Insights
Blog & Insights
Perspectives on technology, strategy, and building software that matters. From the team at APAX.
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Company · Jul 23, 2026
What Healthcare CMS Modernization Really Takes
A hospital website stops working long before it “breaks.” Content teams can’t update pages without vendor help. Patients struggle to find the right location, provider, or service. Acquired entities sit outside the brand ecosystem. The site still exists, but it’s no longer supporting the organization. This post explains what healthcare CMS modernization should actually solve, using APAX’s recent work with UK HealthCare, King’s Daughters, and St. Claire as the example.
Custom Software · Jun 26, 2026
Ditching the Spreadsheets: Building a Custom Operations Platform That Just Works
I didn't stumble into software development. I made a deliberate switch from a different career because I wanted to build things that actually mattered to the people using them. I'm a full-stack developer at APAX Software
Company · Jun 12, 2026
What I learned at the KPPA reverse trade show
A reverse trade show flips the format. The buyers sit at tables. The vendors walk around. At theKPPA Reverse Trade Showat the CROSS Center in Midway, that meant Kentucky procurement officers from state agencies, cities,
Custom Software · Process & Delivery · May 8, 2026
The 6 Questions I Get on Every First Call (and the Answers I Wish More Teams Heard Up Front)
Many first-time software buyers walk into that initial call not knowing what to expect. Here are the questions Amanda hears most, the answers she gives, and a few things she wishes more teams knew upfront.
Process & Delivery · Apr 27, 2026
Deliver Value Quickly: What Clients Should Expect From Modern Software Teams in 2026
Building 'something' is easier than ever. The hard part is building the right thing, making it usable, getting it adopted, and seeing real impact without waiting months. Here's what 'deliver value quickly' actually means.
UX & Design · Mar 26, 2026
Accessibility Isn’t an Afterthought. It’s Good Design.
Accessibility is both a legal requirement and a moral imperative. We use the "Find Help Now" platform as a case study for WCAG 2.1 compliance done right.
Client Stories · CMS & Drupal · Feb 18, 2026
Bringing UK College of Dentistry into the Modern Web: A Drupal 10 Transformation
Migrating a Drupal 7 site from 2012 to Drupal 10 — addressing mobile responsiveness, outdated UX, and deprecated payment modules for a major university client.
Process & Delivery · Custom Software · Jan 22, 2026
Don’t Offshore Your Software-Here’s a Better Path for Regional Teams
Five problems with offshore development and why regional partnerships deliver more value for healthcare and civic organizations where reliability is critical.
Company · Dec 31, 2025
APAX Software: 2025 Year in Review
Decade-long anniversaries, a Web Excellence Award, AI feature launches, and major website launches including KyCOMPASS — a big year for the team.
Client Stories · Custom Software · Dec 15, 2025
From Idea to Launch: Building KyCOMPASS for Perinatal Mental Health Providers
A decoupled Drupal + Next.js platform connecting Kentucky's perinatal healthcare providers with psychiatric consultation resources and educational tools.
AI · Company · Nov 28, 2025
Wrangling Robots: A Practical Guide to AI at APAX
APAX's human-centric AI strategy: user ownership of output, human oversight, and transparent communication. AI augments our team — it doesn't replace it.
Custom Software · Process & Delivery · Nov 17, 2025
Why Owning Your Code Matters More Than You Think
If you can't answer 'do you own your code?', you may be one vendor departure away from a costly restart. Here's what true code ownership looks like and what to ask before your next project.
Process & Delivery · Oct 30, 2025
Why Thinking Like a Software Tester Strengthens Your Entire Product Team
Quality isn't just the QA team's job. Adopting a tester's mindset — skepticism, curiosity, empathy — helps everyone on your product team catch problems before they become costly.
AI · Sep 19, 2025
7 Key Takeaways from Our AI Expert Meetings
APAX recently met with AI expert Joseph Thacker — a bug bounty hunter and startup advisor — for a deep-dive on practical AI development. Here are the seven insights that stuck with us.
AI · Client Stories · Jul 15, 2025
Our First AI Features Are In The Wild
APAX has been methodically incorporating AI into client workflows. Our first two live AI features — in the Keeneland Race Day app and the QuickFlips app — represent that approach paying off.
Company · Process & Delivery · May 28, 2025
Building Smarter, Together: How Quarterly Rocks Drive Success at APAX Software
Quarterly Rocks — a core EOS framework — give APAX a way to translate ambitious goals into tangible results across people, processes, and clients. Here's how it works.
Custom Software · UX & Design · Feb 26, 2025
Progressive Web Apps vs. Native Apps: App-solutely the right choice
PWAs deliver app-like experiences through the browser without app store overhead. Here's how to decide whether a PWA or native app is the right fit for your project.
UX & Design · Feb 17, 2025
Seek and Ye Shall Find: The UX of Good Site Search
Site search is the GPS of your website. When designed well it guides users seamlessly. When it's clunky, they get lost. Here's what good search UX looks like — and two real-world examples.
UX & Design · Jan 15, 2025
Why UX/UI Design is Critical in Software Development
UX/UI design isn't just about aesthetics — it drives retention, efficiency, and conversion. Here's why investing in design from the start pays off.
CMS & Drupal · Jan 5, 2025
Time for an Upgrade? Drupal 7 vs Drupal 10
Drupal 7 reached end of life on January 5, 2025. If your site is still running it, you're operating without security updates. Here's what you need to know about upgrading to Drupal 10.
Company · Nov 14, 2024
APAX Software: History, Services and Impact
APAX Software was founded in 2007 by three University of Kentucky engineering graduates. Here's the story of how a failed e-commerce startup became a 17-year-old custom software firm that's invested over $1.7M in the local community.
Custom Software · Oct 3, 2024
Custom Software Development vs. Off-the-Shelf Solutions
Should your organization build custom software or buy an off-the-shelf product? The answer depends on your workflows, growth plans, and budget — here's how to think through it.
Client Stories · Custom Software · Jun 27, 2024
OneUp Project: Innovating Video Game Collection and Resale
APAX partnered with YouTube creator Caleb Ashton (Phoenix Resale) to build OneUp, a progressive web app for video game collectors and resellers. Within four months it attracted 10,000+ unique users.
Client Stories · Jun 25, 2024
APAX Develops Life-Saving Website for Kentuckians Battling Addiction and Mental Health Issues
APAX Software partnered with KIPRC and Kentucky state agencies to expand FindHelpNowKy.org, reducing the time to find addiction treatment from 72 hours to 6 minutes.
Company · May 3, 2024
What Sets APAX Apart?
After 17 years of growth, APAX adopted the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and identified three core differentiators that guide team alignment, hiring, and client fit.
Process & Delivery · Oct 9, 2020
Setting a Realistic Timeline for Building Custom Software
Most custom software projects take 3–6 months from start to finish. Here's a breakdown of each phase — requirements and design, development, and testing — and the factors that affect the overall timeline.
Process & Delivery · Jul 1, 2020
How APAX Chooses the Best Tech for You
Every custom software project requires careful tech stack selection across frontend, backend, database, and deployment layers. Here's how APAX approaches those decisions — and the questions you should always be asking.
Custom Software · May 29, 2020
In Software, You Get What You Pay For
When comparing software estimates, the numbers alone don't tell the whole story. Understanding what goes into an estimate — from offshore trade-offs to code review practices — reveals the quality you can expect.