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As AI becomes increasingly prevalent, awareness of accessibility and usability issues in AI interfaces has never been more critical. This guide presents seven essential principles that can empower designers, developers, and product managers to create AI-driven experiences that are not only innovative but inclusive and user-centric.

1. Proactively Surface the AI's Capabilities

Users often struggle to grasp and leverage AI's full potential, leading to underutilization and frustration. The key is to proactively showcase the AI's capabilities through intuitive design and interactive onboarding, empowering users to harness the technology's transformative power.

To implement this principle effectively, consider the following strategies:

  1. Create an "AI Capabilities" or similar nav element that updates based on the user’s current context, highlighting relevant features.
  2. Use subtle animations to draw attention to AI-powered elements as users navigate the interface.
  3. Develop interactive tutorials that guide users through key AI features, demonstrating their practical applications.

When implementing these strategies, align with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure clear communication of content and functionality. Use plain language, accessible tooltips, and alternative text to describe AI capabilities, adhering to WCAG's "Perceivable" and "Understandable" principles. This approach ensures users of all abilities can grasp and utilize the AI's functionalities.

Example:

Google Assistant exemplifies this principle by proactively showcasing its capabilities through contextual suggestions and visual prompts. When setting a reminder, it might suggest related actions, like sending a follow-up text or checking your calendar, helping users discover the full range of AI functionalities intuitively.

2. Over-communicate in Your Feedback Loops

Traditional error messages often fall short in effectively guiding users through AI's sometimes unpredictable behavior. To overcome this challenge, develop a robust system of real-time feedback that not only explains what's happening but also educates and empowers users to navigate the experience confidently.

Implement this principle by:

  1. Creating interactive error recovery systems where the AI suggests alternative approaches or asks clarifying questions.
  2. Providing layered feedback, from simple summaries to detailed explanations of AI decisions.
  3. Using visual cues and animations to illustrate AI processes and decision-making.

To improve accessibility, apply WAI-ARIA guidelines for dynamic content. This ensures AI-driven feedback, including error messages and suggestions, are properly highlighted to users. The result will would be a comprehensive feedback system that explains the AI's actions and empowers users to navigate the experience confidently.

Example:

Grammarly demonstrates this principle effectively by offering intelligent feedback that goes beyond flagging errors. It explains the reasoning behind its suggestions and provides a "confidence level" indicator, helping users understand the AI's decision-making process and reliability of recommendations.

3. Demystify AI Decision-Making

AI systems often operate like black boxes, leaving users in the dark about the reasoning behind their decisions. This lack of transparency can quickly erode user trust and diminish their sense of agency. To combat this challenge, it's crucial to make the AI's inner workings as transparent and understandable as possible by revealing the logic and factors that shape the AI's outputs.

To implement this principle:

  1. Develop an "Explain This" feature that provides layered insights into AI decisions, from simple summaries to detailed breakdowns.
  2. Use visual decision trees or influence diagrams to illustrate complex AI reasoning processes.
  3. Offer optional deep dives into the data and algorithms behind AI decisions for technically inclined users.

When designing these explanatory features, draw guidance from ISO accessibility standards for interactive systems. This ensures that the explanations provided by AI are accessible and understandable for all users, accommodating various abilities and levels of technical understanding.

Example:

LinkedIn's "Explain Your Match" feature in its skill assessments and job recommendations demonstrates this principle effectively. Users can see why a particular job is recommended based on their profile, connections, and past interactions, providing transparency into how AI is making decisions on their behalf.

4. Balance Automation with Human Agency

Over-automation can leave users feeling powerless, while underutilizing AI capabilities squanders its transformative potential. The solution lies in crafting a flexible system that empowers users to dial the AI's involvement up or down based on their comfort level and specific needs.

Implement this balance through:

  1. An "AI Intensity" slider in settings, affecting the level of AI intervention across the platform.
  2. An 'AI Co-pilot' mode for complex tasks, where AI suggests actions but requires user confirmation.
  3. Clear opt-out options for AI-driven features, ensuring users always have control.

When designing these controls, adhere to WCAG's "Operable" principle. This ensures that the controls are accessible and easy to navigate, accommodating users with various abilities, including those with motor impairments. By putting users in control, we foster trust and encourage more effective use of AI capabilities.

Example:

Tesla's Autopilot system exemplifies this principle by allowing drivers to adjust the level of automation, from basic lane-keeping assistance to full highway driving automation. The system requires user confirmation before making significant decisions, ensuring that the driver retains ultimate control, balancing AI assistance with human agency.

5. Design for Cultural Fluency

AI interfaces can inadvertently reflect the cultural biases of their creators, alienating diverse user bases. By designing for inclusivity from the ground up, we can build AI-powered experiences that authentically connect with people of varying backgrounds, beliefs, and lived experiences.

To achieve cultural fluency:

  1. Develop AI models that dynamically adjust language, imagery, and interaction patterns based on cultural context.
  2. Implement a "Cultural Calibration" onboarding step that fine-tunes the AI's behavior to individual preferences.
  3. Conduct regular cultural audits of AI outputs to identify and address potential biases.

Follow accessibility standards like ISO guidelines for ICT products, which emphasize cultural adaptations that accommodate various linguistic and cultural backgrounds, including those with disabilities. This involves ensuring accurate and culturally appropriate language translations and creating inclusive visual and interaction elements.

Example:

Google Translate demonstrates this principle by using AI to adapt language and communication based on cultural contexts. The platform not only translates text but also offers culturally appropriate suggestions, ensuring translations are relevant and respectful across different regions.

6. Use AI to Enhance Time-Tested Accessibility Concerns

Traditional accessibility features can struggle with the dynamic nature of modern AI interfaces. Instead, leverage AI to design interfaces that automatically adjust to each user's unique abilities and preferences, offering a more personalized and inclusive experience.

Implement AI-enhanced accessibility by:

  1. Developing AI-driven interface elements that automatically resize, recolor, or reorganize based on user interaction patterns and environmental factors.
  2. Creating multi-modal input/output systems that seamlessly switch between voice, text, and visual interfaces based on user needs.
  3. Using AI to generate real-time alternative text for images and describe complex visual elements.

Align these AI-enhanced features with WCAG guidelines, ensuring they support the "Perceivable" and "Robust" principles. This approach enables dynamic, compliant adaptations that work across various devices and assistive technologies, making technology more inclusive for everyone.

Example:

Microsoft's Seeing AI app exemplifies this principle by using AI to describe the world to people with visual impairments. The app identifies objects, reads text aloud, and describes scenes in real-time, adapting to the user's needs and environment.

7. Validate with Diversity at the Core

To create truly inclusive technology, integrate diverse user testing throughout the development process rather than waiting until the final stages. This approach ensures that the interface is refined and adjusted to accommodate a wide range of users, making it more effective and accessible for everyone from the start.

Implement inclusivity by:

  1. Creating an AI-powered "Diversity Simulation Tool" that predicts usability issues across a spectrum of user profiles.
  2. Establishing ongoing partnerships with diverse user groups for continuous real-world testing and feedback.
  3. Implementing AI-driven analytics to identify usage patterns and potential accessibility issues across diverse user segments.

Apply Section 508 requirements, which mandate accessibility in electronic and information technology. Extend this framework to AI design by embedding accessibility testing throughout the development process, ensuring that the AI is accessible to people with various disabilities and meets technical accessibility standards.

Example:

Microsoft's Inclusive Design Toolkit exemplifies this approach by integrating diverse user testing into the product development process. When developing AI features, Microsoft includes people with various disabilities in the testing phase, ensuring that the AI is accessible and usable for a wide range of users.

Shaping the Future of AI Design

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in our digital experiences, the ethical and accessible design of AI interfaces will be a key differentiator for products and a critical factor in building a more inclusive digital future.

By adopting these principles, designers and developers can create AI systems that are not just powerful, but also trustworthy, inclusive, and truly centered on human needs. As we implement these principles, it's crucial to remember that the journey towards ethical and accessible AI is ongoing. It requires continuous learning, adaptation, and a commitment to putting users first. 


", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-vynyl-guide-to-ai-interface-design", "title": "The Vynyl Guide to AI Interface Design: 7 Principles for AI Products", "summary": "

This comprehensive guide outlines seven crucial principles for designing accessible and user-centric AI interfaces in healthcare. We explore everything from the importance of transparency and cultural fluency, to the balanced automation in creating inclusive healthtech solutions that empower patients and healthcare providers alike.

", "date_modified": "2024-08-22T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

With any digital transformation, technical infrastructure oftentimes is the foundation that ambitious innovation relies on.  Evolving engineering best practices requires examination - even beyond developer circles.  Nathan Chandler, partner and consulting-CTO at software development and product strategy firm, Vynyl, discusses a vital organizational competency called minimum viable observability (MVO), offering stability where many systems hemorrhage productivity.

\"Nathan

What does “minimum viable observability” mean for organizations?

Chandler: So at its core, minimum viable observability is the ability to understand and manage the performance and health of a given system. Specifically, we’re talking about centralized logging, real-time metrics, and error tracing. Tracking this data permits tuning responsiveness while optimizing infrastructure costs.  MVO specifically traces errors end-to-end for rapid diagnosis, reducing the risky dependency on fading expertise from key engineers over time. 

Systems without that baseline observability struggle with finding the root cause of incidents or issues. Analysis becomes tedious and sometimes the causes aren't even found - they just mark it transient and hope it doesn't recur.  Most software produces logs but actually surfacing those logs and understanding them constitutes another critical piece.  There are solutions that help centralize and structure logs as a starting point.

Then you advance to tracking specific performance indicators and errors.  APM solutions like DataDog produce stack traces when bugs appear so engineers see the full trace across the many systems involved in a given request or body of work. This facilitates investigation versus just receiving an alert.  

Does MVO primarily provide value when renovating legacy platforms or does it suit next-gen development as well?

Chandler: Legacy stacks certainly suffer chronic pain without observability.  But universal problems like engineering staff turnover or unforeseen interactions inevitably emerge even in new code over time.  So issues hiding within the complexity of any project plague all systems eventually.

MVO also facilitates institutional learning - documenting why past decisions occurred - to persist as systems and people change.  Building flawless software is not practical or realistic.  When it comes to legacy platforms, the laws governing entropy apply, more often than not, they’ll continue to increase in complexity over time - which brings with it fragility, so any tool that can help mitigate this will be extremely valuable. 

Still, new platforms absolutely should enable key metrics tracking and error handling upfront through solutions like DataDog.  But, in reality, that doesn't always happen despite familiarity with the concept and need. MVO constitutes necessary hygiene but oftentimes meets organizational resistance because of cost and the perception that it isn’t adding value, as many organization's definition of progress is typically through the production of new features.  There remains a huge backlog of existing software that would benefit from retrospective additions.

Walk us through a common MVO engagement improving root cause analysis for a convoluted legacy platform.

Chandler: That's going to be pretty contextual, but we might first centralize dispersed logs into unified repositories with modern aggregators.  The minimal version just extracts local data yet advanced installation automatically surfaces stack traces.  This structured issue reporting reduces operational panic while expediting investigation and remediation.

Next we construct balanced feedback loops by monitoring key metrics but crucially taking informed actions.  For example, tracking cluster capacity is useless without adjustments to maintain headroom.  Data should inspire decisions, not simply pile up.

Depending on the organization's specific situation and tech stack, we may recommend starting with a search and aggregation tool like SumoLogic. This would provide some baseline insight into the operation of the system and allow the organization to start seeing the benefits of increased observability.

More advanced end-to-end and Application Performance Management (APM) tools like DataDog create stack traces automatically when errors occur, pushing these to engineers.  So they see the full sequence of calls leading to a crash.  There's necessary work instrumenting this visibility - not hard - but requiring consistency introducing organizational discipline around using data gathered to drive improvements.

When should an organization consider seeking external MVO assistance versus struggling internally?

Chandler:  Honestly, it really depends on the CTO/SVP Product/etc’s relationship with their team and available talent pool.  As far as some warning signs, those could include engineers constantly extinguishing fires or relying on institutional knowledge  from long-tenured yet succession-risking engineers.  Code navigable only by one hero inspires fear rather than future-proofing.

To keep things grounded, I always advise to start this process as soon as possible, before collapse redirects focus into a risky major overhaul.  We meet clients with engineers working there 27 years.  But obviously knowledge leaves when they eventually do.  

Once achieving MVO, what outcomes are typical in a smoother-running IT environment?

Chandler: Suddenly staff have capacity to execute higher-value priorities and roadmapped objectives since constant urgent distractions lessen.  Plus improved visibility, tailored alerts, and streamlined issue routing bolster app reliability and experience.  But MVO crucially enables knowledge transfer - technical and business process - escaping individual-centric bottlenecks.

There are DevOps metrics constituting operational excellence too.  First, are all logs actually centralized or remain dispersed?  If centralized, do we proactively audit or just store them?  Are we leveraging technology to surface key signals among the noise?  Similarly, have we pulled together system state metrics to guide decisions on costs, performance, etc?

And for software, can we trace the full context of errors end-to-end when they occur?  Are we detecting issues comprehensively, or only finding those customers happen to report manually?  MVO smooths coordination between dev and ops teams through accountability.  But reliability begets velocity - addressing drag permits pursuing ambition.

Have you seen systems that seemed too far gone? CTOs that assume they’ll need to start from scratch?  Have you seen it turn around and work for them instead of against them?

Chandler: Yes, absolutely!  It's painful, but this is deferred pain.  It's a pain you've chosen to wait till later to address and so, of course, it's going to hurt.  People oftentimes undervalue legacy software.  We sometimes reflexively jump to let's build it new and better.  There's a whole type of engineer that is exclusively that way.  They only see the world through the new software they could build.  And there's so many things you lose, prematurely throwing away legacy software, that just don't come to mind. 

There's this parable - It's called Chesterton's Fence.  If you're walking down the middle of a road and you see a fence across it, you shouldn't think ‘Ah, There is a fence in the middle of this road!!  Let's take it out!’.  The right answer is to ask why it's there in the first place.  And legacy code could be that answer, illuminating why it is there in the first place.  Oftentimes, there are decisions that are hard to understand just by looking at the code - it has to be taken holistically in terms of how it got there, who asked for it, and who wrote it.  This is especially true in companies that have had high turnover, it's easy to assume you have a comprehensive understanding of what it would take to build something new.  And the vast majority of the time you don't, especially if the software has been around for a decade, you do not have the visibility required without spending years in the platform, and purposefully digging that stuff out and documenting it in detail.  There's a lot of hidden detail in legacy operations and , 'okay, let’s rebuild this from scratch’ is a decision many companies are making everyday..  Throw it away, build it new.  Without proper preparation and experience, it can be a massive business-killing mistake to do that.

What's your philosophy on implementing new systems versus working with existing platforms?

Chandler:  New is hard, especially in the context of a business that already exists.  It's different to go from zero to one than it is to go from one to two.  And so the company has to change their attitude at that point that they've hit ‘one’ knowing that they are in the business of operating a business, they oftentimes are now revenue positive and don't have to be concerned about that.  And that changes the whole dynamic, it's different being with your friends/colleagues, sitting in a living room, hacking away at things, when you were making zero dollars, you can throw away whatever you want.  Nobody cares.  But now you are billing clients, you are providing a service, you are now legally on the hook to provide these products in the way that you agreed to provide them.  And so now throwing it away is a massive risk, a massive, tremendous risk that needs to be taken seriously.

Final Words

Minimum viable observability can be a game-changer for organizations looking to create a more stable and efficient IT environment.  By implementing a few key practices, companies can reduce downtime, resolve issues faster, and ensure smoother knowledge transfer.  While starting fresh with new software may be tempting, it's important to recognize the value and hidden wisdom within legacy systems.  Engaging external experts can help navigate technical challenges, break down information silos, and establish sustainable engineering practices.  Ultimately, MVO empowers organizations to tackle long-standing pain points, boost reliability, and confidently pursue their goals.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/project-in-distress-minimum-viable-observability", "title": "Project in Distress: Minimum Viable Observability", "summary": "

As digital transformation continues to reshape the healthcare industry, the underlying technical infrastructure has become a critical foundation for innovation. In this article, Nathan Chandler, a partner and consulting-CTO at Vynyl, discusses the concept of "minimum viable observability" - a vital organizational competency for ensuring the reliability and stability of complex software systems.

", "date_modified": "2024-07-12T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

In this episode of the Product in Healthtech podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jennifer Geetter, a partner at the law firm McDermott Will & Emery, who specializes in advising healthcare and digital health clients on the legal and compliance issues associated with bringing innovative AI solutions to providers and patients.

\"Jennifer

Throughout the conversation, Jennifer shared her wealth of knowledge and experience, offering valuable insights on how innovators can effectively navigate the complex landscape of AI and data governance in healthcare.

Jennifer stresses the importance of understanding the different types of AI and their associated risks and regulations, as the regulatory requirements and compliance considerations can vary significantly depending on the specific application of AI in healthcare.  She also dug into the critical role of data quality and infrastructure in enabling successful AI implementation.  Just as roads are essential for a country's transportation system, a robust data infrastructure is crucial for healthcare organizations looking to leverage AI effectively.  The “non sexy stuff”, so to speak.

\"ViVE2023


When it comes to AI governance, Jennifer advised companies to adopt a holistic approach, taking into account the various federal and state regulations that may apply.  By considering privacy, security, and other compliance issues in tandem, organizations can avoid the pitfall of solving one problem while inadvertently creating another.

We explored the significance of building public trust in AI-powered healthcare solutions.  By involving community voices in AI governance, providing training to frontline healthcare providers, and promoting AI literacy among the general public, organizations can foster a sense of trust and transparency around the use of AI in healthcare.

To learn more, tune in to the full episode and join the conversation on LinkedIn.  For more expert insights on driving innovation in healthcare, follow the Product in Healthtech podcast. And if your organization is looking to transform its approach to healthcare technology, Vynyl's team of experienced strategists, designers, and developers is ready to help you bring your vision to life.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ki3Cy5K3s3m4hmBT11C1m?si=8521184c07534897

https://youtu.be/l6-F2Stemv0

https://podcasts.apple.com/th/podcast/product-in-healthtech/id1590043589

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-legal-landscape-of-ai-and-digital-health-innov", "title": "The Legal Landscape of AI and Digital Health Innovation - with Jennifer Geetter", "summary": "

What are the legal and compliance issues associated with bringing innovative AI solutions to providers and patients? In this episode of the Product in Healthtech podcast, we interviewed Jennifer Geetter, a partner at McDermott Will & Emery, to learn more about what healthcare clients should consider.

", "date_modified": "2024-06-20T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

We’re venturing beyond the traditional boundaries of healthcare to explore how cutting-edge technology is being used to optimize athlete health and performance in professional soccer.

It may seem far-removed from more traditional clinical health settings, but the trends around leveraging data to personalize training and predict injury risks offer exciting parallels to the growing consumerization of health technology.

\"Chris

Our guest was Chris Shenberger, head of sports science and medicine for the Columbus Crew SC, who has helped spearhead the adoption of some of the most cutting edge health optimization techniques in pro sports. 

Chris shared fascinating insights into how his team leverages data and analytics to:

\"Chris

Chris sees exciting opportunities on the horizon as the use of technology and data analytics continues to evolve.  From AI-powered insights to genetic testing for recovery optimization, the future of player performance is increasingly personalized and data-driven.  "I think it continues to go one direction, where we're going to be able to individualize these guys’ programs, at a level that you've never been able to - or probably could have even imagined - that you could.”

\"Chris

As health technology continues to evolve into the hands of consumers, these lessons from elite sports offer an exciting glimpse into the future of proactive, hyper-personalized health optimization for all individuals.

Catch the full episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3X4k2T3TQhO42cr37gMoFs?si=ad49fac5bdd9496c

https://youtu.be/8_tWPG9E_tk

https://podcasts.apple.com/th/podcast/product-in-healthtech/id1590043589


", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/personalized-health-in-professional-sports", "title": "Personalized Health in Professional Sports: A Glimpse into the Future of Proactive Healthcare - with Chris Shenberger", "summary": "

Chris Shenberger, head of sports science and medicine for the Columbus Crew SC, is leveraging cutting-edge technology and data analytics to personalize athlete training, predict injury risks, and optimize performance in professional soccer - offering an exciting glimpse into the future of proactive, hyper-personalized healthcare for all.

", "date_modified": "2024-04-15T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Vynyl Principal Chris Hoyd recently sat down with Amit Shah, COO of Virta Health, to discuss how his team is transforming the treatment of type 2 diabetes and other chronic metabolic conditions.  Virta Health has grown from around 20 people when Amit joined to over 500 now, demonstrating impressive scale and impact.

\"Virta

Amit shared how Virta's unique approach combines personalized nutrition, continuous monitoring, and clinical support through a tech platform to achieve sustainable lifestyle changes without medication or surgery.  By putting 100% of their fees at risk, Virta has demonstrated their commitment to delivering transformational outcomes.

\"woman

A few takeaways from the conversation:

\"man

For anyone interested in the future of chronic disease management and digital health innovation, this conversation is full of applicable insights and inspiration.

Catch the full episode here:

‎Product in Healthtech on Apple Podcasts

‎Health & Fitness · 2024

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/turning-the-tide-on-diabetes", "title": "Turning the Tide on Diabetes: Virta Health's Blueprint for Chronic Condition Reversal - with Amit Shah", "summary": "

Discover how Virta is revolutionizing type 2 diabetes treatment through personalized nutrition, tech-enabled monitoring, and clinical support. Amit offers fascinating insights on scaling a digital health company and the impact of recent GLP-1 developments on their mission. 

", "date_modified": "2024-03-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

We recently sat down with Andy Chu to discuss how his team has so effectively incubated products that have scaled beyond the health system – the most recent example of which, Praia Health, raised a $20 million dollar series A in April. 

Andy shared how his team, which sits outside of IT and operations, has the mandate to "identify whitespace" and build scalable solutions to healthcare's biggest challenges. By adopting a rigorous focus on understanding the problems faced by patients, clinicians and staff, they've launched 4 companies in just a few years, with several more in the pipeline.

\"Andy

Some of the most compelling insights from Andy:

These types of insights are rare to hear from a leader at the vanguard of healthcare transformation. Andy's passion, humility, and bias for action shine through in this conversation.

\"Photo

The full interview dives deeper into:

For anyone interested in the cutting edge of healthcare innovation, this is a must-listen conversation full of applicable insights and inspiration.

Catch the full episode here:

‎Product in Healthtech on Apple Podcasts

‎Health & Fitness · 2024

https://open.spotify.com/episode/29x6bEr6xWSqmgvjQgUgHu?si=67ce7dbf1f3a417e

https://youtu.be/zqFAi4RVqLg

https://podcasts.apple.com/th/podcast/product-in-healthtech/id1590043589

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/scaling-innovation-at-providence", "title": "Scaling Innovation at Providence: Insights from Andy Chu, Providence's SVP of Product and Technology", "summary": "

Discover how Andy Chu, Providence's SVP of Product and Technology, and his standalone innovation team are transforming healthcare by incubating and scaling solutions that address the biggest challenges faced by patients, clinicians, and staff.

", "date_modified": "2024-03-04T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

With healthcare technology in a constant state of change, organizations often find themselves caught between the need for cutting-edge innovation and the reliability of established systems. At Vynyl, we've embraced a flexible but effective approach to help clients navigate these complexities: Minimum Viable Observability (MVO). This methodology is particularly crucial in healthcare, where system reliability can directly impact patient care and outcomes.

What is Minimum Viable Observability?

At its core, Minimum Viable Observability is the foundation of understanding and managing the performance and health of any given system. But what makes it "minimum" and "viable"?

Minimum: MVO focuses on the essential elements required to gain meaningful insights into your system's behavior. It's not about implementing every possible monitoring solution, but rather identifying the key metrics and data points that provide the most value.

Viable: The "viable" aspect ensures that the observability measures implemented are practical, sustainable, and directly contribute to improved system performance and reliability.

The three pillars of MVO are:

  1. Centralized Logging: This involves collecting and aggregating logs from various parts of your healthcare IT ecosystem into a single, searchable repository. It transforms scattered data into a coherent narrative of your system's behavior, crucial for maintaining HIPAA compliance and ensuring patient data security.
  2. Real-time Metrics: These are quantifiable measures that provide instant insights into your system's performance. In healthcare, this could include metrics like EHR response times, lab result delivery speeds, or telehealth platform stability.
  3. Error Tracing: This capability allows you to follow the path of an error through your entire system, making it easier to identify the root cause of issues. In a healthcare setting, rapid error tracing can be the difference between a minor inconvenience and a critical patient care delay.

The Vynyl Approach, Tailored for Healthcare

At Vynyl, we recognize that most healthcare organizations don't have the luxury of building systems from scratch. Our approach to MVO is designed to work with both legacy systems and new developments, acknowledging the unique challenges of the healthcare sector:

Assess and Centralize

We begin by centralizing dispersed logs into unified repositories. In healthcare, this might involve integrating logs from EHR systems, medical devices, and patient portals. This process often starts with simple extraction of local data and progresses to more advanced installations that automatically surface stack traces, all while maintaining strict data privacy standards.

Implement Balanced Feedback Loops

We help healthcare organizations set up monitoring for key metrics, but crucially, we emphasize taking informed actions based on these metrics. For instance, tracking system load during peak hours can inform resource allocation, ensuring smooth operations during critical times.

Leverage Advanced Tools

Depending on the organization's specific situation and tech stack, we might recommend starting with a search and aggregation tool for baseline insights. As the organization matures in its observability journey, we often introduce more advanced Application Performance Management (APM) tools, always ensuring they meet healthcare industry standards for data protection and compliance.

Foster Organizational Discipline

Implementing MVO isn't just about tools—it's about creating a culture of data-driven decision making. We work with healthcare teams to ensure they're consistently using the gathered data to drive improvements, always with an eye towards enhancing patient care and operational efficiency.

The Value of Legacy Systems in Healthcare

One unique aspect of our approach at Vynyl is our respect for legacy systems, which is particularly relevant in healthcare where established systems often hold critical patient data and complex workflows. Before deciding to rebuild any net-new systems, it's essential to understand the full context of how and why the system evolved as it did. This might include years of customizations to meet specific regulatory requirements or integrations with various medical devices.

The Benefits of MVO in Healthcare

Implementing MVO leads to a range of benefits, many of which are particularly valuable in a healthcare context

Partnering for Healthcare IT Excellence

We understand the unique challenges faced by healthcare CIOs and CTOs—the need to innovate while maintaining rock-solid reliability, the imperative to protect patient data, and the complexity of integrating diverse systems and devices. Our approach to MVO is designed to address these challenges head-on, providing a path to more stable, efficient, and innovative healthcare IT environments.

Whether you're dealing with a complex legacy EHR system or building the next generation of telehealth platform, the principles of MVO can help you navigate the path forward with confidence and clarity. At Vynyl, we're ready to partner with you on this journey, bringing our expertise in MVO and our deep understanding of healthcare IT challenges to help your organization thrive in the digital age of healthcare.


", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/minimum-viable-observability-in-healthcare", "title": "Minimum Viable Observability in Healthcare: Balancing Legacy Systems and Innovation", "summary": "

Minimum Viable Observability (MVO) offers healthcare organizations a balanced approach to modernizing IT systems while leveraging existing infrastructure. This article explores how MVO can enhance system reliability, improve compliance, and drive innovation in healthcare IT, bridging the gap between legacy systems and cutting-edge technologies.

", "date_modified": "2023-07-09T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

That’s a wrap!

Our first Product Management in Healthcare event was a tremendous success. More than 240 people signed up to join this dynamic community of healthtech professionals. The program featured 14 speakers, four panels, and three live chats for a day of fresh ideas and insights. In addition, more than 80 conference attendees and speakers joined us on Slack to build upon the conversations we started on June 17.

See For Yourself

If you weren’t able to attend, don’t worry. The full program is available on our Product in Healthtech YouTube channel. You can also see the full agenda and speaker info at productinhealthtech.com, and sign up to join our Slack community.

Thank You, Sponsors!

Of course we couldn’t have pulled off such an amazing event without our sponsors. Big thanks go out to Fruit Street Clinic for inviting speakers, preparing content, and boosting our community; and to Fountain House for promoting the event and committing to speak at our next event. Vynyl pitched in with tech tools, web development, promotions, event production, UX design, speaker invites, and giveaways. We're especially grateful to the leadership teams at both Vynyl and Fruit Street Clinic for co-founding the community.

What’s Next?

The feedback about the event has been amazing. Here’s what some attendees had to say about Product in Healthtech:

It was a pleasure chatting with those who I got to meet in the breakout sessions! The ice cream is awesome!

- Zadok

Great session. It was really refreshing to hear from professionals across the industry talking about the things that I deal with every day! Bonus—four women on the panel. What a delight!

- Anna

This inaugural event was just the beginning for our healthtech community. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements about our Q3 event at productinhealthtech.com.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-product-in-healthtech-hosts-virtual-event", "title": "The Recap: Product in Healthtech Sparks a Dynamic New Community for a Rapidly Evolving Industry", "summary": "

More than 240 people signed up to join a growing community of digital health professionals. The feedback about the event has been amazing. Here’s what some attendees had to say about Product in Healthtech.

", "date_modified": "2021-07-07T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

June is Pride month, which marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 that sparked the modern movement for equality for the LGBTQ+ community. Half a century later, tremendous strides toward equality have been made, but there is still a long way to go. At Vynyl, we’re proud to support all of our families, friends, employees, co-workers, and community members. It’s important to us to mark this historic occasion and be inspired by all the work that has been done, and commit to doing the work ahead. We’re proud to support Pride celebrations in our community, and we’re proud to foster a culture that values and celebrates each of our individual experiences.

We recently asked Vynyl employees to share what Pride means to them. Here are some of their responses. Happy Pride everyone!

Director of Finance and Human Resources Janelle Lauzon:

Pride means that my daughter Claire has the freedom to be herself and pursue a life of love that truly expresses who she is. With my motherly passion, I am so grateful for that freedom as well as the hope of more love and more acceptance. I am forever grateful to past heroes that have paved the way for Claire and others to fully be themselves.

When Claire was about 8 years old we would sing loudly in the car to Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors.” I often reminded her that I always wanted her true colors to shine through, for her to be her true self.

When Claire was 11 years old, she explained to me that she was bisexual. I hugged her and told her that I loved her “true colors.” She cried and told me she worried if other people in her life would accept her. At times over the years I have seen how some people have not always been fully accepting of her. It breaks a mother’s heart.

During Idaho’s Add the Four Words campaign, Claire and I demonstrated at the capitol steps regularly. At 13 years old, Claire spoke to a large crowd, sharing her orientation with the crowd and encouraging our Idaho legislature to add the four words to the Idaho constitution to provide LGBTQ+ people equal protection under state law. Sadly, after 10 years of the campaign, the four words have never been added. Idaho is one of 28 states that does not protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in employment and housing. At 20 years old now, Claire continues to express her passion for human rights, but now she lives in Seattle, a place she feels more acceptance.

Pride means that Claire and others in the community have the freedom and hope of living a life in full expression of who they are so that their “true colors can shine through like a rainbow.”

Director of Product Marketing Nicole Harris Roberts:

This year my husband and I are putting up a Progress Pride flag on our house in solidarity with our next door neighbor's teenager, who is gender-neutral / questioning. I have been an LGBTQ+ ally for as long as I can remember—and probably even before I can remember.

My mother told me a story about when her gay roommate held me as an infant and how relaxed I was, and how sad he was at the thought that he would never be socially accepted as a parent himself.

I'm glad to see more acceptance of gay parenthood in my community and throughout the country now as compared to how it was in the 1980s. Pride to me means knowing the history and the struggle of LGBTQ+ communities and celebrating the bright spots wherever we can.

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Software Engineer Blair Gemmer:

Perfect for Pride month... we had a giant rainbow road out in the sky tonight!

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VP Community & Partner Nick Crabbs:

Pride month is about expressing pride in something that is stigmatized and oppressed. Pride is about commemorating the acts of resistance against that oppression. The legacy of Stonewall strengthens LGBTQ+ people around the world, in the face of continued oppression.

I started attending pride events by sneaking away when I was 16. At my first pride event in 2004 there were just as many protesters as there were Pride-goers. In 2005 the Mormon tabernacle choir showed up to sing over the LGBT speakers on the Idaho capitol steps. I remember seeing older LGBT people crying as that scene played out. I was just angry. How dare they?

In 2006 Idaho passed a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Clearly I was unwelcome here. I packed my bags and left Idaho for Portland.

I have told many of my own stories at the equal protection ordinance hearings in Idaho. All of which, in Idaho, have been passed by narrow margins since 2015’s Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court case that ensured marriage equality in the United States.

These are my personal reminders that—while the celebrations that many think of as “Pride'' have morphed into some weird corporate celebration of rainbows—it wasn’t that long ago that it was a protest against oppression and a movement for our basic dignity and acknowledgement in our communities.

We’ve come a long way. We still have a long way to go. Happy Pride month!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/what-does-pride-month-mean-to-us", "title": "What Does Pride Month Mean to Us?", "summary": "

June is Pride month, which marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 that sparked the modern movement for equality for the LGBTQ+ community. Half a century later, great strides have been made, but there is still a long way to go.

", "date_modified": "2021-06-22T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On June 19, we’re happy and proud to celebrate Juneteenth as a company holiday with our colleagues, friends, and communities.

The first Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1866, and commemorate the day a year earlier when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX, announcing the end of the Civil War and effectively ending slavery in the United States.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/vynyl-celebrates-juneteenth", "title": "Vynyl Celebrates Juneteenth", "summary": "

On June 19, we’re happy and proud to celebrate Juneteenth as a company holiday with our colleagues, friends, and communities.

", "date_modified": "2021-06-14T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Register today for Product Management in Healthcare.

Vynyl is proud to be a sponsor of the inaugural Product Management in Healthcare conference, a virtual event that will bring together product managers, designers, researchers, and other stakeholders for a day-long program. Live chat with the speakers and dive into virtual networking as you optimize decision making, increase development velocity, and navigate the unique constraints and opportunities in healthcare.

The full agenda will be announced soon. Members of the Vynyl team including CEO Ian Harris, Director of Product Chris Hoyd, and Director of Product Marketing Nicole Harris Roberts will be speaking alongside other leaders in the product and healthcare spaces.

Attendees will have access to our full day of programming, networking opportunities, access to Slack channels, and some fun surprises to be announced.

Registration is now open. We’ll see you on June 17!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/join-us-for-product-management-in-healthcare-on-june", "title": "Join us for Product Management in Healthcare on June 17", "summary": "

Live chat with the speakers and dive into virtual networking as you optimize decision making, increase development velocity, and navigate the unique constraints and opportunities in healthcare. Register today!

", "date_modified": "2021-04-28T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Figma’s Config Conference Is Happening April 21-22

Figma’s design conference Config is taking place on April 21 and 22. They’re bringing together more than 60 speakers for two days of digital design programming including keynotes, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. The event takes place virtually, and registration is free at config.figma.com.

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Omada Health’s Insights Lab Improves Healthcare Outcomes

Omada Health recently announced the launch of the Omada Insights Lab. They’ve collected over a billion data points from more than 450,000 members over a 10-year span, which Omada is using to improve its own digital health tools, as well as sharing learnings and data with other providers to improve outcomes industry-wide.

Through direct partnerships with employers as well as health insurance providers, Omada delivers personalized digital care for diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal issues and behavioral health. Omada’s evidence-based programs have been shown to increase positive health outcomes up to 250%.

Jennifer La Guardia, Ph.D., director of clinical product and behavior science at Omada Health says, “From the beginning, Omada has focused on optimizing long-term health and well-being. We have developed and prioritized key strategies backed by behavior science, such as goal setting, self-monitoring, and relationship-based aspects of our program like peer communities and care team interactions.”

The State of DevOps 2021 Survey Is Open

Make your voice heard! Puppet’s 2021 State of DevOps survey is live through April 18. For each respondent, Puppet is donating $5 to the National Coalition for Homlessness, World Central Kitchen, or UNICEF’s COVID-19 Solitary Response Fund. More than 30,000 people have answered their annual surveys since 2012, and you can view the 2020 survey results here.

Call for Applicants: 2021 Linux Foundation Training Scholarship Program

Applications for the The Linux Foundation Training (LiFT) Scholarship Program are now open. The program assists new developers, system administrators, and DevOps engineers who don’t have the ability to attend training courses or exams for its certification program. Applications are due by April 30.

Lego’s New 2,354-Piece Model of NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery

Attention space nerds! Lego’s new Discovery space shuttle set has landed—and it’s a big one. Clocking it at more than 2,300 pieces, it’s nearly 22 inches long when built, with a wingspan of more than 13 inches. The model is the 1990s version of Discovery, which is the shuttle that put the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit.

Fun fact: NASA Astronaut Dr. Kathy Sullivan was the first American woman to finish a spacewalk in 1984, and she was a crew member of the Discovery on the Hubble mission in 1990.

Over at Ars Technica Jonathan Gitlin shares an epic photo album of his unboxing and assembly of Lego’s newest NASA model.

\"Source:

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/icymi-figmas-config-2021-omada-launches-insight-lab-space-shuttle-discovery-in-lego", "title": "ICYMI: Figma’s Config 2021, Omada Launches Insight Lab & Space Shuttle Discovery…in Lego", "summary": "

It's going to be a fun month for DevOps, design, and data nerds.

", "date_modified": "2021-04-13T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

As part of our celebration of Women’s History Month, we asked the Vynyl team about the women in tech that have influenced them. This kicked off a lively Slack discussion of well-known tech figures as well as some of the team’s real-life personal heroes.

\"Mary

Software developer Reggie Melvin cites Mary Jackson as inspiration. Jackson worked at NASA as a mathematician and was the agency’s first Black female engineer. Her work was critical to the success of Project Mercury, NASA’s first manned space flight, and that part of her career was featured in the book and movie “Hidden Figures.” She was also a tireless advocate for women throughout her long career at NASA.

\"Joan

For developer Michelle Allred, English cryptanalyst Joan Clarke is a tech hero. She was a code-breaker during World War II and her efforts on the Enigma project broke the Nazis’ secret communications. Clarke was highly decorated and was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1946.

\"Grace

Vynyl President & CEO Ian Harris named Grace Hopper, who was a computer scientist and rear admiral in the US Navy. She was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer and a pioneer in many early programming languages. Her work with FLOW-MATIC was extended to create COBOL, which is still in use today. There’s even a great children’s book celebrating her accomplishments called Grace Hopper, Volume 1: Queen of Computer Code. Vynyl developer Arron Mabrey noted that whenever Hopper’s name comes up, he’s reminded of this story about Grace Hopper and the first literal computer bug.

\"Ada

Janelle Lauzon, director of finance and HR, cites mathematician and writer Ada Lovelace as inspiration. Lovelace worked on the Analytical Engine, a mechanical computer first proposed by Charles Babbage in the 1830s. She also published the first algorithm, making her one of the first computer programmers. Another interesting fact: Lovelace’s father was the poet Lord Byron.

\"Margaret

Software engineer Blair Gemmer is inspired by computer scientist and engineer Margaret Hamilton. She was best known in her role as director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, where she was instrumental in developing the code for NASA’s Apollo mission. Hamilton also founded two software companies in the 1970s and ‘80s and is widely published in the field. In 2016 President Barack Obama awarded Hamilton the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She is one of the people credited with coining the term "software engineering."

\"Hedy

Hedy Lamarr was an inspiration for executive assistant Paula Perez. Film buffs might know Lamarr as a prolific Golden Age actress, but she was also one of the inventors of frequency-hopping spread spectrum communication—originally designed as a guidance system for torpedoes. She also worked on aircraft aerodynamics for Howard Hughes, and her work in communications is evident in modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies.

CTO & Partner Erick Herring recalls his early experiences with tech being heavily influenced by women. He told us that he learned his first assembly language from a woman at the lab. “She photocopied some data sheets and the system operating manual after hours so I wouldn’t have to pay for it and she answered my questions when the machine acted differently than the documentation. In a real way, my whole career stems from that illicit photocopying.”

\"Designer

He also named several female mentors including Carter Tiernan, who was a staff engineer at The LTV Corporation and programming instructor at UT Arlington; and Karen Harbison Briggs, founder of the Center for Advanced Engineering Systems and Research—a “force of nature” according to Erick. He also cited a who’s-who of women programmers and scientists, as well as designer Susan Kare, who gave the original Macintosh its visual language, creating many of the original typefaces and graphics, including Clarus the dogcow.

For engineer Mike Ford, his high-school drafting teacher Mrs. Whetmore is a tech icon. Mike said “She taught us nerds how to build, fix, and network computers in the drafting class (BNC cabled networks FTW!) so we could play Descent during lunch. She really sparked my interest to pursue tech.”

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/celebrating-women-in-tech-who-inspire-us", "title": "Celebrating Women In Tech Who Inspire Us", "summary": "

As part of our celebration of Women’s History Month, we asked the Vynyl team about the women in tech that have influenced them. This kicked off a lively Slack discussion of well-known tech figures as well as some of the team’s real-life personal heroes.

", "date_modified": "2021-03-31T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On March 1, Vynyl sponsored Women Innovators (W.IN)’s SheTech 2021, a free one-day STEM event for high-school girls. The virtual event included “speed mentoring” with two dozen women in a range of STEM fields, opportunities to meet with colleges and college students in STEM majors, and a Tech Challenge to put skills to the test working on a real-world problem.

"Our first virtual SheTech was a great success. The Career Women were amazing and shared their journey to a STEM career with the girls,” said Jennifer DeWitt, W.IN board member and senior producer at Vynyl.

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The event was keynoted by Nancy Lomeli of Micron Technology, who brought more than 15 years of experience working on projects ranging from solar tech to 3D NAND memory.

The event attracted girls from more than 30 schools across Idaho, and participants were each awarded $500 scholarships to the College of Idaho. The winning Tech Challenge teams won cash awards and up to $500 in scholarships from the University of Idaho.

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“Everyone loved the College Discovery track, especially the Scholarship Tips & Tricks,” said Jennifer. “And the Tech Challenge did not disappoint -- as always, it was a great example of how to get things done and problem-solve as a team."

W.IN’s mission is to encourage women and girls to succeed in tech, with the goals of increasing the number of high school girls and college women in Idaho pursuing education in STEM fields and increasing the number of Idaho women staying and advancing in STEM careers.

\"null\"

View the highlight reel on YouTube, here:

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-shetech-2021-goes-virtual-to-engage-highthe-recap-shetech-2021-goes-virtual-to-engage-high-school-girls-in-stem", "title": "The Recap: SheTech 2021 Goes Virtual to Engage High School Girls in STEM", "summary": "

"Our first virtual SheTech was a great success. The Career Women were amazing and shared their journey to a STEM career with the girls,” said Jennifer DeWitt, W.IN board member and senior producer at Vynyl.

", "date_modified": "2021-03-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Vynyl CTO Erick Herring participated in an Ask Me Anything with Innovate Pasadena's Beth Kuchar on February 3. He covered a wide range of audience questions, including how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting cybersecurity as many companies learn to shift toward remote work, and consumers expect more tech-heavy services, including expanded telehealth.

The conversation kicked off with a question about the culture required in organizations to accelerate digital transformation against cybersecurity threats. Erick reiterated the point that cybersecurity is an organizational issue, pointing out that while people aren’t necessarily the weakest link in a company’s cybersecurity plan, they are the “primary attack vector” for getting access to your data. He spoke about the Solarwinds hack—where presumed Russian state actors infiltrated U.S. government systems via Orion, a popular piece of software for network monitoring.

“Every aspect of your business needs to take security into account.”

Erick also addressed questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on security. The shift toward remote work has forced the issue of data security into the conversation. He says “The realization that your network perimeter is much wider than your company’s firewalls and routers has been a long time coming,” noting that now companies are being forced to figure out solutions for problems that they may have simply avoided in the past.

To see more of Erick’s AMA with Innovate Pasadena, including discussions of data privacy, cybersecurity awareness, and AI and quantum computing, click on the video or check it out on Innovate Pasadena’s YouTube channel.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/erick-herring-talks-cybersecurity-at-innovate-pasadena", "title": "Erick Herring Talks Cybersecurity at Innovate Pasadena", "summary": "

Erick sits down with Beth Kuchar to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting cybersecurity, and why consumers expect more tech-heavy services, including expanded telehealth.

", "date_modified": "2021-03-18T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On February 9, Vynyl Partner and VP of Community Nick Crabbs participated in Idaho Business Review’s Breakfast Series panel on tech trends. Nick was joined by Denise Dunlap of Sage Growth Capital, Amy Gile of Silverdraft, Tiam Rastegar of Trailhead Boise, and Robert Poleki of Washie to discuss tech trends in the Boise startup community. The panel was moderated by Bradlee Frazer of Hawley Troxell.

The discussion covered a range of topics affecting the Boise tech community. Meeting over Zoom rather than in-person over breakfast as usual, one of the first topics discussed was of course the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on tech. As Nick noted, digital transformation is even more important now, and he pointed out that “COVID forced some change that probably needed to happen for a while” pointing to the rapid changes in digital healthcare delivery that have become standard practice in the age of social distancing. “When the need was great, people moved fast,” Nick stated.

The panel also tackled other issues of particular interest to the Boise startup community, including the concept of “unicorns” and panelists also identified some of the next big things in Idaho’s tech scene.

The panel also addressed diversity and inclusion, and talked about how to address the state’s increased need for tech talent as the industry continues to grow. Panelists offered a variety of perspectives, and Nick highlighted some of the innovative recruiting measures Vynyl has employed to leverage a talent pool full of diverse ideas and experiences.

For more on the Breakfast Series, and to see the full panel, see Idaho Business Review’s events listings.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/idaho-business-reviews-breakfast-series-with-vynyls-nick-crabbs", "title": "Idaho Business Review’s Breakfast Series with Vynyl’s Nick Crabbs", "summary": "

Meeting over Zoom rather than in-person over breakfast as usual, one of the first topics discussed was the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on tech. “COVID forced some change that probably needed to happen for a while."

", "date_modified": "2021-02-17T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Advent calendars have their roots in German Lutheran tradition dating back to the 1800s. Traditionally they have been used to count the days of Advent, culminating in the Christmas holiday. In their modern incarnations, Advent calendars mark the days by presenting a different surprise on each day, and there are commercial versions featuring candy, small objects, readings, and yes, even whiskey. As the winter holiday season gets underway, the annual tradition of tech advent calendars also returns. 

Here are some of our favorites to get you in the tech spirit for 2020:

Many of the great advent calendars of Christmas past will not be published in 2020, but we recommend reading the archives of these wonderful blogs:

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/best-tech-advent-calendars-of-2020", "title": "Best Tech Advent Calendars of 2020", "summary": "

As the winter holiday season gets underway, the annual tradition of tech advent calendars returns. Here are some of our favorites to get you in the tech spirit.

", "date_modified": "2020-12-01T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

What Is Cloud Native?

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) defines cloud native technologies as those that “empower organizations to build and run scalable applications in modern, dynamic environments such as public, private, and hybrid clouds. Containers, service meshes, microservices, immutable infrastructure, and declarative APIs exemplify this approach.”

And the cloud native application landscape is...crowded.

What does this mean for healthcare and fintech companies that are ready to build or enhance their own cloud native solution sets?

  1. The ecosystem is thriving.
  2. The market is oversaturated.
  3. It’s a daunting task for a company to go into the space without having proper help or knowledge from experienced engineers.

\"source:

Pear Therapeutics Launches a Digital Therapeutic for Chronic Insomnia

Pear Therapeutics has launched Somryst, the first FDA-authorized prescription digital therapeutic treatment for chronic insomnia. Somryst is delivered via PearConnect on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. It is intended for patients under the supervision of a healthcare provider.

The nine-week digital therapeutic includes a series of short lessons and sleep training programs. Clinicians have access to real-time data on patient progress via a dashboard. In clinical studies, the PDT reduced the amount of time it took to fall asleep by 45% and similarly reduced symptoms of insomnia. Patients also experienced continued improvement at six and 12 months post-treatment.

The distribution model begins with a patient requesting a telemedicine consult and, if approved, the prescription is fulfilled digitally via Truepill.

Project Amber: Open Source Resources for Mental Health Tech

One of the unique challenges in the mental health space is the lack of objective measurements. Unlike other areas of healthcare where conditions can be measured and compared over time, mental health is measured using highly subjective tools. That’s what led Google’s X to search for a biomarker for mental health. They haven’t succeeded in that mission, but through the Amber project, they’ve built a low-cost, portable electroencephalography (EEG) device, and they made the tech and insights open source in the hopes of making a bigger impact.

In a post on Medium, X’s Obi Felten writes:

“We didn’t succeed in our original goal of finding a single biomarker for depression and anxiety. It is unlikely that one exists, given the complexity of mental health. Yet there’s no question that there is a huge opportunity for technology to enable better measurement. …While the promise of emerging measurement techniques like EEG/ERP and digital phenotyping is very exciting, it is still early days. There are many pitfalls on the path to making tech-enabled mental health measurement work in the real world, and more research needs to be done.

For this reason, we’ve decided to make Amber’s technology and insights available to the global mental health community. We believe we can make a bigger and faster impact on this huge problem by sharing our work freely.”

Stunning Fall Photos

And finally, a shout out to a member of the Vynyl family for some beautiful fall photography. Sherene Ford is married to Vynyl engineer Mike Ford, and her autumnal portrait of their daughter was chosen as one of Clickin Moms’ favorite photos in a recent contest. Check out her photo alongside the rest of the winners on the Clickin Moms blog.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/icymi-the-cloud-is-crowded-pears-digital-therapeutic-open-sourcing-mental-health", "title": "ICYMI: The Cloud Is Crowded, Pear’s Digital Therapeutic & Open-Sourcing Mental Health", "summary": "

An FDA-approved digital therapeutic goes to market, the plot thickens for cloud native applications, and mental health measurements go open source.

", "date_modified": "2020-11-04T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Digital literacy skills are critical for kids growing up today. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve partnered with the Idaho STEM Action Center on their annual INDEEDS Awards, which are designed to recognize and support educators who are energizing students to learn about STEM. Congrats on the 2020 winners who were announced last night at the ITC Hall of Fame & Resilience Showcase!

Last year, in November of 2019, Vynyl CEO Ian Harris presented an award to Lynette Leonard, librarian at Southside Elementary in Cocolalla, in recognition of her 3D printing team, STEAM camp, and other innovative tech-ed programs. We recently caught up with Lynette to find out more about how she’s adapting to educating students during COVID, and how the INDEEDS Awards have helped in her mission to get students excited about technology.

Vynyl: In your experience, how has the COVID pandemic highlighted the importance of education in science?

Lynette Leonard: COVID has impacted all aspects of education, but I have learned that through science students can continue their education at home. Most students have access to the outdoors, which is filled with educational opportunities. Families don't need textbooks, computers or internet service to do science at home. We have really tried to take advantage of this to give our students more opportunities to learn. This is especially important since the majority of our students—about 90 percent—have limited or no access to the internet.

How did the prize help you further your educational goals for your students?

My goal was to help my students become competitive with critical 21st-century STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) skills. The prize opened up several opportunities. We were able to bring Idaho's first STEAM SmartLab to our school. This has provided our students with over 600 hands-on lessons and skill-building activities that will expose them to many STEAM careers. We only had the STEAM SmartLab for three weeks before COVID hit, but in even that short time we were able to see the impact it is going to make on students’ education. One of the biggest successes is that we are seeing all students highly engaged in their educational experience. It has allowed me to create different partnerships with other educators and businesses that will help further my knowledge of what our students need. Also, it provides a real-world connection to what we are teaching.

How have your school plans been impacted by COVID-19?

We have had to become very creative in order to teach the skills students need when most of our community does not have access to internet service and technology. We are also adjusting how the STEAM SmartLab will work with all the new health regulations. We’re engaging the students to collaborate on ways we can still have them work on projects. They’re designing their class models with me to assure they still get the experience of the STEAM SmartLab.

Tell us more about STEAM Camp.

We didn't know if we would be able to hold an in-person camp. As we prepared for the camp we made sure it could be done in-person or as a distanced learning STEAM Curiosity camp. It definitely looked different than any camp we have done in the past, and we were the only school in Northern Idaho that had an in-person camp. Usually, kids are collaborating and working on projects but this year we had to assure every student had their own supplies and projects, which we did with the help of a grant.

Students were divided into groups of 10 and stayed in the same classroom the entire camp with the same teacher. Desks were spaced six feet apart to comply with CDC guidelines and we provided each student with a baseball cap that had a shield on it or masks to wear during camp. Even with all the safety procedures, the students had fun at camp.

This year we focused on exploring the stars, the science of flight, mechanical machines, and robots. The students went home with projects like working constellation lanterns and models of the solar system, rocket launchers, kites, phantom projectors, robots and many other projects. They had the opportunity to go to the STEAM SmartLab one day during camp to learn about scientific & data analysis related to temperature, optical illusions, animation, etc.

It was exciting to watch these elementary students so eager to learn, despite the COVID-related challenges. We were even able to have some families who could not attend in-person who participated from home. It gave us a good glimpse into how the fall will look and what we can do to improve our systems right now.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/science-teachers-where-are-they-now", "title": "Science Teachers: Where Are They Now?", "summary": "

We caught up with an award-winning teacher to find out how she’s adapting in a pandemic, and how the Idaho STEM Action Center's INDEEDS Awards have helped in her mission to get students excited about technology.

", "date_modified": "2020-10-28T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

The Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech summit happened on June 17, 2020. The virtual event featured more than 50 speakers and 18+ hours of content spread across three tracks.

Vynyl was excited to sponsor the event, and we hosted a conversation with Christine Cullen, director of digital engagement delivery at Blue Cross of Idaho. Christine sat down with Chris Hoyd, Vynyl’s director of product management to talk about BCI’s digital transformation.

Christine described BCI’s roots in the community going back 70 years as an organization that started as a way to provide healthcare to workers in Idaho’s mining industry. But healthcare in the year 2020 has obviously changed significantly since then. Noting some of the many challenges BCI faced, she said, “When you are a legacy company and you have years and years of success building upon custom, complex processes which ultimately become some of your bread and butter, there is a complexity built in.”

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She stressed the importance of being able to meet consumers where they are, and explained how BCI approached their digital transformation with a focus on increasing engagement. Christine highlighted the importance of buy-in from stakeholders at all levels during the process, stating, “We had executive leadership all the way to the top that really recognized that we needed to change. I really want to give them credit for that.”

Through working with Vynyl, BCI has implemented development, product management, and design strategies that have proven very successful. Christine described “increasing our significant releases by 325%. We went from delivering three significant releases a year to more than 12.” She notes that this has increased digital engagement from consumers by 50% saying “we’re pretty excited!”

To watch the rest of this conversation and learn more about our collaboration with BCI, check out the Behavioral Health Tech video library.

Thank you Cognific for creating this first-of-its-kind event and engaging Vynyl to co-organize it!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/behavioral-health-tech-digital-transformation-at-blue-cross-of-idaho", "title": "Behavioral Health Tech: Digital Transformation at Blue Cross of Idaho", "summary": "

On June 17, Vynyl was excited to sponsor the Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech summit. We hosted a conversation with Christine Cullen, director of digital engagement delivery at Blue Cross of Idaho to talk about digital transformation.

", "date_modified": "2020-10-19T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated between September 15 and October 15 every year, to commemorate the history and contributions of Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, Tejano, and the diaspora communities that make up a large portion of the United States.

Since I joined the tech world a few years ago, I discovered that Hispanic women only make up 2 percent of the workforce. I’m proud to be part of the Vynyl family for many reasons, but our support of the Hispanic community means a lot. Knowing that a diverse field of candidates leads to diversity of hires, Vynyl made a donation to Latinas in STEM, a non-profit whose mission is to “inspire and empower Latinas to pursue, thrive, and advance in STEM fields.”

My Hispanic Heritage Month Challenge

As a native Texan, I consider myself and my family to be Tejano. Having lived in California for 10 years, I’ve come to appreciate the Tex-Mex culture and food that I was raised with—I didn’t know what I had until it was three states away.

During the pandemic, many people have turned to hobbies such as cooking and breadmaking. For me, I decided to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by learning the recipe for my grandmother’s flour tortillas...30 days to learn the recipe that takes years to master.

Although my grandmother, Nicolasa Perez (we called her Mamo) passed away when I was still a child, sitting in her kitchen while she made tortillas were some of the happiest moments of my life. Thankfully, her influence lives on with my aunts, uncles, and cousins, who helped me with this recipe.

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3 cups white flour

⅓ cup Crisco

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Approximately 3/4 cup very hot water (not boiling)

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and Crisco in a mixing bowl. Slowly add the water into the mix. Mix with a fork, then hands, until the dough forms a large non-sticky ball. Place a damp towel over the bowl, and let the dough rest for 25-30 minutes.

After the dough has rested, knead the dough for a few minutes, and then divide into egg-sized balls. Roll these out with a rolling pin. If the dough sticks, sprinkle the pin and dough with flour.

Put a comal or flat pan on medium heat. Place the uncooked dough in the pan. Let the dough heat until lightly browned in spots, usually about a minute. Flip once, and continue cooking on the other side.

Remove from heat, and enjoy.

Although the recipe is simple, perfecting my grandmother’s tortillas has been much more complicated than I thought it would be. It took me the full month before I felt that I had captured something close to what my grandmother used to make. I look forward to improving it over time, and passing all of her recipes down through the generations.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/my-challenge-for-hispanic-heritage-month", "title": "My Challenge for Hispanic Heritage Month", "summary": "

During the pandemic, many people have turned to breadmaking. For me, I decided to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by learning the recipe for my grandmother’s flour tortillas...30 days to learn the recipe that takes years to master.

", "date_modified": "2020-10-13T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Vynyl was once again a sponsor of Boise Pride Fest, which happened on September 12. This year, Pride Fest went virtual, and was a smashing success with speakers, music, drag performances, and an appearance by Boise Mayor Lauren McLean.

Nick Crabbs, VP of community and partner at Vynyl, did a virtual interview with Pride Fest Board Member Joseph Kibbe to talk about the significance of the event and its 2020 theme, Power In Progress.

Joseph stated that the Boise event was one of the most well-attended virtual Pride events in the northwest. He stressed the value of Boise businesses showing support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Joseph and Nick agreed that, given the fairly recent legal struggles in Idaho on LGBTQ+ civil rights, when businesses support diversity they have an advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent for extremely competitive tech jobs. They also have the political leverage to affect positive change for all LGBTQ+ people in the state of Idaho.

Joseph got involved with Pride Fest because it’s a fun, highly visible, and “tangible win” for the community. One of the greatest impacts of Pride Fest, he said, is that it gives LGBTQ+ people a chance to meet others in their community and “feel like you aren’t alone.”

Diversity and inclusion are part of Vynyl’s core values, and as a company, we support our communities and employees.

Check out the highlights video to hear more of Nick and Joseph’s conversation!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/boise-pride-fest-2020-power-in-progress", "title": "Boise Pride Fest 2020: Power In Progress", "summary": "

Pride Fest went virtual with speakers, music, drag performances, and an appearance by Boise Mayor Lauren McLean. Nick Crabbs interviewed Pride Fest Board Member Joseph Kibbe about the significance of the event in 2020. #pride #boisepridefest #powerinprogress

", "date_modified": "2020-10-02T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On September 1 Vynyl CTO Erick Herring was the guest on episode 17 of Trailhead and Boise State Venture College’s Survive to Thrive video series. The episode focused on digital transformation, from initial conception through execution.

Erick stressed the importance of tethering your digital transformation efforts to a strategic plan, and building a team that can execute on the vision. Distilling that vision into a high-level road map is a great way to show the specific and measurable steps that the company will take to realize that vision. He warned however, that while digital transformation is about “efficiency and automation and changing processes, it's not only about that.” He noted that hiring an outside firm to work with your team can help you accelerate—with the caveat that “you can’t buy digital transformation off the shelf.”

“Done well, digital transformation opens up the possibilities for new types of innovation, for creativity.”

“You can digitally transform at many levels,” Erick notes. In addition to the CTOs and VPs who traditionally lead digital transformation, other people can kick-start the conversation. It can begin as simply as somebody saying “There must be a better way. If we don’t change something—if I don’t change something—nothing is ever going to change.”

Modernizing your processes is important to a digital transformation, but Erick cautions that “Agile tools have a time and a place, and are fit for the purpose and related to the structure of the organization you’re deploying them in.” For example, clients often rely on road maps to help teams understand their current state and to see a path that will lead them toward innovation. He stresses that “going into the cloud and turning on scrum across your organization does not digitally transform you.” For that, companies need to keep focused on the goal of creating value for their customers.

For more of Erick’s insights into digital transformation, check out the full episode on YouTube.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/survive-to-thrive-17-with-erick-herring-the-promise-of-digital-transformation", "title": "Survive to Thrive #17 with Erick Herring: The Promise of Digital Transformation", "summary": "

While digital transformation is about “efficiency and automation and changing processes, it's not only about that.”

", "date_modified": "2020-09-29T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On June 17 the Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech summit featured more than 50 speakers and 18+ hours of content spread across three tracks.

Alyson Friedensohn, founder and CEO of Modern Health sat down with Chris Hoyd, Vynyl’s director of product management to talk about mental health and the importance of meeting employees where they are.

Alyson described growing up with parents who were doctors, and always understanding the value of preventative care. After moving to San Francisco and suffering a series of personal and professional setbacks within the first two weeks, she was forced to ask herself, “Why am I here and why did I just do this?”

During what she calls “a complete disaster,” Modern Health was born. Alyson says, “I saw this huge unmet need in the mental health space to build a more holistic and preventative solution—not just waiting until people are in crisis mode.”

Alyson described many of the kinds of stressors people are experiencing, including everything from dealing with work stress and personal relationships to more serious concerns. “Whether it’s a pandemic, or whether it’s the racial injustice that we’re seeing, all these things…put people at higher risk for severe depression, anxiety, and stress. Giving them the tools to engage in their own mental health, that was the idea behind Modern Health.”

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Modern Health’s three-pronged approach provides users digital resources and tools for self-paced exploration, virtual coaching, and access to virtual or in-person therapy. This allows them to address a wider range of user needs than traditional mental healthcare coverage, which often focuses on referring people to therapists.

She also addressed the ways that technology is affecting our well-being, noting that social media and our always-on work lives have changed the ways and the rate at which humans need to process information and emotions. Alyson notes that while humans have looked more or less the same for thousands of years, the rate that technology has evolved around us is increasing. “Pretty quickly overnight we went from being tethered to technology, but also having to deal with the feelings of going through sadness, jealousy, happiness in 30 seconds by looking at social media applications that we have on our phones. We as humans haven’t created the new neural pathways to be resilient to these stresses that we deal with every day.”

To see the rest of the conversation, check out the Behavioral Health Tech video library.

Thank you Cognific for creating this first-of-its-kind event and engaging Vynyl to co-organize it!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/gdbht-modern-health", "title": "Behavioral Health Tech: Modern Health: Mental Wellness That Meets Employees Wherever They Are", "summary": "

Alyson Friedensohn, founder and CEO of Modern Health sat down with Chris Hoyd, Vynyl’s director of product management to talk about mental health and the importance of meeting employees where they are.

", "date_modified": "2020-09-23T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On September 10 Vynyl President and CEO Ian Harris participated in Boise Metro Chamber’s panel discussion “Technology and the Future of Healthcare” alongside Dr. Waj Nassar, primary care physician of St. Luke's Health Care Systems; Heidi Hart, CEO of Terry Reilly Health Services; and Landon Reese, chief product officer of Healthwise.

The discussion focused on telehealth services, which have expanded considerably in the Treasure Valley and across the country as healthcare providers have ramped up their telehealth abilities as a response to the Coronavirus pandemic. While current circumstances are a considerable challenge to providers, technology is poised to become an even more integral part of the healthcare system.

Some key points raised by panelists included the rapid growth of telehealth utilization—in some cases more than 10x— and the need for rapid deployment of telehealth tools and workflows. The panel noted that while telehealth can be tremendously successful, there are technological and economic hurdles that will need to be overcome. For one, access to broadband internet and the connected devices needed to access telehealth are not always available to all patients.

On the provider side, Ian noted that it’s also important to build telehealth into existing tools, rather than adding additional complexities for clinicians.

“A big question that we wind up asking ourselves is not just ‘What can we build?’ but ’What should we build that'll work within the current systems?’

“I think that you are going to see a lot of really interesting solutions that focus on empowering patients and the patient experience. How do you create less friction within that process? How do you empower patients to get information when they want it, when they need it, and then how do you make sure that that information is good and useful to the rest of their care team? That's the big area that we’ve been focusing on.”

For more of Ian and the panel’s insights into the future of telehealth, check out the full recording.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-telehealth-in-the-covid-19-era", "title": "The Recap: Telehealth in the COVID-19 Era", "summary": "

The pandemic challenges us at a time when technology is becoming an even more integral part of the healthcare system. Telehealth utilization has grown by more than 10x in some cases. Vynyl joined St. Luke's, Terry Reilly, and Healthwise to discuss the hurdles in the race to adopt and optimize telehealth.

", "date_modified": "2020-09-15T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

It's already September (hard to believe!) and that means that the ninth annual Rock Health Summit is coming up soon, on September 22-23. Vynyl is looking forward to participating, both as a presenter and an Executive sponsor of the virtual event.

Tune in on Wednesday, September 23 for "Digital Health: Accelerating the Shift to Value" moderated by Vynyl President and CEO Ian Harris. The panel will feature Erin Huntington of Eli Lilly and Company, Sami Inkinen of Virta Health, and Peter Long of Blue Shield of California. They’ll discuss the move to outcome-based payment, and how that necessitates a paradigm shift in business models, strategy, and technology. The panel will explore how payers are shaping this shift, and the promising digital tools enabling this transition.

The two-day agenda is packed with other sessions that we’re looking forward to watching, including:

Register today and join us for Rock Health Summit 2020!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/join-us-at-rock-health-summit-on-september-22-23-2020", "title": "Join Us at Rock Health Summit on September 22-23, 2020", "summary": "

Rock Health Summit is going virtual this year and the two-day agenda is packed with sessions that we’re looking forward to watching -- including a value-based care panel that Vynyl is moderating on the 23rd.

", "date_modified": "2020-09-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

UCSF Researchers Neutralize COVID—With Camels

Unfortunately, COVID-19 seems like all anyone can think about some days, but there are lots of big ideas on the horizon that could change everything. We weren't counting on Camelids to be the animals that save us all, but scientists from UCSF have created synthetic antibodies to neutralize the virus—and they’re modeled after antibodies found in llamas and camels.

Researchers are hoping that clinical trials will result in a nasal spray to combat the virus. The engineered molecules called AeroNabs bind to COVID-19’s protein spikes, preventing them from invading cells. While it’s still unclear how long the spray would be effective, the ease of a self-administered spray or inhaler could be “a game changer.”

Anaconda’s 2020 State of Data Science

The folks behind the Python distribution Anaconda have released their 2020 State of Data Science, and after crunching the numbers, it turns out that data drudgery is still a big part of data scientists’ workdays.

More than 2,300 respondents sounded off on a range of topics, including how data scientists are spending their time, and how effective their teams are at demonstrating the impact of data science on outcomes. Download the full report at Anaconda’s website.

Dad Turns Kids’ Drawings Into Amazing “Real” Photos

Dads. They’ve recently come into their own with the internet’s embrace of the “Dad Joke” and this dad in particular has taken his dadding to the next level by Photoshopping his kids’ drawings into “real life.” To be honest, we can’t stop looking at them.

The attention to detail is quite stunning, and stand-out dad Tom Curtis reports spending about 10 hours on each amazingly detailed creation. You can see more of his hilarious Photoshop wizardry at @ThingsIHaveDrawn on Instagram.

\"source:

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/icymi-llamas-fighting-covid-data-science-can-be-a-drag-how-to-win-at-dadding", "title": "ICYMI: Llamas Fighting COVID-19, Data Science Can Be a Drag & How to Win at Dadding", "summary": "

UCSF researchers neutralize coronavirus; Anaconda releases a new report on the state of data science; and an artist takes #DadLife to the next level.

", "date_modified": "2020-09-01T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

The Vynyl Design Team set out to upgrade our tools from a combination of Sketch, Abstract, InVision, and Zeplin to Figma—a highly touted design tool that would replace our old tech stack with a single integrated solution.

Our old stack worked for traditional product design, but our team was embracing component-based Design Systems and we were beginning to feel constrained by the tools. We couldn’t ignore that Figma’s capabilities were better aligned with our new design direction. 

This is why and how we transitioned to Figma—and what we learned along the way.

Why Switch?

As a team, we had become accustomed to the imperfect methods of our design process. We were able to produce high-quality designs, communicate decisions to product teams, developers, and clients, and to build realistic prototypes—but not without friction and some necessary redundancy as we moved information between multiple, unconnected systems.

Tool Overload

Using a stack of tools made updating design files and prototypes a cumbersome process. A single design change meant that change also had to be uploaded to the prototype in InVision and committed to Zeplin for the development team. Updating designs across multiple platforms was a lot to maintain and often resulted in files becoming out of sync across tools.

Shared Libraries

Designers were also working from multiple, unmanaged Sketch libraries. Unfortunately, we found the process of sharing libraries via Sketch Cloud to be inconsistent at best. There were just too many problems; changes wouldn’t sync properly or in a timely manner and it was hard for our team to trust that they were working with consistent and correct assets.

Collaboration

Our design team is fully remote so the idea of being able to collaborate within a tool is very appealing. Commenting features are nice, but we ran into constraints with Sketch when multiple designers were making changes to the same design file.

File Sharing

Because our team is distributed, sharing files is mission-critical. Our previous stack wasn’t seamless enough, and it was difficult to have confidence that everyone was working from the latest versions.

Frustrated Engineers

Our disparate stack of design tools wasn’t only frustrating for designers. It was also challenging for developers to obtain the information they needed. With no access to Sketch libraries they had zero insight into what our design team was designing. They had to rely solely on Zeplin being up-to-date, which wasn’t always the case.

The Transition to Figma

Plan Research

We started by researching Figma plans to determine which tier would be the best fit for Vynyl. Because we are a product development firm and we service a diverse range of clients, the Organization Plan was the best fit. It allows us to have an unlimited number of Teams so there’s plenty of room for new and existing design work.

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Our File Structure

We made the decision to only transition in-progress design projects to the new platform. Anything already completed in Sketch remained in Sketch. But first, we needed to set up our workspace and decide how we would structure clients, projects, and files.

After testing a few structures for organizing in Figma, we landed on the following.

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Importing Files

We were excited about the ability to upload Sketch files directly to Figma, but found that the designs and component relationships didn’t translate seamlessly. It became clear that starting from scratch with our libraries would be the best solution and we also took advantage of the opportunity to improve our documentation and consistency.

We made sure every reusable element had a style or component applied to it and meaningful documentation. Gone are all the one-off font treatments or not-quite-right grey colors. Our team also worked to make our components smarter and more flexible. We eliminated unnecessary bloat and leaned into new Figma features like auto layout and instance swapping to create dynamic components. The result was fewer individual elements in our Design System that were able to be used in more instances.

Figma Bootcamps

To familiarize our designers with the new features in Figma, I put together a series of Bootcamp exercises. I created templates to explore how to get the most out of auto layout and acquaint the team with new processes like prototyping. Along with the template, each designer was given resources and a set of instructions to follow. It was up to each individual to replicate the behavior of the Bootcamp template but figure it out on their own.. We went over the results and any questions or feedback in our bi-weekly design meetings.

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The Result/Takeaways

The Vynyl design team has been working in Figma for several months now and we haven’t looked back. It’s an amazing tool, and frequent feature additions give us confidence that it will continue to work well for our team. Our clients are also reaping the benefits of Figma as our new workflows have increased efficiency and allowed us to work with even faster turnaround times.

Here’s what we have found most beneficial about Figma, as well as the new challenges we have adopted.

Benefits

Real-Time Design Collaboration: Instead of sending design files back and forth via Slack, Figma allows our designers to work together in real-time. Everyone has immediate access to the most recent designs.

Designer/Dev Collaboration: Figma allows your team to have unlimited viewers which means developers can export assets, access code, and see updates without having to pay for a seat.

Single Tool: With Figma, we design, prototype, collaborate with developers, and manage versions within a single tool. We no longer have to guess whether designs are up to date in multiple places.

Version Control: We are often responsible for maintaining different versions of designs, so built-in version control was a huge plus for our team. You can choose to save your work and document it at strategic points, but even if you don’t, Figma auto-saves versions for you. We’re big fans.

User Permissions: User roles and permissions allow you to get as granular as needed when granting access to projects and libraries.

Prototyping Flexibility: Figma makes it easy to include micro-animations and scrolling in prototypes—allowing us to provide our clients with an even more realistic experience.

Shared Libraries: Being able to quickly share libraries across users and projects has kept everyone in sync. Our team uses Figma in the browser so library updates are instant.

Component Descriptions: Adding documentation directly to components helps keep designers and developers aligned on usage without having to reference a separate file.

Auto Layout: Auto layout is a game changer. It allows you to create components that adjust to content changes, resulting in a much more flexible and reusable UI element.

Challenges

We are very happy with our migration to Figma. It has streamlined our design process and improved our ability to serve clients. We’re also looking forward to ongoing improvements from Figma that will help us continue to innovate in our designs.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/increasing-design-velocity-with-figma", "title": "How We Increased Our Design Velocity with Figma", "summary": "

The Vynyl design team has been working in Figma for several months now and we haven’t looked back. We moved from a siloed design stack to a single solution. Here’s how it improved our processes and added value for our clients.

", "date_modified": "2020-07-28T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Because of COVID-19, many traditional office cultures have recently had to transform overnight into remote work organizations. Since a significant portion of the Vynyl team was already remote, we had an advantage in this situation. Our workflows to support our team and clients virtually were already in place. Now that we’re all working remotely, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the pandemic is transforming work culture as a whole.

This quick and widespread transition has brought with it an increased recognition that we all have lives and responsibilities outside the office, as “work” and “home” life have become more intertwined. Many organizations are realizing that, for most of their employees, working from home now is about having more on our plates—not less.

Vynyl has always been a family-friendly workplace. Our team includes many parents, and we’ve taken pride in building a culture that supports families. But the current epidemic has prompted us to embrace that family-friendly vision more fully, and in some unexpected ways—and that’s a great thing.

Recently I was on a company-wide conference call when my youngest daughter ran into my office and decided to jump on my lap. In the past, I might have tried to avoid that situation in order to maintain a more “professional” facade (which generally doesn’t include having a four-year-old on your lap during a conference call). Instead, I embraced the moment.

I made a conscious choice to simply continue with her in my lap. My role as a father is an integral part of who I am and I carry that identity to work with me every day. When my daughter decided to join our company meeting, that became literally true, not just an abstract idea.

It was a brief moment, but it taught me something important about how work culture is evolving. Everyone has important things outside of work that require their time and attention, and those things have become even more visible as we all quickly pivot to working from home. Your partner erupts into laughter on the phone with their coworker during your meeting. Your cat hops onto your laptop and blocks your face on the camera. Your child has trouble logging into their Zoom class and needs tech support.

Traditional work culture has often meant leaving the rest of your life outside when you enter the workplace, whether you are working in an office or not. Now that our entire team is working from home alongside spouses and other family members, the artificial divide between our “home” and “work” selves is falling away. I see a tremendous value in that, even though traditionally when this happened to women and people of color, this was seen as a liability. Not at Vynyl.

Performing well isn’t about maintaining the most buttoned-up facade. It’s about being in the moment, being able to adapt, and still having the freedom to be creative. Of course, when we’re delivering a presentation, negotiating the terms of a contract, or speaking with a job candidate, we still make sure that we have those meetings in a quiet space without interruptions. But being present now often includes our families. As workers and as human beings we’re better off embracing our whole selves, rather than wasting energy and effort trying to maintain the illusion that we operate in some work-only vacuum. We support our employees when they have to balance life outside of work, so that they can deliver their best work for our customers.

Going forward, I’m keeping in mind that everyone is dealing with a lot more responsibilities that we’re all trying to juggle simultaneously—and the simplest tasks and errands are more complicated and time-consuming during this pandemic. The important thing is to be adaptable, offer each other a little more understanding, and give each other a break when need be. Now when I start a Zoom call, I often find myself giving people a heads up. Yep, my kids might decide to crash the meeting, and that’s okay.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-evolution-of-working-from-home", "title": "It’s Okay if Your Kid (or Your Cat) Bombs Our Conference Call", "summary": "

Because of COVID-19, many office cultures have had to transform overnight. Now that we’re all working remotely, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the pandemic is changing work culture and how we do our best work for our clients.

", "date_modified": "2020-07-21T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

The Fourth of July is an important American celebration—arguably the most important since it celebrates the independence of the American colonies from the British empire. But did you know that the Continental Congress actually voted for independence on July 2? The holiday itself commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

\"Independence

But Independence Day is more than just a day off of work. As Americans, freedom and democracy are important to us. As a company, active citizenship is a critical value. We’re proud to have a U.S.-based workforce, and we actively give back to our communities. We also fully support our employees and their right to express themselves freely—and yes, sometimes that includes protest. Our founding fathers fought to give us these freedoms, and at Vynyl we celebrate them and hold them dear.

Happy Fourth of July!

A full transcript of the Declaration of Independence is available from the National Archives, here.

\"The

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/vynyl-celebrates-independence-day", "title": "Vynyl Celebrates Independence Day", "summary": "

The Fourth of July is an important American celebration that means more than just a day off of work.

", "date_modified": "2020-07-01T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Vynyl is a gold-level sponsor of HL7 and we tip our hats to them for taking FHIR DevDays US online this year. On June 15-18, the DevDays Virtual Edition brought IT pros, designers, developers, product managers, and startups together to collaborate and learn about FHIR from the experts.

DevDays 2020 included presentations of FHIR-ready technology by Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and IBM, as well as a Patient Innovator track with a pitch competition. Morgan Gleason won with her idea to use FHIR to automate pre-visit summaries to share with her clinicians to manage her autoimmune condition.

Did you miss out on DevDays? All of the content is available for purchase on demand, here.

HL7 FHIR DevDays is organized by HL7 International and Firely.

Health Level Seven International (HL7) is an ANSI-accredited non-profit organization founded in 1987 that develops interoperability standards for global health data. HL7 has affiliates in more than 30 countries, and HL7 members represent more than 90 percent of healthcare information systems vendors.

Firely is a group of software engineers and FHIR consultants. They are responsible for maintaining the official open source .NET API for HL7 FHIR, and Vonk, the FHIR server for .NET.

For more on FHIR DevDays 2020, check out devdays.com. DevDays Europe 2020 is scheduled for November 18-20, 2020 and will be virtual as well. Registration begins on July 15.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/hl7-fhir-devdays-2020-goes-virtual", "title": "HL7 FHIR DevDays 2020 Goes Virtual", "summary": "

On June 15-18, the DevDays Virtual Edition brought IT pros, designers, developers, product managers, and startups together to collaborate and learn about FHIR from the experts.

", "date_modified": "2020-06-30T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Boise Startup Week celebrates Idaho’s growing entrepreneur ecosystem. The week-long festival kicks off on October 26 and is free to the public. This year, we’re taking Startup Week virtual. For up-to-date information and event schedules, check out boisestartupweek.org.

This year’s theme is B. Resilient. Boise Startup Week is designed to empower attendees of all backgrounds to imagine what’s possible, to develop meaningful connections, and to learn from the best that the Gem State has to offer.

Startup Week will feature 10 different tracks this year, including Food, Grow, Health, Social Impact, Start, Talent, Tech, VIP, Youth, and Design. Events will include talks, fireside chats, and keynotes from featured guests. This year’s marquee events will be the Trailmix Pitch Competition and $25K Pitch Competition.

Last year’s Boise Startup Week attendance topped 3,400 and highlights included a keynote by Governor Brad Little, the annual $25,000 Pitch Competition, and even a corporate dodgeball tournament.

Boise Startup Week is a community program housed within Trailhead and co-chaired with Vynyl promoting entrepreneurship in the Boise community. To register to attend, sponsor, or speak at Boise Startup Week, head to boisestartupweek.org.

We’ll see you in October!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/boise-startup-week-2020-goes-online-october-26", "title": "Boise Entrepreneur Week 2020 Goes Online October 26", "summary": "

Boise Startup Week celebrates Idaho’s growing entrepreneur ecosystem — and this year, we’re taking Startup Week virtual with a new theme, B. Resilient.

", "date_modified": "2020-06-30T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Apple Holds Virtual WWDC

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference went virtual for the first time on June 22-26. In typical fashion Apple made several big announcements including iOS & iPadOS 14, Mac OS Big Sur, and the upcoming transition to Apple-designed ARM processors for Macs. They also announced new architecture and data storage improvements for CareKit, and FHIRModels for validation of FHIR data.

McKinsey: Up to $250B of US Health Spending Could Become Virtual

McKinsey reports that use of telehealth is surging. In 2019, 11 percent of consumers utilized telehealth, but the results of a McKinsey study show that number increased to 46 percent by the end of April, due to the impact of COVID-19. Healthcare providers are rapidly scaling to meet the increasing demand and McKinsey notes that telehealth services could account for as much as $250 billion in healthcare spending in the United States.

ITC Releases Latest Idaho Deal Flow Report

Idaho Technology Council’s Idaho Deal Flow Report is out and 2019 was a big year for the state. Idaho was once again the fastest-growing state in the country, and had more than 150 deals and $4.4 billion of capital flow.

Keeping Kids Engaged (While Sheltering in Place)

Women Innovators (W.IN) have started a Facebook page called W.INing in Quarantine aimed at collecting information and activities to keep young innovators engaged with science and technology. It’s a particularly useful resource in a time when school closures have impacted so many young people.

What Is the Design Squiggle?

\"Creative

When people think about design, they often think of the end result, rather than all of the planning, iteration, and work that goes into creating that design. That’s why the Design Squiggle is such a relevant literal and figurative representation of the process. Find out more about how Damien Newman created it at thedesignsquiggle.com.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/in-case-you-missed-it-1", "title": "ICYMI: $250B for Virtual Health, Apple Goes Virtual for WWDC 2020 & Idaho Deal Flow", "summary": "

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference goes virtual; McKinsey reports a surge in telehealth; Idaho Technology Council releases its Idaho Deal Flow Report; how to keep kids engaged while sheltering in place; and more.

", "date_modified": "2020-06-24T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Equality is a core value at Vynyl. We support and celebrate the successes of our LGBTQ+ colleagues, friends, and communities. Vynyl stands with them in celebrating Pride, working to end discrimination of any kind, and creating a more inclusive world for everyone. 

We recognize that Pride is an important celebration, and we have organized and sponsored several Pride events alongside other corporate partners.

We also like to remind ourselves of the origins of Pride celebrations, which commemorate a protest against injustice and discrimination. That’s why we celebrate Pride as an opportunity to take a stand against policies, rules, and laws that serve as barriers to equality. It’s a chance for all of us to create a more just world.

Pictured: Vynyl Partner & Vice President, Community Nick Crabbs waving a hand-sewn Vynyl flag at Boise Pridefest in 2017

Vynyl will continue to celebrate, advocate for, and cherish our community and will spend this Pride season remembering that as LGBTQ+ people and allies, we all still have work to do.

We’re here to do our part.

Be safe. Happy Pride.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/we-celebrate-pride", "title": "Vynyl Celebrates Pride", "summary": "

Pride is an important celebration, which commemorates a protest against injustice and discrimination. That’s why we celebrate Pride as an opportunity to take a stand against barriers to equality.

", "date_modified": "2020-06-16T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Call it B-Town, the City of Trees, or even the next Austin, TX. Boise’s profile is rising and gaining national attention. It’s a city where access to the outdoors and a booming downtown district make it ideal for young professionals and families of all kinds. And over the last few years, greater opportunities for small businesses to start and grow have taken root.


The startup ecosystem is alive and kicking in Boise — and by the numbers, the fourth annual Boise Startup Week showed that the community is stronger than ever. The event hosted a record 3,400 attendees—including 1,100 college and high school students—at 105 different events in venues around the city from October 4-12.

This year showcased nine different themes or tracks, including Health, Tech, Food, and a Youth track for young entrepreneurs in high schools and colleges.

BSW’s Pitch Competition drew 275 entries, representing a wide range of Idaho’s growing tech community.

Ultimately, Washie emerged as the winner and took home $20,000 for their easy-to-clean toilet seat for public restrooms.

\"Rob

Runner-up Free to Feed’s allergen-detecting test strips for nursing moms won a $5,000 prize.

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In addition to the fierce pitch competition, there were more than 100 events during startup week.

What were Vynyl’s most memorable moments? Highlights included a fireside chat (emceed by Vynyl President and CEO Ian Harris) with Governor Brad Little; Dr. Marlene Tromp, president of Boise State University; C. Scott Green, president of the University of Idaho; Kevin Satterlee, president of Idaho State University; and Jim Everett, co-president of the College of Idaho. Radhika Bhatt, director of civic engagement for the U.S. Census Bureau also spoke in a session about The Opportunity Project’s efforts to create digital tools to solve problems like disaster recovery, youth homelessness, and opioid addiction in America. Amy Jo Kim, whose credits include Rock Band, The Sims, and more, lit up the room with a Tech Track keynote and a workshop on Game Thinking to create market-leading products.

Team Vynyl pitched in with hundreds of volunteer hours to organize, moderate, and offer perspectives, including these events:

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BSW upped the ante with VIP and after parties this year, too. Five Alarm Funk warmed up the crowd in freezing-cold temps at the BSW Block Party. 

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The free gloves from Vynyl didn’t hurt.

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And, of course, there was the infamous dodgeball tournament with 16 corporate contenders who played to win. We gotta hand it to Bodybuilding.com for clinching the weight belt trophy this year. Team Vynyl did their best and left it all on the court.

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Update: Boise Startup Week is going virtual in 2020. The event kicks off on October 26, and you can find all the details at boisestartupweek.org. See you there!

Vynyl is a co-chair of Boise Startup Week.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-boise-startup-week-2019", "title": "The Recap: Boise Startup Week 2019", "summary": "

The startup ecosystem is alive and kicking in Boise — and by the numbers, the fourth annual Boise Startup Week showed that the community is stronger than ever. What were the most memorable moments?

", "date_modified": "2020-05-06T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Vynyl is proud to co-sponsor Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech Summit on June 17, 2020. The virtual summit brings technologists, entrepreneurs, investors, designers, and other stakeholders together to share information and make connections that will transform patient care through technology and innovation.

Register today and join us on June 17 from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm Pacific. The day will feature several speakers and networking events designed to showcase solutions for the changing landscape of behavioral healthcare. All proceeds from the event will go to the National Council for Behavioral Health's COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Chris Hoyd, director of product at Vynyl, will host two fireside chats. The first will feature Alyson Friedensohn, founder and CEO of Modern Health, about rapid digital transformation for corporate workforces. The second will feature Christine Cullen, director of digital engagement delivery at Blue Cross of Idaho, about the company's journey to transform its customer experiences.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/join-us-for-going-digital-behavioral-health-tech-summit", "title": "Join Us for Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech Summit", "summary": "

Vynyl is proud to sponsor Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech Summit. Care delivery experts, entrepreneurs, investors and designers will share ideas to transform patient care and benefit the National Council's COVID-19 Relief Fund.

", "date_modified": "2020-05-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Survive to Thrive is a new webinar series presented by Trailhead and Boise State University's Venture College, and sponsored by Vynyl. The series provides information and insight to businesses as we navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CTO Erick Herring and VP of Community Nick Crabbs were guests on Survive to Thrive “Episode #6: Startup Opportunities – Technical Co-Founders,” along with Shervin Talieh from Partner Hero. The discussion centered on these questions: What goes into the decision to engage a technical co-founder, when are they the most effective, and what to look for in such a role.

See the rest of the Survive to Thrive series on YouTube.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/vynyl-cto-erick-herring-vp-of-community-nick-crabbs-on-survive-to-thrive", "title": "Survive to Thrive With Vynyl's CTO and VP of Community", "summary": "

Our own Erick Herring and Nick Crabbs were guests on Survive to Thrive “Episode #6: Startup Opportunities – Technical Co-Founders.” How do you engage a co-founder and when are they the most effective?

", "date_modified": "2020-04-29T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

The team at Vynyl has always been distributed in multiple locations. So when stay-at-home orders closed our offices, we were already experienced working with remote teams. Now that all of our engineers, producers, and designers are working in their home offices, we thought we’d share a few of their workspaces. Like our colleagues themselves, these workspaces show the range of personalities and styles that make our team so great to work with.

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", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/how-vynyl-works-from-home-with-confidence", "title": "How Vynyl Works From Home With Confidence", "summary": "

Like our engineers, producers, and designers themselves, these stay-at-home workspaces show the range of personalities and styles of our awesome team at Vynyl.

", "date_modified": "2020-04-21T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Vynyl was pleased to be a sponsor of the Advanced Patent Law Institute: Silicon Valley (APLI) December 12-13 in East Palo Alto, CA. The event featured judges, academics, litigators, patent prosecutors, and senior IP counsel giving attendees an in-depth look at the latest developments in patent law and practice.

Sessions covered a wide range of topics ranging from antitrust and unfair competition concerns for standards bodies and licensors to issues of diversity and inclusion. You can see the full agenda and presenter information at the event website.

Vynyl provides source code reviews for high-tech litigation cases in addition to our software development practice and we spread the word about it at this event.

APLI is jointly presented by the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology (BCLT) and Stanford Law School. BCLT’s mission is to advance technology by guiding the development of law as it applies to technology, privacy, and public policy. They also engage with issues of digital security, entertainment, biotechnology, telecommunications, and other regulatory, constitutional, and business laws that intersect with technology.

APLI 2020 is scheduled for December 10-11.

\"null\"

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/vynyl-showcases-source-code-review-practice-at-2019-berkeley-stanford-advanced-patent-law-institute-silicon-valley", "title": "Vynyl Highlights Source Code Review Practice at 2019 Berkeley-Stanford Advanced Patent Law Institute", "summary": "

Respected judges, academics, litigators, patent prosecutors, and senior IP counsel gave an in-depth look at the latest developments in patent law and practice.

", "date_modified": "2020-01-07T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

We survived AWS re:Invent.

Our knapsacks were full of water, hand sanitizer, and battery chargers. Our shoes: sensible. And our approach to getting the most out of the largest event in cloud computing was to experience all that it offered to the fullest, taking each day as an opportunity to absorb the knowledge.

AWS re:Invent 2019 happened in Las Vegas from December 1-6. As an AWS Consulting Partner, Vynyl joined 60,000 of our industry colleagues for the mega-event, which Amazon hosts to announce its latest Web Services innovations.

Like many events in Las Vegas, re:Invent spread out across multiple locations on the Strip. Our attitude to making sense of it all was a lot like our approach to wrangling complex cloud infrastructures: Vynyl relied on battle-tested knowledge from prior experience, a little help from our friends, and Amazon’s comprehensive training to find the signals in the (electronic dance music) noise.

\"Photo

Here’s our quick list of takeaways from AWS re:Invent 2019.

AWS CEO Andy Jasy’s Tuesday keynote was a highlight of the event for the Vynyl team, as he introduced several exciting new technologies from the stage. He kicked off by talking about the history of the event, how companies transform themselves, and the importance of leadership in the process. Jasy identified four key leadership differentiators for companies that have successfully adapted to cloud technologies, including alignment of senior leadership, aggressive top-down goals, effective training, and creating a migration plan to avoid getting bogged down.

\"Andy

Per usual AWS re:Invent brought tons of product announcements. The Vynyl team took note of several in particular, including:

AWS Fargate for Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service

Amazon ECS Cluster Auto Scaling

VPC Ingress Routing

AWS Compute Optimizer

On Thursday, Dr. Warner Vogels, CTO of Amazon got the day started with a keynote focused on technical aspects of AWS, offering a behind-the-scenes look at some of the underlying tech. He dove into several topics, including the AWS Nitro System which is built for delivering flexibility, speed, security, and customer savings.

\"Dr.

He also brought on Claire Ligori, principal software engineer, who spoke about AWS Fargate and Firecracker and the benefits of virtualization.

Another highlight was the introduction of the Amazon Builders Library, a set of living documents from Amazon technical staff covering architecture, software delivery, and operations.

And in between the keynotes and training sessions and product demos, we did ride a mechanical bull.

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", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/aws-reinvent-2019-we-faced-a-mechanical-bull-and-other-tricky-things-so-that-you-didnt-have-to", "title": "AWS re:Invent 2019: We Faced a Mechanical Bull (and Other Tricky Things) So That You Didn’t Have To", "summary": "

As an AWS Consulting Partner, Vynyl joined 60,000 of our industry colleagues for the mega-event. Here’s our quick list of takeaways.

", "date_modified": "2019-12-17T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Money 20/20 had a lot to offer in 2019!

From October 27-30 (when we also paid a visit to HLTH 2019), more than 10,000 attendees gathered from all parts of the money ecosystem: financial institutions, community banks, fintech companies, and payment providers.

Vynyl caught up with old and new friends in digital lending and banking.

\"Ladies

\"Nicole

The expo hall was the #1 way to get the pulse of our customers and the marketplace, and it did not disappoint. New developments in AI engines, data visualization, and information security sparked conversations on how to deliver new solutions to our clients.

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Hot topics in this year’s presentations ran the gamut from data security to banking issues in the emerging cannabis market. Of particular interest to the Vynyl crew was a panel discussion “AI in Credit: How to Recession-Proof Lending” between Agus Sudjianto of Wells Fargo, Ray Duggins of Octane Lending, Sara Breyfogle of Discover Financial Services, and Pankaj Kulshreshtha of Scienaptic. They discussed how richer and more easily available consumer data combined with AI affects decision-making in credit administration.

\"Source:

Evans Munyuki, chief digital officer from Emirates NBD also addressed AI in a fireside chat with Krešo Žmak from Infobip and Mike Sigal of Upside Partners to explain how Emirates is leveraging technology partners like Infobip to stay ahead of the competition and build “the bank of the future.”

Security was another hot topic at Money 20/20 this year. There were several presentations on cybersecurity issues, including talks on the value of personally identifiable information (PII) online, and a discussion between Chris Reid and Ryan Patel titled “You are the Weakest Link: Why Cybersecurity Is Everyone’s Issue.” They discussed amazing stats about the numbers of new devices being connected—127 per minute, according to one report—and the ramifications for digital security of such widespread proliferation of connected devices and digital data. The discussion highlighted the increasing cybersecurity risks for businesses of all sizes, and explored new strategies for combating the problem.

\"Source:

If you missed Money 20/20 this year, check out the daily highlight videos on the website, or dive into the full 2019 archive. The next Money 20/20 USA event is scheduled for October 25-28, 2020.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/money-20-20-2019-a-vibrant-ecosystem-braces-for-and-makes-an-impact-1", "title": "Money 20/20 2019: A Vibrant Ecosystem Braces for (and Makes an) Impact", "summary": "

New developments in AI engines, data visualization, and information security sparked conversations on how to deliver new solutions to our clients.

", "date_modified": "2019-11-13T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

From October 27-30, Vynyl descended upon Las Vegas for HLTH 2019. The event brought together more than 6,000 attendees from around the world, from established healthcare companies to startups who are blazing new trails in digital health technologies.

In the United States alone, healthcare is a $3.7 trillion industry, but it comes with some sobering statistics: 40 percent of Americans with health insurance have trouble paying deductibles while 77 percent of Americans are concerned that a major health event could bankrupt them. Against this backdrop, industry leaders—including more than 950 CEOs and founders—gathered to catalyze changes in healthcare to increase both affordability and quality of care.

HLTH 2019 featured more than 300 speakers across 19 different conference tracks, including focuses on cutting-edge science and artificial intelligence, as well as topics ranging from chronic health conditions to human-centered care. Videos from many of the general sessions can be found on HLTH’s YouTube channel.

For the Vynyl team, the conference was a chance to focus on health and outcomes reimagined through digital health. For example, Marcus Osborn (VP, Health Transformation) of Walmart presented a compelling picture of how Walmart is bringing a data-driven, fully integrated care experience to populations in need.

HLTH brings people together across the entire healthcare ecosystem with their events and digital content centered on innovation and transformation in the industry. For more information about upcoming events, check out HLTH.com.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-hlth-2019", "title": "The Recap: HLTH 2019", "summary": "

Vynyl joined more than 6,000 attendees from around the world -- from established healthcare companies to startups who are blazing new trails in digital health technologies.

", "date_modified": "2019-11-13T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Lynette Leonard and Robin Wilson were recognized for their excellence in creating innovative learning opportunities in STEM for their students.

At Vynyl, we know how critical digital literacy is for kids to succeed in the workplace of the future. 

That’s why we were so excited to partner with the Idaho STEM Action Center to participate in the review and recognition of these excellent educators at the 2019 INDEEDS Awards on October 23, 2019. 

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Our own Director of Finance and Human Resources Janelle Lauzon represented Vynyl on the selection committee. Vynyl President and CEO Ian Harris presented the keynote address at the ceremony to recognize Lynette Leonard from Southside Elementary in Cocolalla and Robin Wilson of Emmett High School as this year’s winners.

The Idaho STEM Action Center’s Industry’s Excellent Educator Dedicated to STEM (INDEEDS) Award is given to two Idaho educators who create unique opportunities for students to experience the fun and excitement of STEM by integrating real-world experiences and hands-on activities into the classroom.

Lynette Leonard is the librarian at Southside Elementary, where she teaches literacy, coding and STEAM to students at her school. Lynette started a 3D printing team at Southside, as well as a summer STEAM camp, and many other related events. She has been instrumental in pursuing funding for STEAM programs. She’s currently working on bringing the first STEAM SmartLab classroom in the state of Idaho to Southside Elementary School.

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Robin Wilson teaches biology and chemistry at Emmett High School. She came to education with a 15 year background as a biologist. She uses her experience as a scientist to inform her teaching, focusing on giving her students real-world context for “doing science” She’s been teaching at Emmett since 2014, and she has already had great success with students who have already gone on to college in science fields, participated in science internships and regional science fair competitions. Last year she was appointed Science Department Chair in the Emmett School District and oversees her beloved Biology Club.

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As 2019 INDEEDS winners, Wilson and Leonard each received a cash prize, as well as funding to attend related conferences to advance their professional practices, and funding for STEM programs at their respective schools.

Here’s an excerpt from Ian’s remarks at the ceremony.

Digital literacy is crucial to the economy today and the workplace of the future. Jobs that require science, technology, engineering, and math skills are growing by 17 percent — this is compared to 9.8 percent for all other occupations — according to The National Conference of State Legislatures. To prepare our students for those jobs of the future, it is important for us in the business community to raise our hands and be allies to the educators who support and inspire the future scientists and engineers of Idaho.

Those of us in this room from the business community are strong believers in the mission of the Idaho STEM Action Center. We are proud to support its programs. In the last year alone, the STEM Action Center facilitated dozens of interactions with students, families, and educators in communities all across the great state of Idaho.

And tonight, we celebrate the teachers who are dedicated to this cause. Together with a council of our peers, the industry selected two teachers as the worthy recipients of The Industry’s Excellent Educators Dedicated to STEM Award, or the INDEEDS Award. This prestigious award is given to Idaho educators who exemplify the talent, dedication, and passion for giving their students the best STEM learning opportunities — by connecting their classrooms with industry and our economic future.

Congratulations to our 2019 winners.

We can’t wait for 2020!

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/2019-indeeds-awards-honor-stem-educators", "title": "2019 INDEEDS Awards Honor STEM Educators", "summary": "

The Idaho STEM Action Center recognized Lynette Leonard and Robin Wilson for their excellence in creating innovative learning opportunities for their students. Vynyl was proud to sponsor this event!

", "date_modified": "2019-11-06T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

On October 17, more than 60 leaders in digital health worked together at Caltech in Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles (AI LA)’s inaugural Life Summit 2019. This vibrant group brought artificial intelligence, machine learning, and design thinking to bear on some of healthcare’s most complex challenges.

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Vynyl was honored to participate in and to sponsor the invitation-only event with Caltech, ArtCenter, and Innovate Pasadena. The group included data engineers, physicians, chief technologists, social workers, product developers, entrepreneurs, and patients who are living with or have survived serious health conditions. Ian Harris was joined by Erick Herring, Nicole Harris Roberts, and Morgan Stevenson from Vynyl’s executive team.

\"Erick

Each working group was led by one of seven healthcare organizations, including HMRI-Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Doheny Eye Institute, Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and the National Association of Social Workers/CA Technology Council. Wen Dombrowski and Nardo Manaloto of Catalaize facilitated the program. Indu Subaiya MD from Catalyst @ Health 2.0 keynoted the event.

“It's incredible how you can meet strangers, brainstorm, design and present a product from soup to nuts all in a single day!”

-Daniel Stieglitz, founder and CEO of Stainless AI, Inc.

The day started with local healthcare systems such as Kaiser Permanente and Cedars-Sinai sharing challenges that their organizations are facing. Using a foundation of design thinking concepts, the day involved exercises marrying AI with business strategy, user insights, and new and emerging technology solutions to propose new concepts for healthcare solutions.

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The working groups tackled a range of challenges, including reducing physician burnout, improving Medicaid transition from childhood to adolescence, using AI to predict and nudge patients with health interventions, and the FDA's proposed rules for regulating artificial intelligence and machine learning in medical devices. The working groups viewed these problems at all angles and posed tough questions for discussion, including:

\"Small

Design thinking is a concept that Vynyl and other organizations use to keep the end user at the center of the product, service, process, and strategy. Life Summit groups engaged these methods to distill complex problems into innovative, user-focused solutions.
In an effort to reduce physician burnout due to clunky EHR software, one team developed a concept to transform how doctors can utilize AI, freeing them up to spend more time face-to-face with patients. From napkin sketch to presentation, the exercises engaged teams with diverse backgrounds to fully understand the needs of both doctor and patient—ultimately generating a solution that could resolve many frustrations in healthcare settings. 

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All of the working groups presented their final concepts on stage at the end of the day.

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Life Summit demonstrated that increasing collaboration across healthcare organizations and among AI technology experts speeds up the process of generating the most compelling ideas that can change healthcare. Utilizing design thinking and rapid prototyping, teams inspired each other to generate seven product concepts in a single day. Design thinking allowed us to capture the braintrust of the clinicians, career professionals, technologists, and healthcare consumers in the room and reimagine what is possible.

The real test will be to check in over the next year or decade to see how Life Summit participants are utilizing the tools and ideas that we generated this year. We’re looking forward to returning for Life Summit 2020 to find out.

“Innovation happens when disciplines, ideas, and cultures intersect. 95% of everyone here is volunteering their time to help these large organizations look at their internal challenge through the lens of an outsider.”

- Todd Terrazas, founder and president of AI LA

Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles (AI LA) is a volunteer-led community of cross-disciplinary stakeholders with more than 6,000 members who represent the science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.) communities of the Greater Los Angeles (LA) area. They explore artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other frontier technologies, and the impacts they will have on humanity by hosting regular activities throughout the year. It’s their mission to catalyze innovation through education, conversation, and collaboration.

Vynyl was the platinum sponsor of the inaugural Life Summit 2019.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-with-patients-front-and-center-artificial-intelligence-shows-promise-at-life-summit-2019", "title": "The Recap: With Patients Front and Center, Artificial Intelligence Shows Promise at Life Summit 2019", "summary": "

On October 17, more than 60 leaders in digital health came to Caltech at Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles Life Summit 2019. This vibrant group brought design thinking to some of healthcare’s most complex challenges.

", "date_modified": "2019-10-21T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Image credit: Idaho Technology Council

On August 22, 2019, in collaboration with our friends at the Idaho Technology Council, Vynyl Senior DevOps Engineer Mike Ford gave a live presentation called Serverless at Scale: Cool Tools for Microservices, Websites, and DevOps Pipelines.

The event was an overview of serverless development, introducing the topic and describing how it works using AWS Lambda. In his presentation, Mike addressed some common misconceptions about serverless development (spoiler alert: there are still servers!) and outlined some of the benefits, including working well with Agile development workflows, fewer bug fixes and patches, excellent scalability, a simpler CI/CD pipeline, and lower overall costs.

Of course, a serverless environment does bring its own challenges, including less visibility into executions, not being well-suited for long-running tasks, and the possibility for vendor lock-in. But Mike detailed how serverless development can benefit developers in many different scenarios, including multi-region data ingestion pipelines, IOT data processing, media conversions, mass email sends, and batch jobs, among others.

He also dug into strategies for successful serverless deployment, including using tools like X-Ray, Epsagon, IOpipe, Thundra, or Dashbird for observability, as well as how to handle debugging, alerting, and metrics. Throughout, Mike highlighted the potential value of going serverless, particularly against a backdrop of needing to reduce cloud costs.

We should always be learning. We should always be receptive to new ideas, and adapt to technology as it emerges. Having "serverless" and all the things it encompasses in your tool belt is just another step to create the best applications you can. It’s better for the dev, better for the business, and better for overall application delivery when done right.

For DevOps teams, the key is recognizing the tradeoffs between performance and costs, and leveraging the right tools for the right jobs. In the end, making a decision to go serverless is about understanding the important metrics and milestones, and adopting serverless tools when they are able to provide a faster, smoother development experience through coding, deployment, and production.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/the-recap-serverless-at-scale-with-vynyl", "title": "Vynyl Presents Serverless at Scale at the Idaho Technology Council", "summary": "

Mike Ford gave an overview of serverless development using AWS Lambda and other cool tools for DevOps.

", "date_modified": "2019-08-29T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

Amazon recently announced its Alexa Healthcare Skills, along with a developer program to build Alexa skills in a HIPAA-eligible environment. There are currently 100 million Alexa units in the market today.

So far, six healthcare companies have launched healthcare skills for Alexa that allow users to securely interact with their health data using the Alexa platform.

Alexa skills are digital experiences that allow a consumer to use their voice to make a request to an Alexa-enabled device. The Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) is Amazon’s software development kit, which contains code samples, documentation, and APIs for developers to build skills, or what Amazon calls voice experiences.

Alexa offers an easy way for people to receive personalized information about their health and manage their healthcare services.

For example, Boston Children’s Hospital created a skill to augment its Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program enabling caregivers and recovering patients to update their care team using “a series of targeted, self-directed questions.” Digital health startup Livongo’s skill allows people with diabetes to access information such as their most recent blood-glucose reading. Alexa can also let a user know that their blood sugar is high or other nudges.

Express Scripts, Providence St. Joseph Health, Atrium Health, and insurance giant Cigna are also participating in the program—which is currently invitation-only.

Amazon is inviting more developers to share their contact information and submit their use cases online—which means that the company is netting ideas for future innovations.

While Alexa may enable health-related interactions conveniently and with less friction, privacy is top of mind for software developers and consumers.

Bloomberg reported that thousands of Amazon employees listened to conversation snippets from Alexa users, which were tied to device serial numbers and the owners’ first names. In fact, the option to share this type of information with Amazon is enabled as the default setting.

Last year, Alexa reportedly recorded a person’s conversation and sent the recording to somebody in their contact list without permission. Months later, Amazon fulfilled a user’s request for personal information, and included 1,700 audio samples of voice commands that belonged to other customers in the data they released.

Despite these early stumbles, the number of Alexa-enabled devices continues to grow as Amazon incorporates the tech into more devices, such as earbuds. It’s become increasingly clear that this adoption among consumers opens up significant potential for hospitals, insurers, and other healthcare firms to explore integrating voice technology to improve their customer experiences.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/hipaa-alexa", "title": "Amazon’s Alexa Opens Possibilities Under HIPAA", "summary": "

In April 2019, Amazon announced its Alexa Healthcare Skills, along with a developer program in a HIPAA-eligible environment. Six companies have launched skills that allow users to securely interact with their health data.

", "date_modified": "2019-04-15T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "content_html": "

The Design Sprint methodology was first created by Jake Knapp at Google Ventures. It’s a week-long process that he describes as a “greatest hits” of business strategy, innovation, behavioral science, design thinking, and more. A Design Sprint enables teams to focus by dedicating a full week to a single problem. Teams work together using structured exercises to create and validate design concepts and business decisions.

At Vynyl, we extend and adapt the Design Sprint methodology to fit each client’s product needs. Sometimes, instead of concentrating on a single problem, we use sprints as a way to align team members and focus on a strategy for product evolution. A cross-functional team of subject and product experts work together to bring clarity to abstract ideas. At the end of the Design Sprint, we have an informed prototype and a clear path for how to achieve the client’s vision.

What Does a Design Sprint Look Like

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A typical Design Sprint has five stages, each lasting one day plus some pre-planning, but the methodology can adapt to different sprint schedules.

Pre-Sprint

A Design Sprint is most effective when it focuses on solving a well-defined, important problem. When defining the challenge, it’s key to consider the needs of two main groups: your company and your customers.

What are the business goals? The challenge you choose for the sprint week should be one the company is passionate about solving. Don’t worry if there are unknowns surrounding the problem. The sprint week will create a deep understanding of the problem and generate solutions.

It’s also critical to make sure that this challenge is actually a problem worth solving. That often means conducting enough research to understand the current state of the issue. Is this something users actually want? Can users solve this problem effectively in a different way already?

Pre-sprint planning exercises don’t need to involve the entire sprint team, but you should share any findings with the team before the sprint begins.

Speaking of the sprint team, assembling a dynamic group of people should be done before the sprint begins. The size of the group can vary but should include people with diverse expertise within your company. Choosing team members across departments allows you to gain insight into the many different perspectives of how your product or service currently works, and what needs refinement. Every team needs two leaders:

Teams should also include other experts from across your company. Consider (but don’t limit yourself to) the following disciplines:

Map

Stage one of the sprint week is all about understanding the problem. The pre-sprint work helped define the challenge, but mapping focuses on generating a shared understanding of the problem amongst the team and creating a path for the sprint week.

Everyone comes into the sprint with their own expertise about the product given their background and how and when in the product lifecycle they interact with it. Structured exercises -- such as goal-setting, expert interviews, and mapping the user journey -- help create a shared knowledge base and ensure we’re focusing our efforts in the right direction. Ultimately, stage one ends with a specific target to focus on for the rest of the sprint.

Sketch

Stage two is all about solutions. Now that the team has a deep understanding of the problem, it’s time to start coming up with innovative ways to solve it. To get the creative juices flowing, the day begins with lightning demos. Each member of the team will share inspiration or similar solutions from other products and industries.

When it comes to sketching, Design Sprints follow a “work together alone” approach. After a few rounds of guided brainstorming exercises, each person creates a solution sketch—an opinionated hypothesis on how to solve the challenge at hand. These sketches will be critiqued in silence by each individual on the sprint team so they need to be able to stand on their own without a sales pitch.

Once everyone has developed their solution sketch, they’re hung on the wall to revisit the next day.

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Decide

In stage three the sprint team creates a clear, solid plan for the prototype. The sprint team critiques solution sketches and decides which ones have the best chance of achieving the team’s long-term goal and solving the sprint problem.

To avoid unnecessary cycles of discussion and debate, Design Sprints follow a structured critique and voting system to come to a decision. This typically includes a Heat Map, where team members identify interesting ideas, verbiage, or parts of each solution sketch. The next stage is a facilitated Speed Critique where each solution sketch is quickly discussed, and any additional ideas are captured. From there, the team chooses the solution sketch that has the most potential to accomplish the long-term goal.

Once a direction is chosen, the team creates a Storyboard—an expanded version of the solution sketch that becomes the blueprint for the prototype. The sprint team maps out the user journey so that the experience feels realistic during user testing.

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Prototype

In stage four it’s time to bring the sketches to life as a prototype. We digitize the storyboard to emulate a finished product. At this stage, the team should be shooting for Goldilocks quality: good enough. Flesh out strategic screens and then design just enough to reflect what interacting with a real product will look and feel like. The goal during the prototype stage is to make the experience realistic enough to evoke honest reactions from users when you test it.

Validate

In the final stage of the sprint it’s time to validate the decisions made during the week. Conduct user tests and observe how real-world customers interact with the prototype. Clear patterns will emerge and it will become obvious which concepts the team nailed and which ideas may need to be refined. In general, this leads to one of three outcomes:

  1. Validated assumptions: The work that the sprint team produced was accurately aligned with users’ wants and needs. Now it’s time for development or to execute next steps.
  2. Flawed success: Users validated some hunches but not all of them. Now the team has the input needed to pivot in the right direction.
  3. Efficient failure: Good news! The company saved months of design, engineering, and development costs. Time to take a step back and refocus.

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The Benefits of Design Sprints

Cost Effectiveness

Design Sprints bring immense value to our clients. In a typical development cycle, it takes months (and lots of money) to build out products and get them in the hands of users. With a Design Sprint, our clients learn from users in as few as five days. By quickly creating a realistic prototype we are able to see customers react to a product at a much lower cost. Clients save time and money without compromising intel.

Real-World Insights

Ideas are tested on real-world customers. The team gains valuable feedback from the ideal audience without allowing internal biases to sway decisions. The insights help to combat blind spots and inertia by providing the team with direct feedback from customers.

Aligned Team Members and Stakeholders

Design Sprints are all about collaboration. With teamwork, we define goals, highlight pain points, and create inspiring solutions. Over the course of the week a shared narrative forms. As team members share information and user feedback is revealed, everyone aligns on the vision and goals for the product.

Documentation

It’s best to get all the right people in the room during the sprint week, but that isn’t always possible. In addition to a realistic prototype, we provide a sprint report documenting all of the exercises from the week to share with team members, investors, or curious minds.

Final thoughts

At Vynyl, we’ve seen the value that Design Sprints can bring to an organization. In a short period of time, you can validate design concepts and business decisions that impact the people who use your products and services. The end result of the Design Sprint is an informed prototype and a clear path for how to achieve your vision.

", "url": "https://vynyl.com/blog/what-is-a-design-sprint-and-how-will-it-help-my-company", "title": "What Is a Design Sprint and How Will It Help My Company?", "summary": "

At Vynyl, we extend and adapt the Design Sprint methodology to fit each client’s product needs and define a clear path for achieving their vision.

", "date_modified": "2018-11-15T00:00:00.000Z" } ] }