Top – Rate and put a value on individual parts of the project and total them up.
- Top To Bottom – Figure out the total and then split it amongst tasks and milestones.
- Analogous Estimation – Analyse and compare the data with similar projects to decide the cost.
- Parametric Estimation - Compare cost variables or data points from specific parts of specific projects and employ them into the current project.
- Three-point Estimation – Take an average of the best, worst, and most likely case estimates. This way you can figure out the most realistic cost estimation.
Fingent Can Be The Vendor You Are Looking For
Selecting the right vendor need not be a tough job when you follow these tips. If it’s a technology partner you are looking for, Fingent might be able to help you. Our tech experts have been providing clients with custom solutions globally. We would love to have a look at your RFP, so please do share it with us.
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RFP Submission Everything You Need to Know
Submit RFP in One Simple Step
Submit your RFP in a single step to solicit bids from vendors and identify which one is best qualified for your project.
The idea to solicit bids from vendors using simple notices in newspapers and trade publications started in the late 1880s during the rise of industrialism. For decades, this process changed and evolved into the current state of RFPs.
Regardless of your industry, it is inevitable that you will come up against the RFP process sooner or later. Being diligent in how you draft an RFP and how you divulge your specific needs to a vendor is crucial if you want your project to be successful. That way you get a vendor you can trust with the right ancillary tools that you specifically need. This guide will equip you to face up to the challenge and emerge successful. To understand all of this a lot better let’s take one step at a time into the world of RFPs.
What Is An RFP?
In simple words, A Request for Proposal (RFP) is essentially a document that a company or organization puts together in which the business owner asks potential vendors to submit proposals. This proposal must illustrate how a product or service they provide can meet one or more of the issuer’s business needs.
The RFP specifies what the customer is looking for and enables them to quickly compare vendors shoulder to shoulder and pick the best option. It has quickly become a standard practice for most modern business launches and many governments use them almost exclusively. The RFP generally includes a statement of work describing the tasks to be performed by the winning bidder and the timeline for finishing the work. At times, it also provides specific guidance on how the bids should be formatted and presented and what information must be included.
At its core, RFPs are pain point(s) described by prospective customers. When written well, they attract potential vendors. A good RFP will allow the supplier to collect offers from a wide range of vendors so they can compare their strengths and skills before they choose the vendor that best meets their criteria. It outlines the scope so interested vendors know how to win the work. Lastly, a proficient RFP acts as a tool that quickly evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the vendors without spending a lot of time researching each company.
Benefits Of Issuing an RFP
Must you issue an RFP? There are a vast number of benefits of issuing an RFP. Here are some of those:
Provides Transparency
Produces an Organised Selection Method
Helps Ensure Project Success
Cost Effective
Provides Transparency
When done properly, an RFP encourages fairness in the selection process of vendors while providing transparency about which vendor was selected and why. This is an effective way to eradicate favoritism and corruption.
Produces an Organised Selection Method
Systems selection projects are usually scheduled over months rather than days because of team and vendor availability. This methodology and the RFP process help you track and compare your observations, questions, and conclusions. By using a good RFP and a streamlined selection process you can make the perfect application decision for your company.
Helps Ensure Project Success
Just the process of drafting and issuing the RFP can help you understand your own project better, including all the components required to complete it successfully.
Cost Effective
It opens up the gates to some good old-fashioned competition, which can be expected to keep project costs lower. In addition to this, it also reduces the workload on project managers, giving them a chance to focus their energy on other important matters.
When To Issue RFP?
Both large and small companies have the necessary resources they need to maintain current operations. If the company decides to take on a new project or expand an already existing project, an RFP gives them an effective way to recruit the expertise they need to complete the project. It soundly connects you with vendors, partners, consultants, or developers that have the resources, skills, and expertise to help your project. However, it isn’t always necessary to issue an RFP for simple, straightforward projects. An RFP is usually the right way to go when the following criteria are met:
- Is your project complex?
- Does it require technical information?
- Will it help to know the exact processes that the vendor will use to fulfill your order?
- Do you need data to analyze and compare which vendor is more viable?
If pricing is the only issue or if a good presentation is all that you need to decide between vendors, it might not be worthwhile to go down the RFP route. So, before you send out an RFP, because it seems easier than sitting through sale pitches or because people say, “it keeps up appearances”, analyze your project first and determine if it really is necessary or not.
Steps In an RFP Process
Now that we have a general idea of what RFP is, what its benefits are, and how to determine its necessity, let’s look into the steps in an RFP process. All companies are not the same and each business has its own unique method of doing things. Although this is true there are some common steps in the RFP process:
1 Discovery
Before drafting the RFP, it is imperative to do some thorough internal planning with the stakeholders that can guide the RFP writer in understanding the project requirements and constraints. Speak to all the stakeholders and finalize the budget of the project, non-negotiable deadlines, and compulsory technical requirements.
Determine the scoring criteria to evaluate prospective bidders. As an example, you can select prior experience, price quote, or size of the company as the scoring criteria.
2 Draft And Issue
This next part is a very important step in the process as a well-drafted RFP is essential to clearly describe the demands that need to be met. The document should contain information about the business, a short introduction to the project, project objectives, budget, milestones, and deadlines to achieve them.
For essential requirements, form questions in a yes or no format to help quickly eliminate unqualified suppliers. Furthermore, if you are looking for a partner with a thorough understanding of your industry and its needs, open-text answers can encourage suppliers to share their creativity and vision.
Once the RFP is ready, publish and circulate it so that potential bidders can know about the opportunity. You can advertise it in the classifieds’ sections of local and national newspapers or in trade journals relevant to the project.
3 Review The Bids
While reviewing the bids, remember to pay close attention to the plan of action and other scoring criteria you had drafted. Compare criteria factors to vendor strengths and eliminate vendors who are not qualified or underqualified.
Be sure to clarify any questions that vendors may have during the submission window. Also, reach out to vendors if you think additional meetings are needed to make a decision.
4 Select a Winner and Send the Contract
Once you narrow it down to two or more leading vendors, negotiate between them and make your final choice. Finalize details regarding milestones, timeframes, and deadlines. Document these details in the contract.
Best Practices for Submitting RFPs – What to include in an RFP?
Some typical information to include in your RFP are –
Keep it short and sweet in order to give the vendors a general idea of your company and its journey.
A project overview outlines the important details of the project including basic information, such as the project name, the problem it may solve, and the goals the team hopes to achieve.
Provide a detailed timeframe in your RFP to save yourself from some major headaches that may arise later and be very clear about your project deadline.
This final section should brief the vendor about when, where, and how to submit their proposal.
This section must be highly detailed so that the vendors understand your expectations well. It must explain the services that the selected vendor must provide on the project and the work that will be performed under the subsequent contractual agreement. This section lists performance requirements, both qualitative and quantitative.
A draft of the contractual agreement will be provided so that the vendor can review the terms and conditions that need to be adhered to on winning the contract.
Include an outline of the proposal submission so that you receive responses in your preferred format, from suppliers, making it easier to evaluate.
This section should give the vendor an idea of how they are scored and know ahead of time how they might fare.
The Right RFP Template
As mentioned before, well narrated RFPs are brief, effective, and alluring. Remember, as much as you are giving vendors an opportunity to work for you, you are also presenting yourself as a partner that the right vendor will want to work with. You can do this by using the right template and including the right information.
Here are a few tips on how to perfect your template and make it attractive to potential vendors:
Include A Project Overview Section
Paint a clear picture of your company history and needs. At a minimum, remember to include:
- Company history and overview
- Project name and goals
- RFP point of contact information
- Submission deadline
Share your RFP Process
To avoid any misunderstandings in the future, explain your RFP process so that the vendor knows what to expect from the start. Also inform them if you will request any online or onsite meetings following your initial reviews to ensure the vendor comes prepared to meet your needs.
Proposal Template
Include an outline of the proposal submission so that you receive responses in your preferred format, from suppliers, making it easier to evaluate.
Learn From Peers and Browse Online for Sample Templates
Observational learning is the best form of learning. There is an array of great RFP examples online for almost every procurement situation. Observe what information other businesses request as it can help reassure you if you are asking the right questions.
Categorize and Tag Questions
While building a catalog of RFP templates, save time by categorizing and tagging RFP sections on the bases of how you use them. For example, you can ask all technology vendors the same security questions, group them together and easily incorporate the grouped questions into your technology RFPs.
Draft Contractual Agreement (aka DRAFT Terms and Conditions)
A draft of the contractual agreement will be provided so that the vendor can review the terms and conditions that need to be adhered to on winning the contract.
Ask What You Need to Know Before Making the Deal
Ask about anticipated key milestones and how much time your team will need to dedicate to this project. For example, if you and your team have to dedicate 100 hours of development work or more. Everyone benefits from knowing this information in advance.
Selecting The Right Vendor
The most challenging step of the RFP process is choosing the right vendor. However, it might also be the most important. The future of the project depends on your selection; so, there’s an enormous amount of pressure to get it right.
Here are a few things to consider when selecting a vendor:
Price
Your main goal should be to get the maximum result for the lowest cost possible. Alternately, be wary of vendors who submit very low estimates, or you may receive less than acceptable products. Communicate to bidders the full extent of your needs so you receive an accurate bid. Understand if the vendor wants to add travel surcharges, administrative expenses, or maintenance fees, and always read the fineprint.
Quality Of Product
Price does not matter if the quality of the product is not acceptable. If possible, ask to see the vendor’s previous work.
Check References and Customer Service
References are priceless. Request vendor referrals from people whose opinions you trust.
Ethics and Integrity
Try to learn a little about your vendors and how much importance they put on working with high ethical standards. It is always best to be alert about issues before you sign on the dotted lines.
Long-term Relationships
Sometimes vendors hike their price after being with a business for a couple of years because they feel like they have the business, and it is safe. Be wary of this. Stay sharp and rebid the job every few years to ensure you get the best value for the money.
Share Your RFP With Fingent
Fingent is a certified global software development company with a client base across four continents. We power customers with a devoted and highly skilled team of experts to back up our tech innovations. Our processes are customer-oriented, curated to be cost-effective, address IT challenges, and offer a useful competitive edge in the market.
Our Unique Process includes:
-
Collaboration: We first analyze the client’s business requirements and tech opportunities to understand them thoroughly.
-
Innovation: Through our HLR Process and brainstorming, we research, analyze and build sustainable models that will suit the specific needs of the client
-
Development and Delivery:We work with an expert team of developers and employ an agile process to work out the right solution.
-
Continuous support:We continue our relationship with the client with post-launch support and updates.
Our expertise, with emerging technologies, has empowered various businesses to sustain, function, and thrive remarkably with smart innovations. This opens up your business to huge opportunities that you could never have imagined before. Reach out to us and let’s discuss what this can mean for you.
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Fingent at GITEX GLOBAL 2022, Dubai - The World’s Largest Tech Show
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Being at the forefront of digital transformation services over the past two decades, we have completed 800+ software development projects in multiple industries, with an active client base across 14 countries.
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When you’re at GITEX, we can discuss the ways to:
- Improve your customer and employee experience
- Scale up your in-house IT team
- Hire on-demand onshore or offshore teams
- Develop experience-first solutions using AR, VR, MR, and XR
- Technology consulting and business transformation
Don’t miss your chance to get a hassle-free interaction with us at the event.
Fingent - Your Technology Partner for GITEX GLOBAL 2022
At Fingent, we use technology to create a better and smarter environment for people. We are an award-winning, ‘Great Place to Work’ and ‘ISO 27001:2013’ certified company with deep knowledge and expertise in conceptualizing your business ideas to deliver the most feasible solution. We believe in creating future-proof solutions that keep our clients a step ahead in this digitally dynamic and competitive world.
Founded in 2003, we’ve operation centers across four countries with 500+ tech specialists in diverse technologies and frameworks. With an active client base in more than 14 countries, we associate with our customers, wherever they are, to deliver fruitful outcomes. We are a trusted global technology partner to more than 150 businesses, including startups, SMBs, and Fortune 500 enterprises.
All You Need to Know About GITEX Global 2022
GITEX, short for Gulf Information Technology Exhibition, is the world’s largest and most influential Tech & Startup event. Held every year in the Dubai World Trade Center, UAE, GITEX witnesses a massive gathering of tech experts, innovators, law makers, and international leaders who discuss and debate ideas that revolutionize the future. Tech companies get a chance to showcase mind-blowing enterprise solutions at the event.
GITEX GLOBAL 2022 will stage industry-related discussions, debates, knowledge sharing of ideas, and exhibition and trade of latest tech products from mission-critical technologies such as IoT, Cybertech, Cloud, AI, Metaverse, Quantum Computing, Energy and Sustainability, and more.
Fingent’s participation in GITEX aims to bring you close to technology innovations. Meet us at Booth H9-B20.29 and let’s discuss new possibilities for business transformation and digitalization.
GITEX GLOBAL 2022 is your chance to experience the future of technology – don’t miss out!
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