Key Sections:

• Background (about our company)
• Methodology (how we create software)
• Current Projects (what we're doing now)
• Expertise (what we've done)
• Technology (tools we use)
• Partners (who we are)
• Contact Information (how to get in touch with us)

Background

Software Federation is an outsourcing services provider located in Boulder, Colorado. We deploy small, high-performance teams that excel in developing complete software solutions to fulfill our clients' needs. We are specialists in object technology, Java, C++, innovative user interfaces employing direct manipulation techniques, application frameworks, UNIX, and Windows NT/2000/XP.

Our well stocked laboratory is staffed by senior software scientists, each with a minimum of 10 years professional development experience. We develop serious applications from business requirements through deployment. Delivered application software is robust and implemented in a straightforward, easily maintained, easily extended fashion.

Software Federation is committed to finding the best solutions for our clients. We provide a friendly referral service so that if we are not the right contractors for the job, we will direct our clients to those who are.

[Background] [Methodology] [Current Projects] [Expertise] [Technology] [Partners] [Contact Information]

Methodology

Engineering

Our approach to software design and development is to create very high quality, easy to use applications by using our knowledge about:

• Object-Oriented Analysis and Design: The proven concepts of object-oriented decomposition and use-case scenarios are employed to accurately describe the application domain and system requirements. We also strive for high quality in our implementations according to proven principles of good OO design. In fact, one of our partners teaches the Object-Oriented Programming and Design course (CS 4448) at the University of Colorado. The course notes are published on-line: CS 4448 Home Page .
• Innovative user interfaces: 2-D direct manipulation graphics are often selected for applications that are traditionally text-based. Benefits include optimization of user work flows and reduction of cognitive overhead.
• Knowledge-based systems: Expert system technology is employed to aid in the solution of complex problems or to provide decision support.
• Application frameworks: Frameworks make large projects manageable and can evolve as business needs change.
• Software design patterns: Using published techniques enhances quality of implementation and facilitates technology transfer.
• Research results: The latest ideas and techniques derived from academic and commercial research are applied as appropriate.
• Industry standards: We are committed to an open systems approach. Your product will be able to communicate and exchange data with other software packages as needed.
• Market trends: Trends in industry and in given applications domains are evaluated with an eye toward longevity, then applied as appropriate.

Our approach to the software life cycle is guided by the ideas presented above. More or less emphasis is placed upon particular areas as appropriate. An iterative approach is often employed.

• Planning and project management: Small teams of senior engineers are used to optimize development and reduce communication overhead. A plan is produced for each phase to ensure clarity of vision and common expectations.
• Requirements analysis: Clear project requirements are key to success. Our checklist-based approach addresses business, system and functional requirements.
• User interface design and usability testing: Interfaces are designed given requirements gathered during the analysis phase. Look-and-feel and workflow are documented, then evaluated using paper prototypes and small, operational software prototypes. User testing and heuristic evaluation are used in the evaluation process.
• Architectural design: The overall structure of the application is designed using general as well as domain specific design patterns and frameworks. We design layered, modular architectures where common services are abstracted into the framework.
• Prototyping: Designs are often prototyped prior to implementation to verify engineering and user interface design decisions, investigate alternatives and mitigate risk. Demonstrable prototypes may also be built at this time.
• Development and unit test: Production development is undertaken using standard libraries and tools selected based on the project requirements. Test drivers are attached to larger modules and testing is performed at computer speeds using simulated data.
• System and integration test: A test plan is produced and the system is validated in the delivery environment.
• Release management: Product releases are staged at regular intervals over the course of the project and into the maintenance phase.
• Technology transfer: Design details and implementation specifics are communicated to client staff using presentations plus project and training documentation, augmented with hands-on walkthroughs.
• Mentoring: Guidance in the how and why of various flavors of software technologies is available on an ongoing basis.

Current Projects

Software Federation's current projects include:

UCAR: Visual Meteorology Tool (VMET)

• We are actively involved in the Object-Oriented design and Java implementation of VMET .

UCAR: Object Oriented Community-Information Tools

• Our original Project Plan , now a bit out of date.
• Browse an older version of our Draft Requirements Document , or get the PDF version for newer content and better formatting.
• A (very) Preliminary Object Model is here. Newer object models are in the Requirements Document.

Innovative Research, Inc.: EAPaDS

Software Federation has just delivered EAPaDS , the Environment for Analysis of Parallel and Distributed Systems, to Innovative Research, Inc. , Denver, CO. EAPaDS is a very flexible and general capacity planning and performance analysis tool for computer systems and networks. It provides a direct manipulation interface that supports the definition of hardware architectures and software applications, then allows the analyst to map software parts to hardware parts and analyze the results. EAPaDS is written in Java and uses the Mica Graphics Framework from Software Farm, Inc .

Software Federation has completed projects in the following areas:

• Electronic CAD
• Weather Visualization
• Call Centers
• Health Care Support
• Telecommunications
• Web development
• Resource Management
• Decision Support

Software Federation has experience in the following areas:

• Application architecture
• Business process (re-)engineering
• Client-server technology
• Data modeling
• Database design, development and optimization
• Direct manipulation graphics
• Embedded systems
• AI and Expert systems
• Hardware/software interfaces
• Object technology
• System architecture
• User interfaces
• 2D & 3D graphics

• Java
• C/C++
• X Windows
• OSF/Motif
• OpenLook
• UNIX
• WindowsNT
• Object Interface
• Galaxy
• Versant
• Oracle
• Sybase
• SQL Server
• Informix
• Sun hardware
• Intel hardware

• Mike Davis
• David Leberknight
• Cornelia Stinchcomb Davis

[Background] [Methodology] [Current Projects] [Expertise] [Technology] [Partners] [Contact Information]

Contact Information

Postal Mail: 211 High View Drive, Boulder, CO 80304

General Information: info@softwarefederation.com

Sales Inquiries: sales@softwarefederation.com

Web Comments: webmaster@softwarefederation.com

[Background] [Methodology] [Current Projects] [Expertise] [Technology] [Partners] [Contact Information]

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