The Business Agility Blog

I believe that to truly understand the agile development process, one needs to see an agile team in action; and perhaps even attend a daily “stand up” meeting.

I believe that same level of understanding applies to any good agile development platform, and Mendix is no exception.  Gaining the best appreciation for the Mendix platform typically occurs once agile developers see it in action. I can say (or write) “one click deployment,” “visual modeling,” and “integrated AppStore” until I’m blue in the face (or red in the fingers) – however, it’s a developers  ability to create a CRM system with Google Maps integration in less than 10 minutes that really does the talking (or typing). Once developers actually touch the product and begin to create with it, it is then that they truly understand – much like attending that first daily “stand up”.

Building and managing applications on the Mendix platform is a very visual process, from the initial modeling of the application within their own domain model, to deploying it for immediate feedback… However, reading and hearing about it can only prove so valuable – it’s something you’ve really got to see.

To that end, we’re happy to show the Platform in one of our monthly Mendix Training sessions – whether in person or via the web.  In fact, we even use our own engineers (not salespeople) to show you just how easy it is to build and manage applications on the platform. And if that doesn’t work, well then, there’s always the trial to get you started.

IT Gets User Friendly

As the consumerization of IT continues to change the landscape of enterprise technology and the coinciding trend of mobile applications surges, will employees begin to expect a series of easily accessible applications customized to their enterprise? An interesting post from CIO’s Shane O’Neil brings light upon the emerging demand for a custom enterprise app store.

Depending on the current IT environment, this dream may be difficult to execute, but large organizations can better manage the way employees use their technology if they offer a convenient way of attaining, managing and updating it. Specifically, when it comes to mobile applications, where numerous options from Apple, Android, and Blackberry are used in conjunction with enterprise applications, does an enterprise AppStore make the most sense.

A Common User Experience

Enterprise IT systems are moving towards a common user interface customized to their brand aesthetic. In other words, every system a company uses will look, feel, and work in a similar fashion (at least on the top interface level). If this is the case, an enterprise AppStore full of apps and add-ons would be a logical method of distributing and managing applications and components of applications.

In my last post about the consumerization of IT, I mentioned the changing expectations employees have of their information technology. These employees are expecting their business applications to work like their personal applications. A custom enterprise AppStore fulfills this need, and may deter some of that IT irritation we’ve all come to experience.

Business-IT Alignment

The underlying theme of this post is the importance of user interaction with enterprise systems. How can companies make using their custom internal software easier? How can the adoption and maintenance of these applications take a note from consumer driven technology, but preserve its utility as a corporate asset?

These questions will be answered within the coming years, as enterprises offer an AppStore-like approach to technology management. Many organizations experience a sizeable gap between business and IT, and this may be one way to close it.

Since I’m trapped at home today in the midst of a blizzard (I live in the Boston area), I thought I’d use the time to post my first ever Mendix blog.  For those that do not know, I joined the company late last year as their head of Global Marketing.

Joining Mendix was actually quite an easy decision for me.  I wanted a cool company (Gartner actually says that they ARE ONE), with bright minds and a hot product.  Not too much to ask…well you wouldn’t think so, but there are a lot of startups out there that do not possess ALL THREE of these qualities.

Beyond that I really wanted a company that was doing interesting things in the agile development arena, as I have been very intrigued by the agile philosophy, ever since my previous company implemented it.  Enter Mendix.  We just issued a press release detailing our 2010 accomplishments.  It was really quite a year for us.   We posted our fifth consecutive year of triple digit growth.  The Mendix users really love the speed and flexibility of our Agile Business Platform

We also launched the first Agile App Store, where Mendix users and partners are sharing applications, widgets and themes. Our App Store is being further fueled by our growing community. It is becoming one of the most popular destinations for agile teams.

I’m really looking forward to 2011 with Mendix.  We have many new and exciting plans for the upcoming year, including new products and a greater international expansion.  What makes Mendix cool is that it has developed a very unique technology – one that solves business problems – it improves business agility by streamlining operations, reducing risk and decreasing cost.  Now, back out to shovel the driveway…again.

- Paul Campaniello

As the big day steadily approaches, the most serious holiday shoppers are preparing their lists, checking them twice, and getting ready for the mayhem that ensues the Friday after every Thanksgiving. Consumers in the United States are known for their vigorous shopping habits and cunning ability to seek out deals – but as an international software company, we see the best deals in enterprise software happening every day of the year, in our online marketplace for apps.

The AppStore is a marketplace for applications built on the Mendix platform. Users from around the world, whether they’re implementation partners, graduates from the Mendix OnCampus Program, or just advocates of the unique technology, are continuously adding their work to the AppStore for any number of reasons. During this time of year, when retail shoppers are reaching their peak of insanity, I like to remind enterprise shoppers of all the great ways they too can save on their end-of-year purchases.

Budgets have been held tight all year, as economic unpredictability continues to rattle the global economy and its retail and enterprise shoppers alike. If they haven’t already, those of the enterprise software market are predicted to move towards the cloud in 2011. The best deals in cloud application add-ons can be found in the Mendix AppStore, where a huge community of Mendix users are adding and sharing models, widgets, apps, and themes all year long.

The deals found here are not promotional – just more cost effective than almost anything out there. They represent the Mendix philosophy of increasing business agility with agile tools and methodologies. Fundamental to this philosophy, and to the chagrin of many boxed solution vendors, Mendix allows organizations to build customized software that solves their specific problems, at black Friday prices, all year long.

So if you’re looking for ways to finish off that budget you’ve been protecting, look no further than your own organization. Do you see any operational inefficiencies, overworked IT people, or boxed solutions that need additional functionality? Are you still waiting for an ROI to surface from your 2007 software investments? Maybe you should give Mendix a try, or talk to someone who already has. What better time to think about giving your organization a pinch of agility to start the New Year.