Frogslayer

The past few weeks, I’ve been sharing more about Frogslayer’s VDP (Validation, Design, and Planning) process. If you’re new here, the VDP is our approach to minimizing time to value and de-risking software projects. While we guide your businesses through the VDP, a team’s preparation and participation can make or break its success. Let’s walk through 4 strategies to help you maximize the value of your VDP engagement. 1️⃣ Assemble your perfect team of stakeholders Mix it up: business sponsors, product owners, SMEs, tech gurus Keep it lean: nominate point persons for larger groups 2️⃣ Information overload? Bring it on! Share ALL the docs ahead of time: market info, user data, failed attempts, prototypes, initial designs We've never had too much info (seriously, challenge accepted.) 3️⃣ Workshop Intentionally In-person > virtual (Texas hospitality, anyone? 🤠) All hands on deck, all the time Ditch the devices (emergencies aside, of course) 4️⃣ Stay engaged throughout the process Be it in regular design meetings, technical deep dives, or user research support - your participation and collaboration are needed throughout the entirety of the VDP. Remember, a successful VDP is all about collaboration, open communication, and enthusiasm. Have you been through a similar process? What worked for you? Share your experiences below!

Let’s address the elephant in the room: software development is expensive, and offshore and nearshore development options often promise significant cost reductions compared to their onshore counterparts. But as many businesses have learned the hard way, cheaper isn't always better. In fact, it can end up costing much more in the long run. Unfortunately, we’ve seen it time and again: Companies a year or so into their offshore project, frustrated and out of pocket. They've learned the hard way that there's more to the equation than hourly rates. Let's talk about some of the hidden costs of offshore development: ✖ Absence of Innovation: Offshore teams often act as order-takers, not business partners. They might build what you ask for, but they won't challenge your ideas or spot new opportunities. ✖ Endless Onboarding: With high turnover rates (often 20%+ quarterly), you're constantly training new developers. It's like trying to fill a leaky bucket. ✖ Goal Misalignment: Offshore development firms are often just trying to get a team as large as possible staffed for as long as possible, to the detriment of the customer's needs and goals. ✖ Miscommunication: Time zones and language barriers aren't just inconveniences but productivity killers. Miscommunication leads to misaligned deliverables and missed opportunities. ✖ Rework: When wires get crossed, products miss the mark. Studies show rework can eat up to 70% of your project budget. Ouch. The result? Delayed launches, subpar products, and market opportunities slip through your fingers. By choosing a results-driven, onshore development partner, you're not just avoiding these hidden costs – you're investing in a collaborative relationship that understands your business, drives innovation, and delivers lasting value. 97% of our projects meet the success metrics defined within the engagement. By partnering with a team like Frogslayer, you're not just getting busybodies—you're investing in a product that will truly drive your business forward. Here, we guarantee a Return on Innovation.™ If we ever fail to deliver or meet any agreed-upon expectations, then we commit our own resources to make it right. In software development, as in many aspects of business, you often get what you pay for. What might seem like a cost-saving measure initially can become far more expensive over time due to these hidden costs. We encourage businesses to choose wisely and prioritize partners who offer not just code but insight, strategy, and a genuine commitment to their success. When considering your next software project, look beyond the surface-level costs. Evaluate potential partners based on their ability to understand your business, innovate alongside you, and deliver lasting value. The right partnership can turn your vision into reality - without hidden costs or unplanned surprises. #SoftwareDevelopment #Innovation #OffshoreDevelopment #OnshoreDevelopment

Is your software genuinely driving your business forward, or is it just…there? We sometimes tend to focus on the end product, but asking the right questions can make all the difference. Your software development team needs to have a clear understanding of your business and its vision moving forward. Mindless development leads to minimal results. If results are what truly move the needle for your business, your development team's approach can make all the difference. Here are 5 questions that can help you separate order-takers from true development partners: 1️⃣ How does this solution directly contribute to our key business objectives? - Don't settle for tech that just exists. Demand solutions that propel your business. 2️⃣ Can you explain how this will scale as we grow? - Because your software should fuel your growth, not limit it. 3️⃣ What metrics will we use to measure success? - If they can't define success in your terms, they're not speaking your language…red flag. 4️⃣ How will this integrate with our existing systems and workflows? - Great software doesn't exist in a vacuum – it enhances your entire ecosystem. 5️⃣ What risks do you foresee, and how are we mitigating them? - Proactive problem-solving is the hallmark of a true development partner. Asking these questions does more than gauge your team's technical know-how…it reveals whether or not your development team understands your business and is committed to your success, which makes all the difference. Remember, you're not just building software—you're building your business's future. Make sure your development team is on the same page.

Last week, I broke down the Validation phase of our VDP process. Today, let's dive into the next phase in our VDP engagement: Design. In the Design phase, we determine which problems to target and how to solve them while ensuring a great user experience and sound technical foundation while supporting business goals. Here's what happens during the Design phase: UX & UI Design We dive into ideation and solution sketching, mapping user journeys and flows. This includes feature mapping, wireframes, solution testing, and creating conceptual mockups and prototypes. Product Requirements Definition We develop the information architecture and analyze requirements for application usage. This stage involves setting subject matter standards and further product prioritization. Solution Design Our team works on architectural design iterations, functional & non-functional requirements, data modeling, and technology framework decisions. We also identify risks and plan for integration. By thoroughly designing your product, we ensure we're creating a solution that's not just functional, but user-friendly and technically sound. The final step in the VDP process is Planning, which we'll cover in a future post. For now, I'm curious – what challenges have you faced in the design of your software products?

This past week, I gave a brief intro to the ‘secret sauce’ behind Frogslayer’s 97% success rate: the VDP. Let’s dive into some specifics about the first step in our VDP process: Validation. Validation is all about confirming the need for your product and how it supports your business goals. Here's what happens during the Validation phase: 1️⃣ Kickoff Workshop We start with a deep dive into your project's background, identifying problems, needs, and risks. We'll craft a business model canvas, product strategy, and even initial user personas. 2️⃣ Research & Discovery Our team conducts stakeholder interviews, user surveys, and field studies. We refine personas, map out user journeys, and develop contextual scenarios. 3️⃣ Product Hypothesis & Validation We prioritize and test user needs, plan the business model, and validate the initial product strategy. By thoroughly validating your idea, we make sure we’re building the right product for the right audience. The next step in the VDP phase is Design, which we’ll dive into in a future post! For now, what’s been your experience in doing this ‘prep work’ to validate your product ideas?

Something I’m rather proud of is Frogslayer’s ability to maintain a 97% success rate in an industry where 69% of projects fall on their face. Let’s spill the beans on the secret behind our success: the VDP engagement. VDP stands for Validation, Design, and Planning. It's our approach to de-risking software projects before a single line of code is written. Think of it as creating blueprints for your dream home before pouring the foundation. Here's what a VDP engagement looks like: 1️⃣ Validation This phase is all about confirming your product's need and how it supports your business goals. We dive deep into understanding users' actual needs and how to meet them effectively. Validation includes: - Kickoff workshop - User research - Competitive landscape analysis - Prioritizing needs and features 2️⃣ Design In the design phase, we determine which problems to target and how to solve them while ensuring a great user experience and sound technical foundation. This goes beyond just wireframes and mockups. Here, we create: - Product requirements - Solution design - Wireframes and mockups - Technical blueprints 3️⃣ Planning During planning, we build a roadmap to deliver the product we've validated and designed together. We determine costs, timelines, and plan for potential risks. This phase includes: - Detailed product roadmap - Risk assessment - Development costs breakdown - Timeline estimation The outcome? A comprehensive blueprint for your project, including a clickable product prototype, detailed software design, high-level product backlog, and a business model overview, just to name a few. More importantly, confidence that you’re building the right product to fuel your business's future. In the next couple of weeks, we’ll be diving a little deeper into what goes into these phases. I hope you’ll follow along! How have you found success in product planning? Share your thoughts below!

Context matters. Imagine losing a potential customer because your app confused them with irrelevant information. In the world of digital products, context isn't just king—it's the difference between success and failure. Have you ever tried to use a website or mobile app to get something done, and it kept distracting you with information that wasn’t related to what you were trying to do? Do you find yourself asking “why is it showing me that?”, or “what is that there?”, or “that doesn’t make sense. I just want to do this simple thing!” I’m not talking about ads (although those are definitely a distraction), or intrusive onboarding walk-throughs (those can be distracting), or unexpected in-app notifications. I’m talking about elements on the screen that aren’t related to the task that you had in mind when you dropped into the app. Things like: • Buttons for workflows that you would never need in this app • Background information that isn’t related to your task • Content with vague or unclear connections to your task As you use an app, you build up a mental model of the way you think the app works. And distracting, wrong, or irrelevant info makes its way into that mental model, it makes it more complex. Or you have to spend time evaluating and discarding that info. This mental effort distracts you from just getting whatever it was done that you were originally trying to do. The wrong context can be distracting, or even harmful to the mental model that you’re building up as you use the app. Context matters. And it directly impacts your bottom line. When developing a new product, prioritize partners who understand the importance of contextual relevance. Look for designers who can create user experiences that respect your customers' goals and mental models. By doing so, you'll not only reduce user frustration but also increase engagement, conversion rates, and ultimately, customer loyalty. In the competitive digital landscape, the right context could be your winning edge. #innovation #techadoption #UserExperience #DigitalTransformation

Feeling uneasy about your current software ‘situation’? It’s unfortunately more common than you might think - and the reason might surprise you. While software development is technical by nature, business leaders don't need to understand every line of code to recognize when something feels 'off.' Your software team should deliver a reliable, functional product that meets your business needs. If they’re falling short, odds are you don’t have a software problem on your hands; you have a team problem. Is your current software team failing you? Here are 5 Red Flags that indicate they might be. 🚩 1. You’re constantly finding bugs  2. Deadlines are repeatedly missed 3. You’ve missed opportunities due to software limitations  4. Communication problems persist 5. The partner lacks an understanding of your business When businesses mistake team issues for software issues, these challenges can persist for months or even years, causing ongoing frustration and lost opportunities. At the end of the day, software should enable growth for your business, not hinder it. If you're experiencing any of these red flags, consider having a third-party development firm take a look. They can help you understand what's going on 'under the hood' of your software project and how to get it back on track. #SoftwareDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #TechSolutions

Legal tech startup funding is slowing down: According to Crunchbase data, “legal tech startups have raised only $356 million, compared to the $871 million VC-backed startups raised last year in the sector.” So... what’s changed? There could be several causes at play: concern over legal tech regulation (ABA Rule 5.4), a shifting of interest to GenAI solutions, or a general slowing of tech funding. But there may be a more fundamental driver: New tech solutions that have promised to revolutionize the practice of law but are falling short of expectations. And why does that happen? Two reasons: misalignment of decision makers and users, and misalignment of the value of the products to users in the first place. On the first reason: Often, those choosing legal tech aren’t the ones using it daily. This disconnect leads to selecting tools that might look good on paper or in short-lived focus groups, but hinder productivity and efficiency in practice. There’s a fine line between transformative legal tech solutions and software that gets in the way. Here’s how you can turn it around: 1. Engage end-users in the selection process Involve lawyers, IT professionals, paralegals, legal ops, and other key stakeholders right from the start. Their insights ensure the chosen technology or new product addresses real world challenges and integrates smoothly into daily operations. 2. Validate with real feedback Before committing, have end-users test potential solutions. Direct feedback can guide more informed decisions, ensuring the tool fits seamlessly into existing workflows. 3. Align technology choices with strategic goals Demonstrate to leadership how the chosen tech supports broader business objectives. A clear alignment with strategic goals helps secure necessary backing and resources. 4. Pilot prior to implementation Run pilot programs within smaller segments or practice groups to iron out any issues and gather champions and successful case studies for the tech. The tools must show real value on actual work, for end-to-end workflows. This step is so important for broader rollout and boosting overall adoption. The takeaway? For legal tech to be transformative, it must be chosen or crafted with direct input from those who use it every day. Not only does this prevent costly mistakes, but it ensures new tech enhances, rather than hinders, your firm’s productivity. #legaltech #innovation #techadoption

When it comes to building a new product, the key to reducing risks and accelerating outcomes is the Validation, Design, and Planning (VDP) Engagement. While we guide clients through this process, there are a few things teams can do prior to the engagement that contribute to its success. In our latest blog, Head of Product Strategy and Design Tim Scott shares how to prepare for a Frogslayer VDP. Read here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gWjNFdSX