Emergent Software

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a distribution company for an agricultural equipment supplier. We operate across North America, with around 100 dealership locations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We needed to build an information portal for dealers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emergent Software developed a platform that allows our dealers to log in and view pricing, service, and sales program information. It integrates with our CRM, acting as a central point of contact and user information.

They have a lot of experience with Umbraco and recommended it. It allowed us to work with our .NET infrastructure and to easily hook into our Dynamics 365 CRM.

What is the team composition?

We had 5–6 people on Emergent’s team, including a project manager, a frontend designer, and two server-side developers working on the integration part and building our templates.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

We found them through a web search. We were looking for someone based out of the Midwest, and Emergent is in Minneapolis. They had experience building dealer portals and integrating them into CRMs, so they seemed like the best team for our project. They seemed to really get what we were trying to do when we met with them, so we moved forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We came in right around $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Emergent in April 2020, and we wrapped up the first phase in the first week of August.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still phasing the platform into our dealers and doing some internal training, so it’ll probably be a few months before we have actual numbers.

The project was well-organized, and the platform is professionally-built. Emergent has unit testing and everything else in place to build a solid dealer platform.

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I give them high ranks on that. They really focused on communicating things proactively, and, if there was an issue, they were upfront in explaining it and providing alternative approaches. They’ve really helped guide us in getting to our end goal while keeping the budget in check.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There were some last-minute requests they were able to pull off. Specifically, I brought the integration with our parts management system when we were halfway through the project, and they integrated that into the dealer platform in a relatively short amount of time. They were able to quickly look at something and identify whether or not it would fit into the scope, and they pulled it off. That was pretty impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Emergent is a great company to put on the list if you’re looking for a professional team with a lot of experience with CMS integrations. They have people in place to explain and guide you from a project perspective. They can listen to the company goals and translate those into a nice finished product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of Phoenix Loss Control. We work on recoveries across the nation for damages that occurred to utilities—underground, overhead, and anything outside. We investigate the damages to determine fault, create an invoice for repairs, and send the invoice to the responsible party. From there, we work to recover those dollars.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We needed a company to make our database more efficient and user-friendly using modern developmental tools.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first presented Emergent Software with our needs and previous experiences with what did and didn’t work. Their team then designed modules and built our database. They use Microsoft tools.

Emergent Software designed and developed several tools including our ILS (Integrated Legal Services) and our MRS (Mobile Reporting System). They helped to build a dashboard for us to manage claims. 

Their team also implemented specific data points and modules for data collection. We’re able to pull reports from the database to manage the business. We can also format reports in a way that makes sense to our clients.

Currently, their team’s helping to redesign and update our database to increase user-friendliness.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people including the owner and developers. Chris (General Manager) is our main point of contact for billing and hourly rates.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

We searched online and found Emergent Software. They showed us their work with previous clients, which made us comfortable in their abilities to handle all of our requirements. It was easy to communicate with them. Rather than telling us how we should build our database, their team was also willing to work according to our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $300,000–$500,000 on their services

What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration began in August 2018, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Emergent Software implemented functions that make our system run efficiently. They play a large part in helping us to manage our business.

Since we started working with them, our system hasn’t crashed. Their team implements backups that work well to ensure our data’s secure. We haven’t experienced any infiltrations, so our data’s well protected.

We track the number of hours and dollars spent; those numbers remain on track. If we feel that costs need to be brought back in line, they’re cooperative.

Timeliness is also a key indicator for us. Their team completes SOWs close to their estimated deadlines.

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Our database manager meets with them weekly to discuss their progress on projects and other tickets such as maintenance. Their communication’s good.

Their team assigns a lead to each project based on that individual's experiences. Then, they create a solid SOW that we revise. Once we agree, their team begins their work quickly. They perform well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re database experts. Their level of communication sets them apart. They let us know if they encounter any difficulties. Their team updates us if they’re ahead or behind schedule. That has made for a far superior experience than our previous engagements.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any areas for improvement. We immediately address any issues — big or small — and they take care of it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand your needs and expectations for the developers. As well, try to understand that not all challenges are an emergency. That helps to keep costs down.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for an AEC consulting firm. I’m the IT application administrator working under our VP of technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We’ve used Emergent for SharePoint-based projects – both traditional and modern SharePoint – as well as for data warehousing and data analysis work. 

We were looking for more efficient ways of working. We wanted someone who would really partner with us to achieve goals that are constantly in motion; as we achieve one goal, it brings up the next goal.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

On the latest engagement, we were looking to do an overhaul on our internal SharePoint portal for internal staff collaboration and communication. We really wanted to have a well-designed, interactive, and modern look and feel to that portal. In terms of technologies used, the focus was on the modern Office 365 SharePoint experience. They tried to use out-of-the-box tools that were readily available and deploy them in the most effective, efficient, and eye-catching manner. When we had requirements like our staff directory or project management portal, they went above and beyond what was out-of-the-box and looked to provide customized solutions that were going to meet our needs.

On the data warehousing and analytics side, we didn't have any internal staff with the time or skills capable of performing those functions; however, it was an extremely high need for our organization in order to move forward with our business intelligence (BI) and business analytics projects that we have going on. I reached out to Emergent and was introduced to their data warehousing team. We had our SQL environment set up, but they’ve helped us extend that into Azure Synapse on the Microsoft side so that we can connect our Power BI and Azure SQL and have a cloud-to-cloud connection for our production BI environment. They've introduced a few additional tools, but they've really tried to stay largely within that Microsoft realm where we are; they met us where we needed to be technology- and experience-wise.

What is the team composition?

On the SharePoint side, we engaged with 4–5 different staff members, including a project manager, a business analyst, and SharePoint developers. 

On the data warehousing side, we’ve worked with Kevin (Director of Database Development & Administration) and a data analyst. Both of them are extremely qualified, and we’ve been very happy working with them on the data warehousing project. They’ve very responsive and get to the heart of what we’re looking for.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

We had worked with Emergent Technologies prior to Emergent Software being spun off. We knew of them in the marketplace just from our experience in the past, so we reached out to them directly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first project began in May or June 2017, and we’ve worked with them on two additional projects since 2019. It’s ongoing, and we see our current warehousing operations continuing through 2020 and probably 2021. We view them as a partner in achieving our goals, and we have a lot of ongoing needs as we continue to build out our data warehouse environment.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have performed very well in the different projects we’ve worked with them on. Having them there as a business partner rather than just a contractor has really been fantastic for us.

For the SharePoint portal, the Emergent Software team did a fantastic job of really digging into our requirements and eliciting out a lot of information that we hadn't thought of, or introducing us to new ways of looking at it. If we brought up something that was a challenge, they identified alternative solutions to what we were looking for. We ended up with a fantastic redesign that has really overhauled how we're able to communicate internally with our staff.

After getting off the ground and working with a couple of their different data analytics professionals, we've really been able to partner with them. I view them as an extension of our internal analytics team because they understand what we're trying to accomplish. They're able to convert our business lingo into the technical backend systems and help us understand how we can construct our data in a more efficient and effective manner to achieve those goals that we're really trying to get at when we're creating our visualizations and business intelligence reports.

We continue to work with them to deliver the data tables, views, and reports that we’re looking for. Our metrics are really around their timely turnaround and ability to deliver a quality product. They understand what we’re trying to achieve, and they’re able to turn around our requests in a timely manner. We see deliverables turned around within the week, so if we begin the process at the beginning of the week, we have what we’re looking for in the agile, iterative process by the end of the week. They always seem to come in on time and on budget.

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

The SharePoint team was really solid and did a fantastic job. They were very organized and used the same toolsets that we were using in the Microsoft stack, like Teams to collaborate, communicate, and exchange ideas. They were very prompt in making sure that deliverables and deadlines were identified and held to. We had weekly check-in meetings, and they started those by running down what had been done and what needed to be done.

Our data warehousing is a bit more fluid; they’re more of a partner that we work with on an as-needed basis, so it’s not necessarily specific to any project deliverables. We don’t have a project management perspective there, but they’re very qualified. 

In general, they’ve always been very responsive, and they provide affordable solutions for the things we’re looking for. We communicate primarily via email and video conferencing, as they’re a remote team. When we get to a point where a meeting or a conversation is necessary, we connect using Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their attentiveness to our needs. I’d say Chris (General Manager) does a great job of trying to stay in communication with me on at least a quarterly basis; he reaches out to see how things are going. Their team is always professional and looking to make sure that we’re happy as a customer and getting what we need. If we have any questions, we can reach out to them at any time, and they’re willing to meet with us on our schedule and help us get through any challenges that we’re running into. I don’t feel like I’m being ignored or forgotten about; they give us the right amount of attention when we need it, and they check in to make sure that everything is moving along smoothly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind immediately.

Any advice for potential customers?

Ask as many questions as possible, and throw out crazy ideas to them – they’re willing to look at whatever you have going on and try to devise solutions that meet you where you’re at. Everybody they’ve brought to the table has been more than qualified to do the work that we’re asking for, so just engage with them, keep open lines of communication, and reach out and ask questions when you have them. They will stop what they’re doing and answer your questions to make sure that you understand before they proceed, rather than just putting a lot of work into something and then hoping what they deliver at the end is what you’re looking for. They ensure their progress aligns with your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing and communications manager at a medical device manufacturing and distribution company. Specifically, I work in the sleep and respiratory care division. Our medical device is a vibrating vest our patients wear that allows them to expel mucus.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We had just issued iPads to our sales team, who frequently made presentations in hospitals or other locations with poor reception. We were looking to create a way for the team to present sales materials without needing service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emergent Software developed a web app for our sales team. The app is available offline to ensure that presentations can be made regardless of reception. Our sales team uses the external client-facing app to make sales pitches to hospitals or care providers.

Their team built an app that allows our sales team to build a presentation. The app contains a library of our sales materials and reps can add materials to a playlist. Our library contains 12 categories of marketing materials, which include videos, PDFs, and more. Emergent Software continues to add features and functionalities to the app.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a team of five at Emergent Software and had one main point of contact, which switched halfway through the project. There was presumably a team of people behind the scenes that I did not meet.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

I had a connection with an employee of Emergent Software. Additionally, one of my colleagues had used them while working at a different company and had a great experience.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Emergent Software began in January 2019. While we were ready to launch in April, there was an internal delay and we did not launch until summer. Emergent Software continues to provide maintenance and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The web app has been very well received among our audience. They’re very appreciative to have something on an iPad as opposed to a smaller screen. The web app is professional and works really well. We’ve had minimal errors or issues, but when they do arise, Emergent Software is quick to troubleshoot them. It’s a very welcome advance in our field.

One of our intentions was to reduce our internal printing costs. The web app has helped us reduce our spend on printing hardcopy literature. On top of that, when we close to launching the web app, I went out on maternity leave. They had to switch to a different group of people internally and were incredibly adaptable. 

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Emergent Software is very organized, timely, and responsive. We primarily communicated through email, although we now use Smartsheet. They were willing to break down technical information for non-technical people. Their team made things easy to understand to help us make decisions.

We were under a very tight timeline and had been going back and forth on budget and schedule, but Emergent Software was flexible with us. They were willing to work with us as the project evolved.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Emergent Software’s speed and flexibility made them stand out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. They did a great job with the changing of the guard as they transitioned us to another account manager.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Anyone doing this kind of project should go in with clear intentions and goals. If someone didn’t have those, Emergent Software is able to synthesize and distill information to help you get to that point.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a disability income protection planning organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

There currently aren’t any financial planning tools to educate clients on this specific area of service and how important planning is for them. I saw this missing link because many professionals were struggling with this. I wanted a software development team to build a system that would meet this need.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I first brought in Emergent Software, the work was very exploratory because we were working on something that had never been done before. They quickly got themselves up to speed on what we were doing, taking the time to understand our business, vernacular, and needs. They took all of this information and data and restructured it into an analysis software that made sense with the amount of information we wanted to present to clients.

So far, they’ve used Highcharts to create graphic elements and template forms, formatting them to our needs and data.

What is the team composition?

I originally worked with two points of contact during the discovery phase of the project. Once we had direction, they passed the project off to two technical leads, who I’ve been working with most closely since.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

I did a Google search for local software development companies. Emergent Software was one of the first results, so I hopped on their website and really liked what I saw. I reached out and, after discussing the project with them, thought they had a good approach. They seemed ready to get down in the weeds and understood our project, so we trusted them right from the start. We didn’t even look at any other software companies after speaking with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work started in January 2018 and is ongoing. We intend for this to be a long-lasting partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s still too early to give any metrics, but the initial feedback from clients and advisors on our demo has been phenomenal. The product seems very strong.  

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication as a whole has been amazing. There were points where we needed to be communicating daily for the project to go as planned, and sometimes we only needed to communicate once a week. Emergent Software adapted themselves to our needs. They’re great at taking feedback and making tweaks along the way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their patience and ability to work through several different dynamics were both very impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At first, it was somewhat difficult to sync up our business language with their technological vernacular. That comes with the territory, though, and they really took the time to understand what we needed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into early meetings with a good feel for what you’re trying to communicate to them in terms of project goals. This way, they know how to best approach the project moving forward. That’s something we struggled with at first, and it was just because we didn’t communicate our ideas well enough initially.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing for a brick-and-mortar retailer. We own and operate 140 stores in 31 states.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We wanted to replatform and redesign our website while we were updating our backend ERP system. We were looking to jump into a new CMS and e-commerce platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emergent Software revamped our website, which is built in Sitecore CMS. The team was hands-on from the beginning. We had a quick but thorough needs discovery phase; we discussed where we’re at as a company, where we want to go, and what information we had. The process resulted in a detailed action plan on how we’d achieve our goals. 

The Emergent Software team then helped us through every process, from setting up the backend infrastructure to coordinating the contract negotiations for our new site platform. They also drove conversations with my team, our IT team, and other vendor partners that we work with. They supported us from ideation and planning to execution, QA, and launch. They even helped with some SEO work. Emergent Software was an invaluable resource from start to finish.

What is the team composition?

There were at least 5–6 front-facing individuals we worked with. The team consisted of frontend specialists, backend specialists, a project manager, and a combination solutions architect and general manager.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

We had previously worked with Emergent Software on a small project—to design a more user-friendly interface for a technology we purchased from Europe. They were extremely agile, reliable, and responsive to all communication. Based off of those intangible qualities, I felt they would be a great asset for a much larger scale project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $500,000 and $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2018–January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen substantial increases in our page load speed, length of site visits, and total traffic. Pretty much every KPI we measured to account for user behavior on the new site had positive growth. The new site also has received praise for its design, flow, and options to find new products and content pieces. Our customer satisfaction scores and our volume of customers have both lifted.

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d give Emergent Software top scores for their management. The team was extraordinarily accountable and reliable in all of their work. I would trust them again for any future project.

We communicated through in-person meetings twice a week and daily standups either in-person or over phone calls. Everything was tracked and managed in a ticketing system. We also used email overviews for executive-level status and progression updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their competency stood out most to me. Emergent Software took the time to understand our needs so that they could meet them as efficiently as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any feedback at this moment. 

Any advice for potential customers?

If you want a client partner that is going to invest in your business and act as an extension of your team, then Emergent Software is the company for you. They excel at developing a personal relationship. At the end of the day, I think it’s a definitive sign of success when you can count on them as if they were your own team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the product manager at Compeer Financial.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We reached out to Emergent Software to help us develop an insurance decision tool.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emergent Software helped us do some requirements gathering, discovery, and design work for the project, since most of our internal tech team wasn't involved on this project. Then, they developed the tool on an Azure website from scratch.

Features include a crop insurance sales tool that's used to compare various products in the industry, and a dairy revenue protection insurance tool that allows farmers to pull pricing from third-party sources of different types of milk. They continue to provide support and build out certain features, including a notification feature that alerts farmers with daily quotes. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with a project manager and about four developers.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

We found them through an online search, looking for vendors willing to take on smaller projects. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested between $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2018–February 2019, but they provide ongoing support as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The tool just recently launched, so we don't have any metrics to report yet, but the product has been very well received thus far. 

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They're great to work with–very creative, solutions-oriented, and proactive about driving projects forward. They were also organized and easy to communicate with, meeting with us several times in person and holding weekly standup meetings as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness sets them apart. Even though our project is on the smaller side, they treated us the same as their larger clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can't name anything specific.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, but I highly recommend working with them

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of communications at the American Institute of Architects Minnesota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

We reached out to Emergent Software to develop a new website and to train us on the new CMS. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emergent Software developed the backend of a website from scratch on Umbraco, using designs from a third-party. They selected the CMS and provided training to our staff on how to use it. They incorporated features, including about 50 case studies that are searchable by various criteria, and ensured our graphic elements were clear and uploaded properly. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked closely with a team of about five during development and training phases.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

Our design agency recommended them based on their experience working with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place between September–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered a website that's visually perfect and works flawlessly. It's received a lot of positive feedback from users thus far, who appreciate its functionality and seamless user experience.  

Compared to other developers I've worked with, their process is a lot more seamless. They were also great about training our staff on how to use the new CMS and were prompt to fix any bugs or make modifications to the site as needed. 

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive, stuck to timelines, and were very communicative and collaborative throughout the project. We had some in-person meetings, which we found to be productive and efficient. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were able to develop technical solutions from the non-technical information we provided. They intuitively understood our needs and effectively translated them into a great end product. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Their process was solid throughout the engagement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get them involved early, because their input around the design and functionality of the site will provide a lot of value.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the digital media director for Kalahari Resorts & Conventions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

In addition to losing an internal developer on our team, a relationship with a vendor we started to work with fell apart mid-project. We had a huge project that was only about 65% completed for what I had paid for, so I was already more than $100,000 over budget. I needed a development partner I could trust to finish the project and fix bugs that would have our best interest at heart.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It started with a panicked phone call to Emergent Software explaining our situation and the type of structure we needed help on. We had just migrated our site from Umbraco CMS to Azure, so Emergent Software helped complete the project and fix many bugs. Much of the .NET site is custom coded, but they used a lot of open source items as needed.

In one example, the website was going down for 30 seconds every 20 minutes. After doing a deep dive, Emergent Software found and fixed a corrupt file that was causing the memory leak and other data pools that were piling up. In another instance, they helped fix the custom integration of Pardot and Salesforce. They've also integrated a chat box to connect site visitors to our customer service center and provided some SEO services.

What is the team composition?

I work with a sales representative and lead developer who is available even by text message. There's also a couple people working on the backend.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

When the previous vendor we were working with started making a lot of internal changes, many of their staff left the company. One person I had been working with on their team reached out to me personally to recommend Emergent Software.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $50,000 thus far and plan to invest a lot more. Had I met them sooner, I would've liked to have given them our full $400,000-project from the start.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around December 2017 and I don't see an end in the relationship anytime soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Emergent Software has helped secure the functionality of our website, which is a huge revenue source for us. By installing things like Uptime Robot, I have complete clarity when the website is down. They're also able to fix it right away. The uptime on our website has been enormous and our online bookings continue to increase. Due to improvements in efficiency, time on site has dropped slightly as well as bounce rate.

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I've worked with many tech companies, but Emergent Software is one of the most personable vendors I've found. They take pride in their work and are always willing to do things on the fly and respond to my many requests. In addition to being tolerant of my needs, they have the ability to get things done quickly and stay self-motivated without me having to check in.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're willing to save me money even at their own expense. They've found ways for me to be more efficient even if it means that it would lead to less work for them in the future. For example, when they noticed a memory leak on our site leftover from the previous vendor's work, they found a way to decrease our overall hosting spending by a few hundred dollars each month. Our previous vendor's solution was to increase bandwidth and server fees to deal with an issue that Emergent found a much more efficient way of handling.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I'm very happy with how the relationship is going.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If I could start over from a better position, I would prioritize my needs and give them more time to identify the best path for the work overall. I'd just suggest allowing them to do their job, because they're extremely capable and thoughtful when it comes to conquering projects in the best order.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a city planner within a department of community planning and economic development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emergent Software?

For the last couple years, a colleague and I have been managing a project to update our city's comprehensive plan. Traditionally, the document has been produced as a PDF that's several hundred pages long. We were looking for a way to make it more accessible and interactive by putting it online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Subcontracted under another design firm, Emergent handled the backend development of the project. They built the website using Umbraco CMS, customizing the navigation of the various chapters of the comprehensive plan as requested.

What is the team composition?

Mike (Principle Engineer, Emergent Software) acted as our lead developer, but we also worked with a project manager.

How did you come to work with Emergent Software?

The design firm we hired through our RFP process wanted to subcontract their work with Emergent. We felt that both firms were a good fit, because they clearly understood what our requirements were and had a lot of creative ideas for how to make it happen in their interview.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $100,000 in total, but that also includes the design work from our other vendor. I'm unsure what portion of that was spent on the backend work that Emergent provided.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from November 2017 to March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website allows users to successfully access specific parts of the city's comprehensive plan more quickly than in previous years. Users seem very happy with it overall—it's intuitive, beautiful, and modern. Any minor issues or bugs were addressed by Emergent's team quickly and thoroughly.

How did Emergent Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Emergent's team is very responsive and easy to work with. They provided great ideas for some of the challenges that came up along the way and remained flexible and receptive to things we changed in the middle of the process.

While we did meet them in-person occasionally, most of our communication occurred through email, phone, and web meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by their level of professionalism. Despite the complexity of our project, they were able to turn it around quickly and thoroughly. They came up with a product that was better than what we originally envisioned.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Put a lot of thought into what you're trying to achieve with your product or website. Come into it with your own ideas, so they're able to craft it into something that matches your goals.