NetRom

Is AI improving software quality, accelerating delivery, and increasing cost efficiency? Software leaders need clear evidence that AI is delivering its intended outcomes. Adoption and output metrics alone do not provide a comprehensive view of AI’s impact. We therefore focus on holistic outcomes. Generating 200% more code, for example, may offer limited value if that code requires revision within weeks. Similarly, high token usage may reflect substantial rework or inefficient practices rather than meaningful progress. Our experience indicates that a broader, outcome-focused approach gives CTOs a more valuable basis for assessing AI’s impact on software development. If you are considering how your organization can effectively use AI technologies to accelerate innovation and increase impact, we can help. Read more about how we can help you achieve these strategic objectives here: https://skd.so/1zEbHE

Whenever I talk to software industry leaders, the same topic keeps coming up: the best way to accelerate software development with AI-assisted coding. We also touched on this issue during our recent podcast on roadmap and planning issues, and Jaap explained an interesting point about how these tools impact planning and the role of leaders in software development and product owners. He explained that although the positive value of AI is relatively clear, it can also have unintended consequences for your whole process. Being able to code faster is an advantage, but this also needs to be reflected in the planning, or you risk creating new bottlenecks in your software development. This can potentially lead to a disconnect between your planning and the actual trajectory of your software project. We discussed many other issues that can affect roadmaps and planning during the podcast and shared many ideas and perspectives on how to resolve them. Interested in listening or watching the full episode “Regaining control of your Software Roadmap”? It is available here: https://skd.so/dQfwmS

I often hear from software leaders that ensuring the security of SaaS platforms creates technical and operational challenges for development teams. Is there a way to make this continuous task easier for your team to manage? SaaS applications have very specific vulnerabilities, as they are exposed to the internet and run on shared cloud services. There are many potential attack vectors that cybercriminals might exploit, including poorly secured APIs, permissive access management, misconfigurations, exposed credentials, and the ever-present ‘shadow IT’. In an ideal world, security will be a core component of software development from the beginning, so SaaS that platforms are protected by guardrails that enforce best practices. This approach reduces risk throughout the product lifecycle in a very manageable way. For platforms that need to address cybersecurity retroactively, another approach is needed. If you want to learn about some different SaaS cybersecurity strategies, read this blog by Netrom: https://skd.so/zxKZo6

How can CTOs keep communication open and transparent in software development? This will depend on a lot of factors: the technologies you are using, the composition of your teams, the use of AI tools, whether you work with a development partner, etc. So, while I’m happy to discuss and help you find a path forward, there is not a ‘magic bullet’, unfortunately. What I do see is a strong strategic value in transparent communication, especially when working in partnerships to develop software: • Problems are uncovered earlier, and solved faster • Feedback is incorporated efficiently and frequently • Expectations are aligned, and requirements are clear • Software is developed faster, is higher quality, and meets all core requirements Achieving transparency often involves a cultural shift, so it is advisable to emphasize a no-blame culture and provide a clear framework. For example, it can be helpful to ensure that feedback flows in both directions, using regular meetings, stand-ups, retrospectives, and meetings between the client, management, and the development team. (Message me if you want more details on how we achieve transparency in our partnerships) If you want to tune-up your communication, this blog offers some valuable insight into how to achieve this: https://skd.so/cKOWEH #softwaredevelopment #businesssoftware #erp #CTO

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"Maintaining all components within this fragmented landscape has become too costly." Jelle Tigchelaar, Software Delivery Lead at Alpina Group. Alpina Group, one of the largest financial advisory firms in the Netherlands, was formed from the merger of Voogd & Voogd and Heilbron. That left a fragmented application landscape, an ambitious move from legacy Delphi to a microservices platform on Azure, and not enough senior engineering capacity to do both. Platform development is a core competence at Alpina, so handing the build to an external party was never an option. NetRom developers were integrated into the existing teams instead. One per team to start, a second one after that. → Developers selected for financial domain expertise, up to speed fast and challenging the design within the first month → Integrated teams rather than a separate team alongside, so knowledge moves in both directions and stays inside Alpina → A consolidated platform where 3,000 advisors reach the product lines of both organisations, and IT specialists back on innovation See how a partnership with NetRom works. Read the full Alpina case on our website.