Here's the bottom line: we deliver high quality software without surprises because we are experts in software development and we interact with our clients and partners in a highly collaborative manner with tight feedback loops.  Although our word is good, you can check our references to validate it. 

If you want to know more about how we got to that bottom line, read below. 

After four years building software for the corporations that employed him, and nine years as a key figure in a leading object-oriented software technology services company, Ken Auer founded RoleModel Software, Inc. in early 1997. The goal was simple: to lead highly effective teams in developing robust, flexible software assets that help meet their customers' evolving business needs. He had an established track record of results in a variety of business and technical roles throughout the U.S. and internationally. After initial success consulting with other teams, he decided to build an elite team under the RoleModel banner.

In late 1998, RoleModel began building the first eXtreme Programming Software Studio™. This building was designed to foster an environment where apprentices, journeymen and master craftsmen learn and hone their trade while working together to produce quality software for those who had ideas they wanted to turn into reality. "The studio" as we call it, is a powerful collaborative environment of continuous learning. It enables us to produce Unusually Adaptable Software™ and unusually effective software developers using revolutionary techniques to help our clients reduce the risk of software development.  Our clients have been amazed at the skills of our apprentices, and many of our apprentices have become master craftsmen themselves.  One journeyman came here after thirteen years in the software industry and said, "I thought I knew about software, but I learned more about software development in one year with RoleModel than my previous thirteen years combined".  (Individual mileage may vary).

Since our beginning, RoleModel has assembled and developed an exceptional team of software development experts (with a focus on object technology) with broad industry experience. Although we focus on serving our regional market, our team and environment has been studied by international researchers as an example of a high-performance team in a highly-collaborative environment. We have built systems delivered on small devices, desktop computers, intranets and internets.  Our clients, who have ranged from innovative startups to large IT organizations, have been the beneficiaries. Our track record has proven that we provide a truly refreshing experience in custom software development.

Although our track record has been exceptional, it was below our expectations.  We found that there were many times when our clients achieved less than stellar overall results because of things that were outside of the pure software development realm.  We were constantly looking for ways to help our clients in other areas... sometimes we had the ability to do so and sometimes we did not.  After several years of watching our clients struggle to figure out where they could get the kind of help they needed in other areas, we decided to do something about it.  We took inventory and recognized the proven ideas we had tested - intergenerational teams in a highly collaborative environment of integrity which was focused on serving our clients best interest and creating results - had nothing to do with software development.  We announced our intention to begin the RoleModel Community of businesses in 2005 and the Lord blessed it.  Through the RoleModel Community, "the studio" is often humming not only with software geeks, but business consultants, graphic and web designers, video producers, and more working together on a variety of client projects.  Our clients may not need all of the expertise in the RoleModel Community for all or any of our projects.  They only pay for what they need.  But, they are pleased to know that when they need help in other areas, they can call on the community for collaboration without any concerns about whether they'll be able to work with our developers and our development philosophy - not too mention their ability to deliver the goods, too.

If we didn't know how to deliver the goods, we wouldn't be here.  Even though it was fairly popular in the late 90s and into 2000 to grow one's software related business with venture capital, we built ours the old fashioned way, producing revenue by selling to clients who needed service.  We never took on any debt (other than a mortgage on our building) and have continued to grow by taking the best of the current technology and timeless values, finding the right kind of people, and focusing on delivering what our customers need by putting together the right kind of team for the job who are focused on delivery.  We have designed our company to ride the ups and downs of the services business by sharing the risk and rewards of the business with the people we work with and for.  Many of the companies in the software industry that raised money in the 90s with the promise to deliver something are no longer around.   

As pleased as we are with the journey of RoleModel Software, we don't think we have all the answers.  Although we have had some downturns in the past, we've found that our values have held up and the Lord in His sovereignty and grace has decided to bless us.  We've found some things that seem to work better than many other practices in the industry, but we're human.  We don't know everything about everything, but we're not afraid of challenges when we hit something we don't know.  We'll let you know when we mess up, rather than spend energy in a cover up, and work together with you to overcome the fact that, like you, we're not perfect.  And, we're always striving to do better. 

We get lots of questions about our name and logo. They reflect:

• What we do - Using objects to model the appropriate roles necessary to meet business needs.
• The way we do it - Treating our clients, employees, and business partners with the utmost respect, using the best practices.
• Why we do it - To recognize individuals as creations of the ultimate RoleModel, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and to give Him the glory for any success we might have.

That last statement may not be popular with everyone.  In 1997, a well meaning friend who saw that statement said, "I appreciate and admire your faith, but you really should consider taking it off of your web site.  Your family has to eat."  We told him then, "we are not going to deny the Lord whom we serve and who is the real provider... and, by the way, we're eating just fine."  Many years later, our answer is still the same and many more families have been associated with RoleModel and they have all eaten just fine, too (though not all of them share the same faith).  God is good, all the time.

Values 

Almost everyone at RoleModel is a follower of Jesus Christ. We're not shy about that. But when a client hires us, we get paid to deliver superior software, not to preach. That is exactly what we'll do. Our faith will not interfere with the work we do. We think it's important, though, for our potential clients to know how our faith affects our work. We believe it augments our ability to deliver.  Whether or not our clients share our faith, they will see us work with integrity and no one has ever fired us because of unethical behavior. Our mission and vision reflect this.

Our founder takes the cultivation of his Christian character very seriously. The Bible tells us to be diligent in our work, as if we were doing it for God directly (Colossians 3:23-24). He believes the Bible is clear about how we are supposed to deal with people, including our customers. We are commanded to be honest with everyone, which includes ourselves and our customers (Matthew 5:37). Part of this is admitting when we are wrong and doing whatever is necessary to correct the mistake. Honesty and humility are the bedrock of what we do (Micah 6:8). In fact, this is one of the things that attracts our people to agile development methods and Extreme Programming. It is an honest way to develop software.

People who work for us don't have to share this faith, but they do have to follow one explicit rule.  "We don't lie.  We don't lie to each other or to our clients.  If you do, it is grounds for immediate dismissal."

Think about what this means for a software development effort. When we have too much work to do in too little time, we will be honest. When we could be doing more work, we will be honest. If we make a mistake, we'll admit it and do what's necessary to correct it. We try not to overpromise or underdeliver (although we try to be very conservative in what we promise, and strive to overdeliver).  We won't lowball you on a quote, and then start explaining why we need more money because of the change requests that came after we started the project.  We know customers will change some of their requests based on the feedback in our process and the fact that the world is not a static place and our client can't anticipate or communicate everything perfectly when they make their initial request, and we take that into consideration in our quotes.

If we think our clients are asking for too much with their limited budget, we'll tell them.  If we think they would be wiser to start smaller with a less ambitious budget, we'll tell them.  Our goal is to never take a check from anyone who doesn't think we provided good value for that money, and we won't engage with someone whom we think will not be happy in the end.

Don't get the wrong impression. We're not perfect. But if you're interested in working with people with the utmost integrity, that's what you're getting with RoleModel.