”ALL WE NEED IS A BASIC IDEA AND ONE DEDICATED PERSON” Jørgen Mygind, Business Development Manager, TouchGFX
3rd Quarter 2014
EDITORIAL
FROM IDEA TO PRODUCT FASTER As history shows, design and software development
The service supports the LINAK brand and the company’s
is often a very complex and time-consuming task. Our
dedication to improve people’s lives.
history, however, tells us that you can create successful products without a heavy and lengthy process. For more
See pictures from our TouchGFX Live workshop at E-14,
than 25 years, we have put our diversity to work, hereby
and learn how we took clients from idea to basic prototype
ensuring both an innovative edge and a high quality of our
on embedded hardware in just five hours. In the same
clients’ products.
spirit, we bring you the service of rapid app prototyping.
We swear by an agile and iterative process with a strong
To give you your tech fix, we breach the big data buzz with
focus on trial and error. We wholeheartedly subscribe to
an article disclosing the business potentials of this tech
the saying: Fail early, fail cheaply. Our process is designed
trend. Finally, we invite you to our F# event in November
to be effective, exploratory, and lightweight.
sporting some of the absolute top experts.
In the last months, we have taken our trust in this saying to a new level and brought our proven process into new formats that can take clients from idea to product faster.
Best Regards,
Among case stories, tech trend breakdowns, and event invitations, we bring you these new formats in this issue of Mjølner UPDATE. Learn how LINAK and Mjølner have differentiated LINAK’s
UPDATE
products with a service that motivates users to strengthen
Cover Photo: Maria Holmegaard, Nicklas Lindahl,
their health.
Brian Gottorp Jeppesen, CEO
and Jesper Hedegaard, Mjølner Informatics
EDITORIAL
FROM IDEA TO PRODUCT FASTER As history shows, design and software development
The service supports the LINAK brand and the company’s
is often a very complex and time-consuming task. Our
dedication to improve people’s lives.
history, however, tells us that you can create successful products without a heavy and lengthy process. For more
See pictures from our TouchGFX Live workshop at E-14,
than 25 years, we have put our diversity to work, hereby
and learn how we took clients from idea to basic prototype
ensuring both an innovative edge and a high quality of our
on embedded hardware in just five hours. In the same
clients’ products.
spirit, we bring you the service of rapid app prototyping.
We swear by an agile and iterative process with a strong
To give you your tech fix, we breach the big data buzz with
focus on trial and error. We wholeheartedly subscribe to
an article disclosing the business potentials of this tech
the saying: Fail early, fail cheaply. Our process is designed
trend. Finally, we invite you to our F# event in November
to be effective, exploratory, and lightweight.
sporting some of the absolute top experts.
In the last months, we have taken our trust in this saying to a new level and brought our proven process into new formats that can take clients from idea to product faster.
Best Regards,
Among case stories, tech trend breakdowns, and event invitations, we bring you these new formats in this issue
of Mjølner UPDATE. Learn how LINAK and Mjølner have differentiated LINAK’s
UPDATE
products with a service that motivates users to strengthen
Cover Photo: Maria Holmegaard, Nicklas Lindahl,
their health.
Brian Gottorp Jeppesen, CEO
and Jesper Hedegaard, Mjølner Informatics
CASE
MOTIVATING DESIGN IMPROVES USER HEALTH AND BUILDS BRAND Mjølner created LINAK Desk ControlTM for LINAK. An application that builds brand awareness and motivates users to benefit fully from their height adjustable tables.
In close collaboration with LINAK, Mjølner designed and developed LINAK Desk ControlTM.
Customizable & Informational LINAK Desk Control™ is a small application for users’
LINAK is a market-leading manufacturer of linear
work computer. With personal settings, it calculates the
actuators and a close partner to Mjølner. Our latest
number of minutes you should stand up each day in order
collaboration is the LINAK Desk ControlTM application.
to achieve your desired calorie burn or ergonomic benefit.
Service & Awareness
The application then informs you when to stand up, how
LINAK faces a challenge shared by many industrial
close you are to reaching your goal, when you can sit down
companies: When delivering a single component for
again, etc.
a larger product, a company’s public identity easily disappears in the midst of brands involved. Creating
Encouragement Versus Disturbance
additional services that interact directly with end-users is
The application posed two main challenges: First, when
a great way to overcome this:
dealing with health, it is essential that calculations are
We wanted to create an application that could improve
LINAK Desk ControlTM in use
Developers, UX’ers, and designers were all in for a challenge
12 Custom Versions Already Sold
here. The project called for important decisions on many
The value of the application is clear to LINAK’s customers.
levels, and Mjølner’s ability to cooperate was central.
It builds brand awareness while integrating the use of
- Mikkel Yde Kjær, Mobile Manager, Mjølner Informatics
accurate. LINAK’s own researchers developed a complex
The Service Is the Face of Your Product
LINAK has already sold the LINAK Desk Control™
formula for that purpose.
Services that interact directly with users give you a chance
application in 12 custom versions for different suppliers of
to show the face of your brand.
height adjustable tables.
user health while emphasizing the core of our product. Being a trusted partner, Mjølner was a natural part in
The second challenge was to create a design that
achieving this goal.
encourages users to incorporate exercise into their
LINAK presented the application at exhibitions this
workday without causing unnecessary disturbance.
summer to a very intrigued audience.
- Bjarke Thomsen, SBU Sales Manager, LINAK
their product in the daily lives of users.
Find the software at linak.com/deskline
CASE
MOTIVATING DESIGN IMPROVES USER HEALTH AND BUILDS BRAND Mjølner created LINAK Desk ControlTM for LINAK. An application that builds brand awareness and motivates users to benefit fully from their height adjustable tables.
In close collaboration with LINAK, Mjølner designed and developed LINAK Desk ControlTM.
Customizable & Informational LINAK Desk Control™ is a small application for users’
LINAK is a market-leading manufacturer of linear
work computer. With personal settings, it calculates the
actuators and a close partner to Mjølner. Our latest
number of minutes you should stand up each day in order
collaboration is the LINAK Desk ControlTM application.
to achieve your desired calorie burn or ergonomic benefit.
Service & Awareness
The application then informs you when to stand up, how
LINAK faces a challenge shared by many industrial
close you are to reaching your goal, when you can sit down
companies: When delivering a single component for
again, etc.
a larger product, a company’s public identity easily disappears in the midst of brands involved. Creating
Encouragement Versus Disturbance
additional services that interact directly with end-users is
The application posed two main challenges: First, when
a great way to overcome this:
dealing with health, it is essential that calculations are
We wanted to create an application that could improve
LINAK Desk ControlTM in use
Developers, UX’ers, and designers were all in for a challenge
12 Custom Versions Already Sold
here. The project called for important decisions on many
The value of the application is clear to LINAK’s customers.
levels, and Mjølner’s ability to cooperate was central.
It builds brand awareness while integrating the use of
- Mikkel Yde Kjær, Mobile Manager, Mjølner Informatics
accurate. LINAK’s own researchers developed a complex
The Service Is the Face of Your Product
LINAK has already sold the LINAK Desk Control™
formula for that purpose.
Services that interact directly with users give you a chance
application in 12 custom versions for different suppliers of
to show the face of your brand.
height adjustable tables.
user health while emphasizing the core of our product. Being a trusted partner, Mjølner was a natural part in
The second challenge was to create a design that
achieving this goal.
encourages users to incorporate exercise into their
LINAK presented the application at exhibitions this
workday without causing unnecessary disturbance.
summer to a very intrigued audience.
- Bjarke Thomsen, SBU Sales Manager, LINAK
their product in the daily lives of users.
Find the software at linak.com/deskline
WORKSHOP
THREE PROTOTYPES IN THREE DAYS WITH TouchGFX We invited a range of companies to challenge us with their future GUI project at E-14. Three selected projects were turned from idea to prototype in a live workshop for all visitors to see. The interest in TouchGFX is steadily growing and we
At the end of each day, we gave the clients a package to use
Henrik Buhl Nielsen represented Nilan during the second
Take Your Product Development Further
in the next stage of the process.
day workshop.
Your organization’s ideas and challenges might benefit from a similar approach. We can help you develop the
This included concept descriptions, a collection of sketches
The workshop gave me a new understanding of use
idea, create the concept, and implement the prototype in
with elaborations about design and feature choices, the
scenarios and how we can utilize the animations, graphics,
a matter of hours.
prototype running on embedded hardware, and design files.
and functionalities of TouchGFX and give our users a
wanted to give professionals from all levels of the Danish electronics sector a better understanding of the
Additionally, we gave the clients advice on how to convey
possibilities TouchGFX offers.
design and feature choices to their organizations.
better product experience overall.
Jørgen Mygind
- Henrik Buhl Nielsen, Electronics & Control R&D Engineer, Nilan
+45 30 98 41 15 jmy@mjolner.dk
Nilan’s prototype included a ”change temperature” Being Denmark’s largest electronics event, E-14 was the
Push Your Product Development
feature, an ”open/close menu” feature, and an animated
perfect place to do just that.
The purpose of the workshop was to give potential clients
warning screen. Furthermore, we implemented a home
a better understanding of what they can achieve with
screen displaying the temperatures inside and outside,
TouchGFX and how a project can unfold.
and the current ventilation mode.
Concept, Design & Implementation Our TouchGFX-team of three, a user experience specialist, a digital designer, and a software developer, took on one
All without spending too much precious time.
project a day, turning a GUI idea into a working prototype on Cortex M4 hardware, all in just five hours.
The workshop is a simple tool for product managers, developers, and others to estimate, plan, and develop
Day 1 - Prolon: Control unit for intelligent buildings
embedded GUI projects. All we need is a basic idea, one
Day 2 - Nilan: Control panel for ventilation units
dedicated person, and a few design guidelines.
Day 3 - Confidential: Control unit for crop sprayers
- Jørgen Mygind, Business Development Manager, TouchGFX
IDEATION
CONCEPTUALIZATION
DIGITAL DESIGN
IMPLEMENTATION
PROTOTYPE
WORKSHOP
THREE PROTOTYPES IN THREE DAYS WITH TouchGFX We invited a range of companies to challenge us with their future GUI project at E-14. Three selected projects were turned from idea to prototype in a live workshop for all visitors to see. The interest in TouchGFX is steadily growing and we
At the end of each day, we gave the clients a package to use
Henrik Buhl Nielsen represented Nilan during the second
Take Your Product Development Further
in the next stage of the process.
day workshop.
Your organization’s ideas and challenges might benefit from a similar approach. We can help you develop the
This included concept descriptions, a collection of sketches
The workshop gave me a new understanding of use
idea, create the concept, and implement the prototype in
with elaborations about design and feature choices, the
scenarios and how we can utilize the animations, graphics,
a matter of hours.
prototype running on embedded hardware, and design files.
and functionalities of TouchGFX and give our users a
wanted to give professionals from all levels of the Danish electronics sector a better understanding of the
Additionally, we gave the clients advice on how to convey
possibilities TouchGFX offers.
design and feature choices to their organizations.
better product experience overall.
Jørgen Mygind
- Henrik Buhl Nielsen, Electronics & Control R&D Engineer, Nilan
+45 30 98 41 15 jmy@mjolner.dk
Nilan’s prototype included a ”change temperature” Being Denmark’s largest electronics event, E-14 was the
Push Your Product Development
feature, an ”open/close menu” feature, and an animated
perfect place to do just that.
The purpose of the workshop was to give potential clients
warning screen. Furthermore, we implemented a home
a better understanding of what they can achieve with
screen displaying the temperatures inside and outside,
TouchGFX and how a project can unfold.
and the current ventilation mode.
Concept, Design & Implementation Our TouchGFX-team of three, a user experience specialist, a digital designer, and a software developer, took on one
All without spending too much precious time.
project a day, turning a GUI idea into a working prototype on Cortex M4 hardware, all in just five hours.
The workshop is a simple tool for product managers, developers, and others to estimate, plan, and develop
Day 1 - Prolon: Control unit for intelligent buildings
embedded GUI projects. All we need is a basic idea, one
Day 2 - Nilan: Control panel for ventilation units
dedicated person, and a few design guidelines.
Day 3 - Confidential: Control unit for crop sprayers
- Jørgen Mygind, Business Development Manager, TouchGFX
IDEATION
CONCEPTUALIZATION
DIGITAL DESIGN
IMPLEMENTATION
PROTOTYPE
WORKSHOP
“
The workshop gave me an understanding of how we can utilize TouchGFX and give our users a better product experience. Henrik Buhl Nielsen, Electronics & Control R&D Engineer, Nilan
WORKSHOP
“
The workshop gave me an understanding of how we can utilize TouchGFX and give our users a better product experience. Henrik Buhl Nielsen, Electronics & Control R&D Engineer, Nilan
SERVICE
LESS TALK, MORE APP-TION! What if you were able to get to know your mobile app before it was made? Our prototype apps make this possible.
Realistic Mock-Ups that reflect the apps’ final form,
Get Started!
regardless of platform. The best prototyped apps are
Let us strengthen the collaboration between ideators and
the ones that mirror the requirements of the final
developers by optimizing the development process in your
product. Color, scale, pictures, and navigation, should
organization with prototype apps.
Prototype apps saves you time and money by making your
be used in ways that create the most realistic mock-up
development process more efficient.
possible.
Frederik Winstrup Johansen +45 41 95 36 56
Communicate Quickly
Continuous Iterations that become a natural part of
Prototype apps reduce confusion about how ideas will be
your app design process. New screenshots are simple
realized. By having your idea on a device, you can quickly
and fast to upload. This enables frequent iterations
communicate your wants and needs and thereby minimize
during the development process, giving you a better
the amount of time spent on clarifying requirements.
end-product.
Our prototype apps give you:
From Idea to Product Faster To develop an app is often a long and complicated task. By
Direct Feedback by enabling you to share links and
using prototype apps, the team is equipped with a better
input directly inside the prototype app, instead of
communication tool. It eases the decision-making process
exchanging document files and pictures. This way,
regarding design and function and takes you from idea to
collaboration becomes easier and more efficient.
product faster.
fwj@mjolner.dk
SERVICE
LESS TALK, MORE APP-TION! What if you were able to get to know your mobile app before it was made? Our prototype apps make this possible.
Realistic Mock-Ups that reflect the apps’ final form,
Get Started!
regardless of platform. The best prototyped apps are
Let us strengthen the collaboration between ideators and
the ones that mirror the requirements of the final
developers by optimizing the development process in your
product. Color, scale, pictures, and navigation, should
organization with prototype apps.
Prototype apps saves you time and money by making your
be used in ways that create the most realistic mock-up
development process more efficient.
possible.
Frederik Winstrup Johansen +45 41 95 36 56
Communicate Quickly
Continuous Iterations that become a natural part of
Prototype apps reduce confusion about how ideas will be
your app design process. New screenshots are simple
realized. By having your idea on a device, you can quickly
and fast to upload. This enables frequent iterations
communicate your wants and needs and thereby minimize
during the development process, giving you a better
the amount of time spent on clarifying requirements.
end-product.
Our prototype apps give you:
From Idea to Product Faster To develop an app is often a long and complicated task. By
Direct Feedback by enabling you to share links and
using prototype apps, the team is equipped with a better
input directly inside the prototype app, instead of
communication tool. It eases the decision-making process
exchanging document files and pictures. This way,
regarding design and function and takes you from idea to
collaboration becomes easier and more efficient.
product faster.
fwj@mjolner.dk
TECH
THE BUSINESS POTENTIALS OF BIG DATA Big Data is a highly profiled tech trend, but how can it benefit your business?
Cost Reduction by enabling you to scan businesscritical and vast data sets at a reduced process time and cost.
The three V’s of Big Data - Volume, Velocity and Variety does not provide a sufficient definition of Big Data from a
Improved Decision-Making with better data models
business perspective. Instead, the key lays in concentrating
that provide greater insights to decision makers and
on the nature of the challenges the technology can solve.
real-time data analysis that can automate decisionmaking in certain areas.
Describe, Predict & Prescribe Big Data can describe a current or historic state, predict
Service/Product Optimization with large and varied
future scenarios, and prescribe the actions a company
data sets on the right platform. Optimize existing
should make based on these analyses. Big Data should
services and products continuously, or contribute to
therefore be seen as:
the development of new ones.
The complex technical discipline of handling data of
Business First
voluminous size and various forms at high velocity, in order
In the haze of the Big Data buzz, it is important to stay
to solve problems of a predictive and prescriptive nature.
focused on the needs of your company. The crucial thing to consider is which questions you would like an answer
Three Gains of Big Data
to. Then consider if Big Data could help answer these
Following the definition above, three main business
questions.
potentials of Big Data reveal themselves:
LEARN MORE ABOUT BIG DATA Gustav Kastrup Nielsen +45 60 23 53 01 gkn@mjolner.dk
TECH
THE BUSINESS POTENTIALS OF BIG DATA Big Data is a highly profiled tech trend, but how can it benefit your business?
Cost Reduction by enabling you to scan businesscritical and vast data sets at a reduced process time and cost.
The three V’s of Big Data - Volume, Velocity and Variety does not provide a sufficient definition of Big Data from a
Improved Decision-Making with better data models
business perspective. Instead, the key lays in concentrating
that provide greater insights to decision makers and
on the nature of the challenges the technology can solve.
real-time data analysis that can automate decisionmaking in certain areas.
Describe, Predict & Prescribe Big Data can describe a current or historic state, predict
Service/Product Optimization with large and varied
future scenarios, and prescribe the actions a company
data sets on the right platform. Optimize existing
should make based on these analyses. Big Data should
services and products continuously, or contribute to
therefore be seen as:
the development of new ones.
The complex technical discipline of handling data of
Business First
voluminous size and various forms at high velocity, in order
In the haze of the Big Data buzz, it is important to stay
to solve problems of a predictive and prescriptive nature.
focused on the needs of your company. The crucial thing to consider is which questions you would like an answer
Three Gains of Big Data
to. Then consider if Big Data could help answer these
Following the definition above, three main business
questions.
potentials of Big Data reveal themselves:
LEARN MORE ABOUT BIG DATA Gustav Kastrup Nielsen +45 60 23 53 01 gkn@mjolner.dk
EVENT
Building Stuff that Works with F# November 3rd from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Finlandsgade 10, 8200 Aarhus N
JOIN OUR F# EVENTS! Meet Tomas Petricek and Mathias Brandewinder and learn what F# can offer you. We have teamed up with the absolute top of F# specialists, Mathias Brandewinder, Microsoft MVP, and Tomas Petricek, author and Microsoft MVP. With these specialists, we offer you two F# events.
Many standard F# libraries and tools, including the compiler itself, are developed as open-source and have a large number of contributors. How does the F# community manage to build tested, frequently released, and welldocumented libraries that work? In this talk, we will look into the awesome F# tools, many of which can be used with any .NET language.
F# via Machine Learning November 4th from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm - Finlandsgade 10, 8200 Aarhus N Machine learning is the art of writing programs that become better at performing tasks by using data. In this handson workshop you will learn how to use the power of F# by building simple but effective machine learning predictive models and solve real-world problems. In the process, you will learn fundamental concepts and methods of machine learning that are broadly applicable by software engineers. At the same time, you gain a solid foundation to start writing clean and effective F# code.
Tomas Petricek
Mathias Brandewinder
Tomas is a computer scientist, finishing his PhD at the
Mathias specializes in the design and development of
University of Cambridge. He has been using F# since
decision systems and forecasting models. He has been
the early Microsoft Research versions many years ago.
developing .NET applications for the past eight years, for
He is the author of the popular (and F#-centric) book
a variety of industries ranging from biotech to retail and
Real World Functional Programming, and has written
global health.
numerous articles and StackOverflow answers.
More information and registration at mjolner.dk/event/fsharp
EVENT
Building Stuff that Works with F# November 3rd from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Finlandsgade 10, 8200 Aarhus N
JOIN OUR F# EVENTS! Meet Tomas Petricek and Mathias Brandewinder and learn what F# can offer you. We have teamed up with the absolute top of F# specialists, Mathias Brandewinder, Microsoft MVP, and Tomas Petricek, author and Microsoft MVP. With these specialists, we offer you two F# events.
Many standard F# libraries and tools, including the compiler itself, are developed as open-source and have a large number of contributors. How does the F# community manage to build tested, frequently released, and welldocumented libraries that work? In this talk, we will look into the awesome F# tools, many of which can be used with any .NET language.
F# via Machine Learning November 4th from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm - Finlandsgade 10, 8200 Aarhus N Machine learning is the art of writing programs that become better at performing tasks by using data. In this handson workshop you will learn how to use the power of F# by building simple but effective machine learning predictive models and solve real-world problems. In the process, you will learn fundamental concepts and methods of machine learning that are broadly applicable by software engineers. At the same time, you gain a solid foundation to start writing clean and effective F# code.
Tomas Petricek
Mathias Brandewinder
Tomas is a computer scientist, finishing his PhD at the
Mathias specializes in the design and development of
University of Cambridge. He has been using F# since
decision systems and forecasting models. He has been
the early Microsoft Research versions many years ago.
developing .NET applications for the past eight years, for
He is the author of the popular (and F#-centric) book
a variety of industries ranging from biotech to retail and
Real World Functional Programming, and has written
global health.
numerous articles and StackOverflow answers.
More information and registration at mjolner.dk/event/fsharp
MOTIVATING DESIGN IMPROVES USER HEALTH AND BUILDS BRAND THREE PROTOTYPES IN THREE DAYS WITH TouchGFX LESS TALK, MORE APP-TION! THE BUSINESS POTENTIALS OF BIG DATA JOIN OUR F# EVENTS!
Mjølner Informatics A/S
Finlandsgade 10, DK-8200 Aarhus N
+45 70 27 43 43
www.mjolner.dk
info@mjolner.dk