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Jira & Confluence Guide: A to Z Project Blueprint

Jira & Confluence Guide: A to Z Project Blueprint

Auteur n°4 – Mariami

In a landscape where the success of digital projects relies on agile management and rigorous documentation, Jira and Confluence become indispensable allies. They provide a unified platform to drive each phase, ensure decision traceability, and centralize knowledge. By adopting a structured, repeatable approach, you guarantee alignment between business ambitions and technical deliverables while optimizing collaboration between IT and business teams.

This guide delivers a step-by-step approach to configure, set up, and use Jira for operational management and Confluence for documentation, all illustrated with real-life cases from Swiss companies. The objective: to provide you with a ready-to-use blueprint for your bespoke projects or large-scale transformations.

What Are Jira and Confluence?

Jira and Confluence are two software products developed by Atlassian. They enable project stakeholders to manage different aspects of a project. Jira handles planning and tasks, while Confluence manages centralized documentation.

Jira: Project Management Software for Efficient Task and Workflow Management

Jira is a project management tool designed to organize, plan, and track tasks within teams, particularly in agile environments (Scrum, Kanban). It offers a clear view of progress, priorities, and responsibilities, which enhances coordination and productivity.

Confluence: Centralize Documentation and Foster Collaboration

Confluence is a collaborative platform dedicated to documentation. It allows you to structure specifications, meeting notes, procedures, and decisions in a clear and accessible way. Information is centralized, facilitating knowledge sharing and project continuity.

Understanding and Deploying Jira and Confluence to Kick Off Your Project

Before you begin, prepare your project’s Jira and Confluence spaces. This step ensures a solid operational foundation and a clear documentation structure from the project’s inception.

Project Setup Preparation

Before any configuration, it is essential to define the functional scope and major project phases. This preparation involves bringing together IT and business stakeholders to validate objectives, key metrics, and technical constraints.

A kickoff meeting allows you to list expected deliverables: initial backlog, specification documents, planned sprints, and client sign-off milestones. This formalization reduces the risk of scope creep and forgotten requirements.

One of our recent financial sector clients illustrates this phase: during their core application redesign, teams held three scoping workshops in under a week to consolidate requirements, define Jira roles, and set up the necessary Confluence spaces.

Initial Configuration

Setting up Jira starts with creating a modular project based on an Agile or Kanban template, depending on the mission’s size and type. The issue hierarchy (Epic, Story, Task, Bug) is configured to reflect the desired level of granularity.

Meanwhile, Confluence is structured around project spaces, team spaces, and page templates. Access rights are assigned according to responsibilities: contributors, business approvers, external auditors.

In our financial sector example, the Jira Agile template was adapted to include a “Regulatory Review” issue type—crucial in a highly regulated industry—while Confluence hosted a dedicated folder for Swiss FINMA compliance.

Space Structuring

In Jira, each business component or functional module becomes a “component” or “team” to clearly distribute responsibilities. Custom fields capture project-specific metrics.

In Confluence, parent pages are created for the project plan, backlog, technical documentation, user guides, and feedback tracking. Jira macros dynamically display linked issues.

This synchronized structure offers a single pane of glass: clicking a Jira issue in Confluence opens its detailed view, ensuring coherence and traceability of all changes.

Orchestrating Operational Management with Jira

Once set up to manage your tasks and planning, Jira becomes the cockpit of your project to plan, execute, and measure progress.

Backlog Creation and Management

The initial backlog aggregates all user stories and technical requirements identified during scoping. Each item is written in the standard format (role, action, benefit) to ensure shared understanding.

Priorities are set based on business value and technical complexity, then organized into Epics and releases. Issues are estimated in effort points and placed into a clear workflow.

This approach allows you, for example, to quickly assign story points to critical features of your web or mobile platform, providing immediate visibility into workload and risks.

Sprint Planning and Execution

Each sprint begins with a planning meeting where the team selects the highest-priority stories and defines a sprint goal. Tasks are broken down and assigned to individual members.

During execution, the Scrum or Kanban board offers real-time visibility of issue status: To Do, In Progress, In Review, Done. Daily stand-ups rely on these columns to quickly surface blockers.

In one of our client cases, the team adopted a biweekly cadence with a 15-minute daily touchpoint, reducing delivery times by 20% as of the third sprint.

Reporting and KPI Tracking

Jira includes automated reports: burndown chart, velocity chart, release report, and time spent per issue. These metrics help adjust the roadmap and anticipate delays or overloads.

Dashboard gadgets can be shared with IT leadership for asynchronous monitoring and full transparency on progress.

One industrial manufacturer we supported used Jira KPI tracking to identify a validation bottleneck, leading to a tailored workflow that accelerated review cycles.

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Leveraging Confluence to Centralize Documentation and Foster Collaboration

Confluence organizes all specifications, feedback, and deliverables in a versioned repository. This creates a single reference point accessible at any time and clarifies business expectations around the product.

Specification Templates

Preconfigured templates cover functional, technical, UX, and performance specifications. Each model includes essential sections: objectives, scope, wireframes, and acceptance criteria.

Macros like decision tables and roadmap planners facilitate milestone tracking and trade-off management.

One client standardized a single template across all project teams, reducing specification writing time by 30% and ensuring the document consistency vital for internal audits. This demonstrates how adopting a Confluence template can boost performance.

Feedback Management and Approval

Confluence allows contextual comments on every document section. Business and technical reviewers can annotate, suggest changes, or flag risks directly on the page.

The built-in approval workflows condition document publication on sign-off by a set number of reviewers, ensuring compliance with internal standards.

In a recent engagement, we implemented a three-step review process (functional review, technical review, legal approval) for each document, complete with timestamped approval history. This greatly accelerated delivery and improved deliverable quality.

Client Portal and Collaboration

A dedicated client space can be configured in Confluence, providing controlled access to specifications, progress reports, and test plans. Client feedback is then centralized and tracked.

This approach ensures a fast, documented feedback loop, boosting trust and transparency throughout the project.

In some cases, this configuration has cut email exchanges in half and maintained a clear audit trail for each change request.

Ensuring Governance, Integration, and End-to-End Traceability

Guarantee compliance, security, and connectivity of your tools for an agile and reliable ecosystem.

Automations and Connectors

Integrating Jira and Confluence with Git, CI/CD, or support tools synchronizes issues, commits, and deployments. Webhooks automate status updates.

No-code connectors link Jira, Confluence, and third-party solutions (test teams, monitoring, CRM).

For example, by deploying an automation that creates bug tickets upon detecting production anomalies, one client improved response times by 40%.

Security and Compliance

ACL settings in Confluence and project permissions in Jira ensure each user sees only what concerns them. Data encryption and SSO authentication strengthen protection.

Confluence page versioning provides a full audit history, essential for internal or external audits.

Audit and Traceability

Jira and Confluence’s native logs record every change, comment, and status transition. These traces can be used for audit reports and post-mortem analyses.

Dedicated dashboards display compliance indicators, approval times, and SLA adherence.

In regulated industries, these reports often reduce process variances and ensure systematic compliance with regulatory requirements.

Optimize Your Projects with Jira and Confluence

By combining a rigorous initial setup, Agile management in Jira, and living documentation in Confluence, you achieve a coherent, transparent, and scalable ecosystem. Each phase, from backlog to approval, finds its place in a clearly defined workflow.

Traceability, security, and bottom-up collaboration strengthen trust between internal teams and external stakeholders. Your project gains agility, visibility, and resilience in the face of digital transformation challenges.

Beyond our ability to manage your end-to-end digital project—from specifications to development and production—our experts are available to adapt this blueprint to your specific context. We support you in defining your roadmap, ensuring a modular, open-source, and evolving approach.

Discuss your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Mariami Minadze

Mariami is an expert in digital strategy and project management. She audits the digital ecosystems of companies and organizations of all sizes and in all sectors, and orchestrates strategies and plans that generate value for our customers. Highlighting and piloting solutions tailored to your objectives for measurable results and maximum ROI is her specialty.

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Featured-Post-UX-Design (EN) UI/UX Design EN

Understanding the Prototype: Why and How to Design an Interface Before Developing

Understanding the Prototype: Why and How to Design an Interface Before Developing

Auteur n°15 – David

In a context where digital transformation is a powerful strategic lever for companies of all sizes, and where the quality of a digital product and its alignment with strategic and business needs are crucial, the prototyping phase plays a central role in the process. Indeed, before deploying a single line of code, it is essential to materialize the interface and the user journey in order to anticipate business requirements and avoid costly development iterations. The prototype thus serves as a shared thread: it ensures alignment among business, design, and technical teams around a common vision of the future product. By leveraging this tool, Swiss and international organizations strengthen their agility and mitigate the risks associated with designing custom internal applications, client portals, or specialized business tools.

Defining the Prototype: What It Is (and What It Is Not)

The prototype is a visual and interactive model representing the final interface without providing the underlying technical logic. It is neither a technical PoC nor a functional MVP, but a prototype dedicated to the user experience.

Origin and Concept of the Prototype

The term “prototype” originates from engineering, where it refers to a first-of-its-kind model used to validate a concept before production. Applied to digital development, it focuses on the visual and ergonomic aspects, materializing screens and user flows without coding the functionalities.

This representation can take the form of low-fidelity wireframes or high-fidelity mockups with simulated interactions. It serves as a discussion and validation tool before embarking on actual development.

In a digital project, the prototype is thus the first tangible version of the interface, shared with users and stakeholders. Thanks to it, friction points and unclear areas in the ergonomics are quickly identified.

Difference Between Prototype, PoC and MVP

A PoC (Proof of Concept) focuses on the technical feasibility of an innovation or specific module. It tests a technology or integration without concern for the interface or user journey.

The MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the first version of a product offering a minimal set of usable features. Unlike the prototype, the MVP is deployed in production and must address issues of performance, scalability, and security.

The prototype, by contrast, is purely centered on design and experience. It is not executed in production and does not deliver final code. It remains a validation tool before moving on to the technical development phase.

Types of Prototypes and Levels of Fidelity

Low-fidelity prototyping typically relies on rough black-and-white sketches to map out screen areas and user flows. It allows for rapid iterations on information architecture and zoning.

Medium-fidelity prototypes introduce basic graphical elements and interactions, such as page transitions or dropdown menus. They offer a more realistic preview while remaining easy to adjust.

Finally, high-fidelity prototypes faithfully reproduce the target interface: typography, colors, micro-interactions, and animations. They form a near-realistic model capable of gathering feedback very close to the final experience.

Concrete Example of a Prototype in the Parapublic Sector

For an NGO operating in the field of education and para-public services, we created a high-fidelity prototype for its new internal process management portal. Using Figma and advanced work from our design teams, they simulated the workflow for processing requests and registrations and validated the journey with key users even before starting development. This exercise clarified several navigation and information-prioritization points, thereby preventing costly redesigns once the code was written.

Key Objectives of Prototyping in Your Digital Projects

Prototyping serves to test ergonomics and the user journey before any development. It also enables gathering stakeholder feedback and aligning the project vision.

Validating Ergonomics and User Experience

The prototype provides a visual support for evaluating ergonomics: element layout, readability, accessibility, and graphical consistency. Users interact with the screens as if they were functional, revealing blocking points or misunderstandings.

In sum, the interface is tested in an almost real-life setting without exposing the company to risks related to untested code. Feedback is structured and based on concrete scenarios rather than abstract specifications.

This step significantly reduces rework once development begins, as major adjustments have already been identified and validated by users.

Previewing and Optimizing the User Journey

Beyond ergonomics, the prototype allows simulating different branches of the journey: account creation, navigation between modules, error handling, or action confirmations. Each path is tested to ensure optimal fluidity.

This makes it possible to measure path length, ease of use, number of clicks when relevant, and clarity of feedback messages. If a process appears too complex, it is simplified or reorganized before development.

This iterative work on the user journey contributes to increasing end-user satisfaction and reducing abandonment rates at launch.

Collecting Feedback and Aligning Stakeholders

The prototype serves as a concrete asset during validation workshops: business executives, UX/UI designers, IT, and operations teams share the same view of the forthcoming tool. Feedback is factual and focused on improving the experience.

Discussions are more efficient because they comment on an interactive mockup rather than specification documents. Misunderstandings are limited, and decisions are made more quickly.

This early collaboration strengthens team engagement and provides a shared vision of the product, essential for the success of tailor-made projects, whether it’s an internal application or a client portal.

Example of Prototyping in the Insurance Sector

A Swiss insurer held a series of workshops where each Miro-based prototype was tested with business managers and IT teams. Real-time adjustments reduced the functional specification phase by 30% and ensured better adoption of the future tool.

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Benefits and Limitations of Prototyping

The prototype prevents costly design errors and accelerates decision-making. However, it does not test performance, technical feasibility, or security.

Cost Reduction and Time Savings

By detecting interface adjustments before development, prototyping limits rework and code rewrites. Each visual iteration is less expensive than a post-deployment fix.

The project budget is thus optimized. Business and technical teams quickly agree on a validated version, decreasing validation cycles and late-stage trade-offs.

In the long run, a well-designed prototype streamlines communication and reduces misunderstandings, freeing up time for implementation and scaling the solution.

Improving User Adoption

An interface tested with target users ensures that the future product will meet their expectations. Feedback inspires iterations centered on real needs, strengthening buy-in and satisfaction.

Adoption accelerates at launch: users find calibrated journeys and ergonomics they helped shape, thus shortening the learning curve.

This UX-first approach is particularly critical for internal business tools, where resistance to change can be strong if the interface seems unsuitable.

Limitations: No Technical Feasibility or Performance Tests

The prototype does not provide evidence regarding the feasibility of underlying technical choices: architectural constraints, security, scaling, or integration with existing systems still need validation during development phases.

It does not measure response times or server resource consumption. Performance, security, and scalability tests take place later, in a development or pre-production environment.

It is therefore essential to plan these technical verifications and not confuse the prototype with the operational version of the product.

Concrete Example of Prototype Limitation

A Swiss industrial equipment manufacturer prototyped its future supervision dashboard in Adobe XD. Although the ergonomics were validated, technical constraints linked to real-time data volume emerged during backend development. The architecture had to be redesigned to ensure performance, but the UX work remained unchanged thanks to the initial prototype.

How to Design an Effective Prototype: Methodology and Tools

Designing an effective prototype begins with understanding user and business needs. Next, structured collaboration with a UX/UI designer and the use of tools like Figma, Miro, or Adobe XD are essential.

Understanding User and Business Needs

The listening phase involves gathering end-user and business stakeholder expectations. Objectives, constraints, and priority use cases are identified.

Interviews, co-design workshops, and field observations help formalize personas and scenarios. This user foundation ensures the prototype addresses actual challenges.

This information directly feeds the functional requirements and guides the creation of the first wireframes.

Collaboration with a UX/UI Designer

The UX designer acts as a facilitator: they transform needs into optimized user journeys, while the UI designer takes care of visual identity and graphical consistency.

By working closely with business and technical teams, they ensure each interaction is both ergonomic and technically feasible, favoring a modular and open-source approach.

Regular mockup reviews ensure buy-in and validate choices before moving to higher fidelity.

Choosing and Mastering Prototyping Tools

Figma, Adobe XD, and Miro are among the most widely used solutions. They offer built-in sharing, commenting, and animation features, facilitating remote collaborative work.

These tools rely on reusable component libraries, ensuring graphic consistency and accelerating screen production. They also integrate with design token systems and open-source or proprietary platforms as needed.

The tool choice depends on project context, internal culture, and collaboration needs (asynchronous or synchronous).

User Testing and Rapid Iterations

Once the initial prototype is produced, user testing sessions are organized with a representative panel. Feedback focuses on screen comprehension, journey fluidity, and content relevance.

Each comment is prioritized and integrated into a rapid iteration plan. The prototype evolves over several short cycles, until satisfaction is deemed sufficient to move to development.

This iterative pace ensures the final tool is centered on business needs and that risks related to misunderstandings are preemptively eliminated.

Drive Your Digital Project with a User-Centered Prototype

In summary, prototyping is the foundation of a successful digital approach: it clearly defines the interface, tests journeys, and unites stakeholders before any technical development. This approach reduces costs, accelerates decisions, and improves final adoption by ensuring an optimized user experience.

Faced with your digital transformation challenges, our UX/UI experts, strategists, and software architects are here to support you in designing prototypes that match your business needs, as well as in developing and integrating complete production-ready digital solutions. Together, we establish agile collaboration and deploy scalable, modular, and secure tools without vendor lock-in.

Discuss Your Challenges with an Edana Expert

PUBLISHED BY

David Mendes

Avatar de David Mendes

David is a Senior UX/UI Designer. He crafts user-centered journeys and interfaces for your business software, SaaS products, mobile applications, websites, and digital ecosystems. Leveraging user research and rapid prototyping expertise, he ensures a cohesive, engaging experience across every touchpoint.

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Featured-Post-UX-Design (EN) UI/UX Design EN

Advanced Agile Methods: Mastering User Story Mapping for Sustainable ROI

Advanced Agile Methods: Mastering User Story Mapping for Sustainable ROI

Auteur n°4 – Mariami

Agile methods and user story mapping are no longer the exclusive domain of startups; they have become the preferred levers for decision‑makers and technology leaders to bridge product vision and business value. By combining narrative breakdown, incremental prioritization, and an evolution‑ready software architecture, you safeguard your budgets while aligning stakeholders, teams, and end users.

Clarify Product Vision with Narrative Breakdown

Structuring your backlog around concrete user journeys removes the blind spots that undermine planning.

An effective user story mapping exercise starts with a user‑experience‑centered narrative. Rather than piling on abstract “features,” you visually map each key action (called user story)—from discovery through retention. This narrative approach gives sponsors an immediate view of the value chain, while the technical team spots critical dependencies in the very first iteration. The result: fewer back‑and‑forths, fewer guesses, and a roadmap everyone understands.

A simple collaborative board (Figma, FigJam, or even a Confluence wiki) is enough to represent epics, activities, and tasks. What matters is not the tool but the level of granularity: fine enough to guide the development of custom features, yet broad enough to stay strategic.

Take the example of one of our clients, a Romandy‑based company with 150 employees that wanted to digitize its industrial maintenance process. The user story mapping workshop we ran with their teams revealed that the first delivery should focus on mobile field‑data collection before automating scheduling. This clarity allowed them to spread a CHF 450 k budget over three targeted releases centered on specific sets of user stories, each delivering measurable ROI—the 30 % reduction in machine downtime funded the next phase.

Prioritize Deliverables to Maximize Project ROI

The value‑effort matrix turns your backlog from a wish list into a true business plan.

Once the narrative map is in place, the real challenge is deciding what to build first. As an IT project manager, you often have to balance commercial pressures with technical constraints. By crossing perceived user value with estimated effort (story points, T‑shirt sizing, or actual budgets), the value‑effort matrix provides an objective ranking. It transforms steering‑committee meetings into data‑driven decision sessions rather than debates of opinion.

At Edana, we advocate dynamic prioritization: each sprint revalidates ROI hypotheses before freezing its scope. That requires actionable metrics—acquisition cost, MRR, NPS—rather than isolated technical KPIs. Thanks to a modular technology stack (for example, TypeScript on the front end; Nest.JS or Laravel on the back end, depending on context), we can quickly measure the impact of new features in production without rebuilding everything.

For a German‑speaking Swiss insurer we support, the initial mapping unearthed 120 stories. By applying the matrix, only 35 were scheduled for V1, yet they covered 85 % of the predicted customer value. Incremental deployment created a real‑world testbed: the data collected refined the roadmap, eliminating costly, superfluous development.

Synchronize Teams and Stakeholders with Tailored Rituals

Context‑calibrated rituals replace methodological orthodoxy with operational efficiency.

Agile isn’t just a scripted set of ceremonies. Stand‑ups, reviews, and retrospectives only add value if they reduce uncertainty and streamline communication. In mid‑sized organizations, a fifteen‑minute daily stand‑up may suffice; in multi‑team programs, a weekly multi‑tribe sync is often more relevant. The key is maintaining the link between strategy and execution.

Edana favors a tool triangle: Jira for traceability, Slack or Mattermost for instant chat, Confluence for lasting context. All open‑source or flexible, they keep clients in full ownership of their data. We adapt cadence and artifact depth (Definition of Done, security checklists, RSE criteria) to each sector and company culture—never imposing a Scrum or Kanban dogma—and that alignment greatly improves outcomes.

In a collaboration with a luxury‑sector client, we replaced classic sprint reviews with quarterly “market demos”: clickable prototypes shown to a panel of boutiques. This hybrid ritual accelerated product‑decision cycles, cutting time‑to‑market by six weeks without burdening internal processes. Proof that Agile is crafted more than applied.

Account for Technical Requirements from Day One in User Story Mapping

Structure the story map to surface cross‑cutting layers early and curb technical debt.

Story mapping isn’t just about prioritizing user‑visible features: when well facilitated, it brings out all the “invisible” but essential requirements for product quality. Zero‑Trust security, performance monitoring, scalability… these cross‑cutting concerns often get tacked on late, generating expensive technical debt. By adding a dedicated column for these requirements in your user story‑mapping workshop, you map not only what the user does but also how it must be technically supported.

This end‑to‑end visibility lets you design a “thin slice”—an operational vertical that includes the minimal viable infrastructure—from the very first iteration. At Edana, we favor open‑source foundations (Linux, Docker, sovereign cloud like Infomaniak) to control costs, ensure data sovereignty, and achieve predictable scalability. By validating feasibility and mapping the links between functional components and infrastructure during story mapping, your team anticipates blockers and avoids delays caused by late‑stage integration of critical layers.

In a recent project for a mid‑sized Swiss industrial firm, our team integrated monitoring and orchestration stories from day one. Thanks to this early alignment, we deployed a lightweight event bus as a Node.js microservice proof‑of‑concept, while the rest of the app remained in Laravel. This modular architecture enabled a real‑time dashboard hookup without touching existing services: a 9 % marginal budget for an immediate operational‑visibility win.

By pairing user story mapping with an Agile‑evolutionary architecture, you turn potential debt into a strategic asset. Every story becomes an opportunity to choose between a standard component or a tailored development to ensure performance, security, and future‑proofing.

Conclusion: From Story Mapping to Production, Your Agile Roadmap

By articulating Agile methods and user story mapping, you gain far more than a to‑do list: you build a continuous‑delivery strategy that resonates with both CFOs and system engineers. Narrative mapping clarifies vision; the value‑effort matrix secures ROI; tailored rituals maintain alignment; and an evolution‑ready architecture preserves your technological capital. This combination—embodied by Edana’s open‑source culture and close partnership—creates a sustainable competitive advantage for your digital initiatives.

Discuss about your challenges with an Edana expert

PUBLISHED BY

Mariami Minadze

Mariami is an expert in digital strategy and project management. She audits the digital ecosystems of companies and organizations of all sizes and in all sectors, and orchestrates strategies and plans that generate value for our customers. Highlighting and piloting solutions tailored to your objectives for measurable results and maximum ROI is her specialty.

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Featured-Post-Dev-FR Web Development (EN)

How to Find a Laravel Development Agency in Switzerland?

How to Find a Laravel Development Agency in Switzerland?

Auteur n°2 – Jonathan

Choosing the right Laravel development agency is crucial for the success of your project if it is based on this technology. Laravel is a modern and powerful PHP framework widely used for creating robust and scalable web applications. However, not all development agencies are equal, so it is important to exercise due diligence before entrusting your project to a team of developers, regardless of their location, size, or any other individual criterion.

Here are some tips to help you find a reliable Laravel development agency in Switzerland.

1. Evaluation of Technical Skills (Mastery of Laravel)

The first step in finding a reliable Laravel agency is to assess the technical skills of the development team. As Laravel is a sophisticated PHP framework, make sure that the agency you are considering has in-depth expertise in this programming language and a thorough understanding of its various features. Ask for examples of previous projects based on Laravel and evaluate the quality of their code. To do this, ask a third-party agency or one of your in-house engineers to audit it if possible. Here are the main points to consider during the technical audit:

Advanced Laravel skills: API, queues, etc.

Laravel is much more than just a framework. It is a development philosophy. When evaluating an agency and delving into the code its developers have written, ensure they master Laravel’s advanced features such as dependency injection, Eloquent ORM, and database migrations. Also, examine how they handle asynchronous tasks with queues and the integration of third-party services via APIs.

Software architecture and design patterns

The quality of Laravel code often lies in its architecture. A serious agency should be able to design a robust software architecture, using design patterns such as MVC (Model-View-Controller) effectively. Ask specific questions about how they approach dependency management, coupling, and separation of concerns.

Blades vs. API for back-end and front-end structure

It is also important to ensure that the development agency in question can adapt the coding approach to the needs of your project and remains flexible regarding the integration of front-end and back-end together. Specifically, the dilemma between using blades (front-end templates coded within the Laravel framework) and an API (separately coded back-end and front-end, the former under Laravel and the latter under other technologies) is crucial in development. Blades, favored in Laravel, offer efficient server-side rendering, while an API favors a clear client-server separation, ideal for single-page applications (SPA). The choice depends on the complexity of the application, the desired performance, and the development strategy. Sometimes, a combination of both proves optimal to maximize their respective benefits. Therefore, a careful evaluation of the specific project needs guides this strategic decision, although some agencies, not mastering (or preferring personally), one of the two approaches, will not advise you on which one truly suits you.

Laravel performance optimization

The performance of a Laravel application is crucial, especially as the user base grows (scaling traffic and resulting load). The agency you choose must therefore have a deep understanding of performance optimization. This includes intelligent caching, judicious use of database indexes, and management of complex SQL queries. Not all Swiss web and software development agencies are expert enough to optimize their code in the most adequate way for each project.

Laravel Security

Security should never be compromised regardless of the project, and this becomes even more important in the case of sensitive data (health data, financial data, personal data, industrial secrets, etc.). Laravel offers built-in security features, but it is up to the agency to use them correctly. Make sure they follow Laravel’s best security practices, such as data validation, CSRF protection, and securing SQL queries.

Deployment and DevOps

A serious agency understands the importance of a reliable deployment process. They should be familiar with DevOps tools, automating processes such as continuous deployment, automated testing, and environment management. In general, it is important that their development and maintenance team are accustomed to source management tools like Gitlab and to the deployment and management of development, testing, and production environments, even staging. Test automation based on test cases (test scenarios) or server and traffic monitoring are skills that their team must master perfectly.

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2. Reputation in the web and software development market

A reliable Laravel development agency will have a solid reputation in the market. Look for online reviews (Google Maps, forums, and other agency rating and digital service provider websites), testimonials from previous clients, and case studies on the agency’s website. An agency that has proven itself will generally have a diversified portfolio of successful projects and satisfied clients in Switzerland.

Consult our case studies

3. Transparency and communication with clients and prospects

In the context of software development, transparency and effective communication remain undisputed pillars for the success of a project, and this applies to every phase of your project. Therefore, it is important to closely examine the working method used by the Laravel agencies you are comparing, as there are several and different ways to implement them. There are also many variations in project management and web and software development.

For example, the purely agile approach sometimes sold by agencies to offer maximum flexibility, sometimes for financial profitability reasons, is not always the most suitable for every project. The same goes for the purely waterfall approach (in cascade) that some agencies sell at the opposite end to counteract the existing flaws of the pure agile method (highlighted by criticisms from some of the very founders of the agile manifesto). A hybrid method, balancing the advantages of different approaches, often emerges as a more realistic solution to effectively control costs, quality, and deadlines. This is what we have built at Edana through our own client-centered method, focusing on their goals and constraints. Paying attention to this aspect is crucial for choosing the right Laravel development provider.

4. Relevant sectoral experience

Each industry has its own challenges and requirements. Make sure the Laravel development agency you choose has relevant experience in your sector. This ensures that they understand the specific nuances of your domain and can develop solutions tailored to your particular needs.

For example, the medical sector requires significant security mechanisms in Switzerland, which requires a certain familiarity with this sector and the security standards it entails. Similarly, a web platform designed to accommodate a large number of visitors such as a social network or a video content site must be approached with the right structure to avoid slowdowns in the event of traffic spikes, etc.

Example of Laravel projects carried out by our teams

We have, for example, multi-sectoral experience and specialize in the creation of business software and platforms and applications for startups, entrepreneurs, SMEs, and larger companies.

View all projects and sectors

5. Support and maintenance after production deployment

The development of a Laravel project does not end with deployment. Make sure the agency offers post-deployment support and maintenance services. This ensures that your application runs optimally in the long term and that any potential issues are resolved quickly. This is also very important from a security point of view.

Good support takes care of everything you need (management of server(s) including their updates, monitoring, and protection against attacks, code patches, software updates, etc.) so that you can operate your business without any surprises and in complete peace of mind.

Let’s talk about your Laravel project now

Deciding to embark on the quest for a trustworthy Laravel development agency in Switzerland can be a daunting task, requiring time and thorough research. However, this is crucial to ensure the success of your project. By scrutinizing technical skills, reputation, transparency, sectoral experience, and post-deployment support, you can make an informed decision that will propel your project to success.

At Edana, we exceed expectations as a team of engineers, developers, and full-stack architects, deeply rooted in the Laravel ecosystem. Our strength lies in our Laravel expertise and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. When you embark with us, you engage with a team that not only meets your specific needs but goes beyond by taking the lead and delivering excellence at every step. Indeed, our philosophy is to support the client from A to Z with the best advice, strategy, and technical execution.

Feel free to contact us for a thorough discussion about your project and discover how our team can realize your goals for custom software development, website, or mobile application.

Discuss your needs with one of our experts

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

As a senior specialist in technology consulting, strategy, and delivery, Jonathan advises companies and organizations at both strategic and operational levels within value-creation and digital transformation programs focused on innovation and growth. With deep expertise in enterprise architecture, he guides our clients on software engineering and IT development matters, enabling them to deploy solutions that are truly aligned with their objectives.

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Understanding the Crucial Difference Between a Normal CMS and a Headless CMS

Understanding the Crucial Difference Between a Normal CMS and a Headless CMS

Auteur n°2 – Jonathan

When working with Swiss brands and businesses of all sizes, it is often noticed that stakeholders (project managers, managers, CTOs, webmasters, etc.) do not fully grasp the yet crucial difference between a normal (monolithic) CMS and a Headless CMS.

Indeed, Content Management Systems (CMS) are the invisible architects behind many websites and applications, but their variety can be bewildering. In this article, we will explore two approaches: traditional CMS and Headless CMS, making them accessible even to non-experts, with practical examples illustrated by code snippets. Most importantly, we will highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each solution to assist the reader in making an informed choice.

Normal (Monolithic) CMS: All-in-one but with Constraints

Normal CMS, often called monolithic CMS, are integrated solutions that bundle all the necessary features to create and manage a website into a single entity. Among the most well-known monolithic CMS are WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

Imagine a normal CMS as a turnkey house. When using a CMS like WordPress, for example, everything is included: content management, application logic, presentation, and even additional features via plugins. This approach simplifies the startup process but also introduces significant constraints when it comes to making changes, managing content, and evolving the solution in the future.

Constraints of Normal/Monolithic CMS:

  1. Tight Integration: In a normal CMS, the site’s structure, presentation logic, and content management are tightly integrated. For example, the code defining the layout of a specific page is often intertwined with the logic that retrieves and displays the content. This creates a close dependency between visual presentation and content.
  2. Difficulty of Change: Making significant changes to how the site is presented may require complex adjustments throughout the system. Modifying the layout of elements, akin to moving a window in an existing house, can lead to major renovations, making the process slow and potentially costly.
  3. Consistency Risks: Due to tight integration, changes in one part of the site may have unexpected repercussions on other parts. This increases the risks of visual and functional inconsistencies, especially as the site evolves.
  4. Limited Scalability: The increasing complexity of modern websites can make monolithic CMS less suitable for evolving needs. Adding new features can be a challenge, as it often requires substantial modifications to existing code.

Despite these constraints, monolithic CMS remain popular due to their initial ease of use and all-in-one approach to website management. However, with the evolution of modern web requirements, more and more companies are turning to more flexible alternatives, such as Headless CMS.

Headless CMS: Freedom of Composition

Headless CMS stands out for its modular architecture, offering a clear separation between the backend and frontend. This architectural approach provides unparalleled flexibility and freedom for shaping dynamic user experiences in web development. Let’s compare this architecture with an analogy before delving into its implications.

Architectural Analogy: Imagine the backend of a Headless CMS as a library storing your content, and the frontend as a variety of screens you can use to display that content. The screens (frontends) may vary, but the library (backend) remains the same, providing a solid and reusable foundation.

Backend (Content Management): In a Headless CMS, the backend is responsible for content management. It stores data in a standardized form, usually as JSON or REST API. This structure allows content to be agnostic of the channel or device on which it will be displayed.

Frontend (Presentation): The frontend in the headless architecture manages how content is presented to the end user. It could be a website, a mobile application, a smart display, etc. The freedom offered by this separation allows the use of modern front-end technologies to create rich and interactive user interfaces.

Advantages of Headless Architecture

  1. Flexibility in Front-end Technology:
    • Freedom of Choice: Developers can choose from a range of front-end frameworks such as React, Vue.js, Angular, or even newer technologies based on the specific needs of the project.
    • Facilitated Adaptability: The separation of frontend and backend allows for easier adaptation of the user interface to changing requirements without altering the business logic.
  2. Simplified Content Reuse:
    • Channel Independence: Content can be consistently reused across different channels (website, mobile application, IoT, etc.), avoiding tedious duplication.
    • Centralized Management: Centralizing content simplifies its management and ensures consistency across various platforms.
  3. Scalability and Simplified Maintenance:
    • Independent Adjustments: Frontend modifications do not affect the backend business logic, allowing visual adjustments without impacting system stability.
    • Ease of Adding Features: Adding new features can be done independently, facilitating the scalability of the site.
  4. Improved Complexity Management:
    • Modularity: The division into distinct modules for backend and frontend makes it easier to manage the increasing complexity of modern websites.
    • Effective Collaboration: Development teams can work more independently, improving collaboration and maintenance.

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In conclusion, the headless architecture offers a flexible and scalable approach, suited to the requirements of the modern web where diverse channels and devices necessitate agile content management and flexible visual presentation.

In the continuation of this article, we will explore the advantages of the headless CMS and the technical differences between the two CMS types. We will also address the question of choosing between these two solutions to enable you to opt for the one that best aligns with your goals and needs.

Review of Headless CMS Advantages and Concrete Differences from Monolithic CMS

In this section, we will delve into the details of the three most notable advantages of a headless CMS. We’ll provide technical examples and more in-depth explanations.

1. Visual Flexibility – 100% Customizable and Flexible Interface

Changes in appearance can be made without altering the business logic.

Let’s explore a concrete example highlighting the difference in interface management flexibility between a monolithic CMS and a headless CMS.

Here is how a product page could be structured in a monolithic CMS, emphasizing the dependency between structure and business logic:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Product</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Product Title</h1>
  <p>Product Description</p>
  <span>Product Price</span>
  <!-- Size Selection -->
  <select id="size">
    <option value="s">S</option>
    <option value="m">M</option>
    <option value="l">L</option>
  </select>
  <!-- Color Selection -->
  <select id="Color">
    <option value="red">Red</option>
    <option value="blue">Blue</option>
    <option value="green">Green</option>
  </select>
  <!-- Other details... -->
</body>
</html>

In this case, dropdowns for size and color are integrated into the page, closely tied to the order processing logic.

Contrast this with a headless CMS, where content is dissociated from how it is displayed. Imagine independent building blocks that you can rearrange as needed.

With a headless CMS, product data, for example, could be stored independently, allowing for more flexible composition:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Product</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>{{Product Title}}</h1>
  <p>{{Product Description}}</p>
  <span>{{Product Price}}</span>
  <!-- Size Selection -->
  {{Available Sizes}}
  <!-- Color Selection -->
  {{Available Selection}}
  <!-- Other details... -->
</body>
</html>

Here, how sizes and colors are presented can be changed without altering the business logic.

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2. Content Reuse and Centralized Management

One undeniable strength of a headless CMS is its ability to promote content reuse across different parts of the site and even on various platforms (mobile applications or other group sites, for example), all without the need for laborious duplication.

In a headless CMS model, content is managed independently of how it is presented. This means the same piece of content can be used consistently and efficiently across multiple site pages or adapted for mobile applications, smart displays, or other channels without unnecessary duplication.

This approach significantly reduces complexity during visual changes. For instance, if you have a special promotion, a product update, or any other content change, you make the modification once in the CMS, and these changes propagate consistently across all platforms, ensuring content uniformity across the site. This simplifies maintenance, reduces the risk of inconsistencies, and provides considerable operational efficiency. In short, content reuse becomes a strategic asset for effective and scalable website management.

Imagine a blog article stored in the headless CMS. This content can be integrated into different sections of the site, such as the homepage, the blog page, and even in a mobile application, ensuring content consistency across all platforms.

In general, it is common to plan for a mobile application that needs to connect to the developed website. Let’s take the example of an e-commerce website. If in the future (or from the beginning of the project), a mobile application needs to retrieve product data from the e-commerce site’s database. If the e-commerce site was designed using headless technology, developers only need to code the front-end part of the application (lower costs for the company). Importantly, administrators of the e-commerce site don’t have to change anything in their usual routine since the content of the site (managed through the e-commerce interface) will be automatically taken over by the mobile application. This magic happens through the API of the e-commerce site’s backend. It is through this API that the front-end of the website communicates, and the same goes for the mobile application, which doesn’t function differently in terms of architecture.

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3. Use of Modern Front-end Technologies

In the ever-evolving world of web development, the use of modern front-end technologies is essential for creating dynamic and responsive user experiences. A significant advantage of a headless CMS lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate these technologies.

With a headless CMS, you have the freedom to adopt front-end frameworks such as React, Vue.js, or Angular. These frameworks offer unparalleled flexibility in manipulating the user interface, allowing developers to create interactive, responsive, and aesthetically appealing web pages. The clear separation between content and presentation in a headless CMS facilitates the integration of these frameworks without affecting the underlying business logic.

The advantage of using modern front-end technologies lies in the speed of development, modularity, and ease of maintenance. Reusable components, real-time updates, and advanced animation features become accessible, providing a significantly enhanced user experience compared to more traditional approaches.

Example of using React with a Headless CMS:

// React Component Retrieving and Displaying the Title of a Product,
{ useState, useEffect } from 'react';

const ProductTitle = () => {
  const [title, setTitle] = useState('');

  useEffect(() => {
    // Calling the CMS API to Retrieve the Product Title
    // (API call code here...)
    setTitle('Product title from CMS');
  }, []);

  return <h1>{title}</h1>;
};

export default ProductTitle;

How to Choose Between a Monolithic CMS and a Headless CMS?

In conclusion, the decision between a normal CMS and a headless CMS depends on the specific needs of your project. If visual flexibility and independent content management are crucial, the headless CMS offers a modern and powerful solution.

In general, companies tend to opt for the so-called monolithic CMS when they have very simple, standard needs, do not require entirely custom design (at least for more complex parts such as online reservation forms, payment forms, ordering, etc.), and they do not need (nor plan in the future) a mobile application related to this project. In other cases, they opt for a headless CMS, which generally requires a slightly higher investment but offers many advantages ensuring scalability, customer experience, and stability over time unmatched by the company.

If you would like to discuss your project with our experts or obtain more information on the subject, contact us now, and one of our experts will guide you through the process.

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PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

As a senior specialist in technology consulting, strategy, and delivery, Jonathan advises companies and organizations at both strategic and operational levels within value-creation and digital transformation programs focused on innovation and growth. With deep expertise in enterprise architecture, he guides our clients on software engineering and IT development matters, enabling them to deploy solutions that are truly aligned with their objectives.

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Digital Development in Switzerland: Understanding & Optimizing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Digital Development in Switzerland: Understanding & Optimizing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Auteur n°2 – Jonathan

In the vast world of technology and software, where every choice matters, this article aims to explore an often overlooked but crucial aspect for the success of any Swiss business looking to digitize: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Edana invites you to delve into the complex landscape of financial management related to IT, shedding light on the nuances of TCO and its decisive role in budget planning.

At Edana, as a privileged partner for Swiss businesses in the development of custom business software, mobile applications, and web tools, we are committed to meeting the specific needs of our clients by providing relevant and sustainable solutions. That’s why we never overlook the total cost of ownership in any of our projects and always guide our clients towards a solution tailored to their unique requirements.

Understanding TCO is not merely a technical process; it is a strategic lever enabling businesses to make informed decisions regarding their IT investments. We will explore why mastering the cost of possession is essential, how it can optimize your expenses, and how a reliable IT provider (software development, apps, web, IT infrastructure, and hardware) can, and indeed must, support you in this endeavor, turning each of your investments into a step towards the lasting success and competitiveness of your company.

Definition of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) represents a holistic approach to evaluating the costs associated with owning and using software or a technological solution. Beyond initial expenses, TCO encompasses all direct and indirect costs that may arise throughout the lifecycle of an IT system.

To be clearer, TCO provides a comprehensive view of costs related to an IT investment, going beyond initial purchase or development costs. It also includes operational, maintenance, training, and any other costs associated with the daily use of the solution. In other words, TCO aims to quantify all actual expenses over the lifespan of an IT project.

Distinction between direct and indirect costs

Direct costs of TCO are easily quantifiable and typically include initial expenses such as software license purchases, custom development, or hardware acquisition. Indirect costs, on the other hand, are often more challenging to measure directly. They encompass maintenance costs, updates, staff training, technical support, and other factors contributing to the daily operation of the system.

Concrete examples of costs included in TCO (licenses, maintenance, training, technical support, etc.)

  • Licenses: Initial costs of purchasing software licenses necessary for using the solution.
  • Maintenance: Recurring fees related to software maintenance, including patches, updates, and enhancements.
  • Training: Expenses related to staff training to ensure effective and optimal use of the solution.
  • Technical Support: Costs associated with technical assistance, including support contracts and interventions in case of issues.

By clearly understanding the definition of TCO and distinguishing between its different components, businesses can make informed decisions regarding their IT investments, avoiding budget surprises and optimizing long-term profitability.

The Benefits of Understanding TCO

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is not merely a financial metric; it is a powerful strategic tool offering numerous advantages to businesses seeking to maximize the value of their IT investments.

Budget Optimization: How does TCO help businesses plan and allocate their financial resources effectively?

TCO enables more precise budget planning by considering all costs associated with an IT project. By understanding the extent of expenses, businesses can strategically allocate their financial resources, avoiding underinvestment or excessive spending. This ensures overall budget optimization, ensuring judicious use of funds and maximizing return on investment.

Informed Decision-Making: How does knowledge of TCO facilitate the software and IT solution selection process?

Understanding TCO provides crucial clarity during the software selection process. By evaluating not only initial costs but also long-term operational costs, businesses can make informed decisions. They can compare available solutions holistically, considering functional benefits and associated costs. Thus, decision-making becomes oriented towards the real value brought by the solution rather than just its initial cost.

Anticipation of Hidden Costs: How to avoid financial surprises related to unforeseen costs during software implementation and continuous use?

TCO allows anticipating often overlooked hidden costs. By identifying potential costs for maintenance, training, and support, businesses can avoid financial surprises during software implementation and continuous use. This proactive anticipation minimizes financial risks and contributes to more stable and predictable resource management.

In summary, understanding TCO goes beyond simple budget considerations; it becomes a strategic asset for businesses seeking to optimize their IT investments and ensure long-term profitability.

Next, we will look at a concrete case of a Geneva-based company that we assisted in mastering its total cost of ownership and developing a custom software suite to digitize its activities.

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Case Study on Total Cost of Ownership Optimization (Filinea GmbH) in Geneva

In this section, we delve into a concrete example of success: the digital transformation of Filinea GmbH, a Geneva-based company and member of the Social and Solidarity Economy Chamber, specializing in support and training through its three business units. Edana was the chosen partner for this digital transformation, and the results obtained are significant.

Filinea, with around forty employees, had a mission to optimize its performance, modernize its data processing processes, and improve the quality of its teams’ work. Edana intervened as a consultant, UX designers, and software engineers, orchestrating the change from strategy to implementation. The results obtained had a significant impact, as evidenced by the performance indicators:

  • +31% Increase in job satisfaction (Net Promoter Score)
  • +46% Faster integration of new employees
  • 1000+ Hours of automated work per year
  • -50% Reduction in IT intervention costs

These figures illustrate the success of the collaboration between Filinea and Edana, with a notable improvement in job satisfaction, faster employee integration, significant task automation, and a marked reduction in IT intervention costs.

Analysis of steps taken to assess and reduce TCO

Before initiating the digital transformation, Edana conducted a thorough evaluation of Filinea’s organizational readiness level. An in-depth analysis of the internal structure was conducted, highlighting key strategic points and specific needs to be addressed. Key steps included a careful examination of digital readiness assessment and identifying strategic points requiring tailored solutions.

Results obtained and feedback

Edana designed a dedicated, multi-platform, and secure business solution that addressed Filinea’s specific needs. This solution encompassed a variety of tools, from artificial intelligence to email systems, document management, and dynamic dashboards. Edana’s software engineering optimized key processes, promoting better operational efficiency and enhanced collaboration among teams.

Cybersecurity was proactively integrated to protect Filinea’s sensitive data. A private and secure environment, including firewalls, data encryption, antivirus protection, and code security, was created to counteract growing threats.

Filinea also achieved a complete decoupling of proprietary systems and licensing fees, allowing for a significant cost reduction while gaining flexibility and autonomy.

In conclusion, this case study demonstrates how a strategic approach to TCO, combined with well-orchestrated digital transformation, can lead to significant performance improvement, process optimization, and cost reduction for a medium-sized Swiss company.

Learn More about Our Filinea Project and Explore Another Similar One

We specialize in designing business solutions for Swiss companies, so here are some examples of our work related to the subject.

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Practical Tips for Managing the Total Cost of Ownership of Your Business

Effective management of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is imperative for companies seeking to maximize the profitability of their IT investments. Here are some practical tips for assessing and wisely managing your TCO, specifically tailored to medium-sized businesses.

Establish a Concrete Action Plan by Assessing and Managing Your TCO Effectively

To successfully control the total cost of ownership of your IT or software project, it is essential to establish an action plan. Based on our on-the-ground experience and 15 years of supporting Swiss companies in their digitization, we propose the following phases to manage your TCO without surprises and with simplicity:

  1. Pre-analysis of TCO: Before making investments, conduct a thorough analysis of potential long-term costs. Identify direct and indirect costs, with a focus on maintenance, training, and technical support.
  2. Regular Evaluation of TCO: Do not consider TCO as a one-time step. Regularly reassess your TCO to account for changes in your business, technological advancements, and new optimization opportunities.
  3. Alignment with Strategic Objectives: Ensure that your action plan for TCO management aligns with the strategic objectives of your business. IT investments should support the overall mission and growth of the company.
  4. Involve Stakeholders: Include key stakeholders in the TCO assessment and management process. Collaboration between IT, financial, and operational departments is essential for a holistic understanding of costs.

Discover best practices to minimize long-term costs

To lower your costs of digital transformation in the medium and long term, considering all implications of your IT contracts and needs, it is important to ensure that you benefit from the following points.

  1. Informed Selection of Solutions: Before investing in software or technological solutions, carefully evaluate the available options. Opt for modular, flexible solutions that are tailored to your business’s growth.
  2. Continuous Staff Training: Invest in ongoing training for your staff to maximize the effective use of IT solutions. Well-trained personnel reduce costs related to errors and improve productivity.
  3. Well-Negotiated Maintenance Contracts: When negotiating maintenance contracts, make sure to fully understand the terms and conditions. Negotiate flexible and scalable contracts that suit the changing needs of your business.
  4. Performance Monitoring: Implement performance monitoring tools to quickly detect inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Proactive management helps minimize costs related to disruptions and emergency corrections.
  5. Planned Obsolescence Strategy: Anticipate technology obsolescence by planning regular upgrades. A well-planned strategy helps avoid significant costs associated with obsolete systems.

By integrating these practical tips into your TCO management approach, medium-sized businesses can not only minimize long-term costs but also optimize their IT investments to support sustainable growth. Proactive TCO management thus becomes a strategic lever for continuous profitability.

Conclusion on the Total Cost of Ownership of a Digital Solution in Switzerland

In summary, our in-depth exploration of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) highlights its crucial role in the success of medium-sized Swiss businesses. We’ve deciphered the ins and outs of TCO, distinguishing between direct and indirect costs, with concrete examples such as licenses, maintenance, training, and technical support.

This thorough understanding of TCO offers significant benefits, from budget optimization to informed decision-making, strengthening the competitiveness of informed businesses. The Filinea GmbH case study illustrated how a personalized approach, like the one offered by Edana, can transform the IT management of a company.

The shared practical tips emphasize the importance of informed solution selection, continuous training, negotiation of maintenance contracts, proactive performance monitoring, and a planned obsolescence strategy.

In conclusion, we make a strong appeal to all Swiss businesses: integrate TCO management into your IT strategy. Understanding and mastering TCO is a strategic imperative often underestimated. We invite interested stakeholders to contact Edana. Our team of experts is ready to provide personalized advice for TCO management and optimization of your IT investments.

Let’s discuss your goals and needs

PUBLISHED BY

Jonathan Massa

As a senior specialist in technology consulting, strategy, and delivery, Jonathan advises companies and organizations at both strategic and operational levels within value-creation and digital transformation programs focused on innovation and growth. With deep expertise in enterprise architecture, he guides our clients on software engineering and IT development matters, enabling them to deploy solutions that are truly aligned with their objectives.

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Lead Generation: How to Get Started

Lead Generation: How to Get Started

Auteur n°3 – Benjamin

Importance of Leads

Leads are extremely important for the success of any company. A lead is a person or company that is interested in your product/service and has provided personal information in order to use your services. They are your foundation for expansion, economic viability, reputation, stability, and credibility.

Lead generation is undeniably important yet it includes a wide range of factors. First and foremost, you must identify prospective leads. Then you have to figure out the best way to reach them. Following that, you should begin developing strategies that can help you effectively wrap up lead generation.

Businesses utilize leads to stay competitive. You’ll need a clear and distinct marketing message to be successful. You must offer your customers the information they desire and are interested in, as well as test various solutions to increase demand. You could come across many different kinds of leads.

Various Types of Leads in Businesses

Every company wants to be in a position to advertise its goods and services to customers who will be interested in them and value their work.  A company offering artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions wouldn’t want to introduce its products to newly enrolled college students. Such companies would target individuals and businesses most likely to purchase their products. Planning and researching are important for a lot of lead-generation activities.

Cold Leads

As previously said, businesses encounter many forms of leads. One of them is a cold lead. A cold lead is someone who hasn’t expressed any interest in your solution but flawlessly fits your ideal customer profile.

Consider the scenario where you own an online fitness coaching business and you stumble onto the social media profile of someone who seems to be interested in fitness and health. The individual in question has never interacted with you before. You must be the one establishing the contact and you must do it very tactfully if you want to pique their curiosity.

Lead generation software or even your own study can produce these leads. They are extremely difficult to deal with, but since they are potential consumers who may become devoted customers with well-thought-out strategies, you should be able to employ several solutions to handle their situation.

Communication skills are essential in this case. You must be persistent in your calls, emails, and so on. Inquire about a follow-up on your emails. Make them regard you as a problem solver.

Don’t give up if you don’t get an answer on the first try. They don’t automatically lead you to a significant decline in profits. You just have to continue sending them useful material, such as blog posts or data on the business landscape, and wait for them.

Warm Leads

A warm lead, on the other hand, represents a person who is already familiar with how your company operates. They read your blogs, watch your videos, and are generally more aware of your brand. They are easier to convert into prospects. 

Imagine that you run a software company specializing in project management tools. A few days ago, someone downloaded a free trial of your software from your website. Today, they’ve signed up for your newsletter to receive updates and tips about project management.

In this case, the individual is a warm lead because they’ve taken two significant actions: downloading a free trial and signing up for your newsletter. This type of engagement suggests that they may be more receptive to further communications about your software or related offerings. In any case, you must understand more about their demands and requirements.

Hot Leads

Imagine you manage an online electronics store and someone has just put a high-end gaming laptop in their shopping basket on your website. They’ve also submitted their payment and shipping information. The person in question is a hot lead in this instance because they have demonstrated significant buying intent by taking actual action to make a purchase.

Hot leads include people who are often ready for quick sales or conversion activities and frequently require minimum persuading or marketing efforts to complete the purchase. They require immediate attention since their curiosity may wane if you take too long to answer. They may even be contacting competitors to get the most accurate answers for themselves.

So when you have a hot lead, act quickly and don’t waste time. They already believe your company can fix their problems. They just require your help and expertise.

Information Qualified Leads (IQL)

An IQL is one that is just starting to look for a solution to their problem. An IQL is normally created when customers fill out a form in order to obtain any beneficial content that you provide – free eBooks, seminars, reports, and so on.

Basically, they are potential customers who have demonstrated interest by providing some specific information, but they may not yet be ready for direct sales or immediate conversion.

There are various methods to contact them. Prior to anything else, you need to ascertain what they are interested in learning about your business and what you have to offer. You should stay in touch with them via emails and newsletters. Informing them of solutions to their challenges will pique their curiosity.

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Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL)

Marketing-qualified leads are actively looking for answers to their problems. They download your case studies and attend webinars hosted by your firm. It’s not very difficult to convert these leads into prospects because they are interested in what you offer. Sometimes you may even settle things through email or a conversation.

Keep in mind that expressing interest doesn’t automatically guarantee that they will follow you in everything. In many circumstances, marketing qualified leads (MQLs) are forwarded from the marketing team to the sales team for additional interaction and eventual conversion into customers.

Let’s go through one scenario to better understand them. Imagine you own a software firm that provides a customer relationship management (CRM) solution. A website visitor subscribed to your monthly newsletter, received an e-book, attended a webinar on CRM best practices, and visited your pricing page several times.

This sort of person would be the MQL lead. They browsed through the many options on your website and frequently went to the pricing page. These behaviors indicate that they can be open to marketing efforts focused on their specific needs.

Sales Ready Leads (SRL)

A Sales-Ready Lead (SRL) is a potential customer or prospect who has moved through the marketing funnel and is now very likely to make a purchasing decision. If a lead reads even one eBook, some organizations consider them sales-ready. Some want a demonstration of absolute interest.

In any case, you need to know if they are prepared to spend money, what challenges they are trying to fix with your solutions, and so on. Being sales-ready does not imply that customers are ready to buy right now. To prepare these leads for full collaboration, you still need to nurture them with follow-up calls and emails.

In order to better understand these leads, let’s go through an example of a B2B software company that offers project management solutions. A lead that was previously classified as a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) has executed many high-intent activities in a short period of time. Along with going through the educational content, they also asked for a customized project management software demo. They clearly had a strong desire to buy because they were quite detailed in their inquiries about the demo.

In this situation, the individual is a Sales-Ready (SRL). Their activities show a high level of interest in making a purchase. Since they are in the final stages of the purchasing process and demand individualized sales efforts to finalize everything, SRLs are often transferred immediately to the sales team.

Sales Qualified Leads (SQL)

A sales-qualified lead is one who is eager to meet with your sales team. They are obviously interested in your products and services and are ready to purchase. However, they may still be comparing you to other companies.

In any case, you should contact them as soon as possible before it is too late. Keep in mind that generally, recognizing the key differences between the various sorts of leads is critical for bringing in sales and not wasting time on outdated leads.

Imagine you own a company that provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to enterprises. Someone just contacted you using the contact form on your website. In his communication, he mentioned that he is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of a mid-sized financial institution and that he is actively seeking a cybersecurity solution to improve their data protection procedures.

He requested a consultation with your sales team to discuss particular features that are important for his organization. This individual counts as an SQL lead because he has decision-making authority in his company, understands exactly what he needs, and clearly exhibits his interest in your company.

Obtaining Potential Customers Through Lead Generation

It’s clear that there are several forms of leads that must be identified right away in order to be dealt with properly. The lead-generating process itself is made up of several unique steps and points. Many critical aspects influence the journey towards the intended outcome.

First and foremost, you must obtain as much information as possible on your target audience. It’s a good idea to build customer profiles, which identify the demographics, budget, and desires of regular customers. Consider societal customs, career background, and even psychological characteristics.

Create excellent content that will appeal to your target audience. Each piece of content you develop should have a specific goal, such as educating your audience about your service, increasing brand awareness, or driving sales.

You should establish and use a lead database where you can record, examine, and filter potential consumers. Ideally, you should utilize a CRM system. Your team would be able to move through the lists more quickly. In any case, make sure you have an effortlessly navigable database.

Examples and Strategies for Lead Generation

The options for generating leads are nearly limitless. Content marketing is the practice of providing entertaining and useful content that can attract numerous leads. It can include newsletters, videos, and social media. Content marketing may be employed at any point in the sales process.

Email marketing is often regarded as one of the most cost-effective and successful methods of generating leads. You may also utilize social media platforms to attract more individuals towards you.

You can use coupons, deals, and free tests. Basically, run contests to draw people to you and to learn more about them. Also, a risk-free trial or discount coupon is an effective sales technique. After an individual has tried your product, you may retarget them with further offers to encourage a sale.

On websites, applications, and social media, display adverts, videos, and photos. They are a fantastic approach to connecting with your target audience where they are, combined with paid search and PPC.

Another excellent strategy to get new leads is to have your present clients do the work for you. Encourage them to submit reviews or refer friends in exchange for a discount or anything of value. 94% of customers claimed that favorable reviews increased their willingness to support a company.

Lead Generation and Its Challenges

The very first challenge is accurate data collecting. Your organization may have a large list of potential clients and leads, but you must also ensure that the information you have about them is correct. You must be well-versed in your target market.

Another challenge is converting high-quality leads into sales. You must have solid relationships with individuals. Just because you have high-quality leads does not imply you will immediately sell everything.  Also, bear in mind that one of the most effective methods to attract and retain customers is through innovative content.

It is critical to have a well-established method for lead generation and to track the success of your lead generation campaign. Not having a strategy or not being able to analyze your outcomes can result in numerous difficulties for you in the future. 

To properly manage everything, use specific tools such as the correct software and platforms. There are lead generation systems with various functions, such as lead nurturing tools, sales analytics and reporting, and so on. To keep this process alive and effective at all times, you need suitable staff and the right technology.

Gain High-Quality Leads in Your Market and Surpass Your Competitors

Lead generation is critical to succeed in the digital 21st century. Getting prospects to buy your goods or services can not naturally occur without obtaining leads. Edana specializes in lead engine design. We apply the best approach for your industry to produce a great amount of leads in a sustainable and profitable manner, therefore supporting your growth and generating long-term value.

Would you like to enhance your sales volume by generating more leads, requests for information (RFI), requests for quotations (RFP), and requests for quotes (RFQ)? To discuss company growth prospects, get in touch with us right away, and a lead-generating specialist will get back to you shortly.

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Featured-Post-UX-Design (EN) Web Development (EN)

Customer-Oriented UI/UX Design For Higher Engagement Rates

Customer-Oriented UI/UX Design For Higher Engagement Rates

Auteur n°15 – David

Digital Space Nowadays

Since digital products have replaced many daily tasks, there has been a need to adapt these products to human needs and capabilities as much as possible. An avalanche of words and concepts hinders communication between the client and the development company. However, fortunately for us, there are effective tools that can help us significantly increase user engagement.

UI/UX Methods

One of the most effective methods is UI/UX Design. A well-thought-out design is often used to attract the user’s attention and motivate them to take some action. And yet, what should design look like to increase engagement? The human brain is a complex system, however, it tries to find familiar details in it every time it receives new information.

Important Elements

Therefore, the UI/UX design should include elements that are easy for the user to recognize, because something unusual and complex can confuse the user and avoid learning the novelty. To build an attractive design, trends that are close to the content of the website should be considered. Popular and well-known trends are perceived easily and do not pose any difficulties for users.

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Spice Up Your Design

However, of course, because of this, the design should not become too basic and banal. For this, you will need a professional team and you will be relieved to know that you have come to the right place. Everything around us is gradually moving faster and faster. Against this background, people’s patience and empathy toward technological problems are gradually decreasing. Of course, we should try our best to keep up with the pace of the environment and not fall behind.

Quality Is Crucial

For this, our design should be loaded as quickly and qualitatively as possible. All loading signs can become a reason to lose users.
When creating a web/app, we must take into account the fact that the design should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid creating complex and cluttered pages. There shouldn’t be too much focus, as it can distract the user from focusing on what your built design has to offer.

Simplicity Makes Perfect

The elements you want the user to focus on should be easy to see. No matter how banal, our world revolves around social networks. By adding social networks to your web or app, you increase your chances of attracting more customers. Of course, first, you need to correctly select which social platform is suitable for your service or product.


Whereas the exhortation we’ve given prior is supportive to extend change, there’s no clear winning procedure when it comes to UI/UX plans. You ought to point to supply a supportive and easy-to-use arrangement to your clients’ issues while attempting to pick up from them as well. User development based on testing new ideas is a valid and successful method of web/app development. Therefore, I recommend using it.

Conclusion

UI/UX design is one of the most important parts of your business. By using it correctly, you can easily achieve the desired goal. Through design, you influence what the user does on your website in many ways. Even one simple and important design change can lead to a big change in analytics

What We Offer

For more interesting articles make sure to scroll through our Publications on Edana and don’t forget to check our services for further professional assistance. Feel free to contact us anytime!

PUBLISHED BY

David Mendes

Avatar de David Mendes

David is a Senior UX/UI Designer. He crafts user-centered journeys and interfaces for your business software, SaaS products, mobile applications, websites, and digital ecosystems. Leveraging user research and rapid prototyping expertise, he ensures a cohesive, engaging experience across every touchpoint.

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Non classé Web Development (EN)

How much do Swiss web design Agencies Charge for their Services?

How much do Swiss web design Agencies Charge for their Services?

Auteur n°3 – Benjamin

Your Website is a Crucial Part of Your Company

A well-designed website is crucial for your company. Successful web design will help you to achieve success and become an industry leader. Your website is the representation of your company in the online realm. This type of online presence should be able to showcase all the advantages and benefits that your company can give to your customers.

When you’ll talk about this with your Swiss Web Design company you’ll be able to determine what are the most important factors for you and how you can achieve your goals. You might discover certain aspects that didn’t seem important to you before but could be very beneficial for you.

Factors That Are Important for Web Design

Every company has different requirements based on its goals. But several important factors have to be always considered while working on Web Design. First of all, your web design is the reflection of your brand and can help you establish a strong brand identity. Every element, color, and image that is displayed on your webpage can have a great influence on what people will think about you.

You should look through colors to determine what are they associated with and how they could benefit you, then you have to determine what kind of layout will be suitable for your webpage, choose fonts and typography, and make sure that your website is accessible to everybody and has a good user experience.

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The price of Showcase Website with Swiss Web Design Company

In Switzerland, the prices of web design are generally high. First of all, just talk with your Swiss company to determine more important aspects for you.  In Switzerland, showcase websites can be done for 700- 30 000 CHF. The price range is huge, but that’s what you’ll come across more frequently. Just keep in mind that the options that start from 3 000 CHF give you better results. Edana has done a showcase website for the Swiss organization –Éducation Inclusive, you can check now how their digital image was redesigned to improve the company’s image and customer experience.

The price depends on the size of the site, the number of pages, features, etc. If you’ll provide them with more elements, for example, something related to design, the cost will be lower. A good Swiss web design company will always consider what you want to do, but on top of that, they can let you know what you need as well. So find a company that can help you to accomplish what you want and can advise you as well.

Mobile Applications and Progressive Web Apps (PWA)

Mobile applications and PWAs are generally very beneficial for companies and cost a lot as well. But, the pricing starts from 15 000 CHF and it mostly depends on the complexity and functionalities that you require.

Just think about what kind of application you need. You might need one that will be compatible with Android and iOS and will be more simple. You might require an option that would have a unique design and features and would be more complex. Think about what you need.

For example, École Moderne is another organization based in Switzerland, that needed a mobile application for Fide Exam candidates, to help people learn the French language. An entire team of business consultants, designers, engineers, and developers worked together to finish the project successfully.

Graphic and Video Prices

When it comes to graphics, the prices mostly start from 2 000 CHF. The price might change based on what are your requirements. As for the creation of short videos, the minimum price is 3 000 CHF.

Everything depends on what needs to be done. Make sure that you’ll go through every detail with your company to avoid misunderstandings later because these processes consist of many little but crucial details.

Basic Web Design

Some websites need more complexity, some need less. It depends on specific companies and their target audiences. In this case, your business will have a simple web design, and the minimum price will be 700. But what you have to consider is that at this price you won’t have a strategy, your web design won’t be good, and might be even damaging to your company’s reputation. It could be based on poor templates as well.

You might hear that it’s unique but even simple research will show you that it’s not true. So a basic and cheap web design that you can do for only 700 CHF is not a good option. If you’ll see it somewhere be careful because you might be spending an extra 700 CHF on nothing.

Intermediate Web Design

In this case, the design is more unique and generally, the website is more performance-driven. It might have an additional content management system as well or any other system that could be useful for your company. Basically, it contains every element that is essential for a good website.

Generally, when you want a good web design the minimum that you need to pay is 3 000 CHF. You can be sure that it’s a good option and will give you results. Anything under 3 000 CHF needs consideration, especially if it’s closer to 700 CHF.

Advanced Web Design

Advanced web designs cost at least 20 000 CHF. This type of website has more advanced features. You have a better strategy, quality, and unique design. Your Swiss agency will do coding for you because it’s a very important part of the website that can be seen by search engines and social media sites. You’ll have all the features that you and your target audience might need.

For example, you might be interested in database integration, e-commerce functionality, etc. Having more advanced web design will give you a huge boost in your sales and conversions. The prices can be higher than 20 000 CHF as well, it’s not surprising. But it’s better to speak with your Swiss web design company to determine a clear answer about the budget that you’d need. Just keep in mind above mentioned suggestions to avoid “solutions” that could only waste your time and money.

What We Offer

For more similar articles, make sure to scroll through our Publications on Edana. Your Web Development Agency in Switzerland can help you create new showcase websites, e-commerce websites, mobile applications, and web platforms, and aid you with website redesign as well.

Categories
Featured-Post-UX-Design (EN) Non classé UI/UX Design EN

How to Measure the Effectiveness of your UI/UX Design?

How to Measure the Effectiveness of your UI/UX Design?

Auteur n°15 – David

Importance of UI/UX Design

Having good UI/UX design is essential for any company and plays a crucial role in web development and customer experience. Nowadays customers have high demands, they want to have better, faster experiences in the online world.

With UI/UX design you can take care of the most crucial factors that are related to your webpage and increase the chances of getting more traffic. First of all, you can create well-designed graphics and colorful aesthetic parts for your webpage to make it more attractive and memorable.

With effective UI/UX design you can increase user engagement on your webpage, and it will help you to build your brand as well. The benefits that you get from UI/UX design ensure that your company will get more satisfied customers. Also, effective UI/UX design contains elements that are related to SEO, which is important for higher ranking in Google search results.

Research and Analyze Data

User behavior data combines the general characteristics, likes, and dislikes of your target audience. Understanding this information will help you to cover the gap between users and your company, this data helps you to make their expectations more realistic.

Researching and analyzing data will bring you more ideas, which will lead you to innovations. But to determine if your UI/UX design is effective, you have to check several important aspects.

Use UX Metrics and KPIs to Measure Effectiveness of UI/UX Design

UX Metrics and KPIs aren’t the same and have several key differences which should be remembered. KPI can measure the success of your business. It can let you know more about average order values as well and generally help you monitor your progress. After you get enough data you’ll know how to adjust or improve your approach.

UX metrics can tell you how users interact with your brand and products. You can get to know more about user experience and their satisfaction and engagement levels.

While working on UI, keep in mind that error prevention is important, also users should be able to navigate themselves on the webpage easily. Try to provide them with tips as well or documentation, that will act as their guideline.

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Monitor Real User Metrics When Your Webpage is Used

Real User Monitoring Metrics determine the importance and value of digital products. This way company is able to determine what troubles users generally, and what they seem to struggle with and helps you to improve customer experience.

In this case, you are generally tracking how many users used your webpage, or downloaded your app and then used it, also you’ll know how frequently your customers used them.

UX Metrics Related to User Engagement

You can check in this case how your target audience generally engages with your company, and how they value your services or products. Engagement metrics include clicks, taps, page views, screen views, shares via social media, comments on blog posts, etc. You’ll be able to determine if your customers get what they want from your company.

Retention Metrics

User Retention Metric measures how many people returned back for your product or service, so high performance and good results are essential for this part. If more people come back for your product, it’s a good sign. However, if retention metrics don’t show a high return ratio, you should start working on a strategy that will change this scenario.

Behavioral KPIs

It’s interesting to see how people interact with digital products and what they really think about them.  With behavioral UX KPIs, you can understand how well your users can do core tasks and also how much time they need.

Via search patterns, you’ll understand what’s your target audience interested in and also understand how easily they find the desired information. Also, check the user error rate to see what they seem to struggle with the most.

What We Offer

For more similar articles, make sure to scroll through our Publications on Edana. Your Swiss Digital Agency is ready to provide you with Expert-Level assistance built on customer loyalty, progressive ideas, and dedication. Our expertise includes Website Redesign and UI/UX.

PUBLISHED BY

David Mendes

Avatar de David Mendes

David is a Senior UX/UI Designer. He crafts user-centered journeys and interfaces for your business software, SaaS products, mobile applications, websites, and digital ecosystems. Leveraging user research and rapid prototyping expertise, he ensures a cohesive, engaging experience across every touchpoint.