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Created: Feb 23, 2008
Updated: Nov 20, 2009
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About
Formos
Formos is a custom software development firm specializing in new product development and process management solutions. We specialize in open source technology and using this, we design and develop software for the web, mobile devices and the desktop. Utilizing a full time Director of Sustainable Technology, Formos partners with sustainability focused initiatives to accelerate their work, and to leverage open source technology for social ventures. Formos has worked collaboratively with many non-profits in addition to its core origin in the business community.
Founded in 2002, Formos quickly earned a strong reputation for superior engineering, transparent communication and strict accountability. With corporate headquarters in downtown Vancouver, WA, and an engineering office in Southeast Asia, we serve clients throughout the US and Europe. Today Formos employs approximately 40 full-time professionals. Full Service Software Development We utilize the latest design and development methodologies combined with modern technologies and toolkits to rapidly deliver real value. Our large cache of existing code elements and strong experience with Open Source tools enables us to ensure quality, expedite delivery and minimize your costs. Whether you need to enhance an existing system, migrate legacy systems to the web or create an entirely new solution, Formos can help. Our Team Top engineering talent alone is not enough for success. Our team of project managers, architects, developers and account specialists ensure that every detail is covered. All project management and architecture is performed from our US headquarters utilizing engineering capabilities from both office locations. The blend of our domestic team and our overseas engineering staff provides around-the-clock services and a significant reduction in overall project costs. Unlike most of our competitors utilizing offshore labor, our overseas engineering staff consists exclusively of full-time Formos employees, working solely in our office facilities and working under our management structure, engineering standards, and best practices. Agile Development Process While some projects may be a good fit for upfront design or a waterfall process, we can often deliver greater value to our clients utilizing a more agile approach. A highly collaborative, agile and iterative style allows our clients to receive regular deployments and actively shape the application as it is being developed. Benefits to this approach include a thorough refinement of software features and a streamlined change management process. Iterative development also helps our clients avoid “over developing” their solution by ensuring that only features with real value make it into their product.
Open Source Expertise We leverage Open Source technologies to deliver high quality, enterprise class software rapidly and cost effectively. We have hands on experience with dozens of Open Source frameworks and libraries, giving us the knowledge necessary to select the optimal set of Open Source tools for each project. We also have a full time Director of Open Source Technology on staff who is dedicated to navigating the wide variety of Open Source options, selecting new Open Source technologies and ensuring effective utilization of our Open Source portfolio.
Core Technologies Expertise Core Systems Expertise Java \ J2EE \ J2SE Enterprise Applications
.NET \ C# \ VB \ ASP ERP \ CRM \ Financials
C \ C++ \ Assembler Web Services \ SOA Ruby on Rails Software as a Service
Python \ Perl \ PHP GIS Integration AJAX \ JavaScript Embedded \ Mobile Software DHTML \ XML \ CSS CMS \ Portals \ eCommerce
DB Design \ Optimization Document Management Project Management We apply a flexible and highly collaborative project management methodology to ensure that our processes integrate well with our client’s needs. In order to effectively manage projects with the detail we require, we have developed our own proprietary project management tool. Our web-based tool has been refined through years of experience and is tuned for the perfect balance of efficiency and accountability. All project activities are measured to the quarter hour, ensuring consistent project control and immediate, accurate analysis of budget, timeline and overall project status.
Experience, Efficiency and Accountability Formos has strong experience working collaboratively with clients to understand their objectives, design effective solutions, and deliver reliable software rapidly. We offer hands-on service and direct access to your project, ensuring that results match your requirements and expectations. Our reputation for delivering high quality software on time and on budget is unparalleled.
New Product Development Transforming a new and innovative concept into viable technology requires an experienced and innovative team with outstanding technical talent. Formos is your dedicated partner with the knowledge to understand your ideas and the experience to work with you to translate them into the right solution. Process Automation Formos creates custom technology to optimize your business processes and streamline your operations. Using modern software development practices and tools, software can often be custom built as a cost competitive alternative to traditional off-the-shelf solutions. Enterprise Integration Integrating individual business systems across an organization is one of the greatest paybacks driven by technology. It is also one of the greatest challenges. Formos helps you get the most out of existing systems and realize the full benefit of adopting new technology.
Offshore Engineering Communicating project details effectively and integrating efficiently with our offshore team requires consistent standards and daily interaction. Our local team collaborates with our overseas office through daily videoconference sessions and regular process improvement meetings. Our project management system has been designed with offshore collaboration in mind and has features to support information sharing and communication between offices. We also travel to the overseas office regularly to build team cohesion and gain the in-depth perspective that only comes from onsite cultural immersion. In order to maintain our quality and project control standards, we do not use subcontractors for engineering. All project team members are committed, full-time Formos employees.
Quality Assurance Well documented quality standards applied across the organization combined with a culture of constant improvement ensures that your solution will perform as designed. We employ a full suite of unit, functional and performance testing tools and processes. Our structured quality assurance and testing program delivers robust, reliable software solutions.
Training and Support Ensuring that your software continues to perform effectively over time is critical. We understand the importance of knowing that your solutions will effectively implemented, properly utilized, and fully supported. Formos offers documentation, training, and support services designed to help improve your ROI and ensure the long-term reliability of your solution.
Formos is a custom software development firm specializing in new product development and process management solutions. We specialize in open source technology and using this, we design and develop software for the web, mobile devices and the desktop. Utilizing a full time Director of Sustainable Technology, Formos partners with sustainability focused initiatives to accelerate their work, and to leverage open source technology for social ventures. Formos has worked collaboratively with many non-profits in addition to its core origin in the business community.
Founded in 2002, Formos quickly earned a strong reputation for superior engineering, transparent communication and strict accountability. With corporate headquarters in downtown Vancouver, WA, and an engineering office in Southeast Asia, we serve clients throughout the US and Europe. Today Formos employs approximately 40 full-time professionals. Full Service Software Development We utilize the latest design and development methodologies combined with modern technologies and toolkits to rapidly deliver real value. Our large cache of existing code elements and strong experience with Open Source tools enables us to ensure quality, expedite delivery and minimize your costs. Whether you need to enhance an existing system, migrate legacy systems to the web or create an entirely new solution, Formos can help. Our Team Top engineering talent alone is not enough for success. Our team of project managers, architects, developers and account specialists ensure that every detail is covered. All project management and architecture is performed from our US headquarters utilizing engineering capabilities from both office locations. The blend of our domestic team and our overseas engineering staff provides around-the-clock services and a significant reduction in overall project costs. Unlike most of our competitors utilizing offshore labor, our overseas engineering staff consists exclusively of full-time Formos employees, working solely in our office facilities and working under our management structure, engineering standards, and best practices. Agile Development Process While some projects may be a good fit for upfront design or a waterfall process, we can often deliver greater value to our clients utilizing a more agile approach. A highly collaborative, agile and iterative style allows our clients to receive regular deployments and actively shape the application as it is being developed. Benefits to this approach include a thorough refinement of software features and a streamlined change management process. Iterative development also helps our clients avoid “over developing” their solution by ensuring that only features with real value make it into their product.
Open Source Expertise We leverage Open Source technologies to deliver high quality, enterprise class software rapidly and cost effectively. We have hands on experience with dozens of Open Source frameworks and libraries, giving us the knowledge necessary to select the optimal set of Open Source tools for each project. We also have a full time Director of Open Source Technology on staff who is dedicated to navigating the wide variety of Open Source options, selecting new Open Source technologies and ensuring effective utilization of our Open Source portfolio.
Core Technologies Expertise Core Systems Expertise Java \ J2EE \ J2SE Enterprise Applications
.NET \ C# \ VB \ ASP ERP \ CRM \ Financials
C \ C++ \ Assembler Web Services \ SOA Ruby on Rails Software as a Service
Python \ Perl \ PHP GIS Integration AJAX \ JavaScript Embedded \ Mobile Software DHTML \ XML \ CSS CMS \ Portals \ eCommerce
DB Design \ Optimization Document Management Project Management We apply a flexible and highly collaborative project management methodology to ensure that our processes integrate well with our client’s needs. In order to effectively manage projects with the detail we require, we have developed our own proprietary project management tool. Our web-based tool has been refined through years of experience and is tuned for the perfect balance of efficiency and accountability. All project activities are measured to the quarter hour, ensuring consistent project control and immediate, accurate analysis of budget, timeline and overall project status.
Experience, Efficiency and Accountability Formos has strong experience working collaboratively with clients to understand their objectives, design effective solutions, and deliver reliable software rapidly. We offer hands-on service and direct access to your project, ensuring that results match your requirements and expectations. Our reputation for delivering high quality software on time and on budget is unparalleled.
New Product Development Transforming a new and innovative concept into viable technology requires an experienced and innovative team with outstanding technical talent. Formos is your dedicated partner with the knowledge to understand your ideas and the experience to work with you to translate them into the right solution. Process Automation Formos creates custom technology to optimize your business processes and streamline your operations. Using modern software development practices and tools, software can often be custom built as a cost competitive alternative to traditional off-the-shelf solutions. Enterprise Integration Integrating individual business systems across an organization is one of the greatest paybacks driven by technology. It is also one of the greatest challenges. Formos helps you get the most out of existing systems and realize the full benefit of adopting new technology.
Offshore Engineering Communicating project details effectively and integrating efficiently with our offshore team requires consistent standards and daily interaction. Our local team collaborates with our overseas office through daily videoconference sessions and regular process improvement meetings. Our project management system has been designed with offshore collaboration in mind and has features to support information sharing and communication between offices. We also travel to the overseas office regularly to build team cohesion and gain the in-depth perspective that only comes from onsite cultural immersion. In order to maintain our quality and project control standards, we do not use subcontractors for engineering. All project team members are committed, full-time Formos employees.
Quality Assurance Well documented quality standards applied across the organization combined with a culture of constant improvement ensures that your solution will perform as designed. We employ a full suite of unit, functional and performance testing tools and processes. Our structured quality assurance and testing program delivers robust, reliable software solutions.
Training and Support Ensuring that your software continues to perform effectively over time is critical. We understand the importance of knowing that your solutions will effectively implemented, properly utilized, and fully supported. Formos offers documentation, training, and support services designed to help improve your ROI and ensure the long-term reliability of your solution.
After many years in the non-profit community, my decision to move over to a for-profit business was based largely on the knowledge that the complex issues we currently face require complex solutions. As Director of Sustainable Technology for Formos, my role is to build and nurture partnerships with sustainability focused buisnesses and intitiatives, and to inform and accelerate their programs by co-developing custom software applications. I strongly believe that some business processes can be applied to values based social programs...in fact, it may be the convergence of particular business know-how and social issues work that could be one of the most powerful forces for change today. Just look at the rise of for-profit social ventures worldwide.
Complex online applications and online collaboration around complex issues are providing the ability to speed up some of our values based work. Before joining the Formos staff, I was particularly struck by one of the projects that Formos had recently completed, STREAMBANK, which had allowed a non-profit to accomplish 18 creek restoration projects in one year, rather than three projects the previous year. Using software applications and web platforms we can address and accelerate some of the vexing issues we face. For the rest of them, we have to roll up our sleeves and sit down in person to find the best solution.
Feel free to contact me anytime to discuss how custom sofware and web applications can help to improve the effectiveness of your work to make the world a better place. And in the meantime, thanks for all that you do...