Role Of QA in Product Management
The QA Function ‘Inspector 12, ‘Say what you do and do what you say.’ Binders and binders of documents. ‘Process, process, process.’ These are concepts that will resonate, sometimes (most times?) negatively with anyone who has ever plowed through the process of achieving an ISO9001 certification. These outward signs of a commitment to quality look […]
IQ Inc. Named Finalist for the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Tech 50
Each year, the Pittsburgh Technology Council and its member companies celebrate the most successful and innovative companies in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Now in its 21st year, companies in health IT, life sciences, manufacturing, consumer products, consulting services, and other innovative technologies are applauded. Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Each year, the Council canvasses the region for […]
Hiring for culture
Testing new recruits QUESTION: You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and your mass is proportionally reduced so as to maintain your original density. You are then thrown into an empty glass blender. The blades will start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do? This riddle is one of the more famous […]
Managing Your Product Roadmap
The importance of your product roadmap The product roadmap is one of the most important assets possessed in a technology company. The phrase product roadmap generally conjures up visions of GANTT charts, detailed spreadsheets, pyramids and the like. Dates and deliverables are certainly derived from a product roadmap, and serve to direct the allocation and […]
EY Announces Barbara VanKirk of IQ Inc. Entrepreneur of the year® 2017 Award Finalist in Western PA and WV
EY announced that Barbara VanKirk, President and Founder of IQ. Inc. as a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year ® 2017 Award in the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia region. The awards program, which is celebrating its 31st year, recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment […]
Firmware, Firmware, Everywhere
What is firmware? Remember the back-in-the-day anxiety associated with getting a new printer, bringing it home, plugging it in and crossing your fingers? Yeah, I don’t like to think about it either. Generally, the reason that ‘stupid printer’ sat idly, no matter how many times you pressed the Print command, was because it couldn’t talk […]
Which approach is the best – on-site or remote development?
One of the most common questions that a hiring manager processes when she hires a software engineering consultant is, ‘Should they work from my office or remotely?’ As with most business decisions, the answer is, ‘It depends.’ What we’ve found in our 22 years of experience is that three potential working arrangements can be characterized […]
IQ Inc. Open House
We had around 100 people attend the 2017 IQ Inc. Open House on Thursday May 11th! It was a wonderful event attended by clients, prospects, vendors, previous IQ employees, current IQ employees, and their loved ones. Celebrating the move to our new office space in Monroeville with hot hor d’oeuvres, cold beer, and great company. […]
Why do software projects fail?
“Our plan is to invent some sort of doohickey that everyone wants to buy.” -Pointy-Haired Boss, Dilbert Thousands of lines of code…dozens of people…customer deadlines…budget constraints. What could possibly go wrong? The short answer is – a lot can go wrong with a lengthy, complex software development project. Development methodologies and tools have evolved to […]
Challenges of Choosing a Software Development Partner
The competition for top-tier software development talent has never been tighter, and it’s forecasted to get even more challenging. ‘Lone-wolf’ web developers and designers abound, but true full-stack software engineers and consulting firms that possess this expertise are in scarce supply. The impact of this shortage is compounded as schedules collapse and budgets shrink, all […]