Common questions

Why this playbook?
What are the strengths of the playbook?
How frequently is this playbook updated?
Who keeps this playbook up to date?
Who owns the legal rights to the software that you write?
Do you work on-site with partners and clients?
What tools do we often use?
What did we use to create this playbook?

Why this playbook?

We believe that the playbook is a valuable resource for companies looking to compete at the level of ours. It reflects our approach to thinking, working, and collaborating with the various actors in our ecosystem, including partners, clients, and collaborators.

The strength of the playbook lies not just in the specific metrics, but in its ability to provide a broader vision that extends beyond day-to-day activities, and to offer a clear and transparent path to achieving long-term objectives. The playbook also allows us to align our goals and strategies across different teams and projects, ensuring that everyone is working towards a shared vision.

While not exhaustive, this playbook aims to provide transparency and to demonstrate that it is possible to conduct business in a clear and structured way.

What are the strengths of the playbook?

A business playbook is a collection of documents, processes, and guidelines that define how a company operates. It acts as a roadmap for employees, stakeholders, partners, and clients to comprehend our values and philosophy. Here are a few reasons why having a business playbook is crucial for us:

Consistency: it serves as a guide for ensuring that all members of the company are aligned in their commitment to quality, transparency, and client satisfaction.
Clarity: well-designed policies, procedures, and guidelines provide transparency to employees, clients, and stakeholders on company operations.
Reputation: one of the missions of Volcanic Minds is to build a good reputation. A business playbook helps ensure that the company consistently delivers on its promises.
Efficiency: a playbook can enhance operational efficiency by defining processes and procedures, leading to improved productivity, cost savings, and profitability.
Growth: it can promote growth by establishing a good reputation, attracting and retaining clients, creating opportunities for revenue growth, and reducing costs through increased efficiency and productivity

How frequently is this playbook updated?

This playbook is a living document that is constantly evolving to reflect the latest decisions and practices of the company. There is no one right time to update and review this document, but it is true that we consistently review it to reflect any business decisions in a timely manner.

In any case, this document is reviewed at least a couple of times a year.

Who keeps this playbook up to date?

Whenever a new decision is made, whether it’s by the leadership team or as a result of an employee suggestion that has been approved, the playbook will be updated accordingly. This ensures that the entire team is working from the same playbook and that everyone is aware of the latest policies and procedures. By keeping the playbook up-to-date, the company can operate more efficiently and effectively, as everyone is aligned with the same goals and strategies.

Additionally, employees are encouraged to provide suggestions and feedback to continuously improve the playbook, ensuring that it remains relevant and effective for the company’s needs.

Who owns the legal rights to the software that you write?

We transfer legal ownership of the software to the client only after they have paid for it. This is a standard practice in the software development industry. Once the client has paid, they will own the legal rights to the software and can use it as they see fit.

Please note that if we use third-party software with open or closed licenses, we cannot transfer ownership of that software to the client. However, the code we produce in-house is transferable to the client, along with the legal rights to use and modify that code.

Do you work on-site with partners and clients?

Every collaboration requires ceremonies, even in-person, to establish a strong and solid relationship. At Volcanic Minds, we have decided to work in an agile and remote way for various reasons, including costs, talent acquisition, work-life balance, market reach, and company strategy. While we maintain physical contact with our clients and partners when necessary, there is no doubt that our way of working leans heavily towards smart working methods.

What tools do we often use?

Here is a non-exhaustive messy list: discord, slack, github, gitlab, vscode, xcode, google workspace, harvest, jira, confluence, asana, trello, ganttpro, postman, figma, sketch and others ..

What did we use to create this playbook?

This playbook is hosted on github and we have used Jekyll with Just the docs, a modern, high customizable, responsive theme (with built-in search).