Shopify Chose React Native & Salesforce 4-Day AI App

Welcome to the first issue of November!

In case you missed it, Microsoft is stepping up its AI game, challenging AWS with new tools that make AI integration easier than ever. Meanwhile, Shopify finished its migration to React Native, which enabled its iOS and Android apps to share up to 86% of the code, improving efficiency across the board. Salesforce isn’t far behind, developing an AI App in just 4 days thanks to a new strategy.

On the leadership front, we’ll explore how Trip.com’s hybrid work model managed to lower attrition by 35% and save millions, and take a look at how an MVP is setting up a ticketing platform for scalable growth. And just when you thought you’d seen it all in cybersecurity, a surprising new threat has emerged… teenagers.

Grab a coffee, settle in, and enjoy Frictionless!

Also in the Queue

• Five Proven Prompt Engineering Techniques

• The Cost of Tech Leadership Burnout

• Can Next.js and Sanity for CI/CD Change Workflow?

• New ChatGPT Feature - Search

• 5 Things You Should Focus on in App Ecosystems

Reduce Friction

No Wait, of Course THAT is the Single Most Important Saas Metric

It’s time to face the truth - the idea of a single "most important" SaaS metric is a myth. Retention, growth, and profitability each serve different purposes, depending on a company’s stage and goals. Rather than chase a single metric, focus on what aligns best with the challenges and objectives your business is facing.

One Company A/B Tested Hybrid Work. Here’s What They Found

As work from home continues to be a hot topic, Trip.com ran an A/B test, which reveals a surprising truth about hybrid arrangements. The six-month experiment involving 1600 employees working remotely two days a week showed no drop in productivity - in fact, the company saw a 35% reduction in attrition! A boost in morale and saving millions on retention costs were pleasant side-effects of the experiment.

The Unseen Costs of Burnout in Tech Leadership

Burnout is a big issue on all levels in tech, with over half of tech leaders reporting feelings of exhaustion that affect their productivity, relationships, and retention. High workloads, poor work-life balance, and toxic cultures exacerbate the problem, as seen in cases like Uber and WeWork. If you feel affected, learn how to set boundaries and delegate less important tasks to get a well-earned break.

How to Lead When the Future Feels Unpredictable

We’re living through a time of big technological and political changes, which makes being a leader challenging. You might find yourself facing  “liminal” phases where norms start to fade but the new status quo hasn’t solidified yet. To overcome this period of uncertainty, clarify your core values and organizational purpose. It will encourage your teams to stay adaptable and lay the groundwork for strong connections that ensure security.

Deepen Your Expertise

Five Proven Prompt Engineering Techniques (And a Few More Advanced Tactics)

With the right techniques, prompt engineering can be incredibly effective. Some of the best methods include role-playing for tailored responses, style unbundling for nuanced output, emotion prompting for added resonance, few-shot learning to provide context, and synthetic bootstrapping for variety. These approaches make AI interactions more precise and useful for handling complex tasks.

Sanity and Nextjs for CI / CD

Can Sanity CMS and Next.js for CI/CD transform your workflow? Sanity's flexibility combined with Next.js’s Incremental Static Regeneration can help you cut the time spent on app updates while keeping responsiveness and performance intact—perfect for projects needing frequent updates and speed.

How I Write Code Using Cursor: A Review

Cursor, an AI-powered tool built on Visual Studio Code, has been steadily gaining popularity among developers, but does it live up to the hype? Claimed to speed up development and prototyping, it could be the ideal choice if you’re looking to streamline coding with some AI assistance. 

Why You No Longer Need Cloud Security Posture Management

Relying on CSPM to catch issues is a thing of the past. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) builds security directly into your deployment process. It codifies configurations and enforces standards upfront and reducing. Tools like Firefly even integrate unmanaged assets, helping align everything with security policies from the start.

5 Things IT Teams Should Focus on in Their App Ecosystem

For IT teams handling complex app ecosystems, a few focus areas can make all the difference.  By prioritizing Impact, teams gain a clearer view of interdependencies, while addressing Blast Radius helps pinpoint critical vulnerabilities. Attention to Data ensures diagnostics are accurate, and a well-crafted User Interface makes it easier for stakeholders to navigate. Finally, automating Compliance also eases the burden of risk management. Together, these focus areas minimize manual tasks and support scalability.

Increase Scalability

Developing a Scalable Ticketing Platform with React & Node.js   

Seeking a scalable, custom-built ticketing platform, Good Ticket Company teamed up with Pagepro to bring their MVP to life. Built with React.js, AWS, and Stripe, the platform features integrated event calendars, real-time sales tracking, and a streamlined user interface. This flexible system meets Good Ticket's current needs and lays the foundation for their future SaaS goals.

Shopify Completed Migration to React Native

Shopify recently finished migrating its mobile app to React Native, aiming for improved development efficiency and a unified codebase across iOS and Android. Already, 86% of the app’s code is shared between iOS and Android. The change will create a more cohesive environment and allow Shopify to deliver new features faster. 

How Salesforce Built an AI-Driven App in Under 4 Days

It took Salesforce only four days to develop an AI-driven app! This shockingly short development cycle was achieved thanks to pre-built machine learning models working in tandem with agile practices in a simplified coding environment.

Microsoft Just Made It Way Easier for Developers to Build AI Apps – And It Could Be Bad News for Aws

Microsoft just made it easier for developers to build AI apps with the introduction of GitHub Copilot for Azure and a set of new developer tools, like AI App Templates and GitHub Actions. The company aims to reduce mental strain for developers and speed up the creation of AI-powered applications by centralizing resources right within coding environments. Now even small teams can give AI integration a try, setting Microsoft up for a fight in the enterprise AI space against AWS. 

The Biggest Underestimated Security Threat of Today? Advanced Persistent Teenagers

Although the hackers of old were a considerable danger to cybersecurity, their somewhat more predictable nature made preparing for potential attacks easier. Nowadays, a new, underestimated threat emerged - Advanced Persistent Teenagers. Unlike traditional hackers focused on profit, these young hackers are often driven by curiosity or reputation, making their actions that much harder to counter. 

Just Cool

Should You Feel Guilty About Using AI?

AI is here to stay, offering incredible benefits but also stirring up concerns about its impact on the environment. Many people feel especially uneasy about the lack of transparency from tech companies about the real cost of AI. 

Introducing ChatGPT Search

 OpenAI released a new feature for ChatGPT, which allows it to search the web in real time. Plus and Teams users can now enjoy access to news directly from the chat’s interface What’s more, it also provides links to original sources, letting users dive deeper into topics.

Let’s Stay in Touch! 📨 

Do you have any comments about this newsletter issue or questions you want to ask? Drop me a message or book a meeting.