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Experimentation by Design: What Innovation Looks Like in an R&D Studio

Experimentation by Design: What Innovation Looks Like in an R&D Studio

The art of R&D isn't chaotic—it's strategic. Visionary experiments provoke new possibilities, Investigative work tests viable solutions, and Applied R&D brings concepts to market. Each requires different approaches, but all demand disciplined creativity and courage.

Start with the Problem: Our Framework for Meaningful Internal Initiatives

Start with the Problem: Our Framework for Meaningful Internal Initiatives

As a small, new company, and with founders who love to try new things, we started with no fixed approach for many of our core business processes. We all have a genuine desire to create a company that works well for the whole team, now and into the future. And

Alignment workshops

Alignment workshops

My favourite method for getting from a big idea to something small and practical is what I call an alignment workshop. This post outlines the overall approach and has enough detail for you to give it a go next time you want to align on a set of next steps for your product.

Why it’s ok to roll it back (and why that builds trust)

Why it’s ok to roll it back (and why that builds trust)

In the People & Culture industry, we’re often encouraged to be brave and drive change, to launch new initiatives, roll out bold ideas, shake things up! That’s great advice. But here’s something equally important that doesn’t get talked about enough: Knowing when to roll something back.

Running TypeScript Directly with Node.js: No Build Step Required!

Running TypeScript Directly with Node.js: No Build Step Required!

Node.js now supports running TypeScript directly by stripping types at runtime, eliminating the need for a build step. TypeScript 5.8 introduces the erasableSyntaxOnly flag to ensure compatibility. This may streamline workflows and speed up development, although there are limitations to be aware of.

Rethinking Remote Engagement: Flexibility, Autonomy & Belonging

Rethinking Remote Engagement: Flexibility, Autonomy & Belonging

At MakerX, we're a remote-first R&D studio building more than just world-class products, we’re building a culture that respects individuality, supports curiosity, and invites people to belong in their own way. Our approach to remote engagement is simple, create opportunities to connect, not obligations. Let

Embrace Vibe Coding, Know Its Limits

Embrace Vibe Coding, Know Its Limits

Vibe coding dramatically lowers the barrier to software creation, benefiting both non-programmers and experienced developers, though it's best suited for prototyping and personal projects rather than large collaborative codebases.

You might not need an AI Framework

You might not need an AI Framework

Say you have a manual, but useful, AI workflow and feel it's time to release it from your local machine and deploy it. "What AI Agent Framework should I use?" is a question often asked, and considering the current trajectory of both software development and AI

Understanding AI-assisted coding workflows

Understanding AI-assisted coding workflows

Not all AI-assisted coding workflows are created equal, and the variance across foundation models is substantial. With different available tool integrations and prompting strategies for each model, there's a lot of confusion around how to best use them, and, whether the benefits are real at all, or just

UX graduates: You don't need a UX job to do UX

UX graduates: You don't need a UX job to do UX

I recently spoke to Marc Majers on his excellent UX Pathways Youtube/podcast - a show where Marc talks to UX folks of all kinds about how they got to where they did and advice for people trying to do the same. While we talked a bit about what'

Why Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are Coming to the Forefront in Digital Security and Identity Verification

Why Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are Coming to the Forefront in Digital Security and Identity Verification

Verifiable Credentials are revolutionising digital identity verification by providing secure, verifiable claims usable across multiple sites. Learn why VCs are essential, how they differ from passkeys, and how MakerX's partnership with Verified Orchestration brings these solutions to market.

Supercharging Product Development with AI Code Gen

Supercharging Product Development with AI Code Gen

The software development landscape has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, and one of the most exciting is the rise of AI-powered code generation tools. Tools like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Roo Code, and Cline have transformed how developers approach their work, making product development faster and more innovative. But, as

Enhancing Lip Sync Quality: A Journey Through AI and Machine Learning Models

Enhancing Lip Sync Quality: A Journey Through AI and Machine Learning Models

At MakerX, our passion for experimentation is fundamental to our R&D studio culture. One of our more intriguing experiments involved creating a fully automated, cable-TV-like news service called Choose Your News. A significant challenge in this project was finding an effective way for the news anchor avatar to

Recap of an Awesome DDD Perth Event

Recap of an Awesome DDD Perth Event

MakeX had an amazing time at DDD Perth! The vibe was electric, and we loved all of the conversations with folks at the MakerX booth! It was a great opportunity to introduce our awesome lineup of MakerX venture specialists from both Australia and the USA, who shared their knowledge and

MakerX Partnering with Kanga to Deliver Automated Data Analytics for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses

MakerX Partnering with Kanga to Deliver Automated Data Analytics for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses

Kanga is a pioneering startup that offers automated data analytics, reporting and performance management Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) worldwide. Focused on businesses with 10-100 employees, Kanga helps business owners, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), advisors, and other key stakeholders make informed decisions to improve business outcomes.

Pioneering Digital History with the Data History Museum

Pioneering Digital History with the Data History Museum

In an era where technology is reshaping every aspect of our lives, MakerX stands at the forefront of innovation. Our venture, the Data History Museum, continues to bridge the gap between the physical and digital realms, offering a glimpse into the future of historical artefact preservation. Capturing Solar Flares in

Azure Private AI Kickstarter, a service offering from MakerX

Transform Your Business with MakerX's Azure Private AI Kickstarter

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming businesses - enhancing efficiency, productivity, and growth. MakerX's Azure Private AI Kickstarter offers a secure, comprehensive solution using Azure AI Services. Partner with MakerX today to unlock your business's full potential with the power of AI.

How Smiling Mind is creating generational change in mental health

How Smiling Mind is creating generational change in mental health

Smiling Mind is a not for profit, who has been at the forefront of mental well-being innovation for over 10 years and has impacted millions of people globally, helping them to thrive with evidence-based tools and resources. To date, the Smiling Mind mobile app has been downloaded 9 million times

MakerX Recognised as One of Australia's Best Workplaces for 2024

MakerX Recognised as One of Australia's Best Workplaces for 2024

At MakerX, we pride ourselves on fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and trust. Today, we are excited to share that our efforts have been recognised. MakerX has been named one of Australia’s Best Workplaces for 2024 in the Micro Category by Great Place to Work® Australia! Great Place

MakerX innovations showcased at Algorand Decipher 2024 conference

MakerX innovations showcased at Algorand Decipher 2024 conference

Last month I had the privilege of joining our Chief Product Offier, Jess Panni, and Lead Engineer, Altynbek Orumbayev, in Barcelona for the Algorand Decipher conference! We were super proud to see MakerX's name and work up in lights in both Staci’s keynote and John’s keynote

MakerX and Amerinda Advisory to Create Disruptive Products for Organisations and Venture Builders

MakerX and Amerinda Advisory to Create Disruptive Products for Organisations and Venture Builders

MakerX, a leading digital product development firm, and Amerinda Advisory, a boutique strategy consulting firm, are excited to announce a strategic partnership designed to drive the creation of innovative digital businesses and products. The alliance will combine Amerinda's deep advisory expertise with MakerX’s venture building, product design

Information architecture core concepts

Information architecture core concepts

Some core concepts of information architecture, used for a recent client project

QRX: Merging Art and Technology in QR Codes

QRX: Merging Art and Technology in QR Codes

In today’s digital landscape, QR codes are ubiquitous and their usage continues to grow exponentially. According to recent data, the global QR code market is expected to reach $21.14 billion by 2027, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.2% from 2020 to 2027. QR

The Hidden Cost of iPaaS and IFTTT

The Hidden Cost of iPaaS and IFTTT

In today's fast-paced business world, self-service automation and AI offer immense productivity. Yet, without high-quality data delivery and governance, this potential is wasted. Many organizations prioritize quick wins, risking long-term setbacks. Solving our data issues is key to AI productivity.

Ensure Node.js OpenTelemetry instrumentations are compatible with installed packages

Ensure Node.js OpenTelemetry instrumentations are compatible with installed packages

Telemetry is a core aspect of monitoring and observability; it helps making sure systems run smoothly, troubleshooting issues after the fact, or being alerted when things go pear-shaped. Losing telemetry seriously hinders those capabilities and it is what happened to me on my most recent project. I was lucky enough