CTO As a Service for Gen-AI Content Creation Platform
- Custom Software Development DevOps Managed Services UX/UI Design
- $10,000 to $49,999
- Feb. 2024 - Ongoing
- Quality
- 5.0
- Schedule
- 4.5
- Cost
- 5.0
- Willing to Refer
- 5.0
"Their ability to seamlessly integrate strategic consulting and hands-on development made them a true partner."
- Information technology
- Luzern, Switzerland
- 1-10 Employees
- Online Review
- Verified
Pyango GmbH provides CTO as a service for a Gen-AI content creation platform. The team handles UX improvements, the database setup, CI/CD pipelines, microservices design, and front- and backend development.
Thanks to Pyango GmbH, the client has seen improved UX, increased user sign-ups and retention rates, and faster release cycles and scalability. The team has excelled at project management, delivered on time, and communicated proactively. Their flexible responses and holistic approach stand out.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and position.
I am the CEO of Creaitor AG
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
We are a Gen-AI content creation platform for marketers.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pyango GmbH to accomplish?
- CTO as a service
SOLUTION
How did you find Pyango GmbH?
- Referral
- Other
Why did you select Pyango GmbH over others?
- Close to my geographic location
- Referred to me
How many teammates from Pyango GmbH were assigned to this project?
2-5 Employees
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
1. Project Overview:
Pyango was engaged to provide "Chief Technology Officer as a Service" (CTOaaS) along with design services to improve key components of the business's technology infrastructure and user experience. Their work spans across multiple areas, including system architecture, UX improvements, database setup, microservices concepts, and CI/CD implementation, with the goal of enhancing the product’s scalability, speed, and overall performance.
2. Key Objectives:
To streamline and modernize the technology infrastructure.
To improve the user experience by enhancing onboarding processes and UI components.
To ensure faster and more reliable releases through continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD).
To establish a scalable backend using microservices and cloud technologies.
To enable a development environment that encourages faster feature releases with the adoption of trunk-based development.
3. Specific Services:
3. CTO as a Service:
Providing strategic technology leadership, consulting on the overall tech stack, infrastructure, and long-term product roadmaps.
Advising on system architecture, tools, and processes for efficiency and scalability.
Design as a Service:
Conducting user experience (UX) improvements to optimize user journeys and interfaces.
Improving the onboarding process, ensuring it is more intuitive and user-friendly.
Redesigning other key components to enhance usability and aesthetic appeal.
Database Architecture:
Setting up a dedicated archive database hosted on Microsoft Azure for scalable data storage and retrieval.
Ensuring the database infrastructure is optimized for performance and security.
Microservices Concept Development:
Designing the architecture for microservices to ensure that each component of the system can be scaled independently and managed effectively.
Introducing modularity into the system, enabling easier maintenance and feature expansion.
CI/CD Setup with GitLab:
Implementing a Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline to automate testing, builds, and deployments.
Setting up GitLab pipelines to streamline development workflows and accelerate the release process.
Establishing trunk-based development practices for quicker iteration and faster releases.
Frontend Development (Vue.js):
Enhancing the front-end components of the application using Vue.js to improve responsiveness, performance, and user experience.
Implementing new features and maintaining the front-end architecture.
Backend Development (Laravel):
Strengthening and scaling the backend with Laravel to ensure robust and secure server-side performance.
Implementing additional features, ensuring that the backend integrates seamlessly with the front-end.
4. Deliverables:
UX/UI Enhancements: A revamped onboarding process and improved user interfaces across various components.
Database Setup: Fully configured Microsoft Azure archive database ready for data storage and retrieval.
Microservices Design: Documentation and implementation plan for transitioning the architecture to microservices.
CI/CD Pipeline: A fully functional GitLab-based CI/CD pipeline, including automated tests, deployment processes, and trunk-based development integration.
Frontend & Backend Features: Updates to the front-end (Vue.js) and backend (Laravel), along with new features and optimizations.
Technical Documentation: Documentation covering architectural decisions, database design, CI/CD setup, and codebase changes.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
1. Improved User Experience (UX):
Onboarding Improvement:
Metric: Reduction in user drop-off rate during the onboarding process.
Outcome: More users successfully completed the onboarding process, indicating improved usability and user retention.
Success: A measurable increase in new user sign-ups and retention post-onboarding.
Component Improvements:
Metric: Increased user satisfaction scores (via surveys or in-app feedback) for key UX components.
Outcome: Positive feedback regarding UI enhancements and streamlined user flows.
Success: Higher user engagement and reduced bounce rates for key pages within the app.
2. Database Setup on Microsoft Azure:
Metric: Successful deployment and operationalization of the archive database.
Outcome: Scalable and secure data storage solution implemented, reducing operational risks related to data management.
Success: Faster data retrieval times, reduced system downtime, and improved data security.
3. Microservices Architecture:
Metric: Transition progress from monolithic to microservices.
Outcome: Clear plan for microservices implementation and initial steps towards decoupling components.
Success: Easier scaling and maintenance of individual components, resulting in reduced technical debt and increased flexibility in adding new features.
4. CI/CD Pipeline Implementation with GitLab:
Metric: Number of successful automated deployments via CI/CD.
Outcome: Introduction of automated testing, build, and deployment pipelines, drastically reducing manual intervention.
Success: Faster release cycles, with a measurable reduction in time between development and production (e.g., from weeks to days or hours).Specific Metrics:Increased deployment frequency (e.g., multiple releases per week instead of monthly).
Reduction in errors in production, improving software quality.
Success: Enhanced developer productivity and faster delivery of new features.
5. Frontend & Backend Development (Vue.js & Laravel):
Metric: Feature completion and time to release.
Outcome: Implementation of key features in both frontend (Vue.js) and backend (Laravel) in alignment with project timelines.
Success: Increased user engagement due to the availability of new, optimized features.
Frontend Metrics: Reduced page load times and improved responsiveness on mobile devices.
Backend Metrics: Improved backend response times, ensuring a smoother and more scalable user experience.
6. Overall Project Efficiency:
Metric: Development velocity and trunk-based development adoption.
Outcome: Faster iteration and release cycles, improving the ability to deliver features quickly.
Success: The adoption of trunk-based development contributed to higher developer efficiency and the ability to push features to production faster.
7. Ongoing Support & Maintenance:
Metric: Number of post-launch issues and time taken to resolve them.
Outcome: Timely bug fixes, updates, and improvements to the system after deployment.
Success: Reduced customer complaints and improved system uptime.
Overall Metrics:
Faster Release Cycles: A measurable reduction in time between feature development and production deployment.
Increased Scalability: The new microservices architecture allows for independent scaling of components as the user base grows.
Improved Software Quality: Fewer bugs and issues in production due to CI/CD and automated testing.
Increased User Engagement: Positive user feedback and improved metrics like retention rates, session times, and overall app usage.
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Pyango's project management was highly effective, with a clear focus on timely delivery, adaptability, and strong communication. They consistently met project milestones and deadlines, delivering key components on schedule, such as UX improvements, the Azure database setup, and the CI/CD pipeline.
They were flexible in responding to evolving requirements, such as new frontend features or adjustments in microservices design. Pyango maintained proactive communication, providing regular updates and addressing issues quickly. Their ability to adapt to changes while keeping projects on track was a key factor in the success of the project.
What was your primary form of communication with Pyango GmbH?
Virtual Meeting
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
What distinguished Pyango the most was their holistic approach to technology and design, offering CTO-as-a-service alongside design expertise. Their ability to seamlessly integrate strategic consulting and hands-on development made them a true partner and not just a service provider.
Another impressive aspect was their flexibility and responsiveness. They quickly adapted to changing requirements and ensured smooth communication so that the project stayed on track even as requirements changed. Their expertise in modern technologies such as microservices, CI/CD pipelines and cloud solutions (e.g. Azure) helped to future-proof the project and position it for long-term success.
Are there any areas for improvement or something Pyango GmbH could have done differently?
One area for potential improvement was the frequency and size of meetings. Occasionally, there were too many participants in discussions than necessary, which could sometimes slow down decision-making and lead to longer meetings. Streamlining the meetings with a more focused group of key stakeholders could have made discussions more efficient and decisions quicker. However, this did not hinder the overall progress, as the collaboration and thoroughness were important to the project's success.
RATINGS
-
Quality
5.0Service & Deliverables
-
Schedule
4.5On time / deadlines
-
Cost
5.0Value / within estimates
-
Willing to Refer
5.0NPS
