The Distance App Developers

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Professor of Psychology at the The University of Hull. The University of Hull has a proud history of achievement and a long-established international reputation as a research-engaged and innovative institution. The University was founded in 1927 with a Royal Charter being granted in 1954 to award its own degrees, becoming the 14th independent university in England. Research excellence has developed alongside teaching from the University's earliest days.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Distance App Developers?

The Distance were hired to build a mobile application for a project that was funded by the European Commission's Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency [Unit A.6, Erasmus +: Sport, Youth and EU Aid Volunteers]. The purpose of this project was to build an anti-doping educational mobile application for grassroots coaches, which was available in English, French, German, Greek, Russian, Danish, and Spanish.

What were your goals for this project?

According to the 2007 White Paper on Sport, the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport represents a threat to European sport. Doping undermines the key principles of sport: open and fair competition, and also poses a threat to an athlete’s physical and mental health. Although doping may be viewed as something that occurs exclusively within the realms of elite sport, a recent report containing students from 36 European countries, revealed that some athletes within grassroots sport also take performance enhancing drugs. The aim of our mobile application would be to reduce doping in grassroots sport by: (1) Increasing coaches’ knowledge of doping (2) Reducing favourable attitudes towards doping among coaches (3) Provide coaches with information and strategies to reduce positive attitudes towards doping, reduce doping susceptibility, reduce current and future intentions to dope among the athletes they coach.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The University of Hull requisitions team conducted an open competitive tendering process. The details for the projected were posted on an online system and 7 companies submitted a formal tender. Each tender was scored on a variety of different criteria.

Scoring criteria was based on evidence of working in the education sector, delivering on similar projects, quality of mobile applications built, and cost. I was involved along with two members of staff from procurement who scored the tenders separately and scores were combined. The Distance achieved the highest score for most categories.

Describe the project in detail.

Once The Distance was selected, Anthony Main (MD) attended a project meeting in which 10 of the European partners were present to discuss our requirements for the app. Following this, I (Principal Investigator) attended a discovery meeting with the MD. I was then assigned a project manager.

I had regular contact with the project manager throughout all phases of the app development. Along with the MD, we worked collaboratively to generate the wireframes. I feel this was very beneficial for the end-user. All designs of logos and pages of the app were designed by in-house designers at The Distance. I am very happy with the logo that was designed and the app itself. The ADVICE (EU) mobile application was developed for both iOS and Android devices.

What was the team composition?

I spoke mainly with the project manager, but the MD was cc'd into all e-mail correspondence. The project manager was excellent and always dealt with any issues that I had. I had a direct line and e-mail to the MD, but given how good the project manager was, this was never needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are currently evaluating the impact of the ADVICE mobile application in relation to the projects goals - increasing knowledge and reducing favourable attitudes towards doping among grassroots coaches. We have already received some excellent feedback from users in terms of both the content and quality of the mobile application (e.g., design, ease of use, functionality).

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Distance were excellent and used an online system and kept us informed regarding all jobs that were undertaken. Communication was excellent, via the online system, and my project manager would always reply by the end of the day, but mostly within an hour or so.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive aspects of the company was their innovative approach to designing and building an app, and always understanding what we wanted and transforming that in the actual app. They were great at communicating too.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really. The quality of the final product was always great, and I understand that can take a little longer to produce.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project delivery officer at the Down Syndrome Association. We work with people with Down Syndrome from point of birth until death. We support, care for people, raise money, and educate people with Down Syndrome.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

We got a grant in order to be able to create an app that would help inform people with Down Syndrome about what’s healthy to eat and what’s not. We needed a team to help us with the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Distance App Developers did the frontend design and backend development of the app. They used React Native. I assisted with proposition, problem-solving, and design thinking of the UX because that’s in my expertise. We had a really short period of time, so I suggested we try a Google sprint method and get through it in a week or so. They agreed to that.

The creative director put together a prototype and we tested it with users. It was a really effective way of getting the right design and features into the application.

We decided the strategy was going to be about helping people and not just educating them. Through the app, we prescribe them healthy meals and award them badges and coins. We needed content to be placed on the site by our non-technical staff. They added a CMS to the platform that was hard to resist. 

What is the team composition?

There were three developers on and off. Their technical director would see and troubleshoot anything complex. They had a designer and a business analyst.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

I knew about them because my brother worked for them. We didn’t automatically go with them because of that though. The selection process centered around the right technology stack and the right process for our team. We looked at four agencies. The Distance App Developers came to us with the correct tech stack. React Native appealed to us because it’s cross-platform, customizable, and should perform a lot better than any web app or hybrid type solution.

The project was comprehensively scoped. It made sense because they were quite thorough in all the areas, gave us a ballpark estimate, and set his firm up at quote once the statement of work was written. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested £30,000 (38,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March until June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been in the technology field for 12 years and it’s the fastest build I’ve ever done. There were hardly any bugs or defects. It was really impressive. Our target was to get 1,000 beneficiaries by the end of the year. We’re at 1,050 and it’s only mid-October. We also got a five-star review in the Google Play Store and a 4.4 in the App Store. Anecdotally, we had a girl write into our office that enjoyed the app. Her mother said the app worked great because her daughter really liked collecting and winning badges, which was what we designed for it. They later did a video testimonial for us.

I received a letter directly from the secretary of the Department of Digital Culture, Media, and Sport, a major backer from our local government department, thanking us for coming to speak at their annual conference. They said how much the app and talk inspired the team.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked in sprints. We used Basecamp as a communication tool. Internally, they used Jira. They did things in a sensible order. Project management is very good. Even though it cost them internally, they changed the code. The business analyst was really useful. He made sure everything was tracked, scoped, and written down correctly. It made the relationship a lot more enjoyable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had a good structure of people. The project manager was really attentive and good at helping me tweak things. They had an ops director who would come in and run a review project workshop day. They did it all really smoothly. We’re very happy with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could do more of the design sprints upfront. They could communicate the spec and scope document in a more digestible format. It was very text-heavy and hard to work through. It was like a waterfall where you spec everything upfront. From a customer’s point of view, it’d be good to concentrate on that detail and cross every I and line on that stack. They could deliver that in a more dynamic way along with the user interface designs and the different features. They could sort of visually explain those specifications more.

The only thing I had to criticize during the development was an oversight on the spec which was both ours and their oversight. It wasn’t in line with the mission of the app where you got recorded for eating junk food.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep talking to them. They’re really good at scoping. You should keep engaging them. Make sure you’re aware that they will control the scope and spec very tightly. Don’t expect to get anything for free or to try and push them for more than they agreed to. They’re a very fair bunch. I recommend working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CPO of a Fintech startup that is aiming to disrupt the children's savings market by enabling families to save more for their children through technology.

We want to remove friction from the savings and gifting process within families, creating a shared experience that everyone related to the child can feel part of.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Distance App Developers?

We required a mobile app across both iOS and Android that would allow people to make peer to peer payments, with one of those parties being a child. As a startup with no developers in-house we needed a team to understand our vision and bring out product to market.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to bring our MVP to market as quickly as possible in order to establish product-market fit and encourage the next round of investment.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

As the CPO I assessed several vendors, some of them recommended to me through my network and some identified through Clutch and other review sites.

Overall, I think i considered around 7 different development partners. In addition to the obvious comparison points of capacity, skill-set and cost what really impressed me about The Distance was their desire to understand what we were trying to achieve and why.

This wasn't just another technical challenge for them, it was about helping our business grow. I had real confidence from very early on that I would get the two-way challenge relationship I was after.

Describe the project in detail.

Our objectives were to develop an iOS and Android app capable of managing payments from one user to another, with that second user being a child. We wanted to create the ability for the parents of the child to invite family and friends to join our platform and contribute to their child's account, and to send thank you messages whenever they did so.

The development path we chose was a React-based build, allowing us to deliver across both key platforms relatively inexpensively and, crucially, at the same time. Because family members will not all use one type of mobile device, we had to deploy to both platforms at once.

What was the team composition?

Our designated project manager and business analyst supported us through a detailed and in depth discovery phase. From there we had periodic exposure as needed to developers and testers with the project manager providing consistency throughout.

We met weekly on a call to evaluate progress but communicated daily through Basecamp and Freshdesk.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We successfully deployed to both app stores earlier this year. We are looking to grow the platform in line with our next round of funding and planning some additional feature developments to support user growth.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Distance were terrific to work with. It was, and continues to be, a very open and honest relationship between the two parties and I couldn't be happier with the output they have produced.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their commitment to understand both what we were trying to achieve and why. It was as close to having our own internal development team as I think it's possible to get without actually having one. They understood our vision, challenged it appropriately, and found numerous opportunities to go above and beyond.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm a stickler for planning, and i'm being overly harsh, but a little more transparency in the earlier phases of the sprint scheduling would have been helpful but it was very quickly resolved.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by the CEO of Offspring on October 19, 2020. The original star ratings were: Overall - 4.5, Quality - 4.5, Schedule - 4, Cost - 5, NPS - 5. New content is below:

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and CEO at Offspring, a social saving tool. It helps family and friends save together for important occasions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Distance App Developers, and what were your goals?

We had previously built an app. Feedback from potential distribution partners and users was that they wanted something simpler. We didn't have a development team that could be dedicated to this task. We used the team at The Distance to create a PWA with a simpler user journey and one that could be whitelabelled by potential distribution partners.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Distance App Developers and what were the deciding factors?

We had previously worked with the team at The Distance so we were comfortable with the way the team operates. Additional deciding factors were costs and ability to deliver within a tight timeline.

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

We had a kick off meeting to agree scope, pricing and timelines. Our team was led by an experienced product manager. The team at the The Distance converted our requirements into a functional specification document.

Once agreed, they set about building a Progressive Web App, that was build using React Native and on an AWS backend. There were additional integrations with a marketing tool - Mailchimp, a customer data platform - Segment and a webchat tool - Crisp

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

We were supported by:

• 1 Project manager
• 1 Front End developer
• 1 Back end developer
• 1 Tester
• 1 UX designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Users have a better understanding of our service. They are able to sign on quicker, in <3 min We are able to process contributions at a lower cost We are now able to white label the service for distribution partners with a low integration requirement

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

We had weekly meetings with the project manager who communicated with the development team. We also had ad hoc meetings with the developers as required. We were involved in 2nd round testing of the product features at the end of every sprint, after they had been tested first by the internal testing team at The Distance.

We used basecamp as our main communication tool - which was the preferred method of comms defined by The Distance, and raised any tickets for bugs/change requests via Freshdesk - again the preferred tool defined by the Distance

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

The project manager and the development team were very responsive to changes and proactive with solutions and ideas to overcome specific challenges when encountered

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

The testing process could benefit from the testers using a more rigorous 'end user' lens before being released to the client team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and managing director of Third Light, a digital asset management software company. We write web applications and do large-scale internet hosting for clients who manage digital media libraries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

We had a companion mobile app for our product and we were finding it was difficult to manage and update in-house. The app itself was getting a bit behind on iOS changes and some of our users needed a better experience. We needed to get the app sorted out and back onto a well-maintained footing with good quality befitting the sort of customers that we had.

It was a practical problem with in-house resources and a need to increase the quality of what we were offering in the iOS store. We also wanted to release an Android version of the sitemap. We wanted a supplier who knew how to do both platforms and could maintain them both ideally from a single code base.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They completely rebuilt the iOS app in the new language with technology stacks that remain in use We knew exactly what we wanted it to do. We knew we had the right APIs and how those would be used. The pseudo-code from the older product had some ideas in it that were reusable.

They studied what we were asking for and went through a very careful process of designing and testing the requirements without writing any code, so we knew their work would meet our expectations. After all the bugs and change requests went through, they started helping with maintenance.

We share access to the source code for the product. For the most part, we can maintain our own software and they are open to that and don’t try to control it. We benefit enormously from having our own in-house developers. Their ability to offer a hybrid support and maintenance package is a really big positive for us.

What is the team composition?

There were probably six people involved in the project. There was a business analyst working to control the flow of the project to make sure the processes that they promised were being followed. Behind that individual, there were technical people doing the coding, building the UI, and coming up with the design mockups. The founder was closely involved at the start and at the end.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

We were looking for a supplier in the UK who had the necessary background. The important thing was that they had credentials in doing apps that worked on iOS and Android. We approached quite a lot of different agencies and some of them just weren’t in a position to take on any more work. Some of them didn’t sound like they’d be willing to deal with the two platforms efficiently and some weren’t very convincing or were too expensive.

We went through a simple selection process. We talked to about 10 different companies and The Distance App Developers came across as much more confident than average and more prepared and competent, with evidence that they knew what they were doing.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018 until July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a modern app and something that we can market and pitch that helps us with our sales. We had to make changes at the end, both in terms of quality and usability, and they were very supportive. They told us they offer total satisfaction and they felt that some of the usability questions I raised should have been caught in their design stage. They then made the changes for free, which improved our satisfaction with the product. This is a true mark of a good agency and one that has the resources and flexibility to do the right thing and not just move onto another project.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

Some of the first conversations we had included onsite meetings where Anthony (Founder & Managing Director, The Distance App Developers) came to see us, which I thought was very good. They used Basecamp to keep in touch with us during the project.

There was lots of context in this project because we provided the API. They scheduled a call once a week to check in and they also exchanged notes with us all the time on Basecamp, which created a nice reference work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re committed to our satisfaction.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is nitpicking, but they did miss out on one design document and that one document would have helped us avoid some change requests. The document was in their process but it got overlooked.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You’re going to get the best result if you know what you expect with a lot of precision and detail. Know what it is you want and don’t be too broad on your idea.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior IT project manager work for Destinology. We’re a luxury travel operator in the UK. We send our clients to four- and five-star hotels around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

We needed help to develop a mobile application for customers who have bought one of our holidays that is similar to a concierge service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Distance App Developers are developing a native app for both iOS and Android from scratch. They designed it in conjunction with us based on scoping meetings. They then came up with page designs and requirements. We provided the data via an API connection, which they then took and fed into the app itself. Clients can view their saved itinerary and documentation within the app. It also has a contact portal to send messages.

What is the team composition?

The team varies throughout the process. Our primary point of contact is the project manager. We worked with 1–2 members of the design team during the design phase. From there the project was passed on to two iOS developers and one Android developer.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

I found them via Google search during the discovery phase. I contacted 12 companies and sent them each a scoping document of what we were looking for and the budget. We got back about 6–7 notes of interest. We invited three companies to give us a presentation. We liked what we saw from The Distance App Developers, and they were in the range of the budget that we were looking to spend.

How much have you invested with them?

We budgeted £50,000 (approximately $65,000 USD) for the development and delivery of the app. We've spent about £55,000 (approximately $70,000 USD) to date.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're almost to the end of final testing, quite close to getting the app live and available on the App Store and Google Play. I control the testing and bug reporting. I'm pleased with their turnaround on getting releases out and eliminating bugs. That’s our key metric.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is great. They were very accommodating when we went to visit them in their office. We’ve had two project managers during the course of the project, and they've both been excellent. They’re always available is if I need anything. They get back to me promptly with any questions or responses that they need from me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Distance App Developers get what we’re about as a company. Like us, they’re on the cutting edge with technology. They came up with many original ideas during our initial scoping exercise of where we can go with the app beyond the initial launch.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing springs to mind that I’d want them to do differently. They met all the deadlines that we gave them. There was some slippage on the project but that was primarily on us and not them. I’m happy with what they've done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as open and upfront to give them as much scoping detail as possible. Sit down with them and pick their brains. They've done a wide variety of apps so they've got quite a depth of knowledge. They're a good resource.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a former director of business development at Zapper, which is a leading online company in the commerce sector in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

Our company primarily focused on mobile apps that customers could use for scanning product barcodes to get instant prices. Our existing apps were over four years old and camera features were outdated. A lot of the software wasn't compatible with current hardware, specifically Apple and Samsung smartphone devices. We were looking for a vendor to develop new mobile apps for us from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We spent a lot of time working through user stories with them and discussing our requirements. Some of the functionality was already built into our backend, so the new office worked off an API that our business had developed. The Distance App Developers built mobile apps for iOS and Android from scratch, overseeing both UX and UI design. In addition, they helped us create the content.

What is the team composition?

We worked with developers, designers, and a project manager. The founder was also heavily involved.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

They were recommended to us. I also read their reviews on Clutch and spoke to some people in our industry. Their proposal met our requirements and they had the expertise that we needed, so we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £50,000 (approximately $64,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between July–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They met 100% of our requirements and stayed within our timeline. I left the company shortly after the apps were deployed, so I don't have other metrics.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

We had regular calls and they provided the necessary documentation with the updates. They clearly communicated everything they were working on and all the changes they had to make.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're easy to work with and have a personal touch. They delivered everything they had promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager for a large electronic manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

We wanted an application to store all of the sales tools for our sales force and our customers to use.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were involved in our business analysis and the documentation of requirements for the project. They then worked in app design and development, including iOS, Android, and web versions of the app. They used React Native, which is hosted on Amazon Web Services, and worked off wireframes they helped to create.

What is the team composition?

We had direct communication with the managing director, the technical director, and the creative director, as well as a single point of contact in a project manager. As the project progressed, we've increasingly had direct contact with only the technical director and the project manager. They use a team of 3–4 developers.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

We did an online search and narrowed it down to several vendors, then considered their reviews on Clutch. We invited The Distance App Developers to meet with us and awarded them the contract.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over £100,000 (approximately $127,261 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They developed a simple and high-quality UI. The output documentation of our app has been well-received.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

For the most part, they're very responsive. They use Basecamp to communicate along with weekly progress calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their documentation of requirements was very thorough. They were flexible about our documentation needs and when facing moving timescales.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could do a better job sticking to the timescales for the delivery of a number of sprints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product manager for a travel ticketing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

We are a backend software house without any in-house frontend app developers. We needed to find a partner that could help us produce our first mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided the frontend development for native iOS and Android apps, building on a pre-existing, internal API. When we met with The Distance App Developers, they presented us with different ideas for the direction of the app. We discussed things that we wanted, what we liked, what we didn’t like, and what would work for the app.

They took that information and developed three different design concepts, and expanded on workflows and wireframes. We discussed all of the options, provided artistic and design direction, and worked closely with them to develop wireframes and specifications.

Additionally, they’ve provided us with guidance on how to better construct our API and helped orchestrate that to better support the app.

What is the team composition?

On a daily basis, we interact with two full-time developers, a QA lead, a designer, and our project manager.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

When we were first looking for suppliers, one of our senior management team members recommended The Distance App Developers because he had worked with them before. Their experience—along with that recommendation—got them on our short list of vendors to visit and assess. A few of us went to their offices and were impressed with what they presented.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together for between 18 months to two years. We started working together a little before May 2017, and are still currently working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality is good. The iOS app doesn’t crash and functions as specified. We’re just starting to give it to users and are making small tweaks and UX changes, but the feedback has been generally positive.

We’re finishing user acceptance testing of the iOS app and recently passed the industry accreditation. Any new product has to pass through quite a serious set of accreditation testing, and we’re proud of reaching that milestone. We’re beginning user testing and our beta program will start in the coming months.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project management routine is mostly weekly calls to stay in sync. The scope has changed over the years we’ve worked together, and at times it’s been tough to keep up with that change. But generally, they are productive and we’re working quite nicely.

We are over budget and schedule, but that’s not necessarily attributable to them. We work in a very complex area with a lot of regulations; they have worked through that and made the app compliant.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have talented developers and we’ve reached a good working rhythm. Their QA Team especially works quickly on fixes. They’re definitely responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have a dedicated project manager now, which we didn’t have at the beginning, and that was an improvement. At times the plan was hard to interpret and resources were difficult to find. It’s a rapidly changing project and the addition of a project manager was very helpful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a mobile app company. Our flagship product is a mobile app that guides users on timed walks and enables them to answer questions based on what they see.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Distance App Developers?

We needed a development firm to build the platform from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided an initial briefing and they were immediately transparent regarding their understanding of the project and the estimated timeline. The Distance built the platform as native apps for iOS and Android. A key feature they integrated was the use of GPS tracking to determine the user’s location. This is especially important because the app asks users questions based on their exact location. For example, if a user is walking towards a significant public sculpture, the app will communicate that they’re near the next question and generate excitement.

They were involved from the early design stage and took the project all the way through QA testing. The app has launched and they provide maintenance and support as needed.

What is the team composition?

We had one project manager as our primary point of contact but initially spoke to their owner as well. I don’t know how many developers worked on the app.

How did you come to work with The Distance App Developers?

I searched online and reached out to colleagues for recommendations. I also used Clutch and found the listed reviews to be helpful when eliminating possible candidates. We interviewed several other firms but felt that The Distance was best equipped to deliver our vision.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent roughly £15,000–£20,000 ($19,918–$26,557 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from January 2017–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early to consider download metrics as an accurate reflection of their performance. In my experience, they’re extremely professional and kept us informed of the project’s progression. The app has received positive feedback and was the subject of an article in GQ magazine. The initial reviews on The App Store have been great.

How did The Distance App Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

Basecamp is our primary method of communication and they use it quite well. They experienced several challenges that slowed down the project, but they immediately communicated the issues as soon as they became evident. They could’ve completed the project faster, but they were slightly understaffed at the time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their owner and project manager were honest and engaging. They gave me a real belief in their ability to get the app off the ground. Overall, they’re friendly, personable, and people you want to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could provide project information based on their client’s level of involvement. I was enthused to know the technical details of the development. However, I can imagine that not everyone is like that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Talk to multiple firms to get a sense of how they see the technical aspects of your project developing. Ultimately, it comes down to who you feel comfortable working with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I have formed a small company to develop and market a mobile application for launch.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Distance App Developers?

Even though I had already begun development of the app three years prior, I wanted to find developers with the skills to fulfill the intricate needs of the project. My preference was to work with someone I could meet in person.

What were your goals for this project?

My original goal was to develop a minimum viable product and launch as soon as possible; however, a marketing specialist recommended a more well-rounded launch approach, which altered our goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After speaking with multiple different vendors, I found The Distance via Google Search. Their founder spoke with me on the phone and quickly understood the challenges and goals of the app. He took a look at my prototype and we began working together soon after.

Describe the project in detail.

I came to The Distance with a prototype and application flowcharts. The developer then introduced me to their internal procedures and helped me become acclimated with their communications platform. The user interface designer worked with me to create the app’s image while also taking me through wire-frames and themes. Subsequently, he began creating the digital design, which included icons and colour schemes, and the team eventually began releasing prototypes. We used Google Analytics and the Google Play Platform and developed the app for Android.

What was the team composition?

A project manager led the team and served as my main point of communication. The team changed dynamically throughout the project stages for reasons I am unaware.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have not fully released the app, per the suggestion of the marketing specialist, in order to pursue a more organic, well-rounded release approach.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

This application is both novel and technically challenging; there must have been times when the developers had real trouble solving the non-standard problems that arose. My initial six-month development plan was overly-optimistic; I soon resolved to letting the team work through issues on their preferred, consistent schedule. Despite this, I noticed steady development progress and felt that the team’s management was professional. Associates of mine worked with me to test the app for bugs and report them to The Distance by use of an online spreadsheet.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I am most impressed by the team’s efficient project management; the value for the money; the staff’s patience, the technical skills offered; and their sheer tenacity of working on this project until delivery. I would be happy to work with them again on future apps.