Devsar

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide a dashboard connecting brands, influencers, and content creators through Snapchat and Instagram stories. I am the chief executive officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with devsAr?

We needed to build the entire dashboard from mockups and app documentation which we had previously prepared.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

devsar developed our platform using Django Python as a structural basis, with a few other languages mixed in. We had Instagram API, Google Analytics, and Stripe integrations.

devsar assigned 2 full-time developers, as well as some additional resources which helped on small details occasionally.

How did you come to work with devsar?

We wanted to find an offshore partner because of the advantage of foreign conversion rates. We had worked with Indian companies on a previous product, but the communication wasn't particularly crisp, and it was difficult to maintain similar workdays. With a product which needed more attention to detail and an ongoing collaboration, it was important to find a partner in a region that would make sense time wise. We made some research, talked to 10-20 firms in South America, and landed on devsar.

How much have you invested with devsar?

The cost of devsar's services has been between $10,000 and $50,000 for a 2-week project utilizing 2 engineers.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've had a 10-week scope, and devsar delivered on time. We're currently within a 45-day QA period. It has been helpful in cleaning up basic functionalities and language errors. No matter how well the documentation and mockups are prepared, there will still be a period cleanups and changes. devsar has done its best work within this period, even though I thought it would be viewed as a pesky addition to the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The beta version will only be kicked-off next week, so we don't have feedback from clients or individual users. I've had a very good experience with devsar and found them to be professional.

How did devsar perform from a project management standpoint?

We initially decided to have weekly check-in calls, but they ended up being rarer, mainly because of our side. We kept constant communication with devsar throughout the build, scheduling video calls on Google Hangouts and walking through specific things we had questions for, rather than having devsar simply go ahead and build it.

We switched our communication structure from Slack and email to having QA updates on Trello. The gained visibility into the process made a big difference for us. We are able to make sure that we're staying up on everything and that devsar is accountable. We were also able to login to the platform's admin dashboards and see updates there.

What did you find most impressive about devsar?

devsar has been good at connecting the dots and figuring things out, much more so than the Indian developers we were using. devsar is a bit more creative, able to piece everything together rather than looking at isolated tasks.

I haven't worked with many other offshore firms, but the experience with devsar has been overall positive. They're smart and cordial individuals, with an ability to internalize the objective of the product, thinking critically about particular features and providing better alternatives. That may not seem incredible, but when compared to a developer who is simply going task-to-task while not thinking about how to make a product more successful, it makes a big difference in my opinion.

Are there any areas devsar could improve?

Everything that had the potential for improvement could have been controlled by us better. It was mainly our mistakes that led to poor communication. Making sure that expectations were clear and that we had very good app documentation and design mockups saved us quite a bit of time in the communication department. devsar had a lot to go off of, but we could have done more.

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

We needed to clarify if some elements of the project were in or outside of the scope, which happened because we didn't clearly explain the ins and outs of the app documentation in the initial vetting stage. It was our blame, and we've certainly learned from it. My tip is to tidy up the scope, reach crystal-clear expectations, and think about every scenario.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Parkool is a parking payment startup. We launched our application on December 2nd. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with devsAr?

devsAr was in charge of handling the entire project at the programming level. We launched the MVP [minimum viable product] and then they developed an Android platform with the backend and connected an API. ​

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We got in touch since we are both from La Plata, Argentina. We also searched in other places and they were the most interested developers in the project. We figured that they showed real interest in the project aside from the price factor. We made the decision of working with them because they really helped us not only with programming but also in terms of functionality. They were always showing us new possibilities and new development methods. 

How much have you invested with devsAr?

We have invested $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project has been completed. We agreed on a prototype and MVP that has been finalized. We then maintained connections when it came to the consulting and they’ve always had an excellent response.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did devsAr perform from a project management standpoint?

We don’t have exact metrics to mention because we’re in the evaluation period. What I can say is that they have been excellent when it comes to providing support. One-on-one communication has been direct with the project manager, Martin Riva, and with the Android developer as well.

We were always in contact with weekly sprints and we commented on the proposals. Then, we conducted many, many tests and that was good too. They published APKs [android application packages] weekly so that we could test, and they corrected anything we requested. We are very happy with them and we are even evaluating ways to incorporate them into our company through equity or something similar for future collaborations because their response was great.

They also showed good personal treatment, and aside from the business topics, they were super flexible. I would recommend them 100% and I’m really interested in continuing working with them because we just launched and we will need much more support. 

What did you find most impressive about devsAr?

There’s one specific detail that changed our business model. They presented a solution for adapting ourselves to an actual payment system in La Plata and in many other municipalities that were eventually included to start and complete the parking payments online. We didn’t have that option in our radar until they mentioned it was possible. We developed it, and as a result, it developed lots of interest and attracted users. Thanks to that feature we were able to launch in 30 municipalities. The generated interest to be able to pay for parking through a mobile application was all thanks to them. This situation was developed based on devsAr’s proposal. Another example is that they recommended APKs that we didn’t know about and lots of other things. They were our tech consultants and we found a perfect symbiosis.

Are there any areas devsAr could improve?

In some aspects, they were not as flexible because we had developed most of the project and we figured that we needed a small change. This is not their fault, but ours. We found that there were some issues with the usability level, but that meant reconsidering a big part of the project, so we left it for further changes. This wasn’t a big problem, though.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the co-founders of Moni, a web-based platform and mobile application with the capability of making short-term loans online in Argentina and Mexico. Usually, the users register on the platform and they are granted or rejected for the loan. If granted, the loan is added to their bank account in a short period of time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Devsar?

Devsar has developed this functioning platform up until now since we don’t have our own development team. They handled all aspects and were involved throughout the process related to the development of the native Android application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had 4 developers assigned to the project and we would get additional ones assigned based on our needs. For instance, when we had to dedicate more time to the application, we had a specific developer for the native Android app. The same happened when we needed Python, MySQL, and other resources.

How did you come to work with Devsar?

I'm not sure who referred them but I read that they were renowned in the Python community in Argentina, and that allowed us to move forward with hiring them. We wanted this project to be developed using Python. This is why we chose Devsar.

How much have you invested with Devsar?

Today, we invest $15,000 per month, approximately. It has been more than $300,000 total.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's a continuing project. We had a final product delivered, but we've had sub-products and improvements for it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are generally happy with the results. They were directly involved with the project. They go above and beyond their developers' role. Informally, they also helped with project management, defining the product when it wasn't well defined yet. Whenever there was an error or any necessary corrections, they were always available to fix those and kept the platform going.

How did Devsar perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Jira and Slack for some things. I think the tools we used were an area for improvement.

They are 100% trustworthy. I believe they are a very loyal team, with good developers, and good coding skills. Our code has been audited and they were open to finding out about errors on their end. Their time management could also be improved.

What did you find most impressive about Devsar?

What I've previously mentioned are their key strengths. For us, it is important to work with a team that we can trust. They created our platform, and today it has 3,000 transactions per month. They deliver good results.

Are there any areas Devsar could improve?

Their project management skills. They need to provide a better outline of schedules, definition of the deliverables, etc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide a social dating app. I am the director of backend engineering for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Devsar?

We were a fledgling startup with limited funding and no engineering team. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Devsar was leveraged to help us release the first 2 prototypes of our product, while we didn't have a fully-staffed engineering team. The platforms were largely web-based, initially using Google App Engine, Django Python 2, and the Facebook Apps stack. The front-ends were HTML and CSS-based.

The second phase involved building an API for a mobile app. Devsar helped us create it, along with the backend data processing using Heroku Python 2, Flask, MongoDB, Neo4j, Redis, and RQ.

Two full-time developers were assigned to our project. Devsar's co-founder and owner also contributed a significant number of hours.

How did you come to work with Devsar?

Devsar had been working with the company for a year when I joined it. They were discovered by our chief executive officer.

How much have you invested with Devsar?

The cost of our project with Devsar was between $10,000 and $50,000, or slightly above.

What is the status of this engagement?

Devsar started working on our project in the fall of 2011. The project has been completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have no hard metrics, but I can say that the people we were working with from Devsar were fantastic. Some of what they wrote was still in production until last month, 4 years later, after having been exercised billions of times.

One of Devsar's members had an anniversary and a visit from his parents at the same time, but he actually left the celebrations in order to perform some unexpected work. That was key to us meeting the date.

How did Devsar perform from a project management standpoint?

We had an extremely aggressive deadline for the second minimum viable product, rebuilding everything from scratch in 2 and a half months. It was a do-or-die launch tied to a $30,000 launch party. We had to have the app done on time, and it had to work well. Devsar's team was fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about Devsar?

Devsar has strong Python skills, being the subject-matter experts in that area for us. Beyond this, Devsar had a commitment to doing great work. I've used a number of different contracting agencies before and after working with them, and I found that Devsar's members made themselves a part of the team, working as if they would be supporting the platform for the next few years. Devsar made a big point out of fighting for the changes they saw as necessary for improving our platform.

Are there any areas Devsar could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Find Your Trainer is an online marketplace which connects consumers with personal trainers. I am the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Devsar?

We had built an early prototype/MVP of our solution using some freelance developers. It was time to transition from them, and make the platform more robust and stable. We needed to find a team on which we could rely.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Devsar has taken over all of the development responsibilities for our site. The backend of our platform is Django Python. We use Amazon Web Services for hosting, and we use standard HTML and JavaScript on the frontend.

We use 2 and a half fulltime resources from Devsar. They've also assigned us a project manager who oversees the work for 20% of the time. What was most important to me personally, was to have direct contact with the developers, and that they be dedicated to our project, instead of requiring us to find resources out of a huge pool of talent. Our developers are familiar with our technology and code very well.

How did you come to work with Devsar?

We were introduced to Devsar by one of our former freelance developers. I trusted her judgement, so I contacted Devsar, had a few discussions, and went through a walkthrough of what needed to get done on our platform. We decided to pull the trigger without evaluating other options. Devsar was the right fit, principally because they were specialized in our technology.

How much have you invested with Devsar?

The cost of Devsar's services is between $150,000 and $180,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Devsar in May 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm very pleased with Devsar's quality of work. They move quickly, and are very responsive and client-oriented. Whenever there was a mistake, it was quickly fixed. It's been great to work with Devsar.

How did Devsar perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team is a bit wishy-washy in terms of project management. Our requirements, needs, and priorities are constantly changing, so it's rare for us to give Devsar an unaltered 2-week task which has to be finished. We have a continuous process of changing priorities until the work is done.

Because we pay Devsar on an hourly basis, there is no overtime for their team. They work as much as they can during the workday, and leave on time. As such, it's hard to enforce deadlines, and it's not the way in which our relationship is built. I trust Devsar to work as fast and as hard as possible, but they're still working 8 hours per day in the end.

Devsar has an in-house project management tool called Acunote. We use it to manage everything.

What did you find most impressive about Devsar?

I've worked with many offshore developers. Devsar is one of the best we've seen. Having dedicated resources has been our main advantage. Devsar is also only one hour ahead of us in terms of time zones. We can collaborate, talk, and have tests throughout the day. This is a huge advantage over working with a company in Europe or Asia. English is not Devsar's native language, but they have very good skills for the most part.

Are there any areas Devsar could improve?

We used to be rigorous in having a weekly call with Devsar's project lead. We've fallen off of the habit, and only have a call every 2-3 weeks now. This is as much my fault as it is theirs.

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

I'm not a programmer or generally technical, but I've been able to work effectively with Devsar. They're very good at what they do and very client-oriented.