CU*Answers rings in the New Year with DHD

CU*Answers is offering its clients a new solution this year: the Developer’s Help Desk (DHD). This initiative comes in response to clients’ do-it-yourself mentality. Many CU*Answers clients have expressed a wish to play a bigger role in the development of new tools within CU*BASE^®, the data processor’s core-processing software. DHD allows clients to do just that by giving them the opportunity to work directly with CU*Answers software developers to build custom software solutions.

“DHD is a great resource that allows credit unions to work on projects that meet their specific needs and that helps them better serve their ever-evolving membership,” said DHD Account Executive Kristian Daniel. By helping clients own the software solutions in which they invest, DHD is just another way that CU*Answers shows its commitment to the cooperative principles on which the CUSO was founded. “Whether it’s working with a new vendor or a process improvement, DHD is here to help clients reach their fullest potential,” Daniel added.

CU*Answers works with Messick, Lauer & Smith P.C. to develop CUSO formation guide

Cooperative CUSO CU*Answers has worked closely with Messick, Lauer & Smith P.C. to develop a new CUSO formation guide aimed at promoting the value of CUSOs and to help those interested in starting their own.

Scott Page, Developer’s Help Desk business manager for CU*Answers said: “CUSOs help credit unions solve problems and often enable credit unions to act bigger than they are. Collaboration aggregates the resources of credit unions to enable each participating credit union to provide more member services more efficiently and effectively. For example, if a credit union has a highly performing lending program and shares the services with other credit unions through a CUSO, the original credit union can spread its fixed costs over a greater number of loans. The credit unions receiving the service have an effective lending platform for a cost they could not otherwise have afforded.”

The guide includes valuable information for anyone considering forming a CUSO, including an overview of legal rules and regulations, organizational and operating considerations, essential CUSO formation documents needed, and more. The document is being offered to all interested parties for free, and an electronic copy can be ordered from the CU*Answers online store.

DHD offers new Design Studio project video

The CU*Answers Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) announced a new video as part of its on-going POV series designed to provide timely information, tips and techniques for how clients may best utilize the DHD team for custom software development.

CU*Answers said that its DHD Design Studio projects represent a true custom project strategy in which CU*BASE^® clients are encouraged to formulate and design custom project ideas, but may wish to contract for various CU*Answers technical services for helping build-out their desired project vision.

Scott Page, DHD Business Manager said: “This expanding series of web videos is intended to provide simple, quick hitting tools for clients to instantly focus on key topics of interest. For instance, this first video highlights how simple the process is for clients to initially contact, collaborate and submit a custom project idea. In 2018, we will add many more of these video snippets, featuring a library of topics from which to choose.”

The DHD is organized and is targeted to facilitate the processes by which clients order, design, build and manage custom projects in a new, innovative way. Popular projects already being submitted by clients include 3rd party vendor integrations, custom fee development, SSO projects (eliminating multiple verification) and external data warehouse file exchanges. For more information, visit the DHD at their website.

DHD to host building custom software overview

CU*Answers announced its Developer’s Help Desk (DHD) will host 2 one-hour web sessions to introduce the DHD’s new strategy for building custom software with CU*Answers.

Scott Page, business manager for the Developer’s Help Desk, said this DHD initiative represents a new road for partnering on project development solutions. Today, more CU*Answers clients than ever are expressing a ‘do-it-yourself’ (DIY) mentality, and are wanting maximum flexibility and control to be able to manage software development themselves. The DHD strategy is aligned ideally to provide exactly that, and a key component is its CU*Answers Online Store, from which clients can order both traditional off-the-shelf and custom (Design Studio) project services electronically.

In addition to Page, these informational sessions will be facilitated by Brian Maurer, EVP software development, and Kristian Daniel, DHD account executive, and will introduce the DHD toolbox and highlight the unique ways clients can get started on their own custom software project development.

Any credit union is invited to attend, and for anyone wishing to learn more regarding the CU*Answers DHD initiative, visit them online or contact Scott Page at spage@cuanswers.com.

The published dates for the free web conferences are Tuesday, December 5 from 2-3 PM ET, and Thursday, January 11 from 2-3 PM ET.

CU*Answers DHD Boot Camp still open for registration

There is still time to register for the new 2018 Developer’s Help Desk Boot Camp, hosted by CU*Answers, a 100% credit union-owned data processing CUSO. “The DHD Boot Camp is a hands-on Do It Yourself experience,” said Scott Page, DHD business manager. “Unique when compared to other executive boot camps, the DHD boot camp is an experiment in a new style of collaboration between developers at credit unions and developers at our CUSO. It’s an experiment in how solution designers and architects from credit unions can take advantage of the expertise of the designers, developers, testers, and documenters at the CUSO to produce a finished product. It’s an experiment in proving out the point of the DHD online store – can credit unions use DHD resources to help them build something new?”

Applicants for the DHD Boot Camp submit a project idea that they will then work with CU*Answers staff closely to see from design to development and launch. The boot camp features just two classroom sessions where the entrants will have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with design and development teams.

The application period is open until December 18, 2017. Those interested can apply on the CU*Answers website.