Calibrate Software

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of AthleticU, a mobile app and web-based software for high school physical education courses and strength and conditioning programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We needed their team’s design and development expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate Software has kept us afloat while we waited to acquire the funding to completely rebuild our web and mobile app for iOS and Android devices. They’ve updated the current iteration of our product and managed its security; they’re now preparing to work on a full rebuild of our product.

Initially, Calibrate Software walked us through what was immediately needed. We gave them all the documentation they needed. Phase one consisted of identifying pieces of the product that were about to break and needed fixing; Calibrate Software fixed those issues. During phase two, they looked at the project as a whole and looked for a long-term solution that could be built on top of the existing product. Phase three is going on now and involves us scoping the full rebuild of the product.

Calibrate Software has also designed the features that we’ve added or updated. We’re starting the process of fully designing everything for the rebuild.

Our product is a workout app. Teachers and coaches are able to build custom workouts and deliver them to the students; students are also able to build their own custom workouts. The app has grading features and real-time reporting on a screen that can be displayed in a classroom. There’s testing and data gathering, which are core features.

What is the team composition?

Kevin (CEO) is the main contact.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000 and $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around June 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

They were recommended to my brother by his employer’s technical staff member.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The simplest metric is that Calibrate Software has kept us running. All the schools we work with have continued to work with us. They haven’t missed a beat while we’ve transitioned development teams.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

Calibrate Software has been great. Everything’s been on target. For communication, we use email frequently and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service and communication skills make them stand out. Calibrate Software has listened to us and made exactly what we wanted. They’ve even provided suggestions to improve on some of our ideas.

Calibrate Software is very good at UX. From design frames to the actual iteration of the app, the UX has been very good when I’ve used it.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Just communicate with them. Calibrate Software is really good at pulling out the things you need through regular conversations. As long as you’re clear about what you’re looking for, they’ll be able to put it together for you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder/CTO of Sound Advice

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sound Advice is a subscription-based mobile app designed to make building wealth accessible for today’s generation. We serve young people who have been left behind in building wealth by the limitations of traditional financial institutions and expensive financial products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Calibrate Software to accomplish?

• Mobile App Redesign
• Web App Redesign

SOLUTION

How did you find Calibrate Software?

Referral

Why did you select Calibrate Software over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Calibrate Software were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The design scope includes redesigning the screen, screen layouts, iconography, reformatting the content, fonts, and graphics.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The outcome of the project were design files that can we showcase to our investors, demo to potential clients of our application, and implement in our application.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

I was a big fan of how they communicated when they will deliver items. We used Monday.com as a way for all of us to visualize when projects will be worked on and if they have been picked up by someone. In addition, we had weekly sync-ups that made sure we were always on top of what was being worked and what they needed our help on. The communication via email was great to me but I am sure they can adapt to anyone's communication preference.

What was your primary form of communication with Calibrate Software?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I have worked with a lot of contractors and agencies in the past. Their approach to project management was refreshing and easy to work with.

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

I think a Slack Connection would be great especially for those one-off tasks that we need a quick response.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Im the VP of design for an education technology company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We hired Calibrate Software to help participate in vision prototyping to add capacity to our team. We have a team of in-house designers working on other projects, and we wanted to get ahead on our vision for the following year. We hired Calibrate Software as a consultancy partner to help with UX/UI design prototyping. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a discovery period, and we gave Calibrate Software research we had conducted that was based on our business and focus areas that we needed the prototype to cover. We hosted workshops, and Calibrate Software spoke with high-level stakeholders who provided the prototype's input and information. This process went on for about a month and a half. 

From there, we moved into prototyping, which took about three months. We checked in weekly to ensure we were on the same page, and they gave us updates. During these meetings, we also discussed the prioritization of features and addressed specific domain questions to help them move forward. Figma was the primary technology used, and Calibrate Software produced videos where they walked through all the features. 

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

We found them on Clutch and narrowed our search down from there. Each vendor put together a proposal, and we decided to move forward with Calibrate Software based on that. 

How much have you invested with them?

The original bid was a fixed price of about $45,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between October 2022–April 2023. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provided high-quality output; the prototype met our expectations from a quality perspective. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

The team stayed within the original budget, but we only completed about a third of the original work that we set out to do. We spoke regularly, and they were transparent about where they were with the project. They checked in with us to ensure our priorities were aligned and made adjustments along the way. 

We communicated via email, and Calibrate Software consistently sent us follow-up and preparatory emails. They also organized a certain amount of time for us to review where we were in the schedule and talk about our priorities. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate Software provided clear communication throughout the engagement, and there was never a time when we didn’t know what was happening or the project's status. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were told that the full scope of the project was doable in the time frame and budget we had set, and they couldn’t follow through on that. It was not a surprise because we had active conversations about it, but Calibrate Software had to learn a lot about our industry, and much of our engagement was focused on that. When it came down to it though, the work was not accomplished on time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Find out if they have previous experience in your industry. That turned out to be very important, and it helps if you get a proper estimate of the time the discovery phase will take. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and president of a nonprofit organization. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

I needed to create a new website for my organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate Software designed and developed our website. They designed the UI/UX, and we requested an accessible and friendly design that any person could use since we have a wide target audience. Our site had several sections and required programming abilities and tracking points. Calibrate Software created our site using WordPress and integrated several plug-ins.

Our site’s goal was to provide a library of curated content about sustainability and environmental actions, facts, and history with free online resources. The site has a page with different categories you can click in. Each category has articles that users can read in detail, images, interactive questions, and links that take users to other websites with more relevant information. Our site is all about community and sharing resources. 

We also have a program that users can join for free. As part of this program, users receive weekly emails inviting them to visit our portal and access a different section of our website to watch the weekly videos and interactions. When users complete our 52-week program, they receive a digital certificate, and their points represent the number of trees we plant on their behalf through a reforestation program. 

Any person can join our program. One of our goals is for companies and organizations to use our website to learn about all the possible environmental best practices they can take in their workplace. 

Calibrate Software just launched our site and hosted it on their servers. Calibrate Software provided us with web maintenance throughout the project to achieve the desired result. I plan to keep using their maintenance services in the future. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with three teammates from Calibrate Software, including the lead UI/UX designer, a web developer, and an account manager. 

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

I searched companies online but found Calibrate Software because their offices were close to ours. We chose Calibrate Software because they were tech-savvy and we liked their design portfolio. They also seemed excited about our project, and their quote fit our budget. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Calibrate Software from May 2022–April 2023. I plan to use Calibrate Software’s web maintenance services again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our organization’s advisory board helped assess and review the site before we launched it. They were really impressed by the design and work quality that Calibrate Software put in our site. The site is easy to use and design-forward. 

Calibrate Software was good at understanding our needs and developing a functional design. We were happy with the result. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Calibrate Software stayed on budget. Our project’s timeline was extended, but Calibrate Software met the ultimate deadline, which was the site’s launch. Calibrate Software was also receptive and responsive to our edits during the design phase.  

Calibrate Software used Trello and different tools for project management, although I didn’t use them. Calibrate Software’s team was organized, and we communicated through Google Meet and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate Software’s design and technical abilities impressed me the most. Calibrate Software could resolve multiple problems in those two regards.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I know I wasn’t Calibrate Software’s biggest client. However, I was assigned only one developer, and I wish they could assign more developers to each client. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear and thorough as possible when communicating with Calibrate Software. I have a tendency to send many emails, and I think it would’ve been better if I had been more concise and methodical in my communication. I could’ve given Calibrate Software a general list of tasks instead of doing it piece by piece. 

My advice is to be as organized as possible. That way, you’ll get Calibrate Software to do anything they need.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of operations at Elite Medical Staffing. We’re a medical staffing company that partners with healthcare facilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We needed help to automate our scheduling process by developing a mobile application for workers, another mobile app for clients, and an admin web portal. We already had an existing scheduling mobile app for our workers, but it wasn’t customized enough for our business needs. We also wanted to incorporate our clients into the scheduling process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate Software has designed and developed two mobile applications and a web portal for us. The apps are compatible with Android and iOS devices, and Calibrate Software used InVision to create the apps’ designs and Figma to share them with us. Calibrate Software also shared other documents with us through Google Drive. 

Our apps’ main purpose is the automation of our scheduling process. A client or admin can make a scheduling request and book the medical staff they require on a certain date at a particular time. On the workers’ app, these requests translate as open opportunities that workers can request to fulfill. Workers can see the client’s location, and once they select to fulfill a request, the client can confirm it, and the appointment moves to their app’s calendar. 

Calibrate Software has also developed a web portal that is a backend view of the apps, it has the same functionalities, and we can see all the clients and workers. Calibrate Software will also assist us with the app’s maintenance. 

What is the team composition?

We work with around 10 teammates from Calibrate Software, although only 3–4 are present on our calls. Kevin (CEO) and Sean (Chief Experience Officer) are always present at the design meetings, and we also work with a project manager and several developers.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

We looked online for many different developers who could do the job. We sent out many Requests, and Calibrate Software quickly got back to us. What impressed us the most was that they had good communication.

We searched for development companies online and sent RFPs to several vendors. We got a message back from Calibrate Software within one day of contacting them. We didn’t see this with other companies that didn’t contact us back or would do it significantly delayed. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $500,000 with Calibrate Software so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Calibrate Software in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. We've launched part of the app in March 2023, and Calibrate Software is about to finish the development. We plan to enter a maintenance contract after they finish.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although we haven’t released the app with its complete functionalities yet, we plan to work with Calibrate Software again — that’s a good sign of their work’s quality. We really like Calibrate Software’s design quality because their designs look good, and we can tell Calibrate Software really cares about what they do. Calibrate Software understands what we’re trying to accomplish, and we’re happy with the project’s results. 

Moreover, Calibrate Software has helped us automate our scheduling process and put all the pieces together because the more clients we have, the more job opportunities we can offer our workers. This project has been a learning curve because we didn’t know how long a development process takes. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had transparent and honest communication since we started working together, and Calibrate Software always follows up on emails, which is really helpful. There have been times when we weren’t on the same page, but we just had a phone call to discuss things until both parties felt comfortable. We also communicate through Google Meet and text messages. 

We use Trello for project management. Calibrate Software’s budget is fair compared to other companies I talked to. Calibrate Software is clear about price, and nothing is over budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Calibrate Software’s communication. Calibrate Software is good at prioritizing between phone calls and following up with written communication. Calibrate Software is also good at receiving feedback and is nice to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our only challenge with Calibrate Software has been getting an accurate timeline for deliverables. However, I understand this since our software has a lot of variables and pieces that depend on each other. I know developing new technology is hard, and I just wished Calibrate Software would provide more accurate timelines. On the other hand, I think we wouldn’t get better scheduling with other companies. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend to set realistic timeline expectations with timeline and if there is a miscommunication issue, bring it up to Calibrate Software as soon as possible. I thought I was being proactive in communicating, but I wasn’t.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive of a nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We wanted to create a website for our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate Software created a functioning WordPress site for us; they took our existing designs and implemented them into it. The platform is now live.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two members of their team, including a developer and one of their co-owners.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

I’ve known someone from their team from a previous partnership.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent $5,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The success of their work reflects on the fact that we now have a functioning website that we can update regularly. We’ve also received great feedback from users saying that it has a lot of information compared to our previous platform.

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well in terms of project management; they were responsive when we had any questions for them. Regarding communication, we used emails and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were quick in taking our designs and implementing them into our website.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear direction on what you want from the project and your long-term goals for the website.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have a lab in a university, and we do research in mobile health and ubiquitous computing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

Calibrate designed a website for me. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate revamped our website with a focus on design elements. They also generated templates for us to follow and eventually embed into our academic template. While they didn’t recreate our logo, the team created a unique design: certain pixels turned on and off on the web page, showing us a theme of zeros and ones. This theme was applied throughout the entire website. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Kevin (CEO) and Sean (Chief Experience Officer). 

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

I asked one of my colleagues at the university about their web designer since their website had beautiful designs. He connected me with Sean, who then connected me with Calibrate. That was the start of our engagement. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $1,000–$1,500. 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from June–September 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measured success by checking whether the team accomplished their tasks and went above and beyond what we wanted. We also gauged whether they were enjoyable to work with and professional. Overall, Calibrate was highly professional, and working with them was enjoyable. We had a nice experience with them. 

With this feedback, we want to work with them again in the future to do our logo and a few other projects. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We appreciated Calibrate’s attention to detail and creativity when it came to designing the website while thinking about the goals of our laboratory. On top of that, their ability to stick to our schedule and budget was of high quality. They even waited on content from us, so it never felt like they were behind schedule in any way; they were always ahead of the curve. If the project took longer than expected, it wasn’t their fault. 

Moreover, the tools they used allowed us to comment on the website, and it was phenomenal. We could easily select parts of the site and leave comments about what we wanted to change or add. To communicate, we mainly used emails. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate’s persistence stood out to me, and they were focused on customer satisfaction. They also consistently reminded me to be responsive. This way, they showed that they truly cared about their customers; they weren’t simply trying to get things done. On top of that, we could see that they enjoyed their work, and they had integrity. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. They did a good job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Enjoy working with Calibrate. They have good management skills, so don’t worry about the tasks — they’re going to be accomplished. As long as your project and objectives are well-defined, the team will follow through. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO of a sports tech company that has an app dedicated to coaches, parents, and athletes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We hired Calibrate Software to help us with our UI/UX design needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team worked on implementing a UI facelift on our existing iOS app as well as some UX within a certain area of our platform. They worked using InVision.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with two people, including Kevin (CEO), but there were more people working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

Calibrate Software’s colleague referred them so we ended up meeting Kevin a few times to let him know what we were doing. During that time, he also introduced his company. At the same time, we were talking to other companies to see who else would be interested to take on our project.

In the end, Kevin’s personality stood out. We saw that he could fit well with our team and that he had a very strong vision and understanding of our product. Overall, it was a pretty decision for us to engage with Calibrate Software.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They produced exceptional design work. Calibrate Software was able to give us a pretty overhaul on our system, and it was clear that we never had a good UI/UX expert until they came along. Internally, we’d still develop our app, but we expect to launch it at the end of November 2021. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They finished our project ahead of schedule, and they were able to hit our target budget. They did a good job of setting expectations for the project, too. As a result, we had a very good experience with Calibrate Software because they were very easy to work with.

Furthermore, throughout the process, Kevin was on top of everything. Whether it was about emails, notes from meetings, details about discussions, and project proposals — Kevin was always organized. We had weekly meetings, and there were also times we met twice a week to discuss the project’s progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There were two impressive things about Calibrate Software. Firstly, they knew how to engage with us, and they had really good and realistic ideas. Secondly, we were impressed with their design skills. In the end, what really mattered most was if they were able to create good product designs — and they were able to do that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they had no areas to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with your ideas as well as some examples to give Calibrate Software a place to start with. After that, they’ll run with your ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a social networking application for student athletes. Our goal is to provide a platform where these athletes can get exposure in the hopes of receiving college scholarship offers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We needed assistance from someone to take over our platform’s development lifecycle.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate developed a mobile-responsive web application for us. First, we started with the design phase, and we then moved right into the development phase. They didn’t have to create wireframes because the project was already well-planned when they joined. After the development phase, we engaged in a testing phase until completion.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a total of three people from Calibrate, including Kevin (CEO) and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

Calibrate was referred to me by someone whom I approached in the hopes of getting this app developed. They referred them to me because they were both local and former college athletes, so they understood my vision.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and Calibrate finished their work in September 2021. We’re now planning and preparing for its release on October 1st, 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Calibrate ultimately produced a product that we’re happy with, and we’re really excited about its upcoming release. Our app wasn’t easy to develop, but they were very hardworking and helped us get it across the line.

Overall, they did a great job taking my idea and making it a reality. Being former athletes, they understood what I was trying to do.

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Calibrate was diligent in their work, and they provided us with weekly updates via email. Our lines of communication were always open, and they communicated properly.

Kevin did a great job keeping me updated along the way about any issues, and the project manager communicated with me weekly to let me know the status of the project. Additionally, we always jumped on a call whenever necessary.

In this business, there are always delays. We missed a few deadlines, but Calibrate always gave me notice when a deadline needed to be extended.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate leadership’s communication was impressive. Kevin didn’t just introduce me to his team and disappear; he was intimately involved in the entire process. I could always pick up the phone or email him and have a conversation with him.

Another characteristic that really stood out to me was their responsiveness. Calibrate seemed to work 24/7, and they always responded to our emails. They never had an email sitting in their inbox for longer than an hour.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My only criticism is that they need to improve their deadline management. I come from a space where, if I get promised a deadline, I expect it to be met. We missed a few deadlines, and they sometimes rushed to deliver something that wasn’t final, so we had to do some tweaking and bug fixing afterward.

I don’t have a background in technology, but I now understand it better. I know that these situations are fairly common in this space.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have someone internally who speaks the same language as them and understands design, UX, and development. This person will help you communicate your needs and wants effectively.