At Highgroove, we love giving each other compliments. In fact, since everyone at Highgroove kicks ass in some way, compliments are constantly flying around (actually, I think that in and of itself was a compliment).

Well-deserved compliments foster teamwork, increase morale, and make us better as a team than we could be on our own.

One specific way we compliment one another is by giving the Highgroove Award. The award can be given by anyone to anyone; the recipient is recognized on the website and with a physical trophy (it’s a bit over the top on purpose!).

Read on for how we added a technical twist to giving the award.

Highgroove specializes in backend web application development, and while some of the backends we develop actually drive mobile applications on iPhone, iPad, Android, and other mobile devices, we don’t generally develop the frontends of these mobile applications in-house.

Even so, a few of us are curious and wanted to learn more about how to develop all aspects of mobile apps. It helps us understand how to build better backends.

The app allows any Highgroover to give the award via his or her iPhone. A recipient is selected and the reasoning typed in; the backend portion of the app redeploys the website with the new awardee!

Now anyone can give the Highgroove Award … even when we are on-the-go.

The Highgroove Award is a bit silly, but it helps us give each other serious praise in a light-hearted way. How does your workplace encourage compliments?

Aside: For a more detailed explanation of what goes into the backend and frontend of a mobile application, check out Dear business people, an iOS app actually takes a lot of work!.