SmartCat – vision, mission, and values

First of all, why all this and why now?

Glad you asked. Well, we’d like to talk about where we want to go next and how we’re going to get there. Why? Because every decision you make helps us steer this ship called SmartCat. The more you know the better you’ll understand, so you can steer your part – and all of us – towards one common destination.

Our vision is our destination. It’s where we want to be. Our purpose is why we want to go there in the first place. Our mission is what we’re going to do on our way there. And our values are how we want to get to that destination.

Our vision

Make a difference with data.

SmartCat helps partners develop meaningful data solutions to quality problems.

We want to create a dream team of bright people. Together, we’ll find novel ways to solve complex data problems for carefully selected projects. The result? Our solutions will have a positive and measurable impact on everyday life, society, and business.

Our mission

… is to deliver exceptional solutions for data-driven and data-intensive cases in software products.

So, how do you make these exceptional solutions? Like a cocktail! Here’s the recipe:

1. Hold your solutions accountable – by monitoring and measuring their success
2. Impress clients with remarkably professional conduct, high-quality deliverables, and client care
3. Learn, improve, repeat
4. Shake, serve chilled with a slice of lemon.

Our values

We are:

Partners

• You work with clients, not for them
• You listen to clients’ problems, not their suggestions for solutions
• You educate clients and help them understand
• You impress clients with remarkably professional conduct and client care
• You say no, say it often, and with reason

Curious

• You ask first, do second
• You take a moment to ask “What’s going on right now?”
• You take two moments to ask “Why am I doing what I’m doing?”
• You ask the tough questions to dig deep into the cause of the problem
• You learn, improve, repeat

Brave (previously known as no bullshit with addition of true transparency)

• You are brave enough to be kind and vulnerable
• You hold your solutions accountable by measuring their success
• You call out actions acting against our values
• You take responsibility for your decisions
• You are brave enough to be fiercely honest – good news or bad – in the best interest for people, clients, and projects.

Self-aware

• You take time to do what you need to do, and do it well
• You take time to rest and sleep, knowing it’s the only true cure when you’re tired
• You take time to enjoy your success
• You have a life outside the office and protect it like a mother bear protects her cubs

Teachers

• You proactively take the role of a mentor or leader
• You tell people what needs to be done, not how to do it
• You know when to get out of the way
• You prioritize people over process
• You support others to become the best leaders they can be

Students

• You learn, learn, and then learn some more
• You exit your comfort zone to learn something new
• You seek help when you need it, and give it freely
• You share what you’ve learned, and how you applied it

Transparent

• You’re transparent the easy way: open about your goals, process, and reasons
• You’re transparent the hard way, too:
• You merge transparency with context
• You know when to keep something for yourself, when it would be a burden to overshare
• You show others that you care
• You hold the tough conversations
• You pay attention to the mood in the office
• You practice self-control, poise, and patience

Doers

• You keep your promises
• You freely and openly admit when you make mistakes
• You’re there to help when other people make – and learn from – mistakes
• You choose challenging problems
• You prioritize results over process
• You write in crisp, short paragraphs, as plainly as possible