“OutSystems is accessible, and that provides grip, also for attracting future personnel”
Barend Coetzer
That design thinking and IT projects (should) go hand in hand is something LINKIT has been preaching a lot lately. It ensures that teams embrace the actual problem and create a solution that adds value for the user.
In this magazine, we show that low-code technology and startups also go well together and ensure a flying start. Two things that are perhaps less obvious that they go together are data and music. Similarities between the two subjects come in all sorts of forms. One of the main similarities between data and music is the presence of structure, in fields and rows and rhythms and melodies. Discover how we can improve the harmony between user, business, and IT. This and more are the focus of this edition of Together.
The Compliance Department guides businesses through a jungle of regulations
How OutSystems is the perfect platform for ‘The Compliance Department’.
How failing IT projects have a better chance of success by applying the Design Thinking method.
From 23 explorers in September 2022 to 40 explorers June 2023.
In 2023 Our LINKIT explorers already obtained 78 certificates.
4 Design Sprints were performed together with customers with valuable outcomes.
infrastructure
How data and self-learning algorithms support KLM’s operational decisions.
It is early 2022 when Maarten van Veen comes up with his idea for The Compliance Department: a platform to help SMEs become or remain compliant by taking them through all the steps they need to take to achieve this.
No complex language, lots of visual explanation and an underlying system that immediately indicates what is required to get a grip on your business risks and comply with applicable laws and regulations. He builds that platform with LINKIT in OutSystems. So, for example, the startup is set up for growth, and Maarten’s employee Lutfi is immediately included in the development to build the future on all fronts. And so he helps them through a jungle of regulations.
Searching for knowledge through a forum
Maarten knows that a well-functioning platform is essential for implementing his idea. So before he ends up at LINKIT, he extensively researches options. “I was looking for a programmer but also had to look at the costs. That is why I ended up with low-code at a certain
point,” says Maarten. “OutSystems stood out because it is a strong platform. In terms of privacy and security, everything is fine, and they are very transparent.” The next step was to find someone with a lot of experience implementing it to develop the compliance tool.
“I, therefore, searched the
4 FAST FACTS ABOUT COMPLIANCE:
OutSystems forum for someone active in the Netherlands and with the necessary knowledge. That is how I ended up with Remco Dekkinga of LINKIT, who introduced me to Dion and Barend.”
Dion and Barend work at LINKIT and its account manager (Dion Drost) and Outsystems developer (Barend Coetzee). Both are very enthusiastic about the assignment. Barend: “Together, we build the core of the company. There is a lot of freedom, but you have to be very resourceful and constantly question everything.” Therefore, Dion and Barend are concerned with more than just the functionalities. “We look at where we see quick wins and also like to think about how Maarten can get more customers,” says Dion. In addition, Barend spends one day a week with Lutfi, the nearly-graduated software engineer employed by the Compliance Department as an OutSystems developer. With his experience, Barend is responsible for the architecture and the most complex functionalities. At the same time, he also guides Lutfi in, among other things, best practices, data modelling and reusability of
• Compliance is about complying with laws, regulations, internal guidelines, and policies.
• Integrity, environment, corruption prevention, export control, fraud prevention, human rights, IT security and privacy compliance are subjects.
• As a company, you must intervene when there is bullying and sexual harassment.
• Your company becomes more attractive to new employees, business partners and investors when compliance is in order.
components. “It is important that Maarten retains his flexibility,” explains Barend. “That is why we share our knowledge. In addition, OutSystems is accessible. Those two things together provide grip, not only for the role of Lutfi but also for attracting future staff.”
Maarten agrees. “The role of LINKIT will, therefore, not always be the same because depending on the project phases and Lutfi’s knowledge, we need them more or less. It’s nice
“In terms of privacy and security, everything is in order, and they are very transparent”
to be able to do that.” The Compliance Department is working hard on the risk analysis, the platform’s core functionality. It is crucial because it determines what an entrepreneur has in mind, which ISO and NEN standards or regulations they want to comply with, and the chance the company will not comply. “As an entrepreneur, you can decide for yourself each year how much risk you want to run,” explains Maarten. “The Compliance Department provides scope for this and ensures with a clear step-by-step plan that you are and remain in control. Depending on what you need or want to meet, the platform assigns tasks to different people within the organization.” Therefore, Barend has to link Maarten’s risk scenarios to the various optional and mandatory measures in OutSystems. Those actions must reach the right people at the right time. In addition, customers must be able to see their progress in their environment, and the tool must be workable for both small and slightly larger companies to be scalable. One of the most critical conditions is that it remains effortless. Both in terms of
communication and platform. “Everything we build must meet seven principles,” says Maarten. “For example, it should be simple, not contain any legal language, not have a steep learning curve, and so on. It can only be built if it meets these requirements.”
The basis of the platform is now in place, and the next steps are clear; the first version of the platform should be presented in the summer. Barend: “Not many startups work in Outsystems, even though it has many advantages. One of them is the fact that many functionalities are already there. So you can switch quickly and shorten your ‘time to market’. Moreover, it is very future-proof, and the prediction is that it will only be used more often.” Maarten
is also happy with his choice in terms of low-code and the partnership. “It was essential for me to find an organization that has extensive experience with OutSystems, that is a safety net and a sparring partner, and that thinks ahead so that no long-term problems arise. In addition, you must have someone who also dares to contradict. That’s fine with LINKIT”, Maarten laughs. He emphasizes the good dynamics between Lutfi and Barend. “They never just do something; it’s always about ‘why are you doing it that way’.” The Compliance Department and LINKIT are committed to growing together and are keen to make The Compliance Department a success. The first signs are favourable: the number of customers for the first year has been achieved. Dion and Barend also have complete confidence in Maarten’s idea!
Compliance
made easy. No complicated language, but clear visual explanations and support to get a grip on your company’s risks and comply with laws and regulations. The Compliance Department also helps companies obtain ISO certifications and conduct a RI&E.
“Not many startups work in OutSystems, while it has many advantages”
Nice news! LINKIT has entered into a partnership with YES!Delft to stimulate innovation. LINKIT is now part of a vibrant startup ecosystem that drives innovation and progress in the Netherlands.
YES!Delft believes in the impact tech companies can have. They play a crucial role in our society and economy. YES!Delft transforms ideas and teams into solid startups and helps them grow into successful companies. By connecting the ecosystem of experts, mentors, business partners and investors with these unique programs, they help build tomorrow’s leading companies.
The consortium of LINKIT, DiVetro, Bartosz ICT has been selected by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND), the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), and the Repatriation & Departure Service (DT&V) as one of the partners for the external hiring of IT professionals.
It concludes the ICT rental tender. New parties for the four-year framework agreement have been selected. The ICT hiring for the next four years has doubled considerably compared to the last contract. The tender was carried out under the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) by the Procurement Implementation Center EZK (IUC-EZK). It is due to the termination of previous framework agreements. The palette of quality profiles is based on previous work. It covers various fields, from application developers, administrators, data engineers, and project leaders to information and business analysts, testers, functional designers, architects, and network administrators.
The Handelslogistik Kongress in Cologne was an excellent opportunity for professionals in the logistics sector to gain insight into the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of logistics.
Those who felt they were missing the key to digital innovation in their logistics operations could learn all the tips and
tricks from Lando Schebsdat, Ozan Ates and Oliver Wieland at our stand. These three experts have extensive experience in using technology to optimize logistics processes, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. Whether implementing new digital tools or optimizing existing ones, the ‘Handelslogistik Kongress’ was the perfect platform to gain knowledge and network with like-minded professionals.
key to
Data and music seem completely different at first sight. Still, there are surprising similarities if you take a deeper look. It is, therefore, not surprising that the LINKIT Data & AI Squad often takes music as a source of inspiration.
Architect at LINKIT, is happy to explain the similarities and how music helps to translate data in an understandable way.
The “Data Symphony” idea originated from the need to understandably communicate and demonstrate data concepts to (potential) customers. Filipe: “Some subjects, especially in the data field, quickly become complex and require high abstraction to understand, so sharing this knowledge, adds enormous value.”
He continues: “In my view, translating technical concepts to decision-makers through a relatable idea is the best way to include complex issues in their decision-making. That is why our team (Data & AI Squad, ed.) always
One of the main similarities between data and music is the presence of structure. Where data is structured in terms of fields, columns and rows, music is structured in terms of time signatures, rhythms, melodies and harmonies. Filipe: “Both forms of structure are essential to give meaning and understanding to data and music.”
When the first digital musical instruments were developed in the 1970s, each manufacturer used proprietary connection protocolsthere were no established standards. Yet this was the first step given by electronic music into today’s digital standards.
gives practical examples and uses recognizable analogies to explain complex ideas and solutions in a language they will understand.”
One of Filipe’s early passions is electronic music. He can better explain how his work and private hobby merge: “In many situations, a Data Engineer faces similar challenges to a musician: How do protocols and formats come together and interact:? How do we let these positively influence each other? Which tools and solutions are appropriate? These questions are akin of digital music setups, where instruments automate the music, with Data at the center of everything.”
One of the first musical standards, created in the 1980s, was the Musical Instrument Digital Interface - MIDI for short. This standard protocol governs communication between electronic musical instruments, computers, and other devices that send and receive MIDI information. “In the early years of electronic standards, MIDI was quite a powerful design, (so much it is still used today),” explains Filipe
Filipe: “And that is parallel with Data: the MIDI standard shares the design
principles that Data Engineers use to solve scaling and synchronization problems (in design patterns such as Lambda and Kappa) by allowing different objects and services to communicate and synchronize. Just like conductors in an orchestra. It is not by coincidence that this is called ‘orchestration’.”
Filipe is Principal Solutions Architect at LINKIT, with many years of experience designing and implementing resilient, large-scale data and analytics solutions. Filipe also uses a healthy dose of mad science and out-of-the-box thinking in projects. It stems from his passion for 80s computers, electronics and music.
“Both forms of structure are essential to give meaning and understanding to data and music”
60.000 unique daily visitors visit ITNEXT.io to consume high-quality, technical articles on the latest technologies and newest software development languages.
When you type kubectl delete pod, the pod is deleted, and the endpoint controller removes its IP address and port (endpoint) from the Services and etcd. You can observe this with kubectl describe service.
At its core, React hooks are a great way to organise reusable stateful logic. They offer a simpler and more efficient way to manage component states and side effects, making it easier to build reusable and maintainable components.
Although React hooks have been available for some time, certain fundamental concepts — such as the reasons for their necessity — are not always well understood. In this article, Juntao Qiu reviews the problem and explains why hooks are an excellent solution for eliminating the duplication of stateful logic in React code. Developers can write cleaner and more concise code by encapsulating stateful logic in Hooks.
But that’s not enough! Several components sync a local list of endpoints:
• kube-proxy keeps a local list of endpoints to write iptables rules.
• CoreDNS uses the endpoint to reconfigure the DNS entries.
And the same is true for the Ingress controller, Istio, etc. All those components will (eventually) remove the previous endpoint so that no traffic can ever reach it again. At the same time, the kubelet is also notified of the change and deletes the pod. What happens when the kubelet deletes the pod before the rest of the components? If you want to know more, check out this article.
Articles on ITNEXT are written by authors from an international community. All of them are the best experts in their field of expertise. LINKIT explorers are also part of this community and publish their knowledge on the ITNEXT.io platform.
Generally, integrations can be scary, especially when working with them for the first time. Once you get to know your way around them, you actually get to realise that the stress was not justified.
When it comes to external databases, several scenarios can arise, and the more data you have to consume in OutSystems, the more complex the code you build is getting. And this has a direct impact on the performance of your application. This article covers some of the most common scenarios where external database integrations were involved. The purpose of describing them is to help other developers build solid and performant applications with some insights into which approach is the best for their needs. It takes an in-depth look at six approaches, as well as different strategies based on the type of data, volume, and integration type.
In modern times, machines can collect, share and exchange valuable information over the internet. Contextual information related to the machine is obtained by smart devices through sensors. This data can be used to improve business procedures and strengthen security measures.
A simple illustration is the integration of a smart device that allows you to track the location and condition of your assets. The data generated by these devices gives your enterprise a complete understanding of their usage patterns, enabling informed resource allocation and operational streamlining. In this three-part series, Dick van Straaten demonstrates how to build a tracking device with nanoFramework with ease.
LARISA TANASA
DICK VAN STRAATEN
Command line programs are powerful because they can access and control most things on your machine. Consequently, they allow users to perform tasks quickly and automate processes with just a few succinct commands.
In this article, Jacob Ferus explains how to build a command line interface (CLI) to increase your productivity. It is powered by Python, AppleScript (a scripting language available on macOS), and the Chrome web browser.
When machines talk...
Failing IT projects have been a topic of conversation in the Netherlands for years: wrong schedules, budget overruns, a lack of necessary resources or changing requirements during the project. Therefore, in this series, we look together with experts at the background of this failure and how you can prevent it in future projects.
During this series, experts tell you how to start an IT project ready to go, how to get the business on board and why razor-sharp objectives are indispensable. In the second part of this series, Benjamin Roelfsema (UX/UI Designer at LINKIT) explains how to minimize the risk of failure in a starting IT project using Design Thinking. “Because by involving the business in the IT process at an early stage, you can realize a value-added product,” says Benjamin.
A solid start to a new IT project is about a strong foundation. “A solid foundation provides a clear starting point. At LINKIT, we use a four-part project approach: Dream, Design, Develop and Deliver. Four steps to minimize the risk of failure.”
He continues: “It starts with the exploration phase (Dream, ed.), in which we conduct customer interviews to map out the vision and problems and to analyze where the bottlenecks lie. After this, the Design phase takes place, and
we move to the head of the users: who are they, what does their working day look like, at which location(s) do they work, and what do they need? These are all questions with which we can make a design.”
The third step is to have the concept worked out by the development team to get to the last step: Deliver finally. The end product is then delivered to the customer and used by the users, with LINKIT monitoring to solve bugs immediately.
The crucial connection between IT and business
IT projects are often aimed at improving business processes. With the active involvement of stakeholders, such as managers and employees, a project can sufficiently consider their specific needs. Benjamin: “End users (the business, ed.) play an important role in identifying their specific needs and determining the priorities of the IT project. Moreover, by involving the business, you reduce any resistance.” It makes the second step in the process, the Design phase, crucial: this is where business and IT are connected. “By empathizing with the user, the situation becomes clear, and we can realize a targeted solution,” says Benjamin. “If the stakeholders feel heard and involved, they are more inclined to support the
project and actively participate in the implementation, putting it into use. In other words: to prevent failing IT projects, IT must take the business seriously. It is the only way to create broad organizational support, with everyone behind the end product.”
Solutions in a pressure cooker
One of the methods for tailoring the end product to the users is Design Thinking. “Design Thinking ensures that you have a ready-to-use and user-friendly product that is actively used and puts a smile on the face of end users. Because a super flashy application with the latest technologies sounds great, but in the end, it’s about helping the end user,” says Benjamin.
Part of the Design Thinking methodology is the Design Sprint offered by LINKIT. “This is a close collaboration between the customer, its employees and LINKIT,” explains Benjamin. “In four days, a validated solution is designed through various workshops. In this way, we quickly get from the idea to the desired solution.”
He continues, “It is a pressure cooker to devise a solution: we investigate the problem on day one. On day two, we choose the best prototype solution, design it on day three and have it tested by the engineers on day four. Finally, users. It shows whether the
assumptions from the previous steps are correct and provides relevant feedback. That brings us ‘back’ to a new
“This is the only way to create broad organizational support, with everyone behind the end product”
starting point: the actual production phase of the end product, in which we process the new functionalities and ideas that have arisen.”
“This four-day period touches the core of the Design Thinking framework,” concludes Benjamin. “By developing a value-adding product, employees (end users, ed.) also embrace it. The result is more enthusiasm, motivation and efficiency.”
Prevent failed IT projects. Do you want to stay informed about this series and learn everything about preventing failing IT projects? Then follow us on LinkedIn and be the first to receive a notification when more of this series is published. Would you instead contact an expert directly? Don’t hesitate to contact us because they will be happy to tell you more about the possibilities of Design Thinking and other ways to bring your project to a successful conclusion.
Benjamin (33) ended up in IT after studying Communication & Multimedia Design and has worked at LINKIT since the beginning of 2022. For him, UX means an inexhaustible source of analyses, research and creativity.
Innovation is one of our strategic pillars at LINKIT. We love to innovate with our clients, create new innovative solutions and improve our core processes with the help of innovative ideas.
And this all starts with understanding the problems and challenges, generating new ideas, thinking outside the box. In addition to organizing innovation workshops, we share a lot of knowledge through other channels. For example, our experts write articles, host events, and record podcasts on various topics like innovation and design thinking.
Innovation is essential to the growth and success of any business. However, as technology evolves, companies must adapt to stay competitive. Two popular approaches to innovation are Agile and Design Thinking.
While both methods aim to create better products and services, they have different processes and objectives. In this article, we explore the key differences between the two approaches and explain why they complement each other.
Agile is a project management approach that emphasizes flexibility and collaboration. It involves breaking projects down into small, manageable tasks and prioritizing them based on client needs. The Agile method encourages continuous improvement and adaptation through feedback loops and regular team meetings. The goal is to create and iterate on a working product, if necessary, quickly.
Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach focusing on understanding user needs and preferences. It involves
Benjamin Roelfsema is a UI/UX Designer. He uses Design Thinking to design applications that meet users’ needs and thus make their lives easier.
a five-step process: empathize, define, generate ideas, prototype, and test. Design Thinking encourages creativity, experimentation, and a willingness to iterate and refine arguments based on feedback. The goal is to create a product or service that solves a specific problem and meets the user’s needs.
The main difference between Agile and Design Thinking is their focus. Agile is a project management approach that emphasizes speed and efficiency. The goal is to deliver a working product quickly and refine it over time. Design Thinking, on the other hand, is a problem-solving approach that focuses on understanding user needs and preferences. Another key difference is their
approach to feedback. Agile uses feedback to improve the product and process, while Design Thinking uses feedback to understand user needs and preferences. Agile teams rely on regular meetings and feedback loops to quickly identify and resolve issues. Design Thinking teams rely on user feedback to refine and improve the product or service.
Despite their differences, Agile and Design Thinking are complementary approaches to product development. Agile’s focus on iterative development and continuous improvement aligns well with Design Thinking’s emphasis on user feedback and iteration. In addition, the Design Thinking methodology can help Agile teams. That way, they are stronger together.
This article is written using AI technology. There is also a lot of innovation in this area, and AI is developing at lightning speed. Still, it will always need human input to put AI to work. The ‘prompt’ specifications make the AI outcome very different and determine the quality. Curious about what LINKIT can do with AI? Scan the QR code.
“In the meantime, I am expanding my knowledge with courses in JAVA and Javascript: something that LINKIT encourages employees to do”
Marloes
“LINKIT convinced me to take the step to IT, and I can only conclude that it has been a great step”
Suleyman
The Mendix traineeship offers ambitious starters on the labour market the opportunity to develop into young professionals with substantial experience as a Mendix Developer within one year. Under Bob van Heijster’s (Mendix Squad Lead at LINKIT) leadership, the trainees follow an intensive training program in a professional, accessible and innovative environment to improve their technical skills.
The last group recently started the traineeship, the first eight weeks of which consisted of an intensive boot camp. In this article, we let Karsten Smits (27), Marloes van der Haagen (25), Remco ter Horst (28), Suleyman Rabbani (31) and Toon ter Horst (26) speak.
What is your background?
Karsten: “I worked as a Service Assurance Specialist at FedEx Benelux. I focused on improving business processes and dashboard development to monitor these improvements and set KPIs. I talked with Bob, and his enthusiasm about low-code interested me in the traineeship.” Marloes: “After completing my studies in Information Science (bachelor) and Human-Computer Interaction (master), I came into contact with LINKIT. How Shadeé (Braun, ed.) LINKIT, in combination with the potential of Mendix, made me choose the traineeship.” Remco: “As Functional Manager at the Flevoziekenhuis, I was responsible for managing and maintaining the SAP system. Still, I wanted to develop myself further. After my conversations, those possibilities turned out to be there at LINKIT.” Suleyman: “Actually, I’m the odd one out. I have a background as a Biology teacher at Utrecht University. LINKIT convinced me to take the step to IT, and I can only conclude that it has been a great step.” Toon: “With a Master’s degree in Behavioral Biology, a step into IT seems a long way off. During my search for an IT traineeship, I came across LINKIT. I have heard and read a lot about the traineeship, and now, six months later, I am one of the participants.”
What surprised you the most? Remco: “The set-up, content and intensity were exactly as expected. Yet the experience is still very challenging and satisfying.” Suleyman: “What surprised me the most was how much I learned quickly. Think, for example, of CSS, HTML, Java(script) and Mendix-related topics.” Toon: “Despite my little IT background, I was amazed at how quickly I could develop a basic application in Mendix after a week. It clarified that you can quickly learn to program without an IT background.”
What is your role within LINKIT now?
Karsten: “As a Mendix Developer at LINKIT, I am working on an insurance company assignment. Besides developing, I also focus on the UI/UX side of the application.” Marloes: “I am in the final phase of a project for a retail company, after which I will immediately continue with a new project. In the meantime, I am expanding my knowledge with courses in JAVA and Javascript: something that LINKIT encourages employees to do.” Remco: “I, too, am working on a Mendix assignment at a retail company. It feels good to put all the skills I’ve learned into practice.” Suleyman: “I am involved in Mendix Squad projects, such as the LINKIT knowledge app. This app aims to understand better the Mendix platform,
LET’S EXPLORE MORE!
where users are brought together to share knowledge.” Toon: “I recently completed my first project with a customer. I now give Mendix training to employees of a retail company, and I can apply my didactic skills well.”
What advice do you have for future Mendix trainees at LINKIT?
Karsten: “Read and practice with Mendix Learning Paths before you start the boot camp. This way, you become familiar with it and get to know your way around the platform. In addition, don’t be afraid to ask questions so that you understand.” Marloes: “Above all, enjoy yourself and get the most out of it, even if you receive a lot of information. Time flies, but it is a great experience that you can immediately put into practice.” Remco: “Stay focused and proactive. Hands-on learning is the most effective way to understand and learn to develop with Mendix. The more effort you put in, the more you get out.” Suleyman: “Try to maintain the work pace that you maintain during the boot camp in the period afterwards. It will increase your learning curve. And dare to ask questions to experienced colleagues.” Toon: “Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone has their qualities, and over time (and a lot of practice), you will notice that the knowledge gap is getting smaller. Everyone is ready to help you, but you must dare ask for it.”
Are you ambitious and driven, and do you want to keep developing yourself? Then our traineeships are for you. Let’s explore more! Contact us, and we will answer all your questions and tell you about our different training programs.
Anyone who books a flight ticket with KLM must think about what directly and indirectly influences that booking. From the flight schedules to the amount of water, an airplane must carry, or the number of counters open at the airport, there are dozens of factors an airline must be able to anticipate. Moreover, they are also constantly changing.
No surprise, then, that behind the calculation of all those factors lies a massive amount of data. KLM’s Operations Decisions Support is the department responsible for processing all operational information to produce valuable forecasts that form the basis for, for example, work schedules or the
number of meals an aircraft must carry. Part of this is done through self-learning algorithms, part of various predictive models that know a range of end users. KLM called in LINKIT to ensure that these algorithms can be used correctly and have this knowledge in-house for the future. Machine-Learning Engineer and Solution Architect Alyona led the team at KLM and talked enthusiastically
about the assignment. A complex matter can be explained as follows: developing and setting up the structure around the artificial intelligence that is already in use. It means that the LINKIT team, which is part of the team at KLM, ensures, among other things, a stable and continuous data flow for data scientists (who develop the algorithms and therefore need data to experiment
and test with). In addition, they ensure that the various components required to make the predictive models work in the correct form and order. “The KLM team,” says Alyona, “is well versed. They have the people who develop the models, and there are the people who design the algorithms that support these ‘products’. What they didn’t have was the technical engineering capacity.” That is why LINKIT brought in Data Engineer Alberto, Cloud Engineer Anthony, and Machine-learning Engineer Nastiia. “That is an addition to the team, which is necessary to use the products within KLM correctly.”
Daan van den Oever, Director of the team that makes Machine-Learning models at KLM-ODS, talks about the start of the project. “KLM is working very hard on digitization to improve day-to-day operations. Part of that is the application of AI. We missed seniors for that who did data monitoring and built the cloud environment around it, for example. So, you need people to ensure that the models are trained automatically, monitored automatically, etc.” LINKIT was therefore flown in with a clear package of tasks: the team was responsible for setting up the infrastructure, supervising the cloud transformation, and assisting in recruiting and training junior and medior KLM engineers. It will allow KLM to continue the work in the future with its engineers. “We specifically didn’t want any ‘hands’,” says Daan, “our goal was a well-defined assignment.”
Before the arrival of LINKIT, KLM worked with one large model that solved various business cases. “The big monster”, Alberto and Alyona call it. Dan laughs. “Gradually, even before the arrival of LINKIT, we already found out that we had to pull this apart. But that, too, was only possible with the right infrastructure. Training, retraining,
maintaining and monitoring a model is only possible with the right automation.” The decoupling of the model is, therefore, in full swing. “We have now gone from one to five to eight different models,” says Daan. “Because it only really delivers if you can keep about twenty models in the air with, say, twenty people. Then you can start scaling exponentially.” Because KLM has engineers at its disposal, it is also easier to ‘deploy’ a product. Alyona explains: “By applying engineering knowledge and automating tasks, data scientists can make their model accessible to stakeholders much faster. And suppose something strange happens to the data in a certain place. In that case, we can also provide alerts through this automation, for example, so that a data scientist can immediately look at that separate model. It makes deployment a lot simpler.”
From on-premise to off-premise
The ultimate goal is to move the entire environment to the cloud. “Artificial Intelligence requires a huge amount of computing power, and you want that to be scalable,” says Alyona. A solution in-house, so ‘on premise’, is much less efficient. In the cloud, you are flexible and can take advantage of cloud-native solutions: tools that take full advantage of the scale, resiliency, and elasticity that the cloud offers. However, it is pretty close. “To at least help KLM migrate specific components that are not available on-premise, we already use cloud-native solutions,” says Alyona. Meanwhile, the team works with cloud architects at different levels for the migration. “We are very pleased that the necessary data links have been made to make data traceable and accessible. But moving to the cloud saves time and money, so that’s our next goal,” says Alberto.
The right tasks with the right people LINKIT also brought about the
necessary structural reforms on an organizational level. For example, they split the engineering part and the work of the product developers and data scientists, which resulted in three teams instead of one. Alyona: “Engineering is horizontal, in other words: applicable to any product. The work of data scientists and product developers is different for each product. By splitting that, people could work much more efficiently.” At the same time, automation and setting up new workflows also make for a more productive team. “For example, by having the raw data automatically end up in a central location, all data scientists have access to the same data,” Alberto adds. “We can now have datasets generated automatically. It saves time and makes all results transparent and reproducible for everyone and ensures that people enjoy their work because they can focus on what they were hired for.”
The most significant added value? According to Daan, this comes from knowledge sharing. “And not only technically, but also process-wise, how you build your teams and how they have to work together or how you give people the right guidance to enable them to grow.” Alyona: “Our goal was to bring more transparency to the process in all areas. That gives confidence and changes how people view the process. There is no more room to experiment.” The technical added value? KLM-ODS will be able to put more models live with a smaller or the same size team in a year. “In this way, we will be able to deliver much more value with the same number of people,” says Daan. In 2023, the KLM team hopes to be able to pull the plug on the old model for good. “The first models will then be in the cloud; they will be automatically monitored and preferably automatically retrained,” says Daan. The LINKIT team will then have left. Their job is done.
Although we always suggest starting small, having the bigger picture in mind is essential. Working from a long-term strategy and agile roadmap is vital to make the right decisions for now. But how to set up that roadmap? And specifically, how to decide with which use case to start?
All applications you build aim to be successful. However, making your first low-code application a success is elemental. Not only for the benefit of one app but, more importantly, because your first application helps adopt the low-code platform. Therefore, we always choose a use case that has a strong business case and solves a real pain. This way, when the application is a success, it is easier to communicate the impact of the work to the rest of the organization. So, when choosing a use case, ask yourself: is this problem at least keeping one person up at night?
Limit complexity to increase the chance of success
Many companies that adopt
low-code are entirely new to software development practices. These organizations must go through a learning curve to adopt an agile way of working like scrum or SAFe. You can still build a successful application while your organization builds up these competences. However, starting with a complex application often means more integrations and stakeholders and, therefore, more places to go wrong if managed poorly. So, we always map use cases on their complexity and pick the first application with a high impact and limited complexity.
And, of course, we can also support you in deciding which use case is suitable to start. At LINKIT, we have developed a workshop to define the different use cases in your organization. Then, we’ll brainstorm other areas like core systems and customer engagement apps to create a complete overview of possible use cases for you. Once we have an outline, we map the different use cases on impact and complexity.
Finally, we can place the use cases on a roadmap and select the perfect place to start.
Some use cases are a better fit for certain low-code or no-code platforms. LINKIT knows the OutSystems and Mendix platforms and can advise you on your decision. During our use case portfolio workshop, we help you understand how low-code impacts your business and whether Mendix, OutSystems, or something completely different is most suitable.
It is essential to realize that you are one of many to make this decision. Use the expertise and experience of the low-code vendors, potential implementation partners, and reference organizations. LINKIT has a team of 60+ Low-code experts with expertise in various organizations. We are happy to support you in your journey or to bring you in contact with comparable organizations. If you want more research, read about some of our low-code cases here.
There are many ways to get started with low-code. Besides choosing a technology, it is a conscious decision for a new way of working to enhance innovation and agility within your organization.
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