Product Development + Staff Augmentation

Accelerate your time to market

Cognits is a leading provider of software product development services. Our team of experienced developers, designers, and project managers deliver high-quality software products.

Product Development & Staff Augmentation

Oriental Bank

With agile coaching and an experienced Scrum Master, Cognits coached the client on best agile practices and set up frameworks.

Based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Oriental Bank is a financial holding company that offers its services to residents and businesses in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. With a new online banking application in the works, Oriental Bank needed a web app that could report issues with the application through a ticket creation system, but the team working on the app was having difficulty delivering.

Simply put, the team initially responsible for developing the web app for Oriental Bank was disorganized and did not hit their marks when it came to product delivery. In fact, they were a month and a half behind and were unable to supply a real vision of the final product or how they would deliver it.

Cognits recommended an agile team that was specialized in scrum and led by an experienced Scrum Master. Before any coaching began, Cognits worked with the product owner and stakeholders to understand the problems and plan the best solution. Once they knew how to be most impactful, Cognits coached them on the best agile practices and set up the framework that productive projects need to succeed. By letting the team experiment with what worked best, they were able to adapt the best agile practices into their work and not only got back on track, but rather finish ahead of the completion date they were originally so far behind.

Cognits | Case Study - Oriental Bank

Onramp Invest

Cognits helped OnRamp Invest to add critical staff to the project, without hiring new employees.

Onramp Invest equips financial advisors with the tools they need to easily provide crypto asset services to their clients. At the outset, they had a great product in a rapidly growing market, however, they had no clear path for growing or allowing users to take full advantage of the powerful tools they were offering.

OnRamp Invest had a great product, but its focus was on selling it through sales reps. While the platform itself had incredible potential, it was difficult to use, even for financial advisors, let alone a wider market. OnRamp brought Cognits onboard to simplify their dashboard interface to cater to financial advisors and allow end users to utilize and manage their own investments.

Through our staff augmentation services, Cognits added developers, quality assurance professionals, and product managers to help OnRamp Invest improve and expand its offering. Working with the OnRamp Invest team, Cognits helped develop a new dashboard for OnRamp sales, and also delivered a more user-friendly dashboard for financial advisors and end users that contained all the powerful crypto investment tools OnRamp Invest had created.

Cognits | Case Study - Onramp Invest

End Client: Corrugated Metals, Inc.

Cognits helped CMI create a user interface for their website with a Threekit 3D configurator.

Established in 1887, Corrugated Metals (CMI), is a leading manufacturer of formed metal products, serving the construction, original equipment, and defense industries. With customers around the globe, CMI needed a better way to supply quotes and showcase their construction materials to potential customers.

Corrugated Metals

(in partnership with Kale Ventures, Inc. and Threekit)

With dozens of different construction-related products in a multitude of colors all available on their website, CMI wanted to boost sales and differentiate itself from the competition by making requesting a quote simple and adding an easy, user-friendly, interactive interface to custom configure and visualize their offering.

To better showcase CMI’s offering, Cognits created a user interface that could be easily integrated into the company’s website. Now, with just a few clicks through the Threekit-powered configurator and 3D artwork created by Kale Ventures, Inc., customers can get a better view of the products before they purchase. Choose between two views – a 3D version of the materials and a view of how they look in real life and with the ability to rotate, zoom, and change color in both settings, customers know exactly what they’re purchasing. Additionally, by adding a feature that allows customers to request a quote, CMI can collect data based on a customer's interests to make closing sales that much easier.

Cognits | Case Study - Corrugated Metals Inc.

RewardsWeb

Cognits provided staff augmentation and developers that RewardsWeb needed to push their project forward.

RewardsWeb is developing a browser extension that allows users to link their loyalty programs and keep their rewards in one place, making accumulating and spending rewards points easier than ever. Of course, a browser extension can be tricky in and of itself, but working with rewards points means integrating with many vendors who all have different systems, payment protocols, and rewards structures.

Linking different vendors to the RewardsWeb extension takes specialized knowledge. This was especially true when RewardsWeb attempted to integrate LATAM Airlines' rewards with RewardsWeb. To provide LATAM’s customers the ability to claim rewards or use reward points to purchase flights from LATAM’s website or from the RewardsWeb website, they needed experts to ensure every point was accounted for. They also needed to make sure that things continued to run smoothly.

By adding developers with specialized knowledge and experienced product managers who could oversee the process, Cognits helped streamline integrating LATAM’s API with RewardsWeb’s API, ensuring rewards points would work seamlessly wherever they were used. In addition, Cognits assisted in building the web browser extension, providing expertise that allowed RewardsWeb current team to move the project forward even faster.

Cognits | Case Study - RewardsWeb 

E-commerce has experienced explosive growth over the past few years, particularly for B2B companies. Integrating e-commerce to your business is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must have. 

For the first time, B2B has outpaced B2C e-commerce growth. According to a report by Statista, global B2B e-commerce sales amounted to $12.2 trillion in 2019, and it is projected to reach $20.9 trillion by 2027, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5%.

But creating an e-commerce site is not easy. [Digital Commerce 360 reports](https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2021/09/21/distributors-face-challenges-and-set-priorities-for-ecommerce/) that 42% of distributors say creating a more sophisticated website to better meet customers' needs is their biggest challenge for the coming year.

In order to succeed, we recommend tackling these trends for the best e-commerce success: 

1. **Leave behind legacy systems.** This will help you integrate with the latest tools and easier create a more B2C-like experience. 
2. **Invest in e-commerce platform technology.** But be picky. Not all platforms are the same and some offer a more one-size-fits-all option that may not fit your needs. We like BigCommerce because it offers robust security, speed to innovate and lower cost of ownership. They also offer special features that support the complexities of B2B companies. 
3. **Personalize the online shopping experience.** This is an important trend that will help improve your revenue, as customers spend 48% more when their experience is personalized. Our team uses headless CMS solutions because it makes building and delivering personalized experiences easier.
4. **Prioritize product discovery and information.** B2B companies tend to have a lot of products and it’s important to make it easy for the customer to find those products. A product information management (PIM) software can help collect, manage, enrich and distribute product information across channels. Another option is to use back-office technology to help automate manual processes (like an ERP). Or use a chatbot to direct shoppers to the right product pages.
5. **Sell across third-party online marketplaces.** Marketplaces are essential and growing in the B2B space. 15% of US buyers made their purchases through Amazon Business. One of the advantages is the ability to attract new customers in a new space.
6. **Explore social media platforms.** More and more B2B companies are starting to sell on social media because most of their buyers are already using the channels. According to Gartner, about 46% of B2B buyers use social media to learn about available solutions. 
7. **Fulfill orders even faster.** Customers are expecting faster fulfillments. B2B companies can streamline the fulfillment process by using order management software which can help manage orders across different sales platforms, centralize information and reduce supply chain complexity. 

B2B e-commerce is a thriving and evolving industry, offering significant opportunities for businesses. By embracing digital transformation, leveraging personalization, and adopting emerging technologies, companies can position themselves for success in the dynamic B2B e-commerce landscape.

Cognits is a certified BigCommerce partner and is ready to help you set up your e-commerce experience. Ready to get started? [Contact Us](https://cognits.co/contact/).

### About Cognits

Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.

### References: 

[Accenture](https://www.accenture.com/us-en)

[BigCommerce](https://www.bigcommerce.com/articles/b2b-ecommerce/b2b-ecommerce-trends/)

[Gartner](https://www.gartner.com/en/digital-markets/insights/social-media-best-practices-for-b2b-businesses-)

[Digital Commerce 360](https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2021/09/21/distributors-face-challenges-and-set-priorities-for-ecommerce/)

E-commerce has experienced explosive growth over the past few years, particularly for B2B companies. Integrating e-commerce to your business is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must have. 

E-commerce is the New Frontier for B2B

Cognits | Blog - E-commerce is the New Frontier for B2B

The escalating popularity of ChatGPT has raised concerns about privacy among companies, as its widespread usage increases the risk of inadvertently sharing sensitive company information. Because ChatGPT logs every conversation, it leaves organizations vulnerable to potential data leaks. 

This happened to Samsung in April when their employees mistakenly leaked confidential information on 3 different occasions over 20 days. Samsung has since taken a decisive step by prohibiting the use of ChatGPT within their organization. The move has prompted other companies to adopt similar approaches to safeguard their data.

However, instead of resorting to such drastic measures, there are several best practices you can follow to keep you information safe while using ChatGPT. 

######  

1. Use strong and unique passwords: Create strong and unique passwords for your ChatGPT account and avoid using the same password for other accounts. Use a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely.

######  

2. Enable two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication on your ChatGPT account to add an extra layer of security.

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3. Avoid sharing sensitive information: Do not share any personal or sensitive information that you wouldn't want to be made public. ChatGPT is designed to provide assistance, but it's still a machine and can't be trusted with sensitive information.

######  

4. Use general terms: Avoid asking specific questions that could reveal sensitive information. Instead, use general terms and phrases to ask your questions.

######  

5. Use encrypted communication channels: Use encrypted communication channels such as HTTPS or SSL to ensure that your communication with ChatGPT is secure.

######  

6. Update your software regularly: Keep your operating system, web browser, and antivirus software up-to-date to ensure that you have the latest security patches.

######  

7. Use a secure internet connection: Use a secure internet connection, such as a VPN, when accessing ChatGPT from public Wi-Fi or other unsecured networks.

######  

8. Don't store sensitive information: Avoid storing any sensitive information on ChatGPT or any other third-party application.

######  

9. Log out when finished: Always log out of your ChatGPT account when you're finished using it, especially if you're using a public computer.

######  

10. Review ChatGPT's privacy policy: Read ChatGPT's privacy policy to understand how your data is being used and stored. Make sure you're comfortable with the terms before using the service.

    ######  

At Cognits, we take security and privacy very seriously. Our teams abide by these guidelines. We recommend you follow these best practices in order to safely and effectively protect your information while using ChatGPT. 

Ready to get started? [Contact Us](https://cognits.co/contact/).

### About Cognits

Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.

References: 

**[Mashable](https://mashable.com/article/samsung-chatgpt-leak-details)**

[CyberNews](https://cybernews.com/security/chatgpt-samsung-leak-explained-lessons/)

Here's 10 tips to keep your data safe while using ChatGPT

Prevent Data Leaks with ChatGPT

Cognits | Blog - Prevent Data Leaks with ChatGPT

As the business world becomes increasingly complex, companies are looking for ways to stay ahead of the competition. In the tech industry, one approach that's gaining traction is Agile methodology, which emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. But at Cognits, we take Agile a step further with our holistic approach to product development.

### Agile is Everywhere



Agile methodology has been around for over 20 years, but it's still evolving. Originally developed for software development, Agile is now used in a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. 



At its core, Agile is about breaking down projects into smaller, more manageable pieces, with a focus on collaboration and rapid iteration. Instead of working in silos, cross-functional teams work together to solve problems and deliver value to customers.



### A Holistic Approach



At Cognits, we've taken Agile methodology to the next level with our holistic approach. Our teams are trained to work together, build on each other's skills, and achieve results. 



We believe that product development is not just about writing code or designing user interfaces, it's about understanding the bigger picture and how all the pieces fit together. That's why we take a holistic approach to every project we work on, from product strategy to user experience to development and beyond.



Our holistic approach has several key benefits for our clients. 



1. **Project Alignment:** it ensures that everyone on the team is aligned on the project goals and understands how their work fits into the overall vision. This helps to prevent silos and ensures that everyone is working towards the same end result. 



2. **Identify Roadblocks Early:** it enables us to identify potential roadblocks early in the process and address them before they become bigger issues. 



3. **Be more Nimble:** it allows us to be more nimble and adaptable as the project evolves, ensuring that we can pivot quickly if needed.



4. **Foster Innovation:** it helps us to deliver better products for our clients. By taking a broad view of product development, we're able to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation that might be missed by a more narrow approach. We're able to bring together diverse perspectives and skills to create truly groundbreaking products that meet the needs of our clients and their customers.



So if you're looking for a partner who can help you take your product development to the next level, consider Cognits. Our holistic approach, combined with our deep expertise in Agile methodology and other cutting-edge technologies, makes us the perfect partner for companies looking to stay ahead of the competition. 



Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your product development goals. Ready to get started? [Contact Us](https://cognits.co/contact/).



### About Cognits



Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.

Agile methodology emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement. 

The Future of Product Development

Cognits | Blog - The Future of Product Development

Low-code development platforms have become increasingly popular in recent years, as businesses seek to accelerate their digital transformation and reduce their dependency on traditional software development methods. Gartner predicts that by 2024, low-code application development will be responsible for more than 65% of application development activity.

Low-code platforms provide a simpler and more efficient way to build enterprise-grade applications, with benefits ranging from faster development times to increased collaboration between IT and business teams.

Low-code development platforms can help businesses streamline their application development process.

### Faster Development Times

One of the primary benefits of using a low-code platform is that it can significantly reduce the time it takes to develop new applications. Low-code platforms use visual modeling and drag-and-drop interfaces to simplify the development process, eliminating the need for complex coding and reducing the time it takes to build and deploy new applications. This not only accelerates the development process but also reduces the potential for errors and bugs, improving the overall quality of the application. 

### Increased Collaboration

Low-code platforms also enable greater collaboration between IT and business teams, allowing them to work together more effectively to build and deploy new applications. The visual modeling interface used by low-code platforms makes it easier for business teams to communicate their requirements to IT teams, who can then quickly translate those requirements into working applications. This increased collaboration not only improves the quality of the final application but also speeds up the development process by reducing the need for extensive back-and-forth communication.

### Improved Scalability and Flexibility

Low-code platforms provide a modular and flexible approach to application development, allowing businesses to quickly modify and add new features as needed. This makes it easier to keep up with changing business requirements and stay ahead of the competition.

### Reduced Costs

Finally, low-code platforms can help businesses save money by reducing the time and resources required to develop new applications. By simplifying the development process and enabling greater collaboration between teams, low-code platforms can reduce the overall cost of application development. This is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the resources to invest in large-scale software development projects.

### What are the Best Low Code Platforms? 

Mendix is one of the leading low-code development platforms on the market, and for good reason. Mendix offers a powerful and user-friendly visual modeling interface that enables businesses to quickly build and deploy enterprise-grade applications. Its modular architecture and flexible deployment options make it easy to scale and customize applications to meet changing business requirements. Additionally, Mendix offers a wide range of pre-built integrations and connectors, making it easy to integrate with existing systems and third-party applications.

OutSystems is another great platform for low-code development because it offers a user-friendly visual modeling interface that enables developers to build and deploy applications up to 10 times faster than traditional coding. It also provides a flexible and scalable architecture, pre-built integrations, collaborative features, and built-in security features to ensure that applications are secure and compliant. 

The Cognits team has certified Mendix and Outsystems developers ready to help you with your development needs. 

\
Ready to get started? [Contact Us](https://cognits.co/contact/).

### About Cognits

Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.

References: 

* [Gartner Magic Quadrant](https://www.mendix.com/resources/magic-quadrant/)
* [Gartner press release](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-12-13-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-low-code-development-technologies-market-to-grow-20-percent-in-2023)

Low-code development platforms can help businesses streamline their application development process.

Build FAST with Low Code

Cognits | Blog - Build FAST with Low Code

In today’s world, Cloud Computing is the clear way to go. It delivers the same on-demand computing services we all expect, but over the internet which provides the following benefits: 



* Only pay for what you are using.
* Grow your infrastructure in minutes according to the load that your customers need.
* Create entire applications in the same way. 
* All the changes you need to add can be deployed automatically by using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) + Serverless applications.
* Minimize cost overhead of management of servers and packages. 



In addition, your developers will be able to focus on creating the functionalities that actually add a business value right away, instead of first preparing all the infrastructure they guess you'll use, buy it, configure it and only after all this start to focus on what actually your business needs. 



Let’s get technical. In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to set up your serverless architecture in this step-by-step guide. 



How to get set up on the cloud?



1. Design your solution based in a serverless approach.
2. Define the language you’ll team will use to build it (Java, Go, PowerShell, Node.js, C#, Python, and Ruby).
3. Select the tool you will use for your Infrastructure as a Code (IAC), like: 



* Serverless Framework
* AWS CloudFormation
* AWS The Serverless Application Model (SAM)
* ZAPPA
* Claudia.js
* Terraform
* CDK
* CDK + SST



In this guide we will show you how you can build and deploy in minutes a simple API Rest application using API Gateway + Lambda (.nodejs) using AWS The Serverless Application Model (SAM).



## Prerequisites

To use SAM, you will need to do the following before start developing:

1. Install AWS CLI by following the next steps: [Install](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/getting-started-install.html)
2. Verify that you AWS CLI was successful, run the following command in the terminal: $ aws --version
3. Install SAM CLI by following the next steps [Install](https://aws.amazon.com/es/serverless/sam/)
4. To verify that your installation was successful, run the following command in the terminal: $sam --version

## How to start?

SAM is very useful for starting a project and offers a list of templates that we can use based on the  type of architecture of your project. 



To use this guide, you can use the following command in the terminal: $sam init



With this option, you can select an AWS template that has been created using AWS best practices or use a template that you have previously created (very useful when you already have your development team and want to create standards around your serverless applications).

![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/q21Hw0dVc-tQB28zH4ZgE1bsfkfyuhCNwDMMLos1KxUymxJE8c6Hqb_5gD2D3cDM66dWTupoFMYV6VIgiVhjYHCf9BsPiKwZppiZ3KFp6kZ33ktyC-XOl3GwhESsPDwt-poNVamFY-1qNkgjGP4b88L784S1Nj6yipIh9M-F8NcyIxJW0m5k40e3yfd4kg)



At the time of writing this article, if you choose option 1 you can use any of these templates:

![Image description](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/1RrRqNwCScc1Q4x9ZVwokYiU-PoaG0xo1lmlY9v25HB_Kv40OgHY5oAJUgkZRZiRem_TNJ5_9F2Hx9mm8wxFCUeINmbRqILgXFnXhzrKBpoHln5yJOGRekGes2xx5Mom3aQXJyxuOPl1M_ss4CaiNPnpQkk8u9DiB9C0aErB8eS35kDztlG5SD6ujr5Qxw)

In this exercise, we will not use any of these templates but they are very useful when starting a project, and they also have examples of unit testing for Lambda functions which we liked a lot.



Something we need to be clear about with SAM is that when you use it you will have two key components:



1. AWS SAM template specification: This is used to define all the infrastructure required in your project. See: [Template structure details](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/serverless-application-model/latest/developerguide/sam-specification.html).
2. AWS SAM command line interface (AWS SAM CLI), which we will use to deploy our applications. More info here: [Command reference](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/serverless-application-model/latest/developerguide/serverless-sam-reference.html#serverless-sam-cli)

## Hands on

Now, let's get into the matter of deploying a REST API with SAM. You can find an example of the code here:: <https://github.com/hsaenzG/ApiWithSam> which was made with SAM version 1.67.0 so you can play with it. 



With this code you can deploy the API, test it, and delete it using the free data layer of AWS at no cost. Just don't forget to delete it when you're done using the command: $sam delete ApiWithSam

### File structure

For this exercise, you will need the following file structure:

![Image description](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BrMs-vZzQQ87VHTmM46az_BYQwpIroLkc7ubZsJ3ZBkTsErWvcDxVXVKLjhdJjm_uwI4X-bZxL2_2srp5cswZl8YbMCtH7X7EWrzOQckg7xodIXeYPPJhVmpBovp7TGjMnl2sGynsgxAwJNVVwLhoEBKuzu7S8meiIWqVWBAPVTGKmfHFsNbS5oCSFrttw)

### Architecture

In this exercise, we will create the following architecture:

![Image description](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/JUjzyDJ7ocBSIZg4JGHbW7MS3HVyAz2bqwY_16Oalq2lpeAOMp6LUxK5crXm43kaqM-lQUZmrH8W1L7ieN-yeoevQPqeRMO6iYaezEsxFHibRrlbAcwIFLCMLM3QVwBIJPYiIPBD_-7FUX494tivsKzspf6YSE35WwxYxQRldy5wwszUHx6WVSmInWKhBg)

### Template

To do it with SAM, place the following code in the template.yml file:

AWSTemplateFormatVersion: '2010-09-09'

Transform: 'AWS::Serverless-2016-10-31'



Resources:



 SaveHelloFunction:

   Type: 'AWS::Serverless::Function'

   Properties:

     Handler: handler.saveHello

     Runtime: nodejs14.x

     CodeUri: ./greeting

     Policies:

\- DynamoDBCrudPolicy:

           TableName: !Ref GreetingsTable

     Environment:

       Variables:

         GREETINGS_TABLE: !Ref GreetingsTable

     Events:

       Api:

         Type: Api

         Properties:

           Path: /greeting

           Method: POST

 GetHelloFunction:

   Type: 'AWS::Serverless::Function'

   Properties:

     Handler: handler.getHello

     Runtime: nodejs14.x

     CodeUri: ./greeting

     Policies:

\- DynamoDBCrudPolicy:

           TableName: !Ref GreetingsTable

     Environment:

       Variables:

         GREETINGS_TABLE: !Ref GreetingsTable

     Events:

       HelloAPI:

         Type: Api

         Properties:

           Path: /greeting

           Method: GET



 GreetingsTable:

   Type: AWS::Serverless::SimpleTable



Outputs:

 MyApi:

   Description: "API Gateway endpoint URL"

   Value: !Sub "https://${ServerlessRestApi}.execute-api.${AWS::Region}.amazonaws.com/Prod/greeting/"



Here we are creating an API Gateway with two verbs: POST and GET. 

* POST: used to create a new resource. The request must include the resource data in the body in JSON format. Example: POST /greeting, with body { "name": "John" }



* GET: used to obtain information about an element. The request must include the resource ID, the name of the person entered for this example, in the URL. Example: GET /name/?name=John



Each of these has an associated Lambda function, and they write to and read from a table in DynamoDB. In addition, it creates a policy that allows creating, modifying, and deleting records in the DynamoDB table.



An IAM user was created on an AWS account with only the necessary permissions for creating Lambda, DynamoDB, API Gateway, and IAM (to create all the  security policies required). It's a good practice to assign only the minimal permissions to your IAM user that you will use in your IaC processes to avoid vulnerabilities in your account.

### Lambda functions

In this exercise, both functions were created in the same handler.js file, but a good practice is to create a different file for each one.

const AWS = require('aws-sdk');

const dynamo = new AWS.DynamoDB.DocumentClient();

const TABLE_NAME = process.env.GREETINGS_TABLE || '';



exports.saveHello = async (event) => {

   console.log(event);

  

   const name = event.queryStringParameters.name;



   const item = {

       id: name,

       name: name,

       date: Date.now()

   }



   console.log(item);



   const savedItem = await saveItem(item);



   return {

       statusCode: 200,

       body: JSON.stringify(savedItem),

     }

}



exports.getHello = async (event) => {

   const name = event.queryStringParameters.name;



   try {

       const item = await getItem(name);

       console.log(item);

  

       if (item.date) {

           const d = new Date(item.date);

          

           return {

               statusCode: 200,

               body: \`User created on :  ${d.getDate()}/${d.getMonth()+1}/${d.getFullYear()}\`

           }

       }

   } catch (e) {

       return {

           statusCode: 200,

           body: 'There is no one with that name.'

       }

   }

}



async function saveItem(item) {

   const params = {

       TableName: TABLE_NAME,

       Item: item

   };



   console.log(params)

  

   return dynamo.put(params).promise().then(() => {

       return item;

   });

};



async function getItem (name) {

   console.log('getItem');

  

   const params = {

     Key: {

       id: name,

     },

     TableName: TABLE_NAME

   };



   console.log(params);

    return dynamo.get(params).promise().then(result => {

       console.log(result);

       return result.Item;

   });

};



### Deployment

Now, to deploy the greeting app at your AWS account, simply run the command:

 $sam deploy.



Once the deployment is finished, you will be able to see the URL of your API in the terminal like this:

![Image description](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/nAmQjYZcyVPiKT-sWPnz342MObbqKxXc1JETdyFHUYHZojFJlpD-KKkyeVIZ4UUN-oi3fl5HE1g2Ss6W4KKTxGjujDt2hblcvPbEK-9RQlHys4lsqH-B1GeoJ1Gn61BxUwmT2pyskEAktVYPwYjUoZFtDebk_FTK_aSfYz291dqyFELBE2-OZe7N1OAv1Q)

### Testing

To test them, simply copy this URL and use any application to execute HTTP requests.  Postman was used for these examples, but you can use whatever you prefer.

#### POST

![Image description](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/qO8oEsPi2f9qJa9t25YkQTJO-2__f2TrC407xbx-jixUoTebyMgVsVABRPY3HFEME31iHFhe8JUY9j98Wsnv7O458gL-oVSlirIPEyZRK-CJxoBxL7GmJ3ZXVpqsbKHf_UXKMbW7YngEViegNl6N3uBL8KQYzVYrimfeiwNXJUTtAwaM8QKR4s_z2JbqQQ)

#### GET

![Image description](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3nIowDKS1hGwWVSD6aRdlF1B88Mt4YHP_wEYMyS45xkfsToU8UfaSQzL8Itd5_9V-uPoa5-v3T_np379qrndVaFVKFNyZzDmq9iUpY11KJkdgg9EvKB7fSgkxLM0ANKw3ngDVO-dQnu2dJv15Kg_EL848FsDj_PZznRQaHywtqb9LO61tDMjH8BOBPAHOQ)

You now have a functional Serverless REST API on AWS. 



Congratulations! And don't forget to delete all of your infrastructure after you finish testing with: 

$sam delete ApiWithSam.





About Cognits



Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.



## References

[AWS Documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/es_es/serverless-application-model/index.html)

[Getting Started with AWS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_TQubcn0hM)

[Deploy Serverless API with SAM](https://dev.to/hsaenzg/despliegue-api-serverless-con-sam-17gp)

Our development team can help move your company to cloud computing using serverless applications.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up your Serverless Architecture

Cognits | Blog - Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up your Serverless Architecture

It can be hard to justify extra project costs when you are already stretched with a razor-thin budget. However, investing in user experience design will not only save you money at the end of the project, but it can also increase your ROI. 

Before we dive into how user experience (UX) can increase your revenue and bottom line, let’s get aligned on the basics. When we say “user experience” we’re referring to how people interact with a product or online experience. The UX designer’s role is to make a product or service more usable, enjoyable and accessible. 

Take a look at this path.  

![User Experience vs Design](/images/frame-6-2-.png "User Experience vs Design")

Clearly nobody was thinking about the end user when this sidewalk was produced. This happens all too often. Usually it’s just that business needs and due dates don’t allow for a UX design team to take the necessary time that it takes to understand their users.\
\
But that is a big mistake and a decline of your return on investment. Good design improves revenue, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and retention.

And as Einstein said – we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

### Benefit #1: UX can improve revenue

Brands that provide a good customer experience generate 5.7x more revenue than competitors with a poor experience.\
\
A good example is Bank of America who increased their customers by 45%. Yes, you read that right, 45%. How did they do it? They first investigated why they have such a low amount of new customers. During their Discovery and Design Thinking Phase, they discovered that most people dropped off during their onboarding flow. 

Then they researched and redesigned the onboarding flow to a simple five step onboarding process, and were able to gain 45% of new users. The time they invested in this investigation, research and redesign was a long term investment that had a huge positive ripple effect.

### Benefit #2: Investing in UX upfront can significantly reduce overall project costs

More and more companies are starting to realize that doing a little due diligence on the onset is much less expensive than fixing problems or bugs after development is completed. In fact, 55% of development time is reduced by investing in good user experience design. 

Most of the bugs spotted within a product launch are actually problems – the majority can be fixed with better design. This is why even post launch support can decrease by up 90% with good UX design. 

### Benefit #3: UX design can improve customer satisfaction and customer loyalty 

Customers have high expectations of brands and want a seamless experience when they purchase. If you build a brand that customers like, they will continue to do business with you and even refer their friends. Customers with a positive experience are 140% more likely to spend than those that have a poor experience. 

### Benefit #4: User Experience can improve customer retention 

User experience is key to your online success and customer retention. When customers have a positive experience, they will keep coming back. Conversely, and this is the scary part – 89% of users purchase from a competitor after a poor user experience. 

To end on a positive note, 43% of consumers said they would pay more for a better experience. So, now is the time to start investing in a good user experience. \
Our experience and design team is ready to help you improve your current products or work with you on building the next big thing on the market. You’ll give us the time and we’ll give you happy end users in return.\
\
Ready to get started? [Contact Us](https://cognits.co/contact/).

### ﻿

### About Cognits

Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.

R﻿eferences: 

[F﻿orbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2019/09/24/50-stats-that-prove-the-value-of-customer-experience/?sh=127970794ef2)

[U﻿X Planet](https://uxplanet.org/how-to-calculate-the-roi-of-your-ux-activities-b7ba7023246a)

[R﻿elevant](https://relevant.software/blog/good-ux-design/#:~:text=Investing%20in%20good%20UX%20design,term%20benefits%20of%20UX%20design.)

[U﻿X Matters](https://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2021/04/how-ux-designers-can-add-value-to-a-business.php)

[C﻿X Services 360](https://www.cxservice360.com/customer-experience-statistics-you-need-to-know-in-2022/#:~:text=89%25%20of%20consumers%20have%20switched,than%20competitors%20who%20fall%20short.)

[P﻿WC](https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/future-of-customer-experience.html#:~:text=Customers%20are%20willing%20to%20pay,more%20influential%20than%20great%20advertising.)

[T﻿opTal](https://www.toptal.com/designers/product-development/user-flow-analysis)

The Cognits user experience (UX) team can increase your revenue and bottom line.

Why Invest in User Experience?

Cognits | Blog - Why Invest in User Experience

Companies are increasingly choosing to outsource their development now more than ever. Outsourcing can play a vital role in recession-proofing your business. According to Forbes, the best time to outsource is during a recession because it can: 

Enable cost savings

* Create flexibility in resourcing
* Reduce burnout and errors
* Provide more value for the dollar

When you choose to outsource, you have a few different options: onshore (US), offshore (foreign country overseas) or nearshore (LATAM). Wired has reported that more and more companies are turning to Latin America to find talent. A 2022 report estimated that offshoring software development roles would increase by 70% this year. 

So, with all the different options available, why are so many companies choosing LATAM?

 ﻿  

### 1. Access to Vast Talent Pool

The US market can be saturated and pricey. Nearshoring can allow you access to a global network of experts that are nearby and significantly more affordable than onshore. 

Cognits has been in business for over 8 years and has a large pool of talent not only in Guatemala, but also throughout LATAM. We have built up a reputation for producing high-quality work, as well being a great place to work which has attracted the most qualified talent in the area. 

 ﻿

### 2. Cost Savings

Nearshore developers in LATAM are significantly more affordable than regional developers in the US, without sacrificing quality. We handle administrative headaches of getting employees set up to work and have a rigorous onboarding process. This allows our customers to maximize utilization of the resources on their team and hit the ground running from day.

 ﻿ 

### 3. Time Zone Alignment

Communication is much more effective when your outsourced development team is close in proximity to the rest of your company. Communication can be more instantaneous, ensuring the teams operate in lockstep with each other.

One of the main complaints about offshoring is the lack of overlapping time zones. Partnering with developers in places like Eastern Europe and India can involve a 10+ hour work time zone difference, which can mean even some quick communications and issues can take over a day to be addressed.

Guatemala is in the Central Time Zone which means we can easily join meetings or respond to requests in the same day.

Travel is also easy. Some meetings are better and more effective in person. Guatemala City is a short plane ride away from the States. Easily being able for teams to be together for planning sessions or important meetings can be invaluable for efficiency, alignment, and project success.  

 ﻿  

### 4. Shared Language

Our teams share English as a common language making communication with our partners and clients seamless. Cognits also offers English courses to employees in Guatemala to further expand and continually advance their communication skills. Sharing the same language empowers our teams to truly work collaboratively with yours and we encourage our people to bring a point of view to the table as often as possible.

 ﻿ 

### 5. Become More Agile 

Deadlines are harder to make with an overworked staff. Being able to quickly scale up or down your team can give you a huge competitive advantage. With Cognits, you’ll gain from hiring diverse experts with the latest technology skill sets needed to take your product to market and accomplish all your development and design goals. 

Ready to get started? [Contact Us](https://cognits.co/contact/).

 ﻿  

### About Cognits

Cognits is a design and development company that specializes in user centric digital products which improve your value chain. Our mission is to empower your company by using design and development best practices to improve your existing processes in an agile, efficient, and affordable way. We strive by making your company succeed in the digital world.

 ﻿ 

R﻿eferences: 

[F﻿orbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/09/26/why-a-recession-is-the-best-time-for-outsourcing/?sh=24d0aedf6068)

[W﻿ired](https://www.wired.com/story/techs-offshore-hiring-has-gone-into-overdrive/)

[2﻿022 Commit Survey](https://www.commit.us/survey)

Outsourcing can play a vital role in recession-proofing your business.

5 Benefits of Nearshore Software Development

Cognits | Blog - Benefits of Nearshore Development

Platform Integration Services

Integrate faster, get up and running sooner

Our platform integration services seamlessly connect your business systems for improved efficiency and productivity. Trust us to handle your integration needs.

Managed Services + Maintenance

Keep your systems running flawlessly

Our teams provide managed ongoing services and maintenance that keep your business moving forward.

Managed Services & Maintenance

Website Development

Engage and attract new customers online

Our website development services create stunning, user-friendly sites that drive traffic and sales. Let us build your online presence today.

Product Development + Staff Augmentation

Accelerate your time to market

Our approach

Teamwork mentality

A holistic approach

Always learning

Our tech stack

Cloud

Platforms

Technology

Who we do it for

Your success is our success