Novoda

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Hornsey Research Ltd. We supply software and music to the hospitality industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

We already had an iOS version of a virtual jukebox app, and we needed an Android version.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since we already had the iOS version, we had a good idea of what we wanted and what functionality we needed. Novoda adapted the UI to be more suited to an Android user’s interface paradigms. They then did the coding.

What is the team composition?

My first point of contact was with the two directors: Carl (Managing Director) and Kevin (Former Managing Director, Co-Founder). The app had a few iterations after its first release where we went back to Novoda for new features. Over that time, we worked with different developers as they became available.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

When we started this project, there weren’t many Android app developers available in London at the time. We went to an Android user group and developer meetup that Novoda was running. I got to know their company then.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £30,000–£40,000 (approximately $38,000–$50,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The relationship started around August 2011 and ran through the summer of 2015. By then, I knew enough about Android to take on the straightforward development myself. I remain in contact with Carl to this day, though. If there’s anything beyond my capability, I’d certainly go back to Novoda.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I never had any problems with Novoda. They were always very helpful with a can-do attitude. They’re one of the leaders of Android and Android development in Europe, so they’re very passionate about their work and attracted equally enthusiastic and talented resources.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

Their offices were close to our offices, so we could meet up in person whenever it was needed. It was very seamless and straightforward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their passion and professionalism impressed me the most. Novoda really cared about the platform, turning out good apps, and continue to improve and do a good job for clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. Compared to other app companies I’ve worked with, Novoda was by far the easiest to work with. I have no complaints.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d strongly recommend Novoda. They’re a pleasure to work with. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the former product owner of an organization that sold e-cigarettes. They develop next-generation vaping products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

We hired Novoda as a strategic partner to support us in the development of our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the app from scratch. It was initially solely an Android app, but they’re currently developing an iOS version as well. The team worked in two-week sprints.

What is the team composition?

We were actively working with 8 people, half of whom were full-time. At one point, the team scaled up to 12 people.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

We had previously relied on them to conduct research on the mobile app landscape.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018, and although I’m no longer with the company, the work is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They went above and beyond for our business. One of their key strengths is that they’re extremely user-centric, so they came up with brilliantly unique ideas. Their processes are exceptionally strong, especially how they can discern the heart of a problem and develop solutions to address it.

In terms of the deliverables, we were measuring their outputs on a biweekly basis (in correspondence to their sprint cadence). We also ensured the quality of their work through regular iterations, which were tested with colleagues and users. That’s how we gathered feedback.

They truly positioned themselves as an invaluable strategic partner who’s genuinely driven by their values. They’re involved in our project at all levels of their organization, up to the CEO. Their friendliness and commitment really blew me away. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. They assigned us a project coordinator who functioned as the team lead, and he was fantastically organized. The developers were similarly effectively structured, and the team scrum master was equally efficient. The scrum master ensured efficient communication lines and tracked all tasks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

While we expected that working with a remote team to be challenging, they championed that way of working and established the efficiency of working from far away. I don’t think we’ve ever achieved anything close to that level of project success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While I think they excelled at working remotely, I know that their team was called in to physically work with our other offices. While they were typically very responsive, I suspect that the company wanted them to increase in-house work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Stick to their guns. They employ design thinking very effectively and independently, and I believe our business hindered their progress. My advice would be to let them do their thing—embrace them, and give them the freedom within your business to operate. You can trust that they’re doing the right thing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of product management for depict Inc. We’re a subscription-based digital frame that enables users to cast pictures and videos from a mobile device.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

A former employee wrote our operating system, but it didn’t match our expectations. We hired Novoda to rewrite the operating system for Android.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Novoda built the Android operating system from scratch to work with the iOS app. The team provided the development structure and a new digital frame. They delivered a series of prototypes and provided QA while our team designed the UX/UI.

What is the team composition?

The team included an account executive, a project manager, a lead developer, QA engineers, and a team of developers.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

Our former colleague knew about Novoda from word-of-mouth and reacted positively to their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018 and the partnership ended in March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Novoda improved reliability and success, primarily by eliminating dropped frames for video.  The team also made our video player faster by decreasing load time from 20 seconds to five seconds.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

The team ran demos and worked in sprints. Novoda used Jira and recorded daily standups for those people that couldn’t attend the meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Novoda proactively added structure and communication, which distinguished the team from our previous vendors. They went out of their way to communicate potential hurdles and show deliverable results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have assets clearly defined ahead of the engagement. Provide any necessary materials that will enable Novoda to begin development quickly. The team readily accommodates limitations and supply shortages, but customers should still make the most of Novoda’s time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of an AI-powered medical and healthcare service. We deliver pre-primary health care, which uses automated systems and mobile apps to help people manage their health in addition to traditional medical services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

Since we launched three years ago, our business has always been based around mobile apps. We needed to create the next generation of our Android app and didn’t have an internal development team, so we began looking for a partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Novoda improved the functionality of our Android app while we began recruiting our own developers to eventually take over the project. They provided an engineering team to work with our testers, product managers, and UX designers to build the new version from scratch. They built the code architecture and, worked on the API.

Users interact with the AI on the app by telling it their symptoms, and then the AI tells them what condition they might have. It recommends where to get help and provides other resources. Novoda developed the features that allow users to track their health over time and integrate the app with other devices such as step counters. It also has a vast library of verified health information. They worked on the app for six months, and then our in-house team took over.

What is the team composition?

They provided three developers. Two were active, one assisted, and the other directed the project and did QA.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

We did a quick scan for Android developers and saw that Novoda was one of the most experienced agencies in London. They were also recommended by a few colleagues, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together for six months in 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their code was excellent, and we were all happy with the quality of the work.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

We used the Atlassian tool set, primarily Jira, to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re one of the best Android development agencies in London. They’re experts in software engineering and have a large amount of experience with Android, in particular. They were nice people to work with and were willing to collaborate in a slightly unusual situation.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They aren’t a low-cost option, but you definitely get value for your money.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re a good choice when you need a development team to do a complex job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of product for Piriform Software. We create cleaning utilities, including CCleaner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

Although CCleaner has been on the Windows desktop platform for about 10 years, we wanted to expand the utility’s offering. We nearly developed a complete Android prototype but needed a vendor with greater Android expertise to finish development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project started as a shorter engagement to get the prototype to market. Novoda developed the entire application, including the core cleaning functionality and the in-app purchasing feature. They then built the Android in-app purchase flows for the freemium model. We retained Novoda post-launch to make improvements and expand functionalities.

What is the team composition?

The team averaged about three people on a rolling basis. Developers onboarded and offboarded as needed. After nearly four years, almost every Novoda developer worked on our utility at some point.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

We wanted a local agency to make ongoing communication easier. Through an online search, we shortlisted five mobile app agencies including Novoda. Their Android expertise distinguished them from the other vendors. They could work at the low-level CCleaner required.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in January 2015 and ended in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Android app has over 50 million downloads and a 4.4-star rating in the Google Play Store. Last December, monthly revenue for CCleaner was about $100,000. I attributed these metrics to the freemium model and Novoda’s collaborative efforts.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

The partnership became a collaboration as the project evolved. I served as product manager for part of the engagement. We used Jira and daily standup meetings to keep track of work. During the latter, their team gave rundowns for the next 24 hours. We also used this time to discuss potential hurdles and delays. They worked in various agile styles, from Scrum to Kanban, depending on the project’s needs. The team transitioned between workflows in a flexible manner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with several vendors. Novoda’s expertise and willingness to share that knowledge among team members stood out. Their outward-looking approach kept them current in the mobile industry. Additionally, they knew how to leverage that experience for the client’s benefit.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At times, the team’s turnover slowed the project because some members needed extra time to onboard fully. Novoda was open to feedback and then increased lead time for new members. That adjustment improved the process. Overall, their performance impressed me.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Channel 4 is a public service TV broadcaster based in the UK. All 4 is one of the UK’s leading on-demand services with over 10,000 hours of entertainment including exclusive and catch up content and over 150 box sets of iconic TV series all available for free. It is available across a large number of devices and platforms including Android, where we use Novoda for app delivery. Users can watch Channel 4 programs live or on-demand, as well as find out more about our programs and when they're on the air.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

Our first Android application needed a visual refresh and technical upgrade, having accumulated a volume of technical debt that was affecting performance; we selected Novoda because of their passion for the platform and their deep understanding of seamless operating system integration and native navigational cues.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They design, build and maintain our Android app. They’re involved in our All 4 product planning and feature delivery, including contributions to our backend services which are common across all devices.

The full development team is based at Novoda as well as the scrum master team. We work as an integrated team to maintain and progress the app. For example, Novoda provides a resource that works with the Channel 4 design and UX team to provide the designs for the Android platform.

What is the team composition?

There's a tech lead, a scrum master, and an account manager. Currently they supply six developers but have demonstrated the ability to flex up and down on demand over the time that we have worked with them.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

We went through a competitive pitch process that included a range of new and established development agencies. Novoda were selected as our partner because of their market leading passion and expertise on Android, and the highly collaborative way that they work with clients.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them for over three years and have no current plans to change.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Novoda’s expertise is very apparent in the end results they produce. When the re-built app went live we saw an improvement in performance and a significant reduction in playback errors. They are also a Google Certified Agency and provide early insights into the Android world. They have helped us make a number of product- and technology-related decisions which boosted our app’s performance in the market, growing our customer base and improving our app ratings over the past couple of years.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

We have daily stand-ups with them and speak several times a day, working closely with the scrum master. She's constantly on top of things, manages the team well, and has all the answers at hand. She’s very skilled and knowledgeable. With the Novoda relationship, I don’t have to keep chasing for updates or reminding them of deliverables and deadlines; they are highly proactive and make it very easy to work with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Novoda work more as a partner rather than a traditional supplier. They are passionate about Android and All 4 and go above and beyond to drive our combined success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really, they’re top notch on pretty much everything they do with us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the senior product manager of News UK, a global newspaper and digital publishing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

We needed to build an app from the ground up specifically for the Sun. We had an older app with an outdated infrastructure. We wanted the new app to be more sophisticated with more personalization related to navigation and subscription functionality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Novoda met with us in Bangalore, where we also have a development team, to start the discovery process. They helped us figure out whether we wanted to build a native app and whether to use React, Swift, or another product to build it. In the end, we decided to build native apps.

In the beginning, development was heavily weighted toward paid programming. They helped our developers learn by teaching them the best processes to write clean code and to perform peer review. They are also heavily involved in developing the app’s menu, which is tailored so that the user can change the order.

They’re about to deliver a vertical video feature which we hope will bring in a new audience. They are video experts, so we asked them whether to go with a streaming solution or an offline solution. They've been incredibly helpful in deciding what is best for an offline proposition because it is to be used in London where many look at the news on the Underground.

They’ve also done product presentations to show new technologies, such as augmented reality. They’ve taken more of a visionary approach than we anticipated initially.

The nature of their engagement has evolved over the last 12 to 18 months. It has become much more delivery-focused since we found out we might not hit our delivery date.

What is the team composition?

We don’t just have developers (a mix of senior and junior iOS and Android developers), but also a delivery manager who was an agile coach and Scrum Master.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in March 2017 and are still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app itself has only been live for the last couple of weeks, so we don’t have hard metrics yet. However, there's a positive sentiment about Novoda. They are our go-to people when we need top-quality work done well and done quickly. It's peace of mind. They're not just experienced developers, but a guiding force on the team.

They are so easy to get along with; they don't feel like an agency, but a partner that cares about the work and invests wholeheartedly in the project. Our team in Bangalore sees them as mentors and teachers; they’ve learned so much from Novoda and have a lot of respect for them.

I can’t speak any more highly of the caliber of their work. We couldn't have delivered the product without them.

How did perform from a project management standpoint?

They're our go-to people when we need to scope anything out. Our lead will call them to run concepts by them and they're really good in terms of estimating timelines (then meeting them) without much detail—something you don’t often find with developers.

Our account manager is incredibly hands-on and he's in all the time. Even though they are remote, they touch base all the time and often fly to London.

Novoda connects with our Bangalore team using Slack and Google Hangouts.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've got the speed and quality effectively under their belt. They are very flexible in how we engage with them and make sure what they give us is what we need at the time.

They come to the table with well thought out ideas. Their experience and expertise help you save a lot of time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the engineering director at MyDrive Solutions LLC. We’re a telematics company that works in the insurance space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Novoda?

We had received a large volume of inquiries in a very short amount of time and our in-house development team needed assistance in meeting the demand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had to build and brand our capability to deploy to three of our customers, two in Germany and one in Italy. Novoda provided team members to work with our staff in completing those projects. Their scope included mobile development in iOS and Android, digital strategy, and overall process improvement.

What is the team composition?

At the peak of the project, we had about 10 people working with us with the support of senior management.

How did you come to work with Novoda?

We received a recommendation from a different agency that was working with us exclusively on iOS. There was a period of time that both agencies were working with us, and we were so impressed by Novoda that we took them on for future work.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested a total of just over $1 million on the engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2017, and we completed the project in November.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Novoda’s team emphasized the importance of meeting deadlines and setting goals around specific milestones. We kept metrics on code quality, test coverage, and several other areas. I don’t have them on hand, but we saw improvements across the board over the course of the engagement. They prioritized quality not only in terms of the product, but also in terms of the code base with reference to maintainability. Since working with Novoda, we’ve reorganized and improved our mobile development strategy and practices. The deliveries they were involved in were all very successful.

How did Novoda perform from a project management standpoint?

We handled project management internally, but their team members integrated smoothly with our staff. ­There are always challenges associated with bringing on new people, but they helped us improve our mobile processes throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re the best technical agency I’ve worked with in terms of their focus on quality and value. Our engagement with them didn’t allow us to take advantage of everything they offer around products and value creation. They have an emphasis on long-term projects, and I’d recommend them to anyone who’s looking to build a maintainable product for extended use.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were a unique engagement for them and it took a while for them to adapt to our workflow. However, the transition would have likely been smoother if we’d worked in the way they suggested from the beginning. We were very satisfied with the engagement overall.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Talk to them about your business challenges and where you’re looking to create value. They can help with your product strategy as well. The team is very knowledgeable on mobile space and technology, and they’ve developed several product lines with well-known customers in the past. They’re very reliable from a technical standpoint as well.