How to start building software as a manufacturing, machinery or services company?

At Sirris, we have seen for several years that more and more companies are shifting towards building their own apps and digital platforms to complement their existing offering. For instance, organisations that provide training or coaching are building their own e-learning platform. Machine builders that offer digital monitoring and management platforms alongside their machines. Or engineering firms that embed part of their knowledge in SaaS applications. All these companies are, sometimes even implicitly, making the switch to software development.

It is a different business and it is not always easy

Fair is fair: developing a software product is a craft in itself. It's often about 'sprints' and 'servers', 'back-end', 'front-end' or 'full-stack developers', it's about 'cloud' and 'open source', about 'testing' or 'UX'. It's also about building a software team that can turn all these new ideas into functionality that customers will enjoy using today, tomorrow and - if successful - five years from now.

Tips for a smooth collaboration

With this master class, we aim to narrow the gap between 'the business' and the development team by offering a down-to-earth view of what is involved in software development. We will not teach you how to program, but we will give you a feel for what you can and cannot expect from a technical team. We will give you practical tips on how to communicate better with developers, and how to turn an "us-against-them" story into a "the-art-of-the-possible" story, where everyone focuses on creating as much impact as possible, rather than meeting a deadline.

For whom

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur or just starting out in the digital industry, this masterclass is a must for anyone looking to grow and scale their business with software-based products and services.  Our experts have more than 15 years of experience coaching SaaS entrepreneurs and therefore have extensive knowledge of all the challenges you might face as a non-developer when transitioning to a technology business.

Content You will get practical tips regarding

• How to communicate effectively with your development team - learn their lingo
• How to make informed technical decisions, such as which technologies or programming languages to use for your specific solution
• How to set up the right internal processes (testing strategy, workflow, etc.)
• How to manage your product roadmap 
• How to hire and manage technical staff

Don't miss this opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and learn from industry leaders. Register now to secure your spot!

Program (in English)

12:30: Welcome with sandwich lunch

13:00 - 17:00:

1. How much budget should I have for software development?
2. Why is talking to developers so difficult?
   Or, put another way, "I know what I want to see on this screen, why don't my developers get it?" (Hint: two conflicting worldviews)
3. Roles and responsibilities in a (fledgling) SaaS team
   Product Manager, CTO, CRO, Head of Engineering, etc.
4. Different types of developers
   Full-stack, frontend, backend, enterprise architect, DevOps, etc. What's in a name?
5. Sprints, user stories, stand-ups
   How to organize daily work and keep track of progress.
6. Your developers do more than just code
   A brief overview of all the "technical stuff" your SaaS team is working on.
7. Terminology bingo
   During the master class, you will be introduced to technical terms that you will encounter sooner or later. Together we will discover what exactly they mean and why they are essential, even for those who are not technically savvy.

Got questions? Please reach out to our expert! 

Price

Thanks to the support of Vlaio within the framework of the #industriepartnerschap (industry partnership) project, companies located in Flanders pay only €375. The enrolment fee for this masterclass is € 1,245 for companies outside of Flanders.

Cancellations should be notified by email (events.admin@sirris.be). Cancellations notified 3 working days before the masterclass are free of charge. In case of no-show or cancellation on the day itself, the full registration fee will be charged. Replacement by a colleague is always possible provided that this is notified in advance by email (events.admin@sirris.be).

This masterclass is part of the Industry Partnership Industriepartnershap in which 17 Flemish innovation partners offer an integrated service to stimulate growth and innovation in the Flemish industry in the 3 following themes: Digitalisation, Sustainability & Industrie 4.0. They do this under the leadership of Agoria and Sirris and with the support of the Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen.  

Sirris