week 2:2
WHAT PROBLEM DOES THIS APP/SOFTWARE SOLVE?
handihealth http://handihealth.wordpress.com/free-launch-workshops/newcastle-workshop-wednesday-9-may/ was incredibly well run and the quality of speakers was solid; with consistent, well thought through presentations of in-depth knowledge.
Dunmail Hodkinson of Black Pear Software. The idea for an app does not have to come from the developer.
He gave an in-depth overview of the software development process of an app that they have (are still) developed for Novartis (for the NHS) called iRIS. Interesting for me because – of course – it shows me that when app development gets big then it is just another software development with the same problems as any of the software projects that I worked on. They have scope change rather than scope creep though, which may be a by-product of Agile and therefore a challenge and a “should be expected” and of benefit. Of course the people working there are developing skills that have to do with interacting with the medical field and that becomes the main benefit, the biggest single activity that differentiates them from any software companies that are not already engaged with, and getting to know, these customers; this sector and its needs. They also happen to be very good software people.
They use Agile methodologies which start with the simplest viable product. Their first prototypes are paper based. They use as many pre-existing modules as possible and as much open source as they can:
Agile methodology; git software repository; Jenkins manages revisions; N unit for testing; dropbox for sharing; Zendesk for support; pivotal tracker; goto meeting
Venture Capital or financing contacts were present and one of them made the fantastic comment:
When asking for funding – in addition to the fact that there must be a way for the product to make money and this usually means b2b – it is crucial to explain
WHAT PROBLEM DOES THIS APP/SOFTWARE SOLVE?
Sunderland Software City – David Dunn – is keen to work with people to connect ideas people with finance people, people looking for work with those offering work and all the practical linking stuff that makes starting a business in software awkward because one only starts a business a few times in your life.
Semantic Interoperability is hard, but like deep mud it will be thick and sticky before it is hard.
Ian McNicholl, talking about interoperability and data standard quoted this. “Complexity is to IT what gravity is to space rockets.” As a doctor and software professional he is deeply knowledgeable about the existing, conflicting data standards in the NHS – all of the UK. Attempts at standardisation will always be difficult because. Different parts of medicine place different needs on their data, and data interactions. But there are standards and developers should not ignore them.
Neill Jones on Medical devices approval (EC directive), which is required of some apps that are used in the medical field where the app can be defined as a medical device. At an early stage of app development – write down what the intended purpose of the app is – is it diagnostic or therapeutic and is it used on people? This will guide one in deciding whether MDA is needed.