itCraft

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a second-hand marketplace. We’re a startup. I’ve been acting as the CTO and COO for the last two years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with itCraft?

We needed a company who could provide us with technical resources and help us build a platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The services they provided are broken down into three parts. The first part is taking a prototype for a deep dive design phase. They took a mockup app that I put together on iPhone with some user stories and product videos. We brought it all into a design workshop.

We spent three days breaking down the app. We took it from a prototype to what it should be. We mapped all the user stories. Then, the team there took it further and helped us break down pretty much every click into a user story. We took it from about 20 screens to 100 screens in the app in terms of design.

By the end of February, we had all the user stories and about 140 screens. They mapped every click and every button. We did a month of adding color. We moved from a gray wireframe down to the look and feel of the app in terms of color, font, etc. Once all that was done, the design phase was over and we moved into the architecture implementation. The final phase is the live support once the app is live.

We don’t have a website. We went app only to begin with for Android and iOS. We built them in parallel. They did end-to-end testing from server and API all the way to if every click on a button does what it’s supposed to do. They also tested the payment infrastructure.

What is the team composition?

In the design phase, there were 3–4 people. In the implementation phase, we had up to 16 people ranging from UI/UX designers to help with any tweaks during sprints, full time server developers, full time dev ops people, three developers for each app, and QA. 

How did you come to work with itCraft?

I started with a Google search. They came up quite high on Clutch. I took the top five on Clutch and compared it to the results on Google. Then, I emailed each company. Next, I started tracking what kind of responses I got; I reviewed if the response was timely, fast, to the point, if the person were of a technical capacity or not, their level of English, or if they wanted a Zoom meeting to better understand.

At every point of the process, I ranked them from 1–5. We narrowed it down to three companies, and we chose itCraft from that pool. They were very professional in answering every question I had. That helped build my confidence. They went above and beyond.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent £150,000–£200,000 (approximately $208,000–$278,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the development in March 2020. The first live version of the app was made available at the end of July 2020. Since July 2020, there was another six months of change requests based on user feedback. Since April 2021, it’s been more support that they provide with bugs or we want to introduce a new feature.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People like the app. We have small user groups. The biggest challenge we had was COVID-19. We had low adoption of the app. We have one user group that has been with us and we can see the ups and downs.

We’ve onboarded a school to help them deal with second hand item sales. It’s anything from uniforms to books and accessories. That user group uses the app quite a lot. The feedback from them is quite positive. The general feedback has nothing to do with the app. It’s more about transaction volumes. There isn’t any criticism on the app or that it doesn’t work. As a business, COVID-19 hurt us a lot.

Acting as CTO and overseeing every aspect of the implementation, I know how hard it is to build from scratch. From 1–10, I give them an 11 on this. I’m taking into account that three weeks after we started development, the entire team got scattered across five cities in Poland. Nobody planned for COVID-19. They’ve done above and beyond.

How did itCraft perform from a project management standpoint?

The schedule was quite tight. Since COVID-19, we switched to Slack, Google Hangouts and calls, and Zoom. There were some challenges in terms of the design and visualizing, but we managed and they managed. We were about three weeks past the original timeline but when you take COVID-19 into account, that’s fabulous.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stand by their promises. The communication has been excellent. They find time for us whenever we need them. We signed a fixed price contract with them and then the pandemic happened. We had problems with the payment gateway solution that we, as founders, decided to use. That was new to them. They haven’t tried to renegotiate the contract. They haven’t tried to ask for more money. They took any problems we had as their mistake and kept delivering.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you use any external development team to build the product, be clear to them that you need them to map or explain to you how you would move from their developers to in-house developers. Make sure you put it as a deliverable in their side.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My name is Robert and I am Manager of the Software Engineering Team at Iron Mountain. My responsibilities include taking care of software development activities for our company and our clients. Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM), founded in 1951, is the global leader for storage and information management services.

Trusted by more than 225,000 organizations around the world, and with a real estate network of more than 85 million square feet across more than 1,400 facilities in over 50 countries.

Iron Mountain stores and protects billions of valued assets, including critical business information, highly sensitive data, and cultural and historical artifacts. Providing solutions that include information management, digital transformation, secure storage, secure destruction, as well as data centers, cloud services and art storage and logistics.

 Iron Mountain helps customers lower cost and risk, comply with regulations, recover from disaster, and enable a more digital way of working.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire itCraft?

We came to itCraft because we wanted to create a new design for our crucial documents' processing system. Our goal was to implement the newest usability standards and user experience. itCraft’s task included the UX and UI design preparation for this product.

What were your goals for this project?

What we needed for this particular project was a partner that would conduct the whole design process for us. itCraft managed to verify and then propose a direction for the UX area and they also prepared a brand new, modern UI. The cooperation let us be up to date with the newest digital trends, what we've expected.

SOLUTION

How did you select itCraft?

We’ve found itCraft, as well as other potential vendors, via the LinkedIn network. To choose the right one, we’ve organized a series of meetings, both online and face to face. This way, we could verify the companies’ experience and find out what is their proposal for the project.

itCraft drew our attention during those interviews because of their great engagement, but that wasn’t the only reason we decided to collaborate with them. The designer they picked for a team leader had an excellent portfolio we were impressed by.

Describe the project in detail.

We’ve begun our collaboration with a kickoff meeting where both teams could meet and determine expectations. Afterward, we’ve been invited to remote UX/UI workshops to discuss our needs and requirements based on user feedback. The next phase was creating a low-fidelity prototype and then the high-fidelity UI design. Finally, it was time for the last stage, where the product redesign was finished and implemented.

What was the team composition?

There was a dedicated project manager who took care of the whole communication process was keeping us updated about the progress. Senior UX/UI designer was responsible for the project regarding redesign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During our collaboration with itCraft, they prepared mockups, a prototype, visual design and graphic files, all pixel-perfect and aesthetic but also prepared for developers to be used. The redesign of our solution was warmly welcomed by the users that were involved in its beta-testing process.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It covered our expectations. We appreciate efficient communication, quick reactions to suggestions and their Agile Scrum approach to project management.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Definitely the portfolio and skills of the designer that was working on our project! The prepared UI hit the point. Also, the engagement and quick introduction of all changes made working on a project much more productive and less challenging.

Are there any areas for improvement?

itCraft proved they are a company that is eager to learn new things and improve their current skills and knowledge. We didn’t notice anything particular and we think they are on a good way to be a leader in their field.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a mental health platform where our mission is to provide better mental health and overall wellbeing through cutting-edge technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our goal was to develop a complete digital platform that would allow mental health specialists to connect with patients and provide behavioral based treatment plans to create a better health journey for them. Our apps are dedicated to therapeutic communication, where both sides build a strong relationship before, during and after the process of getting better.

The project scope was quite complex as we needed mobile apps, web-based apps, admin panels, and more to make the platform complete. We wanted to develop a professional, user-friendly product that would be easy-to-use and provide value for specialists and patients alike.

We wanted to give all users real value, so we prepared a number of free functionalities (e.g. mood tracking) as well as other paid features (e.g. telemed video consultations).

SOLUTION

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

We selected itCraft based on their experience in the healthcare sector. It was important to us that they had experience in developing HIPAA compliant digital products due to the need of collecting, storing and managing personal data. itCraft had a team who could give us the technical expertise that we lacked in-house.

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

I flew to Warsaw to do a 2-day workshop with the team at itCraft. During this time we discussed our business goals and priorities, as well as discussing each user’s expectations of the end product. The goal was to create a prototype of the product which helped us secure funding for development.

During the development phase with itCraft, we prepared a web app, two native mobile apps, a website and an admin panel. The technologies used were based on recommendations of their architects to ensure our business goals were met.

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

We had a dedicated project manager, two UX / UI designers and a large team of developers - backend, frontend, Android and iOS. Additionally, we had one QA Engineer for manual testing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first version of our product was released in September 2020 and we have already reach 3,000 downloads and are growing steadily. The first few months on the market have been extremely successful. The success of the product has seen the company acquired and further development can continue.

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

Our team collaborated very effectively with itCraft, and their communication tools and regular meetings allowed us to work well together. Based on their hands-on approach, we could make timely informed decisions throughout the process.

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

I was personally impressed that itCraft understood our vision from the very beginning and made technical recommendations based on our business needs.

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

I am extremely satisfied with what itCraft did. On one occasion, they missed a deadline which could have been communicated a little clearer, but with the number of tasks being done by the team it wasn’t a major issue.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Helselaben and we provide a holistic approach to treatments, manual therapy and lifestyle coaching and provide health travel and retreats for our patients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire itCraft?

We decided to invest in a mobile app for our clients to provide the best experience for them. We hired itCraft to complete the whole process from product design, UX/UI design, native Android and native iOS development for the clients, and a web-based panel for therapists/coaches.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a user-friendly platform in order to provide research based treatment. The mobile apps had to gather data in order to identify user habits and reactions. The MVP was designed to test our business assumptions.

SOLUTION

How did you select itCraft?

We selected itCraft based on their vast experience in mobile & web-based app design and development. I was impressed by the design and product of another Norwegian-based project, and after a few meetings, I was convinced by their process and ability to provide the expertise we needed to make our project a success.

Describe the project in detail.

The process started with 3 x online discovery sessions where we explained our business goals and our clients’ needs. After 1 week, itCraft delivered documentation with all the user stories and system architecture.

The UX/UI designers provided wireframing, visual design and a clickable prototype, as well as branding assets over the next 6 weeks and development began. We had a lot of ideas which had to be shaped into requirements and identify the priorities of the first release allowing us to meet the release deadline we set.

What was the team composition?

UX/UI Designer, Business Analyst, Project Manager, 2 x Android Developers, 2 x iOS Developers, Backend Developer, Frontend Developer, QA Engineer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

By focusing on the highest business priorities during each sprint, we were able to start using the MVP with 20 selected participants and our coaches. We can now interact digitally with our clients/patients to increase the efficiency of our business processes, provide research-based treatment and create additional value.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Because of our busy schedules, we relied heavily on the itCraft team. The Project Manager was able to manage the team very effectively. At the beginning of the project we met weekly and afterwards fortnightly.

We had access to the whole development team, we used shared documents to be able to interact in real time, and we had regular sprint planning meetings and demo sessions. The workflow was very professionally handled.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with the ability of the UX/UI Designer to understand our concept and come up with a user-friendly product design.

Not having experience in developing software, I was also impressed that we met the technical team early in the process who gave us the confidence that they understood how to deliver our business goals using the right technology.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think more input from the UX/UI Designer during the development phase could have sped up some of the decision making processes because he understood our vision from the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a services marketplace application. It's a very early phase mobile app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with itCraft?

We needed someone to design and develop our application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we had a discovery workshop with itCraft, during which we explained our vision and requirements. They developed an MVP of our mobile app. They handled all aspects of the app build, including UX/UI, coding, and end-to-end development. The app is created for the Android platform. Depending on how the app fares in the market, we’ll build the iOS version.

The development completed in August 2020, but we’re now looking at analytics and website design.

What is the team composition?

There was a team of about nine people working with us, including, on some occasions, a founder/managing partner, project managers, UX/UI designer, coders, and QA/QC Engineers.

How did you come to work with itCraft?

I did research and considered three different vendors. itCraft’s team was the closest to what I had in mind, and I liked the reviews on their Clutch profile.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The metrics I considered were their ability to deliver something that matched my vision and their compliance with the agreement regarding specifications, timeline, and budget. They have performed excellently on all points. The application functions as I expected and has the feel I had hoped for.

How did itCraft perform from a project management standpoint?

From the onset, they explained their processes. We’ve had scheduled meetings every 2–3 weeks, during which we discuss the progress of the project’s various components. They give guidance and feedback based on their experiences and expertise while leaving final decisions to my discretion.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are highly professional. They bring the quality they promise, and they’re so coordinated that it feels as if you’re working with one person rather than an entire team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any areas that need improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you don’t fully know what you want, they can help you discover and develop your ideas. Know your ultimate goals. Be open and pay attention to the terms of your agreement, because they will hold you to it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a startup based in Switzerland. My partner is in in construction, building, and planning, and he came to me because he needed an IT guy for project management software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with itCraft?

Because I don’t have the resources for this project on my own, we decided to outsource the programming and implementations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to develop a web app, and then they developed it. We came up with the first idea, design, and concepts, and documented requirements. I sent it to them and they planned how to implement everything.

We had a lot of changes because it was our first project. They helped us improve the concept and provided consultation in the beginning until we had our first product. Then they led the technological development. They outlined what tech stack would be the best way to achieve our goals. They built the backend with Node.js and the frontend is built with an Angular framework. They also did testing in-house.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, a frontend developer, a backend developer, and two QA testers.

How did you come to work with itCraft?

We found them on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent 25,000 Swiss francs (approximately $25,000 USD).  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2019 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve done exactly what we asked them to do, in terms of functionality and how we wanted them implemented. I would give them five stars across the board. I’ve only worked with one other company and they were terrible compared to itCraft.

How did itCraft perform from a project management standpoint?

We are extremely glad we have been able to work with them. Their project management skills are incredible. Of course, there were a few small delays but that’s common in development. When that happened, it was often because we forgot something and they had implemented it.

The communication was perfect. Every week we had meetings where we discussed what was on the agenda for the coming week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was extremely happy with their offers to help us. They gave us lots of tips. For example, they recommended how we could improve and which tools to use to make payments. They were exceptionally supportive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Right now, we’re quite happy. There were a few miscommunications, but that happens when you outsource something.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Based on our experience, the biggest problem we had was because we didn’t have a lot of experience in this field. So, people should invest more time on their own side to plan everything. However, they’re really good at communicating clearly. There’s no way you can misunderstand anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

am a project manager for IT systems in nursing home Syrena from Warsaw. My name is Konrad. My duties in this position include choosing, coordinating and implementing innovative solutions that we could test for the city before they could introduce them to other facilities like ours. Our nursing home hosts around 150 people. We hire caregivers, therapists and other personnel members to take care of our patients. We help them with daily activities and support them during treatments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire itCraft?

In 2017 we decided to start researching the market to find innovative systems that would help to manage work in nursing homes. We’ve stumbled upon itCraft and caught interest in them because they were developing similar solutions for commercial purposes. It was a 3-part project with a web app, mobile app and backend, so we needed a software house with expertise and competent team.

What were your goals for this project?

Planning caregiving in middle-size nursing homes is particularly tricky and previously, it was done on paper. We decided to digitalize it and eliminate the whole paperwork - it was essential as yearly there are around half a million procedures that need to be planned. With our pilot product called SupraCare, which is based on individual caregiving plans and work schedules, the process could be optimized significantly. Our employees receive all required information on tablets and can mark tasks as completed or non-completed with an explanation. Supervisors can enter changes in real-time. I can say that our primary goals included optimizing the decision-making process based on accurate data, increasing the comfort of work for our staff and enhancing the safety and quality of service for our patients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’ve started our research by browsing Google results. We wanted to hire a local company from Warsaw that had experience with vertical projects for medical and long term care facilities. We’ve selected 3 companies and asked them to prepare presentations with their ideas for the project. itCraft did the best job and became our company of choice.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

As I mentioned, the system consists of 3 components: ● A web app for care coordinators and managers that allows them to plan the work of the nursing home ● Android native mobile app for tables used by caregivers, therapists, psychologists, doctors and other employees to check their schedules, report work and see the info about patients ● Backend and database for the two above The collaboration with itCraft began with workshops where we analyzed the whole project. Then, UX and UI was designed. The result was SupraCare - original solution made by itCraft as our pilot system. It was used to test the product, as well as introduce changes and new functionalities. The city of Warsaw, which was financing the project, was highly satisfied with SupraCare and permitted us to expand it. In the future, it will be implemented in all nursing home facilities in Warsaw.

What was the team composition?

From the beginning, we’ve been working with a business consultant and co-founder of itCraft, who was organizing regular meetings and training to implement the solution smoothly into our processes. The development team included a project manager, 3 developers specializing in different technologies, one tester and one UX/UI designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we compare the state from 2017 and now, we’ve optimized our work and reduced the number of unfinished tasks by 20%. Our collaboration was constant during this time and the system was working smoothly ever since it was implemented. We’ve planned approximately 2 million tasks for our personnel with it. Thanks to this product, we’ve been able to analyze better and understand the cost of our staff members, the cost of one worker per patient and the cost of patients themselves. Also, we want to underline the fact that the system was appreciated and positively reviewed by the nursing home Syrena’s employees. We can also tell that there has been a significant interest in it from the nternational industry representatives. We’ve been hosting delegations from the companies that look for innovations in their field.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

itCraft was the most experienced software house we’ve had a pleasure to work with. They have an excellent understanding of business processes optimization and they are highly flexible when it comes to collaborating with their clients. The software they created is high-quality and doesn’t show any indicators of issues - it has been working steadily for 3 years.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The fact that the co-owner was so engaged in the process was quite unusual for us, but it gave us the feeling that our project is treated very seriously. He was controlling the whole process and often supported us with advice, recommendations and help - especially when implementing the system into our current operations. itCraft is also an excellent partner when it comes to talking and negotiating with other entities about innovative solutions. Their expertise in integration, quick reaction time when new project ideas came up and the portfolio of services are fantastic. For 3 years the quality was kept on the same level - which is, of course, exceptionally good.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t pinpoint anything that we wouldn’t be satisfied with during our collaboration. itCraft team’s passion for software development and their years of experience in this field influence the quality of their work. I am confident that they will grow according to changing IT trends to be always up to date with technologies and standards that apply to innovative software development.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an IT Director at Benefit Systems International. We are a Polish leader of work benefits that decided to enter other European markets. Our company is known for a product called Multisport. Besides Poland, we are present in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Croatia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire itCraft?

Our main goal was to create a mobile app that would allow the card users to search for available facilities that they can access with it. The reason to do that was that we wanted to stand out from the competition. A mobile app would allow us to offer comprehensive services to our customers. Also, a software product and collaboration with an IT company gives a perspective for future growth.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to work with a company that understands business requirements and can lead the production process from the beginning to the very end. We wanted to create a consistent vision for this project and then remold it into a concrete, robust product. Our goal was to offer an app with a high-performance rate, scalability, and intuitive, aesthetic design.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’ve stumbled upon itCraft while googling software houses. What made this company outstanding was its professional knowledge about the mobile apps market, sales process, and attitude towards our project. We knew from the beginning that we’ve found a reliable partner.

Describe the project in detail.

After reaching out to itCraft, they proposed UX & UI workshop that would be performed to determine project details, estimate the cost and prepare prototypes. Then we could sign the development contract. Recommended technology was React Native for cross-platform mobile apps for iOS and Android. This way, we could reach out to all potential clients and save time for building an app at the same time - so we agreed on the proposed solution.

What was the team composition?

We’ve been working with itCraft’s co-founder, a CTO, a project manager, and a business consultant during workshops. Afterward, the team was complemented with one UX/UI designer, three regular React Native developers and one tester. With such a diverse group of experts, we knew that the project is in good hands.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After alpha tests were performed, we’ve decided to expand the application further. We want to introduce additional modules before the production launch. We are confident we will continue our collaboration on the next modules, which are already planned.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seamless and based on mutual understanding. We could trust itCraft with recommendations and introduced changes because of their expertise and knowledge. They were open to our suggestions, too. Together we could cooperate effectively to achieve the outcome that was compatible with our goals and requirements.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

First of all, the professional atmosphere. From the beginning, we knew that we and our project are in good hands. itCraft is flexible and swiftly reacts to changing conditions, which we are very thankful for. Their team consists of various specialists in development, design, and other IT areas. Collaborating with them is not only development but the whole process of creation, from an idea to an actual app.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is always a place for improvements in every process. They know it, that's why they are constantly working on that. We were able to observe that during the whole development process and our meetings, where itCraft listened carefully to all our suggestions, and together we adjusted and improved all our common processes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Skueeze is an intelligence product focused on the food and beverage industry. I’m the CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with itCraft?

I had built a baseline model for a product, established on my experience scaling restaurant businesses. I wanted to shift that model into a sellable product on the market so I approached itCraft to build an MVP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Upon initiation, I approached itCraft with my model, namely a patch-worked prototype I was using to derive some value. I wanted to begin beta testing it with a number of customers, so I presented my problem to itCraft. We worked collectively to determine what a valuable MVP would look like, in terms of offering value to the customers.

Together, we completely ran through the full fundamentals of the product, going through the UI/UX in detail and modeling it together. itCraft took that away and built the solution out for me over a period of six weeks. The final product was a B2B SaaS app for iOS and Android. It was built on AWS and coded in Python.

The end users are largescale food and beverage businesses with revenues of $50+ million. The app consolidates fragmented data from different sources, such as POS machines, labor systems, and purchasing systems. It gathers some external data, such as weather and calendar-based data, and computes it using custom algorithms to then offer solutions to businesses.

What is the team composition?

I initially communicated with their CEO and then worked with a couple of other individuals during the next stages.

How did you come to work with itCraftThey were a referral from a friend I went to business school with.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We held initial conversations in December 2019 and kicked off the project in January 2020. It took six weeks to develop the MVP. I created an initial version of the product for an accelerator program, and I’m taking development in-house.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re halfway through running the NDRC accelerator program in Ireland. I’m targeting groups with large revenues, with users that aren’t very tech-savvy, typically restaurant workers. The engagement level has been really high, and users have found the UX to be really clean. Overall, traction’s been good so far.

How did itCraft perform from a project management standpoint?

There was a shift in project managers mid-project, but it went well. itCraft was timely and gave me daily updates over email. We held biweekly meetings between sprints. They kept me up-to-date with the project’s status. Their team used Slack internally, and we had video calls through Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The best thing about itCraft is their adaptability. The solution was an early, conceptual project at the point when I approached them. The goals moved a bit over time, and they were quick to adapt and quick to act, which was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there are no areas for improvement.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Anyone looking to offshore technical elements needs to be clear in their communication and have regular check-ins. It’s not possible to just walk into a room and talk to someone, so clients need to be aware of that distance before starting.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a digital strategy consultant at Deloitte CE. Our company is leading a worldwide strategy consulting practice supporting major financial institutions with our comprehensive digital expertise. We help our clients to fully leverage new market opportunities, unleash their potential and build fundamental digital capabilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire itCraft?

As a part of our practice, we publish Digital Banking Maturity study analyzing digital maturity of ~250 financial institutions across ~40 countries in the world. A team of ~150 'mystery shopper' researchers opens current accounts and evaluates each bank’s web, internet and mobile banking channels to map their offering.

In the 4th edition of the study, we decided to facilitate the process of data collection and replace Excel-based questionnaire with a new digital solution. We used itCraft services for the development of web platform serving as a digital questionnaire supporting data collection process of the survey.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main objective was to replace Excel-based into platform-based data collection process to 1) reduce average time spend on the research, 2) decrease the time & efforts of process management, and 3) significantly improve the data quality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had around three companies to choose from and we decided on itCraft mainly thanks to short time-to-delivery as we had relatively tight deadlines. Additionally, our company was previously cooperating with itCraft on other projects with positive feedback.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

itCraft was responsible for development of the web-based app serving as a digital questionnaire. Our vision of the solution and specifications were clearly stated, thus they started with high-level backlog and designs prepared by our team. During the project work we detailed selected functionalities and continuously refined process flow.

What was the team composition?

The team comprised around 5-8 people. We have closely worked with a project manager and senior developer who were our primary contact points.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We still receive very positive feedback regarding the new solution. We have just launched the app and measuring of impact is our next priority. Undeniable evidence is that we have gained a tool which allows us for the holistic view of the survey progress and smooth control of the process incomparable to the previous solution.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was very impressive and all matters of importance were addressed professionally. Whenever we had a concern, they dealt with it extremely fast. During project we had some unforeseen changes and they were always looking for the optimal solution for both sides.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The communication and problem solving were outstanding on an ongoing basis. That was critical as there were several issues during the project that we could not foresee and they have proactively proposed how to solve them. They often suggest critical value-added ideas. Effective implementation of feedback significantly improved our work and allowed us to keep very short deadlines.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is very little they could improve. We had a slight delay in project duration however it was mainly caused by unforeseen issues and changes of scope.