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Ein Teil von Team ServiceFactum ist versammelt. Bernd, Ricarda und Fabian stehen und schauen gemeinsam auf den Bildschirm von Shahrzad. Shahrzad sitzt am PC. Alle lachen dabei.

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Team ServiceFactum schaut auf Shahrzads Bildschirm

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71% of companies agree that they use agile methods frequently. Agile project management methodology is one of the most popular project management methodologies around and has revolutionized the way software teams and companies collaborate, develop and deliver their products today.
In this blog post, we discuss what exactly agile project management is, its differences from traditional project management methods and why most software development teams follow this method. We also explain its principles, methods, values and tools, as well as its key benefits for software teams, products and organizations.

Agile software project management: methods, principles and benefits

Project management can be defined as the activities of planning, organizing, securing, monitoring and managing the resources and work required to achieve specific project objectives effectively &amp; efficiently.
The project management approach used should always be adapted to the needs of the project.

1.1 What is project management?

Traditional or classic project management, known as the waterfall model, focuses on a linear approach in which all project phases are completed in sequential order.
The waterfall model method is not an ideal approach for the development of complex products, as this approach does not allow room for changes in requirements and, as a result, the risk of late product delivery is increased.
This is where the concept of agility comes into play.
In contrast to the waterfall model, the agile project management method is not linear, but is based on teamwork, flexibility and collaboration.
In agile project management, project phases are completed at short intervals. Changes are responded to quickly and the focus is more on implementing customer feedback and regularly reviewing the product.

1.2 Agile method vs. traditional project management method

The Agile Manifesto outlines the core values and principles of agile software development and provides teams with an effective model for successfully implementing the agile project management philosophy to improve their work processes.

2. What is the Agile Manifesto?

<ol>
<li>Individuals and interactions are more important than processes and tools</li>
<li>Functioning software is more important than comprehensive documentation</li>
<li>Collaboration with the customer is more important than contract negotiation</li>
<li>Responding to change is more important than following a plan</li>
</ol>

2.1 The important values in the Agile Manifesto

<ul>
<li>Customer satisfaction has the highest priority.</li>
<li>Changes to requirements — even late in the development process — are welcome.</li>
<li>Delivery of finished work at regular, preferably short intervals.</li>
<li>Putting together a motivated team, with the right environment and support, as well as trust in the team.</li>
<li>Personal communication from outside and within the development team.</li>
<li>The most important measure of progress is the functionality of the software.</li>
</ul>

2.2 Important principles in the Agile Manifesto

<ul>
<li>Increased adaptability: This is because agile teams practice iterative development, where they plan and execute work in small chunks.</li>
<li>Increased customer satisfaction: Agile teams start with the understanding that customer satisfaction is a top priority, and successful agile outcomes emphasize regular interactions with the customer.</li>
<li>Reduced risk: Through regular customer feedback &amp; continuous collection of lessons learned from previous team work as well as feedback in sprint reviews &amp; sprint retrospectives.</li>
<li>Increased business value: By focusing on iterative improvement, the team spends more time on high value work. This leads to faster value creation and the ability to meet market requirements sooner.</li>
</ul>

3. Advantages of agile software development

The Scrum method is an agile framework that supports teams in working together and helps them to complete software projects in true agile principles. It provides a guideline with values, roles and guidelines so that the team can focus on continuous improvement through iterations.
<ul>
<li>Scrum Values: Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness &amp; Respect</li>
<li>Scrum artifacts: product backlog, sprint backlog &amp; product increment</li>
<li>Scrum events: Sprint; Sprint Planning; Daily Scrum; Sprint Review; Sprint Retrospective</li>
<li>Advantages: Continuous improvement; Fast implementation; Faster innovation; Satisfied customers</li>
</ul>

4. What is Scrum?

<ul>
<li>Product Owner: Manages the product roadmap, prioritizes the sprint backlog, defines the product vision and manages the stakeholders.</li>
<li>Scrum Master: Moderates Scrum events. Acts as a coach for the rest of the team and ensures that the team can work in a focused manner during a sprint.</li>
<li>Developers: Developers create the product and are responsible for programming, testing and troubleshooting the product.</li>
<li>Stakeholders: All other people who have interests in the development of the project. However, these people are not part of the Scrum team and do not have to be explicit managers, subject matter experts or similar.</li>
</ul>

5. Scrum team and stakeholders

<ul>
<li>Jira by Attlasian: Agile teams often use Jira because it is a powerful, flexible tool that supports the core principles of agile methods such as Scrum and Kanban, backlog management, sprint planning and tracking as well as reporting and analytics.</li>
<li>Confluence: Agile teams use Confluence primarily for documentation and collaboration. It complements tools like Jira by providing a central place for teams to create, organize and share information.</li>
<li>ClickUp: Agile teams use ClickUp because it integrates task management, time tracking, goal setting and reporting into a single platform. It also offers customization and flexibility, as well as multiple views for workflows.</li>
</ul>

6. Known Agile & Scrum software project management tools

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Cloud Computing

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Imagine you have a brilliant idea for a software application. But before your vision can become a reality, you face a host of challenges: expensive servers, endless storage space requirements and a dedicated network team. Sounds like a nightmare, right?
Luckily, there&#8217;s the cloud.
But what exactly is the cloud? Simply put, it&#8217;s the magic you need to manage your IT infrastructure over the internet. No more bulky servers in the office, no more stress over limited capacity. The cloud offers you everything you need — flexible, scalable and cost-efficient.
In this blog post, we will guide you through the wonderful world of cloud computing. Find out how you can access your data from anywhere, reduce IT costs and increase productivity. Let&#8217;s explore the different cloud models and their applications that can revolutionize your business processes.

Suppose you develop an innovative idea for a software application. To implement it and be successful, you need servers, storage space, development, dedicated network and application security.
Providing all this support can be expensive, time-consuming and risky. 
All of these problems can be easily solved with the help of the cloud.
But what exactly is a cloud? Cloud or cloud computing is the provision of computer services such as servers, storage space, databases and networks over the internet. 
It is a new way of working and managing data that allows you to access your data and applications from anywhere.

1. What is a cloud?

Without the cloud, companies are reliant on on-premise solutions.
They have significant challenges and limitations such as
<ul>
<li>Hardware limitations and higher operating costs;</li>
<li>Dependence on the physical capacity and location of resources;</li>
<li>Downtime, data loss, compatibility and compliance;</li>
<li>Impairment of the quality and reliability of services and products;</li>
</ul>
With the help of cloud computing, companies can benefit from the following advantages
<ul>
<li>Lower IT costs;</li>
<li>Centralised data security;</li>
<li>Scalability;</li>
<li>Flexibility;</li>
<li>Automated updates;</li>
<li>Rapid deployment;</li>
<li>Instant business insights and continuity;</li>
<li>Collaboration and communication;</li>
<li>Increased performance and availability;</li>
</ul>

2. Advantages of cloud computing

Cloud providers offer different types of provision and services.
Cloud service models:
<ul>
<li>Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): e.g. Slaesforce, Slack;</li>
<li>Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS): e.g. Microsoft Azure;</li>
<li>Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS): e.g. Google Compute Engine, OpenStack;</li>
<li>Function-as-a-Service (FaaS): e.g. Google Cloud Functions;</li>
</ul>
Cloud deployment models:
<ul>
<li>Private cloud: In the private cloud, services such as servers, data centre or distributed network are completely reserved for one company.</li>
<li>Public cloud: In this deployment, cloud services are shared by several organisations.</li>
<li>Hybrid cloud: In hybrid cloud deployments, public and private clouds are combined.</li>
<li>Multi cloud: This is a type of cloud deployment in which several public clouds are used.</li>
</ul>

3. Cloud services & deployment models

The best-known providers of cloud computing are Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. However, the cloud comes in various forms and technologies:
<ul>
<li>Online storage: Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud;</li>
<li>E-mail: iCloud Mail;</li>
<li>Smart watches / fitness trackers: Apple Watch, Fitbit;</li>
<li>Streaming platforms: YouTube, Netflix;</li>
<li>Online word processing: Google Doc;</li>
</ul>

4. Cloud technology & examples

Although cloud computing can have many benefits for businesses and development teams, it can also present some issues and challenges that organisations should be aware of in order to achieve the best outcome.

5. Problems & challenges of cloud computing

Most cloud-based programmes cannot be used if there is no internet connection. Companies need to invest in higher bandwidth options and focus on improving operational efficiency to minimise reliance on network capacity.

5.1 Internet connectivity

As the cloud infrastructure is built, maintained and managed entirely by third parties in remote locations, end users have less control over the function and execution of the services. So before deciding on a cloud provider, you need to ask yourself: What data does the cloud service process? What functions does the cloud service offer? What does the contractual relationship look like?

5.2 Ownership & limited control

Not all cloud solutions are equally secure. This is especially important when it comes to off-site storage of important or private data. Before entrusting critical aspects of your IT or data to third parties, it is important to apply some security guidelines, such as configuring network hardware and installing the latest software updates to close potential security gaps.

5.3 Security & Privacy

The effectiveness of cloud solutions depends heavily on providers offering their customers appropriate services. For example, a sudden outage of a cloud provider can have a significant impact on the business. Organisations need to select providers that implement proactive SaaS monitoring standards in real time.

5.4 Performance problems

Organisations need experts to manage infrastructure effectively. Companies need to hire professionals who specialise in DevOps and cloud engineering as workloads continue to increase and the market experiences a surge in the adoption of new tools.

5.5 Insufficient knowledge

The scarcity and unreliability of individual services is a major challenge for cloud computing. Therefore, organisations must seek additional resources to meet evolving business needs and be assured of the reliability and availability of the cloud provider.

5.6 Reliability & availability

Cloud providers offer a subscription model where you pay for the services you use. However, these costs can accumulate over time. It is better for companies to check their systems regularly and use tools to monitor resource utilisation.

5.7 Ineffective cost management

Cloud computing offers a modern solution for organisations by providing cost-effective, scalable and flexible IT resources. The benefits, such as centralised data security, rapid provisioning and improved collaboration, make it an attractive option, despite challenges such as internet dependency and limited control.
With various models — from private and public to hybrid and multi-cloud, as well as service options such as SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and FaaS — companies can choose the solution that best suits their needs. A thorough examination of security and data protection aspects as well as effective cost management are essential in order to fully utilise the benefits.
Cloud computing is a key driver of digital transformation and increased efficiency in companies.

6. Conclusion

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KI in der Software-Entwicklung

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In recent years, AI has had a significant impact on many industries, including software development. In this blog post, we explain the impact of AI on software development and how it is already changing the way software is created.

Artificial intelligence in software development

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an area of computer science that focuses on the development of machines that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. Examples include understanding natural language, recognizing images and making decisions based on specific circumstances. John McCarthy, the father of AI, defines artificial intelligence as the science and technology of creating intelligent machines.

1.1 What is artificial intelligence?

AI can be roughly divided into two categories &#8211; narrow AI and general AI:
<ul>
<li>Narrow AI: also known as weak AI, refers to systems that are trained to perform a specific task or problem. An example of narrow AI would be a speech recognition system that has been developed to convert human speech into text, as is the case with voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant.</li>
<li>General AI: or strong AI &#8211; is intended to achieve human-like intelligence and consciousness. The system is able to learn and act in a way that is intuitive for humans. An example of general AI is an AI that is able to perform a wide range of tasks such as image recognition, language processing, decision making and problem solving without being limited to a specific field of expertise.</li>
</ul>

1.2 Types of AI

A software development tool is a computer program that software programmers use to create, modify, manage and debug various types of software such as web applications, web services, mobile applications and for all levels of programming and each phase of the software programming cycle (design to maintenance). The main purpose of any software development tool is to support programmers in creating software by helping to write error-free code, reduce workload and increase productivity.
In the past, programmers didn&#8217;t have many options to solve their challenges and speed up development. The only sources were books &amp; technical literature, the use of websites and forums like Stackoverflow, or the help of team leaders or seniors in a programming team. Today, with the help of AI assistance tools, programmers can benefit from a variety of tool options that support all programming languages and are compatible with all types of teams, levels and systems. Therefore, with the help of AI, they can develop software faster, smarter &amp; more efficiently and achieve this with higher quality assurance.
When selecting software development tools, there are a few factors to consider in advance. This will ultimately achieve a better result and increase the productivity of this tool.
What to look out for when selecting software development tools:
<ul>
<li>Flexibility</li>
<li>Fast deployment</li>
<li>Ease of use &amp; compatibility</li>
<li>Functionalities Options</li>
<li>Suitable target group</li>
</ul>

1.3 Tools for software development

AI has dramatically changed the way programming is done. The main advantages of AI tools for software development are:
<ul>
<li>Accurate estimates</li>
<li>Efficient prototypes</li>
<li>Support with coding</li>
<li>Fast &amp; error-free software delivery</li>
<li>Automated business analysis &amp; better decision-making</li>
<li>Better quality &amp; productivity and therefore more customer satisfaction</li>
</ul>
There are different types of AI assistance tools for programming with different objectives:
<ul>
<li>Code completion and prediction tools: e.g. Tabnine</li>
<li>Documentation/automation tools: e.g. Mintlify</li>
<li>Test automation tools: e.g. Selenium</li>
<li>Code review/assistant tools: e.g. GitHub</li>
<li>Bug detectors &amp; code quality analysis tools: e.g. SonarQube</li>
</ul>

2. The role of AI tools in software development

Here are three examples of popular AI assistants tools for software development that are used by many developers today for optimized coding:
<ul>
<li>GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot is an AI-based tool from Open AI. Copilot can make coding suggestions and identify errors in almost any programming language or framework. GitHub Copilot helps developers code faster with less work, focus on solving bigger problems, and feel more satisfied with their work.</li>
<li>SonarQube: SonarQube is an open-source code quality assurance tool that helps developers and organizations systematically deliver bug-free and clean code. SonarQube checks code quality by analyzing the source code, defining the number of errors and checking for security vulnerabilities at every step of the workflow. This tool can support up to 30 programming languages and different platforms. If the code is always clean, you can focus on innovation and improve the entire codebase with minimal cost and effort.</li>
<li>Amazon CodeWhisper: Amazon CodeWhisper ist ein weiteres intelligentes KI-Tool, das Programmierern während des Programmierens Codevorschläge liefert. CodeWhisper erkennt, wie Sie eine Codezeile oder eine Kommentarzeile beenden werden. Es kann eine vollständige Funktion generieren oder einen Codeblock vervollständigen. Es unterstützt gängige Programmiersprachen. Darüber hinaus verfügt dieses Tool über Funktionen zur Dokumentationserstellung und Sicherheitsfreigabe.</li>
</ul>

3. Examples of AI tools for software development 

AI tools for software programming have brought many benefits such as rapid development and deployment, increased productivity and efficient working. On the other hand, there can also be concerns and problems:
<ul>
<li>Data privacy and security concerns</li>
<li>Poor integration into the existing infrastructure</li>
<li>False expectations</li>
<li>Lack of control and incorrect results</li>
<li>Employee dependency</li>
<li>Costs</li>
</ul>

4. Problems & challenges of AI tools

The future of software development will be closely intertwined with the world of AI. There are also some questions that have yet to be answered, such as whether AI will completely replace software developers or whether software engineers will still be needed in the future!
Companies need to be clear about the future plan for AI tools. This revolution requires adaptability, continuous learning and responsible action to reach its full potential. Therefore, companies and developers need to pay attention to some key points to be ready to adapt to the future of AI technologies. By doing so, better productivity can be achieved, such as constant training and learning of AI and machine learning techniques, data science and updated tools and programming languages.
Furthermore, ethical considerations in AI, such as privacy, transparency, fairness and accountability, are essential for responsible AI development. Effective teamwork and the ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders are also important skills in the collaborative world of AI projects.

5. Future & outlook

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Softwaregetriebene Mobilitätslösungen

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In the age of digitalization, software is becoming the driving force behind the mobility of the future. It is making intelligent transportation systems possible, paving the way for autonomous driving and making a decisive contribution to more efficient and safer transportation — all in line with the goals of a more sustainable world. In this article, we delve into the world of mobility solutions. We highlight the crucial role of software development in the automotive industry and show how the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain can create entirely new mobility concepts. A future is shown in which mobility goes far beyond simply getting from A to B — a future that is already beginning.
A look at these advances impressively demonstrates how software is not only redefining the mobility landscape, but also providing creative answers to the pressing challenges of our time. An exciting look at the mobility of tomorrow that illustrates how software will fundamentally change our freedom of movement.

The mobility revolution: How software is shaping the routes of tomorrow

In this rapidly changing world, with requirements for sustainability, efficiency and safety, mobility solutions are increasingly coming into focus. These solutions encompass a wide range of concepts and measures aimed at optimizing the mobility of people and the transport of goods. They touch on various aspects of mobility, including the choice of means of transport, the design and availability of infrastructure and the legal and organizational framework that governs the interaction of all these elements.
The development and implementation of effective mobility solutions requires a deep understanding of the dynamics of urban and rural areas, the technological possibilities and the needs of users. It is at the heart of efforts to make our cities more liveable, to make traffic more fluid and environmentally friendly and to increase the safety of all road users.
But how are these solutions designed and what role does software development play in this innovative process?

Future-oriented mobility solutions

Software development in the automotive industry

Software development is a decisive factor in the development of mobility solutions of the future. Software is used to develop and manage key aspects such as traffic planning, traffic control, traffic monitoring, traffic safety and mobility management. In order to meet the new requirements and challenges, new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and blockchain in particular offer the opportunity to develop innovative solutions.

1. The role of software in mobility planning and safety

Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) support the driver on the road with various assistance systems such as speed and lane departure warning. Various sensors in the vehicle are addressed and their data recorded in order to carry out actions based on this.
In-vehicle infotainment systems and digital cockpits offer vehicle occupants entertainment and information. In addition, conventional analog dashboards can be replaced by state-of-the-art digital instrument panels (digital clusters) and augmented reality (AR) can be used to project safety-related information onto the driver&#8217;s windshield (head-up display).

2. Improvement of driver assistance and driving experience

Software that connects vehicles and infrastructure enables new mobility concepts such as car sharing, ridesharing and MaaS (Mobility as a Service). Information can be transmitted in real time to make travel more efficient.
Autonomous driving, which allows vehicles to drive safely on the road without human intervention, is divided into 6 levels:
<ul>
<li>Level 0 — No automation: the driver has full control of the vehicle without any support from assistance systems.</li>
<li>Level 1 — Driver assistance: Certain systems such as cruise control or steering assistance support the driver, but the driver retains primary control.</li>
<li>Level 2 — Semi-automated driving: The vehicle can take over certain driving tasks such as accelerating, braking and steering under certain conditions. However, the driver must be ready to take control at all times.</li>
<li>Level 3 — Highly automated driving: The vehicle can take full control in defined environments, with the driver able to intervene when the system prompts.</li>
<li>Level 4 — Fully automated driving: The vehicle can operate in specific scenarios without human intervention. However, it may not be autonomous in all environments or conditions.</li>
<li>Level 5 — Fully autonomous driving: The vehicle can drive in all situations and conditions without human intervention.</li>
</ul>
This technology, although still in the development phase, promises to fundamentally change mobility as we know it and opens up new horizons for the design of future mobility solutions.

3. Promotion of new mobility concepts

Developments in the software industry play a central role in the creation of advanced mobility solutions that aim to make the movement of people and the transportation of goods more efficient, safer and more sustainable. The increasing importance of software in this context underlines the need to incorporate innovative approaches and technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain to meet the growing demands of mobility.
However, the challenge lies not only in the technical implementation, but also in the availability of skilled workers. The rapid development in the field of mobility solutions is leading to a growing need for experts in software development, who are becoming increasingly difficult to find in Germany and worldwide. This situation requires a new way of thinking in terms of collaboration and knowledge sharing, which is supported by increasing connectivity and the use of virtuality. The ability for software experts to collaborate across national borders opens up new ways to successfully address the complex and rapidly changing mobility requirements of the future.
All in all, this makes it clear that the key to future-proof, sustainable and inclusive mobility lies in the integration of advanced software development. The ability to respond quickly to new challenges, develop innovative solutions and foster global collaborations will be crucial to shaping a sustainable mobility landscape and improving the quality of life for future generations. The journey into this new era of mobility has only just begun, and it remains exciting to see how software will continue to reinvent the way we move.

Conclusion: Shaping the future with software-driven mobility solutions

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Bernd Wandt und Geschäftspartner bei der Re-Auditierung von Intellias.

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Our Ukrainian development center in Lviv was the development partner for our first customer at ServiceFactum. We can now look back on more than 12 years of successful partnership.
During this time, ServiceFactum has analyzed 13 additional development partners in different countries and added them to its own audited delivery network.
Nonetheless, the partnership continues and ServiceFactum´s key clients have successfully built teams and completed projects in Ukraine.
This year, the development center was once again re-audited. What started out as a small partner with around 150 employees in Lviv has now become a global partner with 3200+ experts at more than 14 locations worldwide. The headquarters are outside of Ukraine – but the management is still in the hands of the founders, with whom ServiceFactum maintains a close relationship.

Re-audit of ServiceFactum's Development Center No. 1

Due to the war in Ukraine, this time the audit took place at one of the main locations in Poland. The agenda was extensive, so we took 2 days for the audit.
We were once again able to convince ourselves of the professionalism and reliability of the development center on site.
Our development partner has the structure of a medium-sized company that is still managed by its founders. A consistent system environment based on Atlassian tools (including Jira and Confluence) maps the entire internal know-how consistently and transparently. This enables all employees to work on a project for customers without interruption. Quality management in practice is part of their Project Management Office, which was also recently recognized as the best European PMO. Certifications and awards underscore the company&#8217;s strategy.
Roman Reznikov, VP Digital Segment of our partner, commented on the audit:
<blockquote>„We are striving to provide the best-in-class software engineering service for our clients. It is important for us to receive an external assessment of our processes and capabilities, which is why the audit from our trusted partner, Service Factum, is crucial to us. We began cooperating with Service Factum when Intellias was a small company, so it is important to demonstrate that with growth, we have only improved the quality of our service.&#8221;</blockquote>
Together, we have also identified one or two improvements for our customers. These will be completed as soon as possible.
A dinner together in a relaxed atmosphere strengthened the relationships on the first evening, so that the second working day continued in a very cooperative and almost collegial manner.

On-site audit in Poland

ServiceFactum can award its (Ukrainian) partner our quality label for development centres &#8220;Qualified and validated Development Center&#8221; with confidence and hope for many more successful nearshore engagements together.

Conclusion

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Virtuelle Realität trifft auf Automotive.

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Virtual Reality (VR) is revolutionizing the way we experience the world and its impact on the automotive industry is undeniable. With the groundbreaking release of the brand new Apple Vision Pro, the potential of VR in the automotive industry is reaching new heights. Imagine stepping into a virtual world where you can design, test and even drive cars without leaving the room.
This blog explores the fascinating field of automotive VR, delving into its historical roots, current applications and remarkable benefits. Discover how VR is reshaping the automotive industry and leading us into a future where the lines between virtual and real are blurred and the possibilities are endless.

Virtual reality in the automotive industry

Virtual reality (VR) refers to the simulation of a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment into which the user can immerse himself using special hardware such as VR glasses. Classical applications of VR include, for example, computer games, virtual series or simulations of medical interventions. Increasingly, however, the technology is also being used in industry. A key area here is everything to do with the automobile.

Definition of Virtual Reality (VR) & areas of application

The application of VR in the automotive industry has a long history. As early as the 1990s, VR was used to improve collaboration between designers and engineers. However, the technology was not yet mature enough to allow a realistic representation of vehicles. Only with the further development of VR in recent years has it become possible to create realistic scenarios.

History of Virtual Reality in Automotive 

Today, VR is used in many areas in the automotive industry. One example is prototype development: With the help of VR, designers and engineers can create virtual models of vehicles and test them in a realistic environment. This allows errors to be identified and corrected at an early stage, before a physical prototype is built. This saves time and money and speeds up product development. In addition, this creates the possibility for teams distributed across locations, countries or even continents to work together on products in a (virtual) space.
VR is also used in vehicle sales: Customers can experience vehicles in a virtual environment with the help of VR glasses and thus get a realistic picture without having to physically look at the car. The customer can configure their vehicle live and virtually &#8220;test sit&#8221; it immediately.
Another area in which VR is used in the automotive industry is employee training. VR simulations can be used, for example, to teach employees how to perform certain work on vehicles without the need for an actual vehicle. This can reduce training costs and time.

Today's application of virtual reality in the automotive 

The benefits of using VR in the automotive industry are many. The ability to create virtual prototypes can save costs and development time. Customers can experience vehicles in a realistic environment, which can lead to higher customer satisfaction. Employee training can be more effective because VR simulations enable realistic scenarios. Teams of experts can work together from different countries.

Advantages of using virtual reality

Overall, it can be said that VR has become an important part of the automotive industry. The technology enables more effective and efficient development of vehicles as well as better customer engagement. The use of VR will continue to increase in the future as the technology becomes more mature and new areas of application are developed.
Next Step X-REALITY

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Unser Service Manager Fabian Ambrosi

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We’ve gotten used to them by now: teams calls, zoom calls, online meetings. For a while, many things only worked remotely, and in general, we conduct conversations in our working lives more and more often via our screens and less face to face.
At ServiceFactum, this has somehow always been the case, because our teams are transnational, our contacts are mostly located abroad, and yet ServiceFactum stands out above all for good communication. I thought it would be interesting to find out exactly how we do this &#8211; so I sat down face to face with our two service managers: Bernd Wandt &amp; Fabian Ambrosi for an interview.
What became clear to me personally was this: Whether on a personal or business level &#8211; good and regular communication is the be-all and end-all of establishing and maintaining a good relationship. But what does it actually mean in the deeper sense: &#8220;Good communication&#8221;? What tips can you possibly learn from them to build and maintain successful relationships with nearshore/offshore teams? Enjoy the interview!

How to build and maintain good relationships remotely

Bernd and Fabian: Which 3 factors define a good relationship with a development center from your perspective?
<blockquote>Fabian Ambrosi: For me, trust is the most important factor for a good relationship. You have to build this up in order to create a relationship based on partnership, through which common goals can be defined and will also be achieved together. It must be noticeable that you are going in the same direction and want to go in the future.
Bernd Wandt: I can only confirm that trust is paramount: you have to work together in the long term and not just temporarily to earn trust. Another point is transparency, so that you know at all times what is happening in the development center in terms of cooperation. Of course, you definitely need  to live these relationships on all levels (from the operative project staff to the CEO). So to me the 3 factors are: Trust, transparency and lived relationships.</blockquote>
Fabian, how is it when you are new to it, how do you build trust &amp; good collaboration with already existing teams?
<blockquote>Fabian Ambrosi: First of all, it&#8217;s very interesting and you face exciting challenges. Especially with existing customers or projects, you have to &#8220;prove&#8221; yourself in the beginning. You have to show that, in addition to management skills, you are also technically experienced. To achieve this, many personal meetings are important, especially at the beginning of a collaboration.
An example is the cooperation with one specific customer: In the beginning, the cooperation was very distant and the topics were discussed very formally on the basis of bullet points. Through more intensive and regular discussions, we have moved closer together in the partnership and live a much more open collaboration. Challenges are discussed openly and directly and we work together to find a solution.
Since we work remotely a lot, another key to good collaboration is definitely face-to-face meetings. These meetings help enormously to build a partnership through which you achieve goals together. And of course, you also get to know your counterpart privately to a certain extent, as private topics are also discussed in addition to daily business&#8230;
Bernd Wandt: &#8230;and you can also have a beer together sometime.</blockquote>
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Earning and building trust

Bernd, how do you find good software development teams?
<blockquote>Bernd Wandt: That&#8217;s a good question! The first thing to do is to define: What does a &#8220;good team&#8221; actually mean? We always define this together with our customers, through absolute clarity / precision in the requirements. The top priority is: What do we want to achieve and what are we looking for? To achieve this, it is not enough to simply draw up a written document and pass it on. You have to talk about it, communicate comprehensively and approach it continuously. Once you have found an employee, the following question immediately arises: How can you further strengthen and integrate this employee? This can be done through team building and team design. Finding a good mix of different characters and seniorities is the only way to create a good team. Especially in the nearshore area &#8211; i.e. with remote teams that work in a distributed manner &#8211; the joint development processes become more important.
But the search process also plays an important role. After all, the ultimate goal is to achieve high speed in the search and hiring process. In the nearshore environment, every really good employee has diverse project opportunities. And he can choose the project, usually he does not wait until a customer has agreed everything internally. Effectiveness and goal orientation are required here.</blockquote>
Bernd and Fabian, how do you constantly monitor compliance with the quality criteria? Also with regard to communication?
<blockquote>Fabian Ambrosi: The nuts and bolts are the joint discussions &#8211; what&#8217;s currently on the agenda, what&#8217;s going well, what isn’t. It is important to notice early on if something is going in the wrong direction. In addition, clear quality processes are very helpful. This gives us the confidence and security that our partners have an understanding of quality and are continuously working on improvements. When it comes to communication, an important point is that it is also managed. Meetings need a clear agenda to get to the point and to the goal, especially in a remote context. That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re here for.
Bernd Wandt: Supplementary: First of all, we should agree on the quality criteria. Often enough, people do not talk about the criteria that lead to customer satisfaction &#8211; but quality is simply seen implicitly. All parties involved should be included in this process right from the start. Because bilateral communication with an attempt at subsequent coordination is difficult. Coming back to your question &#8211; how to check compliance with the quality criteria &#8211; This depends on the individual quality criteria. After a detailed clarification, one can define appropriate checking algorithms. These can be defined and accepted in status reports, during follow-up of action items or via protocol.</blockquote>
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Strengthening and integration within software development teams  

Bernd and Fabian: In every business relationship there are disagreements &#8211; how do you resolve them?
<blockquote>Bernd Wandt: In every business relationship there are disagreements &#8211; how do you resolve them?
Bernd Wandt: That&#8217;s right, disagreements happen all the time. This is often due to the fact that we often have different understandings of things. It is important to analyze the situation together. This is about openness and transparency, and each party must be open to compromise.
Our role &#8211; when I now talk about the interaction between customers and development centers &#8211; is a moderating, rather neutral position. We are interested in finding and implementing a joint solution that makes sense for everyone involved.
Fabian Ambrosi: &#8230;Yes, creating a space where all three parties can sit together and talk openly. The open conversation is the only way to really get to the goal. And as Bernd said, everyone should have the same goal in mind.</blockquote>
Bernd, what do customers particularly appreciate about the special ServiceFactum communication?
<blockquote>Bernd Wandt: That they have a responsible contact person who is consistently there for them and can make decisions. Of course &#8211; we&#8217;ve said this a few times now &#8211; we bring an openness and transparency. Basically, what distinguishes us is direct, targeted communication. That means we call the things by its name and try to find an implementable solution. This is appreciated not only by our customers but also by our development partners. We are not tactical, we are solution-oriented and solve the problems directly.</blockquote>

Clarification of disagreements and finding solutions 

Bernd and Fabian: Most relationships with the development centers are only possible via remote due to the distance. What are the communication barriers that you have to overcome? What do you personally find most difficult here?
<blockquote>Fabian Ambrosi: I think the biggest barrier is to build a good relationship that feels like it is not remote, or at least goes in a similar direction. The remote teams need to feel like they belong to the German team and see themselves as one team. This is much more difficult remotely and takes more time.
Another barrier is keeping in touch. It is very easy to postpone or cancel a remote meeting. Staying on the ball and motivating all sides requires more attention from the service manager.
Bernd Wandt: Remote activities live on regular communication. Irregular communication is &#8220;disappearing&#8221; &#8211; it is becoming less and less, because everyone actually knows what needs to be done, or thinks they do. That&#8217;s why we work a lot with regular meetings &#8211; i.e. consistently on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis &#8211; and always seek direct contact. The barriers we have to overcome are the physical distance and the cultural distance. Every country has its own culture, even if Poland, for example, seems very close, there are other cultural values that have to be taken into account. It is very important to really live long-term relationships here. People know each other &#8211; they appreciate each other. Another big barrier is maintaining relationships across different customer projects. A new customer, a new project always means a &#8220;disruption&#8221; in a relationship &#8211; the requirements change and suddenly everything is new. What is familiar no longer applies and must be set up anew. The big task for us is to pick up everyone involved again &#8211; and not to overlook anything. What I personally find most difficult is to raise a remote relationship to a level where trust becomes a matter of course. I try to get to grips with this through a long-term relationship and a lot of communication. If you talk to someone on a regular basis, a relationship automatically develops &#8211; this manifests itself through sporadic personal meetings.</blockquote>

Barriers and personal challenges 

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&#8220;Our intelligence is what makes us human, and AI is an extension of that quality.&#8221; &#8211; Yann LeCun, French American Machine Learning Specialist
Nevertheless, the same question keeps coming up: how do we use this extended quality of artificial intelligence in our everyday lives? Whether it&#8217;s facial identification in a cell phone, spell-checking when composing an email, or digital voice assistants, we already encounter AI everywhere in our everyday lives. This leads to the follow-up question: Why don&#8217;t we also use AI for the creation of social media content?

Social media content creation with AI

AI has long been an integral part of the social media landscape and already dominates large areas. The algorithm that decides which content is most relevant to you is based on a complex system of AI technologies. Machine learning is also being used in the fight against cyberbullying and fake news. But AI is not only showing its potential in the fight against negative content. The creation of social media content with the help of AI is also becoming increasingly popular and can improve your personal or professional profile to the next level.
In this blog post, you&#8217;ll find a practical step by step guide on how to use AI to create more effective and targeted social media content. At the same time, we also highlight the pros and cons of using AI in the social media world:

1. Artificial intelligence as the basis of social media

The ChatGPT chatbot is based on machine learning and was developed by the US company OpenAI. Its goal is to conduct human-like conversations based on text input and voice queries. It must cover a wide range of topics and requirements, from everyday queries such as creating kitchen recipes to complex topics such as AI in the medical industry. To meet these requirements, ChatGPT has been trained with millions of texts from the Internet, social media, online forums, newspaper articles and books.
The so-called prompts are crucial to the chatbot&#8217;s success. They tell the AI system in text form what content to generate and output. Through this technology, it is possible to create unique and customized content and provide users with an immersive chat experience.

2. Step by Step: With ChatGPT to High-Quality Content on Social Media

A new chat with ChatGPT can be thought of as a blank page. Through specific instructions, the chatbot can learn what kind of content is needed, what topics are relevant, and how to prepare it best. Using an AI thus provides an efficient way to streamline the social media content creation process.
Sample prompt: 
&#8220;Act as a social media manager. You work on the business platform LinkedIn in the online marketing area. Your task is to create highly qualified content for the company account.&#8221;

2.1 Filling the blank page

To ensure that the chatbot understands what the goal of the post is and what information it should contain, it is important to provide clear instructions to the chatbot.
Sample prompt: 
&#8220;Your task is to create a post about the following topic: &#8216;Our vision at ServiceFactum: cross-country software development for any business. Use the keywords &#8216;nearshoring&#8217;, &#8216;offshoring&#8217; and ‘software development abroad&#8217;. Make sure to create interesting and engaging content.&#8221;

2.2 Build basic framework with basic information

The basic framework is now in place. The next step is to feed the AI with possible content ideas.
Sample prompt: 
&#8220;Here&#8217;s more information about the company: &#8216;We maintain audited, international cooperations with the purpose of developing first-class software based on customer-specific ideas in a cost-efficient and agile way. We live a trustful, effective and efficient cooperation with our customers and partners and promote the overcoming of spatial and cultural boundaries.&#8217; Use this acquired data for posting.&#8221;

2.3 Feed the chatbot with good content

The next step is to determine the writing style.
Sample prompt: 
&#8220;Look for a narrative style in the form of storytelling. Use rhetorical stylistic devices to make the text more appealing. Individual sentences should be as concise and meaningful as possible. Give the reader a reason to be captivated reading the posting.&#8221;

2.4 Choose the style

The hook of a post is critical to getting readers to notice and engage with the post in the first place. A hook should be unique, interesting, eye-catching, and memorable.
Sample prompt: 
&#8220;Create 10 sample hooks from the data already provided, which should encourage the reader to in-tact with the post.&#8221;
Tip: The more information the AI receives, the better the results. Base your hook creation on posts that have already gone viral on LinkedIn. Feed the AI 5 viral hook examples on your topic. Let it generate 10 possible hook ideas for you.

2.5 Develop a hook

Finally, you get a well-structured, concise, and interesting post that vividly presents ServiceFactum&#8217;s vision to the reader:
Sample prompt:
&#8220;The future of software development is here &#8211; ServiceFactum is ready.
At ServiceFactum, we support every company in their individual software development with cost-effective and agile nearshoring and offshoring solutions. We specialize in international co-operations and rely on trustful cooperation to overcome spatial and cultural boundaries. Our goal is to break the boundaries of traditional software development and provide any company with access to world-class software development services.
Our vision &#8211; &#8216;Cross-border software development for every business.&#8217; Let&#8217;s realize your vision together now.
#nearshoring #offshoring #software development&#8221;

2.6 Finished Post

Who better to answer this question than AI itself:

Knowledge

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The mobility revolution: How software is shaping the routes of tomorrow

Re-audit of ServiceFactum's Development Center No. 1

Virtual reality in the automotive industry

How to build and maintain good relationships remotely

Social media content creation with AI

What can already go wrong in the selection process for near/offshoring?

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ServiceFactum celebrates its 10th anniversary

Realizing your idea together.