Software Factory

Exchanging of gifts for Christmas 2017~

4th Jan - 7th Jan 2018. It can only get better!

"One of the great outcomes of the Research Portal initiative is the quality of the experience of students, their progress and the improvement of completion rates for the University as a whole." News @ USP.

Photos from the PGR Portal Launch held at the Japan-Pacific ICT Centre

Photo Credit: DJ Skitz Fiji

From L-R: Professor Derrick Armstrong, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Innovation and International; Mr Semi Tukana MD, Software Factory; Professor Rajesh Chandra, Vice-Chancellor and President and Professor Jito Vanualailai, Director Research with staff of RO and SFL. Photo credit: USP

Story - The University of the South Pacific News

“We have developed banking systems, superannuation systems and land information systems, among others but this one is new because it is not something that we are used to doing,” Mr. Semi Tukana speaking at the USP launch of the Postgraduate Research Portal. Congratulations to the team on a job well done! Parmesh Dayal Ben Narube Mariana Waqanibau Krish Kumar Gary Wong Joseph Manasa Tukana and also our former employees Tex Ravs and Aisea Tuamoto.

usp.ac.fj From L-R: Professor Derrick Armstrong, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Innovation and International; Mr Semi Tukana CEO, Software Factory; Professor Rajesh Chandra, Vice-Chancellor and President and Professor Jito Vanualailai, Director Research with staff of RO and SF.

Annual mid-year dinner/movie get together with our families last night. Asked our coders what caption to put up, "watching 'Going In Style' in a bank."

Team factorians at the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch held last week Friday.

Story - The University of the South Pacific News

“But while having technical capabilities is crucial there are also skills you must have like how you conduct yourself in the workplace, work ethics, attitude to which you approach your work, communication skills and how you blend in with the team. These skills are equally important,” Mr Narube said.

usp.ac.fj The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) School of Computing, Information and Mathematical Sciences (SCIMS) organised the Tech Fest event at the Laucala Campus on 8 April, 2017.

"Going above and beyond!"

"In November 2016, our new locally developed banking system SaveLoanSmart was successfully implemented by our joint venture company in PNG called CloudApp Laboratories (PNG) Limited. The joint venture is between PNG's NASFUND Contributors Savings & Loan Society Limited (NCSL) and our Fiji's Software Factory Limited (SFL).

NCSL is currently enjoying the benefits of the new system. With features such as automated workflows for savings and loans applications, on-line banking, SMS banking, and Biometrics Identification System the new system is winning the hearts of the members and internal staff. The elimination of a large amount of paper work, manual intervention and a much more relaxed working environment, are only a few of the visible signs that can be observed. The members are happy that they can now apply for a loan or savings withdrawal or money transfer from the comfort of their homes or offices, and have their money in their bank accounts within the same day. Most of these applications are appraised and approved automatically by the system. The SaveLoanSmart system project at NCSL is a great success..."

"Our families sacrifice more than we developers, when...working on a project. And most of these are spent at our studio in Suva or in other Pacific Islands. A great part of our success has been due to solid backing from our spouses and children." Semi Tukana, Founder and Managing Director, on the importance of including our families in company retreats.

4 day company retreat with our families to celebrate SFL's Super Sweet 16th Birthday! A big vinaka vakalevu to Rosena, Lavenia and the wonderful team at Treasure Island for the lovely hospitality!

Factorian Fridays: DID YOU KNOW? The name Software Factory was conjured up by the Founder, Semi Tukana. In the 1990's, he was fascinated with the growth that was taking place in the Garment Industry and how expensive branded goods were cut and stitched in a small country like Fiji. He observed that overseas brand companies were sending patterns and designs to local garment factories and the garments were made in Fiji. Mr. Tukana thought if they can do that with garments then it also can be done with software. Hence, where the “Factory” came from.

Software Factory's cover photo

Cloud App Laboratories

Hamamas long lukim u!

Welcome to CloudApp Labs' page.

Our company is unique in that it is the only software development company in PNG that focusses in designing and developing customised software solutions for any type of businesses.

Our main competency is in developing heavy financial-based applications like Banking, Supperannuation, Land Administration, Hospitals, Universities, Stock Exchange and Public Trustees. Most of our current software was developed by our partner Software Factory Limited, a very successful software development company based in Suva, Fiji.

Very important to note that Software Factory in Fiji delivers and supports systems in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. While CloudApp Laboratories will deliver and provide the support for software solutions here in PNG.

Our team here in Port Moresby is made up of two fresh PNG software graduates and consultants from Fiji's Software Factory Limited. We hope to build up our local team to about 7 software developers.

Our company will officially be doing a Launch early 2017 and we are excited about it.

While Semi Tukana holds the Chairmanship and Managing Director's position at Fiji's Software Factory Limited, he has been tasked by the CloudApp Board to hold the Interim CEO position for CloudApp Labs at this very critical start-up phase.

CloudApp Laboratories (PNG) Limited is blessed to have a solid team of Directors on its Board which comprises Board Members of PNG's largest Superannuation fund called NASFUND. The CEO for NASFUND, Mr. Ian Tarutia is the Chairman of CloudApp. The Chairman of NASFUND, Mr. William Lamur, is a Director on CloudApp. They are joined by Mr. Hulala Tokome, one of PNG's young and celebrated Finance person and who is also a Director of NASFUND. The other two Directors are Software Factory's founder and Chairman Semi Tukana, and Software Factory's GM Software Development Mr. Parmesh Dayal.

Very briefly the above is an introduction to CloudApp Laboratories (PNG) Limited. You are welcome to visit our website at www.cloudapplabs.com.pg for more details about what we do. Our website will only contain information regarding our products and our team and will be fairly static. Whereas all our latest news will be directed to this Facebook site.

If you have already taken the time to read down to this paragraph then it shows that you have an interest either in our start-up, in software development or in our team. Whatever it is, drop us a line or like our page so that more people can see what we are doing in this beautiful country of Papua New Guinea.

May God bless you and may God bless CloudApp Laboratories.

First day of training for the new system at NCSL!

First lot to leave for PNG! Semi, will be heading to POM with our PNG work colleagues, David and Anthony, who spent 2 months in Fiji, under the training of our Lead Developer, Penioni. They will be a part of our young team of developers for a project based in POM. Another group of factorians leave in 1 and half weeks time! Exciting times!

A great Friday so far, starting our day with a staff meeting and ending with a morning tea after to celebrate the staff birthdays for MAY! Happiest birthday to Tevita and Krishneel! Also wishing our 7s team all the best for this weekend! TOSO VITI!

Mr. Semi Tukana was a participant at the recent 39th Annual Meeting of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), held in Apia, Samoa from 2nd-5th May. More details on the following link:

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/06_05_2016/local/5830/Samoa-declaration-adopted-meeting-hailed.htm

Photo credit: Samoa Observer.

Happy 18th birthday to our boss with 37 years of experience!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays from Software Factory!

At Software Factory, we value our people and their loved ones!

To end off our 2015, we stayed at the Anchorage Beach Resort and also brought out our adventurous side at the Sleeping Giant Zipline, which was a big hit with Epeli (5yrs), Gerisha (5yrs) & Aashab (3yrs)!

Watching them zipline on their own without any fear shown on their faces, made us all the more courageous to step into 2016 with bold confidence and the will to keep pressing on! We're excited to say that next year will be a tough one but it's nothing that we can't handle especially when we've got an exceptional team on our side! Bring on 2016, the year of the "sleeping bag!"

Merry Christmas!!!

Team Software Factory~
[Photo credit: Chris Ward]

A peek into the what, why and how of our everyday!

Her Code Got Humans on the Moon—And Invented Software Itself

‘When I first got into it, nobody knew what it was that we were doing. It was like the Wild West.’ — Margaret Hamilton

wired.com Instead of just supporting her husband’s career, Margaret Hamilton invented the modern concept of software.

A lovely surprise visit from one of our lil' Factorians, Joana Narube!

"Sometimes we look at a legacy system running in a large organisation and it appears like Mt Everest, so complex and so high up in the sky, and it becomes like an "impossible" undertaking to attempt.

Vince Lombardi, that famous Green Bay Packers - Wisconsin (American Football Team) of the 1960's who is considered by many to be one of the best and most successful coaches in Professional Football history, has the following quote to share with us today.

Personally, all I can say is that there is Nothing that was built by Man that We cannot Replace! Nothing!

See below, Lombardi's quote!"

Semi.
____________________________________

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
-- Vince Lombardi,
football coach

RWC 2015 Flying Fijians Non-traveling reserves. TOSO VITI!!

I know that most of us have been following the Last Ship Episodes on the net.

On episode 7 or 8, I learnt something new about Leadership. It occurred after the naval crew went ashore in one of the US states and rescued a colony of young adults, and apparently the leader of the pack was a bit discouraged and depressed.

The Captain at the helm of USS Nathan James, Capt. Tom Chandler took the young leader aside and said these words to him:

"Leadership is not about being perfect, it's about weathering the storm, and enduring to the end"

I thought what the Captain said were quite profound and true.

Someone once said "Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement".

Be encouraged, do your very best, and endure to the end.

Have a great and blessed weekend!

Semi

Sand Dunes. Beach. Swim. Touch Rugby. Lovo. Ice Cream. Saturday 5th Sept. 2015.

Our amazing view on Saturday at our "Reset Retreat" Day Trip to the Sand Dunes. Got to Kulukulu at 8:30am climbed two sandy steep hills, trekked down towards a beautiful swimming spot, played a bit of touch rugby, then we walked a few meters to have some lovo at another picnic spot. Special thanks to our new Social Club President, Krishneel of Kulukulu and his parents & brothers for hosting us, also to Aisea and Chris for making our delicious Lovo lunch. HAPPY MONDAY!!

Interesting quote below by Andretti the race car driver. Frightening thought when you are racing at 375 km/h but may have some relevance for us as a software development company, delivering products for our clients.

For us here at Software Factory there are only two things: Speed & Accuracy.

Semi.

"If things seem under control, you are just not going fast enough."
-- Mario Andretti,
race car driver

A great reminder from Semi to the team:

"We are just about there.

The landing phase is the most crucial phase of any flight. According to Boeing, 60% of accidents happen in this phase. It is where a Captain's eye-hand-feet coordination are laser beam focused on the centreline, at the same time keeping the mind fine-tuned in processing all other real-time variables - air speed, altitude, wind speed, wind direction and visibility.

When landing Sharesoft, keep the focus on Accuracy."

What sets you apart OR makes your business unique? At Software Factory, we thrive in customizing software programs for our clients to ensure that their lives are made simpler, in other words, get their work-flow systems to be more manageable and efficient.

Unitsoft (Units Registry System) a custom made product for our client, Fijian Holdings Ltd. Unit Trust (FHLUT), was completed and signed off yesterday (Tuesday 11th August 2015). Two weeks ago FHLUT experienced for the first time the impact Unitsoft has on their business during their Dividend run. What used to take them up to 2 weeks to generate the 6 monthly dividend run, now takes only 30 seconds to complete! It was a Wow experience for them!

"Delight them" is Software Factory's primary vision!

We are extremely pleased to see this project come to an end and congratulate our Senior Developer, Tevita Ravula, for the great work done, together with the rest of the team for their support towards Te. Time to celebrate with the usual morning tea :)

(Pictured at the Sign-Off, from left to right: Tevita Ravula [SFL], Semi Tukana [SFL], Adi Elenoa Lalabalavu-Vuniwa [FHLUT General Manager], Joana Saqalagilagi [FHLUT Compliance Officer]).