B-MIND Software House

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of gaming start-up from Poland. Our business revolves around combining gaming with real life prizes, mostly connected to the streetwear fashion industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

We had the idea to develop an application that would merge the gaming and fashion world into one. The concept involved simple arcade games that would be facilitated by users to win real life prizes. We have no in-house developers on our team and had no previous experience with creating such projects and therefore we have choosen to outsource the development process to an outside company.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We have collected offers from multiple software houses, including B-Mind, in order to assess how costly the project would be. The deciding factors were the offer, in terms of estimated costs and the track record of the company. We have choosen B-Mind on the basis fo their previously good track record with companies like Amica and Blinkee. We have entered a preliminary agreement to assess the costs more accurately, paying around $3000 to develop a "beta" layout of the application. In the end we decided to enter into agreement with the company, as they have

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The first stage of the project was the creation of a prototype, which would serve as a blue print of the final application. This stage was initiated in July 2020. We have paid 12 000 zloty (around $3000) for that stage of the project. The aim of this was to produce a more accurate estimation of the final costs of the project, as we have choosen to proceeed with "Fixed Budget" option of billing for the project, which meant that we would pay a fixed price for certain functionalities that the company pledged to develop. This stage produced a prototype which included a business model revolving on the idea that a user would pay for each game with virtual currency that would be bought "in-app". There were no issues during this stage.

After this stage, we have signed a legal agrrement that stated that the product should be delivered no later than the 30th of June 2021 and proceeded to workshops that aimed at developing how the final product will look like. The workshops were conducted with the help of a front-end develop (Łukasz M.), mr Marcin G., the project manager ms Dagmara N. and from our side Marcin G. - the CEO of Win Me App.

During the workshops we have developed a detailed sketch of the final outlook of the product and have went through various options of monetization, finally settling on two types of rivalries: paid (by means of in-app currency) and free-to-play (by means of watching ads). After this stage we have provided B-Mind with graphic materials needed to develop the product, including final models of screens, buttons and gameplay features like obstacles and avatars for the in-app game. This stage went quite smoothly, even though we have changed certain variables mid-process, mainly connected to the monetization and business related aspects of the game.

After this stage, B-Mind proceeded to develop the final product. At this stage the first problems actually started to unravel, with the team not being experienced with the process of implementing features like in-app ad systems like AdMob to the app. We have also lost a lot of time and resources on trying to implement outside providers of payments, finally concluding that only "in-app" payments, facilitated by Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store were accepted by these vendors. If we have proceeded with outside providers, the app would have been blocked from the stores of those vendors. The team had no previous experince in implementing such payment systems, which resulted in tima and resources being wasted on preparing the enviroment for such payment options to be implemented, only to be dropped completely after the realization of our side (Win Me App) that such practices would result in the app being not accepted in the stores.

This had caused a major delay in ther development process, as the whole thing resurfaced already two weeks after the contractual deadline. Furthermore the team was not familiar (nor was obviously the client) with the process of connecting and implementing systems such as Google AdMob, which resulted in further delays. Furthermore, some work was devoted to implementing a means of giving discounts for players, that would work as normal discounts (10,20,30 percent). Later on, B-Mind has informed the client that because of Google's and Apples's policy, the whole system would not be operational, as these providers implement strict rules as to the prices of the products offered in the apps, making the whole system useless.

The testing of the application was far from satisfying, as the burden of responsibility to find a group of testers was shifted to the client. The testing was facilitated by means of testing version of the app being launched on Firebase. The tests were short, the testing group made out of client's friends and acquitances resulted in some major and minor bugs being fixed, however going further, the test group was not engaged in the testing process.

On the 30th of June 2021, the project manager changed from ms Dagmara N. to mr Przemysław J.. Furthermore, the UI/UX developer - mr Łukasz M., left B-Mind, but stayed on the project as means of part-time support. B-Mind has stted that his role would be to support a newly introduced developer, however in reality, he was still working on the project, just not as a full-time developer, but a part-time one, further delaying the development process, as his capacity was limited.

Asked about the introduction of a new developer, B-Mind has provided an explaination that introducting a new memeber of the team would further delay the process. Even though the time of departure of Mr Łukasz was known to B-Mind beforhand, maiing them capable of introducng a new developer in time, such that he would take over Mr Łukasz's responsibility, the company failed to do so. This proved to be a major issue, as all of the clients remarks about the delay of the project were at first countered with the argument that Mr Łukasz is not working full-time with the company. The client has repeatedly requested a new member to be introduced, however Mr Łukasz stayed as the main developer till the end of the project. 

The client raised the question of the delay and after negotiations, both parties settled on a 20% discount for developement hours charged for July and that the final stages of the project and all work needed for completion would be free of charge (conducted in August and September).

The app was finally ready to sale on the 6th of September. We have conducted a launch and we have in the very first 30 minutes encountered massive issues with the product. The communication of the app and servers were virtually unprotected, giving access to our API to everyone with even minor programming skills. We have been alerted to it by a user that was able to dowload the whole user base from our servers, inluding potentially sensitive data like emails, anmes and surnames of our users. Firthermore, even though we ahve established that we are only allowing users with the two latest versions of Android and IOS systems to dowload the app, B-Mind has not restricted that access for the android platform, making it possible for people with very old phones and systems to slow down the gameplay and get an incredibly unfair advantage over other users.

Win Me has proposed a two-track solution to the problem - firstly, limiting the access for older android phones and furthermore and secondly changing the scoring system in the game from a time-based to a frame-based system. B-Mind has rejected the second idea of changing the scoring system, even though Win Me has insisted that it's the only way of really fixing the issue. After negotiations, Win Me has acdepted that B-Mind will onyl restrict the older phones. After a re-launch of the application a week later, it has become clear that the fix has not worked and people on new phones can still cheat by means of slowing down their phones. Only then did B-Mind accept the need for changing the scoring system and started working on it. The implementation of this changed was prolonging and finally lasted two weeks, making the product not fully and correctly working for three weeks after the launch.

This had serious impact on the momentum of the application and the reception of the users, who were strongly dissatisfied and demotivated by people being able to cheat. It arguably costed Win Me the loss of the novelty factor and initially strong and positive momentum (in the first days, the app was ranked number 1 in games on App Store Poland). After that, it was concluded that a further security function should be implemented, such as that players with slower phones would be detected and their scores flagged. This version was finally uploaded on the 4th of October, over a month after the initial launch.

The above mentioned delays, lack of security and issues mixed with the unwillingness of B-Mind to implement solutions proposed by the client has resulted in such a loss of momentum for the application and dramatic loss of engagement of the users that a decision was made for the app to be taken down for further development. Win Me has asked B-Mind to send the source code so Win-Me can continue developing the product with another partner, but was met initially with a rejection, even though contractually B-Mind was obliged to send the code, as all payments had been made.

Only the threat of legal action has resulted in B-Mind providing Win Me with the source code. In light of the above mentioned, Win Me has asked B-Mind for financial compensation for the errors on their side that resulted in this situation, but was met with a rejection and the negotiations were discontinued. For the time being the dispute will be continued by legal means.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Marcin G. - new technologies developer, left after eraly stages of the project

Two project managers:

• Dagmara N. - from the start till the 30th of June 2021
• Przemysław J. - from 30th of June 2021 till the end of the project

Two back end developers

• One UX/UI developer - Łukasz M., from the start fo the project till 30th of June full-time, after that date part-time
• Krzysztof C. - CEO of B-Mind - facilitatingg a supportive role
• Marcin C. - COO of B-Mind - facilitating a supportive role

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Results 

The company has produced an incomplete, not properly functioning product, which resulted in both financial and reputational losses for the client. Furthermore, B-Mind has exposed Win Me to potential legal consequences, by not properly securing the API of the application, facilitating a leak of data from Win Me's servers. 

The delay can be partially blamed on the fact that B-Mind was unable or unwilling to introduce a new member to the team that would take over the responsibilites of the departing UX/UI developer. Furthermore, the lack of experience with that kind fo products (games) caused further delays. Absence of throughout Q&A process on B-Mind's side with the simultaneous bet on a testing group provided by the client, which was unexperienced, may have arguably led to critical bugs not being uncovered in the testing process.

Their unwillingness to financially compensate for their mistakes and shortcomings forced us to incur legal aid fees.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We manufacture healthcare software for clinics and doctors. I am the Product Owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

Frontend development

What were your goals for this project?

Reproduce functionality from the old system and make eGabinet as one of the easiest healthcare software in Poland

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Knowledge was a deductive factor and recommendation

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed web app launched by other team. They had to recognize solutions and logic.

What was the team composition?

The team was consisted of 1 product owner, 1 project manager, 2 front-developers and 1 CTO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This project was crucial for our company, because of the product. The old one wasn't able to develop and we had to launch completely new product.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management tools was guaranteed by us. The process of PM was effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge, responsiveness, and willingness to cooperate set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

everything is good - we don't have any reservations

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am working for a kitchen appliances manufacturer. I am responsible for content creation and distribution within the whole company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

We were looking for content distribution software for a long time. It was a difficult task to store a lot of digital data and make it accessible for different types of employees with complex needs. Our goal was to develop a web-based tool which will increase our ability to store a lot of data and distribute it within the whole group.

What were your goals for this project?

We decided to start with a custom software, that will meet our needs related to content storage. We knew from the start, that the tool must be responsive, UX advanced and it has to include privileged access. Our main goal was to introduce new tool into our new IT infrastructure.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking for a company with clear vision about the software. We weren't interested in out-of-the-box type of application, so the task was challenging at the very early phase of the project. 5 companies were considered at the start and the final decision was made because of B-MIND's ability to see what we can accomplish while combing the most advanced tools introduced in digital/marketing industry.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We decided to create a custom software so a lot of new ideas were growing on us while organizing working meetings. We were open minded to new solutions so there wasn't any specific technical requirements beside one - the software must be developed in open IT environment. It was clear from the beginning that our new tool will eventually be a part of new IT infrastructure in the future.

What was the team composition?

It hard to say how many people was involved in the whole process, but we needed a strong project management team including account manager and IT oriented individual because a lot of ideas were introduced during working meetings. When the idea of our digital asset management tool was becoming more clear, people responsible for UX and visual presence were more engaged into project. I believe that around 10 people were involved.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our efficiency in collecting marketing data has increased significantly. It was easier to engage our colleagues and provide them needed materials within minutes. We were able to expand our requirements about the software, because it was easy to modify and introduce new solutions to new problems.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was very professional and close to us as a client especially we were working on a custom tool. I can’t recall any issues that were dangerous for the projects implementation within our company. Unexpected turnovers were handled smoothly and the communication was straightforward. We communicated using e-mails and OpenProject.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were changing our minds a lot especially on the early stages of the project. B-MIND was always patient and open minded about new ideas and which is rare - very critical about their work. That ensured us, that ongoing cooperation will be full of vision and ideas which will improve the experience of developed tool over time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I believe that sometimes improvements could be introduced faster, especially since there are some existing software solutions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a project coordinator for Pubal Consult, a real estate consultancy business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

We asked B-MIND Software House to develop new features and secure access to a property management software we own. We have also consulted B-MIND Software House on several software development ideas.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve the functionality of software we own—by building a new feature—and to receive advice on the most efficient solution.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

B-MIND Software House was recommended to us.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

B-MIND Software House provided professional service throughout the process—from the initial consultation and mockup stage to the development stage and final testing and corrections.

What was the team composition?

The team size was as expected for a project of our size.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software has greater user activity and a more user-friendly design.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

B-MIND Software House’s project manager guided us nicely throughout the process. They always made sure everyone is up to date with the progress, coordinated any ad-hoc changes, and dealt with questions in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their vast experience, flexibility, and great communication throughout the process stood out most.

Are there any areas for improvement?

B-MIND Software House could improve their delivery time predictions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

NUKI produces modern, high-quality furniture from plywood. We also provide textiles for child rooms, bedrooms, living rooms, and commercial spaces. I’m the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

We wanted to create an innovative mobile application. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to extend our market competitiveness by improving our products and processes. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A friend recommended them as a reliable IT vendor. He worked with them on another project and was pleased.

Describe the project in detail.

B-MIND Software House developed an e-commerce mobile application that enabled clients to buy our products. We wanted to help potential clients get to know our products. B-MIND Software House handled UX/UI product design and software development.

What was the team composition?

We provided a product manager who knew exactly what we needed. They also provided a project manager, a UX designer, a UI designer, and two mobile developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our prestige and reputation increased. In such a traditional industry, it's important to show consumers that we follow digital trends.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We prepared the product backlog based on user stories, then divided the story map into weekly sprints. We used their project management system. Every two weeks, they delivered a small part of the product and got us up-to-date on their progress. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were professionals: helpful, transparent, and communicative. They helped us design the best possible product for the market.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I’m satisfied with their service. I don't think it could improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company provides ERP, business intelligence (BI), and open technology services. I’m an enterprise IT architect. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

One of our partners from the tourist industry needed a web application to manage their trips.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to meet the needs of everyone involved in organizing tourist trips across the world. Our main objective was to simplify the financial management of trips and make it completely transparent.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Another vendor recommended them as a reliable IT provider.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They offered UX/UI design, along with front- and backend development, for the web application. The app primarily helped users organize trips, track relevant expenses, and show the revenue gained from every trip.

What was the team composition?

We provided an enterprise IT architect and an enterprise BI architect. They contributed two backend developers, one frontend developer, and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application became a key tool in our client's accounting processes, helping them track expenses during trips.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used a project management tool to track their progress. We also commented on every task separately, which kept our communication straightforward.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were reliable. Communication was easy because they were open and transparent. They helped us identify the main value of the product and satisfy our client's needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They were very careful in estimating tasks, so they sometimes overestimated. They should clarify needs better or hammer them out during workshops.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the managing director of EvilPort. We provide comprehensive marketing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

We engaged B-MIND Software House to build a marketing software solution.

What were your goals for this project?

We used third-party software solutions in the past, but they fell short of our requirements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked for software developers who could collaborate easily and had experience in digital marketing. In our first meeting with B-MIND Software House, they showed excellent communication and the specialized expertise that we were looking for.

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

B-MIND Software House converted our vision into a set of technical specs that they then used to build the software. They also guided us through the basics of IT so we could better understand their process.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and two developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software system has garnered positive feedback from our clients. They’ve used it to reach new customers and promote their brands.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used Open Project to communicate and keep track of each task’s progress. B-MIND Software House developed the system using Scrum, so every week we had functions to test and saw results in real time. We found the approach highly useful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

B-MIND Software House communicated consistently throughout the entire project. The team also provided valuable advice on key decisions. They presented the pros and cons of every proposed solution and never lacked ideas to improve a product or process.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They could loosen their communication rules. They prefer to communicate everything through Open Project or email, which was slightly inconvenient for small inquiries.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

YouNick is a venture capital firm looking for innovative companies to invest in.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with B-MIND?

We needed a website. Our primary need for the site was to have a user experience appropriate for showing clients and future clients what we do, our background, and our portfolio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We didn’t have anything other than a logo. After they showed me how the site would look, they built a simple site using WordPress because it’s easier to manage than other CMS'.

What is the team composition?

The CEO and founder worked out the project timeline. We had a project manager as well.

How did you come to work with B-MIND?

We wanted for a company with WordPress experience. We found B-MIND’s portfolio impressive. We needed the site as soon as possible and they were available.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We need a few months to learn how to communicate our brand to the public more effectively, but so far, the traffic has been okay.

How did B-MIND perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very communicative. With the work being so intense, we communicated on a daily basis using—mostly using Slack and a project management system.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very engaged—even with relatively simple projects like this—and as a result, they did very good work. They gave us a lot of their knowledge and we appreciated knowing how to structure the information and manage it with the CMS.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more careful with the hours they spend on the project. They worked a lot of hours and we were unsure how much was actually being billed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want. They’re very helpful in working out what you want to achieve and what message you want to send. If you can do this beforehand, it will speed up your project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company offers innovative applications that allow you to monitor the health condition of farm animals and optimize the nutrition program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House?

To create an application.

What were your goals for this project?

Creating an easy-to-use application for the user.

SOLUTION

How did you select B-MIND Software House?

Recommendations from other companies.

Describe the project in detail.

Arranging nutritional doses for animals based on available resources, monitoring within the herd, analysis of feeding costs, independent preparation of optimal nutritional doses, adding new recpts.

What was the team composition?

Nutrition specialist, programmers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The application is in the final stage (tests). After its completion, it is planned to acquire customers from the agricultural sector.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Good communication with the team, the possibility of meetings aimed at clarifying the expectations regarding the application.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Qualified staff.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Smart Invoice company. We provide a software for other companies, which helps them to digitize invoices.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire B-MIND Software House, and what were your goals?

We hired B-MIND for Smart Invoice project. They were responsible for frontend and backend. Additionally they designed UX mockups.

SOLUTION

How did you select B-MIND Software House and what were the deciding factors?

They were recommended by other company. During our research we found out that they have the best opinions in a market.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

PHP, Angular 8

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Five people, CTO, PM, three developers,

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The overall results of the project were very good, in the final stage all corrections were quickly improved.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We used mattermost for communication, telephone and openproject for project management.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Honesty and diligence in solving problems are their most impressive traits.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No, overall I'm happy with the end result