Codemotion

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a team manager of one of the development teams at MID GmbH. The company offers consulting and software tools for modeling business processes, designing software architectures and creating database structures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Codemotion, and what were your goals?

For one of our cloud products, we needed temporarily an additional developer to realize several web-frontend components in Angular. This also included transferring components from AngularJS to Angular.

SOLUTION

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

We got in contact with Codemotion on Upwork. The project experience of the developer and his skills met our requirements. At first, we got in contact with one of their solution managers. With her we discussed our needs and the scope of the project. Since this made a very professional impression to us, we decided to go for Codemotion.

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

We did a kick-off meeting to discuss goals and the technical basis of the project. After that, we provided access to our system (e.g., to a git repository), sent some code snippets and mock data. Of course, the developer needed some help from us, but he got acquainted with our technologies and project structure very quickly. He delivered several frontend components written in Angular including unit tests. On these deliverables we do weekly code review sessions to identify bugs and to decide if some more work needs to be done.

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

We hired one frontend web developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is still ongoing, so we do not have any final outcomes yet. The UI components delivered so far fully meet our expectations. Their quality is good, and we were able to successfully integrate them in our product. Some minor bugs occurred, but the developer quickly fixed them.

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

One of our software engineers communicates with the hired developer regularly to clarify questions. We usually track the progress once a week and do planning meetings when a UI component is almost done. During these meetings, we present UI designs for the next component to develop, discuss requirements and create user stories for the developer. For communication, we are using MS Teams and TFS.

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

Although, we hired only one developer, there is also a solution manager who makes the first contact. Beyond that, there is a happiness manager taking care of customer needs and communicating feedback from the developer to the customer concerning the overall collaboration, how the development process is going etc. They create a friendly, flexible, and professional atmosphere.

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

We have nothing to complain about so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO at a sampling solutions company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Codemotion?

We were revamping our entire software system, changing a lot of the backend functionality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team provided documentation, analysis, and best practice consultation for features. Our initial idea was to create a new system, but after hearing certain recommendations, we decided on revamping our current system. We used Node.js and PostgreSQL for the work.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager that connected our teams. He also documented everything for our business and all of the systems. The CTO and a business development person were also involved. They also employed a happiness manager that checked in once a month to see how smoothly everything was going.

How did you come to work with Codemotion?

We met them at a conference a few years ago. We remained in communication with their founder. Over time, we had a project that we wanted to do with them but postponed it. We still kept in contact, so when this project came along, we went ahead and started working with Codemotion. At the start, they set up a free analysis to see if this project was a good fit for them to address.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2020–February 2021. We’re currently in a maintenance contract with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We work on a sprint-by-sprint basis. Overall, a majority of them were developed on time and met quality expectations. A few bug fixes caused us to go over budget, but we’re quite happy with the quality of the system we currently have. Their team solved issues and hiccups in record time.

How did Codemotion perform from a project management standpoint?

Codemotion catered to our needs. While they had a process they followed, they were willing to change it and follow a more comfortable process. We communicated with different developers through a private Slack channel. They created sprint planning and other documentation. We were able to access Jira to see what tasks were being worked on. We also could communicate with them using that system.

After each sprint, they submitted a report. This allowed us to compare what was actually assigned to what was completed. We would meet to discuss each one.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Codemotion can adapt to the customer. Their project manager acts as a middleman, suggesting the best approaches from a business standpoint. That sometimes isn’t the best approach for the development team.

Their team also ensures that their development quality is maintainable and scalable for their clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We should’ve sat down to put together a workflow or process at the beginning. We needed time to adjust to the way they work. We had one day off between companies, but we had different schedules being off on different days. That would cause some confusion between our teams, but we were able to make it work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best piece of advice would be to clarify your requirements and the results you want. Make sure to be clear about your budget to ensure you’re not going overboard without even realizing it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a founder of a software development company focussing on web application development in the FinTech space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Codemotion, and what were your goals?

We have (and are still) utilising Codemotion for a senior developer to manage the code over our main CRM project.

SOLUTION

How did you select Codemotion and what were the deciding factors?

We selected Codemotion due to their ability to narrow down the selection process and provide us with highly skilled candidates for the work. During the course of the project, they are also quite proactive towards managing their team and ensuring we are happy with the work being performed.

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

The software project is a web application built using Javascript and the React Framework primarily. Also utilising different AWS resources such as RDS, S3, and Lambda's for the backend through a Serverless framework.

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

We have worked with one developer for 6 months now as well as various management staff who monitor progress and ensure we are happy with the quality of work being performed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work being performed is of very high quality and has assisted in the deployment and scalability of the system as well as assisting in providing a more senior person to give direction to more junior developers.

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

CodeMotion is very pro-active in ensuring we are happy with the work performed. Communication has been mostly through informal chats via medium such as Slack but also through video conferencing with more senior staff.

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

They have provided us with quality work and also are eager to ensure we are happy. They are very pro-active with checking on the progress of their staff and if any improvements etc can ever be made.

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

Not really at the moment because we have only had the opportunity to use one developer. With the growth of our project that will change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of PowerUser, a technology startup focused on SaaS.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Codemotion?

We hired them to help build the frontend of our application, focusing on the client-side of it. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided their team with specifications and the design for them to build the client-side of our app. They coordinated heavily with us on the process, incorporating our feedback into each step. Throughout the process, they also made key suggestions. The main technology they used was React. 

What is the team composition?

At any given time, two of their software developers worked with us, along with a part time project manager and QA person. 

How did you come to work with Codemotion?

We researched a variety of providers. Our CTO interviewed several teams, but chose Codemotion based on what we saw in their previous projects and their ability to understand our needs. Our CTO spoke to their management and development teams, so their capabilities were clear. 

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we spent around $150,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project ran from April 2019–April 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The level of development skills they have led to very clean code being produced. Everything they delivered has performed very well and we were very pleased with the quality of their work. 

How did Codemotion perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great all-around at managing the project. Not only did they follow the plan, but they were also communicative and clearly laid out any challenges they encountered. They brought things to our attention that we hadn’t even realized, so they were very effective. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s hard to find a provider that truly are good developers that can write code that is extensible and can be transferred to a new development team, but Codemotion did it. We were keeping a close eye on their code and were always very happy with the level of engineering they put into it. 

Their ability to manage the work and communicate effectively, coupled with the development skills, made them stand out. They were always able to roll with the flow and change gears when necessary. They had every aspect we could hope to find in a provider, which is hard to do. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were generally very happy with their work, so we didn’t have any concerns about the work they did for us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re a great provider to work with. For us, it was helpful to talk directly to the developers so we had a sense of who we’d be working with before the project started. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a dating and social network site.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Codemotion?

I needed a company that could build a social network dating website from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Codemotion developed the website from scratch using JavaScript, and I completed the site design. Codemotion developed and enabled many features, including messaging, friend connections, chat, profile, search for people, etc.

The development phase took nine months, and Codemotion continues to help with bugs and maintenance 3–4 days each month. We plan to develop a mobile application shortly.

What is the team composition?

I work with five full-time developers and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Codemotion?

They’re the best company I found. I’m very lucky to have found them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Codemotion brought my vision to life. They did their best to meet my needs and deliver what I wanted. After launching the site in January 2019, I wanted to improve certain things based on client feedback. By April 2019, they’d added features and completed the bug fixes, and I was happy with the site.

How did Codemotion perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good; I give them five stars in this area. They delivered the site on time. During development, I spoke with the project manager nearly every day; he was amazing and helped me a lot. I also spoke to the developers directly as needed, and we easily understood each other. I went to Kyiv, Ukraine last year and met all of the developers, and they were very welcoming. I’m very happy with the technology they used. We communicated via Slack.

Codemotion supported me through the entire process. They want their client to succeed, and they really care about the project and mission. That’s why I’ve decided to develop my mobile application with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project was very complicated, but Codemotion understood my needs. The team is patient and professional. I believe that if I had chosen another company, they wouldn’t have been able to finish the website.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re good. I’m happy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Interview the developers before you hire them. You can ask them questions through Slack, view their portfolio, and read their feedback.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the lead developer of a financial services software startup. We’re developing a SaaS platform for financial firms to consolidate and manage their clients’ data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Codemotion?

We engaged Codemotion to develop our UI in React + Redux to meet a pressing deadline.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to get our product to market as quickly as possible. We needed additional expertise in React to bring it across the finish line.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed over a dozen vendors. Codemotion best understood our goals and demonstrated a collaborative nature that appealed to us.

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

We used React + Redux, Sass, and Jest to build our platform’s frontend. Codemotion provided staff augmentation at first; they assigned us a single developer to develop React + Redux UI components based on existing designs. They then grew the team to better meet our needs and to deliver new functionalities in weekly sprints.

What was the team composition?

The team first comprised one React developer. It has since grown to three developers, a CSS specialist, and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Codemotion, the platform will launch within two months. Their dedication and technical expertise have made the collaboration effortless.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We first organized development informally under a Scrumban system; it consisted of loose sprints and a large Kanban backlog. We’ve since moved to strictly Scrum with weekly sprints; we oversee their progress with GitHub and ZenHub as well as online chat and audio conferencing. While proficiency in English varied throughout the team, all members made valuable contributions to the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Whenever we were ready to grow the team, Codemotion quickly lined up interviews with specialists to meet our needs. They’ve been thoughtful and receptive collaborators from start to finish.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Time zone differences and some language barriers occasionally slowed down the project. However, the team is dedicated and methodical, and they’ve delivered the highest quality products of any offshore firm I’ve worked with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a startup that provides software solutions for internet marketers and advertisers. With a focus on ease of use and automation, our software aids internet marketers, media buyers, and teams to quickly achieve their ROI goals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Codemotion?

We hired CodeMotion to develop a brand new software platform from scratch. We required a development team of full stack Javascript developers for our project.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed our software solution to be a single-page Javascript web application that utilizes modern libraries and practices such as ReactJS, AngularJS, NodeJS, and others. The developed product would be for a niche need in our industry, so communication and flexibility was an important deciding factor in selecting a team.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found CodeMotion through a promoted listing on a freelancer website. We had interviewed with a handful of other teams, but only CodeMotion met our selection criteria. They showcased great communication skills, talented Javascript developers, and the willingness to build a complex solution from the ground up. We needed a team that wouldn't just be a "one-off" job. When we presented the more difficult challenges of our project, CodeMotion was the only team that responded with confidence. They assured us they could complete the project to our standard.

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

CodeMotion developed a web application using Javascript. This included building a frontend portal using ReactJS primarily, and a robust backend/database. Furthermore, CodeMotion custom integrated third-party code to meet our needs. They are currently working on additional features.

What was the team composition?

We work with a project manager, 2–4 full stack developers, a QA tester, a DevOps engineer, a UI/UX designer, and an automated testing professional. CodeMotion manages the size of the team as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The solution that CodeMotion created is the sole asset of our startup business. The delivered product is well-designed and beautiful software. It has far surpassed our expectations and continues to evolve.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

CodeMotion's project manager handles all our deadlines, goals, expectations, budgeting, and overall resource management. They use Slack, Jira, and Skype for communication. Their project management is exceptional, and there are no language barriers as they speak fluent English, as well as Russian/Ukrainian.

CodeMotion provides a team of talented individuals who clearly are passionate about their craft. They do a spectacular job at understanding our goals and budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are impressed by CodeMotion's willingness and expertise in providing solutions to difficult challenges that arise. Rather than just following a list of specifications, CodeMotion's team works closely with us to brainstorm the best solutions. Their team solely creates some of our software's greatest features without requiring any specific direction or requirements from us. CodeMotion proves time and time again that they are passionate masters of their craft.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

The only aspect can slightly improve is providing better reports/information about each resources' logged time. This is mostly handled through a third-party, freelancer website. Perhaps, some extra reports and time-logs would be beneficial.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a computer software startup that spun off of an engineering consultancy. We primarily focus on providing a technical solution for the industrial market, though we might expand from that in the future.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Codemotion?

We’d already done quite a bit of development on a software project, but we needed technical resources who could augment our internal team at a cost-efficient rate.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their developers support our team to enhance our software and implement new features. They work with various technologies such as JavaScript, Node.js, Meteor, React, MongoDB, and HTML5. They also assist with UI design and QA testing/development as well as QC. Beyond the technical aspects, they provide a project manager who facilitates the development, providing a clear structure for the collaboration.

What is the team composition?

Over the course of the engagement, we’ve worked with numerous project managers and developers. Typically, we work with a project manager part-time and a developer full-time. Depending on our project requirements, we also work with a QC engineer. Beyond that, they assign additional resources on an as-needed basis. This allows us to have a support team developing our products without committing to a long-term group nor increasing our internal staff.

How did you come to work with Codemotion?

I found them online through a freelance agency site that helps outsource work. The site helps us coordinate the project with Codemotion even though they’re based in Ukraine.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work began in August 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Compared to other agencies that I’ve worked with, Codemotion is far and away the best organization. Although there was a period when we felt like the productivity was dropping, I discussed the issues with their team, and they adopted new project management protocols to ensure task completion. I appreciated that they cared enough to address our concerns in a proactive way, and, since then, they’ve more than exceeded our expectations.

As for the breadth of their resources, they have an expansive network of specialists with different skills. They’re able to adapt to our dynamic project requirements, bringing in in-house experts to help us conceive the right solutions.

How did Codemotion perform from a project management standpoint?

After addressing our productivity concerns, they adopted an agile methodology with a Scrum framework to manage the project. They’re always accessible and have shifted their hours so that our schedules overlap.

Unlike other overseas vendors, Codemotion provides a project manager who is proficient in English to serve as a liaison with the developers. This helps facilitate communication and ensures that all parties understand their assignments.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Beyond their expertise, detailed reporting, and QC, the team excels at structuring our development process. They’ve established a sprint plan that helped manage the project at an unprecedented level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While I’m not sure if this is their current standard, it might benefit them to implement the Scrum process for all of their projects. It would have been better if we had used the agile methodology from the start.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to meet the owners and establish a relationship with them. While I mostly interface with the project managers, the owners are also accessible and interested, playing an active role in the company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My partner and I founded a technology startup. I was the CTO [chief technology officer] then we were acquired by a larger company, where I’m now the CTO. My partner defines the product and I define the technology that we’re using; the technical implementation, the architecture, and the infrastructure. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Codemotion?

One of my developers quit and I had to replace that person quickly with somebody who’s trusted and verified. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did several projects, including one that involved fixes. Another project was for the previous company’s largest customer. We were building a custom CRM [customer relationship management] system because they have 20,000 sales reps. We decided for their needs, it will be better for ongoing costs to create a custom solution, rather than pay for something they’re not using. We used NodeJS and Angular for the frontend. That project is delivered and is in the ongoing support and additional feature phase. 

The most significant project involved building a fully customized solution to address all the needs and connect all the systems that we’re using a software that we own. We didn’t want to buy an off the shelf solution and try to customize it. It included a CRM and a billing solution. We integrated with Intercom, which gives the customers support solutions, and with ShipStation, which is our shipping solution. We also developed an in-house affiliate marketing solution to pay a commission if customers want to bring more customers and get their fair share of revenue from it. We are now in the next phase of white labeling that in order to charge other companies to use it.

What is the team composition? 

They provided us with a project manager and a couple of developers. On the third project, the team was 5 people. The project manager was Tanya [Project Manager Ninja, Codemotion] and the developers were Denis [Javascript Ninja, Codemotion], Vlad [Javascript Ninja, Codemotion], and Vitaliy [Lead Javascript Ninja, Codemotion]. We also had a QA [quality assurance] person.

How did you come to work with Codemotion?

We found them and a few other companies on Upwork. We interviewed the candidates and compared the rates and referrals. A lot of companies in Ukraine can be like a shell that are just freelancers that they hire for the project. I didn’t want that. I wanted a company with employees. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June of this year and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saved $150,000. We deployed the solution in production at the end of October. Currently, it’s a system that serves our 15,000 customers with a total revenue of almost $500,000 a month. Our total savings compared to our previous system is estimated to be between $500,000–$800,000 a year. That’s a direct impact of that project.

How did Codemotion perform from a project management standpoint?

It was perfect. I can’t say enough good words about it. We had a crazy, intense deadline: 4 weeks to pull off the billing system CRM, shipping system, and customer support from scratch and they did it. A lot of times they worked 15–18 hours a day, 7 days a week, for a few weeks. It was delivered on time, good quality, and more than originality than promised. It was amazing.

We communicate daily. When I wake up, I call the project manager in Ukraine and we go over progress, questions, and coordination. I review the code because I’m a programmer myself from the past so I go through the architecture and deliverables. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are young and I like what their CEO stands for. 10% of their revenue goes to charity projects. They believe in the hyperlocal. They do work in the community surrounding their offices or their relatives. 

Another differentiating factor is their English is fine. They invest in their employees so it’s not short-term. If you ask for a 5-person team, it will be a team of 5 people that have worked with one another or worked in the same room on separate projects. They sit in a nice office building and the employees feel good. They have good technologies, as well. They teach their employees a lot so they’re at the top of their game. When they say they have a senior, the person is really senior and knows what they’re doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve existed for less than 5 years so there’s always things to improve, but I don’t have anything that was bad or unprofessional. It was all good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Every outsourcing company needs to be on top of what’s going on. It’s important to set expectations and define them clearly. If you’ve worked with freelancers or an outsourcing company in the past, you would know how to work with Codemotion. It’s not any different. You might need to adjust your time of the day because there’s a 7-hour delay from the East Coast to Kiev. You need to start your day earlier if you want to maximize the results. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of AI and technology strategy at Herdwatch, an IT company. We provide a leading livestock management software platform that helps farmers and ranchers efficiently manage their herds and farm operations in over 50 countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Codemotion?

Our customer base and requirements outgrew our technology stack at the time. We needed a software development partner that could provide a technology solution that would enable our next phase of growth.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Codemotion has taken an existing legacy technology stack and built a new stack from the ground up to future-proof our business. The team has delivered a new modern web and mobile application that’s more aligned with the latest technology trends and allows us to accelerate future feature development.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 6 teammates from Codemotion.

How did you come to work with Codemotion?

We found them through an online search. We chose them because their pricing fit our budget, they offered good value for the cost, and their company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Codemotion has delivered a highly successful application to our customers, replacing the legacy app. This has enabled a new growth phase for Herdwatch. Our customer growth has more than doubled since the launch of the new application. We’ve also seen increased user engagement, reduced support requests, and faster feature releases, which was the main goal of the project.

How did Codemotion perform from a project management standpoint?

Codemotion has excelled at project management and working with best practice agile methodologies. We communicate via in-person and virtual meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It never feels like Codemotion is a third-party supplier; it always seems like they're part of Herdwatch, working together to create advanced technology solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they need to improve.