Spiria

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm VP Product Management at Power Factors, a Renewable Energy IoT SaaS company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We worked with Spiria to design and develop a brand new iPhone mobile app.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to increase engagement on our Drive platform by Solar and Wind asset managers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were interested in working with a local vendor who could collaborate closely with our PM & UI staff. We received proposals from a couple vendors. We chose Spiria because of their technical knowledge, prior experience with our sister company, and willingness to meet our aggressive timeline while staying within our budget.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was split into three parts. The first part was UX design of the mobile app. This was based on the home page of our current web application but optimized for mobile navigation. We iterated on several mockups before finalizing the UI. The second part was agile sprints to develop the application. At the end of each sprint, we received a demo of the sprint deliverables and discussed scope for the next sprint. Finally after approving and making any last minute changes we were able to test and deploy the app to Apple App Store.

What was the team composition?

We were fortunate enough to work with their Director of Mobile Development who personally created our app. We also had a project manager who managed the sprint backlog and any administrative aspects including time & costs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our app has been downloaded and used on a regular basis by asset managers at several of our key customers. We also leverage this app for marketing purposes at trade shows and sales calls.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The entire team was extremely responsive and their communication very clear. Since we are also a software company the development process was well understood which led to a smooth collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their breadth of experience goes beyond mobile app development. We are now working with them for additional .NET software work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We did run into an issue during the last major iOS upgrade. However, the team responded quickly to resolve the issue. Overall, they were a pleasure to work with and we look forward to continuing & expanding our partnership.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Autolog delivers highly intelligent optimization and automation solutions for the lumber transformation industry. I am the Chief Finance and Strategy Officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We hired Spiria to assist us in developing very specific & specialized software.

What were your goals for this project?

Essentially, we needed to implement a specific software solution that was targeted to address stringent predefined objectives in our business strategy. Time, efficiency and reliability were the main guiding criteria.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Spiria based on their reputation and notoriety in the Montreal Area. After a few interactions with the company leaders, we were easily convinced that Spiria could provide the level of professionalism and efficiency that was needed.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

While we cannot provide specific details about the project, we can attest to the fact that Spiria approached their implication with utmost focus on our long-term objectives, on the project's viability and on its execution. They provided assistance in most technical aspects, and primarily in coding. Their software engineers were among the most experienced and professional staff that we have encountered.

What was the team composition?

The project team varied in size and composition, but essentially, it was comprised of a project manager and between one and three senior software developers, according to the project's needs. Spiria's leadership also got originally involved, in understanding out needs and devising an appropriate team composition.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we cannot provide specific details about the product or its impact, suffice it to say that the project is a resounding success, and check all the boxes in our original scope.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was streamlined as to ideally interact with our own business specialists. If the result of PM is to hit all the targets on time and to avoid surprises, then the PM was perfectly successful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are impressed with the level of professionals that Spiria provides. Their respective expertise and the way they seamlessly integrated our task teams blew us away.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot think of a specific area of improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of BookJane.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Spiria?

We were looking for a technology development partner. My company wanted to create a solution that would enable our customers to book caregiving services in real-time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Spiria developed a market platform for J360, an on-demand caregiving services system. My team provided the details and requirements, and we also designed the UI. Spiria developed a web app using React and a mobile app using Ruby on Rails.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager and worked directly with about seven developers.

How did you come to work with Spiria?

I had a pre-existing relationship with Spiria. It took me about a year to decide to hire them; I looked at their work, how they worked, and their team dynamic. They were more of a strategic partner than a development shop, so it made sense for us to work with them. The partnership was a win-win; they generated revenue, and we got quality work.  

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent over $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from January–September 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measured their performance by the platform’s usability and stability.

How did Spiria perform from a project management standpoint?

Spiria met deadlines and followed compliance. We communicated via Slack, phone, email, and weekly in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Spiria has a high-quality team with a lot of experience. They understood our requirements and executed strong QA. They were very customer-centric.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their budget management practices.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Skillable offers products and services that help people to learn and change their behaviour. The company was founded 21 years ago and serves a number of national and international clients. I am in charge of IT operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We had developed a first-generation web app using WAMP-type technology and wanted to develop a second-generation app in a serverless environment.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to complete the development of a robust platform that would be scalable, as necessary. The platform should be able to adjust to demand and be able to provide good service via mobile platforms and desktop computers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Spiria was recommended by several regional stakeholders, which were on a list of a few recommended suppliers at the time. We chose Spiria after several meetings with account managers.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Spiria took over the roadmap and developed a turnkey platform. It was involved during each design phase, from project management to the data base structure, Ui and UX.

What was the team composition?

We began the project with two senior developers, 1 QA and a project manager. Several other stakeholders were then added according to development needs. When development activity was at its highest point, we had 14 people working on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The arrival of Spiria allowed us to quickly develop a modern, attractive platform. Developing this platform in a serverless environment requires very specific and updated skills. Spiria met these challenges quickly and easily.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We chose to operate in an agile manner, with three-week sprints for development activities. Each sprint was followed by a demonstration of the progress and achievements made. Projects were generally put into production after each sprint. We use project management tools, such as Jira, Github and Slack, which are industry standards.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Spiria’s greatest strength is its ability to adjust the number of people involved during development phases, as well as their skills. On several occasions, we had some successful development “blitzes”, adjusting the number of people involved depending on the timing and context.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Some bugs returned on several occasions after the QA. Scenario management with QA should be improved to test more than just the basic exits.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the principal research engineer of the building and infrastructure division at Autodesk, Inc. We’re a software corporation that makes software services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We hired Spiria to help with the development of a UI for a research prototype to present to customers and management.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to have a highly functional prototype that can be used for evaluation and user research.

SOLUTION

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project started with one C++ developer from Spiria, who worked together with me to create a UI (using Qt) and a graphic visualization (using VTK) of some of my research algorithms. Spiria's work included the development of complex shaders and GUI elements such as custom treeviews.

What was the team composition?

At first, there was only one senior C++ software engineer from Spiria. At a later stage in the project, another C++ engineer joined us to take over the Qt part of the UI. The original developer then focused entirely on the visualization aspect.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The presentation of the prototype to select customers was a tremendous success. Their overwhelming positive feedback resonated so much with management that a full new product will be launched based on the prototype.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

As we were a small team, we embraced a fairly agile approach. We used Trello to write down and manage user stories. We didn't follow formal sprints, but had a grooming at the beginning of each week. Our only time constraints were monthly beta builds that had to be released. The close collaboration enabled us to move very quickly and prioritize on the go.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Our request to Spiria came at a time where most of their C++ developers were already fully engaged. In my entire career in the software industry, I’ve never encountered a large consulting company like Spiria where an executive-level manager would roll up his sleeves, jump in hands-on, and show the best of his software engineering skills to satisfy the customer’s needs. For me, this showed me how deeply committed Spiria is to their customers. I had the chance to meet other Spiria employees and can confirm that the high motivation and positive attitude towards their customers’ goals is alive at all levels.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As this was a very agile project, we had a short period where we onboarded new developers and the quality was affected. As Spiria is very responsive to any concerns, we were able to resolve these issues promptly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an enterprise architect at Acosta Sales and Marketing, a retail services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We brought them on initially to develop a mobile app that would help our field associates be more efficient.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to eliminate every trace of paperwork from our field associates' process.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I met Stephane (CEO, Spiria) and Patrick (VP, Spiria) more than a decade ago, when their company had a different name. They had strong knowledge of the Windows Mobile platform and were a breeze to work with. We didn’t consider other vendors.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed and now maintain our mobile app that our field associates use daily. They’ve also provided web development services on several occasions.

What was the team composition?

Depending on our ongoing initiatives, Spiria has assigned anywhere from 2–10+ mobile and web resources to us at once.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our field associates are much more efficient than they used to be. Moving from a paper-based system to a mobile app-based system of deploying tasks has streamlined our process and allowed us to become an industry leader.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They always provide a strong project manager and technical resources. Deadlines are met consistently.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Every resource I’ve worked with at Spiria is dedicated to our success, especially Stephane and Patrick. Their collaboration has been critical. As a firm, they’ve provided us with a wealth of knowledge regarding mobile development.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I’ve seen.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing director for the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF), a nonprofit organization that provides resources for individuals with digestive disorders ranging from IBS and Crohn's disease to colon cancer, as well as for those seeking preventive and proactive health strategies. As the Foundation of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, we are directly connected to Canada's leading digestive health experts, physicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We hired Spiria to update CDHF's mobile app, Gi BodyGuard, which was developed more than five years ago. Because we rely on donor funding for projects, we had had no secured funding until this point for updates. The reviews for the app were great, but we were starting to receive complaints about bugs and improper functioning.

What were your goals for this project?

The app was originally built with the purpose of improving physician-patient communication. However, it's lack of data collection capabilities was proving to be a major setback for us. We wanted to integrate data collection as well as improve usability. We also wanted it re-skinned with an entirely new look to complement our recent rebrand. Finally, we wanted the app to potentially generate revenue via paid ads and insights. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met with Spiria a few years ago through a connection with our CEO and their founder. We intended to update the app, but the funding did not line up, and the project was postponed. When we reconnected with them, Spiria immediately set us on the right path. They understood our vision and offered ideas to make it even better, all while remaining cognizant of our budget limitations. 

Describe the project in detail.

What began as an update became a full-blown rebuild. We held an initial discovery meeting to clarify everything we wanted and didn't want in the app update, but in a subsequent meeting, one of their team members proposed that we build a completely new app. After seeing her drawings, we decided to do just that and began a broader phased approach.

The app will be developed first for iOS, then Android. Nearing the prototype stages, “sneak peeks” from the team have confirmed a design we already love. When the first phase is complete, we will continue to work with Spiria as more funding comes in.

What was the team composition?

We have been working with three of Spiria's team members—the senior director of business development, one project manager, and the director of digital product and strategy. They have been actively involved in every step of the process, from conceptualization to the build.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is ongoing, and we expect to have the prototype within the next two weeks. However, we have been so happy with the process thus far that we have retained Spiria for our website development as well. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our project manager is amazing. She is very easy to reach, and we have connected frequently both in-person and via email. We also use Smartsheet to track work progress. The best thing about our workflow has been their responsiveness to our feedback and concerns. As a small charity, we value and appreciate their willingness to listen and take action.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This entire experience has been collaborative and positive, and working with a vendor who did more than the bare minimum was a breath of fresh air. The team at Spiria didn't just check off our list of requirements or dismiss things as outside their scope, like a lot of other companies would have. They took the time to consider every request thoroughly. 

Also, the team’s extensive knowledge and digital expertise have made our brainstorming sessions a powerful learning experience. We are unfamiliar with this space, so they have presented ideas we had never considered before.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. This has been a positive experience for us from the start, and we highly recommend them to anyone looking for mobile app or website development.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the general manager of the music and video division of Shutterstock, a stock media company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We wanted to develop a digital music asset management system and needed to hire help.

What were your goals for this project?

The project had two objectives. The first was to transfer a legacy system to more modern web architecture. The second was to enhance the system with multiple layers of analytic functions and digital asset management tools.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had tried another vendor without success. We heard of Spiria through a contact of ours, so we met them and gave them a test, which resulted in us hiring them.

Describe the project in detail.

They conducted an analysis of the current system and proposed an architecture for the new one. After that, Spiria transferred the legacy system to their proposed architecture and developed the new layers of analytics features. They also conducted user testing, refined the product, and deployed it.

What was the team composition?

They assigned a project manager, an analyst, and one to two coders based on the schedule. On our side, we had a product manager handling the relationship with Spiria. Our VP of technology was also involved, and myself for the financial and contractual part.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new system increases our content acquisition team’s productivity while greatly improving their insight on which digital assets sell, resulting in better asset production and selections. With that new system, our team was able to focus on high-value tasks, and we were able to increase our volume by four times without having to hire more people.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had good communication through Spiria’s project management platform.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The level of attention they provided was remarkable. They were focused on our needs and on delivering a solution, not just clocking hours like other firms we'd worked with in the past.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They used a rigid form of agile development which can require some adjustment from the internal team. Besides that, all was good.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO and owner of nForm Solutions. We create integration and content solutions for enterprise software and its users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spiria?

We hired Spiria to develop our web application and its APIs from end to end.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create an MVP to start sales and eventually invest in further development.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was looking for a vendor with experience, a good track record, and an Agile philosophy. The vendor had to be proficient in all layers of development.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We came in with a design and improved it together via functional sessions. All their developers helped to document our stories and start a technical analysis. This allowed us to avoid technical pitfalls and cut future costs. Spiria then provided the UI, analyst, and programming staff to complete the sprints and deliver stories as expected. They also provided QA and testing consulting and training. Finally, they arranged cloud-based hosting.

What was the team composition?

I worked with an account executive during the contractual phase and then transitioned to a project manager. They also provided 2–4 analysts/developers, a UX/UI designer, when needed, and a QA/testing specialist, when needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have a great product that’s much easier to use than a typical MVP is. It’s professional and modern and will deliver lasting value to our company, allowing us to go to market with confidence.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project manager acted as our main point of contact. They also identified our priorities and assigned tasks during sprints. Being a project manager myself, I find their level of involvement just right, although I don’t receive the expected/promised reports on most occasions, or they’re very late.

Their team uses Jira and GitHub to manage and deliver the code, and I have access to Jira to enter new stories, manage my priorities, and read comments. This has been a textbook Agile collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I’ve been impressed by how passionate they are and their creative, cost-sensitive approach to finding solutions. Their level of documentation and detail in communication is also amazing. They know what they know, and they don’t pretend to understand something they don’t. If they lack knowledge in a certain area, they’ll ask for the funds to investigate it. I call this ethical IT.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their project management reporting and reaction time could be improved. For instance, it would be good to know what to expect, when. Regardless, it’s a minor issue and has had little impact on product delivery. When providing estimates to clients, they ought to always include the overhead, not just pure development time. Unit testing should be performed on the client acceptance testing environment before releasing the test to the client. Failing to do so creates false bugs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

BroadSign is a software company developing products for the advertising industry. We provide a software-as-a-service system which allows companies to publish content on digital screens located on highways, train stations, airports, and so on. I am the chief operating officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Spiria?

Spiria works as an extension of our team, and we have worked with them on numerous projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have an Agile software development process. Spiria has augmented our resources, depending on our needs.

Spiria has provided embedded Android work, web application development, C++ development, quality assurance, and UI/UX design. Some of their developers have been working with us for the last 3 years within our current product line.

How did you come to work with Spiria?

I have known one of Spiria's owners for a long time, and I have used the company within different organizations I've worked for.

How much have you invested with Spiria?

We use Spiria for team augmentation, on a per-hour basis, so it would be hard to provide a figure. They have been working full time on some of our projects for 3 years, while others are restricted to 1-2 months of work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with Spiria for almost 3 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Spiria has provided strong candidates, out of which we've kept the best. There have been instances of someone not being suitable for a project, but we've had open discussions with Spiria and have been overall satisfied.

I have been working with Spiria for a long time, and they've offered a type of service which is hard to find anywhere else in the consulting field. We're a software outfit ourselves, so we don't use Spiria to develop turnkey solutions (although I've heard good feedback about them from others in this regard), but rather for augmenting our teams. It's a question of the quality of candidates brought to the table by Spiria. They have brought some very good senior people from the start of our collaboration, which helped improve the way in which we did development. Three years ago, we had a waterfall approach. I am familiar with Agile development, but I cannot oversee everything happening in the organization, so Spiria was tasked with moving our team to a new methodology. This has been a big help for us.

How did Spiria perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management is mainly done on our side. Spiria is integrated into our day-to-day work, supplying individual contributors for development and quality assurance.

What did you find most impressive about Spiria?

Having a developer who would disappear for 3-4 months while the work was done would not work for us. I appreciate Spiria's ability to augment our team and become a part of it. Our software development approach is based on this flexibility. When we receive a new contract, we are able to quickly augment our team and plan ahead. I have been using Spiria for this purpose ever since their company was created 10 years ago.

Are there any areas Spiria could improve?

Spiria has a lot of resources, but we need to plan for them. If this isn't done, it's possible that Spiria may not be able to provide us with the resources we need. We pay them only for the time spent working on the projects, so Spiria cannot have developers simply waiting for us. It's simply the nature of our activity, and not necessarily something to improve.

Spiria has tried to keep its employees working within the office as much as possible, in order to build a company culture. That can be a good thing because it frees up space in our own company, but we are not as integrated as possible. Spiria's team has come to our office, but not all the time.