Perficient is happy to announce that Consulting Magazine recently recognized Rupa Amin and Lina Maria Jaramillo Lopera in the 2024 Women Leaders in Consulting Awards. The awards program seeks to recognize women within the consulting industry who demonstrate excellence in their work and who are making an impact. Rupa and Lina were chosen because they embody the characteristics and leadership qualities that make a difference in the industry and pave the way for future women leaders. 

Rupa and Lina join a prestigious group of Perficient colleagues who have been awarded by Consulting Magazine. Erin Rushman and Kim Williams-Czopek were recognized last year for Excellence in Leadership, and Mary-Beth Ostasz and Erin Moloney have also been awarded in previous years. We are proud to have the best and brightest people at Perficient, and this honor shows how colleagues like Rupa and Lina bring an unmatched level of dedication, drive, and passion to their work, and it’s helping forge a brighter future for all.  

Lina was selected as one of the recipients in the “Mentor of the Year” category, and Rupa was selected in the “Excellence in Client Service” category. Let’s hear from each of them about what receiving this award means to them, insights from their career experience, and advice they have to offer. 

Congratulations to you both on this recognition! I’d like to start by talking about the award itself. What does this recognition mean to you?

Lina Maria Jaramillo Lopera, General Manager, Colombia: I am honored to be recognized by Consulting Magazine as a Woman Leader in Consulting. This recognition is a milestone in my career, representing the many years of research, learning, and introspection that has led me to where I am today. I place a big priority on mentoring my team. I’ve found that the best way to make a difference for them is by putting my experience and knowledge into practice and helping the team grow. This award is a great recognition not only to myself but to all the Perficient colleagues who have placed their trust in me to guide them on their journey, whether it be with their work, their personal lives, or their professional development.  

Rupa Amin, Director, Commerce: I am deeply honored to be recognized as a Woman Leader in Consulting. This award is more than an accolade for me; it is a profound source of pride that inspires me to continue striving for excellence. It motivates me to make a meaningful difference for my team, my peers, and my clients.

Being recognized for my contributions as a female leader, both within and beyond Perficient, is a significant milestone for me. This honor symbolizes not only my personal achievements but also the progress of women in consulting for their expertise and impact in the industry, giving me a great sense of pride.

Lina, being recognized as a “Mentor of the Year” is quite the accomplishment. Can you share more about your experience as a mentor? 

Lina: Thank you. I practice leading by example by being an approachable mentor guided by purpose, empathy, and confidence to empower others to do their best. I believe in Perficient’s people-first culture and maintain open communication with all of my colleagues.  

I’ve always been committed to sharing my knowledge with others so that they feel empowered to be their best. To achieve this, I’ve had to overcome many challenges. These experiences have influenced how I lead and mentor others. I’ve learned that when I lead by example incorporating integrity, patience, empathy, and love into my everyday interactions, my team will do the same and influence positive change.  

It has been a challenge to play different roles, continue to grow professionally, act as a mentor to my colleagues, and be a mother. However, it all comes down to work-life balance and prioritization. Perficient has given me the resources and infrastructure to achieve that balance.  

As a recipient of the “Excellence in Client Service” award, I would love to hear more about your focus on clients, Rupa. How do you enable client success? 

Rupa: Thank you, Carolyn. With over 20 years of experience in IT and e-commerce research, I bring a diverse skill set to support my team and clients. I focus on enabling client success by customizing strategies to align with their business models and prioritizing industry partnerships. My goal is to bridge knowledge, technology, and process gaps, strengthening the relationship between Perficient and its network of partners.

I believe in actively listening to clients’ challenges, understanding their concerns, and familiarizing myself with their competition. Priority is deeply understanding each client’s unique goals and challenges by asking the right questions to uncover their true needs. Regular and transparent communication is crucial. I keep clients informed about progress, potential issues, and upcoming milestones, ensuring there are no surprises. Every client is different, so I customize the approach to fit their specific requirements. This might involve bespoke strategies, personalized advice, or unique solutions that align with their objectives.

Trust and rapport are the foundation of any successful client relationship. I invest time in building strong, long-term relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. I constantly seek feedback and look for ways to improve my service. This helps me stay aligned with client expectations and adapt to their evolving needs. I believe in empowering clients by providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed. This could be through training sessions, resource sharing, or ongoing support.

By focusing on these principles, I aim to create a positive and productive experience for my clients, ultimately enabling their success. Leveraging these strategies, I guide my team to address these issues effectively. Ensuring clients feel comfortable and at ease is crucial to fostering a positive and productive experience.

Read More: Rupa Amin Builds a Family Atmosphere while Working with Perficient Colleagues

What’s the best advice – consulting or otherwise – you’ve ever received?  

Lina: I have received two great pieces of advice that have resonated with me throughout my career. The first came from my mother, who said, “You are the owner of your future, you build it.” That taught me that I’m in the driver’s seat of my personal and professional life. I can’t put that responsibility on anyone else but me.  

The second piece advice that has influenced me came from my best friend, who said, “Life is a continuous search for meaning.” Her words have taught me to live my life guided by principles that drive me, to live with purpose – a purpose that’s bigger than myself.  

Rupa: The best advice I have ever received, particularly relevant in the consulting field, is, “Read the room, and be ready to pivot with confidence.” This advice encapsulates two critical skills: perception and adaptability.  

Perception, or reading the room, refers to the ability to gauge the dynamics of a situation, understand the perspectives of others, and adjust one’s approach accordingly. In consulting, this could mean discerning a client’s unspoken needs, recognizing the team’s morale, or identifying shifts in the industry. It’s about being attuned to the subtleties and nuances that can make a significant difference in how we communicate and collaborate.  

Adaptability, or pivoting with confidence, is also key. The world of consulting is fast-paced and ever-changing. The ability to adapt to change and alter the course of action is invaluable. It’s not just about changing direction, but it is doing so confidently. This means not just reacting to change, but embracing, leveraging, and leading through it.  

 This advice has been a guiding principle in my professional journey. It is a piece of advice that continues to resonate with me and shapes my approach to work and life. It is more than just advice – it’s a philosophy for success.  

What advice would you give to a female consultant just beginning her career? 

Lina: The advice I offer to women who are just starting their careers in consulting is to be confident about herself and her knowledge. The end solution we provide is defined by our expertise, experience, and how we communicate our message – not our gender, religion, or political affiliation.     

Rupa: To any female consultant just starting her career, I would advise taking the time to discover your inner consultant and that you know more than you think. This emphasizes two key aspects: self-discovery and self-confidence.   

Self-discovery, or discovering your inner consultant, is about understanding your unique strengths, interests, and values. As a consultant, you bring a unique perspective and set of skills to the table. Take the time to understand these and how they can add value in consulting. This could involve reflecting on past experiences, seeking feedback, or exploring new areas of interest.  

Self-confidence, or understanding that you know more than you may think, is also important. Imposter syndrome can be a common challenge, especially when starting a new career. Trusting in your abilities and the knowledge you bring will take you far. Do not be afraid to voice your ideas and ask questions. Every perspective is valuable, and you have more to contribute than you might initially believe.  

Perficient is proud to celebrate Lina and Rupa for this distinction from Consulting Magazine and for the incredible work they are doing to support our clients, colleagues, and business. They are shattering boundaries as difference makers in the consulting industry. You can join us in celebrating Lina and Rupa on LinkedIn!

READY TO GROW YOUR CAREER? 

It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people. 

Visit our Careers page to see career opportunities and more! 

Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. 

Carolina Cansino has more than 18 years of IT experience, and during that time, she has spent 13 years working in the financial services industry. She is hard-working, caring, collaborative, and always going the extra mile for her clients and colleagues. Carolina is based in Mexico where she contributes to the vibrant and welcoming office culture. She is an active participant in work and social events, including volunteering with Tecnológico de Monterrey and leading a weekly Agile guild, which in turn motivates everyone around her. 

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Carolina and learn about her experience at Perficient, her career journey, and much more. She shared insightful anecdotes and pertinent advice that is sure to inspire anyone! 

Can you please tell us more about your role at Perficient? 

I’m currently assigned with a financial services client to improve and enhance their systems and data relating to collateral management. I’m part of an Agile team with a mix of Perficient colleagues and people working directly for the client. Perficient has a big presence with this client in different areas of the business, which has allowed me to work in a variety of areas, including client reporting and trading. I enjoy learning about different areas of the business while building rapport and trust with the client. This gives our team the opportunity to better understand our client’s pain points, provide feedback, and offer better solutions.  

What do you enjoy most about the project you’re working on? 

My team. Everyone is very smart, and I’m able to learn from my team members how the system works behind the scenes. This is super useful when translating technical language and systems to the business side. We have a great team made up of developers, QA, the product owner, and another business analyst making it a dream team!  

Another element that I like about this project is the clear line between our work and the impact it has on the client. I can see the value and get instant feedback about how our team’s dedication makes our client’s job easier, and that is always great to hear. 

Read More: People of Perficient: Meet Hugo Cardenas, Lead Software Developer 

How do you explain your job to family, friends, or children?  

I normally say that I am a bridge, or a translator, between what the business wants and how our team can make that happen. The client will come to me and explain what they hope to achieve, and I collaborate with the developers and the rest of the team to make that a reality. There’s normally some back and forth, so I need to have knowledge of both areas. It’s the best of both worlds! 

Explore More: Perficient Latin America 

Whether big or small, how do you make a difference for our clients, colleagues, communities, or teams?  

I make a difference for the people I work with. Ever since the beginning of my career, I have had the fortune of working with very strong and smart women that have taught me the way. Now that I’m in a position to teach others, I really enjoy mentoring. I try to give a different perspective, answer questions, and instill confidence in others. I’ve noticed that a lot of people have the right knowledge, but if someone doesn’t give you the confidence to do it or say it out loud, you may be shyer to do so. I really like to help people grow and provide support as my way of paying it forward. 

I participated in Perficient’s Leading with Impact program, which provided me the opportunity to connect with a cohort of Perficient colleagues across the organization to learn and share insights to become a better leader. I’m always looking for better ways to communicate and help others, and this type of training was beneficial to growing my leadership skills and understanding different points of view.  

One of my main takeaways is to have an open mind. Perficient is a global company, and I get to work with people from different regions who all have unique life experiences and perspectives. It was enlightening to place myself in other people’s shoes, which inspired me to consider how they might like to receive feedback and be recognized. The program gave me a lot of new ideas, and I will continue to seek new learning and growth opportunities. 

Learn More: See How Perficient Colleagues are Making a Difference 

Have you had any milestone moments in your career at Perficient? 

I’ve had a few, but most recently I was recognized by my client’s Business Analysts Community of Practice for all my efforts. They started this initiative to nominate and recognize someone quarterly, and I was not expecting to receive this recognition at all. It felt so great because I received a lot of positive feedback from the other business analysts on how the way I do my job makes a difference. I was humbled that so many people felt motivated to nominate me, and it meant a lot to know that my efforts are making a difference. 

What advice would you give to colleagues who are starting their career with Perficient? 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s always better to ask questions early than to let them pile up. When you display genuine curiosity, people will normally lend a helping hand. Also, don’t be afraid to be yourself and let your personality shine. If you can communicate confidently, it will get your point across better.  

Read More: People of Perficient: Meet Lorena Garza, Sr. Security and Compliance Analyst 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I am a mother to a six-year-old, and I love seeing him grow and learn. It’s always fun to see him be curious, ask questions, and just be himself. He teaches me more than I can teach him. 

I also really like theater. I am part of a theater group within my local community where I attend weekly performing classes. I’ve performed a monologue, participated in an improv event, and started rehearsing for our upcoming play.  

Additionally, I enjoy writing. My writing experience includes the monologue I performed as well as writing short stories for my kid. Some of my other hobbies include aero yoga and reading. I also always prioritize time for myself and my family because that makes me happiest and feel complete. 

SEE MORE PEOPLE OF PERFICIENT 

It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people. 

Visit our Careers page to see career opportunities and more! 

Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. 

Perficient is comprised of thousands of skilled colleagues across the world who are working together to transform how the world’s biggest brands connect with customers and grow their business. Our global approach is setting us apart and paving the way towards an even brighter future. Our People of Perficient series lets us showcase the unique perspectives and stories of the people who make Perficient an award-winning digital consultancy with a people-first culture.

Sebastian Villegas Navarro is a business development director based in Medellín, Colombia. He is contributing to expanding Perficient’s footprint in Latin America as well as working to keep our global teams connected. He shares more about his role and experience at Perficient below. 

What is your role? Describe a typical day in the life. 

As a director, I work with our local and national teams on new pursuits that involve Latin America. I make connections between sellers and our operations team in Latin America to ensure the best outcome possible. This allows me to explore new engagements and foster collaboration to maintain a global Perficient approach. I also help with the integration of acquired companies in Latin America to make sure that knowledge is shared, and we become a cohesive team. 

READ MORE: Life at Perficient Across Latin America 

How do you explain your job to family, friends, or children? 

I explain it as if it’s a tornado; for example, there are a lot of moving parts, it’s very fast paced, and things are coming in from all directions that I have to be prepared for and aware of so I don’t get sucked in! It’s a very active role that requires a high level of focus. I interact with a lot of different stakeholders in a variety of contexts. 

How does your role support Perficient? How are you making an impact?

I am part of the team that is helping to build a unified global team and fostering a global Perficient approach. I do this by breaking down silos and making sure that our clients receive the best possible teams at the most efficient speed we can deliver.  

EXPLORE MORE: Perficient’s Award-Winning, Collaborative Culture 

What are your proudest accomplishments, personally and professionally? Any milestone moments at Perficient?

My proudest accomplishment at a professional level was being recognized by Perficient as an Excellence Award winner. It was a great way to be recognized for my hard work. Personally, one of my proudest accomplishments was buying my parents their dream apartment. Being able to give back to my family fills my heart! 

What has your experience at Perficient taught you?

It has taught me to be more resilient and to open my mind to new cultures. Most importantly, it has taught me to be humble and accept that my way of work is not necessarily the only way. I am surrounded by smart people, and I get to learn something new every single day. 

READ MORE: Perficient Launches Cultural Connections Employee Resource Group 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Food! I enjoy tasting new flavors, going to new restaurants, and seeing the world through food. Every time I travel, I go for local flavors. I am also a fully trained chef. I went to culinary school before going to business school. 

What advice would you give to colleagues who are starting their career with Perficient?

Speak with as many people as you can because you will find broad knowledge everywhere. You can ask your colleagues for help, and you will find that they are willing and open to share their knowledge. You will become a better professional through collaboration, and teaching colleagues is what makes us stronger as a company.  

Why did you choose Perficient? What keeps you here?

I chose Perficient because I trust the mission, and I want to be part of the realization of that vision. I believe we can make the technology industry a better place.  

What keeps me here is that I can decide my own career path, and that path does not have to be static. I can explore new ways of working, and I have grown my career at Perficient by being curious and making an impact when and where I see the opportunity. I am #ProudlyPerficient because I can grow not only as a professional, but also on a personal level.  

SEE MORE PEOPLE OF PERFICIENT 

It’s no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people. 

Visit our Careers page to see career opportunities and more! 

Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

In September, we celebrate Hunger Action Month, a campaign founded by Perficient partner Feeding America that aims to spread the word and aid in relieving food insecurity.

This year, we not only continued our support of HAM, we expanded our support globally. The Perficient Giving ERG hosted a friendly competition, challenging Perficient offices across the globe to make an impact by donating non-perishable food to local shelters. The offices that made the biggest impact would qualify for special recognition and coveted bragging rights as the 2023 HAM Champions.

We previously shared blogs recapping how our colleagues in India and the United States made a difference in the fight against food insecurity. Today, let’s take a look at our Latin America colleagues’ HAM efforts.

Colombia (Bogotá, Cali and Medellín)

Our team in Colombia partnered with three different non-profit organizations that operate in the main cities of Bogotá, Cali and Medellín. The Colombia team collected 478 pounds  of non-perishable food that will be sent to their non-profit partner organizations. In addition to the donations, children from a non-profit organization in Gente Unida, a nonprofit providing vulnerable kids with care, food, and shelter, visited the Medellín office to receive their donations learn more about Perficient. While only five children attended, there are more than 170 children at this organization that are benefitting of the donations collected.

Santiago, Chile

The motivation to help people in need is contagious, and the Perficient team in Chile committed to this initiative as part of Perficient’s first global HAM campaign. Our colleagues were eager to contribute to the global HAM effort, and they even had the opportunity to recommend and vote on the local organization they would support. The team selected  a food bank that supports homeless people and high-risk communities. Altogether, colleagues in Chile donated a total of 110 pounds of non-perishable food items.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Colleagues in Uruguay also had a detailed voting process to determine which association would receive donations. Colleagues could choose from three suggested organizations. After the vote, the office selected the Los Niños de la Calle (the children of the street), an organization dedicated to distributing food and winter clothing to those experiencing homelessness. In addition to donating 176 pounds of non-perishable food, the team cooked meals for 60 people.

Monterrey, Mexico

Our Mexico colleagues enthusiastically provided in-kind donations to support those in need during HAM. The Monterrey office donated their food items to Hambre  Cero Nuevo Leon: Una Causa Para Todos (Hunger Zero Nuevo León: A Cause for Everyone), an initiative created by the government of Nuevo León with the purpose of benefiting 430,000 people. The cause supports actions from many angles, including preparing food pantries for distribution, providing hot means to those in poverty three times a week, direct food assistance to impoverished families, and assisting civil organizations in providing groceries and basic food items.

Perficient Colleagues Fight Hunger on a Global Scale

Perficient colleagues continue to show passion for helping those in need. With over 7,500 colleagues globally, we continue to branch out and extend the support we can give.

The third blog in our series about HAM will cover colleague efforts in the United States. For now, please take a look at the slideshow below of our Latin America colleagues supporting their communities.

READY TO GROW YOUR CAREER?

It’s  no secret our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, and we bring a collaborative spirit to every interaction. We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Join our team and experience a culture that challenges, champions, and celebrates our people.

Visit our Careers page to see career opportunities and more!

Go inside Life at Perficient and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

Today, September 7th, 2023, in commemoration of the Mexico team’s first year of joining Perficient, I’m sharing one of my favorite events (I’m sure it’s a favorite for many of my peers as well) that integrates and connects the team in a dynamic, joyful and lively environment.

One of the most highly anticipated events for the Perficient Mexico office is the annual offsite event. Celebrated on July 4, colleagues located in and nearby Monterrey, exchanged their laptops for aprons and shared an incredible evening connecting with their team members.

The team started the day at the office and met with new colleagues introduced to them through virtual calls. The opportunity to connect with colleagues in the office is cherished as it fosters a sense of community, support, and camaraderie among the team.  

Before leaving for the offsite event destination in Santiago, a town close to Monterrey, colleagues boosted morale with a delicious home-cooked meal. As part of the celebration festivities, the team gathered after lunch to enjoy an offsite kit full of Perficient merch. Our colleagues were thrilled to wear Perficient shirts, aprons, and hats as they prepared for an evening of making connections with their team. 

This year´s theme for Offsite 2023 was grilling, one of the most popular activities for “regios” or people born and raised in Monterrey. The team visited the Sociedad Mexicana de Parrilleros (Mexican Grilling Society) headquarters. An extraordinary grill experience was waiting for the team. Everyone could learn techniques and preparation methods for a wide variety of dishes with professionals from the Mexican gastronomic world. Our colleagues prepared steak kebabs with melted cheese, hamburgers, and other barbecue favorites at Offsite 2023.

The whole experience fostered integration and friendship and gave colleagues the chance to forge new relationships, have an enjoyable time, and share a passion for fire! 

It was a delightful experience full of fun and flavorful togetherness that our colleagues will not forget.  

For more than 15 years, we’ve grown our presence, our talent, our skills and our global footprint so that we can continually provide critical agile software development and delivery services to the world’s biggest brands.

Today, we continue to make investments in our global delivery capabilities – and we’re thrilled to announce we’ve once again expanded our presence across Latin America – into Mexico – with the acquisition of Inflection Point Systems.

Based in Columbia, Maryland, and with nearshore development center operations in Monterrey, Mexico, Inflection Point provides award-winning custom software development services and digital experience solutions. The firm brings 19 years of experience developing core technology, digital, and enterprise solutions for leading clients across the globe, including within the financial services, healthcare, education, security, high tech, and hospitality sectors. With the addition of their more than 200 talented colleagues to our team, Perficient will expand and enhance our nearshore delivery capacity, strengthen our software development capabilities, and further grow our team and presence in Latin America.

As Chairman and CEO Jeff Davis shared in our news release, “Our multi-shore, fully-integrated, global delivery approach continues to be a key driver of growth, and a compelling differentiator in the market. With the addition of Inflection Point’s award-winning agile software development expertise, we have bolstered our ability to help the world’s biggest brands deliver engaging customer experiences across all touchpoints.”

Accelerating Innovation with Strong Nearshore Development Capabilities

Digital disruptions. Rising consumer expectations. Today’s enterprises increasingly face the challenge to transform their businesses – and fast!

Software development is one of the best ways to not only keep businesses running, but get ahead, and Perficient’s optimized global delivery capabilities – offshore, nearshore, and onshore – provide a compelling, balanced, and powerful model for development.

We’re excited to announce that Perficient has extended our South American footprint and expanded our nearshore delivery capabilities with the acquisition of Overactive – a nearshore software development firm based in Montevideo, Uruguay, with additional locations in Colombia, Argentina, and Chile.

With this acquisition, we’re strengthening our nearshore delivery capabilities and capacity with enhanced custom software application design, development, testing and support for customers, accelerating innovation and time to market. We’re also gaining strategic client relationships with Fortune 1000 customers across several industries, including financial services, healthcare, technology, and business services sectors.

This acquisition and addition of more than 700 colleagues grows our Perficient Latin America team to more than 1,500 talented developers, designers, and digital innovators. It also marks a milestone for Perficient, where the size of our offshore delivery team now exceeds our onshore team, further demonstrating our commitment to our optimized global delivery model.

Our Perficient footprint now stretches across four continents and 10 countries, with 6,000+ colleagues globally dedicated to transforming how the world’s biggest brands connect with customers and grow their business.

An Exciting Addition to Our Nearshore Offering

Over its 13-year history, Overactive has been providing innovative and scalable technology solutions to international clients. With a focus on both delivery excellence and rapid scalability, the company has been able to quickly assemble the right teams to exceed its clients’ digital transformation needs.

This experience will be a welcome addition to our existing nearshore offering, and our clients will continue to realize the benefits they have come to expect from our nearshore teams, including time zone compatibility, bilingual developers, and high-quality teams delivering cost-effective solutions.

Our Dedication to Global Delivery

Perficient’s multi-shore, fully-integrated, global delivery approach continues to be a key driver of success for our clients. Our global talent, coupled with our strong U.S. presence, enables our clients to scale quickly, innovate rapidly and reduce costs to better meet rising customer demands, transform their business, and outpace the competition.

A truly optimized global delivery strategy incorporates a balance of nearshore, onshore and offshore delivery models to enable agility. This ensures our clients have a team with the right skills in the right place at the right time, and are taking into account the nature of each project as well as where it is within its lifecycle.

For more information about Perficient’s global delivery approach, click here.

To read the news release about the Overactive acquisition, click here.

For those in the quality assurance (QA) field, one of today’s most complex challenges is testing infrastructure as code  (IaC- iac test). As a result, IaC deployments are not always tested correctly, or sometimes not at all, leading to multiple issues for many organizations.

While software testing has always existed, automation testing related to infrastructure has only been around for a couple of years, so companies need to ensure the security and robustness of their IaC without the need to deploy.

What is infrastructure as code – iac test?

Infrastructure as code (IaC), also known as programmable or software-defined infrastructure, is the practice of codifying and managing IT infrastructure as software rather than hardware. It enables developers and operations teams to manage and monitor resources through automation, eliminating the need to configure hardware devices and operating systems manually.

IaC is similar to script programming in that organizations can use it to automate IT processes. However, its more advanced language allows for greater versatility and flexibility in provisioning and deployment processes. Built on platforms like Terraform, Kubernetes, and Helm, IaC enables software engineers to work with reproducible environments that ease collaboration and allow idempotence and convergence.

With this code-based infrastructure, development teams can easily automate processes, test iterations, apply version control practices, and approve production code, much like software design practices. Along with its close alignment with DevOps practices, these advantages make IaC a fast, efficient, consistent way to control infrastructure.

The Importance of Testing IaC – iac test

The success of an IaC model depends on developers and QA testers that understand the various configuration management and automation tools that it requires. Depending on the number of components, environments, and rollouts that affect infrastructure, testing IaC is a serious consideration for many companies. When errors occur, they can quickly impact an application’s performance, so it is essential to perform comprehensive testing before and after release into production environments.

There are several testing methods for maintaining code quality in IaC.

• Static analysis tests ensure that the code adheres to industry standards and detects weaknesses in source code that might lead to vulnerabilities. These tests occur before deployment.
• Dynamic tests are focused on discovering whether deployed infrastructure resources and components work together as expected in production environments.
• Chaos engineering allows developers to identify failures before they become outages—by proactively testing how a platform responds under stress, we can recognize and fix bugs before it is too late.

For the purposes of this article, we will focus exclusively on static analysis testing.

Static Analysis Testing Methods for IaC – iac test

Static testing allows for IaC testing without deployment, making it cost-effective, time-efficient, and secure while enabling the use of best practices.

Let’s explore the best approaches and tools available to perform these types of tests.

Built-In Commands

Before fully adopting any libraries or external IaC testing tools, it’s best to take advantage of their built-in commands as a means to verify syntax. In Terraform, for example, the commands “fmt” and “validate” help to identify format and syntax issues. And for Helm, we have the “lint” command, which allows us to check if Helm templates are well-formed.

After verifying the syntax, there are several testing paths to choose from.

Linters

Several open-source tools are available to improve IaC by analyzing the source code and looking for problems, but each comes with its pros and cons.

• TFLint allows QA testers to find possible errors—such as illegal instance types—with major cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP. It also enforces best practices and naming conventions while warning developers about deprecated syntax and unused declarations.
• Yamllint checks for syntax validity and weirdnesses like key repetition, and cosmetic problems such as lines length, trailing spaces, indentation, and more. It also enables testers to ensure syntax best practices for technologies like Kubernetes.
• KubeLinter takes a path to a chart and runs a series of tests to verify that the chart is well-formed. These linters analyze Kubernetes manifests or helm charts to ensure the code follows best practices, with a special focus on production readiness and security.

SAST

QA testers leverage static application security testing (SAST) to secure IaC by reviewing the source code and identifying sources of vulnerabilities. As far as open-source SAST tools go, three contenders immediately spring to mind.

Checkov is an excellent option for SAST, as it includes 131 rules for Azure CIS benchmarks, 172 for AWS, and 7 for Google Cloud Platform. In addition, it allows testers to analyze terraform, terraform plan, cloud formation, K8S, Docker files, and ARM templates. Trivy, on the other hand, uses the tfsec security scanner to analyze Terraform, Kubernetes, and Docker files and supports Azure, AWS, Cloudstack, and Google. Finally, Anchore focuses on finding vulnerabilities in docker files and container registries, although it is mostly a paid tool and not fully open-source.

Policy as Code

Much like Infrastructure as Code, Policy as Code is the concept of writing code to manage and automate policies. By representing policies in this way, developers can adopt proven software development best practices like version control, automated testing, and automated deployment.

Founded on Open Policy Agent (OPA), the Cloud Native Foundation’s standard for Policy As Code, Conftest is a utility that gives QA testers the power to write tests against structured configuration data while analyzing several technologies like Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, and more. With it, we can create policies not included in SAST scans or develop policies for internal encryption standards, as it supports almost any IaC technology.

So, with Linters, SAST, and Policy as Code at our disposal, we’re able to solve the challenge of testing IaC before deployment, ensuring things go far more smoothly in production.

Stay tuned for our follow-up blogs covering dynamic testing and chaos engineering.

Check our open positions here and #GrowWithUs

Perficient is a highly awarded company by clients, colleagues, partners, and communities where it operates. Perficient Latin America is thrilled to continue setting this high standard by announcing our nomination from the World Agility Forum (WAF) in the category of Best Agile Place to Work.   

The WAF is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to recognize companies worldwide for their effort, commitment, accomplishments, and dedication to achieving Agility.   

Being a nominee in the WAF’s category of Best Agile Place to Work further demonstrates our commitment to Agile values and principles, as the selection was primarily based on employee testimonials and customer satisfaction. In other words, people and culture.   

This year, 30 organizations applied and only 11 were nominated, and we are excited to be one of those chosen. “Doing the impossible by overcoming the obstacles” is this year´s WAF theme, and this particularly connects to Perficient Latin America’s beginnings, challenges, and key elements in our path to achieving Agility.  

Agile: Easy to Understand, Difficult to Implement  

Claiming to be truly Agile goes beyond a mere trend. Our path to achieving Agility has been full of challenges, but now we can proudly say and show that we are truly Agile. One key element that we have identified as a catalyst in our Agility path is our organizational culture. For us, culture is an enabler for Agile.   

At Perficient Latin America we believe that culture is not just a set of theoretical statements. Culture must be reflected in the day-to-day behavior of all participants, and it touches three key points that allow for Agile:  

• Innovation: Our mindset and organizational culture are the perfect foundation for Agile. We have a discovery mindset that focuses on innovation, continuous improvement, testing, and learning. We set high standards in everything we do, and this goes back to the beginnings of Perficient Latin America: exploring unknown territories, creating a new future, and striving for constant evolution.   
• Collaboration: Our teams are autonomous and designed for collaboration. This is key in Agile organizations. Teams are networks of individuals that are free to make decisions, question the status quo, experiment, partner to negotiate, and ultimately meet objectives. This perspective requires a culture based on respect, openness, integrity, and a commitment to greatness that is always achieved together, not in silos.  
• Value creation: Our priority as an organization has always been customers, team members, and society. For this reason, people´s decisions in the organization are always oriented towards adding value. Having a clear purpose embraced by team members is critical to foster value creation. 

Next Steps? 

The WAF award winners will be announced on September 25th at the gala dinner in Lisbon, Portugal. Stay tuned for more news and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

To learn more about Perficient Latin America DNA and culture, click here. And don´t forget to check out our Spotlight on Culture video as well.  

We’re excited to announce that Perficient has expanded its nearshore delivery and commerce capabilities with the acquisition of Talos Digital, an award-winning nearshore software development company, based in Colombia, South America, that specializes in SAP Commerce.

With this acquisition, we’re expanding and enhancing our nearshore delivery capacity, building our commerce capabilities, and further growing our Perficient Latin America team. Talos Digital also brings strategic client relationships with Fortune 1000 customers across several industries, including healthcare, financial services, technology, and business services sectors.

A Continuation of Our Custom Development and Commerce Skills

Talos Digital specializes in custom software development capabilities – including mobile apps, web development, design, and emerging technologies – and it also brings critical SAP Commerce expertise to our portfolio.

SAP Commerce was named a “Strong Performer” in both the The Forrester Wave: B2B Commerce Suites, Q2 2020 and The Forrester Wave: B2C Commerce Suites, Q2 2020 due to its innovative core eCommerce offering. The expansion of our commerce capabilities with SAP Commerce further allows us to deliver unified and exceptional experiences for our clients, with solutions tailored to their unique needs.

More Nearshore Capacity for Optimized Global Delivery

The acquisition of Talos Digital expands Perficient’s footprint in South America and grows our nearshore delivery capacity. Our clients will continue to realize the benefits they have come to expect from our nearshore teams, including:

• Time zone compatibility
• Bilingual developers
• High-quality teams delivering cost-effective solutions

Our nearshore offering is an important piece of our optimized global delivery approach. A truly optimized global delivery strategy incorporates a balance of nearshore, onshore and offshore delivery models to enable agility. This ensures our clients have a team with the right skills in the right place at the right time, and are taking into account the nature of the project as well as where it is within its lifecycle.

For more information about Perficient’s global delivery approach, click here.

To read the news release about the Talos Digital acquisition, click here.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Dj4k5_EtMqs%3Frel%3D0

Nearshore software development helps U.S.-based companies to accelerate their digital innovation initiatives with greater agility, while maintaining the benefits of real-time communication, cultural alignment, and significant cost savings. The nearshoring industry has grown exponentially over the past twenty years, and there are thousands of custom software vendors throughout the nearshore region. Building a long-term partnership with a compatible, professional, and reliable vendor can be challenging. There are several types of companies to choose from and many considerations to be made during the selection process. Look for a nearshore software development partner with the following traits to ensure successful engagements:

• Industry Expertise and Long-Term Experience
• Face-to-Face Compatibility
• Strong Client References
• Matching Skills, Attitudes, and Expertise
• Ability to Merge with Internal Teams
• Track Record of Developing High-Quality Products

Industry Expertise and Long-Term Experience

The nearshore software development outsourcing industry has been steadily and consistently scaling. There are many emerging companies in the space vying for business, but not all of them will be suitable for your unique project.

You want to ensure that you are working with an established, trusted nearshore software development partner that has long-term experience working with companies in your industry. This is crucial for companies within heavily regulated industries such as healthcare and financial services, as you will need to find a firm that has experience complying with federal regulations for security and privacy.

Face-to-Face Compatibility

There are many benefits to meeting with a potential partner face-to-face and seeing the facilities and environment in which they operate. This helps you to get a feel for the team’s working style and how your teams will collaborate during the project.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person visits are not always feasible. In this case, you should request a virtual tour of the premises and schedule frequent video conferences to build rapport with your potential vendor. It is a major red flag if a company is not willing to show you their working environment or let you meet with potential team members.

Strong Client References

It is always a good practice to request client references from a potential vendor to gain insight into the types of clients they serve and their experiences in working with them. While their existing clients may provide predominantly positive feedback, it is important to inquire about any negative experiences they may have had. You want to learn more about how this potential vendor communicates throughout the project life cycle and solves problems should they arise. You may also find it helpful to inquire about their vendor selection process. Who else were they considering working with, and why did they choose this partner over their competitors?

Matching Skills, Attitudes, and Expertise

In the outsourcing partner selection process it is important to dig deep and ask technical questions, especially when your project is complex and requires a mix of different technologies and platforms. You want to ensure that you are working with a company that has the technical skillset and expertise to build the right custom solution. Ask questions about previous projects they have worked on, specifically what they have learned from similar projects and how they plan to apply that knowledge to your engagement.

Taking this a step further, you want to make sure your company’s attitudes and values are aligned with those of your potential partner. Corporate cultural compatibility is particularly important when establishing KPIs and staffing your project. Ask questions about the project team structure and composition. Is their talent in-house, or will they be hiring new employees or contractors?

Ability to Merge with Internal Teams

The most capable outsourcing firms usually provide skilled professionals as an extension of their clients’ internal teams. Many people falsely assume that outsourcing partners will replace employees with cheaper labor, but in reality the most successful agile delivery models involve augmenting and supporting existing teams to provide top-notch benefits.

When searching for a nearshore software development partner, you want to ensure that their employees will be compatible with your own. It is also a good practice to provide your engineers and developers with reassurance that their jobs are safe, and involve them in the process of onboarding or selecting the team when appropriate.

Track Record of Developing High-Quality Products

One of the most important considerations when selecting a software development outsourcing partner is a track record of successful product delivery. You want to work with a firm that has experience delivering quality, customized software products that improve the customer experience and can solidify your company’s position as a leader within your respective industry.

In addition to verifying industry experience and client references, you should ask for detailed case studies or to see examples of their work if available. This will help you to gain a better understanding of the types of custom software products they are capable of building and their impact on clients’ businesses. If a vendor is unwilling to provide you with examples of previous projects, you should eliminate them from the selection pool.

Building a Lasting Partnership

Software development outsourcing isn’t just about reducing costs or handing off projects to an external vendor. It’s about becoming more agile, gaining a competitive advantage within your respective market, and disrupting your industry with innovative solutions. When selecting a global partner for your custom software development project, it is important to look past pricing and consider the other factors holistically. A trusted nearshore consulting firm brings added value into their partnerships through industry experience, executive leadership, technical knowledge, and strong vendor relationships.

For more information about Perficient’s award-winning global delivery expertise, subscribe to Perficient’s blog, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The Perficient Latin America office in Medellín, Colombia, sits just south of the city in the neighborhood of Itagui. Once a booming textile manufacturing district, Itagui has become the “Silicon Valley of Colombia” over the past 20 years. With more multinational technology firms choosing Medellín as their headquarters, the area has transformed into a hub for skilled developers and engineers.

Our most recent office renovation project took place during the pandemic while colleagues have been working remote. The Perficient Latin America team based in Medellín is excited about the possibility of returning to work in the new office.

“When the pandemic struck, we were ready to adapt fast and transition to 100% remote work. However, we are eager to get back in the office while continuing to adapt to this new reality and leverage these great spaces so everyone in the company, as well as our visiting clients, can experience our culture firsthand,” said Camilo Gomez, director of business development.

A New Office for the Next Chapter

The spacious building seamlessly incorporates a modern, open floorplan to accommodate up to 500 colleagues. Floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate the space with natural light as vertical gardens transform it into a tropical greenhouse. With 75,600 square feet of open space and 42-foot tall ceilings, the sheer size leaves a lasting impression.

“We have been very generous in terms of space for employees,” said Ana Lucia, a financial analyst who was heavily involved the renovation project. “If you divide the area of the office by the total number of employees, you have approximately 45 square feet of space per person.”

A partially covered outdoor terrace features extensive vertical gardens, giving colleagues a serene space to step outside for fresh air, even during the rainy season. With the exception of the artificial grass carpets designed to mimic real lawns, all of the greenery in the office is alive with soaring walls covered from floor-to-ceiling in native tropical plants and succulents.  

Designed for a Collaborative Culture

“In addition to providing a pleasant and attractive space, our offices are designed to keep us together and to facilitate communication and the exchange of knowledge,” said Jorge Aramburo, general manager of Perficient Latin America. “This allows us to reinforce our cultural identity, and thus fulfill the promise of helping our customers and colleagues to be better.”

The office is a dynamic environment where colleagues frequently move their workspaces to reflect their current project assignments. This encourages stronger communication and collaboration among project teams. “We have defined which areas are convenient for certain projects based on their size and technical needs, like proximity to labs or video conference rooms,” said Edwin Posada, director of facilities and IT, Perficient Latin America.

One functional design element featured throughout the new office is workspace walls doubling as whiteboards so teams can organize their thoughts and brainstorm ideas. The modern design is also accompanied by modern technology. All of the conference rooms include state-of-the-art Cisco WebEx technology to improve the video conference experience for multi-shore and remote teams.

“We want our colleagues to feel comfortable,” said Edwin. “We want it to feel like a second home.” To achieve this, lounge areas with cushioned armchairs and couches were incorporated throughout the floorplan, giving team members the ability to move around and work wherever they please.

“In designing the office we listened to our people,” said Ana. “We asked them what they wanted.” Recreation areas like a video game lounge, billiards room, music room, theater, and designated napping areas were incorporated to make the office a comfortable space where the team could relax amid innovative collaboration. The common areas encourage colleagues to gather, build culture, and instill a sense of comradery among the team.

Reflecting on the Past to Build the Future

After years of innovation and expansion, Perficient Latin America is now one of the largest and most competitive global technology companies in Colombia, with an expansive portfolio of North American clients.

“I have been fortunate to witness the growth of this company,” said Ana. “When I joined the company over 20 years ago, it was just 35 people. As we have acquired more experience and reached higher levels of quality, we have become very popular in Colombia. We now have over 400 employees in Medellín, and have the capacity to add 80 more.”

Now, with roots firmly planted in Medellín and a flourishing culture, that sentiment stands to ring true for years to come.