This article breaks down the latest data on legacy software modernization, including the top challenges, reasons for delay, and what IT leaders want from modern systems. Download the full report below.

What is Legacy Software Modernization?

Legacy software modernization is defined as the process of upgrading or replacing outdated systems to improve performance, security, usability, and compatibility with modern tools. This includes moving from on-premise infrastructure to the cloud, updating core platforms, or rewriting legacy code to support new business needs.

Summary of Key Findings

62% of organizations still use legacy systems
43% say security vulnerabilities are a major concern
68% rely on their internal IT team for maintenance
50% say the biggest reason they haven’t upgraded is because “the current system still works.”
48% say performance improvements are their top modernization goal

Who We Surveyed

We surveyed 504 IT professionals across industries and company sizes.

• Company sizes:
  • 1–99 employees: 15%
  • 100–999: 38%
  • 1,000+: 47%
• Industries represented:
  • Technology/software: 65%
  • Others: finance, government, healthcare, manufacturing
• Roles:
  • IT management: 53%
  • Developers, engineers, analysts, project managers: 47%

This data represents a variety of experiences, from small IT teams wearing multiple hats to large enterprises navigating complex modernization efforts.

How Legacy Systems Are Maintained in 2025

Despite widespread awareness of the risks, legacy systems are still deeply embedded in most organizations. 62% of respondents said their organization continues to rely on legacy software.

When asked who maintains these legacy systems:

• 68% said their internal IT departments handle it
• 20% rely on legacy software specialists
• 7% outsource to external vendors
• 5% admitted no one maintains it regularly (which poses a serious risk)

For many companies, maintaining legacy systems means supporting outdated codebases, navigating end-of-life products, or dealing with brittle integrations. And these challenges are often compounded by limited documentation and shrinking institutional knowledge from natural turnover.

Top Legacy Software Challenges in 2025

When asked about their legacy software’s biggest challenges, IT professionals pointed to the issues that cause the most disruption and risk.

The Top 5 reported issues were:

1. Security vulnerabilities (43%)
2. Incompatibility with modern systems or tools (41%)
3. Limited scalability (40%)
4. High maintenance/support costs (39%)
5. Lack of vendor support or updates (32%)

Security concerns are especially pressing, exacerbated by the fact that many legacy platforms no longer receive patches or updates. This creates vulnerabilities that are difficult, or even impossible, to address.

Just behind security is a growing frustration with system incompatibility. As legacy tools fail to integrate with modern platforms, IT teams are forced to operate in disconnected silos. Valuable data often becomes trapped in outdated systems, making it harder to get a complete view of operations and slowing down business decision-making.

This fragmentation also limits an organization’s ability to evolve. From modern cloud-based platforms to Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, today’s technologies require access to large volumes of well-structured, unified data. Legacy systems make that nearly impossible.

In short, legacy software isn’t just outdated, it’s actively getting in the way of innovation.

Why Organizations Delay Legacy Software Modernization

The number one reason IT pros say they haven’t upgraded? “The current system still works.” Half of all respondents cited this as their primary blocker. 

But “working” doesn’t mean optimal. And it’s undoubtedly not future-proof. 

Here’s how the top blockers broke down:

• 50%: The current system is still functional
• 44%: Budget limitations
• 38%: Fear of disrupting operations
• 35%: Data migration concerns
• 30%: Lack of internal support for modernization
• 25%: Lack of clear ROI

The most pervasive hurdle is complacency, believing the current system “works well enough”. That mindset underpins at least three of the top six blockers:

• If the system still works, there’s less urgency to act
• Without urgency, there’s often limited internal buy-in
• Without buy-in, it becomes difficult to prove ROI

And so the cycle continues. Legacy software modernization is pushed aside because it’s politically or financially inconvenient.

Yet ironically, the best time to modernize is while systems are still working. Waiting until a legacy platform fails often leads to rushed, patchwork solutions and costly downtime. Proactive modernization reduces risk, improves long-term ROI, and avoids fire-drill emergencies.

Budget constraints, the second most-cited blocker, create a different trap. As legacy systems age, maintenance and support costs climb, often consuming a growing share of the IT budget. This leaves teams with less and less room to invest in modern infrastructure, reinforcing the status quo and delaying long-term progress. The majority of IT budgets go towards maintaining legacy systems, rather than new technologies or improvements (Source). 

In other words, legacy systems may appear “cheaper” on the surface, but they’re often more expensive to maintain than to replace.

What IT Teams Want from Modernized Systems

When asked what they’d prioritize in a modernized system, IT professionals were clear: they want solutions that are faster, more flexible, better connected, and ready for growth.

Top Priorities for Modernization:

• Improved performance or speed (48%)
• Cloud-based or remote access (45%)
• Greater scalability/flexibility (44%)
• Integration with modern tools (44%)
• Enhanced security (42%)

Additional priorities included better analytics, automation, and long-term cost savings. All of which are clear signs that IT teams want to evolve beyond the limitations of current legacy systems.

Legacy Software Modernization Unlocks New Opportunities

Organizations that modernize their platforms position themselves to take advantage of powerful technologies like AI, automation, and advanced analytics. These tools are quickly becoming essential for making smarter decisions, increasing efficiency, and staying competitive. After all, the AI market is predicted to reach 826 billion by 2030, after growing 268% between 2023 and 2024 (source). 

• AI helps teams identify patterns, predict outcomes, and personalize experiences at scale.
• Automation streamlines repetitive tasks, reduces manual errors, and frees up valuable time.
• Analytics turns raw data into actionable insights that drive strategic decisions.

However, all of these capabilities rely on clean, connected, and accessible data, which legacy systems often can’t provide. Legacy systems trap data in silos, prevent modern integrations, and limit performance. 

Even more concerning is the growing risk to data integrity and security. Legacy systems often lack modern protections, making them vulnerable to breaches, data loss, and compliance failures. Valuable historical data can be lost entirely if a legacy platform fails without proper backups.

Modern platforms, by contrast, are designed for agility. They offer built-in APIs, cloud accessibility, stronger security protocols, built-in redundancy, and scalable architecture designed to support the evolving needs of the business. 

Strong software enables faster growth, smarter operations, and stronger customer experiences. Legacy software modernization isn’t just about keeping up; it’s about staying ahead. 

Legacy Modernization Challenges by Role and Company Size

While the specific challenges vary by company size and role, the underlying friction is nearly universal: modernizing legacy systems is hard, no matter who you are.

Smaller businesses are often more tolerant of outdated tools, not because they’re unaware of the risks, but because budget and resource constraints make modernization difficult to prioritize. If the system still works, it’s easy to justify postponing upgrades.

Larger enterprises, on the other hand, face a different set of pressures. They’re more likely to report concerns around:

• Data migration complexity
• Escalating maintenance costs
• Lack of vendor support for legacy platforms

They may have the budget, but also have deeper entanglements, more stakeholders, and a higher level of risk associated with change.

Role also plays a factor. Middle managers (often those tasked with executing modernization plans) reported the most significant strain in balancing innovation with operational continuity. IT leaders may see the long-term need for change, while individual contributors feel the daily friction of outdated systems without the authority to address them directly.

Despite these nuances, the common thread is clear: Legacy modernization is a shared challenge across the board. Whether you’re managing a small team or running global infrastructure, success depends on cross-functional alignment between IT, finance, and leadership.

Legacy Software Modernization is an Investment in the Future

Despite growing security, scalability, and cost concerns, most organizations still rely on legacy software. Why? Replacing entrenched software systems is hard work that requires an investment of time, money, and effort across the organization.

But the risk of inaction is growing. Legacy platforms are harder to secure, maintain, and integrate with the tools businesses rely on today.

For IT leaders, the question isn’t whether to modernize, it’s how to do so without disrupting the business. The first step is understanding the scope of the challenge and aligning stakeholders around shared goals. To get everyone on the same page, legacy software modernization needs to be seen as a strategic investment in long-term agility, security, and performance.

Saritasa helps businesses modernize legacy systems with smart planning, efficient architecture, and zero-downtime deployment strategies. Contact us to start your legacy software modernization journey.

Download the full report.

The post Legacy Software Modernization in 2025: Survey of 500+ U.S. IT Pros appeared first on Saritasa.

Are you envisioning a cozy cabin, a modern smart home, or a high-rise with built-in security and rooftop amenities? The cost varies dramatically depending on what you want.

Custom software works the same way. It’s a tailored solution built to fit your business needs, whether that’s a simple data entry form or a robust enterprise platform. Costs fluctuate depending on what you’re building, how you’re building it, and who’s doing the work. 

Quick Answer: How Much Does Custom Software Development Cost?

Custom software development costs between $50,000 and $250,000 for most projects, but can exceed $1 million for complex enterprise systems. Pricing depends on project scope, design, integrations, and the team. 

In this article, we’ll walk through the key factors that influence custom software development pricing so you can budget confidently, avoid sticker shock, and set realistic expectations.

Think of Custom Software Development Like Building a House

Let’s keep the house analogy going. Imagine you’re meeting with contractors to build your dream home. Before they can give you a quote, they need to know:

• How big is the house?
• Is it one story or three?
• Do you want smart home tech, a pool, and/or solar panels?
• What kind of finishes and materials do you want?
• Are you building in a major city or a rural area?
• Do you want it done in six months or two years?

This is the same kind of information a software development team needs to quote your project accurately.

What Impacts Custom Software Development Cost?

1.) Project Scope and Complexity

The size and complexity of your software project will have the most significant impact on cost.  Just like a house can be a tiny home or a sprawling estate, custom software development projects range from simple websites to complex enterprise systems. The more features, integrations, and use cases, the more it costs. 

To see how complex your project may be, consider the following:

• Does your software require multiple user types?
• Does your software integrate with other systems?
• Does it need to be accessible from multiple devices?
• Does it need to function offline?
• Will it be used by multiple different teams for different functions?
• Do you need reporting & analytics?
• Is your application customer-facing?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, the chances are your project is more complex than meets the eye. Remember, simple to explain does not mean it’s simple to build. 

Pro Tip: Clearly define your project scope from the start. The more detailed and specific you can be about your app’s functionality, the easier it will be for development teams to provide an accurate estimate. And, the easier it is to know if you are comparing apples to apples. 

2.) Consulting & Product Planning: Hiring the Architect

Product planning is like the architectural design phase of any home project. It’s where you define your vision and validate whether your idea makes business sense before investing in development.

Consulting and product planning can include:

• User and market research
• Defining your MVP (minimum viable product)
• Creating a roadmap
• Mapping out features and user flows
• Identifying edge cases, compliance needs, and key KPIs

Skipping this step can lead to wasted development time, misaligned features, or a product that doesn’t solve the real problem. Just like you wouldn’t build a house without blueprints, you shouldn’t build custom software without a plan.

3.) UI/UX Design: Selecting the Finishes

When it comes to software design, you have options. Think of it like the finishes in a house: you can have a functional builders-grade bathroom or you can install marble tile, a rainfall shower, and heated floors. Both will work, but the experience (and budget) is very different.

• Minimal Design (basic countertops): Wireframes, a simple layout, and standard UI elements.
• Polished UI (quartz countertops): Custom styling, polished interfaces, intuitive navigation, and mobile responsiveness.
• Full Design System (luxury remodel): Comprehensive brand guidelines, reusable components, design tokens, and accessibility standards.

The more time and thought you put into design, especially during early UX strategy and user flow planning, the more intuitive and engaging your app will feel. But it does come at a cost.

If your app is customer-facing, skipping design is like building a luxury home and furnishing it with plastic lawn chairs. Technically, it’ll be functional, but not the impression you want to leave.

Design can account for 10–25% of a project’s total budget, depending on your goals.

4.) Software Development: Skilled Professionals Build Quality

Just like building a house isn’t just about nailing boards together, developing custom software is more than writing code that “works”. 

Great software comes from a combination of:

• Best Practices (structural integrity): Writing clean, maintainable code with proper structure, naming, and version control.
• Documentation (blueprints): Clear documentation ensures future developers (or even your own team) can understand and maintain the system.
• Architecture (load-bearing walls): Choosing the right frameworks, databases, and design patterns ensures your software can grow and evolve.
• Security (fireproofing): Following security standards and data protection practices from the beginning protects you and your users.

Development quality can dramatically affect both the upfront cost and the long-term maintenance of your software. It may not always be visible, but it determines whether your product can stand the test of time.

Sure, you can build a house out of cheap materials, but it probably won’t last through a storm. Shortcuts might get your app live faster, but they often lead to technical debt (fragile code that breaks easily, can’t scale, and is expensive to fix). 

Expect custom software development costs to take the majority of your budget, anywhere from 60-75% of the total project costs. 

5.) Quality Assurance (QA): The Final Inspection

Would you move into a house that hasn’t been inspected? Probably not. And you shouldn’t launch software that hasn’t been tested either.

That’s where QA comes in. Think of it like your building inspectors. Their job is to ensure that everything works as expected, is up to code, and won’t break under pressure.

QA isn’t just about catching bugs – it’s about maintaining standards. QA testers and engineers check:

• Does the app function correctly on different devices and browsers?
• Are there security vulnerabilities?
• What happens if a user enters the wrong data or loses connection?

They simulate real-world conditions, just like a home inspector might test the outlets or run water through the pipes. Skipping QA to save money can end up costing you more if your users run into issues post-launch.

Expect QA to make up 10–20% of your overall development budget and potentially save you much more in support, reputation, and fixes down the line.

6.) Infrastructure & Hosting: The Foundation, Utilities, & Security System

Every house needs a foundation, plumbing, electricity, and security, even if it’s invisible. Software is no different. Infrastructure is what keeps your platform running, secure, and ready to grow.

Both infrastructure and DevOps affect cost based on:

• Scalability (auto-scaling, load balancing)
• Security (firewalls, encryption, access control)
• High availability (failover systems, backups)
• Ongoing monitoring and logging
• Regulatory compliance (HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR, etc.)

Infrastructure might not be flashy, but it’s foundational. Cutting corners here can lead to outages, poor performance, or data breaches (the software equivalent of a flooded basement or a break-in). A 2023 study found that 48% of sensitive data loss came from compromised software systems (source).

Infrastructure costs depend on usage, storage, and architecture, but expect it to account for 5–15% of the initial build, plus monthly hosting and monitoring fees.

7.) Maintenance and Updates

Even after you move into your new home, you’ll need to maintain it, replacing filters, repainting, and fixing that one door that always sticks. Software’s no different.

Technology evolves. Security patches come out. Users give feedback. Over time, you may want to add features, fix bugs, or update for new devices and platforms. This is normal and should be budgeted for, just like homeowners set aside funds for repairs or renovations.

Typically, maintenance costs can range from 15% to 20% of the initial development cost per year. For example, if your app cost $100,000 to build, you might expect to pay $15,000 to $20,000 annually for updates and bug fixes. Of course, that doesn’t include new features or ongoing development. 

8.) Development Team and Expertise

The quality and expertise of the team you hire will significantly influence the cost. Custom software development typically involves a team with diverse, specialized skillsets.

When building this team, you’ll need to decide whether to hire a freelancer, a small development agency, or a large, established software company, or various combinations in between. Each option has its advantages and drawbacks, which are explored deeper here.

Suffice to say, selecting the right team is critical to the success of your software. Continuing the house-building analogy… you probably wouldn’t hire a single handy-man to design and build your beach house. 

9.) Location of the Development Team

Just like with housing, the location of your development team also affects pricing. A house in the middle of nowhere is significantly cheaper than one of prime beach-front real estate. Labor rates can range from $25/hr (offshore) to $250/hr+ (specialized U.S. firms).

• Offshore can be more affordable, but may come with time zone, language, or quality challenges.
• Onshore or nearshore teams often cost more but may offer smoother communication and higher quality.

Outsourcing is often a quick way to save costs in the short term, but be wary, cheaper doesn’t always mean better. A poorly built foundation will cost far more to fix later. 

While lower rates aren’t always indicative of subpar work, the further away your team is, the less control and more risk you have. Be sure to consider the trade-offs in communication, time zone overlap, code quality, and support. Before you decide to go with the lowest cost option, ask yourself:

• Are you technical enough to verify product quality?
• Where would your main point of contact be located? Will this present communication issues?
• Is there a language barrier?
• What legal protections do you have if the project goes sideways?
• Is the cost saving worth the extra risk?

Like hiring local contractors, sometimes it’s worth paying more for reliability, trust, and smooth collaboration.

So… What’s the Price Range for Custom Software Development?

While costs vary, here’s a rough idea based on scope:

• Basic MVP / Internal Tool: $50,000 – $100,000
• Mid-sized Web or Mobile App: $100,000 – $250,000
• Complex SaaS or Enterprise Software: $250,000 – $1,000,000+

Remember, these are high-level ranges. The real cost of custom software development depends on your vision, complexity, and long-term goals.

Understanding the True Cost of Custom Software Development

Custom software development is an investment in your business’s future. Whether you’re building a mobile app, web solution, or enterprise platform, understanding the factors that drive development costs will help you make an informed decision.

So instead of asking, “What’s the cheapest quote I can get?”, ask:

• What am I trying to achieve?
• Who can help me plan and build it right?
• How do I make sure this investment pays off?

Whether you’re building a functional bungalow or a tech-powered dream home, choosing the right partner and planning the right foundation makes all the difference.

The post How Much Does Custom Software Development Cost? appeared first on Saritasa.

Consider your business. Maybe you’re relying on spreadsheets or using an existing SaaS product that doesn’t quite fit your unique business needs. It’s frustrating when no available software matches your workflow, and changing your entire process to fit a software is just impractical. So, you turn to custom software development to help streamline your business workflow.

Chances are, if you’ve struggled to find an application matching your business needs, other companies are in a similar boat. If you plan on building an application for your business, there’s a potential that other companies may benefit from the same application. Maybe you could create a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application used internally and licensed to other companies. If successful, this SaaS application could help recoup some of the development costs for your application or even become profitable.

Another option might be to initially develop the first version of the application for internal use and then convert it to a SaaS product in later phases of the project.

The development approach differs significantly depending on whether the back office software is custom-built for a single company’s internal use or as a SaaS product. In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences between these two approaches and what it takes to transform an internal-use application into a marketable SaaS solution.

Key Differences Between Internal-Use and SaaS Custom Back Office Software Development

When deciding between custom software development for internal use or as a SaaS product, it is important to understand the key differences. These differences significantly impact the effort (cost) required to develop the application.

User Base and Scalability

• Internal Use: The application is designed for a single company, often with a well-defined number of users. Performance optimization is focused on the specific needs of that company, without the need for complex scaling.
• SaaS: The application must support multiple companies, each with potentially thousands of users. Scalability is a major concern, requiring cloud infrastructure and multi-tenant architecture. The cloud implementation must dynamically scale to meet the varying requirements of multiple companies using the application. The load on the application will vary greatly based on the location (time zone) of the companies utilizing the application. Peak load on the application can also be affected by the business’s fiscal calendar. For example, end-of-quarter reporting can generate a large draw on computing resources. See my previous article, Will It Scale, for a deeper dive into the importance of software architecture.

Customization and Configuration

• Internal Use: The back office software is typically tailored to the company’s specific workflows, with hardcoded business rules and minimal need for external configuration. When building an application just for your company, you only need to consider your business process and workflow. You can make sure the application matches your processes closely.
• SaaS: When building a SaaS application, you must consider that your users’ business processes might differ from those of your company. The product must be highly configurable to accommodate diverse customer needs. This requires a flexible architecture with configurable workflows, role-based access control, and customizable dashboards.

Security and Compliance

• Internal Use: Security measures are designed to meet the specific company’s IT policies, and compliance requirements are limited to the company’s industry regulations.
• SaaS: The platform must adhere to industry-wide security and compliance standards (e.g., GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA). Strong authentication, data encryption, and role-based access control become critical.

Deployment and Maintenance

• Internal Use: The back office software is typically deployed on the company’s private servers or a simple cloud architecture sized to meet your company’s current demands. Dynamic scaling is more of a nice-to-have, rather than a need-to-have, as the increase in load is more predictable.  Updates and maintenance are controlled internally.
• SaaS: The application is hosted in the cloud, requiring robust DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and frequent updates to ensure continuous improvements and security patches. The environment must dynamically scale to meet unexpected loads. Service availability is a key consideration as well, as it may prevent the ability to schedule maintenance.  (Unsure what DevOps is or why it’s important? Check out my article on the basics & benefits.)

Pricing and Monetization

• Internal Use: There is likely no monetization.
• SaaS: Monetization is based on subscription models, often including tiered pricing based on features, number of users, or usage limits. You must be able to take payment, which means integration with a credit card processor, a UI for clients to manage their subscriptions, and revenue reporting. There is also the accounting that goes along with running a business to support the sales of the application.

Support and Customer Success

• Internal Use: Support is handled by an internal IT team, with direct access to developers for issue resolution.
• SaaS: Requires a dedicated customer support and success team, with comprehensive documentation, training resources, and 24/7 support options.

Marketing

• Internal Use: Not really necessary
• SaaS: A marketing website will be necessary to promote the SaaS product. The website will need content, calls to action, SEO, and a means for users to purchase subscriptions and check out.

Transforming an Internal-Use Back Office Software Application into a SaaS Product

When considering developing a back-office application for internal use with the potential to evolve into a SaaS product, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. Some of these items can be added in later releases without too much trouble. However, others need to be considered from the start as they are more difficult to add in later releases if the application was not initially architected to support them.

Plan for Multi-Tenancy

If your application is developed for internal use at the start, it will probably have a single-tenant architecture. This means it was designed to serve only one company.

To become a SaaS product, it must support multiple customers securely. This involves implementing a multi-tenant architecture where each tenant’s data is isolated but served from a shared infrastructure.

It’s best to plan for multi-tenancy from the start. While it’s possible to re-architect an application to add support for multiple tenants, doing so can be difficult and complex, depending on the application type.

Scale Hosting

For an internal application, your hosting environment only needs to support the expected load from your company. This load is typically predictable, and you don’t need to scale quickly. The application could be hosted locally or in a simple cloud environment.

An on-premises or single-company cloud setup won’t work for SaaS. Migrating to a cloud provider like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud ensures scalability, reliability, and global availability. More importantly, the cloud environment must dynamically scale to meet unexpected user loads and provide consistent response times for a good user experience.

Implement Subscription Management and Billing

You’ll need a way to manage user subscriptions, payments, and pricing tiers. SaaS platforms often integrate with billing solutions like Stripe, Chargebee, or Recurly for automated payment processing. This will need to be added to the application, as well as the ability to control access to the application based on subscription status.

This should be considered from the start, as adding controls to manage application access based on a subscription status can require refactoring if added in later releases.

Enhance Security and Compliance

A SaaS product must follow strict security protocols. Implement robust authentication (OAuth, SSO, MFA), encrypt sensitive data, and ensure compliance with global regulations like GDPR and SOC 2.

Build Self-Service Capabilities

Internal applications often rely on IT support for configuration. A SaaS product should provide a user-friendly admin panel for self-service account management, role-based access, and workflow configuration.

Developing a Customer Support Strategy

SaaS users expect responsive support, documentation, and knowledge bases. Consider setting up ticketing systems, chatbots, and dedicated customer success teams.

Implement Continuous Delivery and Monitoring

Unlike an internal application with occasional updates, a SaaS product requires frequent releases and proactive monitoring. Set up CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and performance monitoring tools like New Relic or Datadog. You’ll also want to consider containerizing the application and automating the update deployment process to reduce the chance of updates causing unexpected downtime.

Market and Acquire Customers

Shifting from an internal tool to a SaaS business requires a go-to-market strategy. Invest in digital marketing, SEO, and sales efforts to attract users. Leverage testimonials from the original internal company to add credibility. A website to promote the application will also be required.

Anything is Possible with Custom Software Development

Turning an internal tool into a successful SaaS product doesn’t happen overnight, and trying to build both at once often leads to costly mistakes. A better approach is to first focus on building a functional internal tool that meets your business needs. From there, it’s easier to make an informed decision about whether to transition to a SaaS model.

While the process can be challenging, with the right strategy, thoughtful planning, and an experienced technology partner, businesses can confidently take the next step towards transforming their custom internal software into a SaaS product. While re-architecting or re-integrating the system may be necessary, this staged approach is often more realistic than trying to scale prematurely. By focusing on scalability, security, self-service, and customer support, businesses can successfully make the leap from internal software to a thriving SaaS company.

The post From Internal Tool to SaaS: A Guide to Custom Back Office Software appeared first on Saritasa.

That’s exactly what we set out to solve with VR Foundations.

What is VR Foundations?

VR Foundations is a set of two pre-built, customizable virtual reality experiences designed to reduce time to market and initial investment drastically. It includes:

• The Virtual Reality Product Display Experience
• The Virtual Reality Trade Show Experience

These experiences come with a solid foundation already developed – multiple environments to choose from, seamless navigation, high-quality graphics, and interactive elements. This means businesses can explore the benefits of VR with minimal effort and risk.

Why We Created VR Foundations

At Saritasa, we’ve been building custom VR experiences since 2016. Over the years, we’ve spoken with hundreds of companies eager to leverage VR but hesitant to take the plunge. Here’s what we learned:

1. The Price Barrier

Custom VR experiences can easily reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on complexity. For many organizations, especially marketing teams, securing this budget can be a major hurdle, even if they see VR’s potential.

With VR Foundations, we’ve reduced the initial investment by 75% or more, making it far more accessible. Now, teams can experiment with VR without blowing their entire annual budget.

2. The Time Crunch

Many companies approach us with VR ideas for trade shows, product launches, and conferences – often just months (or even weeks!) away. But here’s the challenge: custom VR projects take three to six months to develop.

With VR Foundations, we cut that timeline down to less than a month. Now, companies can integrate immersive experiences into their events without last-minute panic.

Real-World Use Cases: How Companies Are Leveraging VR

Imagine a manufacturing company that produces large industrial machinery. Transporting a full-sized piece of equipment to a trade show is costly, complicated, and often impractical. With the VR Product Display Experience, they can create a virtual showroom, allowing attendees to explore and interact with their machinery in a realistic, immersive environment – without the logistical nightmare.

Or consider a nonprofit organization focused on environmental conservation. They use the VR Trade Show Experience to raise awareness, featuring a series of engaging, educational mini-games. This interactive approach not only educates participants but also builds a deep emotional connection to their cause, making brand engagement more memorable and impactful.

Companies that once struggled to stand out at events or showcase their products can now do so effortlessly with VR Foundations.

How Customizable is VR Foundations?

We designed VR Foundations to be adaptable across industries and brands. You can customize:

• Content and theme
• Text, colors, and logos are all easily swappable to match your brand.
• Choose from multiple pre-designed environments.

Choose from four pre-designed environments:

• Warehouse
• Laboratory
• Office space
• Cityscape

And if you need something beyond the basics? Our custom development team can tailor these experiences to fit your exact needs.

How to Get Started with VR Foundations

The best way to understand the impact of VR Foundations is to experience it firsthand. Both demo experiences are available for free download on the Meta store: VR Product Display and VR Trade Show. Contact us, and we’ll walk you through the possibilities.

1. Determine the right VR Foundations experience for your goals, whether it’s showcasing a product or making an impact at your next event.
2. Reach out to us. Our consultants will guide you through the process.
3. Speed things up! Have your branding assets and content ready to streamline the customization process.

Ready to Make VR Part of Your Strategy?

Immersive technology has never been this accessible, fast, or cost-effective. Take the leap into VR with VR Foundations and see how easy it is to transform your marketing and brand engagement.

Let’s build something better – together.

The post Introducing VR Foundations: The Fast-Track to Immersive Experiences appeared first on Saritasa.

1. “The product is done, and I don’t anticipate any changes or additions.”
2. “Let’s pause, breathe, and revisit new features at a later time.”
3. “This is only the beginning – time to start making updates!”

Reality often disrupts these plans. Maintaining a live application and keeping users satisfied can require as much effort as the initial development. In this article, we’ll explore post-launch challenges you might face and how to tackle them with confidence. 

Bugs on Production

Bugs on production are unavoidable, but you can mitigate the worst of them with solid quality assurance (QA) processes. A mix of manual and automated testing can minimize errors and ensure smooth, speedy releases. Well-written test cases that are continuously revised and updated help ensure core functionality performs optimally and the worst bugs are caught early. 

Great QA is an investment and can even rival development costs. However, cutting corners on QA can lead to costly disruptions down the road, such as rollbacks, user dissatisfaction, and even downtime. While it’s impossible to catch every bug, solid QA processes reduce these risks significantly. 

Performance Issues

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that users are unpredictable. Even if your team performed load testing and stress testing before launch, these tests were based on assumptions of typical user behavior. Real users can, and often will, behave differently than expected.

For example, say you stress-tested performance with the expectation that users will log on at various times throughout the workday. However, once you launch, you discover that the majority of your users use your system at the start of the day, simultaneously, and it is less responsive during the “warm up” period. Or, some users obsess over the new reporting features, which results in a less efficient database cache. 

Alternatively, consider a social network for peers and relatives to connect and exchange texts and photos. Users tend to have 100-1000 friends, and it works smoothly… up until Taylor Swift creates an account and suddenly has 1,000,000 friends or followers. This imbalance could break the system design.

Real-world usage often defies assumptions. You cannot plan for every scenario, but rather, you need to be ready to adapt on the fly. This requires regular performance monitoring and a scalable infrastructure. 

Security Vulnerabilities

Even well-written, secure code can be exposed to vulnerabilities, often through third-party libraries, frameworks, or even hardware. Recent threats like Log4Shell, Meltdown, and the Terrapin Attack provide reminders that staying vigilant isn’t optional – it’s essential. 

Mitigating these risks requires more than simply patching known vulnerabilities. It requires consistent, proactive monitoring, timely updates, and staying informed about emerging threads. Security isn’t a one-time effort, it’s an ongoing commitment.

Outdated Tech Stacks and Frameworks

Technology evolves rapidly. Frameworks and platforms -like Angular, Node.js, or .NET- are constantly updated to improve security and performance. These platforms and frameworks are often supported by large corporations, such as Apple or Microsoft, or large groups of open-source contributors. These constant updates require a massive investment of time, resources, and money. The constant need to evolve limits the improvements and security patches to the most recent versions. 

Even if your application launched recently, a migration may already be necessary. This can make staying current feel like chasing a moving target. The key is to use stable or long-term support (LTS) versions when possible and plan for regular updates to avoid falling behind.

PostgreSQL

Node.js
.NET

Angular

Third-Party Vendors

Sometimes, the tools and services your application relies on make changes, forcing you to adapt. 

Acquisitions

A vendor or tool your application uses may get acquired, and the new owner can drastically change the product. In 2010, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems and transformed how Java was managed. History is rife with these examples, there’s little an individual developer can do other than adapt to the changes. 

Policy Changes

Platforms or distribution channels may update their policies, forcing developers to comply or risk losing support. Apple is famous for these changes, such as in 2019 when it required all apps to implement Apple sign-in to remain on the App Store. 

However, some policy changes are unpopular enough to reverse, as was the case when Unity attempted to change its pricing model in 2023. After massive backlash, it reversed the policy. Not all of these policy changes are arbitrary – some come with good reason, such as WordPress’s recent ban of WP Engine.

Mistakes

Even the most reputable companies aren’t immune to errors. Case in point: in 2024, a major Crowdstrike outage disrupted millions of devices, including those at airlines like Delta, and caused significant financial damage.

Acquisitions, policy changes, and mistakes are all out of your control. No amount of planning could’ve prevented Broadcom from acquiring VMware or Apple from updating its App Store requirements. But you do have control over how quickly you react to such changes by keeping a development team up-to-date on your software and staying informed. 

DDoS attacks

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is an unexpected spike of traffic caused by a malicious actor. This happens when an attacker (often using bots) floods your system with traffic in an attempt to take your system down or increase infrastructure costs. These attacks may come from competitors or random bad actors. 

Billing alarms and regular monitoring can help you respond to these attacks quickly, limiting the impact on your budget and users. In some cases, it’s wiser to let your app go down than run up a high server bill. 

Outdated Libraries

Outdated dependencies – like third-party libraries or SDKs – can bring development to a standstill. For example, Apple and Google release new versions of iOS and Android every year. While these updates aren’t an annual requirement, eventually, you’ll be forced to migrate to the latest version or risk removal from the app store. Plus, these updated SDKs often come with critical improvements. Staying proactive by updating libraries and SDKs regularly keeps your software in peak condition.

User Feedback

Good products learn from user feedback. The best products incorporate user feedback quickly and frequently. Ignoring user requests risks alienating your core user base or losing them altogether. Having a system to gather user feedback, incorporate it into your product roadmap, and communicate timelines for updates to users goes a long way in maintaining trust. 

Unforeseen Events

Natural disasters, fires, or even a severed cable can take your data center offline. Without proper safeguards, you risk losing servers, data, and backups in a single incident. This is where high availability and disaster recovery plans come into play. The right team will diversify where and how your data is stored to ensure continuity no matter what happens.

Software Is a Journey, Not a Destination

Launching a software product is only the beginning. The post-launch phase is where the real work -and growth- happens. While challenges like bugs, performance issues, and security threats may arise, each obstacle serves as an opportunity to strengthen your product. With the right mindset, tools, and team, you can navigate these challenges and turn them into stepping stones to success. After all, the best software doesn’t just survive; it evolves.

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Integrate Design and Functionality from Day One

Beautiful design and streamlined functionality are the linchpins that ensure your product is easy to use, intuitive, and meets – or exceeds – the user’s expectations. Agile software development processes achieve this balance between design and functionality, employing an iterative development approach. Constant feedback loops provide continuous opportunities to refine design and functionality simultaneously, ensuring the product evolves to deliver the best possible user experience.

Involving designers from the start of the software development process – beginning with the discovery phase – is crucial. That’s because designers are advocates for both the client and their customers, helping you convert needs into features, understand best practices and conventions, and achieve your objectives. By prioritizing design at the discovery phase, you establish a solid foundation for developing a product that solves real problems and effects real change.

A product design/UX/UI-first approach helps guide the development of product features to ensure they align with user expectations from the start. In an Agile software development workflow, where a minimum viable product (MVP) may be released followed by fast iterations, involving designers from the beginning ensures that the initial release is worthy of being placed in front of users.

The ROI of Great Design

Far too often, product teams see design as an additional, extraneous cost when, in reality, it’s an essential tool for boosting your ROI. Well-designed products attract more users – and keep them engaged – increasing productivity and driving conversions. A Forrester study found that an intentional and strategic user experience can raise conversion rates by as much as 400 percent. The study also found that every dollar invested in UX returns $100 – an ROI of 9,900 percent! That illustrates how investing in a well-considered UX and UI can pay off handsomely.

Design-driven companies also capture greater customer loyalty. A McKinsey study found that companies that invest in design see a 32 percent revenue increase and a 56 percent higher total return to investors over five years than those that don’t. Beautiful design is more than aesthetics; it’s a business strategy that drives profitability.

Better Design Equals a Better UX

Exceptional software almost always features exceptional design. A well-considered UI can be the difference between a product that users love and one they abandon. Simplifying navigation, reducing unnecessary steps, and delivering an intuitive experience helps capture and keep users and customers.

UX design goes beyond the interface, considering the entire user journey while engaging with the software. By anticipating their needs, reducing friction, and simplifying the overall experience, UX is vital to keeping users engaged, streamlining processes, and achieving your objectives.

Why Human-Centered Design Matters

Human-centered design ensures you create products and services that resonate and are tailored to your audience’s needs. This means putting the user first in every aspect of the product development process so you understand their challenges, objectives, and preferences. A human-centered approach enables our developers and designers to create products that are not only usable but genuinely delight users, solve real problems, and strengthen brand loyalty and advocacy.

Empathy is at the core of human-centered design. By conducting user research and testing, analyzing feedback, and validating design decisions with real users, Saritasa can help you create products that truly resonate with your customers. Maintaining that resonance is an ongoing, necessary effort that ensures your product evolves to address changes in user preferences, your organization, and the market landscape.

Design Drives Better Results

Design isn’t just a phase of the software development process – it’s the glue that holds everything together. By leveraging this symbiotic relationship between the client, designers, and developers, you help deepen partnerships and ensure a consistent, positive user experience. When design is integrated throughout the process, from discovery to deployment, your product will create a lasting impression that achieves your objectives.

Think of human-centered design as the connective tissue that ensures excellent ideas become successful products. The results? Increased engagement and conversions and a better ROI.

Schedule a free consultation to learn more about Saritasa’s software design and development services.

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That’s why we are thrilled to announce that Clutch, the leading independent reviews platform for service providers, has ranked Saritasa among the Top 100 Global Leaders in their annual Clutch 1000 report. This prestigious award is an honor and testament to the hard work, dedication, and expertise of our talented team.

“Year after year, these exceptional providers demonstrate what excellence truly means in action,” said Tim Condon, Chief Revenue Officer of Clutch .”Being included in the Clutch 1000 is more than an award – it’s a testament to their role as true drivers of client success. These businesses go beyond providing services; they inspire innovation, foster growth, and become integral partners in their clients’ journeys. Today, we recognize those who have consistently turned aspirations into achievements.”

Saritasa also ranks #1 among the top virtual and augmented reality development companies on Clutch. 

Not only that, but Saritasa also ranks #1 among the Top Software Developers in California.

These recognitions, combined with our over 95 verified client reviews, demonstrate our commitment to valuing partnerships over projects, solving complex problems, and finding the right balance between successful customers and fulfilled employees.

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Defining Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Let’s start by clarifying some basic terms: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). I could write an entire article on how the two intertwine, but for brevity’s sake, let’s stick to basic definitions:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is, in simple terms, the science of making machines that can think like humans. It is an overarching term that applies to voice assistants (Like Alexa and Siri), chatbots (like ChatGPT and Bard), image generators (like MidJourney), and all sorts of other technologies.

Machine learning (ML) is a branch or subset of AI. Specifically, it is the use and development of technology that learns and adapts without specific instruction, trained by algorithms and statistical models that find patterns in data.

The Challenges of Machine Learning

Machine learning (ML) has always held the promise of providing software applications and functionality that would be extraordinarily useful. However, developing and training the models used in ML was a daunting undertaking.

Developing the models used by ML takes a special skill set beyond that of the typical software developer. ML engineers not only need to understand software development but also statistical analysis and mathematical data manipulation. ML engineers have strong skills in data science, problem-solving, and communications.

Training the ML models is time- and resource-intensive in order to achieve accurate results. The computing power required to train some ML models is only available today because of the nearly unlimited computing resources available in the cloud. Training an ML model can also require an enormous dataset.

Our Experience with Machine Learning

We have worked on ML projects at Saritasa that required 80,000,000 images to train the model. These images had to be gathered from multiple sources such as Flickr and Wikipedia. In many cases, assembling a dataset large enough to train the model is exceedingly difficult. Because it is sometimes exceedingly difficult to obtain enough images of an object to properly train a model, we worked with a client to assess the feasibility of developing 3D models of an object that would then be used to generate images of this object from all angles. These images then help train an ML model.  

Developing and then tweaking the model during training was very resource-intensive as well. Developers spend thousands of hours to get it right. The resources to train the model, and then continue to refine the training as the users add to the data set, consume an enormous amount of compute time in the cloud.

The Introduction of Pre-Trained Models

One of the most significant contributors to this surge in ML capabilities is the rise of pre-trained models. These models come pre-trained on massive datasets encompassing text, images, code, and other forms of data. They have become the backbone of many modern ML applications. With a pre-trained model, all the hard work and computing resources to develop, train, and tune the ML model can be bypassed.

Benefits of Pre-Trained Models:

• Reduced Development Time: Pre-trained models eliminate the need to train complex models from scratch, significantly reducing development time and resources. This allows developers to focus on building applications rather than spending months or even years training a model.
• Improved Performance: Pre-trained models often achieve state-of-the-art performance on various tasks, including image classification, natural language processing, and speech recognition. This allows developers to leverage the power of advanced algorithms without possessing deep expertise in machine learning.
• Resource Efficiency: Training large ML models requires significant computational resources, making it inaccessible to many individuals and organizations. Pre-trained models offer a more efficient approach, requiring less hardware and energy to finetune and deploy.
• Accessibility for Everyone: Pre-trained models democratize AI by making it accessible to those with less technical expertise. Open-source pre-trained models are widely available, allowing anyone to build intelligent applications without extensive ML knowledge.
• Reduced Cost – all the above savings result in lower -ost application development.

Examples of Pre-Trained Models:

• BERT: A pre-trained language model developed by Google AI that excels in various natural language processing tasks, such as sentiment analysis and text summarization.
• GPT-4: A powerful language model developed by OpenAI that can generate realistic and creative text formats, including poems, code, scripts, and musical pieces.
• ResNet: A pre-trained image classification model known for its accuracy and efficiency, widely used in various computer vision applications.
• YOLO: A pre-trained object detection model capable of identifying and localizing multiple objects in an image in real time, making it ideal for tasks like autonomous driving and video surveillance.

Impact on Different Industries:

• Healthcare: Pre-trained models are used in medical imaging to detect diseases, analyze medical data, and personalize treatment plans.
• Finance: Fraud detection, risk assessment, and personalized financial recommendations all benefit from the power of pre-trained models.
• Retail: Personalized product recommendations, targeted marketing campaigns, and improved customer service are just a few ways pre-trained models are transforming the retail industry.
• Manufacturing: Predictive maintenance, quality control, and process optimization are all areas where pre-trained models are driving efficiency and innovation.

The Future of Pre-Trained Models

As research and development in pre-trained models continue, we can expect even greater advancements in their capabilities and accessibility. This will further democratize AI and make its potential available to a wider range of individuals and organizations, accelerating innovation and progress across all sectors.

In conclusion, pre-trained models have played a pivotal role in propelling machine learning into the mainstream. Their ability to significantly reduce development time, improve performance, and increase resource efficiency has made AI more accessible than ever before. As these models continue to evolve, we can expect to see even more transformative applications emerge, shaping the future across all aspects of human life.

The post Machine Learning’s Giant Leap Forward: How Pre-Trained Models Are Democratizing AI appeared first on Saritasa.

Our platform of choice for the past several years has been Meta Quest, utilizing Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets, with Unity as our main engine. Apple collaborated with Unity to introduce the visionOS operating system for their new headset. Our background with Unity has helped us navigate these new tools, but there’s still much to learn. It’s clear visionOS is a fledgling platform with room to grow.

Types of Apple Vision Pro Applications

The Apple Vision Pro supports three types of applications:

1. Windowed: These applications run in a flat window and are essentially regular iOS applications.
2. Fully Immersive VR: This type constitutes a complete virtual reality application where the user only sees and interacts with a virtual world.
3. PolySpatial MR: This category refers to a mixed reality application where the user can see both the real world and virtual objects.

An application can only belong to one of these types. This designation is set in the project settings and cannot be altered during runtime.

Nuances of development for Apple Vision Pro

The rest of this article delves into the specific challenges we encountered and lessons learned while adapting Top Tier K9’s virtual reality dog training experience for the Meta Quest to a mixed reality experience for the Apple Vision Pro. While these takeaways can apply generally, we suggest reading the project’s case study first.

Speech Recognition

In the dog training experience, users verbally give commands to a virtual dog, like “sit” and “stay”. We used a third-party voice recognition library that can function on the device (without connecting to the internet). However, this library does not work yet on the Apple Vision Pro. There are no alternatives available at the moment. While unfortunate, this is not unexpected. Newer operating systems often experience a lack of 3rd party support out of the gate. 

To move forward, we pivoted to the native speech recognition library, which powers Siri. While this seemed like a promising solution, it came with its own set of challenges. First, this library only supports English, while the previous option accommodated multiple languages, limiting our user base.

Additionally, we ran into issues with how Unity handles system events, such as when the app is minimized or closed. This caused the native recognition to malfunction. We’re actively waiting for updates from Unity and Apple, and we hope to see a resolution soon.

Using Shaders

Shaders are microprograms that control how pixels on a screen are rendered. They are critical for creating realistic, immersive visuals. Shaders can be categorized into two groups: built-in (included as part of the engine) and custom (written or modified by a developer, in this case, us). 

Custom shaders are further divided by how they are created: written in code or created using Shader Graph, a visual programming tool. All shaders compile into low-level, platform-specific code during the build process, which is entirely dependent on the engine and difficult to influence.

Custom shaders for the Apple Vision Pro must be created using Shader Graph. To comply with this requirement, we had to rewrite existing custom shaders. The migration to Shader Graph can be time-intensive and complex and scales with the number of custom shaders. A new build wouldn’t have this big an issue, but migrating an existing application requires a significant time investment.

As we worked on this project, we faced a few bumps. Some built-in shaders caused unexpected visual glitches. For instance, we had issues with how textures looked and trouble with transparent objects. Our digital dog’s fur didn’t turn out quite right, which was disappointing. Fixing these problems was tricky since they occurred during the compilation phase.

User Input

The Apple Vision Pro uses eye movement and hand gestures instead of controllers. For instance, a simple pinch while looking at an object acts like a “click”. This creates a sleek, futuristic experience yet presents significant challenges.

Unity uses a special Input Module for input control, which acts as a layer between the operating system’s input and our application. Unfortunately, the existing Unity Input Module has limited support for visionOS, so most standard functions need to be created from scratch. The lack of comprehensive documentation and open-source resources makes even basic tasks – like positioning a UI panel to face the user- require special commands.

Animations

Our project features an animated dog that the user interacts with and trains with basic commands. Modern engines, like Unity, have a system for optimizing characters (in this case our canine friend). When a character, like our animated dog, moves out of the camera’s view, the engine reduces animation quality to save CPU and GPU resources. When the character comes back into view, the animations resume as usual. This optimization is typically automatic.

However, Unity struggles to accurately determine if the character is in the user’s line of sight with the Apple Vision Pro’s unique camera setup. This can lead to animations appearing inconsistent, even when users are looking right at the dog. To fix this, we found that disabling the optimization works well. Since our project focuses on just one animated character, this solution is manageable. However, this limitation could pose a significant challenge in situations with multiple animated objects.

Sound

In 3D games, sounds are placed in a three-dimensional space. This allows users to pinpoint where sounds are coming from, perceive their distance, and experience the effects of different environments – like the echoes of a small room or the openness of a vast field. This spatial awareness becomes even more essential in virtual reality, where immersion is key to a captivating experience.

Unity’s Spatialized Sound System handles 3D audio, providing a foundation for creating these rich soundscapes. While some platforms, like Meta Quest, have specialized sound systems, Apple currently relies on Unity’s built-in system. Unfortunately, this has led to some challenges on Apple devices. Sounds can sometimes be misdirected – like hearing a sound from the left when it should come from the right.

We’re actively monitoring these issues and awaiting updates from Unity and Apple to enhance the audio experience.

Obtaining data about the real world

Creating a truly engaging mixed reality experience hinges on seamless interactions between the digital and physical worlds. To achieve this, our application needs to gather real-world data, like furniture and walls. For our virtual dog to sit on the ground, we must identify potential obstacles, such as tables and chairs.

The Apple Vision Pro uses cameras and lidar to scan and process environmental data. Unity obtains this information in real time, allowing us to incorporate it into our application. As the real world changes, the data updates continuously, helping us navigate around obstacles. However, while we can avoid these objects, we can’t interact with them, meaning our virtual dog can’t play with a ball that bounces off real walls.

Additionally, constant environmental data updates make it challenging to establish fixed locations for real-world objects. As a result, our virtual dog cannot navigate around furniture like tables.

Occlusion in Mixed Reality

In mixed-reality headsets, virtual objects display over the real-world image captured by the device’s camera, creating a blend of the digital and physical. Occlusion occurs when real objects block the view of digital ones, allowing for more realistic interactions.

Without occlusion systems, digital objects appear on top of real ones without regard for their actual positions. For example, our virtual dog might mistakenly show up floating on top of a real table, breaking the immersion.

Meta Quest uses the Depth API plugin, which utilizes a depth camera to display real objects in front of virtual ones properly. The Apple Vision Pro excels with the visual presentation of windowed applications but unfortunately does not function as well in full-size mixed-reality mode.

Unity for Apple Vision utilizes ARFoundation to generate planes based on camera data (such as the floor, table, and wall). However, the dynamic generation of planes requires constant recalculations, which impacts the placement of digital objects. For instance, if you attach a flag to a wall, and then walk closer, the scene recalculates and a portion of the flag may intersect with the wall.

Interface interactions

We built the original dog training application for Oculus Quest 3 with no intention of porting it to other platforms, so we used gestures built into Meta’s SDK to control the dog. When we decided to add support for the Apple Vision Pro, we had to redesign the control system. 

We switched to a solution provided by Unity, which allowed us to integrate Apple’s hand control algorithm into our existing system. This change enabled us to create a more universal and flexible system that can work on different devices. As a result, we ensured that our application remains compatible with new technologies and devices while maintaining user-friendly controls.

Controllers

Controllers offer a convenient and precise way to interact with virtual objects. While many headsets support both controllers and hand gestures, the Apple Vision Pro focuses solely on head gestures.

Shifting from Oculus Quest controllers to touchless interactions with the Vision Pro required us to fundamentally rethink our interaction system. We developed a method for users to virtually “grab” objects using their hands, translating gestures into actions within the virtual space. This transformation led to a more intuitive and natural user experience, making it easier and more engaging for users to interact with their environment.

Documentation

Since the visionOS platform is still in its early stages, the documentation for its system and development tools is quite limited. This made the learning process a journey of trial and error, experimenting with existing applications, and reverse engineering.

Summarizing our experience with the Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro is an exciting new device that challenges us to step outside our comfort zones and find innovative solutions to new obstacles. Its operating system is still evolving, demanding creative problem-solving, but it offers incredible potential for the future. We’re optimistic that, as time goes on, Unity and visionOS will refine their systems, and more third-party tools will emerge to enhance development.

Are you considering converting an existing application for the Apple Vision Pro or creating a new app for this groundbreaking headset? We’d love to hear from you!

The post Developing for the Apple Vision Pro appeared first on Saritasa.

How We Arrived to Builders of Better

A rebrand is no small task. Our old brand was fine, but we believed an update could better appeal to our target market and refocus our internal culture in a post-COVID world. We didn’t seek to radically change everything about ourselves, but rather to understand what worked (and what didn’t), and emphasize the best parts of our organization and culture. 

Step One: Interviews & Data Collection

The process started with interviews. We interviewed our leadership, various members of every team, and clients. We talked with clients who’ve worked with us for years to understand what attracted them to us and why they’ve stayed. Our team shared what it is about Saritasa that makes them eager to go to work every day.  Understanding these reflections pointed us in the direction of what is authentic about Saritasa – not just what we want to be but amplifying what we already do well.

Step Two: Building a Foundation

From there, we took those comments, identified the common themes, documented them, and created a framework for our new brand. This required taking a hard look at the market we operate in and aligning on the key differentiators that set us apart. Thankfully, the client and employee interviews provided first-hand insights to lead the way. We re-established our mission statement and ensured it flowed down through every aspect of the brand.  

Step 3: Creating a Verbal Identity

Words are powerful tools that evoke strong emotions, communicate complex concepts, and help us make sense of the world around us. Any good brand needs a strong verbal identity that customers and employees recognize and identify with. We adopted the 5 P’s (Purpose, Position, Principle, Pillars, and Personality) as a framework to communicate our mission, vision, and values. A large part of this was creating a marketable, easy-to-remember tagline that effectively communicates the essence of our organization. “Builders of Better” captures the visionary, problem-solving, optimistic sense of adventure and excellence our team delivers to our clients every day.

Step 4: Designing a Visual Identity

The visuals are typically the first thing people think of when they hear the term “brand”. We wanted to elevate our visuals to match our new identity – clean, modern, and bold – while keeping true to our foundation. This came in the form of a subtle logo redesign, expanded color palette, and enhanced visual elements to give our brand a cohesive and innovative look. 

Step 5: Putting the Pieces Together

Once we have the building blocks locked down, we got to work piecing them together in new, exciting ways. The biggest undertaking was redesigning our website, the biggest external demonstration of our new brand. No page was left untouched. This also included our proposals, newsletters, emails, signatures, and so much more. We’re still updating things to this day, and likely will be for years to come. After all, a brand should be a living thing that evolves along with the needs of the organization. 

What a Builder of Better Does

So far we’ve explained our story and how we arrived at our new brand. But what exactly does a Builder of Better do?

Intentional Implementation

For technology to be useful, it must be intentional, and above all, it must work. Technology is a tool, but it is not one size fits all. First, we understand the problem and then apply technology to solve it. This means we don’t chase the newest, shiniest technologies just because. Our team carefully evaluates the technologies for usefulness, longevity, and purpose. We focus on the application of proven, modern technologies. We want to feel confident our solutions are well-supported and designed to last. 

A Focus on ROI

Technology of any kind is an investment. Likely, you won’t see any return for the first several months (to years, depending on the project), which can be disheartening, especially given how intangible the development process is. This is why we focus on aligning with your goals and fostering a sense of project ownership, so our team is as invested in your success as you are. As Claudia Keefer from Premier Food Safety said “They…care about the specific client and their needs and they’re not just looking to serve cookie-cutter solutions just to everybody.“ We make decisions with a sustainable return on investment in mind and ensure the effort reflects the results you see. 

Earned Trust

The software development process is intangible. You won’t have any actual, functional product until the very end, which means that our relationship needs a high degree of trust to succeed. We approach every engagement with a commitment to integrity and business ethics to build that trust through both our words and actions. “It goes a long way when someone’s willing to work as hard as you are and they don’t technically work for your company. It says a lot about the culture of that place,” said Scott Blindt of Winegard. We aim to communicate transparently, take accountability, and deliver reliably. 

What Builders of Better Means

Technology has empowered us to do incredible things. Now, it is everywhere, in every building, used across every industry, and critical to every job, with no signs of slowing down. It was just over 30 years ago that the internet changed everything about how we interact, learn, and work. Since then technology, and software specifically, has become pervasive in every part of our lives, revolutionizing some industries and dismantling others completely. 

In the wake of this progress, businesses are forced to adapt. Some embrace these changes eagerly, investing heavily in the Next Big Thing to give them a leg up over their competition. Others are dragged kicking and screaming into the digital era. Either way, one truth has become universal: embrace technology, or fall behind. 

Technology doesn’t exist for the sake of technology, but as a tool for people to use to improve their lives. We believe the role of custom software is to better accommodate the specific needs of people. It should make their jobs easier, their businesses more productive, and their results more profitable.

But not every new technology is as revolutionary as its supporters may claim. And any new technology comes with a host of questions, requiring skilled experts to implement. So how do people find the right approach for themselves and their businesses?

For businesses to make the most of technology, they need the knowledge, skills, and experience of an expert. Choosing the right technologies and implementing them correctly requires a combination of insightful strategy, intentional design, and resourceful development. 

A Builder of Better recognizes the potential of technology and seeks to apply it as a solution to complex business problems.

We are Builders of Better

This exercise gave us a chance to think deeply about what we do and where our value lies. It allowed us to examine our strengths and weaknesses, and re-examine what Saritasa means to us and our clients. And, most importantly, it gave us a rallying cry to stand behind, that we are Builders of Better.

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