EVANGELISTS OF PROGRESSIVE WEB APPS
Allowing time for innovation yields client apps that inspire
When companies such as Netflix, Apple, Nasdaq, Zipcar, and Fidelity Investments need brilliant digital ideas, they turn to a trusted partner: DockYard. The digital product agency offers cutting-edge software, mobile, and web application design and development. In particular, the agency excels at creating Progressive Web Applications, or PWAs. Considered by many tech analysts to be the future of mobile apps and websites, PWAs are websites that look and feel like apps downloaded from an app store. PWAs streamline development to save companies money, are discoverable in online search, work with all modern browsers, and are fast to load.
OPEN SOURCE PIONEERS
Part of DockYard’s expertise in designing and developing PWAs comes out of its commitment to open source technologies, including the programming language Elixir. The consulting firm is the world leader in this increasingly popular language, which was designed to overcome many drawbacks of older programming languages. The modern language offers incredible speed, scalability, and ability to handle tens of millions of users simultaneously.
“Great digital products are born out of the marriage of user-centered design and bestpractice engineering,” says DockYard Founder Brian Cardarella. “Progressive Web Apps and Elixir are enabling rapid digital transformation for enterprises and startups ready to leverage the full power of the web.”
DESIGN SUPERSTARS
Insights-driven design is one of DockYard’s core competencies. Great design isn’t just a “nice to have”—it is a competitive advantage. In fact, McKinsey & Co.’s “Business Value of Design” study found that companies with high design scores increased revenue 32 percentage points versus their industry counterparts.
DockYard’s digital design prowess is one reason CollegeVine hired the firm to help re-think its platform. DockYard consultants conducted in-depth research, gathered insights from CollegeVine customers and competitors, and managed user testing in order to improve and optimize the service. “The result is an app that exceeds both business and user needs and that functions flawlessly at scale,” Cardarella says.
MAKING TIME FOR INNOVATION
Leading the industry in designing and developing advanced software and web technologies requires innovation. To foster creativity, the company builds “free-think” time into each work week. Fridays are “DockYard Days,” where client work is off the table. “Employees focus on learning and contributing to—if not leading—open source technology,” Cardarella says.
DockYard’s workforce is entirely remote, which helps minimize workplace stress and keeps employees happy. It’s also a huge recruiting advantage; the most brilliant talent can be hired from any location. With professional staff in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and many other tech hubs, DockYard has the country covered without having to rent expensive offices, and clients love that there are consultants always nearby.
“For so many companies, tackling a new digital initiative can be fraught with complexity and risk. We’ve designed DockYard to minimize that risk, through the structure of our teams and the technologies we’ve adopted,” Cardarella says. Well-designed software, mobile, or web apps can ultimately lift customer satisfaction and retention, not to mention enhance communication, increase operational efficiency, and advance other types of digital transformation.