Instil Software

Cloud Application Development

Instil’s Cloud Application Development service enables organisations to leverage modern cloud capabilities to accelerate innovation, reduce cost of ownership and enable faster time-to-market. By embracing a serverless-first approach, we help organisations deliver better outcomes faster whilst reducing operational complexity and improving application performance, scalability, sustainability, security, and reliability.

Features

• End-to-end cloud application development service, from discovery to delivery
• Modern cloud application development underpinned by Well-Architected Framework best practices
• Experience-led user interface design and development
• Full-stack, multi-disciplinary teams focused on continuous delivery of business value
• Cloud-certified engineers with expertise of building serverless applications at scale
• Automated delivery pipelines to enhance quality and optimise workflows
• Real-time health checks and observability dashboards

Benefits

• Delivery teams more focused on delivering value not infrastructure
• Faster time to market through increased team velocity
• Reduced operational costs and total cost of ownership
• Reduced operational risk and increased speed of deployment
• Reduced operation complexity e.g. automatic scaling to meet demand
• Improved security and compliance with government security standards
• Improved quality, user experiences and accessibility
• Accelerated alignment with modern cloud and digital strategies
• Upskilled staff in modern ways of working and technologies

£475 to £1,500 a unit a day

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at enquiries@instil.co. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

453685544895019

Contact

Tara Simpson
028 9027 8498
enquiries@instil.co

Planning

• Planning service: Yes
• How the planning service works: Instil's planning service is comprehensive and tailored to meet the unique needs of each client organisation. Our process begins with a thorough discovery and planning phase, where we collaborate closely with your team to:; ; - Conduct a detailed assessment of your current IT landscape, including applications, infrastructure, and workflows, to identify opportunities for optimisation and improvement.; - Work closely with stakeholders to establish clear priorities and objectives for each stage of the transformation journey, ensuring alignment with your organisation's strategic goals and vision.; - Utilise our technology expertise to design and propose solutions, considering factors such as scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency.; - Develop a clear roadmap for the project, outlining key milestones, timelines, and resource requirements to ensure a smooth and successful delivery.; - Provide guidance and support throughout the process, including assistance with governance, security, and operational management to mitigate risks and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.; - Offer ongoing monitoring and optimisation services to maximise the performance and efficiency of your solution, enabling you to realise the full benefits of transformation.; - Foster open communication and collaboration with stakeholders, providing regular updates and reports on progress to build trust and confidence throughout.
• Planning service works with specific services: No

Training

• Training service provided: Yes
• How the training service works: Organisations are becoming increasingly aware that in order to deliver sustainable transformation, it is essential to equip teams with the right technical skills, culture and best practices.; ; Whilst we are fundamentally a product development and cloud cloud engineering organisation, we also have an in-house training team of expert instructors who help development teams stay ahead on the latest languages, frameworks, and industry best practices.; ; These courses are applicable for all levels, including foundations, improver workshops and advanced levels. Our courses focus on topics such as AWS security and application development and are delivered in a classroom environment (virtually or in-person) by industry leading trainers.
• Training is tied to specific services: Yes
• Services the training service works with: AWS

Setup and migration

• Setup or migration service available: Yes
• How the setup or migration service works: Instil can manage the entirety of the cloud migration journey, no matter which stage of the process your organisation is at. This includes but is not limited to developing entirely new cloud-native applications, migrating existing applications with or without aspects of modernisation to capitalise on new infrastructure. We are partnered with Amazon and Google with experts in each who can offer guidance throughout the project.
• Setup or migration service is for specific cloud services: Yes
• List of supported services:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
  • Microsoft Azure

Quality assurance and performance testing

• Quality assurance and performance testing service: Yes
• How the quality assurance and performance testing works: As advocates of software engineering excellence, it is important to stress what we mean by this. These are not just empty words, but actually reflect Instil’s deep culture and understanding of the importance of continuous improvement, clean code, automated testing, and adherence to processes that enable the creation of code that is easy to understand, easy to work with, less prone to errors, and more resilient, robust and performant. This culture of engineering excellence is reflected in how our developers work day-to-day; how code is written, reviewed and tested; and how our teams assume collective ownership.; ; As part of our commitment to software engineering excellence, we offer a comprehensive range of Quality Assurance services. Our expertise spans frontend and backend test automation, manual testing and performance testing. By combining rigorous processes with a culture of collective ownership, we ensure that our solutions are robust, reliable, and performant.

Security testing

• Security services: Yes
• Security services type:
  • Security strategy
  • Security risk management
  • Security design
  • Cyber security consultancy
  • Security testing
  • Security incident management
  • Security audit services
  • Other
• Other security services: Security Training
• Certified security testers: Yes
• Security testing certifications:
  • CREST
  • Cyber Scheme

Ongoing support

• Ongoing support service: Yes
• Types of service supported:
  • Buyer hosting or software
  • Hosting or software provided by your organisation
• How the support service works: Instil has over 15 years experience in successful delivery of managed services and is an ISO27001 certified organisation. Our team adopts industry best practices in service management and information security, allowing our customers to focus on their core business while we handle the complexities of maintaining their cloud-based platforms..; ; We offer comprehensive support services through our dedicated service desk, serving as the primary contact point for customers seeking assistance. We ensure seamless communication by offering multiple channels such as phone, email, chat, and self-service portals. Our team of support engineers operates round-the-clock, adhering to IT Service Management (ITSM) best practices by promptly logging, triaging, and responding to support requests.; ; Tailored to individual customer requirements, our support options span first, second, and third levels, with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) adjusted based on application availability needs. Leveraging globally redundant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions like Jira Service Management, Opsgenie, New Relic, and Data Dog, we streamline service desk operations for optimal efficiency.; Security remains paramount within our support framework, with strict adherence to the principle of least privilege at all times.

Service scope

• Service constraints: As a remote-first business we do most of our development near-shore in Belfast, UK. We are however happy and willing to travel to customer sites where project phase demands.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Response times are dependent on the desired support contract.; ; We currently support customers across a range of response times, but typically operate in a 1-2 hour first response window.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: No
• Support levels: Instil’s cloud support offers a range of support levels that are aligned and tailored to the client’s requirements and ensures optimal level of support throughout the engagement. Each customer is assigned a dedicated Account Manager to handle enquiries. ; ; 1. Hypercare Support: a heightened level of support in the preparation, development and post go-live phases. ; ; This involves retaining the core development team that worked on the application for a fixed period of time - typically for a period of 2-4 weeks.; ; - Reduced first response, triage and time to fix.; - Technical/operational handover training from the development team.; - Ongoing relationship with the Project Manager responsible for delivery of the project.; - Proactive technical monitoring of core infrastructure e.g. close monitoring of response times, errors and resource utilisation.; ; 2. Follow-on Support: once the application is fully embedded and both parties agree Hypercare support is no longer needed. This includes:; ; - Agreed first response SLA.; - Agreed SLA for fix.; - Dedicated support email address and phone number.; - Flexibility in working hours of support, ranging from core working hours (8am to 6pm) through to full 24-hour support.; - Access to dedicated Service Desk.; - Assistance in setting up automated monitoring dashboards.

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: NQA
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 18/01/2021
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Development, hosting, sales and marketing of software solutions and training are all covered.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  At Instil, we recognise the critical role technology plays in addressing the challenges of climate change. Our commitment to fighting climate change is deeply integrated into our software development practices and company culture.; ; We prioritise the development of eco-friendly software solutions that enable businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. This includes creating applications that optimise energy usage (i.e. serverless architecture deployments), facilitate remote work to minimise commuting emissions and introducing green procurement practices to prioritise purchasing products and services from suppliers with strong environmental credentials and sustainability commitments – which is all as part of our ambition to be a fully carbon neutral organisation by 2035.; ; As part of an internal project, one of our software development teams launched an initiative that set out to help staff measure their carbon footprint and how their work impacts the climate around them.; ; The team built an easy to use tool that used Open Source contributions to provide a quantifiable metric for climate impact, helping them adjust their CI/CD pipelines with recommendations to become more environmentally sustainable.; ; This is one of many initiatives we have implemented at Instil to help fight climate change.

  Covid-19 recovery

  At Instil, our commitment to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our employees, clients, and the wider community remains paramount. In response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we adapted and expanded our policies and initiatives to address emerging needs and ensure a safe and supportive environment for all.; ; Our efforts to tackle Covid-19 extended beyond mere compliance with government regulations; we strove to proactively mitigate risks, support recovery, and foster resilience. In addition to maintaining stringent hygiene protocols, such as enhanced cleaning measures and provision of personal protective equipment, we have implemented comprehensive health and safety guidelines tailored to the evolving circumstances.; ; Recognising the diverse impacts of the pandemic, we have been committed to supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of those affected. We offer resources and support services to help individuals navigate the challenges of recovery, including access to counselling, wellness programs, flexible work arrangements and sustainable travel solutions.; ; Furthermore, we are dedicated to creating job opportunities and improving working conditions in response to the economic impacts of Covid-19. Through initiatives such as remote work options, skills development programs, and career advancement opportunities, we empowered individuals and communities to thrive in a post-pandemic landscape.

  Tackling economic inequality

  At Instil, we recognise the critical role that businesses play in addressing economic disparities. Our social values and policies are centred around fostering inclusivity, promoting skills development, and creating opportunities for all. Here are some key aspects of our approach:; ; Apprenticeships and Skills Development:; We actively offer apprenticeships to recent school graduates and people who are trying to reskill and break into the software development industry, providing them with practical experience and mentorship. Our commitment extends beyond formal education routes, we recognise the value of alternative pathways and support retraining and reskilling initiatives.; ; Advocacy for Women in Tech:; Instil is a staunch advocate for gender diversity in the technology industry. We actively promote opportunities for women, ensuring equal access to career growth and leadership roles.; ; Supplier Diversity and New Business Creation:; We identify opportunities to grow supplier diversity within our supply chain and local communities.; ; Creating a Conducive Supply Chain Environment:; We structure our supply chain selection process to encourage participation by new and growing businesses. By fostering a diverse range of suppliers, we contribute to economic growth and resilience.

  Equal opportunity

  As a Belfast business, we believe that creating an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome, valued, and free to bring their true self to work is transformative for us as individuals and as a team.; ; Our Equal Opportunity policy reflects our dedication to creating an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and bias, where every employee has the opportunity to thrive regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or any other characteristic.; ; Our commitment to equal opportunity extends beyond recruitment and hiring practices to every aspect of employment, including training, development, promotion, compensation, and benefits. We strive to provide fair and equitable opportunities for advancement and growth to all employees, ensuring that talent and merit are the primary factors in decision-making processes.; ; Furthermore, we actively promote diversity and inclusion through educational initiatives, awareness campaigns, and employee resource groups, fostering a culture of belonging and acceptance where everyone feels valued and respected.; ; We understand that achieving true equality requires ongoing effort and vigilance. Therefore, we regularly review our policies and practices, seek feedback from employees, and collaborate with external partners and stakeholders to advance our commitment to equal opportunity and create a workplace where everyone can thrive.

  Wellbeing

  At Instil, we prioritise the wellbeing of our employees as a cornerstone of our company culture. As recipients of the Company of the Year award at the Digital DNA Awards 2022, we are committed to continuously enhancing our wellbeing initiatives to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional health of all employees.; ; We survey all staff on a bi-weekly basis to measure overall staff wellbeing. The results feed into the management team, the intent being to catch and mitigate concerns and issues as early as possible. Staff feedback is also directly reported to the Staff Engagement Group, an initiative headed by the company’s COO.; ; This group represents all staff and enables leaders to hear at first-hand those issues important to everyone, elicit feedback, gauge impact and take that on board before anything is implemented. ; ; The five key purposes of the Staff Engagement Group are as follows:; ; 1. Improve communication and transparency; 2. Boosting engagement across all levels in the organisation; 3. Identifying and addressing issues early; 4. Driving continuous improvement; 5. Strengthening company culture; ; We try to organise as many opportunities for our staff to socialise – from weekly breakfasts, to monthly ‘Lightning Talks’ at lunch, as well as post-work social events.

Pricing

• Price: £475 to £1,500 a unit a day
• Discount for educational organisations: No

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at enquiries@instil.co. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.