Roles and Skillsets

Overview

A great Kinetic implementation team should have a project leader, an architect, a front-end developer, and a back-end developer. It's common for the same person to act as the architect and front-end/back-end developer. However, the bigger your system gets, the more "specialized" skillsets will be required. The most important skillsets for success are the ability to understand customer needs and a desire to build a great system to support those needs.

Platform Owner

The Platform Owner is responsible for an organization's use of the Platform. Respected by peers and seen as a thought leader, this person is likely involved with the senior leadership team. While not a technical “doer”, this person should understand technological concepts and strategies.

Responsibilities

Manage and promote Platform usage
Coordinate all Platform administrative functions
Stay abreast of Kinetic Data capabilities and internal company goals, pairing the two where appropriate to enhance Kinetic Platform ROI and achieve rapid attainment of objectives
Constantly seek insight into ways to improve processes and add value

Skillset

Excellent communication skills
Can speak confidently to all levels of management
High-level understanding of Platform capabilities and concepts

Other

Attends Kinetic Data-organized events
Works with Kinetic's Customer Success team

Systems Architect

This person understands the Platform's scope of use and is responsible for the design of production and non-production system implementations to meet defined needs. This role is much more active at initial implementation and during platform enhancement cycles. They support the work of Application Owners and Application Developers.

While necessary for customer-managed implementations, Kinetic Data fills this role for cloud-hosted (kinops) customers.

Responsibilities

Design production and non-production system implementations
Implement and review system monitoring
Review system performance
Coordinate Platform-level troubleshooting & analysis
Manage and coordinate Platform releases, patches and upgrades
Stay abreast of evolving Kinetic Data capabilities

Skillset

Strong technical background
Solid understanding of base Kinetic technologies
Understand Kubernetes and Docker philosophies and strategies
Strong communication skills

Other

Works with Kinetic's Customer Success team
Participates in beta projects when possible

Application Owner / Use Case Owner

Owns a particular use case for the Platform. An implementation may have one to many use cases, and therefore one to many Application Owners / Use Case Owners.

Responsibilities

Maintain an in-depth understanding of an application or use case's scope
Understand throughput, volumes, metrics and data flows
Manage the development life cycle and the application backlog
Define and document application roles
Drive innovation in functionality and usability
Manage communications related to changes within the application or use case
Maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure the application maintains relevancy
Coordinate testing

Skillset

Excellent communication skills
Can speak confidently to all levels of management
Understand platform metric and reporting strategies
Solid understanding of base Kinetic technologies

Other

Attends Kinetic Data-organized events
May work with Kinetic's Customer Success team

Business Analyst

This person provides the details for the ideas and goals defined by the Application Owner.

Responsibilities

Gather requirements from SMEs
Build conceptual workflows
Translate requirements for User Experience Designers and Application Developers
Coordinate end-user testing
Developing training plans and documentation

Skillset

Strong communication skills with both technical resources and laymen
Ability to listen and focus on details
Flexibility
Critical thinking
Project management experience

User Experience Designer

Responsible for the overall look and design of an application. Works with App Owners and Developers to create a consistent look and feel over the life of the use case. Usage is heavy in the beginning of a project, but significantly diminishes after implementation. Kinetic works with partners that can provide this capability.

Responsibilities

Develops standards for look and feel
Develops icons and graphics
Designs color scheme(s)
Creates/amends style sheet(s)
Documents design standards
Assist in testing Service Items, focusing on layout and functionality across browsers
Tests layout with end-users
Fosters occasional refreshes
Encourages the use of emerging techniques to keep the design fresh, friendly, and user focused

Skillset

Strong visual communication/graphic arts skills
Ability to listen
Flexibility
JavaScript
CSS
HTML
React (JavaScript framework)
Bootstrap (HTML, CSS, and JS framework)

Application Developer

Under the direction of the Application Owner / Use Case Owner, the application developer will support the application / use case throughout its life.

Depending on the size and complexity of an application, development activities may be separated into separate roles, or these functions could be shared amongst all project developers.

Application Bundle (UI) developers

Responsibilities

Implements the main pages / framework of the application
Applies design rules
Compiles and deploys application deployment code
Troubleshoots code
Suggests enhancements / refinements to improve user capability / functionality / performance.

Skillset

React
Redux
HTML (naturally included skillset with React knowledge)
CSS (naturally included skillset with React knowledge)
Strong understanding of base Kinetic technologies,
Kinetic Form Builder
Kinetic API
GIT

Other

Attends Kinetic Data-organized events
Interfaces with Kinetic Data Support organization

Workflow / Form Builders

Responsibilities

Uses the complete capabilities of the Kinetic Form design to develop application forms in alignment with Application owner direction
Designs and builds Workflow Trees and Routines
Builds and maintains Workflow templates
Coordinate with Form Designers
Deploy and manage Handler Plugins
Identify and build new Handler Plugins and implement changes required to existing Handlers
Update the Workflow due to changed requirements, enhanced application functionality, and/or updated handlers

Skillset

Strong understanding of base Kinetic technologies
Kinetic Workflow Designer
Kinetic Form Builder
Working knowledge of the Kinetic API
JavaScript
Ruby
JSON
XML
Some HTML
Some CSS

Other

Attends Kinetic Data-organized events
Interfaces with Kinetic Data Support organization

Release Manager

Responsibilities

Coordinates and manages the release of the application to higher level environments.

Skillset

Strong understanding of application release practices
Strong understanding of base Kinetic technologies
Kinetic API
Kinetic SDK may be helpful
GIT

Other

Attends Kinetic Data-organized events
Interfaces with Kinetic Data Support organization

Application Administrator

The application administrator manages the day-to-day use of the application by the entire user community with a specific environment. The details of this role will vary based on the application’s purpose and level of automation.

May be different Application Administrators for the same application / use-case in different environments

Responsibilities

Handling and coordination of error resolution
User management
Data management
Reporting activities
Research

Skillset

Understanding of base Kinetic technologies
Understanding the scope and operation of the application / user-case

Application / Use case specific roles

Application teams may design and implement other roles to handle some functions, such as user management, team management, and workflow error handling. These roles should be defined within the application documentation, and may supersede roles defined here. Role-specific skills and responsibilties are defined by the Application Owner/Developer.