netstyle.ch Unique Selling Propositions with Smalltalk (ESUG 2004, Koethen)

1. netstyle.ch
Unique Selling Propositions
with Smalltalk
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

2. netstyle.ch
• Startup located in Berne, Switzerland
• Founded in year 2000
• ~6 People (Smalltalk Developers,
Screen Designer, System Admin, …)
• Custom Web Application
development for enterprise
customers
• Web site concept and design,
Hosting-Services
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

3. New Application Platform
• Many critical business applications
are migrated to the Web
• Companies of all sizes, across all
industries
• Web-based applications enable
companies to reach customers,
employees and business partners
much easier
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

4. Why Web Applications?
• Key to success in today’s
business: quick development
and deployment
• Web Apps enable companies
to react fast to changing
environment
-> Competitive advantage
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

5. Requirements
High expectations:
• Well-factored
• Low maintenance costs, flexible to
enhance
But:
Developing Web Apps is a hard task!
• Restrictions of involved Web technologies
• Today’s frameworks: Complex or too low
level of abstraction
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

6. Case Study
• Health insurance
• Middle-sized company with agencies
in whole Switzerland
• Requirements
• Create and manage offers
• Print and create PDF documents
• Model the process of accepting new
customers
• Customer management (with document
management etc.)
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

7. Case Study
• Fast growing company
• Changing requirements
• Speed is more important than
minimizing probability of bugs
• Fat client would be too inflexible
• Requirement to have weekly to monthly
releases
• Deployment at many different locations,
on many different platforms
• Customer Web interface
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

8. Evaluation
Choosing right…
• Technology
• Methodology
…to fit:
• Nature of Web Applications
• Our customer and his requirements
• Our philosophy
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

9. Synergies
• Web Apps + Smalltalk Web Apps
•
• Bring the world of
objects to the Web
• Effective development
and deployment Smalltalk Extreme
Programming
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

10. Synergies
• XP + Web Apps
• Short release cycles:
Frequently deliver on
productive App
• “Real” customer- tests
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch

11. Conclusion
• Doing complex Web
Applications right
• High productivity and quality
• Optimally fit customer’s unique
needs
- our competitive advantage, USP
netstyle.ch GmbH Adrian Lienhard
www.netstyle.ch alienhard@netstyle.ch