Softeq

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of software development at Happiest Baby. We specialize in smart baby products, and our first consumer product is a bassinette. It’s a smart IoT bassinette that detects when babies cry and then attempts to calm the infants based on sensors that identify what they are doing and what’s going on around them. It also has a mobile app, a backend component to allow remote operation of the bassinette.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softeq?

As we were getting ready to put the product into production, we needed additional resources. We had our own internal team to work on the product, but we needed augmentation to add to our team to help with the mobile development and back-end development. I was looking for an external team with experience in mobile development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We defined the requirements for the product, but they refined the technical details. They built the mobile app and the interactions with the bassinette itself, as well as some of the control functions for the bassinette. They did a lot of integration with the app and the product. I primarily interacted with the lead mobile developer, but they had as many as three engineers at a time devoted to our project. They built both the iOS and Android apps simultaneously using Xamarin technology, which is a cross-platform technology. They helped us submit the apps to the iTunes store and the Google Play Store.

How much have you invested with Softeq?

I would be reluctant to disclose that.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started conversations around March 2016, but the official involvement began at the end of April or beginning of May. It’s still ongoing; right now we’re adding additional features and new information for the users, as well as continuing to improve the user interface.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m not sure if I have specific data, but in general, we were pleased that we were able to launch in a relatively short period of time. They got involved in April or May and we launched at the end of October, so they were able to understand the project, work with us, and ramp up the process. They were pretty flexible because some of the requirements were still being defined, and we were refining some aspects, so from that standpoint, it went fairly well. Any user feedback we’ve received so far has been positive.

How did Softeq perform from a project management standpoint?

We used JIRA for tracking tasks as well as continuous integration tools and build servers, so those are working pretty well for us. I also talk to them daily, which helps a lot from a project management standpoint. There are always some questions that need to be answered or clarifications that need to be made. They also had a QA team testing the app, so it was the full cycle. They implemented the app and tested it as well.

What did you find most impressive about Softeq?

The unique thing about them is that they are multidisciplinary. For a company like us, in the IoT space, they are very appealing because they have mobile-related expertise, backend expertise, and embedded expertise. It allows them to work on a complete system rather than one part of it, which simplifies the integration process and improves collaboration.

Are there any areas Softeq could improve?

The main thing would be communication, but that’s sort of the nature of working with a remote company. Sometimes things would get missed or wouldn’t be implemented exactly as we wanted them, but again, that’s partly on us because we didn’t document well or explain ourselves well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Christie Lites, a stage lighting business. We provide services to five market segments: concerts, theater, corporate, special events/trade shows, and film and TV. A large part of our business is supplying stage lighting equipment, along with personnel, to various events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softeq?

I hired Softeq for R&D [research and development] work on a wireless inventory system. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The whole project was technical, with a mixture of software and hardware engineering. The solution’s purpose was to track our assets inside our warehouse. In other words, it would determine whether a piece of equipment was inside our warehouse or not. Softeq also did some industrial design work for us in the way of a product enclosure. The tag [printed circuit board] that we ended up developing needed an enclosure, and we’re probably going to make half a million pieces of that enclosure. The design of that enclosure was important because it needed to house the electronics. At the same time, it needed to be a suitable shape and have the right features so that we can affix it to a myriad of different equipment types.  

The team was made up of 4–5 people. I had two key contacts at Softeq. The person I first made contact with was extremely responsive. He did a lot of groundwork by visiting the site where we planned to use the inventory system. He’s been heading the projects and has been with me from start to finish on these projects.

How did you come to work with Softeq?

At the very start of this process, I was looking to pick my primary engineer. I really had to cast the net fairly wide to find the right fit. I found Softeq through a web search, along with 12 other candidates. They were very responsive to an inquiry. What created confidence was a mix of their prior technical work and, more importantly, the trust factor. I felt very comfortable and felt that the lead guy I was dealing with from Softeq was trustworthy.

How much have you invested with Softeq?

On Softeq’s side, we’ve spent about $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2016. The project is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve used a lot of other suppliers and I found Softeq to be easy to get a hold of. In our meetings, they made sure that they understood things and would pester me with questions if they didn’t, which was extremely helpful. We really suffered very little, if any, misunderstandings that would have otherwise been a problem in a project like this. They were also very committed to a positive outcome. As engineers, they really get paid by the hour and deliverables, but they were invested in a successful outcome.

How did Softeq perform from a project management standpoint?

They really take pride in their work—they want the outcome to be something that they’re pleased with. That really showed in how they drove the project management side, by keeping to a schedule and pushing for project advancement. They were good at staying on me in getting what they needed in order to keep the project moving forward. Most of the updates were done through conference calls and emails. They also visited our site.

What did you most impressive about Softeq?

They performed very highly and are very good at what they do. They’re very committed. While this wouldn’t make them entirely unique, it certainly puts them in a premium category of vendors.

Are there any areas Softeq could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything outstanding in that way. I don’t have any feedback to offer in that regard. Certainly, they’re not perfect—if only they could fix the time zones so we’re not seven hours apart when I’m talking to them, but that’s not a fair criticism.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are creating a new sport called futchi, which is a combination of football and squash. We have an online community around it, but we also provide a physical product and a game-handling app. I am one of the company's founders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softeq?

We wanted to outsource the development of our platform to a company with multiple competencies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softeq has provided gamification designs for our solution, creating an implementation 4-step plan together with our team in order to build our community experience. Softeq has built the Android and iOS versions of our app. The platform will allow users to search for opponents and register games. There is also a ranking system connected to the app which, while not being extremely complex, still required competent skills from Softeq's side to be done right.

Softeq provided a tech lead on their side. I mainly kept in touch with that person, but also contacted their other resources. There was only a handful involved. 

How did you come to work with Softeq?

We contacted 10 companies through a management consultant and chose Softeq as the best option. They weren't the cheapest supplier, but I found that Softeq became invested in solving our problem and came up with creative ideas, which is unusual for outsourced developers. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Softeq at the beginning of 2015. Our iOS version was launched in July and the Android one in August.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still working on creating a user base. The app is a good solution for creating events and tournaments, as well as creating rankings. We plan to further develop it in order to create additional engagement.

How did Softeq perform from a project management standpoint?

Development is a complex world. We had a living project and didn't fully know how it should look from the beginning. We work through sprints and change features constantly. Estimations and timelines can be affected by feature creep, so Softeq hasn't always been able to deliver on time and budget. They've also delivered faster, so I would say that Softeq has generally done a good job. We are using Jira for project tracking.

What did you find most impressive about Softeq?

Softeq has a lot of expertise building apps that feature gamification. Their project leads have been helpful in finding better solutions based on their knowledge. This isn't common in the outsourcing world, from my experience.

Are there any areas Softeq could improve?

It would be good to have better resource planning on Softeq's side. We've needed to have testing phases for our app using external parties, thus pausing the development for that time. There has sometimes been a lack of communication and understanding around how resources were planned. The issue exists on both our sides.

Because of our distance and because there is a middleman between us and the developers, some features took longer than expected to build. I didn't know if that was because Softeq was working on something else or because they had a hard time understanding our requirements. Not having full control over resources is a general aspect of outsourcing. We would like to have more transparency. Not knowing what is going on can create a lack of trust.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

BlinkFX, LLC is an angel-backed startup providing products and services to the entertainment and corporate event market. The company has successfully delivered products to Microsoft, CBS Television, Frito-Lay, Capital One, and many other corporate clients. We've also worked with top musical talents such as LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Doug E. Fresh, Public Enemy, Christian Bush, and more.

As president and COO, I'm responsible for setting the vision for the company, driving the product roadmap, and managing all resources. The solution reviewed here is our core technology platform, which powers all of our main products and derivatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softeq?

As a pre-revenue startup, BlinkFX needed a provider who offered full-stack technology development as we required a solution involving hardware, firmware, software, and a mobile app. We also needed a provider who had experience working with open industry standards, since our users are experienced professional lighting designers, lighting operators, and event producers. Softeq recommended and embraced the DMX512 industry standard for lighting controls and delivered a solution that industry professionals admire and appreciate.

We were pleased to take on the delivery of a robust solution with global compatibility, which broadened our market potential. We smashed our sales goals in our first 6 months of operation and have continued to grow and land prestigious clients. We're now deep into subsequent versions of hardware, firmware, and apps because with successful products, the work is never done. We expect to continue to innovate using Softeq for our development efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The solution was engineered from the ground up to work across all aspects of the customer and product experience. The hardware and firmware were conceived as one integrated solution. The control software and app were a contiguous outgrowth of the hardware. Everything was designed as a platform and worked "out of the box."

Softeq also helped us deliver the first proof-of-concept product shipment to an alpha customer by helping source a US domestic contract manufacturer. They then helped us transfer the design to our China contract manufacturer with no issues. Their firmware and software documentation was excellent.

How did you come to work with Softeq?

We were referred to Softeq by one of their clients in the amusement park industry that is well known for their mastery of technology. We concluded that if Softeq could deliver solutions for the likes of Microsoft, Intel, NVIDIA, and Disney, then they could help solve our technology development challenges.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took four months from them start to the delivery for our alpha release candidate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We provided Softeq with a very aggressive deadline and short timeframe for design, development, and delivery. Because they are a full-stack developer, they were able to deliver a complete turn-key solution for us.

How did Softeq perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was delivered on time, to scope, and on budget. They also worked seamlessly across multiple time zones and three languages; they hung right with us. Their project management tools really helped facilitate easy and accurate communication.

We've continued to work with Softeq on many subsequent releases and upgrades to the platform.

What did you find most impressive about Softeq?

Softeq did a great job of advising us on the right technology to use for our innovative low-cost solution. The right chipset, the right firmware language, the right development tools, and the right architecture were all critical to our collective success. There were many options available to us and Softeq curated the best solution.

We consider ourselves savvy hardware developers with a long list of successful products. However, Softeq taught us many new things and steered us down the best path for our needs. In my 30 years of experience, hardware and software development projects run into trouble when there's a lack of clear customer requirements and a scope of work up front. Softeq did an excellent job of quantifying the project in advance, which minimized potential communication issues.

I have recommended them to friends and I would use Softeq again.

Are there any areas Softeq could improve?

Any negatives really fell back on us, especially since we did not allow adequate time for QA [quality assurance] and testing on our end. We were warned about this in advance but pushed forward anyway. If we were to start from scratch again, we would assign the QA process to Softeq rather than attempting to handle this on our own. We would also set a more realistic schedule if that's even possible as a startup.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an early-stage company developing a new security platform. Our product is related to the chip-and-pin technology used for online transactions and logins. I am the chief executive officer and founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softeq?

We had used a number of outside developers over the years. Unfortunately, we were not satisfied with any of them. We eventually found Softeq.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have brought Softeq in as a full-time software developer and UI/UX designer for our mobile and PC solutions. They inherited code that had been written by our former developers. Softeq was tasked with ongoing development as well as fixing what had been done up to that point. We work primarily with coders and used 5–6 people from Softeq. They have collaborated with us on some hardware product development resources as well.

How did you come to work with Softeq?

One of our design suppliers had worked with Softeq and held their group in high regard.

How much have you invested with Softeq?

I'd like to keep that confidential, but it hasn't been an insignificant amount. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with Softeq for a little over a year. We plan to continue working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Softeq's development skills are very high, as well as their business acumen and ability to manage projects. They are as good as any outside resource we've used over the course of 25 years. Our CTO and general collaborative teams for security and design are all very pleased with Softeq. Softeq is as good as it gets. They have done a remarkable job.

How did Softeq perform from a project management standpoint?

We defined the collaboration tools used by both parties. Softeq has been able to provide the information necessary to make decisions and stay on track. I haven't had to make a very strong management effort. The ongoing development has been almost always within schedule. Companies usually have to make on-the-fly adjustments for this type of work, so we've been pleased with Softeq's delivery time and quality.

What did you find most impressive about Softeq?

Unlike many other outsourcing companies, Softeq has a strong corporate-based infrastructure that allows for high-level communication with programmers. We visited Softeq's coding facilities and have found that they're run tightly. Softeq has a strong basis in both coding and business, which is very refreshing.

Are there any areas Softeq could improve?

There is nothing that Softeq could improve, short of giving its services away for free.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a startup aiming to develop a social app for instant messaging.

What is your position?

I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softeq Development?

They have developed our application for Android mobile devices and TVs as well as the Samsung Smart TV App Store.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Softeq is mainly responsible for design, development, and research. All three versions of our app are being developed at the same time.

The core features of the app include modern instant messaging between either mobile devices or smart TVs. During the Super Bowl, a user with the app installed can see text messages overplayed on the TV. It allows for group chats for different TV programs, which can be displayed instantly and allows for receiving updates from mobile phones. The mobile version can be used independently of the TV version. Signing in to the TV version requires getting a code from the mobile profile. Once that is done, the TV version can work independently of the mobile device.

Currently, users can only exchange texts and images through our app. We plan to add video sharing functionalities as well.

How did you come to work with Softeq Development?

I researched online and chose them based on the references and feedback I saw for their company. Softeq specializes in embedded software, so they can be a good option for the future, in the event that I would want to expand to set-top boxes or other media players. I reached out to six other companies during my search, including local providers. In the end, I felt most confident in Softeq. They had a well-structured approach and a great deal of resource flexibility, which was important for me.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total development cost has been more than $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our discussions at the beginning of 2015. Softeq delivered a proof of concept and a prototype for all three platforms. We're now getting ready to test the finalized versions for all platforms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

There are no real metrics to share just yet. All assignments were delivered on time and with exceptional care. Their team took ownership of the assigned work and put a large amount of time and effort into engineering effective solutions. Quality assurance was never an issue with these guys.

How did Softeq Development perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with their team has been very easy. Communication is clear and concise. I receive constant progress updates, at least every week, for the work on each platform. They've been consistent in delivering on time and on budget.

We're not using any project tracking tools. Softeq provides all the necessary information in their reports, including what was accomplished in the past week and what they're planning on doing in the following days.

What distinguishes Softeq Development from other providers?

They always provide valuable input and expertise, not only from a development standpoint but also from user-base and user interface standpoints. This helps me make better decisions for the end-users.

Is there anything Softeq Development could have improved or done differently?

I have no customer service issues with regard to Softeq. My main interaction has been with their project manager. With his help, things have gone according to plan. We went over budget during development, but this is attributable to me. I've always requested new features for the updated versions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a software development company working with enterprise clients. We focus on planning and organization to help them understand their needs. This includes concept elaboration, workflow development, crafting ways to best present relevant information, and so on. The actual programming work is handled by vendors like Softeq.

What is your position?

I am the chief technology officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softeq?

We had a major client who wanted to build an application to serve as a digital briefcase. It would have all the relevant information about their products, training and support videos, and other tools useful to sales people. Initially, we employed a local developer. That person became unavailable, which forced us to move to an alternative local company. They ended up having real problems meeting our deployment schedules and cost expectations.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

They worked on developing an iOS application for us. They took complete responsibility for developing the functional prototype based on our specs.

How did you come to work with Softeq?

We started a search for companies around the country that could work with us. We came across Softeq, looked at their information and were impressed. We contacted them and explained the job.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total cost was between $5,000 and $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Softeq worked on an upgrade of the software for us a year ago. We're pleased with the way in which they handled that assignment, both in terms of professionalism, timing and cost. We've continued to contract them for further development work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

There have been changes with iOS itself that have undermined the app's functionality. Most recently, this happened with iOS 9.2, causing issues with our distribution method. We contacted Softeq about the matter and they were very responsive. The problem was fixed within a week, over the span of three different builds. I've been very pleased with their understanding and ability to troubleshoot correctly.

How did Softeq perform from a project management standpoint?

Their ability to deliver work on time and within budget was one of the key reasons for continuing to work with them. Any time Softeq quoted us a price, they stuck to it.

The second project on which we worked with them was under an hourly contract, with a maximum limit. They delivered the work below that number.

We don't use any formal project management tools. We rely on email. The tasks we gave Softeq were straightforward, with specific goals and deadlines. They were always good at meeting those tasks, so we didn't see a need for constant updates. We had more ample phone communication during our first project but since then, Softeq has been so good at keeping deadlines that we haven't done any formal project management on our end.

What distinguishes Softeq from other providers?

Compared to other companies we've used, their turnaround time is very good, and they deliver work when promised.

Is there anything Softeq could have improved or done differently?

The only area that presented confusion is the language barrier. We've had misunderstandings on terminology. It was never anything major and we resolved issues through a couple of emails.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We fly UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] in order to access remote areas where people can be camped out or where there is need for robot activity. We work for the oil and gas business.

What is your position?

I am head of products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softeq Development?

UAVs have been around for a long time, more in the form of controlled toys. Using them for industrial purposes is more of a recent development. I don't know why it's taken so long for them to emerge as they're powerful instruments. The important thing about drones is that they capture a lot of data. In a scenario where people would be deployed, you can now send a robot to capture images, video, heat detection based in the infrared spectrum, telemetry data, and so on.

We're transitioning from a human reporting process to a data capturing one. We needed a software firm that could build us a decent platform for holding that data and turning it into useful information for customers.

We generate documents, make assessments of what we've seen, and relay those to the customers. In the traditional industry, a report would be simply handed over. We've opted for an interactive view of the customer's asset – their oil platform. They can watch videos, look at images, and so on. We're trying to distance ourselves from the past by offering a multimedia report.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Softeq have built our reporting platform from scratch using Java for back-end processing and PHP for the web interface. The solution is hosted on Amazon Web Services.

We had a discussion with them for choosing the technologies to be used on our solution. They're good at offering us a cost and benefit assessment of technology choices.

Depending on the current stage of the project, Softeq used a team of up to eleven people. This included UX [user experience] developers, a project manager and those making specifications. Later on, they assigned more developers, with only one UX person working for us. 

During product development, Softeq's product manager was reporting the QA [quality assurance] findings and what work was being done.

They also provided quality assurance services and offer ongoing IT [information technology] support for keeping the system up and running.

The original development of the product was through a fixed-price contract, and we've migrated to a service-level agreement, by which Softeq provide us bug fixes and upgrades on a necessity basis. There is a base price for their services, and we're charged extra for time and materials for any work.

How did you come to work with Softeq Development?

Our CTO [chief technology officer] researched different software firms through the internet.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total development cost was $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We have developed a niche product with a small user base. I have a direct overview of how our customers are using it and use Google Analytics in order to see how people flow through the software. Based on what we've seen so far, users are having a much easier time than expected. We rarely receive defect reports. Internally, everyone here has been very impressed with Softeq and their performance. 

How did Softeq Development perform from a project management standpoint?

Development work is hard and needs to be a concentrated effort. I'm not an advocate of outsourcing work because ideas need to be bounced around directly between the client and those doing the work. Developers need to know what it is they're building and why before they start building it. Handing off specs to a firm and getting software back will not work. Because Softeq is an outsourced company in a different country and time zone, speaking a different language than us, I'm surprised how few problems we've encountered.

There are a few odd little problems, like a typo on a particular button. This tells me that they're simply following through the specs. This probably wouldn't happen if everyone was sitting in the same room.

In terms of project management, though, Softeq is bulletproof. They respond to things quickly, and they don't cheat by doing the bare minimum work to achieve the specs. They're apologetic if something doesn't work as planned, even if it's not their fault. And they turn around resolutions extremely quickly. 

We log into their JIRA instance for project tracking. They also have a Confluence installation that we use. Long term, we will be hosting it ourselves but, for now, their solution has worked fine. We can change management items and access spreadsheets of their workflow.

What distinguishes Softeq Development from other providers?

I don't know what hours they keep, but they're always available. When I'm in the office at 9 o'clock, there will usually be a Skype message waiting for me. Even though they're three hours ahead of us, they're still available. This is a fantastic distinguishing feature.

Softeq's turnaround time is great and they're great communicators. Everything is handled by one person, who does an excellent job. Whenever they have a national holiday, I am notified a week in advance. I haven't had that experience with another supplier. Typically, operations are 9 to 5, and communication won't be proactive as opposed to Softeq.

Is there anything Softeq Development could have improved or done differently?

The product has only been out for one season, so we haven't yet encountered a problem that they couldn't overcome.

Any prospecting customer should know their expectations and explain what they want in full. Lean and agile methodologies are the current norm, and involve building small, incremental releases towards a final product. This is hard to do with an external team as you can't sit together within the same studio and discuss small details. You have to fit this element into your plans. The lack of a local team should be supplemented with in-house technical knowledge by employing one or two developers. Otherwise, marketers and product managers will invent products that cannot be built. Ideas need to be balanced with an IT perspective.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a fleet management and safety program. We have a web and a mobile app, and we've got it deployed for both iOS and Android devices. We help our clients manage their documents, and they get fully customized policies and procedures for their fleet. We provide alerts for failures in compliance, to make sure that the client can avoid fines levied by the DOT [Department of Transportation] and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

We also provide GPS location services for the fleet manager, so he knows where all of his assets currently are, and he can see where a truck has been for a designated period of time. Our system allows the driver to manage his hours of service as well, to make sure he remains in compliance. The driver can use the system to do accident investigation, inspections of his vehicle, and create work orders for the mechanic. We are a startup, and we're going through the launch right now. It's an exciting time for us.

What is your position?

I'm one of two co-founders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softeq Development?

We're a startup, and we needed an entirely new platform built for the web, iOS, and Android. There was no way we could build it by ourselves. We just had the concept, and we needed it executed correctly and in a fairly short period of time.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Softeq took us from soup to nuts on this. They've been responsible for building both the web and mobile apps for the launch of our business. Throughout the development, the size and composition of the team fluctuated a bit. We had initially gone with another agency that was absolutely terrible. They completely mispriced us, and they didn't have the resources to follow through. They really left us high and dry.

Once we brought in Softeq, they were absolutely phenomenal by comparison. We needed to get going very quickly because of the lost time with the previous development company. They were able to accommodate our timetables, and they scaled the team assigned to us accordingly. We started with three developers, and we got up to about 15 at the peak, so they had the ability to scale for us with very little upfront notice. I never got the sense that we were going to max out with them.

I was always able to communicate directly via Skype, telephone, and JIRA. We were able to manage all issues and add additional tasks for completion. We used an agile development method, and we made sure it was as efficient as possible. I'm a pretty hands-on person, so that really worked well for me. I hadn't used JIRA previously, but I loved it.

How did you come to work with Softeq Development?

We discussed our project with five different companies. The company we had before outsourced everything, and they didn't have direct control over their developers. The team wasn't as reliable as they could have been, and the project management wasn't very good. Therefore, when we went through the process this time, we talked to each of the five companies about their system and how they managed it. We specifically wanted to have a firm that was geographically close to us, and three of those five had a presence in Texas, which is where we're located.

We met with the CEO of Softeq, and we felt very comfortable with the approach they used and their project experience. They introduced us to JIRA and explained how that would clear up and prevent any communications issues and make sure nothing was lost, which was very important to us given our prior experience. After we had that conversation, we went through the pricing, which was similar to the estimates provided by the four other companies. It wasn't a pricing issue for us. It was just sheer confidence in their approach and project management. They had a robust team and a very large office in Belarus. They're all salaried employees instead of contractors, and that was important to us because they had more control of their talent pool.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

I think it's a little shy of $250,000, maybe $225,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's kind of an ongoing thing because we're adding on module customization. The original duration was about three months, and we hit the target. We've rolled out the solution to several end-users during the past couple of weeks as beta testers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The feedback we're getting from drivers is that they absolutely love it. Specifically, one driver sent me a note two days ago saying that there have been no issues, no kickouts, no crashes, or anything. He was so impressed. It says a lot when there aren't any crashes on a brand new mobile app still in beta.

I believe that, with the timeline we had, it was important to go with a company that has the scalability and the manpower to be able to put resources onto it. That was one of the most impressive things.

Softeq has been extremely good at developing for both iOS and Android devices, and coordinating that with the integration of the web app. In our research, I found that many companies do one or the other well, but not both. That was highly impressive, and it differentiated them.

They're extremely good with graphic design and user experience, too. Their QA [quality assurance] process is very good as well. They notice things that I would not have expected them to notice.

How did Softeq Development perform from a project management standpoint?

We hit the deadline right on time, which was exceedingly impressive to me and rare in the software business. Our timeline was so compressed because of the failed effort with the other developer. If we'd ping them during the weekend, they'd get on it almost immediately. If we had a presentation that had to go off during the weekend, they were able and willing to make sure everything was on point and ready for us. They really went above and beyond.

They had their guys working until two or three o'clock in the morning in order to meet our deadlines. Anytime we need anything, it's taken care of immediately. When we enter something in JIRA and mark is as critical, it's handled accordingly. We just can't say enough about how professional they've been.

What distinguishes Softeq Development from other providers?

My co-founder and I are exceedingly impressed by the professionalism and the response time on major issues. The experience with Softeq Development is completely opposite of our previous developer.

Is there anything Softeq Development could have improved or done differently?

The only thing I would want to see improvement on was probably self-inflicted on our side. There isn't really anything I would recommend that they improve on their end, although we could have improved our own processes and accountability. They definitely met our expectations and, in many cases, surpassed them.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your company?

Our company is an emerging digital studio specializing in eLearning applications. We’re focused on building turnkey mobile solutions that enable people to acquire new skills using their mobile device.

What is your position?

I’m a producer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Softeq?

In 2012, our Product Marketing group was busy working on the idea of creating an advanced, very sophisticated culinary app to help amateur chefs cook like their professional counterparts. With some of the finer points of cooking techniques, it soon transformed into something more large-scale. We then decided to build a custom engine for accelerated development of mobile culinary apps, followed by the release of several iPad apps teaching baking and cooking. We didn’t have the technical skills in-house to handle all of the custom work, so we knew that we had to find a qualified technology partner, a firm we could use to support our mobile development endeavors.

SOLUTION

How did you select Softeq as your solution partner?

We originally connected with Softeq through a recommendation, and they presented a very impressive mobile portfolio, and also demonstrated compelling video processing expertise. We worked with their European development office and the communication was quite excellent, despite some time zone differences. Based on our initial discussions, we felt confident that they’d be able to deliver the solutions we needed.

Could you describe the scope of work in greater detail?

Softeq delivered to us full-cycle mobile development, and built the platform used on several iOS apps from scratch. The apps deliver step-by-step interactive culinary lessons hosted by popular chefs, with detailed recipes, tips and cooking technique descriptions. They were responsible for most if not all of the technical parts, based on our specifications. They also handled quality assurance and unit testing of the prototypes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics or user feedback you’ve received that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

We sought to make the apps as immersive as possible and we hit this goal. It’s really easy and fun for cooks of all levels to follow the instructions, and it’s complimented by a series of HD production quality videos illustrating the “master” playing around the kitchen, guiding the user through the whole process. That was important to us, and it was definitely fulfilled.

From the user perspective, our apps’ differentiator is the confidence that it extends to the end-user. It’s nearly impossible to be unsuccessful when using these Apps, because our culinary pros are cooking in parallel with the user, sharing the same moment. Delicious and beautiful meals and desserts are basically guaranteed, or at least that’s the sentiment we get through user reviews and anecdotal conversations.

In terms of the application functionality, Softeq was able to overcome two large challenges.

First, this solution is basically a platform with multiple pre-integrated components to facilitate faster rollout of diverse, custom-designed cooking applications. The analysis performed by the Softeq team, namely business analysts and tech writers, formed the backbone of advanced mechanisms and templates that we used and reused later on. Their work was invaluable and ultimately reduced the amount of duplicate work we’d have to do down the road.

Second, there was a technical risk associated with the large file size of video content that would be painful to download, or would only support content downloads directly though iTunes. We really appreciate the efforts Softeq invested in finding an efficient solution to reduce video content download time. That had a tremendous impact on the user experience.

When working with Softeq, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach and/or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

It was a great pleasure to work with Softeq and I’d say the way we worked together was only successful because of the proactive approach they take. It’s uncommon to work with a a technical team that strives to add business value beyond coding what is specified, yet Softeq did. Our apps are critically acclaimed and have won several culinary community awards. We owe a large portion of this success to the development work delivered by Softeq.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think Softeq could improve as a service provider?

To be honest with you, no. I've been very impressed with the manner in which Softeq approached software development. I haven't had an extensive background working with IT shops, but they've been nothing but extraordinary. They've always managed to meet and, at times, even exceed my expectations. They're extremely reliable in that respect.