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Zvonimir

When it comes to iOS architectures, we frequently encounter well-known patterns like&nbsp;<a href="https://ahmedaminhassanismail.medium.com/model-view-controller-pattern-in-swift-mvc-for-beginners-35db8d479832">MVC</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://medium.com/@gbrigens/swift-mvp-a-step-by-step-guide-for-clean-code-869ec8eb4b22">MVP</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://medium.com/@abhilash.mathur1891/mvvm-in-ios-swift-aa1448a66fb4">MVVM</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://medium.com/@smalam119/viper-design-pattern-for-ios-application-development-7a9703902af6">VIPER</a>. And if you think that we already have enough architectures to choose from, get ready to learn about another one: the Composable Architecture, or TCA for short.&nbsp;Composable architecture is primarily a theoretical abstraction that can be used in any language or technology. However, in the context of iOS development, the Composable Architecture (TCA) serves as both an architectural pattern and a practical library tailored to streamline its implementation in Swift and SwiftUI.<h2>Composable architecture as a design philosophy</h2>Composable architecture is a design approach that emphasizes breaking down complex systems into smaller, reusable components. It encourages the creation of modular components or building blocks. Each module or component should have a well-defined purpose and a clear interface. Composable architecture as a design approach goes beyond Swift and iOS; it’s a design philosophy that can be applied in various domains to build flexible, maintainable, and scalable software systems.It has been named ‘composable’ because the components themselves are the most important part since they are the building blocks within such an architecture. Well-defined interfaces or protocols are also crucial because they define how components can communicate and interact with each other. They establish a contract for how components should work together.<h2>Composable Architecture library in Swift</h2>So, you like the idea of composable architecture, and you would like to structure your iOS applications with it?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pointfree.co/">Point-Free</a>, a platform renowned for its commitment to iOS development education, provides a library known as 'the Composable Architecture.' Point-Free designed the TCA library specifically to implement composable architecture patterns in iOS applications. It offers structured implementation and encourages the use of conventions and best practices for component organization.&nbsp;Let’s see a simple example that illustrates how TCA library can help us with various challenges when creating a screen.In a traditional SwiftUI application without TCA, you might handle state like this:<pre><code class="language-plaintext">struct TaskList: View {
 @State private var tasks: [Task] = []
 
 var body: some View {
 VStack {
 List {
 ForEach(tasks) { task in
 Text(task.title)
 }
 }
 Button("Add Task") {
 tasks.append(Task(id: UUID(), title: "New Task"))
 }
 }
 }
}</code></pre>In this example, the state is managed directly within the view, and you manually update it when changes occur. While this approach works for simple scenarios, it can become challenging to manage state, handle complex updates, and maintain a clear separation of concerns as your application grows. With TCA, you can tackle these problems more effectively:We are going to create a&nbsp;reducer first.&nbsp;Reducer is a core concept that plays a pivotal role in managing state and handling the state transitions within the application. Reducer contains three required elements:<ul><li>State represents the data that the screen is managing, such as UI state, user data, or any other relevant information.&nbsp;</li><li>Action is a value or enum that represents an intent or change in the application's state. Actions are the primary way of triggering state transitions and represent user interactions or events.&nbsp;</li><li>Reducer function is the heart of TCA. It's a function that takes the current state, an action, and an environment (such as dependencies or services). The reducer function can update the state according to the current state and action and trigger another action, such as an API call or saving data to disk. Such actions are called&nbsp;side effects, and they are denoted with the return statement within the reducer function. Side effects are not mandatory and we can return&nbsp;.none in the reducer function to denote that we don't need side effects.</li></ul>The first step to writing your TCA feature would be to create a new type that will house the domain and behavior of the feature. That type would be annotated with the powerful @Reducer macro that helps us get rid of some boilerplate code.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@Reducer
struct TaskListFeature {
}</code></pre>Here we need to define a type for the feature’s state, which would consist of an array of tasks. With TCA, we typically use IdentifiedArray instead of a plain Array since it solves some problems with asynchronous mutations of the wrong elements and crashes. The IdentifiedArray is included in the&nbsp;<a href="https://github.com/pointfreeco/swift-identified-collections">Swift-Identified-Collections</a> library, which is part of the TCA framework. The state would also be annotated with the @ObservableState macro, allowing us to take advantage of all the observation tools in the library.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@Reducer
struct TaskListFeature {
 @ObservableState
 struct State: Equatable {
var tasks: IdentifiedArrayOf&lt;Task&gt; = []
 }
}</code></pre>We also need to define a type for the feature’s actions. In our example, there would be just one action for adding a new task.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@Reducer
struct TaskListFeature {
 @ObservableState
 struct State: Equatable { ..... }
 enum Action { 
 case addTask
 }
}</code></pre>Then we implement the body property, which is responsible for composing the actual logic and behavior of the feature. We would use the Reduce reducer to describe how our action would mutate the state. Since we currently have just one simple action, it would return&nbsp;.none to represent that we don’t need a side effect.&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@Reducer
struct TaskListFeature {
 @ObservableState
 struct State: Equatable { ..... }
 enum Action { ..... }

 var body: some ReducerOf&lt;Self&gt; { // Looks familiar? Just like SwiftUI body :)
 Reduce { state, action in 
 switch action {
 case addTask: 
 state.tasks.append(Task(id: UUID(), title: "New task"))
 return .none // here we can return .run {} if we need to use some external service or run asynchronous task
 }
 }
 }
}</code></pre>Our TaskListView would require some modifications. Instead of using the @State property within the view, it would hold onto a StoreOf&lt;TaskListFeature&gt; so it can observe all the changes of the state and re-render and send actions in order to change the state.&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-plaintext">struct TaskListView: View {
 let store: StoreOf&lt;TaskListFeature&gt;

 var body: some View {
 VStack {
 List { 
 ForEach(store.tasks) { task in 
 Text(task.title) 
 }
 }
 Button("Add Task") {
 store.send(.addTask)
 }
 }
 }
}</code></pre>The last thing is to display the created view, for example in the app’s entry point. All we need is to specify the initial state that the feature would start in and the reducer that would power the feature.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@main
struct MyApp: App {
 var body: some Scene {
 WindowGroup {
 TaskListView(
 store: Store(initialState: TaskListFeature.State()) {
 TaskListFeature()
 }
 )
 }
 }
}</code></pre>At first glance, this approach has more steps than just using the vanilla SwiftUI, but there are valuable benefits. It gives us a single location to apply state mutations instead of including the logic in UI components or observable objects. We can also test the behavior without doing much additional work.To test this feature, we would use TestStore, which is created with the same parameters as the Store, but it does some extra work under the hood so that we can be certain how the feature behaves as actions are sent.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@MainActor
func testTaskListFeature() async {
 let store = TestStore(initialState: TaskListFeature.State()) {
 TaskListFeature()
 }
}
</code></pre>After we’ve created the test store, we can replicate user behaviors and check that the right change to the state happened. Let’s simulate the user tapping the add task button.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">await store.send(.addTask) {
 $0.tasks = [Task(id: ???, title: "New task")]
}</code></pre>Now we stumbled upon a situation where we have an uncontrolled dependency in our feature, that cannot be predicted and tested. Luckily, we have an easy way out of this situation. All we need to do is introduce the dependency in our reducer. The&nbsp;<a href="https://github.com/pointfreeco/swift-dependencies">Swift-Dependencies</a> library that comes with the TCA framework includes many controllable dependencies out of the box.&nbsp;So, the next step would be to go back to the reducer and make a small change.&nbsp;<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@Reducer
struct TaskListFeature {
 @ObservableState
 struct State: Equatable { ..... }
 enum Action { ..... }

 var body: some ReducerOf&lt;Self&gt; { 
 ......
 case addTask: 
 @Dependency(\.uuid) var uuid // adding the controllable dependency
 state.tasks.append(Task(id: uuid(), title: "New task"))
 return .none
 .....
 }
}
</code></pre>Now that our feature uses a controllable dependency, we can override it with the autoincrementing value in our tests when creating the TestStore.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">@MainActor
func testTaskListFeature() async {
 let store = TestStore(initialState: TaskListFeature.State()) {
 TaskListFeature()
 } withDependencies: {
 $0.uuid = .incrementing 
 }
}</code></pre>Now we can predict exactly what UUID would the added tasks have in tests. UUID would incrementally increase every time it gets called, starting with the value 0.<pre><code class="language-plaintext">await store.send(.addTask) {
 $0.tasks.append(Task(id: UUID(0), title: "New task"))
}

await store.send(.addTask) {
 $0.tasks.append(Task(id: UUID(1), title: "New task"))
}</code></pre><h2>Benefits of the Composable Architecture</h2>As we can see from the example above, TCA offers a great state management system that simplifies tracking and propagating the component state. It also simplifies handling&nbsp;asynchronous operations in side effects, providing a clear, testable method.&nbsp;Speaking of testing, TCA library unlocks the effortless writing of isolated tests as well as integration tests for features composed of many parts! Finally, TCA library provides a lot of tools and utilities for implementing the Composable Architecture in SwiftUI projects, reducing the amount of boilerplate code required.&nbsp;Let’s look at some of the benefits in greater detail.&nbsp;<h3>1. Compiler-enforced architecture</h3>You may wonder why choose TCA over VIPER or other popular architectures. VIPER also relies on a structured approach, defines components and enforces design patterns to separate concerns effectively. However, it lacks the enforcement that TCA brings to the table.&nbsp;TCA not only provides a clear structure for managing state and separation of concerns, but its magic lies in its regulation by the compiler. It uses the power of Swift's typing system to ensure that shortcuts and deviations from best practices are much harder to achieve.&nbsp;The compiler becomes your vigilant guardian, safeguarding your code quality and preventing potential pitfalls that can degrade your code in the long run.<h3>2. Synergy between SwiftUI and the Composable Architecture</h3>Both SwiftUI and TCA share a similar declarative paradigm. In TCA, you describe how the state and its transitions look, and the framework will take care of the rest. SwiftUI and TCA provide great separation of concerns because SwiftUI is in charge of rendering the UI while TCA handles states and their transitions in the application.<h3>3. Easy testing</h3>When it comes to testing, it has never been easier to test your application. Even if you’ve never written a test, TCA guides you to write your features to be testable by default. A few additional steps in building your dependencies will let you mock them easily, resulting in predictable external services.<h2>Challenges when migrating your codebase to TCA</h2>Migrating code to the Composable Architecture (TCA) can be a significant undertaking, but it can also lead to more maintainable and scalable code in the long run. While nominally TCA offers integration with UIKit and SwiftUI, we faced some challenges when we migrated a project to TCA.&nbsp;<h3>1. Steep learning curve</h3>TCA will require some learning and research on your side. You will need an elementary understanding of reducer, state, action, store and side effects. Working with the Async/Await framework in Swift is another requirement. In time, you will learn to access everything using the Store.&nbsp;Point-Free offers very good&nbsp;<a href="https://pointfreeco.github.io/swift-composable-architecture/main/documentation/composablearchitecture/">documentation</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://pointfreeco.github.io/swift-composable-architecture/main/tutorials/meetcomposablearchitecture/">tutorials</a> to help you in this learning phase. Additionally, their&nbsp;<a href="https://github.com/pointfreeco/swift-composable-architecture">GitHub</a> contains many examples and case studies to explore. It’s useful to check out TCA wrappers that integrate well with SwiftUI and examples of their usage. But even with that, you’ll need to dig deeper into documentation to find more specific wrappers.<h3>2. Dependencies adjustments</h3>To manage the dependencies while using TCA, you would probably need to make some adjustments to your current dependencies. That would introduce some boilerplate since you would need to wrap all the dependencies into protocol witnesses and expose them using the DependencyKey protocol (an approach similar to SwiftUI’s EnvironmentKey protocol). However, a lot of commonly used dependencies are already integrated into TCA and are easy to set up and use out of the box.<h3>3. Harder debugging</h3>First, I must admit that TCA has very descriptive error messages, and it’s clear that maximum effort has been given to help debugging. But subtle bugs can still go under the radar and appear during runtime. Additionally, when it comes to more complex reducers used in the larger views, basic error messages may appear in the body line of the view – and these are not descriptive at all. One of the most common errors that I encountered is “The compiler is unable to type-check this expression in reasonable time.” It usually pops up because of a typo or simple syntax error that would be clearly marked when using vanilla SwiftUI.<h3>4. Struggle with autocomplete</h3>When using the current TCA (1.9.0.) and Xcode (1.5.3) versions, there is a high possibility that the autocomplete would not work as expected. Sometimes, it wouldn’t suggest anything at all, and sometimes it would display completely wrong suggestions. For someone who is in the early learning stage, it could introduce a real pain in overcoming the TCA-related syntax.<h2>Conclusion</h2>It is vital to explore new architectural patterns that not only keep up with the demands of modern applications but also offer robust solutions to common challenges. The Composable Architecture (TCA) emerges as a noteworthy contender in this arena. It's more than just an architecture: it's a design philosophy that encourages the decomposition of complex systems into manageable, reusable components.TCA embodies the spirit of Swift, as it leverages the language's strengths to create structured, maintainable, and testable applications. Its declarative style aligns seamlessly with SwiftUI, making it an ideal choice for building simple or complex screens. TCA enhances code organization and testability by providing a clear separation of concerns, empowering developers to create scalable applications.Using TCA in your projects may present a few challenges, from debugging subtleties to the steep learning curve due to its unique concepts. It also calls for a shift in how you manage dependencies in your project.&nbsp;And yet, the benefits far outweigh the initial hurdles. With TCA, you gain a powerful architectural pattern that promotes modularization, enhances code maintainability, simplifies state management, and encourages testing. Plus, the TCA library streamlines the implementation of this architecture, reducing boilerplate and offering a variety of utilities for an efficient development process.&nbsp;In my experience, migrating a production code to the Composable Architecture was a bit challenging at first, but after some time, it became like writing pure vanilla Swift code. The latest versions of TCA removed a lot of boilerplate code, significantly reducing the need to change the original features. From my point of view, the most important thing in the code migration process is to start with small features and follow the exhaustive&nbsp;<a href="https://pointfreeco.github.io/swift-composable-architecture/main/documentation/composablearchitecture/">documentation</a>.As iOS development continues to evolve, Composable Architecture offers a fresh perspective on building applications. If you have any questions or thoughts, don’t hesitate to contact ios@undabot.com or our social media pages. &nbsp;

TCA iOS library: introductions and challenges

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The Composable Architecture iOS library: intro & challenges

Antonia

For many healthcare organizations around the world, continuing digital transformation is the only viable path to safeguarding access to care in the face of cost/revenue and staffing pressures. In this blog, we’re examining custom AI-powered solutions that can bring great returns.<h2>Facing challenges with custom and AI-driven solutions</h2>Out of every 20 appointment slots a US physician might have in their schedule, three would typically remain unused. That’s three patients who wouldn’t get access to the help they need and a vast gap of 15% of unused capacity. This healthcare benchmark clearly shows the hidden costs of scheduling challenges. They undermine the efficiency of healthcare organizations and deepen the problem of <a href="https://www.amga.org/about-amga/amga-newsroom/press-releases/12182023" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">operational costs outpacing revenues</a>. However, the schedule fill rate also shows just how much opportunity there still exists to achieve excellent returns from continued healthcare digitalization, drawing on technological advancements.Patient no-shows, physician availability changes, and staffing shortages all compound the scheduling challenges, undermining healthcare systems' efficiency. The digitalization surge in response to the global pandemic in 2020 eased the pressure somewhat. Still, cost-revenue and staffing concerns remain persistent, and many healthcare organizations will require leaps in productivity. &nbsp;You can achieve such productivity boosts with solutions relying on different AI tools, from scheduling assistants to resource allocation optimization and predictive algorithms. For most healthcare organizations, the optimal solution for such an investment is a custom solution designed specifically to fit their unique mix of workflows, culture, and digital transformation milestones achieved so far.&nbsp;<h2>Patients are ready for more digital transformation</h2>The acceleration of healthcare digitalization during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how technological innovations can significantly benefit patients and healthcare organizations. With current technological capabilities, healthcare systems can keep pace with this trend and adapt their systems and methods of delivering healthcare.It’s not just a matter of improving efficiency for your organization but also of fulfilling patient expectations, especially for the younger demographics, and improving access to healthcare.Recent <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/alternative-sites-of-care.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">survey-based insights by Deloitte</a> show us some key trends in patient behavior:<ul><li>84% of patients who have had a virtual visit would have another virtual visit. Also, younger demographics (Millenials and Generation Z) have a higher increase in the uptake of virtual visits.</li><li>Nearly 2/3 of patients would use virtual visits for preventive care.</li><li>Convenient hours drive 30% of patients to choose virtual visits over in-person visits.</li></ul>Digitalization enables faster access to medical information, optimizes communication between patients and healthcare professionals, and allows personalized care tailored to individual patient needs.&nbsp;In addition to meeting patient needs, digitalization also addresses many pain points faced by the healthcare industry. From optimizing administrative processes and improving diagnostic methods to increasing efficiency in monitoring and managing chronic diseases, digitalization offers a wide range of opportunities to enhance the healthcare system.<h2>Recognizing the barriers&nbsp;</h2>Industry research and market reports show that both patients and healthcare organizations consistently highlight certain pain points. Let's take a closer look at these challenges and explore potential solutions to address them effectively. The pain points listed by patients are:&nbsp;<ul><li>difficulty in getting the required healthcare services,</li><li>challenges of finding an appointment that fits their schedule, and&nbsp;</li><li>tedious scheduling process.&nbsp;</li></ul>Recognizing pain points is fundamental for healthcare providers and patients. Identifying these challenges allows healthcare organizations to strategically allocate resources and efforts toward addressing them effectively, ultimately leading to enhanced quality of care, improved patient satisfaction, and increased operational efficiency.&nbsp;Furthermore, identifying the barriers to efficient healthcare opens the door to innovative solutions and technological advancements tailored to overcome them. By taking advantage of such solutions, healthcare organizations can achieve greater efficiency, streamline processes, and ensure better access to care. In essence, assessing the obstacles and pain points enables your organization to prioritize areas that require the most effort and resources, thus enhancing the quality of care and patient satisfaction.<h2>Custom solutions and AI to the rescue</h2>Staffing shortages and rising costs demonstrate that technological solutions are the only viable path to addressing these challenges. Custom development provides the flexibility to design solutions that cater to the unique needs of healthcare organizations.&nbsp;At the same time, AI promises to unlock insights from vast data sets and enable personalized care with improved outcomes. Embracing continued digital transformation through AI-powered tools is vital. Such initiatives are not merely optional enhancements; they are essential tools for healthcare institutions to remain competitive and effective in meeting healthcare delivery demands.&nbsp;Now, let's explore how custom software development and AI integration can help you solve some of the common pain points.<h3>Quick access to services</h3>AI-powered appointment scheduling systems can optimize appointment availability and streamline the scheduling process based on patient preferences and physician availability. Such systems can prioritize urgent cases, reduce wait times, and offer flexible scheduling options, ultimately improving patient access to timely care.Your data can reveal unexpected patterns that can be used to power up a virtuous circle of improving efficiency and enabling quicker access to the required health services. For example, a UK paper recently confirmed a <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2022/i-September-22/This-study-emerged-to-solve-a-problem-that-costs-millions-and-causes-lots-of-frustration-amongst-NHS-staff" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">“weekday effect”,</a> with most missed appointments on Mondays and the least on Fridays. Such patterns can be used to optimize resource allocation and reduce the rate of missed appointments. That, in turn, lowers operational costs and improves revenues. Financial and operational efficiencies ultimately improve the availability of timely healthcare services.<h3>Scheduling hassles&nbsp;</h3>Addressing the two scheduling pain points - the hassle of the scheduling process itself and difficulty finding an appointment time that fits the patient’s schedule - requires innovative solutions that prioritize patient convenience and engagement.&nbsp;Custom-developed patient portals, integrated with AI-driven scheduling algorithms, empower patients to effortlessly view available slots and book appointments according to their preferences and schedules. Common functionalities include real-time updates, reminders, and rescheduling options, enhancing patient satisfaction and engagement throughout the scheduling process.&nbsp;Additionally, AI-driven virtual assistants or chatbots embedded within healthcare websites or mobile apps streamline the appointment-scheduling process by guiding patients, offering personalized recommendations, and facilitating seamless navigation. These virtual assistants streamline administrative tasks, provide assistance, and ensure a user-friendly scheduling experience, enhancing patient convenience and satisfaction.Such systems can use anonymized patient data and external information, including traffic, weather, employment, and home and work locations, to predict if someone might miss an appointment and proactively offer an alternative one. An organization’s appointment history and its rules and policies can also be factored in.&nbsp;The UK’s NHS has recently announced the expansion of a similar <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/03/nhs-ai-expansion-to-help-tackle-missed-appointments-and-improve-waiting-times/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI-powered system</a>. The regional HNS branch rolling out the solution expects annual savings of £27.5 million, mainly through a 30% decrease in missed appointments.&nbsp;<h3>Staffing shortages impacting service levels</h3>AI-driven workforce management solutions can help healthcare organizations efficiently allocate staffing resources based on patient demand and optimize staffing schedules to minimize gaps in coverage. Predictive analytics can forecast staffing needs, identify potential shortages in advance, and facilitate proactive recruitment strategies to address staffing challenges.The <a href=" https://www.mgma.com/data-report-practice-operations-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shortage of support staff</a> - from front-desk receptionists and call-center staff to admins and invoicing staff - is a top challenge, especially considering the high turnover rates of up to 40%. Patient self-service solutions that reduce their workload by taking over repetitive tasks can make a vital difference.&nbsp;<h3>Lingering pandemic-related confusion</h3>Custom-developed communication platforms powered by AI chatbots can provide real-time updates and clear, concise information to patients and staff, addressing concerns and providing guidance on pandemic-related protocols. These platforms can streamline communication channels, reduce misinformation, and alleviate confusion, ensuring effective crisis management and coordination.<h3>Difficulty in producing accurate patient cost estimates</h3>AI-driven healthcare financial management systems can analyze patient data, insurance coverage, and treatment plans to generate real-time cost estimates. These systems can factor in variables such as deductibles, co-pays, and coverage limitations to provide patients with transparent and comprehensive cost information upfront, improving financial transparency and reducing billing-related disputes.Such solutions are especially important for organizations that struggle to hire billing staff and lower their accounts receivable days KPI.&nbsp;<h2>Unlock the Potential</h2>As the examples above show, custom solutions using AI-powered tools generate multifaceted business benefits acting in synergy to achieve a virtuous circle of enhanced efficiency.&nbsp;By leveraging such digitalization solutions, healthcare organizations can address their pain points, enhance patient access, improve service quality, and optimize operational efficiency in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.The ongoing <a href="https://undabot.com/industries/healthcare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">digitalization</a> of healthcare is not just a trend but a necessity for the healthcare system's future. Waiting for another trigger event to accelerate this inevitable transition would be counterproductive. Digitalization, custom software development, and AI integration hold immense potential to enhance every aspect of the healthcare system. It is imperative to act now and continue striving towards its advancement to ensure sustainability.&nbsp;Recognizing that each organization faces unique challenges and custom solutions tailored to address these specific pain points are essential. By embracing digitalization and investing in innovative technologies, we can revolutionize healthcare delivery and create a more accessible, efficient, and patient-centric system. Undabot team can <a href="https://undabot.com/services/technology-consulting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">consult</a> and work closely with you to <a href="https://undabot.com/services/functional-design/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">design</a> and implement these solutions, ensuring seamless integration into your existing infrastructure and workflows. From project inception, solution design, engineering, and <a href="https://undabot.com/services/AI-services/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI integration</a> to post-implementation support, we're here to guide you every step of the way.&nbsp;Together, we can unlock the full potential of healthcare technology and revolutionize how care is delivered.&nbsp;Take the first step towards transforming your healthcare institution today. <a href="https://undabot.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Contact us</a> for a consultation and learn how we can tailor our solutions to your specific needs.

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Safeguarding healthcare: A guide to custom AI-powered solutions

“I think my experience speaks for itself, don’t waste my time or use my ideas for your projects.” I’ve stumbled upon similar sentences online a lot lately. Usually in LinkedIn articles and posts titled “Top red flags on interviews”, “Toxic employers”, or something along those lines.This kind of attitude can be a red flag for employers. Before getting upset, let me try to explain why.<h2>So, you think you are a senior? Maybe we don’t.</h2>At the moment, IT is still one of the hottest areas to work in. It is not easy to find new employees and demand for designers and developers is high in spite of the recent layoffs.I’ve been working as a designer for over 15 years and conducted a lot of interviews with prospective candidates. I saw plenty of situations where people had described themselves as seniors, but were not actually.Why?Sometimes it's because they had only three years of experience in the same company and were considered a senior. I think there is a lot more to becoming a senior then working for a few years in the same company.By working in the same organization, you’ve had the time to learn all the procedures, processes, and ways of doing things in that particular company. That made you a senior there.A senior is considered as someone who will come to a new job, go through the onboarding process, and start working on projects without requiring any major additional help.However, when you have experience of working in only one company - a startup or a big corporation with strictly defined procedures, for example - it’s uncertain how you’ll adapt in a new one and handle different processes. You might need more help; there might be things you haven’t done before or something that’s completely different.I’m not advocating for changing positions every couple of months, but going through a couple of different jobs helps you learn a lot. Starting work somewhere new becomes easier.Don’t get me wrong, you can definitely be a senior designer if you have worked for a lot of years in the same place. I just want to make it clearer why we would have benefits from giving you an assignment and that there could be some possible challenges from your experience so far.<h2>A simple task for the experienced</h2>For the same reasons, we at Undabot give a simple assignment to our candidates during the hiring process.I must point out that our assignment is really simple. We have a made-up brief with a few things to do. The tasks don’t have to be fully or perfectly done, and they aren’t time-consuming. &nbsp;There’s no gain from this to us, except a chance to hire someone really good.Here’s what we can learn about candidates from the assignment:<ul><li>how the candidates think,&nbsp;</li><li>the way they set up a project,&nbsp;</li><li>how they understand briefs,&nbsp;</li><li>the way they present their solution, and</li><li>how they react when challenged.</li></ul>If you are a senior designer, it shouldn’t take up too much time. The time for the assignment is not limited so the candidate can say when they will send the solution. For mid or junior designers, it can be a bit more challenging, but we don’t expect the same result as we would from senior designers.I’ve actually done the same assignment when I was joining Undabot and it wasn’t time-consuming or complicated.<h2>Still not convinced?</h2>I’ve met different candidates and initially, I was really surprised how some people were completely different from how they presented themselves on paper. &nbsp;Here are a few examples from my experience:&nbsp;<ul><li>Some candidates worked on projects only in teams and the assignment showed more clearly how they think and how they would set up a project.</li><li>A few candidates completely missed the point of the brief and went in the wrong direction.</li><li>Some had problems presenting their work which is a vital part of our job.&nbsp;</li><li>A few have only done UI previously and the assignment showed they were really struggling with UX in spite of them being seniors and stating that they know UX.</li><li>Some candidates became bad-tempered when their ideas were challenged - mind you, they were just asked about the reason behind their UX or UI decision, not criticized or put down for their work.&nbsp; &nbsp;</li></ul><h2>The good, the bad, and the ridiculous</h2>I do agree that there are a lot of reasons not to do job interview assignments. I’ve personally had “the opportunity” to do some ridiculous ones.For example, one brief said, “feel free to use a technology that doesn’t exist yet”. Well, thanks, I’ll go and work for Google if I discover one.Another one had a timeframe of 48 hours and you had to let them know the minute you started and send the solution before the time was up, and it wasn’t a simple assignment! &nbsp;It involved tasks that are usually done in weeks or even months. Feeling stressed already? Oh, and they sent the assignment before the first interview!On the other hand, I’ve had some great experiences. One said they would pay for the assignment I was doing and they really did! Also, I was the one to name the price.Do you have more examples like these or even a more ridiculous one? Please share. This way we can try to eradicate them or just have a good laugh or cry.Below are some of the reasons why assignments get a bad rep:<ul><li>You have to do an assignment before the first interview. For me this is the worst one, you can get rejected before even getting the chance to present yourself or your work or see if the company would be a good fit for you.</li><li>You have to do something that usually takes much longer to do. This causes unnecessary pressure and stress.</li><li>The assignments are time-consuming without guarantee of you landing the job.</li><li>You don’t get enough information about the assignment.</li><li>The company can use your ideas later on or give you an actual problem they have to solve for their product or service.</li></ul><h2>Assignments as an opportunity</h2>In light of all this, my advice would be to do the assignment, but only if you judge it to be worth investing your free time. Try not to be all like, “I’m a senior and I won’t do it”. Such attitude is a red flag and may come across as arrogance. You can offer to showcase some other project or if you have a similar one you’ve done.You can give reasons why you shouldn’t do the assignment, but the sole fact that you are a senior is not enough. I do agree you should refuse if it is really time-consuming, ridiculous, or seems like something they need for an actual project.On the bright side, whether you land the job or not, you can always include the assignment in your portfolio. You can create a complete case study from it or display it on, for example, Behance. Look at it as an exercise or a test of your skills.Also, be honest with yourself. Because if you don’t feel like doing it, then you might not actually be interested in that position. When it came to the companies that I really liked, I had no problem doing the assignment and being a step closer to working there.Sometimes I would also notice things I should improve in my process or areas where I’m not completely comfortable. I would use these insights to improve my skill and knowledge.I strongly disagree that interview assignments are a sign of “a toxic employer” or similar. There are a lot of advantages to giving assignments and they’re a great way to check if someone is a good candidate for the position. What we should all try to improve is the quality and type of the assignment, avoid the inappropriate choices mentioned in this blog post and try to get the most out of it for both sides involved.On the other hand, I really don’t like the psychological testing, which is a norm for a lot of companies. I think they are a complete waste of time, but that is a whole other topic.&nbsp;

Why we still give job interview assignments for UX/UI roles, seniors included

Why we still give job interview assignments for UX/UI roles

Lovro

In the constantly evolving world of software development, implementing new technologies can often lead us down uncharted paths and dead ends. In this blog post, I’ll share my journey of implementing email and password autofill - the missing puzzle piece of Jetpack Compose.<h2>The significance of autofill</h2>It's not just about streamlining the login process; it's about enhancing user experience, maintaining security, and balancing convenience and privacy. This isn't a luxury; in today's fast-paced digital landscape, users should be able to log into their apps with a single tap.The realization that Compose doesn't offer full-fledged support for this indispensable feature prompted me to explore alternatives. Eventually, I discovered a workaround involving the reliable, not-forgotten old legend - EditText.<h2>Incorporating EditText into Jetpack Compose</h2>Now, let's roll up our sleeves, step back into the past, and resurrect the XML layout for our password input field. This code snippet marks the beginning of our coding adventure:<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_d8b9079cfb.png"></figure><h3>Attribute definitions</h3>The layout shown above is the foundation that we'll soon wrap within our Composable, but before we delve into that, let's ensure a crystal-clear understanding of its components. While many of these attributes may seem familiar and self-explanatory, let's dissect a few that are crucial:<ul><li>autofillHints="password" - This attribute is the key to a seamless autofill. By explicitly specifying ‘password’ as the autofill hint, we signal the system that this EditText is intended for password input, ensuring flawless integration with autofill features.</li><li>background="@null" - Setting the background to ‘@null’ is significant, as it will eliminate any default UI. This enables us to customize the UI in Compose fully, and this EditText will just be here to handle input from the user.</li><li>theme="@style/EditTextStyle" - The only way to customize the cursor and selection color in the EditText is by defining a custom style:</li></ul><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_1_6c0e823410.png"></figure><h3>APIs for better DevX</h3>Our next step is creating the Composable function for our password input field. However, let’s take one final detour 😅, and I promise this is the final step in our preparation for the input field Composable.It's crucial to emphasize the importance of designing a developer-friendly API for our Composable. A well-crafted API shields developers from digging into unnecessary implementation details. Even though the old XML View system follows an imperative structure, our Composable wrapper should follow the Jetpack Compose declarative syntax. This ensures a seamless developer experience and hides the XML wizardry under the hood.The names for our Composables hold significant weight. Therefore, I opted for the descriptive and intuitive names PasswordTextField and EmailTextField. The names I picked should resonate well with seasoned Compose developers familiar with BasicTextField. And that’s exactly the API we want to use. To maintain a seamless developer experience, we are adopting a BasicTextField API, utilizing parameters like value and onValueChange.Of course, we should never forget the Modifier parameter, which should be included in nearly all Composables. This ensures developers can make the necessary adjustments effortlessly.&nbsp;<h3>Usage of the Composable wrapper</h3>Taking all these considerations into account, the usage of our Composables will look something like this:<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_2_5f8b262e5b.png"></figure> Of course, in the example above, we store the current state of fields within the Composable. However, it's always recommended to implement more advanced state management techniques, such as storing it in a StateFlow in a ViewModel.<h3>Initial implementation</h3>Now, finally, let's unveil the implementation of the PasswordInputField. Initially, we will focus on the bare-bones implementation, where we inflate the previously presented XML and add a rounded border around the input field.Keep in mind that in this blog post, I’m presenting only the snippets of code related to passwords. However, once you implement the password, simply apply the same logic to the email code.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_3_7fcfcc1524.png"></figure><h2>Tailoring input fields with Compose</h2>Now, let’s go on to enhance our PasswordInputField. First, let’s add placeholder text to guide users in entering their password.As mentioned earlier, and just like we did with the rounded corners above, all UI logic that’s not related to user input will be implemented using Compose. This would be the Text Composable for placeholder text when the value is blank:<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_4_7d9597e0d6.png"></figure><h3>Adding a toggle</h3>If we execute this code now, users could input their password. However, a password field often includes a toggle button for switching between hidden and visible password states. So, let’s incorporate the toggle functionality.Although the toggle button itself will be implemented in Compose, we must also synchronize the password text with the underlying EditText View. Fortunately, AndroidView offers a perfect solution. The update lambda we can pass to the AndroidView gets invoked each time the PasswordInputField is recomposed, as opposed to the factory lambda which is invoked only on the first composition. Thus, the update lambda is the ideal spot for handling this task.There is also a nifty little workaround in the solution – since the input field cursor resets whenever a transformation method is applied to hide or reveal the password, a manual restoration of the cursor is necessary.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_5_22167f8f06.png"></figure><h3>Adjusting for Autofill API&nbsp;</h3>We’re nearly done, but we still need to address a minor issue. The issue lies in the fact that the Autofill API was originally designed for the old View system and isn't specifically intended for Compose.The prompt for saving the credentials will be triggered after the current activity is finished. Of course, there are legacy reasons for that - when the Autofill API was designed, it was expected that each screen would be a separate Activity. Therefore, a login Activity would always finish, and a new activity would be started after a successful login. Fortunately, the API that triggers the saving of credentials is exposed, enabling us to forcefully initiate the storage of current inputs. This allows us to adapt to Compose's single-activity architecture.Another related issue occurs when a user manually closes the application while there’s some input in the email and password input fields. You can already guess what is going to happen; and the answer is yes, the app will close, and the prompt for saving the credentials will appear 😁. To avoid this inconvenience and ensure a smoother user experience, we address this problem by clearing the input fields when the app is closed:<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_6_799cf2f08c.png"></figure> Then, we manually trigger the storing of credentials after a successful login. As mentioned above, this is the API exposed that allows us to trigger the storing of current inputs:<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_7_879840cb82.png"></figure><h2>And we’re done! Ta-da!</h2>And that wraps it up! We’ve successfully navigated through the essential steps to implement email and password autofill with Jetpack Compose. (Well, at least for the password input field.)The complete demo project, which also includes the email logic and the entire implementation, is available on the <a href="https://github.com/undabot/blog-android-compose-autofill" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Github</a>.This is the final result 🎉<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_final_90e48d828f.gif"></figure></td><td><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Jetpack_Compose_login_autofill_final2_8458b6c090.gif"></figure></td></tr></tbody></table></figure> Thank you for your time and attention, and I hope that this blog proves to be a useful time-saver for you, my fellow developers. Happy coding!&nbsp;

The missing piece: Jetpack Compose workaround for login autofill

The missing piece: Jetpack Compose workaround for login autofill.png

Undabot

In 2023, we’ve won six awards for our work on three great projects. Two of these projects were redesigns of popular news sites - <a href="https://undabot.com/case-studies/showbuzz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Showbuzz.hr, a lifestyle news hub</a>, and <a href="https://undabot.com/case-studies/dnevnik-hr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNEVNIK.hr, one of the top local multimedia platforms and news sites</a>. The third one was a very special project - the redesign of our website <a href="https://undabot.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">undabot.com</a>. &nbsp;At the heart of it all are four brilliant designers. They’ll step into the spotlight here to tackle some of the most common questions on design and unveil the magic behind our design philosophy.&nbsp;<h2>Let us introduce the design team first</h2>Ana has nearly 20 years of experience in the field, ranging from web designer to UX/UI designer positions, with some digital designer titles in between. She enjoys working on long-term projects. Besides designing, she loves to travel, try out different sports, and listen to music.Jelena has been working in design since 2006, and her greatest passion is designing complex systems. In her free time, she loves hiking and exploring the mysterious world of Slavic mythology through her paintings.<figure class="image"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Design_Team_at_Undabot_abbe6a4f8b.jpg"></figure>Marija has been a UX/UI designer for two and a half years. She says she has always dreamt of working without being bored. “Luckily, I have a job where I can apply my creativity and continuously acquire new skills and knowledge.” In her free time, she loves taking photographs, drawing illustrations in Procreate, listening to music, and learning new languages.Iva has started her UX/UI designer journey in 2021. She’s passionate about human psychology and understanding users' needs so she can create easy-to-use designs. When not designing, she loves spending time outdoors with friends and her dog, kayaking, and reading.&nbsp;<h2>The process</h2><h3>What are the types of projects you work on at Undabot?</h3>Jelena: At Undabot, we work on end-to-end projects and complex systems. I personally have worked on various projects, from e-commerce and customer care mobile apps to media and news sites.Ana: Projects that last from a few months to a year or even longer are my favorite. They are usually from different fields, which makes them interesting, always providing an opportunity to learn something new. At one point, you are talking with farmers from the Netherlands and at another with telecom support specialists from Germany.<h3>Is your process structured differently when you start work on a new product or an existing one?</h3>Jelena: It depends on the project and requirements. The main difference is that if there is an existing product, a good approach is to rely on metrics and user testing, which give us the best information about any possible flaws of the system. If we start designing a new product, we won’t have this data, but other types of research are still needed. In both cases, we organize workshops with the client, which is very important.<h3>How does the design process look like in Undabot?</h3>Jelena: From the clients’ perspective, our work usually starts with the client workshop, and we continue with information architecture, wireframes, moodboards, UI and finally, developer handoff and implementation overview. If user testing is required, it’s also a part of our process. It all depends on the project. From Undabot's perspective, we get involved before the project even starts.Ana: We are always included from the beginning, usually from the pre-sales phase. That way, we can understand the client’s needs better and offer services accordingly. &nbsp;Once the project starts, we kick off with a client workshop, which can be done together with the BA team or separately, depending on the project.<h2>Challenges and KPIs</h2><h3>Which tools do you use and why those?</h3>Jelena: We do our design in Figma since it is very easy to collaborate with other teams and communicate with the client. Also, it has all the functionalities we need.Marija: Jelena mentioned we use Figma for UX/UI design, but for some assignments, I personally also use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects.Iva: Besides the design tools, Teams and Slack are our primary tools for real-time communication with our team and clients, enabling us to share project updates and discuss design iterations.<h3>What are the most common mistakes you’ve noticed that can happen while working on a project?</h3>Jelena: There may be consistency issues, and sometimes there’s a need to be more systematic. Not designing all the needed states is another common misstep. These problems are most common from my experience.Ana: Sometimes, there’s also miscommunication between the team and the client.Marija: It’s a challenge to get the conversation back on track by giving suggestions and showing a path forward when noticing that clients want to go in two directions at once.Iva: Neglecting usability testing can sometimes result in design flaws and issues remaining hidden until the advanced stages of the project. Doing usability testing helps us target which parts of the design are confusing to people and come up with a better solution.<h3>How do you validate the success of a project?</h3>Design Team: If we get the chance, we test applications with users or try to get the client to gather feedback from their users. Client satisfaction is also an important factor, as are the metrics if the client provides them.<h2>Feedback time</h2><h3>How do you present your work to the client?</h3>Jelena: Depends on the phase of the project and the project itself. We prefer presenting our design solutions to clients in the form of a meeting, but if we are nearing the end of the project or implementing changes from the client feedback, Figma comments are a more practical way.<h3>What happens if the client is not happy with the design?</h3>Ana: We communicate extensively with clients to understand their ideas and that’s why we rarely have a situation where a client is unsatisfied. If this happens anyway, we discuss the reasons and find a new direction together.Jelena: Clients have the opportunity to provide feedback on our design work. If the client isn’t satisfied with the design solution, as Ana mentioned, we discuss reasons and offer another solution that might perhaps be more suitable. Timing and appropriate communication are the most important here.Marija: It’s also good to go through the brief again to ensure we are on the same page. Initially, it is hard not to take things personally, but the best thing to do is take a step back and look at your work from a different angle.Iva: It’s important to listen carefully to clients’ concerts and preferences, discuss our design decisions according to the brief and business goals we agreed on, and devise solutions more closely aligned with their expectations.<h3>How do you gather feedback from clients?</h3>Jelena: Usually, it’s at a meeting or through comments in Figma.<h3>What kind of music do you listen to while designing, or prefer silence?</h3>Marija: It depends on what I'm working on and my overall mood. It's usually ambient chill-out or classical music if I'm stressed. Other times, I usually listen to rock or alternative R&amp;B.Iva: It depends on the task I’m working on. Music usually distracts me, so I work in silence. But when I listen to music, I choose downtempo playlists.<h2>To wrap it up - what are the 3 most important things designers should focus on to create an optimal website?</h2>Ana:&nbsp; 1. Focus on client’s challenges and possible solutions. 2. Understand users and their perspective. 3. Strive for open and timely communication with the client and the team.Jelena:&nbsp; 1. To understand the problem being solved, look at it from various angles. 2. Do the research and have all the information you need before the start. 3. Focus on timely communication with the stakeholders and the team.Marija: 1. Make sure the website accommodates the needs of the user. 2. Achieve simplicity through visual language, such as limiting the number of colors and fonts, arranging elements in order of importance, etc. 3. Optimize websites for all users and devices.Iva: 1. Understand the project purpose, target audience, and goals. 2. Raising the assumptions and clarifying them. 3. Find the best solutions for users’ needs and problems in collaboration with other team members on a project.<hr><a href="https://undabot.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Explore our portfolio</a>, and don't hesitate to <a href="https://undabot.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contact us</a> with any questions or ideas you may have! &nbsp;

How to design award-winning web apps.png

How to design award-winning web apps

Valentina

Ever since it was founded ten years ago, Undabot has had an unwritten set of fundamental beliefs that helped our team connect and work toward a common business goal - these were the values we have been living by.In 2023, we celebrated the ten-year founding anniversary, and we embarked on a journey of refining our company values. In this blog, we will walk you through our process of refining Undabot values, provide advice on how to do it effectively, and more importantly - why do it.<h2>First up, what are organizational values?</h2>Organizational values are not just a set of buzzwords or a marketing gimmick. They have a profound impact on an organization's success and serve as the moral compass and guiding principles that shape an organization's culture, steer decision making, and influence the behavior of its employees.If authentic, embedded and shared properly, organizational values are the heartbeat of a company, defining its identity and setting the tone for its interactions with employees, clients, and wider audience.While many companies fret that their core values might become nothing more than superficial slogans adorning office walls, we encountered no such predicament.&nbsp; Recognizing the importance of preserving the authenticity of our unwritten values, we embarked on a thoughtful journey to document, clarify, and articulate them.&nbsp;This process wasn't an isolated endeavor; our employees, being integral to our identity, were actively involved every step of the way. Their genuine connection to these values ensured that, far from being mere slogans, they resonate deeply within our organization, shaping our daily practices and fostering a meaningful workplace culture.&nbsp;We live our values in everyday work. To begin with, they’re the principles all our teams follow. Values are also integral to the selection process as guidelines for what it means to choose candidates that are a cultural fit. And they inspire the benefits that we introduced over the years to support our team in their desired path of growth.<h2>Road to refining Undabot values</h2><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Defining_company_values_e8bf2d1313.png"><h3>Step 1. Decide on the approach</h3>At the heart of our journey to refine organizational values lay a fundamental question: who should take the helm in steering this expedition? Typically, there are two overarching approaches to consider:<ul><li>The top-down approach: Founders and leadership take charge in identifying and defining core values.</li><li>The bottom-up approach: We harness the collective wisdom and experience of our employees, allowing them to shape company values. &nbsp;</li></ul>In Undabot people are the be-all and end-all of what we do, so we chose the bottom-up path and put the power in the hands of our people who have been quietly embodying the unspoken values.<h3>Step 2: Gather employee insights</h3>Foremost, it is important to establish basic definitions to ensure that people know what we’re talking about and what we're trying to accomplish. Therefore, we prepared a questionnaire in which we explained what company values are and asked our employees to indicate which values from the list are characteristic of Undabot.&nbsp;<img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/company_values_Undabot_Tech_4e8c69773f.png"> Next, we asked them to write down five values that they find most important, elaborate on the significance of these values in their own words, and detail how these values manifest in Undabot. For example, how they or others express that value or ways they might act or express that value in the future.In total 41 employees representing various teams, including Backend, Frontend, Android, iOS, Design, PM, QA, Sales, Technology, and Finance, participated in the questionnaire<h3>Step 3. Identify common themes</h3>The responses in the questionnaire underwent a comprehensive analysis, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative assessments. A close look at values that employees found most important - those that make Undabot unique and motivate our employees to stay - brought to light the values that had quietly been shaping our company culture: People First, Teamwork, Transparency, Work-life Balance, Quality and Continuous Improvement.<figure class="image"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/redefining_Undabot_values_798b11b55c.png"></figure><h3>Step 4. Understand your values</h3>To gain a deeper understanding of the questionnaire results and what truly distinguishes Undabot, we facilitated a workshop involving employees from different departments, backgrounds, and seniority. During this workshop, participants were encouraged to openly exchange their thoughts regarding the values highlighted in the questionnaire findings.In the workshop, we explored the following topics:<ul><li>Meaning - What does this value mean to you?&nbsp; We looked into what each value means at both the conceptual and personal level. This was an important first step to making sure we were on the same page.&nbsp;</li><li>Relevance - Why is this value important to Undabot? Articulating the relevance can be the "ah-ha" moment for people when they understand why values exist. In our case, communication and willingness to help one another are highly relevant for us as a company working on custom solutions in agile teams.</li><li>Mutuality - What is required from others to keep this value alive? When you look at a value it should tell you two things - what can you expect from the company and what the company expects from you. Individuals may act in a way that is aligned with their values, but if they don’t receive the right support from those around them, they will never stick. For example, we don't believe in burning the midnight oil and losing sight of life outside of work. Therefore, our work-life balance policy respects your free time through careful project planning and no notifications and emails after hours.</li></ul>All innovative ideas that arose during the workshop were documented, enabling us to breathe life into our values by contextualizing them within the unique reality in which we operate.<h3>Step 5. Craft the ‘commandments’</h3>Once we’ve identified core values and prioritized them, it was time to turn them into something meaningful. We meticulously crafted succinct definitions for each value listed on our website: <a href="https://undabot.com/careers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Careers Undabot</a>If you decide to work on uncovering your company's values, make sure you create clear, concise definitions for each value, and use language that is easily understood and relatable. We believe we have been successful in that endeavor - but we’ll let you be the judge of that.<h3>Step 6. Go for the grand unveiling</h3>From internal announcement channels to our company webpage, we've left no stone unturned in our quest to ensure that every employee not only comprehends our values but also recognises their importance.&nbsp;The announcement was shared through our internal communication platform - Slack, fostering immediate dialogue and feedback within our team. Simultaneously, our intranet served as a central hub for detailed insights, providing employees with a comprehensive overview of our values.&nbsp;Complementing these internal platforms, our newly redesigned web page had prominently featured our values, extending our commitment to transparency beyond our internal circles and inviting external stakeholders to join us in advocating these guiding principles.To broaden our communication beyond written exchanges, particularly in our remote work environment, we organized team-building activities, outdoor events, and volunteer initiatives that embody and strengthen our company values but also promote camaraderie.<h3>Step 7. Bring your values to life</h3>Now, how do we turn these values into more than mere words? <img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/how_to_do_comapny_values_ecfa9c25be.png">We integrated our values in everyday work processes, such as performance evaluations, education, seniority frameworks, benefits and all other important steps in the employee life cycle. This ensures that the values become an integral part of daily operations.&nbsp;For example, since Improvement is one of our values, during 2023 alone we invested over 6200 hours in training and development of our employees, more than ever before.<h2>Put company values in writing</h2> At the end of this journey, one may ask oneself - why did you bother to go through all this trouble to refine and write your organizational values if they worked so far?Defining Undabot values in writing was not just a symbolic act or an opportunity for the HR Team to say - Hey, here’s a questionnaire! We had a strategic goal.Although Undabot has had an unwritten set of values that guided daily operations since day one, we had grown significantly over the years so we wanted to make sure that we were on the same page with regards to understanding our core principles.&nbsp;By transparently communicating what is important to us as a company, we ensure that all team members and everyone joining Undabot share a common understanding of our values which in turn, enhances teamwork, cultivates a positive work environment, and ultimately contributes to our collective success.&nbsp;Clearly defined organizational values that are written down serve as a tangible reminder of what Undabot stands for and what we strive to achieve. By articulating and sharing these values, we created a foundation upon which Undabot can thrive and grow while staying true to its core principles.After all, it's not just about defining values; it's about living them, day in and day out. And that's exactly what we intend to do! &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Values come from within: Refining Undabot values in seven steps.png

Values come from within: Refining Undabot values in seven steps

We’re thrilled to announce that Clutch, the leading global marketplace of B2B service providers, has ranked Undabot among the top 10% of Clutch Global Winners in 2023. Our heartfelt thanks goes to our customers, whose reviews helped position us among Clutch’s elite.&nbsp;Undabot has won two awards - 2023 Fall Clutch Global and Champions Award. These awards are a testament to our dedicated work and reflection of the positive feedback from our clients, with 29 reviews and an impressive average referral rating of 4.9/5 on Clutch.Award winners are selected based on their industry expertise and the ability to deliver, as well as scores calculated based on the client feedback from thousands of reviews published on Clutch. The Global Award designation for the top B2B companies has been granted by Clutch for the sixth consecutive year.<blockquote>“We're proud to be recognized as a custom software development leader on a global scale,” said <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrvojekapetanovic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hrvoje Kapetanović</a>, Undabot CEO. “Our focus is always on delivering high-quality digital products that fuel our clients' growth. Being selected amongst the top 10%, is a true testimonial of our dedication to excellence.”</blockquote><figure class="image"><img src="https://undabot-web.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Working_on_digital_products_in_Undabot_e6006dc3e1.jpg"></figure><blockquote>“We are thrilled to showcase the incredible success of leading companies worldwide on our platform,” said Sonny Ganguly, Clutch CEO. “Their dedication to delivering outstanding services has not only contributed to their own success but has also empowered countless clients to thrive. We aim to highlight this year's industry frontrunners and facilitate connections for Clutch users seeking topnotch services tailored to their specific needs.”</blockquote>Explore our recent work and customer reviews on <a href="https://clutch.co/profile/undabot?sort_by=date_desc#reviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Undabot Clutch profile</a>. &nbsp;

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Values come from within: Refining Undabot values in seven steps

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The Composable Architecture iOS library: intro & challenges

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The missing piece: Jetpack Compose workaround for login autofill

How to design award-winning web apps

Values come from within: Refining Undabot values in seven steps

Undabot ranks among Clutch's elite as one of the global top 10%

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