Mission – Vision – Values and Principles at PROTOS

Mission and Vision

Mission: Mastering Software Complexity

We develop methods and tools that reduce the complexity of software development for embedded systems and help our customers to introduce and apply them.

Visions

Development of domain-specific languages and modeling tools for abstraction and automation.

Abstraction with models focuses on the essentials – automation allows fast and error-free conversion into executable programs.

Through good modeling methods and tools, much more abstraction and automation can be achieved than with traditional programming languages. By developing domain-specific languages and modeling tools, we help our customers to focus on WHY and WHAT (goals, architectures, strategies) instead of HOW (programming languages, implementation details). This allows for the rapid development of software models, which can then be converted into executable software through code generation, formal verification, etc. and tested.

Where UML and SysML stop, we really start.

Complete test automation for embedded system developers.

Our miniHIL test system allows fully automated testing of any change made by any embedded software developer within minutes, instead of weeks or even months as is often the case.

Testing embedded systems is considerably more complex than testing "normal" pure software systems. You need hardware to test the systems completely – you usually don’t get very far with pure software tests. With the miniHIL test system we have realized the smallest possible hardware-in-the-loop test system. We test what changes most often by far: The software in the embedded system – integrated in the target microcontroller. The result is an acceleration of the development process with a simultaneous increase in quality.

Our values

Values are the guardrails that provide the framework for our operations. They keep us on the right track.

The benefit for others as the most important goal

The sole reason for the existence of organizations is to benefit people, other organizations, or the social environment. A one-sided profit-oriented organization cannot achieve this well. Therefore, our most important goal is to provide the best possible benefit to our customers. Most other things flow from that. The essential principle for realizing maximum benefit is strategic development according to the Engagement Focused Strategy (EKS). This also results in the motivation to work economically. Only in this way can we bring sustainable benefits to more and more customers and offer our team a secure workplace.

Every person is valuable

Someone who is nice to me but rude to the waiter, I don’t trust them. Because they would treat me the same way if I were in the waiter’s position.
(Muhammad Ali)

… and we want to work with nice people. Whether they are colleagues, partners, or customers.

What do we want to achieve?

• Respectful, appreciative interaction with each other
• Happy employees – everyone is heard
• Customers and partners who like to work with us and with whom we also like to work

The most important measure for implementation is self-organization through Sociocracy at PROTOS. Through decentralized decision-making, everyone on the PROTOS team has the opportunity to contribute to a very high degree. Decisions are made where they are needed and where the competence is available – and for most decisions this is not the management. This leads to quick and good decisions. This brings very positive effects, both for the team and for our customers and partners. Criticism or problems in any area cannot simply be ignored – everyone is heard.

Common Wealth

We behave in such a way that we do not harm the environment and our social environment, but bring a benefit.

Examples of measures:

• consistent implementation of remote work to reduce travel to the office or to customers to a minimum
• Public transport subsidies also for private use
• Donations for social and environmental protection projects

Again, self-organization through Sociocracy at PROTOS is the most important measure. Due to the extremely high transparency that is necessary for the implementation of self-organization, every employee can contribute to keeping us on the right track and not disregarding any of our values, but having a positive impact on our environment.

Strategic principles and methods

Two principles form the backbone for organization and strategic development at PROTOS. They automatically drive most decisions in the right direction.

Self-organization at PROTOS through sociocracy

Instead of the hierarchies common in most companies, at PROTOS we rely on self-organization and decentralized decision-making. However, self-organization only works if there is a high degree of transparency in the organization and a clear focus on a common mission. Only then can everyone in the team make good decisions. Sociocracy provides us with a building block of methods for self-organization. Our most important building blocks:

Circles
Circles are semi-autonomous, self-managing teams that are responsible for a specific topic (domain). Due to the separation of organisation and content and the clear process of the circle meetings, they are usually very short. In the circles, communication and information take place and decisions are made decentrally.

Defined roles and responsibilities
In the circles, roles and responsibilities are defined. In this way, processes can be very clearly defined and decisions can be further decentralised.

Consent
Consent is more effective for decision-making than dictatorship, democracy or consensus. No majority is needed. This greatly accelerates the decision-making capacity of the system. The motto for decisions: Good enough for now, safe enough to try

Next Actions and Projects
Defined activities (Next Actions) must always be "actionable", i.e. defined in such a way that action can actually be taken and the item completed.
All activities with more than one action are projects. This could be the organisation of a lecture with 5 actions or the introduction of a sales database system with 1000 actions. So there is always a clear hook for all actions – either in the circles or in the projects.

More information on sociocracy at PROTOS

Bottleneck Focused Strategy (EKS)

The bottleneck-focused strategy is a simple but very effective method for developing and optimising our strategy.

• The consistent analysis of bottlenecks with customers or potential customers enables the focused and targeted development of products and services with which we can bring ever-increasing benefits to our customers. This results iteratively in our positioning and strategy in the market.
• Focus, focus, focus: Through a very clear and narrow focus, we can quickly increase the benefits of our services without getting bogged down. The clear focus is reflected in our mission and visions. We also use the focus for clear positioning in the market.
• We use the consistent analysis of internal bottlenecks to continuously improve our own processes and methods. Only in this way can we bring good value to an increasing number of clients.