Custom Software Development

Are there data analysis tasks that you need to perform on a regular basis? Would you be interested in using a new statistical method, but it is not available in your current software package? Our team has acquired a renowned expertise in the development of custom statistical applications and cost-efficient software solutions. We have been using the R software for more than 25 years both for our consulting activities and for implementing these tools.

Handling Data Input & Results Output

In our opinion, the biggest change that made R much more suitable for business applications lies in its ability to build custom and easy to use dialog boxes that allow the creation of user-friendly applications. The capability of reading datasets from a variety of formats and querying databases is another asset. You will have the ability of handling the most complex computations with the simplest interface. As far as output is concerned, it is possible to create custom reports containing exactly the information you need. They can be presented as web pages if needed and automatically added to your company intranet. Last but not least, R offers an array of graphics and data visualisation tools that are so flexible and powerful that there is no limit to the way your data and results can be represented.

How to Proceed?

– Tell us what your objectives, constraints & timeline are

The first step to start the development of a custom application would certainly be to contact us with a description of your objectives and constraints.

– Tell us who your users, desired type of intervention & output are

We will most likely ask you a lot of questions to precisely understand your needs, who the typical users would be, the type of implementation you are looking at (workstation vs. server, local vs. cloud, etc.), the output you need and so on.

– Our team will prepare a proposal for your approval

Once we have a clear enough understanding of your project, we will submit a proposal describing in detail what the application would do (and would not). If this suits your needs, we will proceed with the development and deliver the application based on the timeline that was agreed upon. If relevant, we can offer training to potential users on how to use the software and interpret the results.

– How Long Does it Take to Develop a Custom Application?

This really depends on the complexity of the requested application. Most projects are completed within one or two months, but we have also taken care of large-scale development that required more than a year to complete.

Migration to R

Interested in using R, but do not know where to start?

Are you interested in using the most advanced statistical package available? Do you have several programs working with your current package that you need to be transferred? Are you afraid of the learning curve?
We can help you with that.

Harness the flexibility & power of R via our migration service

R is by far the most flexible and advanced statistical packages. Furthermore, it is free to use. This suggests that by adopting it as their default statistical analysis tool, users can not only save significant amounts of money, but also improve their practice of data analysis. However, many business users are deterred to make the move by its reputation of complexity. Although this argument is no longer true as several user-friendly interfaces to R have been developed, another aspect cannot be overlooked: when one has been using a given package for years, it is often the case that that several programs and procedures have been developed with it to take care of routine analyses. These procedures need to be transferred to the new package to make it a viable solution. If you add to this that there are multiple ways of installing and using R depending on your needs and practices, moving to R can still appear as an out of reach solution.

In order to address these issues, we have developed a training and migration program to accompany you throughout the process of replacing part or all of your current statistical software usage with R.

Assessment of your needs, constraints & goals

The process starts with an evaluation of your needs, constraints and targets. Based on the results of this evaluation, we will recommend what we think is the most appropriate R configuration for you as well as the interface that you should use to work with it. We will also setup a migration curriculum and timeline to make the migration as seamless as possible. The program will typically consist of a mix of onsite training sessions to learn the R basics and then more advanced topics, along with adhoc support and regular exercises to make sure that all participants keep the pace on using the new software. At the same time, we will translate your existing data analysis programs into R so that you can start performing these routing analyses with the new software.

Duration of the migration program

The length of the migration program depends primarily on the time you can make available for it and the level of proficiency that you want to achieve. Based on our experience, this typically ranges between 6 months and 2 years. Once the migration is considered complete, we can offer personalised on-demand coaching so that you are not left alone with your new tool.

It is also worth mentioning that participants to this program have access to our online collaboration platform where they can safely keep track of all information exchanged during the migration process. Of course, the platform access is controlled on a company basis so that confidentiality is not an issue.

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