Epson

One of the leading manufacturers of inkjet, dot matrix and laser printers, scanners and other electronics. One of the leading manufacturers of inkjet, dot matrix and laser printers, scanners and other electronics.

Industry:

Electronic Equipment, Instruments and Components

Location:

Japan

Business size:

Medium and Large Enterprises

Problem and Solution Summary

Problem:
  • Limited time to scale their internal IT department
  • Insufficient availability of qualified in-house engineers
  • Tight project schedule
  • Labour cost constraints

Despite being a market-leading company with strong global demand for its products, Epson needed to address these challenges to maintain its competitive edge and continue providing innovative solutions to its customers.

Solution:
  • Real-time monitoring of ink levels in printers
  • Automated notifications for cartridge refills
  • Streamlined cartridge ordering and delivery processes

About the Client

Epson is a globally renowned company in the electronics industry. With a rich history dating back to its founding in Japan, Epson has become one of the world's leading manufacturers of computer printers and information and imaging equipment. Their commitment to excellence and innovation has earned them a strong reputation among consumers and businesses.

Outcome

A structured system of interaction made it possible to constantly stay on the same page and complete all tasks in full accordance with the requirements and wishes of the client.

With our solutions, the client was able to:

  • monitor the ink level in printers in real-time
  • receive auto notifications of the need to refill cartridges
  • order the necessary cartridges and arrange delivery


By collaborating closely with Computools and leveraging our expertise in backend Java, Oracle database development and project management, Epson was able to overcome their limitations and achieve remarkable outcomes:

Business challenge

weaknesses

  • Limited time to scale the internal IT department
  • Insufficient availability of qualified in-house engineers
  • Tight project schedule
  • Labour cost constraints

strengths

  • Market-leading company with strong global demand for its products and services
  • A culture of consistent investment in innovation aimed at consolidating market positions
  • Fast ink top-up technology for clean and straightforward refilling
  • Well-honed logistics and delivery processes

Business challenge

Project Completion Details and Current Arrangements

A well-structured system of interaction ensured constant alignment and collaboration between the teams, resulting in the completion of all tasks in accordance with the client's requirements and preferences.

Current arrangements include ongoing support, maintenance, and potential further collaboration to enhance and expand the IT solutions developed.

Business challenge

Why Computools?

Epson chose to partner with Computools for several compelling reasons:
  • Computools offered a team of experts with extensive experience in backend Java, Oracle database development and project management.
  • Computools demonstrated a collaborative approach to working closely with Epson's IT department, ensuring seamless cooperation and alignment.
  • Computools shared Epson's commitment to innovation, making them an ideal partner for developing cutting-edge solutions.
  • Computools' track record of delivering results, as evidenced by the project outcomes, made them a trusted partner for Epson's critical initiatives.

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Story in depth

Epson's journey to select a vendor for their critical project involved a thorough and meticulous process. Given the significance of the project and its potential impact on Epson's business, they wanted to ensure they partnered with the right team. Epson initiated the vendor selection process by identifying their project's requirements and goals and conducted extensive market research to identify potential vendors.

To ensure transparency and clarity, the company prepared a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) outlining its project's scope, objectives, and expectations. After a rigorous evaluation process, Epson chose Computools as their trusted partner for several compelling reasons:

  • Industry expertise
  • Technical excellence
  • Collaborative approach
  • Proven results

In choosing Computools, Epson recognised a partner that met their technical needs and shared their commitment to innovation and excellence.

Project Description

Epson is among the top manufacturers of inkjet, dot matrix and laser printers, scanners and other electronics. Their award-winning innovations benefit retail consumers and organisations in governmental, medical, financial and other sectors across the globe. An innovation-driven enterprise, Epson actively generates fresh ideas, aiming to supply the market with revolutionary products. One such idea was to provide customers with a hassle-free ink refill system and enable its resellers and distributors to build long-lasting relationships with their clients.

Enter the ReadyInk System – the system that monitors the ink level in eligible printers in real time and automatically notifies users and resellers of the need to refill the cartridges. The system also orders necessary cartridges and arranges their delivery to the store or the user’s door.

To complete this time-sensitive, high-priority project, Epson’s tech leaders entrusted the scaling of the internal IT department to Computools. Upon expertise-based talent evaluation of our software engineers, we assembled the team to complement Epson’s in-house development talent. Seamless cooperation ensured the project was completed on time with zero compromises on performance and stability.

Digital Platform & Technology

Communication Framework

A clear and efficient communication framework was established in the collaborative journey between Epson and Computools to ensure the project's success. The framework encompassed various channels and strategies to maintain transparency and facilitate seamless interaction throughout the project lifecycle.
Skype
Jira
Slack

Team

We conducted a thorough evaluation of Computools' software engineers to identify individuals with a background in backend Java and Oracle database development. Their expertise was chosen to augment the skills of the client's internal team.

Project Manager

Andrey Melnychenko

Andrey started working in IT in 2003, focusing on C and C++ development, switched to Java in 2007. He is recognised for extensive expertise in application servers, software development life cycle and database architecture. He enjoys pop music, as well as political and Java ecosystem podcasts.

Team Lead

Oleg Svet

Oleg Svet
Oleg began to code in middle school, obtained an MBA degree in Computer Science, worked on commercial IT projects in 2011 and worked as mobile developer, start-up, enterprise and full-stack developer. He joined Computools in 2013 as a Co-Founder and, firstly, CTO, then CDO. He’s interested in airsoft, cybernetics, fantasy and MMO computer games.
Oleg Svet

Business Analyst

Nikita Abelmasov

Nikita Abelmasov
Nikita started working on commercial IT projects in 2009, focusing on web development, then switched to management and BA in 2015. He has extensive experience in requirements gathering, start-up and ongoing business solutions consulting, development preparation and organising business processes for a wide range of mixed teams. He is passionate about urban exploration, new technologies, photography and sci-fi universes.
Nikita Abelmasov

Java Spring Engineer

Igor Ryadinskii

Igor Ryadinskii
Igor successfully started to lead the team by demonstrating strong soft and hard skills. He’s into football, adores Formula 1, and always looks for ways to improve at work and in daily life.
Igor Ryadinskii

Java Developer

Roman Tsykalo

Roman Tsykalo
Roman is experienced in all stages of the development cycle for complex web projects. He’s interested in computer games, reading and playing football.
Roman Tsykalo

Quality Assurance Engineer

Mariia Boborova

Mariia Boborova
Mariia is a dedicated Quality Assurance Engineer with a keen eye for detail and a passion for ensuring software excellence. Beyond her rigorous testing and quality assurance expertise, She finds solace in art and spends her free time painting captivating landscapes.
Mariia Boborova

UX Designer

Valeriy Panchenko

Valeriy Panchenko
Valeriy demonstrates excellent results in the field of user experience, design and research. Enjoys swimming, hiking and cooking.
Valeriy Panchenko

Oracle Database Engineer

Evgeny Mokhnachev

Evgeny is experienced in web software development, covering both backend and front-end aspects. He holds roles as an Architect of Information Systems, Java Engineer and Web Developer. Evgeny demonstrates proficiency in English and Russian and working proficiency in Polish.

Epson Internal Team

30+ developers

Story of a team decision

The team's decision was grounded in their past collaborations on other successful projects, which had cultivated a strong, tightly-knit working relationship.

Backstage

The efficiency of Computools' team is deeply rooted in a meticulously defined development process and the smooth exchange of ideas among in-house engineers and client-side experts. Regularly scheduled planning sessions and review meetings foster a seamless collaboration among team members, even when scattered across different locations, consistently resulting in outstanding achievements.

Sprint Retrospective

This debriefing session allows the team to acknowledge their accomplishments, pinpoint areas where improvements are needed, and openly discuss the challenges faced during the sprint. This transparent dialogue creates a culture of continuous learning and drives necessary adjustments to enhance the effectiveness of future sprints.

Planning Session

At this stage, the team, in collaboration with the product owner, collectively identify and prioritise tasks for the upcoming sprint. They estimate the required efforts for each task and establish realistic goals within the sprint's designated timeline. This meticulous planning clarifies team objectives, ensuring they remain in harmony with the overall project goals.

Sprint Demo

The team unveils new features or improvements to the client or product owner during this presentation. This allows stakeholders to provide valuable feedback, seek clarification, and assess the project's ongoing progress.

Communication Flow

The engineers at Computools uphold a constant and efficient communication flow to ensure the timely dissemination of updates. Their daily interactions within the team occur through various communication channels, including email, Slack and Skype, enabling the seamless exchange of vital information.

Project Management Methodology

The adoption of the Scrum project management methodology drove the successful execution of the Epson project in collaboration with Computools. At the heart of the project was a sprint-based approach. The project was organised into fixed-duration sprints, typically lasting two to four weeks. This allowed for the efficient planning and execution of tasks within defined timeframes. Daily Scrum meetings, or stand-ups, were conducted to review progress, discuss challenges, and ensure alignment among team members.

Project timeline

project timeline
01

CONSULTING

  • Defining client objectives and goals
  • Assessing risks and planning for mitigation
  • Analysing project strengths and weaknesses
02

Product DESIGN

  • Creating a comprehensive roadmap for the product
  • Utilising prototypes to visualise the product concept
  • Selecting the most suitable platform and technology stack
  • Assembling a skilled team of professionals
  • Establishing effective internal communication channels
  • Choosing an appropriate project management approach
03

Product Engineering

  • Identifying the optimal development environment
  • Prioritising and organising tasks efficiently
  • Designing an intuitive user interface
  • Crafting clean and efficient code and configurations
  • Conducting rigorous testing and addressing issues
  • Ensuring a seamless transition process
04

Launch

  • Implementing integration testing and service integration
  • Initiating the integration testing pipeline
  • Executing alpha testing procedures
  • Verifying adherence to interface and core banking standards

Design

When working on product design, we primarily develop its architecture, as this greatly influences how the design will be built in the future and how ways of promoting and upgrading the product will be organised.

USER PERSONA → SITE MAP → WIREFRAMES → USER INTERFACE

USER PERSONA

Understanding the target audience's needs and preferences.

SITE MAP

Structuring the website's layout and navigation.

WIREFRAMES

Creating visual blueprints for web page layouts.

USER INTERFACE

Designing the website's user-friendly visual elements.

Design

PRODUCTION RELEASE

During the production release phase, the meticulously developed software solution was prepared for its live deployment. Rigorous testing and quality assurance processes were carried out to ensure the solution's stability and reliability. Once all checks were completed successfully, the software was released to the production environment, marking a significant milestone in the project's journey.

Design

ONGOING SUPPORT

The software solution received continuous attention and maintenance in the ongoing support phase. Our team diligently addressed any post-launch issues, monitored system performance, and provided updates as necessary to ensure the solution's long-term stability and functionality. Ongoing support was essential to our commitment to delivering a reliable and sustainable solution to our client.

Contact Us

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