GLOBALDEV

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Roopor is focused on audio-streaming and podcasting through an iOS and Android app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

We were in the idea stage of the business and had received our first investment. We couldn’t afford to hire a full-time development team, so we decided to outsource the work on our MVP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us build and launch our application. They were responsible for the front- and backend development, the frontend of which was cross-platform. They were also responsible for bug fixing— their job was bringing the platform to a stable working condition.

Streaming is a tricky process by its nature. The user can simply press a button and start recording, but there are lots of invisible features in place for solving connection issues, buffering, and so on. IDAP provided a lot of consultation on this, taking control, identifying our problems, and making decisions based on our user numbers and other factors.

What is the team composition?

They assigned a team of front- and backend specialists, as well as a project manager. This allowed us to develop the app for both Android and iOS with minimal delays and expenses.

How did you come to work with IDAP?

Our CTO had previously collaborated with them on smaller-scale projects and found them to be experienced with streaming platforms. They also had very good references from offshore clients. We met a couple of other candidates as well, but went with IDAP.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work was $45,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The technical consultation stage took place in April–June 2017. We spent a couple of months formulating assignments and calculating the development cost. The project was finished in November 2017 then we had a few iterations after that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The success of the project was down to them—they did a great job of developing our front- and backend, as well as structuring the software in a way that allowed us to optimize our budget. This was really important for us as a startup.

The app looks simple from the user end, so we haven’t received a lot of feedback on its interface. It’s functional and it brings value to users. We haven’t heard any negative comments, aside from a few compatibility issues with new devices like the iPhone X. We picked a range of products to test the app on and that device hadn’t been launched at the time.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

We could contact them at any time of day if we needed to fix an issue or implement something new, and the work was always done quickly. Whenever we had a concern, they were more than willing to discuss it with us, and try to fix it. This was important for us, given that we were a startup and had a changing business model.

I don’t remember any significant delays. Outsourcing teams do what the client asks of them, and any changes come at an additional cost. They were able to stick to our original brief and budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t been in this business for long, so I don’t have too many comparison points. They had experience in the particular area we were tackling—online data streaming, which is a complex process. I also liked the speed at which they incorporated our decisions into their work, regardless of the time of day. Speed and quality are crucial characteristics for a provider working with a startup. Considering all of that, I have nothing to complain about.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. Everything has been great so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO and co-founder of KITWAY. We develop comprehensive, high-loaded systems for the financial industry, with a special focus on enterprise resource planning solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

We create web frontends in-house and rely on IDAP to provide mobile development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with IDAP on UI/UX design, development, and testing across three projects. The first was a big-data solution related to a mobile bulletin board. Their team developed the Android and iOS app that connected to the backend components created by our in-house team.

The second involved the development of an Android application for an IoT solution. They worked under a tight budget and deadline to build a number of features. These included user registration, tracking of moving and immovable objects, photo management, emergency notifications, and connections for multiple IoT devices.

We recently completed our third project, an Android application that they also built under a strict budget. All applications were developed natively for Android and iOS. As skilled testers, we’ve also consulted them for estimations on various aspects of mobile development.

What is the team composition?

They assigned a team of eight full-stack developers and QA testers for the first project. On our most recent assignment, we worked with two developers.

How did you come to work with IDAP?

We contacted three companies after conducting market research. IDAP stood out because of their expertise and responsiveness.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2016 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customers are consistently satisfied by IDAP’s UI/UX designs.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

They have good communication skills and are able to work under pressure, achieving results under tight deadlines. They always work within our budget, and their responsive team is friendly and open to discussion.

Their process is different from our own, so we had some difficulties integrating our teams in the beginning, but we addressed these issues. While we began coordinating with their internal tracking system, we now use Excel timesheets and communicate via email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is their most impressive quality. They’re friendly, willing to implement change requests, and have always helped us resolve any critical situations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a different approach than us, requesting highly detailed documentation for any project. We’ve had to make an extra effort to clarify the goals of our clients, but we’ve been satisfied overall.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of a company that provides inspections, including backflow, fire sprinkler, and fire alarm inspections and plumbing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

We've had multiple programmers fail to provide coding for one of our custom solutions. We needed to work with a new programmer and also decide whether it was worth salvaging our progress or better to start the development from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once we established a contract with IDAP, they visited our property to evaluate our team and the pros and cons of the solution we had. They came up with a new technology and developed a Linux-based enterprise solution that wouldn't incur high overhead costs.

The new program links text within our office electronically and tracks various services and inspection reports throughout different timelines. They built out a dashboard application that is compatible with iOS apps. Initially, the program was used internally, but their team is working on a second version that will be public-facing.

What is the team composition?

We work with 12 people, including a project manager, lead programmer, UI and UX designers, iOS programmers, and backend programmers.

How did you come to work with IDAP?

I believe I found them through Clutch after doing extensive research on companies from all over the world. I chose them based on their professional approach and responsiveness.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since February 2017 and expect to be working with them for the foreseeable future since the project is so large.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm incredibly happy with IDAP's solutions, their level of output, and overall commitment. Progress is happening every day and they continue to propose new technologies to help us achieve our goals. Any bugs or issues are addressed almost immediately.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

Their approach to project management makes the collaboration easy. We have meetings and phone calls on a daily basis. I have one main point of contact who not only fully understands our work but is great about coming up with additional ideas that add value to projects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team genuinely cares about our work and is committed to delivering the best possible product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that the vendor you choose is qualified and has the manpower to take on your project. I spent a long time searching for the right vendor, so it's been a huge relief to finally find those qualities in IDAP.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a startup called Your Living-room Trainer. It’s basically an online gym with profiles for trainers and trainees, and the service matches compatible exercise preferences and processes payments for individual sessions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

We needed to design and build a site that would support the platform and all the features we were looking to include.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SteelKiwi created the site on Drupal, and handled all aspects of development including design, UX/UI, and backend work. We initially provided them with a series of sketches/ideas for the look and feel, but they took the lead on design execution. Throughout the project they used Django, Python, and Amazon Web Services for hosting. They also set us up on Google Analytics.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Kristina Malik, who acted as our project manager. Yvette Mosiichuk lead UX development and the design process. I also worked with two developers on occasion.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

I originally found them on Google. I interviewed quite a few other agencies, but none of them were a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested under $50,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May of 2017, and concluded in January of 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The design of the product was very clean and well-done. It’s simple to use, and the user flow is great. We’re still waiting on user feedback, but we’re very happy with the end product and looking forward to seeing how it’s received.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were top notch; Kristina did an excellent job. She was communicative, organized, and attentive throughout the project. They were very responsive. We used a combination of Slack, Jira, Confluence, and Skype for communication and tracking progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication was very impressive, and they worked very well as a team. Also, during the project, I had some personal issues due to Hurricane Irma, and they were very understanding and were willing to work around my schedule.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was a bit nervous about the number of bugs that came up during the testing phase, but they fixed them efficiently at no extra charge. They could also be more communicative around pricing, because they’re charging more than their initial quote.

Advice for potential customers?

They’re an excellent company to work with, and the customer service is great. Be open and communicate with them. Make sure they know exactly what you’re looking for, and I’m 100% sure that they’ll do everything they can to make it happen.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Jezter, a parental-controlled children’s entertainment and education app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

We needed to outsource a company for mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we discussed project specifications and negotiated a price. Then, we were assigned a project manager who laid out a timeline. They provided a beta version that we then had tested. Once that was complete, SteelKiwi resumed development. We received weekly builds and provided feedback until the product was complete.

Essentially, they developed an iOS app that aggregates kid-friendly online content like YouTube videos, web games, and comics. This included building a backend server that we upload content too, and designing the app’s final UI. The finished product features a catalog for users to easily discover content. Alternatively, parents can manage what their kids view by creating playlists and limiting screen time via in-app functions.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the account manager and project manager, but never interacted with the developers.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

We found them and 5–6 other companies on Clutch. After interviewing all potential vendors, SteelKiwi was the most professional and had the best prices.

How much have you invested with them?

This project cost around $27,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement took place May 2017­–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had 200 beta testers, and 20–30 have sent positive reviews. Parents are impressed with how easily they can manage their child’s screen time.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via Skype and email, while using Trello and Jira to assist with project management. They’d respond to questions within an hour, or at least communicate when they’d have an answer if the question was difficult. However, the 7–hour time-zone difference was challenging in terms of deadlines, but that’s the drawback of outsourcing overseas.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The final product was delivered above expectations. The UI is great and functions completely without bugs. We’re fully satisfied and plan to work with them on future developments.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project manager’s English wasn’t perfect, and that sometimes caused miscommunication. However, the account manager is almost fluent in English, which is impressive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

SteelKiwi is great for startups with a fluid vision. They did a lot of research to help us decide where to take our product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of Hashtag Hound, an app that helps find hashtags for Instagram.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Steelkiwi?

We needed to find someone who could develop an app they haven’t done before. A lot of companies just want to do something they've done in the past. No one could guarantee us that the algorithm we wanted to build will actually work. Steelwiki was the first company that said they could definitely do it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on everything involving the app. They built it for iOS and Android. They built the user interface. They drew illustrations for use inside the app and created the icons and logo designs.

The user logs in and sees categories that they can choose from that relate to their photo. They can choose the date, location, and language, and the app provides the user with a list of the best hashtags that are suitable for their photo. The user will be able to get the relevant audience that will see the photo. The app isn't on the App Store yet, but it's almost done. We are testing it now.

What is the team dynamic?

There were 2 developers on each platform. We had meetings with the whole team working on the project whenever it was necessary, but I dealt mostly with the team leader.

How did you come to work with Steelkiwi?

I was browsing websites and portfolios of different companies. Steelkiwi attracted my attention because of the designs of their apps. I felt like it was suitable for our purposes. At the initial meeting, I saw how involved and passionate they are. They understood me straight away, and they seemed genuinely interested in developing my app.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $40,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since April 2017. We're testing this particular build of our app. Once we get feedback from the users, we'll look at it together, fix the app, and then launch it on the App Store. They'll provide the support afterward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback has been positive so far. For people who haven't had help with finding hashtags for Instagram, they're happy and excited. People who are using other services or apps have concerns that it doesn't work the same way as other apps, but they're happy with the design, and they like the interface. The main complaint is that the selection process for the hashtags is not as fast. We might change the technical selection process.

How did Steelkiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were incredibly reliable. I have no complaints whatsoever. They worked so fast that I didn't expect the project to finish this soon. That created a few problems for me in terms of management, because we weren't prepared to launch in terms of marketing. I wish there was more communication on that part, but their general strategy in terms of project management is to over deliver as opposed to under deliver. When it comes to time, it's not always convenient for a client to have the project ready sooner rather than later, but that's my issue.

We used Slack to communicate. We could also see all the details of the process on JIRA. I met them in person at the beginning, but because we're in different countries, we communicate online.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very organized. Every issue that came up was solved straight away. The level of planning that goes into every task was ridiculous at times. We sat down and they explained every detail in the process. Eventually, we had to simplify that because it was too much for me. That impressed me; their style is very linear.

The way their developers work together with UX designers is very efficient; I'm glad I didn't go with my own UX designer. It was perfect. It happened so quickly. They did everything exactly the way we wanted.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their timing could be improved, which also impacts financing. If you're not sure when they're going to finish the project and how quickly they're going to work on it, then you're not sure how much you have to pay them every month. Their initial quote was correct, but it was a hard to put together the finances necessary for this project as quickly as they were developing it because I expected it to last longer. They finished it 4–5 months earlier than I expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of three founders of a startup company that does business and location intelligence. We have a web application that looks at worldwide demographics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

SteelKiwi redeveloped an app for us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SteelKiwi helped create an API and the framework for the backend of our application. We already had a functioning version of the app written in ASP.NET, so we had SteelKiwi redevelop and modernize everything for us.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

We had used SteelKiwi before to develop a webpage while we were doing work with a humanitarian aid company. We wanted to hire stateside for this project, so we probably looked at three different companies stateside. We also looked at individual developers, but we decided to go with SteelKiwi. We had the previous experience with them, and they had done good work for us before. Cost also was a consideration.

How much have you invested with SteelKiwi?

We’ve probably spent a little over $20,000 with SteelKiwi.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re still working with the humanitarian aid company, so we have an ongoing relationship with SteelKiwi. I think we originally started working with them a little less than a year ago. We started on this specific project probably 3–4 months ago, so around January of 2017. We’re not quite finished with the project yet. They’re wrapping up a few things for us on the backend, and we’re considering some additional functionalities. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The communication with SteelKiwi has been good and easy. They use a bunch of different platforms, including Slack and JIRA. They’ve also been accommodating in terms of the time zones. We’re in Colorado, so we had a time difference, but they’re pretty good at dealing with that.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

Not including the project manager, I would say five developers from SteelKiwi worked on our project. That includes the quality assurance person. We basically let them assemble the team that would work with us, but we used some of the same members we’d used on our previous project.

What did you find most impressive about SteelKiwi?

We were really happy with what SteelKiwi did for us. We didn't get too much into how they conducted their business. I guess they do have a live video feed where you can see them working. I thought that was interesting. We didn't really dive into how they operated, though. We let them do their work.

Are there any areas SteelKiwi could improve?

One difficult area has been in terms of billing. We’ve had a little bit of confusion in trying to get the billing correct or fully clarified. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My business is AppLab. I’m creating a travel app for friends. It’s similar to TripAdvisor and Foursquare, but mixed with Instagram.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

I wasn't into apps in general. It's not my main job; it's just a hobby for now. I just had an idea that I thought it would be great to create something because the app that I had in mind doesn't exist. Every time that I was traveling, I would look at TripAdvisor reviews, and I always made mistakes because the people who review different hotels, restaurants, etc. are not my friends, and don't have the same taste as I do. I was also reviewing existing apps, such as Foursquare, which I found very difficult to use. I wanted to develop something more personal and only for friends.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My app is very simple. It's based only on images for now. I think an image speaks 1,000 words, and there’s no need for detailed reviews. If I see my friend visited that restaurant when he was in New York, I know his taste and I know it's a good place to try out. 

The main feature is image upload. The profile is done through Facebook. So when you sign in, you sign into Facebook. Another feature were map pins, which are very important. If you're trying to see the places your friends have visited, you login to the map and you would see all those places. You can also find a direction to each place.

They helped me with the requirements for the app. It's not something I did by myself. I had a clear idea of what I wanted, but since development is not something that I do, I wasn't sure I would be capable of translating what I had in mind to the actual app. They helped me a lot because they understood right away what I was looking for.

I had a project manager, a designer, and two other members on the project. I was always in communication with the project manager. She handled everything, and I had to meet a few times with the designer. I didn’t interact much with the developers. We had two to three calls to resolve small issues, but I assume five developers were working on the app. It was really the designer and the project manager that I was in contact with.

The app is still being tested because of a few issues that I noticed. While we were developing the app, everything was done well. Issues that we are having now can be fixed once the testing is done.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

I went to Upwork and posted there what I was looking for. Before I decided on SteelKiwi, I was in contact with five developers at the time. There was one in India, but it was really hard because of the time difference. I was looking for someone that's closer to where I'm at in Italy. Then I had another company from Moscow.

However, SteelKiwi was local, and they offered a better price. I wasn't even considering the other companies. One did a quote that was triple from what it should have been. I think the Indian company was a great company, but the time difference would be an issue.

SteelKiwi were just better than anyone. They just convinced me, and Kate was really helpful. My first gut instinct was to hire them because I really had a good feeling after my first interview with them. There was just no question that I would choose them.

How much have you invested with SteelKiwi?

The total was $16,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in November 2016 with wireframes. I was delaying the entire process for a month or two, because in Italy it's better if you have your own company if you're doing something like this. Bureaucratic things in Italy are so long, so I'm still waiting to have my company set up. It's something that will happen in the next few weeks or so. For that reason, I couldn't move forward faster because all the invoices need to go through the company, and if you don't have the company you can't put all the expenses on the company. I'm sure we would have finished everything at least two months earlier if it wasn't for those bureaucratic parts that I had to deal with.

The app is live. I'm testing it with a few of my friends because it has my first and last name underneath because I don't have the company yet. I'm just waiting for that to happen. I can't go live with my name because to be honest, it looks weird. It's live for users, but I haven't started with marketing or any initiatives that were supposed to happen after the launch. I'm just waiting for that to be determined.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every time I have to travel, I always have those long emails of places. For example, I'm traveling to Abu Dhabi tomorrow. I had a friend who was there a week ago, and he sent me a huge email with places I have to visit, but I think that will be easier to have that through my app. Then you can check the images and details, so it's definitely something that will be more useful for users and me. Based on this idea, I think it will have a positive reaction.

Of the three users using it right now (my husband and best friends), the reception has been positive. It's still in the beginning, but I think it's something that can be developed into something bigger since my initial idea was an app that was more complex than this one. I have to say SteelKiwi were pretty honest, saying it's better to start with small, and then if you see a positive reaction from users, we can definitely build it up to be what I had in mind in the beginning.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

It was really good. I don't know about other project managers, but mine was really perfect. She was available 24 hours a day even though I wasn’t. I never had an issue in communications with them. We used Google Docs, Skype for conference calls, and email.

What did you find most impressive about SteelKiwi?

They are very detail-oriented. They push your limits, saying "You have to think about this, and you have to get back to me tomorrow." They're really pushy but in a good way. They're trying to make you think more than you have time to do. 

Are there any areas SteelKiwi could improve?

I spoke to them about it. I think the only thing to improve is their invoicing. Every time they would send an invoice, I would have a list of what has been done that week or month. Since I'm not a developer, I don't know anything about apps, so it wasn't really clear to me. Every time I had to go back and talk to them about it. They were completely transparent, and I don't think there was an issue there. In terms of the description of the invoice and what has been done, they also agreed that that should have been more clear for someone who’s not a developer, or someone who doesn't understand those terms.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Lifelymeal is an online platform that showcases all local caterers and allows users to book from them directly on the platform. The users can use the platform to compare caterers, understand their services further based on reviews and ratings, and make the booking conveniently.

What is your position? 

I’m the CEO. I’m responsible for kickstarting the business in all areas. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Steelkiwi?

We wanted to simplify the effort of searching for local caterers and comparing them to each other. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement. 

The website was built from scratch by Steelkiwi, both design and development. Some core features included the ability to accept and process user generated ratings and reviews. Another key feature was the ability to process bookings using a series of graphic menus or date inputs. Integration with the Braintree payment solution was also a major component. The team of 3–4 developers built the system using Python. I didn't have a hand in assembling the team. My only involvement was coming up with and validating the specifications. 

How did you come to work with Steelkiwi?

I searched through online startup development tech firm and found Steelkiwi. Upon contact, Igor did an amazing job in communicating the requirements and expectations, which made me excited to have them work on the project. The other local suppliers that were consideration did not seem competent enough. 

What was the size of your investment with them?

We’ve spent about $19,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The prototype is completed. The official timeframe was between December of 2016 to March of 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any anecdotal feedback received from internal stakeholders or external end-users?

The features work nicely via an understandable process for both users and backend management. We are satisfied with the platform’s basic functionalities.

How did Steelkiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

Tatiana did a great job in rallying her team to accomplish what was expected, clearly defining the project requirements in the documentation. This is updated on a weekly basis for me as well. Slack was our primary tool for communication.

What distinguishes Steelkiwi from other providers?

They have professional project management in terms of progress updates and presentations to me.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve or things you might do differently?

Improvement of their communication in English would be much appreciated. I’d also like to see them offering solutions when mentioning problems. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a photography organization that has produced an app and website that are virtual extensions of what we’ve being doing locally for several years. The app and website allow photographers and photography enthusiasts to have their work assessed and curated by photography experts. Photographers can also display their work publicly and participate in a series of photographic competitions we’re running. We’ve been doing this through physical shows in San Diego for quite a long time, but now we’re building the app and website to expand this into a virtual realm. It provides many more shows and opportunities for exposure and cash rewards for a much larger number of photo enthusiasts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

We hired SteelKiwi to build an app for our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we went to SteelKiwi, we didn't have a functional version of the app, but we did have a visual document and some requirements that we kind of knew we needed. At first, they built a simple version of the app for us, which is in the App Store right now. Our main goal is to have a more involved version that will allow the users to interact with their own profiles, display their work, and participate in the competitions we’ll be running. We’re in the process of building a more complex version of the app now. We’re starting with iOS versions, but we hope to expand and build an Android version soon. SteelKiwi covers all those bases.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

I was originally referred to SteelKiwi by someone who had a positive experience working with them. When looking for a company to work with, I originally met with a couple of local companies in San Diego that are focused on building apps, and I briefly looked online at other non-local companies, either outside of San Diego or outside of the country. I think the local companies could have done the job, but they were much more expensive. When you're running a startup or building a new company from scratch with limited capital, it’s helpful to work with companies that are going to be more affordable. That was definitely the case with SteelKiwi. They gave us an affordable and reasonable quote.

What is the status of this engagement?

We got started working together last summer on the more complex version of the app, and I think half of it has been built. We’ve had delays on our side in getting enough capital to continue and finish the product. We expect that to happen in the next couple of months. SteelKiwi’s pace and speed is good, productive, and satisfactory.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My experience working with SteelKiwi has been good. Our original project with them was smooth, well-produced and came out exactly how we wanted. Even this bigger product has gone well and as expected. They’re a good team of talented, knowledgeable, current, cutting-edge technology experts in the field of creating apps and websites.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

I've had access to everybody at SteelKiwi. It’s a good working relationship, and I feel supported by the full team there. I feel like I can talk to anybody, including the owners, about any sort of issues. We work with around five or six people at SteelKiwi on an ongoing basis. I deal with a direct representative almost daily. I've had contact with their main customer support person, and even one of the founders of the company.

The production process has seemed logical and understandable. I provided them a detailed scope document, complete mockups of every screen, etc. They came back to me with a comprehensive, multi-sheet Excel document that listed all of the different production components and time, in terms of hours, that they projected would be required to complete everything. They then translated that into the actual pricing for each of those different components to provide a bottom line total. I also asked for timelines to kind of map out how we would progress through the process, and they provided those exactly as I requested. Everything has gone exactly as they projected it would.

We use Atlassian, Skype, and email to keep in touch. (They introduced us to Atlassian.) SteelKiwi is on the other side of the world, but by using Skype, everything has worked out really well. We use it on a weekly basis, if not more frequently.

Are there any areas SteelKiwi could improve?

There’s nothing I would criticize SteelKiwi for. Everything has been smooth.

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

For customers working a standard 9 to 5 shift, the different time zones could be a little bit of an issue. For instance, if I want to talk to SteelKiwi directly, it means I have to call them at about 8:30 a.m. or 11:30 p.m., and I have to set aside a block of time to chat with them. It works fine for me because as an entrepreneur, I’m kind of used to having a non-traditional work schedule.