Product Engineering Methodology (PEM)
Modern. Custom. Familiar. PEM is our proprietary adaptation of the agile process for software development. It allows us to sustain value with the highest speed and quality across the product lifecycle. Every time.
Why PEM works
Whether starting with a blank slate or optimizing a mature product at scale, PEM works for every stage of your product creation journey.
Tailored
Brings the right people with the right skills at the right time for your unique needs.
Transparent
You know where we are on the roadmap at all times.
Continuously improving
Not solely focused on the end product, but also the processes by which the product is built.
Pragmatic
It’s about solving problems and delivering continuously, rather than rules and dogma.
Quality-focused
Automated testing at multiple layers of the system is a fundamental part of the definition of done. Continuous code reviews ensure the maintainability of the code over time.
Built for constant feedback
A focus on frequent small releases ensures that feedback happens quickly in order to drive the product direction.
Predictable
Utilizing the delivery team's work velocity accurately predicts the remaining workflow.
Comprehensive
PEM offers a holistic viewpoint on product definition, planning, management, and delivery.
I. Discovery
Product success in three parts. That’s Discovery.
Starting with our design-driven Discovery phase, we unearth the three most critical factors shared by successful digital products: Desirability, Viability, and Feasibility. We’ll quickly define a minimum viable product to help understand what it will take to bring a product to market. It’s designed to reduce friction, expedite success, and chart your path forward.
Desirability
Does the product clearly solve a problem and create value for its intended audiences?
Viability
Is investment in the product clearly justified through measurable value for the business?
Feasibility
Is the product vision technologically achievable and ready for build, scale, and operation?
Mobilize to build in just weeks
A successful Discovery is the result of co-creation, teamwork, and shared vision between our team and yours. Through our carefully constructed step by step process, we help you learn, ideate, and plan successful product creation and development.
II. DELIVERY
Let’s get building!
Multidisciplinary teams create working software, every sprint. Throughout the build phase, we continuously define and refine process, tooling, and team benchmarks that outline a cohesive definition of done. Establishing common language and expectations helps bring requirements and designs together successfully.
Align
Confirm sprint objectives
User story writing
Sprint grooming & prioritization
Story estimation & sprint planning
Design, Build, Test
Sprint execution models
Prototyping & design
Multi-branch development
Unit & functional testing
Code reviews and defect triage
User testing and acceptance
Release
Release code to production
Demo & user feedback
Continuous delivery
Update documentation
Monitor solution
Prepare for next release
III. ENHANCEMENT & OPERATION
Building doesn’t stop, it optimizes
No time to rest on laurels, customers expect high quality, performant products and experiences, even as we optimize behind the curtain. We continually work to reduce risk in production and allow product owners and engineers to respond to real user feedback at the speed of changing expectations.
Start small and launch quickly
MVP = Minimum Viable Product, and we’re experts at getting yours to market quickly. Start with the most manageable set of features to test in a real-world context then start optimizing from day one.
Monitor user behavior and feedback
Now, is the product working as expected? What are users responding to that we can further invest in? A user-centric culture enables prioritization around actual value to your audience, removing guess work.
Optimize continuously and scale accordingly
We can help develop a modern product-mindset, driving continuous improvement and ensuring your product scales and grows sustainably and intelligently.
IV. Transition
Transition, with total support
We’re not just handing you the keys, we’re continuing to help you and your team get up to speed and keep it all on the road. We offer several models to fit your needs and help ensure a smooth transition from our team to yours. The transition is stable, well managed, and can continue to evolve in production while monthly costs are reduced. All while your organization enjoys full ownership of the completed product.
Mixed maintenance and feature development support
The Slalom Build team continues development while also supporting the application in production. The team's work consists of a mixed percentage of production support work and new feature development.
Software delivery knowledge transfer (and handoff to client team)
We develop a transition and knowledge transfer plan to fully move the software delivery to the client’s team. We ramp down while the client ramps up – including help in the hiring of new client employees.
Maintenance support
A Slalom delivery team transitions to a full maintenance product backlog, with new feature development rare. Also, together we’ll look to transition more senior roles to more junior roles to reduce costs.
Transition to 3rd party organization
Sometimes transitioning to a 3rd party, either onshore or offshore. In this case we’ll work on behalf of the client to transfer knowledge and help get the 3rd party up to speed.
Transition to a Slalom-recommended 3rd party organization
Because of our extensive relationships we can also recommend a worthy 3rd party org, then facilitate transition and knowledge transfer. We’ll stay involved in an Account Management capacity.