Anadea

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We help tenants to find the next place they will call home. We're a Qatari tech startup founded in July 2019. The Qatar Science and Technology Park incubates us - The Incubation Center is a technology-focused incubation program that aims to foster local tech entrepreneurship in the State of Qatar. I am the co-founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anadea?

The team was looking for a company to develop its platform (website). We knew from day one we wanted to create a very user-friendly platform that was compatible on a desktop and mobile browsing.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goal and focus of this project are to deliver a user-friendly real estate marketplace to help tenants find the next place they will call home.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

When we were looking for vendors, we had a budget in our mind and only shortlisted companies that had similar work experience. We were building a real estate marketplace, so it was essential for us to hire a company that created such platforms.

Therefore, we sent a high-level scope of work to all companies, but Anadea was one of a very few that gave us feedback, solutions and understood every requirement in details. We also had a few meetings with the team we would be working with, which gave us the confidence that they will deliver our vision.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We provided a high-level scope of work document and some designs from other websites we liked. Anadea then gave us 3-5 design options to select from and then every time we wanted a change; they would do it until we were 100% happy with the final layout. After the design works were approved, back and front end work started.

What was the team composition?

The team composition would change depending on the stage of the project. We had a designer that was responsible for web, mobile and logo design: back and front end developers, quality assurance engineer and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Building a platform is the foundation of our business. Along the process, we had initiatives to decrease our future operational cost.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management during the project was pretty impressive. The best part is that Anadea has an internal ticketing system that divides tasks into stories. This mean you will have an overview of what the developers are doing, and what stories are to be done this week and even next week. The system was very useful, and I enjoyed using it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team spirit, project management controls, and how well they took care of the project impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not much to say here, they were on point and available whenever I needed them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a company that focuses on preparing students for the medical admission test in Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anadea?

the focus was to build an e-learning platform where students can use our printed materials online.

What were your goals for this project?

The focus was to create a system where students can simulate the real admission test as efficient as possible. For the best user experience, we thought of several features, including rang function, comparison to other students, an specialised algorithm and a mobile responsive environment.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

To choose the right vendor for a project is a difficult task, so I had a lot of phone calls with different software companies. Anadea showed a strong commitment and interest in creating something valuable from the beginning. The first phone call was with Aleksandra (sales person) and Dmitry, the developer. We could talk about every possible feature we would like to have, they immediately responed how difficult it would be. Regarding the price, Anadea outruns the competition in many aspects, it was not only fair but we could work with a highly trained team that usually charges much more $$.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed our e-learning platform, developed back-end and front-end in a highly functional manner. Every request was fulfilled, even more. They did tasks that were not in the inital requirements and we were very happy about that. Our platform now is a lot better than it was planned at the beginning, thanks to Anadea.

What was the team composition?

The project team was built out of four people: Dmitry (developer) , Vladimir (project manager), Elena (designer) and Aleksandra (sales person) The responsiveness was remarkable, every question was answered via Skype within minutes.

For us, honesty and transparency regarding additional costs was important and they always gave us sincere and honest answers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Anadea solved every request in a perfect and quick manner. Going online was an important step for us. Before, we only had written books. The trend goes towards e-learning and Anadea helped us in an excellent manner.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Every deadline was achieved. Clear and straight communication. Nothing more to say.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really appreciate the quick responses, the honesty and the clear structures. Everything was clear for us from the beginning to the end. I would recommend Anadea to everyone who wants to build something with an impressive and qualified team. The speed and preciseness of their work is truly remarkable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is very little they could improve. Once, there was confusion about the initial scope of work so maybe a more clear, pointed out description of every scope task would be good. The rest is perfect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and co-founder of Plei, an online platform that enables anyone to play soccer when and where they want. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anadea?

We hired Anadea for end-to-end development of our app, including project management and QA services.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to see our designs brought to life. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After much trial-and-error with other development shops, we finally found Anadea. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed two separate platforms, the Plei system corresponding app. With the program, players can register and pay for a game at various soccer fields. The system allows soccer facilities to manage their business under one platform and includes a POS system through which employees can charge and collect payment from customers. 

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of one project manager and 1–4 developers at any given time. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We now have a platform that not only generates revenue, but that also represents our vision better than we could have imagined. Everything delivered was of the highest quality.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Our project manager was assigned the minute the project started and worked beside us every step of the way. We spoke daily, receiving both regular status updates and quick responses to any question or concern.

We also used Anadea’s in-house project tracker, which allowed us to create and prioritize stories (or tasks) that they could plan for. We were able to see when a story was complete, review it, and accept it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Finding Anadea was the best thing that could have happened to our company. Our founders are not developers, but finding a collaborative team that enjoyed working with us was important, and Anadea exceeded all of our expectations in that regard.

We were most impressed with Anadea's efforts to include us in every aspect of the project. We were nervous about outsourcing overseas, but now Anadea is like family. Their project managers truly cared about our project and treated it as if it were their own. We knew our technology was in good hands.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would like to see them expand their business closer to the Western hemisphere. Finding new developers in South America and training them on their methods could open up many new markets for them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT project manager for a biotech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Anadea?

We needed someone to develop our app for patients who have a specific disease to help them monitor the progress of their treatment. We didn’t have the capabilities in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We spent the first month going through a product planning and definition phase and then went through a six-month development phase. They built the app to collect information on how the disease impacts patients’ daily life and track how they feel throughout their treatment. If they fill out their surveys and provide information on treatments regularly, we can correlate the data to provide a picture of the impact that their treatment has.

Through the app, the patient has the ability to get access to blood tests, and we have a product that the patient can use to provide a blood sample. We analyze the blood samples in our lab for a biomarker, which is a major indicator of the patient’s health situation. The patient can share the results of the quality of life surveys and the biomarker tests with the treating physician. Based on the available information, the app displays the development of biomarker levels and quality of life. They also developed a website designed for physicians to retrieve their patients’ information.

What is the team composition?

Their internal project manager was my single point of contact. The team consisted of two iOS developers, two Android developers, a backend architect, a frontend developer, a UI/UX designer, and a QA specialist.

There was also a business analyst who looked at our business processes and made sure that what’s implemented in the app fits with our existing processes in addition to a solution architect who was responsible for system design and integration processes.

How did you come to work with Anadea?

We conducted a formal selection process and found Anadea through an internet search. We chose them because of their healthcare background, and they had the best offer.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent €150,000 (approximately $171,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2018 and project went live in November. The addition of new features and improvements is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The iOS and Android app went live in November. We’re in a pilot phase with a limited number of users, but the feedback is exceedingly positive. We’re in an improvement phase where we collect user feedback. We’re looking forward to going live globally soon.

How did Anadea perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was great. We were in close, daily contact. We had teleconferences, video conferences, and chats, and had data storage which we used to exchange files. The project manager did a tremendous job. He was especially transparent and always reported on time. He made sure that the team applied an agile project management approach with two-week sprints. After every sprint, we had demos of what they achieved, which were informative and instructive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re excellent and reliable communicators. They understand the customer’s requirements quickly and translate them into solutions. They’re responsive if something comes up. They’re flexible with time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could potentially improve the quality of their secondary topics such as their documentation, user manual, and more. Customer decisions that they did not fully agree with were asked to be verified several times, which led to an additional effort for repetitive meetings and discussions on the same topic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear in documenting requirements and insist on contractual clarity.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m CTO of an e-learning solutions provider that prepares users for state and national licensing examinations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anadea?

We needed to build a platform that provides insights and analytics into the learning process. It should accelerate the performance of users and allow them to fine-tune their study plan based on actionable recommendations from the software.

What were your goals for this project?

The initial goals for the project were to build an MVP and validate that the end user found value with the way we chose to differentiate our mobile application from other e-learning apps.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected them based on the depth of their research into our initial requirements, as well as their ability to achieve our goals on time and on budget. It was clear from the initial discussions that Anadea was all about delivering results. There was a feeling of mutual trust and respect.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Using Ruby on Rails and Heroku, Anadea built the app from scratch. We quickly learned during testing that users found our analytical approach to be a benefit to their study progression. Anadea subsequently added additional features as requested by users.

They initially focused on the MVP by creating a solid architecture backend that we could build on. Next, they moved on to more dynamic tasks that involved a combination of front- and backend development and other dev-ops skills. It’s been two years and we aim to work together indefinitely as we continue to improve the app based on user feedback.

What was the team composition?

The project team evolves based on our requirements at a given time. Anadea matches us with the best team available and offers us options that work within our budget.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

They continue to exceed our goals. The app is fundamental to our business as it’s the core product that our customers interact and engage with every single day. Anadea demonstrates incredible care and attention to detail to our architecture and requirements. They provide a collaborative environment that pushes us to improve features and deliver a better UX—and therefore more value—for our users. Their experience is clear so we trust their advice and recommendations. They’ve created an incredibly stable app without any uptime issues or interruption of service, just rock solid dependability.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicate through Skype, Github, and calls whenever needed. Their project managers all truly understand our unique challenges as well as the underlying business logic. They’re able to provide excellent suggestions to accomplish tasks in a more efficient or cost-effective way, while still serving the business needs. It’s been a pleasure to work with each member of their team. Whether it’s a junior or senior developer, I know I’m getting quality work that is cleanly coded and well-thought-out.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’ve been excellent in all aspects so it’s hard to name a single highlight. It’s been a series of good experiences resulting in the on-time, on-budget delivery of a project that is stronger as a result of everyone involved.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

There’s very little that could be improved as they offer optimal service and incredible value. They’re also wonderful people to work with. They truly care about the project. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Ask MUMM, which is a side project of mine. “MUMM” stands for “Make up my mind,” and it’s a social media platform where users can crowdsource answers to questions via their friends and followers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Anadea?

I’m not a tech person, so I hired them to develop my mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’m not a big app user and my understanding of how to build social media platforms is very limited, so they walked me through the whole process. We started out by discussing my vision for the app. I had a clear idea of how I wanted it to function and their team assured me that all of my goals were achievable. They handled all of the design and development for both iOS and Android. The app allows users to pose questions and write their own multiple choice answers, which they can post to their followers for feedback. Questions expire on a timer and users can review the answers for 24 hours after that. Users can also attach images, share a location, and exchange comments and messages.

In addition to the app, Anadea also put together a simple website for me that contains the platform’s business contact information and an FAQ.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with the project manager, but there were also iOS, Android, and back end developers, QA testers, a designer, and an account manager.

How did you come to work with Anadea?

I found them on Clutch as I was researching different companies. I reached out to several companies and Anadea responded right away. I felt really comfortable with their team and decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The final cost was about $80,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

They worked with me from April 2017–October 2018. The original estimate was for six months but I ended up needing extra time to fully fund the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I’m in the process of rolling out the app and launching my marketing campaigns, so I don’t have any metrics yet with regard to users.

How did Anadea perform from a project management standpoint?

My project manager did an unbelievable job of explaining everything to me in clear, straightforward terms. I had many questions throughout the process and she handled them very patiently. Even with the time difference due to their being in Ukraine, it was easy to reach out at any time. They were very quick to respond to requests and delivered all components of the project as soon as I asked for them. On top of that, they were very flexible about working with my budget and devising a financing plan I could work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The price was extremely reasonable. I’d researched quite a bit and they charged easily 30 percent less than if I’d worked with a company here in Australia. Their team was also very intelligent and professional. They consistently improved upon my ideas and delivered a final product that exceeded my expectations. On top of that, they delivered impressive customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

This is my only experience working on this kind of project, so I don't have any just yet.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Spiderdoor. We build apps for companies in the self-storage industry. We provide a personalized, native-built system for each location with their specific logo. Each app also uses a keypad that works hand-in-hand with the platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Anadea?

We needed a developer to help us build the backend of our system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

With some code written by our previous provider, Anadea finished the backend development for the management platform. Built on Ruby on Rails, the app allows users to rent a unit, pay their bills, schedule moves, report issues, and open electric gates. It processes payments through the API of the managing company.

The team is constantly working on new system updates, dashboards, and features. Additionally, they’re also quick to fix any performance glitches or bugs in the technology.

What is the team composition?

We interact with one representative on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with Anadea?

At first, we worked with a different company but realized we would need a higher level of expertise to complete the product. A friend of mine recommended Anadea after a positive experience. I reached out and decided they were a good fit for my project.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in February 2016 and it’s an ongoing project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

As our main source of revenue, the app that Anadea helped develop is central to our company. Currently, we have approximately 500 different storage locations that use the system.

How did Anadea perform from a project management standpoint?

Anadea is extremely professional. We communicate mainly through email and they are very responsive. We track the project and share tickets through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Anadea’s team is smart. In terms of technology, there hasn’t been a problem that they can’t resolve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is an education technology (edtech) business that serves K-12 students. I am the owner of both the company and this project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Anadea?

We wanted to build an online classroom for our students to learn remotely.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create a digital classroom that allows instructors and students to conduct or take classes online.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them through a referral.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

We started off by defining the project’s scope and then progressed through the implementation phase. Anadea conducted testing once the project was complete.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and 3-4 engineers from Anadea.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Anadea helped us launch the product to our customers within 6-8 months.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They managed the project effectively. We held biweekly calls. Only having to liaise with one person from Anadea was time efficient for a business owner like myself.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm impressed by Anadea’s speed and flexibility in adjusting to our requirements.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a small software development shop in the UK. We’re a retailer of native apps, and I’m the managing director. We hired Anahoret (which is now Anadea) to help move to SAAS (Ruby on Rails).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Anadea?

We needed help with Ruby on Rails development. The product itself didn’t make it to full distribution. We needed more money for it. We wanted to shift it to a cloud-based technology stack. I know PHP, and I’m very familiar with the standard stack you’d use, but we wanted something more dynamic, and that’s where the Ruby on Rails side of things came in. I saw that Anadea had a very high standing with that particular technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ruby on Rails is a web-centric framework. It basically lives on the server but delivers HTML and CSS to the client. You can say front and backend; it’s mainly what I classify as backend database stuff.

How did you come to work with Anadea?

I found them on Elance. I looked at Ruby on Rails developers, and they had the highest rating. I submitted a request for them to send a quote, and we got in contact with them that way. The thing that impressed me the most was that they were the only company that sent an NDA and an NCA agreement upfront without any strings attached. I also looked at their past work. While they didn’t have a lot of major projects, the ones they did have were very high quality.

How much have you invested with Anadea?

We have invested over $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ended successfully. We worked with them from January 2013 to September 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The work was exemplary. I wouldn’t change anything that occurred. The only reason we stopped was because we ran out of funds for the project.

How did Anadea perform from a project management standpoint?

Their work was exemplary and everything was managed well during the project. They set my expectations properly and then delivered to that.

What did you find most impressive about Anadea?

They were based in a city in Ukraine that experienced a lot of violence during the time of our collaboration. They had to move their people to another city, which disrupted their business. They’ve done a considerable good turn in keeping their business going with all the issues that arose. I think people would appreciate the service more if they knew what the people at Anadea had been through. What they did as a company is quite astounding to me. Some of the developers I worked with were helped financially with the move, and I thought that was good on the company’s part.

Are there any areas Anadea could improve?

The code quality was above average, but it could have been better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are essentially a peer-to-peer lending marketplace working across Europe, connecting various lending companies with retail and institutional clients. I am the COO of the firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Anadea?

Our objective was to develop a native mobile application for our investment platform, on the iOS and Android platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They also did all screen designs, [but didn't provide marketing or other services].

How did you come to work with Anadea?

When we started the project in the spring of 2016, we created a tender briefing with a presentation and sent it out to approximately 15-20 companies offering mobile-application development services that we found online. Anadea was one of them.

How much have you invested with Anadea?

The cost was between €30,000 and €35,000 [approx. $36,000].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Anadea in the second half of May 2016. The initial estimate was around 3 and a half months, but it took longer than expected, due to various reasons. We launched the first public version of the Android app in November and iOS in early-December.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The development side was okay, I would say, but the whole project estimation and project management, especially the sales process at the beginning, were not as we would've expected. 

As it would be for a first version, there are some bugs and things to improve, but, from a standalone point-of-view for the application, it is in-line with what we expected. We are looking to continue fixing some of the things which need to be fixed in the coming weeks.

We don't have any hard numbers at this point, that's not relevant, in our opinion.

How did Anadea perform from a project management standpoint?

The day-to-day project management and communication were quite good, but we were most unsatisfied about their initial proposal. They provided one proposal with certain cost and time estimates, and all other standard questions covered, but, once we got into the development process, they started picking on every little thing which wasn't written, but was discussed over conversations. This was a lesson for us; had we known that the project would evolve like this, we most likely would have chosen another partner in the first place.

The 2 main factors for choosing Anadea were timeframe and the estimated cost quote. If we look back and compare the timeframe and total cost to what other companies proposed in the beginning, they most likely wouldn't have been our first choice anymore.

Are there any areas Anadea could improve?

The main thing is to involve the project manager from the very beginning so that there are no conflicts later on. When we sent out a tender presentation, there were mostly sales agents involved. When we gave the approval for going forward with them and had already discussed all the requirements, only then did the project manager get involved. Those are 2 different people going around in circles: "Yes, but the other person did this estimate."

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Anadea?

Be careful and outline all project requirements in written detail, including them in contracts, so that there are no budget extensions and timeline extensions when the project is already on-the-go, and it's not convenient for the client to change providers.