Scopic

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The company is a start-up and will, when authorised, design instrument flight procedures for private and commercial aircraft operators and airfields. I am assisting the owner as an aviation consultant with experience of software development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The development of an application for IFP design is very complicated and requires extensive use of 3D maths and transformations. The task was to create an app from the ground up so we wrote a long specifications document to say what it should do.

SOLUTION

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

I used Scopic several years ago to design a similar system for a previous company of my own, so they were the logical choice. They managed to get hold of the engineer who'd worked on the previous project so he already had a good deal of the required knowledge.

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

Far too much to detail here. The project has been ongoing for over a year and will take maybe another six months. Scopic review progress with us every couple of weeks and we tweak the requirements according to what we find during testing, which works well.

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

Normally two: one engineer and one coordinator.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was slow to start but this was because we and Scopic were investigating COTS solutions for the 3D display of the designs, but once this was settled they built a back end first of all and then started to add functionality.

As a consequence, it took quite a while for us to see the proof of concept app, but after that it's developed more quickly.

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

Communication is done via email and bi-weekly Skype meetings, which works well. They have their own portal for managing the project but it's not something that I use since it adds a layer of complexity that I don't have time for and don't need.

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

Scopic are very flexible with regard to working hours and the contract we have with them is also flexible. They are very happy to make changes to the app that wasn't in the spec, and don't complain even when we change our minds about how a tool should work (several times).

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

I can't think of anything specific.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP and on the board of directors of Wachusett Earthday. It’s a nonprofit corporation that works with our community to protect the watershed and keep waste out of it. We do this by recycling, disposing, and reusing different types of materials whenever possible. We also contract with providers to recycle environmentally dangerous things. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic?

We needed to build software to help with the check-in process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the software and integrated Square so we could process credit card payments. The platform tracks the items we receive, categorizes them, prices them, and enables us to export the data as needed. It is hosted on Amazon Web Services. Now they provide ongoing maintenance.

What is the team composition?

Tina (Project Manager) was assigned to us. She interacted with the programmers, who were brought in as needed.

How did you come to work with Scopic?

Tim (Founder & President) presented a proposal that laid out what we should expect, what they would do, and pricing. We ultimately decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around August 2019 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software rolled out in mid-2020, and I use it daily. It works well and has a friendly user interface. Prior to this software being developed, we had to do the check-in process by hand, filling out forms and inputting data into Excel spreadsheets to analyze. Now we can easily access information in a way we couldn’t before. As we continue to use the platform, this information will help us make decisions about pricing and impact budget.

How did Scopic perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been wonderful. Tina coordinates between us and the programmers. She communicates well and relays any issues or concerns we have. She is extremely responsive.

We have frequent meetings that involve everybody we need. I am able to attend meetings and provide input, but we mainly communicate via Skype and email. They delivered within the set budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They work in a timely manner, are responsive, and are flexible. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve had a great experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a well-defined task. Be prepared to explain what you want, what the user interface needs to look like, what integrations and interactions you require, and what forms your data needs to take.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Homegrown Nursery.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic?

They developed a website and managed our SEO.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a WordPress website with a cart feature and different pages for cities and states. They also integrated Google Cloud Print.

Since then, they’ve continued to work on our site by writing weekly blogs and updating product details. They’ve also created a backlinking strategy and have written content linking to our site. Finally, they have led other projects, like advertising on Craigslist.

What is the team composition?

I work with Sarah (Marketing Specialist & Copywriter) and Andre (SEO Specialist).

How did you come to work with Scopic?

I did some research and reviewed their profile. I then called and asked them to send me links to other sites that they’ve built. After looking over their work, I felt confident that they could take on my project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $27,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, I’m satisfied with their work. They’ve accomplished everything I’ve asked of them so far.

How did Scopic perform from a project management standpoint?

They communicate well and are responsive. They’re easy to get in touch with on Teamwork Messenger and we have weekly Skype meetings. They also finish projects in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been able to take on just about anything I throw at them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients need to be willing to collaborate with them and be transparent about what they want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company makes scientific instrumentation. I am the President of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Scopic?

Scopic performed a variety of programming tasks related to data analysis and the graphical user interface.

What were your goals for this project

The goals of the project were to implement certain algorithms related to data analysis. In addition, we sought to revise the user interface from a text based to pictoral based interface.

SOLUTION

How did you select Scopic?

I researched several firms on Guru.com. I gave Scopic a small programming task to evaluate their performance. I was pleased to see that they were responsive and completed the task perfectly.

Describe the project in detail.

The project details are confidential.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a project manager and one programmer. They worked well together and with me. They were punctual and accommodating to my work schedule.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This project was not focused toward an easily quantifiable metric as you might encounter in a web page design. However, the calculation tasks were completed as specified and the pictoral implementation was done well, with good stylistic elements as well as efficient programming.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Could not ask for a better team from a logistics standpoint.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Scopic programmer was very efficient at writing code. That required a good background in mathematics which I had difficulty finding elsewhere. Programmers abound, but finiding someone who could understand the elements underpinning why were were doing what we do was difficult until I met Scopic.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I think the work quality is excellent and the price reasonable. I continue to work with them and enjoy the relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Provider of laser eye surgery services. I am the Vice President of Information Technology Services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to develop a Telehealth web application that would use webRTC to allow our staff to talk to patients using a browser. The goal was to replace an existing application that patients had to download and install with one that would work in the browser.

SOLUTION

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

We have been working with Scopic for years. They have been fantastic to work with. Their developers are knowledgeable, hard working and creative.

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

Scopic worked on the patient portion of the project - anything that the patient would see in the browser. This included using webRTC for accessing the webcam and microphone and chat. The application had to be responsive so that it looks good on mobile, tablet and desktop.

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

Two developers worked with us. One was more user-interface focused and one was focused more on the webRTC integration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Scopic team was great to work with. They had great suggestions, understood our needs and provided exactly what we wanted.

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

During the core development, we met daily with the team and made shared the interface using Microsoft Teams. A list of follow-ups was updated daily. This allowed us to develop this web application very quickly.

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

Scopic has a great combination of talented developers who were easy to work with. They also offered a reasonable price.

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

No issues.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We develop, sell, and support 3D design software to woodworkers. We have been in business 10 years and have customers worldwide. I am the owner and president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

1. Take an existing version of our software and improve its function and appearance. This is an ongoing project and we are about to release our fifth version - 3 of which Scopc has designed, programmed, and implemented.
2. Provide the infrastructure necessary to distribute and support our products. This includes customer portals, CRM type data management, and web security and performance.
3. Design and develop a new product offering.
4. Total marketing design and support.
5. SEO.
6. Created a KickStarter campaign that as of now is more than 500% funded.

SOLUTION

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

Honestly the initial attraction was price. However from the very beginning of their work for us they impressed me with their professionalism, depth of skills in many technical areas, and highly structured approach to design, development, and delivery.

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

There are too many projects to spell this all out. The key delivarables were SketchList 3D versions 3, 4, and 5. The Cabinet Wizard version 1 and 2. Setting up distribution systems for getting new and existing customers copies of products. On the marketing side they redesigned our webpage entirely.

They manage our social channels and whatever publicity we do. SEO - our web page is leading many of the keywords that we have targets in tems of hits from searches. They put together a plan - which was long term - and executed it perfrectly.

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

The number varied from 2 or 3 to a dozen over time. As we prepare our V5 release it's probably 10 or 12. Postions? Project manager, developers, designers, UI/UX experts, designers, CNC programmers, SEO experts, copy writers, designers, tecfhnical writers, and probably more.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

SketchList 3D is one of the leading woodworking software packages for woodworkers. This year we have doubled sales and with the introduction of our newest version may very well double again in 2021. SketchList.com, according to the firm Semrush, is the top company in web visibility for its marketplace.

It had more than twice the visibility of its next competitor. Considerable since some of the companies on the list are very large. Scopic employees hold high standards for their work and for each other. Deliverables are on-time unless of course we change the project in some way that affects the schedules.

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

Very professional. At every level. Timelines are taken very seriously. Each project has documented steps and measurements. From a relatively simple spreadsheet, to a formal project planning structure, to problem reporting and tracking systems they are well versed.

When a problem comes up they are very transparent about the issues and always, it seems, come with a suggested solution. Outside factors (as with Apple making some major changes) that distract the normal flow are analyzed and a plan is developed and implemented.

I am usually fully confident that things are in control and moving along. When I am not I call and either get an answer or a time at which an answer would be available. I am comfortable with our relationship, in part, because of the way the people I work with are really invested in my success.

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

Depth or understanding of my business and technical problems. Committment. The deep pool or skills resources. Organization, procedures, and tools.

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

It is hard to say because it has been such a learning experience for me. There are many thing I could have done differently - for example provide better specifications. But that's not how I do things and they supported that.

A while back I asked for more reporting - since so much was going on - and it took a bit for them to hone in on a useful way to provide the updates. In this long term relationship people have come and gone - which it the most difficult experience for us.

Those who leave have a wealth of knowledge and those who come one are unknown to us. But that's just how it is. Generally they've provided good replacements and the times when there wasn't - for whatever a reason - they working with me to get it right.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a music software company. We developed a digital audio station and a VST (Virtual Studio Technology) drum machine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic?

We needed a partner to manage development initiatives for the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since the beginning of the company, Scopic has manned our development projects. They manage software development recruiting and pick the right talent for our product.

They built a WordPress website, which runs on AWS servers. Their team built the site’s entire infrastructure. They also implemented the APIs needed for our marketing initiatives. Their team connected the platform with our MailChimp user database and data collection program.

Their team also developed both of our core products. For the VST product, they implemented a cross-platform music production API called JUCE—an industry-standard for music technology. Their team built the audio workstation on a cross-platform API called Qt. Both products were entirely built in C++ for Mac and Windows. Their team continues to provide cross-platform desktop C++ development.  

What is the team composition?

They provide us with the developers we need. While Scopic could supply project managers and QA people, I took on the role of project manager and hired QA testers. We needed to hire professional music producers for QA processes for their industry know-how.
 

How did you come to work with Scopic?

I posted the job on various sites. Tim (Founder & President) reached out and offered an all-in-one solution with experience. They could supply us with technologies to report bugs, store code, and collaborate virtually.

I was happy to receive interest from a US-based company. Based on our budget, we needed to outsource our development team. However, their team's location in America meant liability could be held domestically. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $500,000–$1,000,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Scopic around March 2014, and our partnership's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our software currently has 200,000 active users, so we’re happy. The developer from Scopic’s a genius. He had experience in audio processing and building software audio. He was able to teach himself JUCE just from that minimal background.

Overall, Scopic has been able to recruit the best developers who fit within our budget. It’s difficult to find quality developers at competitive rates, so we’re pleased with the talent Scopic has found.

How did Scopic perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate well with Scopic. If there’s a delay or regression in the project, their team clearly explains the reasons for them. We only missed deadlines because we added a million other tasks to Scopic’s plate.

As far as deadlines, they’re the best we could request. It’s a complicated environment, and their team doesn’t overpromise. They’re professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Scopic recruits talented, high-quality, and professional people who get their work done. They’re team players who complete their jobs well the first time.

For several years, they’ve provided a team with good synergy. They initially recruited individuals who weren’t perfect. Once we identified them, Scopic quickly switched them out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nope, Scopic is great all around!

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Pick Scopic!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a solutions company that provides equipment and services to hospitals, practices and clinics. I am the President.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Scopic?

We had an existing web application that was dated and needed to be rebuilt with newer technologies.

What were your goals for this project?

The new web app needed to reproduce the functionality of the older system while utilizing newer technologies. We wanted to utilize the Laravel framework for its security benefits and hosting cost. The update also allowed for a faster application response.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

With months of research by my team Scopic was the company that continually stood out among the others.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The Scopic team designed, developed, and deployed our new web application. At the start they examined the old application code. Then made mock-up screens for approval. Once all was approved they began working on a development application which happened rapidly.

The project manager would reach out with updates and questions for approval daily. After completion the project was deployed and we continue to fine tune and update weekly.

What was the team composition?

The project team consisted of maybe 5-6 people. There was a consistent project manager and core team. However, individuals did come and go depending on the stage of the project and what was needed at the time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Once the web application was completed my team was able to utilize the benefits immediately and seamlessly. This allowed us to focus on new markets with a huge potential for growth.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was spot on! The entire team seemed to work extremely well together without issue.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

That the project was able to be completed 100% virtually. We had at best 2 video chats and the rest was completed via their online tools.

Are there any areas for improvement?

On Scopic's side I cannot think of any areas for improvement. However, for my team we could have done a better job at listing requirements throughout the new build. We made it hard on them at times but they never failed at making it perfect.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and president of an orthodontic laboratory. We offer orthodontic software solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic?

We needed support building our software platform which aids orthodontists in their treatment planning.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Scopic provided all of the coding services for our software, which is a virtual environment that allows doctors to place braces on teeth and “fast forward” to the end of treatment and see the results. The predictive outcome then allows doctors to adjust their treatment accordingly.

The solution, a desktop application, is written in C++. The team also used Qt for the UI components, which is the current focus. 

What is the team composition?

There are about 15-16 people on the team, most of whom are developers. My main point of contact is Misel (Technical Lead, Scopic). I also work with Artur (Web Developer, Scopic) and a UI expert. 

How did you come to work with Scopic?

We conducted online research for a company that could handle the graphics-intensive desktop application we had in mind. Scopic received good reviews, and so we ultimately partnered with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $850,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very impressed with the quality of work they’ve provided. Scopic has a great talent for finding highly skilled developers to join their team and onboard them quickly. They hold their team members to a very high standard, which has been very valuable to us.

In terms of the software itself, we’ve received a great deal of positive feedback from many of our orthodontists who are pleased with the efficiency the platform brings to their treatment processes. 

Throughout the project, Scopic has been really effective at understanding our ideas and vision and being able to implement them into the technology itself. They also offer advice and feedback on features they think aren’t necessary or right for our platform, which we’ve appreciated. 

How did Scopic perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed really well. If we’re every behind schedule, it’s on our side rather than theirs. Even though we’ve had some challenges with a few of the developers working in different time zones, the team has done their best to work around our schedule. My Skype meetings with Misel often take place late in the evening for him, and he’s never complained about it. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re extremely impressed by the value we’ve received. The quality of Scopic’s coding compared to their rates really stands out. They do their best to stay as affordable as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The difference in time zones has been problematic at times, but we can’t really solve that issue and the team does their best to work around it. Ultimately, the value and quality we’ve received from the team have outweighed the challenges.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to have one person in your organization who really understands the vision and can dedicate as much time and effort to giving direction as possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a small software company that sells software to the glass industry in North America. Our mainstay product allows glazing contractors to estimate, order, and fabricate jobs of all sizes. This company was started by a glass industry veteran in 1985.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Scopic?

We needed help rewriting our software with a SQL Server back end, and .NET front end. After spending a couple of years trying to find the write developer to add to our team, and not getting much done, we decided more manpower was needed at a reasonable price. We wanted Scopic to bring back end and UI knowledge to the table to make the new product as good as possible.

What were your goals for this project?

We have a working legacy product in VB6 that our entire customer base is currently using. Our in house developers are keeping that product viable, while Scopic develops the new product. Incorporating our functionality and feature set is critical while working with Scopic designers and developers. Getting all existing functionality in the new software, along with new features is key before releasing this new product. Expediting development is also a new goal for us with Scopic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We saw that Scopic had experience in all areas that we wanted to utilize in our new software.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Scopic has provided UI design, SQL back end development and security recommendations. They have also provided C# .NET coding and production. In most cases they are working from a specification that we wrote. They also can leverage the existing software for needed feature sets and use cases. In some cases we have UI started that they could work with, and in other cases, they created forms and logic from scratch.

What was the team composition?

Scopic has assigned us a Project Manager, Team Leader, and two developers. Our own lead developer and I meet with the managers on a regular basis to discuss concepts, specs, functionality, and design. Scopic always makes sure we have developers on our project, even when one is on holiday or away.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our project is not yet complete, but the progress we have made is significant, and our own teem can keep our current software maintained while all of this new development is underway. We do believe that our dollars are going farther in terms of development with Scopic on our side.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Scopic helped determine the structure of the team and the current configuration was settled on in the first few months. This was our first try at a contract group like this, and they made the process very easy and effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Scopic has been extremely reliable and professional in every sense of those words. The project manager is always on top of the weekly work reports, work flow tickets, meetings, and planning. It literally is like having this person as an employee since they are always in contact with us regarding all aspects of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Short of having our Scopic team in the office next door, there isn't anything I can see improving on.