As digital transformation has forever changed the world of business, more and more companies are interested in IT outsourcing. In fact, the global staffing industry, one of the primary suppliers of staff augmentation talent, is estimated to support $490 billion in annual spending.
While this trend is growing fast, there is still some uncertainty regarding the healthiest and most convenient way for a business to use outside personnel. This article discusses two of the most popular contingent working models—staff augmentation and managed services—and how to choose the best option for your business needs.
What Is Staff Augmentation?
Staff augmentation allows companies to expand their in-house team with additional skilled resources to join a particular project. This type of outsourcing model chases once the project is over, and it's suitable for companies that don't need to hire someone permanently.
Staff augmentation is best used for short-term projects and can also be used as a "trial run" for potential full-time employees.
With this type of outsourcing, organizations can leverage specific skills on a per-project basis without going through costly and time-consuming hiring processes.
What Is Managed Services?
Unlike the staff augmentation model, which enables companies to expand their team with additional skilled professionals, managed services outsourcing practices imply hiring a fully-equipped team of professionals to take care of your specific project.
With the managed services model, you save many resources—time, costs, and effort—as you hire an entire team of skilled professionals who have the right tools and tech to complete your project.
While a service provider will handle your project on its entire length, from beginning to end, your job is to ensure that you select a reliable company that you can trust will deliver positive business outcomes.
The managed services model is the best fit for companies looking for stable and reliable long-term business cooperation.
Staff Augmentation or Managed Services?
To help you figure out which one of these outsourcing models is the one you should choose for your organization, let's have a look at the pros and cons of staff augmentation and managed services.
Pros of staff augmentation
Specialized expertise. Staff augmentation allows access to a wide range of professionals with specialized skills and knowledge that may not be available in-house. This can be particularly beneficial for projects that require niche expertise or cutting-edge technologies.
Flexibility and scalability. With staff augmentation, businesses can quickly adapt to changing demands and scale their workforce up or down as needed. This flexibility helps optimize resource allocation and reduces costs during slower periods.
Cost efficiency. Compared to hiring full-time employees, staff augmentation can be a cost-effective solution as it eliminates recruitment and onboarding expenses. Businesses only pay for the services rendered during the contracted period.
Retaining control. By leveraging staff augmentation, organizations retain direct control over project management and decision-making. External professionals work alongside the existing team, ensuring seamless collaboration.
Cons of staff augmentation
Not suitable for long-term projects. Staff augmentation is practical only as long as you look for short-term business engagements as projects come and go.
Increased dependence on third-party talent organizations. This can put your sustainability plans more at risk.
Lengthy staff integration. New professionals that join specific, complex projects may require some time to get familiar with your products and expectations.
Pros of managed services
Access to expertise. Managed service providers (MSPs) have extensive experience and expertise in their respective domains. By engaging their services, businesses can leverage the knowledge and capabilities of industry experts.
Operational efficiency. MSPs follow standardized processes and best practices to deliver efficient and high-quality services. This helps organizations improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and achieve better outcomes.
Scalability and flexibility. Managed services can easily scale up or down to match the evolving needs of the business. The service provider can quickly allocate additional resources or adjust service levels as required.
Reduced risk and responsibility. By outsourcing specific functions to a managed service provider, organizations can mitigate risks associated with those tasks. The responsibility for managing and delivering results lies with the service provider.
Cons of managed services
Hard to ensure security. When opting for the services of a provider, you provide access to sensitive data and assets. Therefore, companies that require high levels of data and information security might want to think twice before choose a managed services outsourcing model.
Higher costs. Although hiring a managed services company might be cost-effective in the long run, it's not always possible to get the complete services package at a low price. The costs of handing over your project to an IT firm might be higher than when opting for staff augmentation since managed IT services cover both IT functions and project management.
Less control and autonomy. If you are looking to internalize your project management process and supervise outsourced staff, a managed services model might not be a suitable option for you.
Wrapping up
Although outsourcing is becoming more popular, finding an external reliable development team can be a struggle. There is a plethora of options available on the market, making it challenging to make a choice. A wise choice.
At Optasy, we understand how important it is to have a dedicated team of professionals that can handle a wide range of projects. So have a look at your services and contact us to learn more about how we can collaborate for success.
Image credit: Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 31'2023
In today's digital era, delivering exceptional customer experiences is vital for businesses to succeed.
Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is a comprehensive content management system that empowers organizations to create, manage, and optimize their digital experiences across multiple channels. By seamlessly integrating content, data, and personalization, AEM enables businesses to deliver engaging and personalized experiences that drive customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In this article, we will delve into the definition, benefits, and answer some frequently asked questions about Adobe Experience Manager.
Adobe Experience Manager is a leading enterprise-level content management system (CMS) developed by Adobe Systems. It enables businesses to create, manage, and deliver personalized digital experiences across websites, mobile apps, and other digital channels. AEM provides a robust platform for content creation, digital asset management, social collaboration, campaign management, and analytics, all of which are essential for delivering consistent and engaging experiences to customers.
Benefits of Adobe Experience Manager
Enhanced content creation and management
AEM offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies content creation and management processes. It provides intuitive authoring tools, drag-and-drop functionality, and in-context editing, enabling non-technical users to create and update content effortlessly. AEM's content repository allows for centralized storage, version control, and seamless collaboration, ensuring consistency and efficiency across teams.
Omnichannel experience delivery
With AEM, businesses can deliver consistent and personalized experiences across various channels, including websites, mobile apps, social media platforms, and more. AEM's responsive design capabilities enable the automatic adaptation of content to different screen sizes and devices, ensuring optimal experiences regardless of the user's device or platform.
Personalization and targeting
AEM enables businesses to deliver personalized experiences to individual users by leveraging data and analytics. It integrates with Adobe Analytics and Adobe Target, allowing businesses to gather insights about user behavior, preferences, and engagement. This data can then be utilized to deliver targeted content, recommendations, and offers, enhancing customer satisfaction and conversion rates.
Efficient digital asset management
AEM includes a robust digital asset management (DAM) system, allowing businesses to organize, store, and distribute digital assets efficiently. It provides powerful search capabilities, automated tagging, and metadata management, making it easier to find and reuse assets across campaigns and channels. AEM's DAM system ensures consistent branding and accelerated content creation by eliminating the need for redundant asset creation.
Scalability and integration
AEM is a scalable solution that can adapt to the evolving needs of businesses. It seamlessly integrates with other Adobe Marketing Cloud products, such as Adobe Campaign and Adobe Target, enabling businesses to build comprehensive marketing campaigns and leverage data-driven insights. Furthermore, AEM's open architecture allows for integration with third-party systems and technologies, ensuring compatibility and flexibility.
FAQs about Adobe Experience Manager
Is Adobe Experience Manager suitable for small businesses?
While AEM is primarily designed for enterprise-level organizations, Adobe also offers a scaled-down version called Adobe Experience Manager Sites, which caters to the needs of smaller businesses.
Can AEM handle multilingual and global websites?
Yes, AEM provides robust multilingual and globalization capabilities. It allows for easy translation and localization of content, ensuring consistent experiences across different languages and regions.
What kind of support does Adobe provide for AEM users?
Adobe offers comprehensive support for AEM users, including documentation, tutorials, community forums, and access to Adobe Customer Care. Additionally, Adobe provides training and certification programs for individuals and teams to enhance their AEM skills.
Is AEM a cloud-based solution?
Yes, Adobe Experience Manager can be deployed in the cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid environment, providing businesses with flexibility and scalability options based on their requirements.
How secure is Adobe Experience Manager?
Adobe prioritizes security and compliance, and AEM includes robust security features to protect data and content. It provides user authentication, role-based access control, encryption, and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
Adobe Experience Manager empowers businesses to deliver exceptional digital experiences by providing a powerful content management system, personalization capabilities, and seamless integration with other Adobe Marketing Cloud products.
By leveraging AEM's features, organizations can optimize their content creation processes, enhance targeting and personalization, and streamline their digital marketing efforts. As customer expectations continue to evolve, Adobe Experience Manager equips businesses with the tools they need to stay ahead in the realm of digital experiences.
Contact our team of experts and start delivering outstanding digital experiences today!
Photo credit: Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 29'2023
As technology continues to evolve, businesses are constantly seeking more efficient and flexible solutions for their web platforms.
One popular migration path is transitioning from WebSphere to modern CMS platforms like Drupal 9 or 10. Drupal, renowned for its robust features and flexibility, offers a powerful and scalable framework for building dynamic websites and applications.
In this article, we will explore the key steps involved in successfully migrating from WebSphere to Drupal10.
Step 1: Evaluate and Plan
Before embarking on any migration project, it is essential to conduct a thorough evaluation of your existing WebSphere system. This evaluation should identify the specific features, functionalities, and content that need to be migrated to Drupal. Take note of customizations, themes, modules, and any third-party integrations that are currently in place.
Once the evaluation is complete, develop a comprehensive migration plan. Identify the goals and objectives of the migration, set realistic timelines, and allocate appropriate resources. Creating a prioritized list of tasks and determining the necessary budget for the migration process is also important at this stage.
Step 2: Content Analysis and Migration
One of the critical aspects of migration is content analysis. Evaluate the content structure in your WebSphere system and map it to the Drupal data model. Determine how your existing content types, taxonomies, and hierarchies can be translated into Drupal's entities, vocabularies, and menus.
Next, extract the content from your WebSphere system using various migration tools or custom scripts. Transform the content into a format compatible with Drupal's structure and import it into your Drupal site. Ensure that all metadata, images, and other associated assets are correctly migrated and linked to the respective content items.
Step 3: Design and Theming
During migration, take the opportunity to refresh the look and feel of your website by leveraging Drupal's powerful theming capabilities. Identify the existing themes in your WebSphere system and recreate them in Drupal using the appropriate theming framework, such as Drupal's default theme engine or popular base themes like Bootstrap.
Customize and fine-tune the theme to match your brand identity, ensuring consistency and responsiveness across different devices and screen sizes. Implement any required design modifications, such as layouts, typography, color schemes, and navigation menus, while adhering to Drupal's best practices.
Step 4: Functionality and Module Integration
WebSphere often includes custom functionalities and integrations that need to be migrated to Drupal. Analyze the existing modules and extensions in your WebSphere system and explore Drupal's extensive module ecosystem to find suitable alternatives or custom development options. Identify Drupal modules that offer similar functionalities to the ones used in WebSphere. Install and configure these modules in your Drupal environment, ensuring they meet your requirements. If no direct replacements are available, consider developing custom modules or engaging Drupal development experts to assist in replicating specific functionalities.
Step 5: User Training and Testing
Migrating to a new CMS requires training your content authors, editors, and administrators to ensure a smooth transition. Familiarize them with Drupal's interface, content management workflows, and administrative tasks. Provide comprehensive documentation and conduct training sessions to ensure your team is proficient in using Drupal. Conduct extensive testing throughout the migration process to identify and rectify any issues. Test the migrated content, functionalities, forms, and integrations to ensure they function as expected. Perform user acceptance testing (UAT) to obtain feedback from key stakeholders and make necessary adjustments before going live.
Step 6: Go Live and Post-Migration Support
Once all testing and refinement processes are complete, it's time to deploy your Drupal site and make it live. Coordinate with your IT team or hosting provider to ensure a seamless transition.
Optasy is a leading Drupal development agency that specializes in assisting companies with seamless and successful Drupal migrations.
With our extensive expertise and experience in Drupal, we offer comprehensive migration services tailored to meet the unique needs of each organization. Our team of skilled professionals meticulously evaluates the existing systems, designs a strategic migration plan, and executes the migration process with precision and efficiency.
Optasy ensures a smooth transition from legacy systems like WebSphere to the latest versions of Drupal, including Drupal 9 and 10. We provide end-to-end support, from content analysis and data migration to theme customization, module integration, and post-migration support. Contact us for more information.
Photo credit: Pixabay.
Raluca Olariu / May 24'2023
Drupal is a free and open-source content management system, and one of the most popular CMSs used by big companies in North America. It has been around since 2004 and it’s still growing fast. Drupal is an excellent digital solution if you want to build a website that can grow with your business.
Drupal enterprise is built on top of Drupal core, which means that all features are available in both versions. The difference between them is that the enterprise version comes with additional modules and themes. If you need more functionality than what is included in the standard version, then you should consider using the enterprise version.
If you want to use Drupal for big companies, then you should look into the enterprise version. This allows you to create a custom theme or module for your company logo, colors, etc.
Why CTOs of Big Companies Choose Drupal?
Drupal has been adopted by some of the biggest names in technology. Here are just a few examples:
Yahoo! - Yahoo uses Drupal to deliver its email service, Flickr photo-sharing service, and many other products. The New York Times - The New York Times uses Drupal to publish its news stories online.
Facebook - Facebook uses Drupal to manage its social network.
Twitter - Twitter uses Drupal to manage its microblogging service.
LinkedIn - LinkedIn uses Drupal to manage its professional networking service.
Salesforce - Salesforce uses Drupal to run its CRM product.
Why are these big companies choosing Drupal? Let's look at some of the top benefits of Drupal for enterprises.
Key Benefits of Drupal Enterprise
When used for big companies, Drupal can provide competitive advantages like:
Scalability and flexibility. Drupal Enterprise is highly scalable, allowing organizations to handle large volumes of content and high-traffic loads efficiently. Its modular architecture and flexible API enable seamless integration with existing systems and third-party applications, making it an ideal choice for enterprise-level projects.
Robust content management. Drupal Enterprise provides a robust content management system (CMS) that empowers organizations to manage and publish content easily. It offers advanced content creation, editing, and publishing capabilities, supporting multiple content types and workflows. With its granular permission system, Drupal Enterprise ensures secure access and control over content management processes.
Extensive module ecosystem. Drupal Enterprise benefits from an extensive module ecosystem, providing a wide range of pre-built modules and integrations. These modules allow organizations to add additional functionalities and features to their websites without the need for custom development, saving time and effort.
Multisite and multilingual support. Drupal Enterprise excels in managing multisite architectures, enabling organizations to manage multiple websites from a single Drupal installation. This capability is particularly beneficial for businesses with diverse brands, regions, or departments. Additionally, Drupal Enterprise offers comprehensive multilingual support, allowing organizations to create and manage websites in multiple languages effectively.
Security and reliability. Drupal Enterprise prioritizes security and has a strong track record in protecting websites against vulnerabilities and threats. The Drupal Security Team actively monitors and addresses security issues promptly, ensuring a secure environment for enterprise-level applications. Regular security updates and a dedicated community contribute to the ongoing reliability and stability of Drupal Enterprise.
Customizability and extensibility. Drupal Enterprise provides extensive customization options, allowing organizations to tailor their websites to specific requirements. Its modular architecture and theming capabilities enable organizations to create unique and visually appealing websites. Additionally, Drupal's API-first approach facilitates integration with other systems, providing the flexibility to extend functionality as needed.
Community support and collaboration. Drupal has a vibrant and active community of developers, designers, and users. Organizations using Drupal Enterprise benefit from the collective knowledge and expertise of this community. The community actively contributes to the platform's development, shares best practices, and provides support through forums, documentation, and events.
Why the Drupal Enterprise Needs Acquia?
If you're looking for an easy way to deploy a new project, Acquia offers a complete solution for managing all aspects of your Drupal deployment from planning through production. And if you need to add features or fix bugs, we have a team of experts ready to assist you.
We are one of the most reliable Drupal service providers on the market and we want to ensure that you get the right support when you need it. That means providing you with everything you need to get started quickly and efficiently. Our expert consultants are always available to answer questions about how to get the most out of our solution.
How to Use Drupal Enterprise
As an enterprise solution, you need to have a good understanding of how your business works, what problems you face, and how you want to solve them. You should also know how your organization uses IT resources, including people, time, money, and other resources.
Before you start working with Acquia, you may want to talk with someone who has experience working with enterprises, such as a CIO, a Chief Marketing Officer, or another senior executive at your company. This person could serve as a mentor, helping you understand how to leverage Acquia to meet your needs.
The following are some tips to consider when planning your deployment:
Know your data. Before you deploy Drupal, you must first determine whether your data is stored locally or remotely. If your data is stored remotely, you might need to set up a secure connection between your local computer and the remote server where your data resides.
Understand your budget. It's important to know how much money you're willing to spend before you buy Drupal. Depending on your current technology stack, you might be able to find free solutions. However, if you don't have a lot of money, you might need to evaluate alternative options. For example, you might choose to migrate your existing application to Drupal instead of buying new software.
Know your timeline. When deciding how long it takes to implement a project, keep these factors in mind: Your team size (the larger your team, the longer it generally takes to complete a project), your skills (some projects take less time than others because they require fewer skills. For example, if you already have a custom database schema, you won't need to learn how to build one from scratch.), your expertise (some projects take less than others because you've done similar things before).
Learn about Drupal. To ensure that you fully understand Drupal, you should read the documentation, attend training classes, and ask questions. You should also work closely with a Drupal expert during the implementation process.
Is Drupal the Right Choice for Your Intranet?
Drupal can help you create an engaging user experience by providing content that is relevant to users' interests. By using features like views, blocks, and dynamic menus, you can easily organize information into specific areas of your site. In addition, Drupal offers many modules that allow you to customize your site to fit your unique needs.
If you’re looking for a platform to support your internal communications, then Drupal is a great option. With its robust feature set, Drupal provides a variety of tools to help you manage your content effectively. Whether you’re looking to provide employees with a way to share ideas internally, or you’re looking at ways to improve customer service, Drupal can help.
Conclusion
The key to choosing the right CMS for your organization is understanding what you want out of your website and how your business will use it. This guide has provided some insight into each type of CMS so you can make an informed decision when selecting which solution best fits your needs and supports your open-source project.
What are your experiences with different types of CMSs? Share them below!
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Raluca Olariu / May 24'2023
Building a robust Drupal development project that supports your business objectives can be challenging and time-consuming.
But with the right Drupal partner that has the experience and expertise needed to help you build a website that will meet all of your needs, you will find this process a lot easier.
This article talks about the competitive advantages of hiring Drupal developers and how you can find the best fit that meets your Drupal project needs.
The benefits of hiring Drupal developers
Hiring a Drupal developer is an investment in your company's success as it provides plenty of competitive benefits that set you apart from the competition. These advantages include:
Building highly-personalized Drupal projects that boost your brand awareness and increase sales.
Designing and developing custom Drupal features and functionalities that suit your project requirements.
Dedicated support for your Drupal project throughout its lifecycle from content migration and system integration to API design and web accessibility.
Having access to ongoing updates and continuous maintenance and support.
Reduced costs and increased ROI by having a dedicated team working on your project.
What are some of the challenges of hiring Drupal developers?
When hiring Drupal developers, there are several challenges that organizations may encounter. Here are some common challenges associated with hiring Drupal developers:
Drupal-specific knowledge. Drupal is a complex content management system with its own specific architecture, concepts, and terminology. Finding candidates with in-depth Drupal expertise can be challenging, as it requires knowledge of Drupal's module system, theming, configuration management, and custom module development.
Technical skills. Apart from Drupal-specific knowledge, Drupal developers should have a strong foundation in web development technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and databases. Assessing candidates' technical skills and ensuring they are up to date with the latest Drupal version can be a challenge.
Experience and expertise. Drupal development experience is valuable when hiring developers. However, experienced Drupal developers are often in high demand, making it competitive to attract and retain top talent. Finding developers with a proven track record of successful Drupal projects can be a challenge, especially for organizations that require specific domain expertise.
Community involvement. The Drupal community is active and vibrant, and participation in the community can indicate a developer's commitment to learning and staying up to date with Drupal best practices. Evaluating candidates' involvement in the Drupal community and their contributions is many times a real challenge.
Scalability and performance. Drupal websites can vary greatly in terms of size and complexity. Hiring developers who understand how to build scalable and performant Drupal applications is essential, as performance issues can arise when handling large amounts of content or high traffic volumes. Assessing candidates' ability to optimize Drupal websites and troubleshoot performance problems can be challenging during the hiring process.
Communication and collaboration. Drupal developers often work in teams, collaborating with designers, front-end developers, project managers, and stakeholders. Finding candidates with strong communication and collaboration skills, who can effectively work in an agile environment and contribute to project success, is not always easy.
To address these challenges, organizations can adopt strategies such as conducting thorough technical assessments, reviewing candidates' portfolios and past projects, leveraging Drupal community resources, seeking recommendations from trusted sources, and providing opportunities for continuous learning and skill development.
How to spot the right Drupal partner for your business requirements
There are several things you should consider before hiring a Drupal developer. Here are some tips to help you identify the right Drupal developer for your project:
Do your research first and gain a good understanding of what a Drupal developer is and what are their responsibilities.
A Drupal developer has plenty of duties like conducting research and installing Drupal modules that best fit your needs, extending existing modules so their functionality increases, managing how your website looks and works for high-quality user experiences, migrating existing websites and content, architecting Drupal projects and web infrastructures, etc.
Also, a Drupal developer can have three main roles that you should pay attention to:
Drupal Front-End Developer. A front-end developer is responsible for designing and building the interface of your site using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap, Foundation or any other framework. This includes elements such as buttons, forms, navigation menus, or tables and also includes how your page looks.
Drupal Back-End Developer. A back-end developer is responsible for programming the logic behind your site's functions and processes. This includes writing code that handles database queries, creates pages, manages users, and more.
Drupal Theme Developer. A theme developer is responsible for styling the look and feel of the entire website including the layout, colors, fonts, images, and anything else that makes up the overall appearance. They will work with the front-end developer to ensure that everything on the site matches and flows well together.
2. Identify and examine your project needs.
Now that you know in more detail what a Drupal developer does, it's time to understand your project needs and what you require from a developer's services. Key questions to ask at this stage are:
Do you need a back-end expert or a full-stack developer?
Do you only need Drupal maintenance?
Do you need a whole new enterprise-grade Drupal solution?
Would you like to hire a freelance developer or a contract-to-hire?
Do you just have a rough idea of what you’d like him/them to develop?
What type of experience do you want them to have?
How much time would you be willing to spend working with them?
How many hours per week would you be able to dedicate to the project?
3. Know where to look for talented Drupal developers.
Top channels to consider for passive searches:
job portals like LinkedIn, Monster, Glassdoor, Indeed
online Drupal (or PHP)
communities freelance platforms like Upwork, Toptal, Scalable Path
Top channels for your active searches:
social media Drupal groups
local IT communities
LinkedIn (when you start analyzing particular profiles on LinkedIn your passive search becomes active) Drupal.org (select the top Drupal profiles there and start evaluating them against your own requirements) developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow
4. Ask the right questions.
Among the most important questions to ask potential Drupal partners are:
How long have you been working with Drupal development solutions?
What Drupal experience do you have?
Are you familiar with my business model?
Can you provide references?
What Drupal skills do you possess?
What Drupal technologies do you use?
5. Evaluate your potential Drupal partner carefully.
Essential things to consider are:
How experienced they are in working with different Drupal versions
What their technical expertise is / How skilled they are at Drupal module development
Their GitHub Profile (how much time they spent on different projects, samples of their written code, details on their contributions)
Their involvement with the Drupal community
What past clients say about working with them
Optasy's team of experienced Drupal developers is here to help you
We are a development company and we are ready to leverage and to "fuel" your project with all that Drupal expertise that we've been gaining as a Drupal firm during these +10 years: whether it's custom module development, Drupal migration, AI implementation, or any type of new feature integration with Drupal that you need us to do.
We're web developers, but with a mobile-first approach to our website development projects, in fact: we commit to helping you deliver the message to your users in an intuitive, effective, and nonetheless appealing way, on all devices.
We'll be in for the long run: our Drupal development services include 24/7/365 support & ongoing maintenance, which means much more than just rolling out patches and updates; we'll ensure that your OPTASY solution (be it Drupal, Laravel, WordPress, Magento, React or Angular-based) keeps meeting your goals, that it continues to remain relevant in the context of future technology changes.
From structure planning, to Drupal website development, all the way to maintenance and long-term support, we've got your back; stay assured: full-cycle projects are our specialty as a Drupal 8 agency.
As a development company in Toronto we have the experience and the expertise to handle your most specific requirements:
back-end development: we design and develop the custom features and functionalities that suit your project requirements
front-end development: from custom themes to user-friendly Uis, to user experience design, to designing responsive layouts
content migration
system integration
API design and development
web accessibility
website maintenance: pass over the maintenance burden on our shoulders; we provide ongoing updates and continuous maintenance and support
For more information on how our talented Drupal experts can help you build a robust project for your web development needs, contact us.
Photo credit: Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 23'2023
Drupal is a content management system that has been around for more than 10 years. The first version of the CMS was released in 2003, and since then it has grown to become one of the most popular open-source applications on the web today.
Drupal is used by many different types of businesses, including small business owners who want to create their own website or blog, as well as large corporations looking to build a robust online presence.
Our development team at Optasy has helped hundreds of clients with their Drupal projects over the past few years. In this article, we will go through each stage of our Drupal development process and provide you with some insight into what makes each phase unique.
What makes Drupal a popular choice?
Drupal provides plenty of user and business benefits that can transform any web development project into a successful one. Some of those benefits are:
Flexibility. Drupal is flexible enough to be used by small businesses or large corporations alike. It’s also easy to customize the CMS to fit your needs.
Scalability. The platform supports thousands of users, making it perfect for eCommerce sites with lots of traffic.
High customization. You can easily scale Drupal websites to match specific needs and traffic fluctuations.
Security. Drupal offers multiple security features that make it an ideal solution for government agencies and other organizations that need to protect sensitive information.
Large community. There are over 1 million active members in the Drupal community, which means you have access to tons of support when you run into problems.
How do you know if your Drupal development project is successful?
With the right insights or a team of Drupal experts by your side, your future website will:
be feature-rich, which means it’s more likely to be used by your target audience.
have an intuitive user and digital experience that allows visitors to easily find what they need without having to go through multiple pages.
be mobile responsive, which will make your site look and function properly on any device.
include rich media. This means that you can add video, audio, and other multimedia elements to your site with ease.
be optimized for enterprise-level security.
ship with a granular user management system tailored to your organization's specific needs when it comes to custom workflows.
be "loaded" with custom Drupal modules to fit unique functionality needs.
leverage an enhanced content management system; where content gets found, filtered — and, therefore, perfectly structured — with utmost ease.
be conveniently modular and extensible.
7 Benefits of Drupal for Web Development
Flexibility and Scalability
Drupal provides a highly flexible platform that can be tailored to suit diverse web development needs. It supports the creation of small websites as well as large, complex applications. Drupal's modular architecture allows developers to add or remove features easily, ensuring scalability and adaptability to changing requirements.
Robust Content Management
Drupal excels as a CMS, offering a comprehensive set of tools for content management. It provides a user-friendly interface for creating, organizing, and publishing content, including support for multiple content types, taxonomies, and content workflows. Drupal's content management capabilities are ideal for websites with extensive content and complex editorial processes.
Extensive Module Ecosystem
Drupal boasts a vast ecosystem of modules contributed by its active community. These modules allow developers to enhance and extend Drupal's functionality effortlessly. With thousands of modules available, developers can find solutions for various requirements, such as SEO optimization, e-commerce integration, social media integration, and more.
Security
Drupal has a strong emphasis on security. Its dedicated security team regularly audits the core code and contributed modules to identify and address vulnerabilities promptly. Drupal's security features include access controls, user role management, secure coding practices, and built-in security features, making it a reliable choice for building secure websites and applications. Mobile
Ready and Responsive Design
With the rise of mobile browsing, it is crucial for websites to be mobile-friendly. Drupal offers built-in responsive design capabilities, allowing websites to adapt to different screen sizes and devices. Developers can create responsive themes and optimize the user experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones without the need for additional plugins or customizations.
Multilingual Support
Drupal provides excellent support for building multilingual websites. It offers a built-in translation interface and content translation management, enabling developers to create websites in multiple languages. Drupal's multilingual features include language detection, translation workflows, and support for right-to-left languages, making it an ideal choice for international websites.
Community and Support
Drupal has a vibrant and active community of developers, designers, and users who contribute to its growth and development. The community provides extensive documentation, forums, and resources to help developers learn, troubleshoot, and share knowledge. This strong community support ensures that developers have access to assistance and best practices when working with Drupal.
7 Key Stages of Successful Drupal Development Projects
Drupal development projects are complex, but with the right insights or a team of experts to guide you through each stage of the project, you can be successful.
Let's have a look at seven essential steps that Optasy includes in every Drupal project created.
1. Identify the needs of your business.
The first step is to identify what you want your website to achieve. You need to know why you’re building it in the first place so you can create a strong digital strategy. Our Drupal experts will ask questions like: What do you hope to get out of it? Who will use it? What problems does it solve for them? How much time will they spend on it? These questions help the development team understand how your site fits into your overall marketing strategy.
2. Create a vision for your website.
Once we know who your audience is and what you want to accomplish, it’s time to create a clear picture of what that looks like. A good way to start is by creating a graphic design and representation of your brand identity and deciding which way to go with the infrastructure management. This helps us define the colors, fonts, and other elements that make up your brand. It also gives an opportunity to think about how your site might fit into your overall marketing strategy and messaging.
3. Design an architecture that works.
Your website has many moving parts—from the navigation menu to the contact form. Each part must work together to provide users with a seamless experience. That means choosing which features to include and which ones to leave behind. For example, if you don’t want to offer live chat support, then don’t add it to your site. If you decide to include social media sharing buttons, then make sure those buttons are easy to find so visitors can share your content easily.
4. Deploy the development process.
If your site is designed properly, there shouldn’t be any surprises when it goes live. But even the best-designed sites sometimes encounter unexpected challenges during deployment. To avoid these issues, we are using a staging environment before launching your site.
5. Migrate your content carefully.
Migrating your content from one platform to another may come with some unexpected issues. In fact, migrating your data isn’t always straightforward. There are several different ways to move content between platforms. Some methods require manual intervention, while others automate the process. Regardless of which method it is chosen, we highly rely on testing the migration process thoroughly.
6. Optimize for search engines.
Search engine optimization is an important aspect of any web presence. Without a proper SEO strategy, your site won’t rank high enough in search results. And without traffic, you won’t see any return on investment. So, we put a lot of emphasis on optimizing your website to have a high ranking on SERPs.
7. Test and plan your QA strategy.
As your website is being built, testing it is imperative. Tools such as Google Analytics can monitor visitor activity and track conversion rates. Once you’ve reached your goals, it’s important to continue monitoring your analytics to ensure that everything continues working smoothly.
Regarding the QA strategy, the following are important:
Having a dedicated QA team member responsible for testing your site.
Setting up automated tests to check functionality and usability.
Creating a list of bugs and prioritizing them based on severity.
That's it! We've walked you through Optasy's Drupal development stages so you can gain a clearer picture of how our team of Drupal experts can support your web development journey.
Contact us now and let's start building your website.
Photo credit: Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 19'2023
Today, the digital world is getting increasingly competitive. To stay relevant, you need to build personalized user experiences and engage your audience in a meaningful way.
What makes a website interactive?
An interactive website is one that communicates efficiently and provides interactive web user experiences. It can be used to create an online presence for your business, or it could also be used as part of the marketing strategy for your company. The main goal of any website should always be to provide users with the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their purchases. This means providing them with all relevant information on products and services offered by you and/or your competitors.
An effective way to do this would be through the use of graphics, videos, animations, etc., which are known collectively as "web 2.0" technologies. These types of websites allow users to interact directly with content without having to navigate away from the page first. They're often referred to as being more engaging than traditional static sites because they encourage interaction between visitors and the site's owner. In addition, these types of websites tend to have higher conversion rates compared to other forms of advertising.
Why are interactive websites important?
In 2023, the importance of interactive websites cannot be overstated. With the rapid advancements in technology and the ever-increasing expectations of users, websites need to engage and captivate their visitors to stand out from the competition.
Interactive websites provide an immersive and dynamic experience that keeps users hooked and encourages them to explore further. These websites utilize interactive elements such as animations, videos, quizzes, polls, and user-generated content to create a two-way interaction between the user and the website.
By incorporating interactive elements, websites can effectively grab the attention of visitors and make the browsing experience more enjoyable. Interactive elements encourage users to actively participate, interact, and share their thoughts, which leads to the increased time spent on the website and reduced bounce rates.
Additionally, interactive websites facilitate personalized experiences, allowing users to customize their journeys based on their preferences and interests. This level of engagement not only improves user satisfaction but also boosts brand loyalty and conversion rates.
In a competitive online landscape, interactive websites are a powerful tool to create meaningful connections with users and leave a lasting impression.
The benefits of creating interactive websites
Interactivity is a key element in the success of any website. It can be as simple as adding an interactive map to your business directory, or it could involve creating a complex database-driven application that allows users to search for products and services by category, price range, location, etc.
The main benefits of interactive websites are:
Increased engagement. Users will spend longer periods of time browsing your site if there are multiple ways for them to engage with what they see. For example, if you offer a product comparison tool, then people who want to compare prices may find themselves spending hours looking at different options before making a purchase decision.
Higher conversions. People like interacting with things that interest them. If you've ever been to a museum, you know how much fun it is to look around exhibits and learn new facts while doing so. You'll probably end up buying something after visiting such places. So why not take advantage of this fact when designing your own website?
More targeted traffic. When someone visits your website, they have already made some sort of connection with you. By offering them additional opportunities to connect with you further, you increase the chances of converting that visitor into a customer.
Better SEO rankings. Search engines prefer websites that contain lots of valuable data. An interactive website gives you many more opportunities to include keywords within its pages, thus improving your ranking in searches related to those terms.
Better user experience (UX). A good UX makes life easier for both customers and employees. Customers might not mind navigating complicated interfaces; however, they hate slow ones. Employees dislike working with systems that require too much training. Both groups appreciate easy navigation and intuitive designs.
How to make your website interactive
There is a wide variety of tools and website features available today that help you build interactive websites.
The most popular elements and features for making websites interactive are:
Simple software tools that relate to your business like tax calculators, quizzes, or surveys. These types of applications allow visitors to interact directly with your content without having to leave your page. They also provide valuable feedback about your audience's interests and preferences.
An eCommerce solution that integrates payment processing, shipping, inventory management, order tracking, and other functions needed to run a successful online store.
Social media widgets that let you embed social sharing buttons on your website. This lets your audience share information about your company via their favorite networks.
Videos on web pages make great examples of how to create interactive websites. The best part about using videos is that it doesn't need to be fancy -- just get creative! Visual designs tend to attract and engage more users.
User-generated content can add value to any type of site. It helps people feel connected to what you're saying by giving them an opportunity to contribute ideas and opinions. A blog allows users to comment on posts as well as read others' comments. Blogs often have polls where readers vote on topics.
Interactivity isn't limited to these five categories. There are plenty of ways to incorporate interaction into your website.
For instance, if you sell products, you could offer free samples so that potential buyers can try them before buying. If you want to promote your brand, you could ask followers to submit photos of themselves wearing your product. You could even use Twitter hashtags to encourage conversation around certain subjects.
You can get creative when it comes to interactive content on your site and use the following interactive elements that, as simple as they might look, can engage more users:
Google Maps is a very useful interactive element to introduce on your site because it helps users save time and energy.
Live polling gives users the ability to respond in real-time to questions asked through live chat.
Search functionalities that make the user navigation more straightforward and effective.
Feedback forms give users the chance to express their opinion about something specific and offer a feeling of connection with the brand.
Making your website interactive strongly supports your digital marketing efforts
An interactive website design and functionality can significantly improve the customer experience, which will most likely increase engagement among your target audiences. Your digital marketing strategies can greatly benefit from an interactive design layout and functionality.
In 2022, the average daily internet usage worldwide was 401 minutes. An interactive website design and functionality give businesses the chance to engage with consumers at all times.
How interactive elements affect SEO
The more interactive experiences you provide on your website, the better they'll perform when it comes to search engine optimization. In fact, Google has stated that sites with rich user interactions tend to rank higher in its results pages.
Google uses many signals to determine whether a webpage should appear high up in its rankings. One of those factors includes how much attention users pay to each element on a given page. For example, if someone clicks on one particular link within a post, then this action indicates interest in that specific topic.
Therefore, engaging your audience as much as possible through interactive features and elements will help boost your organic traffic and help you rank higher on SERPs.
Interactive websites as part of a strong online presence
Successful modern businesses provide valuable interactive website examples as they leverage the potential of interactive websites to create stronger connections between customers and companies. They understand the power that lies behind creating a positive impression on visitors by providing them with relevant information and making sure they feel valued.
What tools or features do you use to make your website more interactive?
Photo credit: John Schnobrich on Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 16'2023
The evolution of Drupal, the popular content management system, has reached a significant milestone as Drupal 9 approaches its end-of-life.
With the launch of Drupal 10, the community bids farewell to Drupal 9, which has served as a robust and reliable platform for countless websites.
In this article, we will explore the end of Drupal 9 and provide essential tips for successfully upgrading to Drupal 10.
The End of Drupal 9
Drupal 9, released in June 2020, brought substantial improvements and modernizations to the Drupal ecosystem. However, the Drupal community has set a clear EOL date for Drupal 9: November 2023. This means that after November 2023, Drupal 9 will no longer receive official support, updates, or security patches. Organizations and website owners are encouraged to migrate to Drupal 10 to benefit from the latest features and security enhancements.
Why Upgrade to Drupal 10
Upgrading to Drupal 10 offers several advantages, including:
Improved Performance: Drupal 10 comes with optimized performance, offering faster page load times and enhanced caching capabilities. These improvements ensure a better user experience and higher website performance.
Enhanced Security: Drupal 10 incorporates the latest security features and patches, providing a robust framework to safeguard your website against vulnerabilities and potential threats.
Modernized Technology Stack: Drupal 10 embraces the latest versions of underlying technologies, such as Symfony and Twig, ensuring compatibility and improved developer experience. It offers enhanced integrations and better support for future innovations.
Tips for a Smooth Upgrade to Drupal 10
Migrating to Drupal 10 requires careful planning and execution. Here are some essential tips to ensure a smooth transition:
Assess Your Current Drupal 9 Setup: Begin by evaluating your existing Drupal 9 installation. Take note of all custom modules, themes, and functionalities your website relies on. Identify any deprecated modules or code that will require updates or replacements in Drupal 10.
Review Drupal 10 Compatibility: Research the compatibility of your modules, themes, and custom code with Drupal 10. Ensure that all contributed modules and custom features have Drupal 10 versions or alternatives available. Consult the Drupal community, official documentation, and module maintainers for guidance.
Plan and Prioritize: Create a detailed migration plan, outlining the steps required for upgrading to Drupal 10. Prioritize critical modules and functionalities to minimize disruptions. Consider starting with a fresh installation of Drupal 10 and gradually migrating your content and configurations.
Engage the Drupal Community: Leverage the expertise of the Drupal community, including active user forums, local meetups, and online resources. Seek advice, share experiences, and collaborate with fellow Drupal developers who have already upgraded to Drupal 10.
Test and Debug: Thoroughly test your website after the upgrade to identify any issues or bugs. Perform comprehensive functional and compatibility tests, ensuring that all modules, themes, and custom functionalities work as intended. Debug and fix any problems before making the upgraded site live.
Train and Educate: Drupal 10 introduces new features and enhancements. Train your content creators, administrators, and developers on the latest version, highlighting the changes and benefits and providing documentation and resources to facilitate a smooth transition.
With Drupal 9 reaching its end of life, upgrading to Drupal 10 is essential to stay current with the latest advancements and security measures. By following these tips and engaging with the Drupal community, organizations can successfully transition to Drupal 10, harnessing its improved performance, enhanced security, and modernized technology stack.
Photo credit: Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 10'2023
Drupal is a popular open-source content management system that powers millions of websites worldwide. As a Drupal developer, you can build robust and scalable web applications, custom modules, and themes.
Here's a comprehensive guide on how to become a Drupal developer with best practices and tips.
1. Get Familiar with Drupal
Start by downloading Drupal from the official website and install it on your computer. Get a feel for how the system works and how it is structured. Learn the terminology, such as nodes, fields, and taxonomy. Read the documentation and browse through the official Drupal forums to get a sense of the community and the issues people are facing.
2. Learn PHP
Drupal is built on the PHP programming language, so you need to have a solid understanding of it. You can learn PHP through online courses, books, and tutorials. Make sure you understand the basics of programming, such as variables, functions, and loops. Familiarize yourself with object-oriented programming (OOP) and design patterns.
3. Learn Drupal Architecture
Drupal has a unique architecture that consists of modules, themes, and a core system. Modules are code packages that add functionality to Drupal, while themes control the look and feel of a website. The core system provides the fundamental functionality of Drupal, such as content management, user management, and site configuration. Learn how these components work together to build a website.
4. Build Drupal Sites
Build your own Drupal websites to gain hands-on experience. Start with simple sites and work your way up to more complex ones. Experiment with different modules and themes to see how they work. Use the Drupal community to ask questions and get feedback on your sites.
5. Learn Drupal Development Best Practices
As a Drupal developer, it's essential to follow best practices to ensure your code is maintainable, scalable, and secure. Some of the best practices include using version control, writing clean and organized code, following Drupal coding standards, and testing your code.
6. Attend Drupal Events
Attend Drupal events such as DrupalCons, DrupalCamps, and local meetups. These events provide an opportunity to network with other Drupal developers, learn from experts, and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in Drupal.
7. Contribute to Drupal
Contribute to Drupal by submitting patches, creating modules, and participating in the Drupal community. Contributing to Drupal will not only help you gain experience but also help you establish yourself as a respected member of the community.
8. Keep Learning
Drupal is constantly evolving, so it's essential to keep learning. Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in Drupal development. Follow Drupal blogs, subscribe to Drupal newsletters, and attend Drupal events to keep your skills sharp.
9. Get Certified
Drupal offers certification programs that validate your knowledge and skills in Drupal development. Consider getting certified to demonstrate your expertise and enhance your job prospects.
10. Build a Portfolio
Build a portfolio of your Drupal projects to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. Your portfolio should include a variety of projects that demonstrate your ability to build custom modules, themes, and web applications.
In conclusion, becoming a Drupal developer requires a solid understanding of Drupal architecture, PHP programming, and development best practices. Gain hands-on experience by building Drupal sites, attending Drupal events, contributing to Drupal, and staying up-to-date with the latest developments in Drupal development. With dedication and hard work, you can become a successful Drupal developer.
FAQs about Drupal
Is Drupal popular?
Yes, Drupal is very popular. It is one of the most used content management systems in the world and powers millions of websites. It is a powerful and flexible platform that can be used to create almost any type of website, from small personal blogs to large enterprise applications.
How much do Drupal developers earn?
Drupal developers can earn a competitive salary depending on their experience, location, and the complexity of the projects they work on. According to PayScale, the average salary for a Drupal developer in the United States is around $79,000 per year. Experienced Drupal developers can earn anywhere from $50,000 to over $100,000 per year.
Is Drupal web development a job of the future?
Yes, Drupal web development is a job of the future. Given its continuing raising popularity, there is an increasing demand for Drupal developers. As more companies move to digital solutions, the demand for skilled Drupal developers is expected to continue to grow.
Photo credit: Unsplash.
Raluca Olariu / May 01'2023