Swovo

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a ride-sharing service for people who live in transit deserts. We’re based in New York City, and we primarily work in the outer boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. Our product is used by a group of commercial drivers transporting hundreds of passengers every day along fixed routes in the outer boroughs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flatirons Development?

We wanted to build a new product as quickly as possible. We had a new route and were expanding to a new territory, and to prepare for that, we needed an updated mobile app. 

However, our in-house team didn’t have the time to build the app and do it in a way that would be up to par with our standards. We needed someone to support and accelerate our product development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Flatirons came on board to augment our staff. They have gradually transitioned as our core engineering resource. We’ve maintained a staff augmentation model, but we heavily rely on their team and treat them as if they’re our team members.

They use React Native, AWS, PostgreSQL, and other technologies to work on our app.

What is the team composition?

We work with Michael (CEO), four developers, one project manager, and one designer.

How did you come to work with Flatirons Development?

We had engaged with Flatirons eight months before this project started. Because that turned out to be such a positive experience and they impressed us, it was easy for us to choose them again to work on a longer, extended project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

Flatirons has become an integral part of our Product development efforts, such that our core product team is nearly all Flatirons personnel. Having worked with Flaitrons for almost 2 years, I’ve noticed improvements in all regards of our relationship including product development, design, management and delivery. As a result, we’ve increased our monthly investment with Flatirons and planned for more budget increases as we embark on a new product line in 2023.

How did Flatirons address the challenges that arose?

We experienced a challenge in our business that required us to manage cashflow more tightly, while also onboarding a new development/engineering team. Flatirons demonstrated impressive professionalism and faith in our partnership by allowing us some flexibility on payment terms, as well as remarkably smooth transition to new tech personnel. The new team was motivated, positive and able to contribute to our product development within a few weeks.

What could have been a disastrous process was successfully executed with grace. We can certainly attest to Flatirons’ ability to adapt and be responsive to their customer’s needs.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on October 4, 2021. 

CEO, Ride-Sharing Service

IT Services

1-10 Employees

Brooklyn, New York

$50,000 to $199,999

Sep 2020 - Ongoing

Project Summary

Flatirons Development is the development partner of a ride-sharing service. They use React Native, AWS, PostgreSQL, and more to build an app that facilitates transportation in transit deserts.

Feedback Summary

Flatirons Development has received praise from the client due to their impressive design and product development processes. Their team facilitates a collaborative environment through regular meetings and feedback sessions. They are responsible, personable, and accountable. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a ride-sharing service for people who live in transit deserts. We’re based in New York City, and we primarily work in the outer boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. Our product is used by a group of commercial drivers transporting hundreds of passengers every day along fixed routes in the outer boroughs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flatirons Development?

We wanted to build a new product as quickly as possible. We had a new route and were expanding to a new territory, and to prepare for that, we needed an updated mobile app. 

However, our in-house team didn’t have the time to build the app and do it in a way that would be up to par with our standards. We needed someone to support and accelerate our product development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Flatirons came on board to augment our staff. They have gradually transitioned as our core engineering resource. We’ve maintained a staff augmentation model, but we heavily rely on their team and treat them as if they’re our team members.

They use React Native, AWS, PostgreSQL, and other technologies to work on our app.

What is the team composition?

We work with Michael (CEO), four developers, one project manager, and one designer.

How did you come to work with Flatirons Development?

We had engaged with Flatirons eight months before this project started. Because that turned out to be such a positive experience and they impressed us, it was easy for us to choose them again to work on a longer, extended project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re delighted with Flatirons’ development and processes. Our users have given mixed reviews for the app, but their complaints are not because of Flatirons’ work — it’s mostly about our product decisions and the app’s lack of features at this stage. These are things that we plan to fix with Flatirons as we continue working together. 

Across our team, we all appreciate and value working with Flatirons and want to continue the relationship. For us, they are the best choice we have for augmenting our team and building a product. 

How did Flatirons Development perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate daily with them through Slack, and 2–3 times a week, we have group calls through Zoom. In addition, all our engineers have daily stand-up meetings, and outside of that, we have larger meetings twice a week with their designers and CEO. There’s a lot of communication and feedback that’s given and shared.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Flatirons’ design and product development processes are very encouraging and impressive. Most people are impressed with how our product looks like. Flatirons’ mockups and prototypes always exceed our expectations. 

Michael holds his team accountable, and they all have a great attitude. In addition, they meet our expectations about deadlines and work quality. The success of their team is a testament to Michael’s leadership. Their engineers are also responsible and have a sense of pride in their work. I’m pretty happy with our partnership with Flatirons so far. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We recommend that they come to our meetings with an agenda aligned with our company’s progress. We meet about twice a week and follow a product roadmap. As a result, everyone’s default is to just come to the meeting and wait for me to ask questions and poke around. 

It’ll be more helpful if Flatirons can drive those meetings and move the conversation about how to be more efficient and effective as a product team. I understand that’s not fully their job, but I want to feel that our teams are aligned and moving in the right direction. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To maximize your engagement with Flatirons, you need to have a clear idea of what you’re trying to build or accomplish as early as possible. They’re good enough to help mold loosely formed product ideas into something actionable and deliverable. 

The clearer you are on what you’re trying to build, the better Flatirons can be at directing you and creating the product. Have your own clearly defined road map and discuss that with their team. 

Engage with Flatirons on an ongoing basis, so there are no doubts, uncertainties, or miscommunication about the next steps. Once the engagement starts, you still have to remain highly involved and responsive so that Flatirons never has to guess what to do next. 

STAR RATINGS

Overall rating: 4.5

Quality: 4

Cost: 4.5

Schedule: 4.5

Willing to refer: 5

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a sales consulting business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Flatirons?

Flatirons provided us with simple, clean, and beautiful UI design for a website and digital asset we were building.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We looked for a founding team with a proven track record of delivering exceptional results, and a company with a body of work that spoke for itself.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We were looking for a partner to help us conceptualize, design, create, and distribute a digital asset in the sales education space. The team at Flatirons helped up design and productize years of intellectual property as we built multiple assets to help attract and educate prospective customers.

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

In total, we worked with:

• a Lead Product Designer
• a Product Designer
• Flatirons' CEO
• Flatirons' CCO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thousands of social interactions and hundreds of new connections interested in the work we are doing for the tech sales space.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Incredibly effective. The team was prompt, professional, and chock-full of direction and expert recommendations. It was clear from the first interaction that their team was operating in unison with ours.

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

The people. Intelligent, humble, friendly, and some of the most talented design and development professionals I've ever engaged with.

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

I would be grasping at straws to find any material critiques of the service or quality of work we received from the Flatirons' team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am starting a new business in the Travel space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I worked with an offshore company before coming to Flatirons, and felt that work was consistently overpromised and underdelivered. Working with Flatirons has been night and day compared to my previous experience. Flatirons took over my project and organized it into clear timelines that they stuck to. I honestly felt that my project was doomed and now I feel it is in a good spot. I paid the cost of trying to save money upfront.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I chose Flatirons because they are very transparent with their team and process, and they seem to have a lot of experience in the SaaS space. They put forth the best proposal and were able to talk to the pain points that I had with my previous development team.

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

Initially I contacted Flatirons and discussed with them the situation I was in with my project and the fact that my development team seemed to never deliver on time. From there, I discussed what I wanted out of the next release of my product, and they put that into a proposal with milestones and a launch date for my new features. The team communicates on Slack and they have standup every day, but I usually jump in once per week to get updates and answer any questions.

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

There were five full time resources on my project. Project management, quality assurance, design, and two developers. I also had many discussions with the owners throughout the development process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don't have any business numbers as I am still launching my business but I can say anecdotally that Flatirons delivered my product with 2x the quality in half the time when compared to my previous development team.

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

There are daily stand ups, the team uses slack, and the project lives in Jira. They work in two-week sprints.

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

The actual team that works on my project is what impressed me most. Everyone is super passionate about my project, everyone speaks English well and is super professional. I have never worked with a nearshore or offshore team that is of this caliber.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a startup that is currently in stealth mode.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Flatirons Development to bring our SaaS startup in the sales space to market. We didn't have all of the internal resources to bring our idea to fruition and their team has been very helpful in making that a reality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We chose to Flatirons Development as a vendor because they seem to have a lot of experience in SaaS, Stripe, and two-sided marketplaces. All of these characteristics fit our company so it seemed like a good fit.

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

Our project goal has been to bring our MVP to market. The project started with the Flatirons team putting together a Jira roadmap. We are working in two week sprints so we have goals for every sprint and epic.

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

Four. Project management, design, development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our product is pre-market so I don't have any numbers around our success yet, but I feel very good about the product and am excited to release it soon. In my opinion Flatirons is very talented at design and the product matches the design so far.

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

We use Slack and Jira to communicate. There's a standup every day and we meet once a week to review design and progress. The project is on time so far.

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

I feel the Flatirons team has really taken ownership of what we are building, and I can tell that they care about the quality of our product, which means a lot to me.

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

None right now.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a shipping logistics company in the furniture space. We are aiming to utilize empty space in existing moving trucks to solve the last mile problem for furniture companies. I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I am building the MVP for my company and I hired Flatirons to build our web platform to automate bidding and connections between drivers and shippers within our industry. My goal has been to get something to market that I can start generating revenue on.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found Flatirons through Cltuch. I liked Flatirons because they have a startup mindset and I felt that they were more invested in my success than most of the agencies I talked to. They have been very helpful in determing what should and should not be included in our MVP.

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

We have only been working on one milestone which is to release our MVP. Based on my requirements for the MVP, the Flatirons team broke everything out into Jira with a roadmap that I watch all the time. From there, we had weekly meetings and talked on Slack. I know they had daily standups which they invited me to but I only took advantage of the weekly meetings (which was enough for me). The application is built in Ruby on Rails and React. 

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

The team is one project manager, two, developers, a designer, and a quality assurance tester. The majority of the Flatirons team is based in Latin America. I didn't have any issues with communication, everyone speaks English well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Flatirons has been great at turning designs into a functioning product. I have worked with a lot of software teams and I know that design pieces are often lost when translated to development. Flatirons really paid attention to detail. I feel very happy about the product we are releasing.

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

They had a Jira roadmap that they always showed me and talked about. We communicated over slack. There were deadlines broken up over the course of the project and each week the project manager discussed where we were in terms of meeting the next deadline.

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

Flatirons was very good at digesting the nuances of an old and antiquated industry and they put a lot of care into our product. The most impressive part of the project has been design. The design team is really talented, and the developers did a really good job of paying attention to detail when building the designs into the product.

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

None that I can think of right now, I enjoy working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the medical director of Posterity Health, a digital health company focused on male fertility.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flatirons Development?

We wanted to bring the clinical experience of getting treatment for male fertility through an online dashboard, offering an interactive experience for patients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flatirons Development is the development group that’s helping us create our product. Together, we’re taking the clinical patient experience that currently exists over telehealth and in-person consulting and making it a digital experience. Initially, they took the time to understand what I did as a physician and how I took care of my patients to figure out how to bring that into a digital platform. Additionally, they took the time to understand our patient population.

During this initial process, I also provided Flatirons Development with a PowerPoint presentation on how I wanted this platform to flow, along with some rough wireframes. Taking our input, they told me which things were feasible and which ones were challenging but achievable before starting the design and development process.

As for the design process, we already had a branding set for our website, but we wanted to make this product a little different. Thus, Flatirons Development helped us pick color schemes, buttons, shapes, and more visual assets. Additionally, they worked with our marketing agency to bring that experience across both our marketing site and the platform we were creating.

One of our biggest hurdles has been making the platform HIPAA-compliant because it involves a lot of security layers and legal requirements for dealing with patient data. However, Flatirons Development has custom-coded the platform from scratch, integrating third-party technologies.

As for the platform’s content, I’m in charge of creating patient education video modules, so Flatirons Development has also helped me choose and integrate a video player into it. For this part of the project, they took the time to do their due diligence and provided us with several video player options in the market, explaining their pros and cons and offering their suggestions.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with about 10 people from Flatirons Development, two of which are in Denver, Colorado, and the rest are in South America. Their design team includes Andrés (Senior Product Designer).

How did you come to work with Flatirons Development?

We interviewed several design and development firms, and we really liked the nature of the work that Flatirons Development had done in the past. Additionally, they seemed to be very invested in our project, so we decided to hire them for the first phase of our project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2022, and our engagement is ongoing. We worked together so well during the initial engagement that we decided to continue working with them on the second phase of the project. Now, I foresee working with them a lot going forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Flatirons Development has done a good job at understanding both the medical side of our product and the patient population it targets to create its design. We had a very rough brand guide. However, their team has done a great job at bringing that forward and making it more fun and engaging for this platform.

Thanks to their involvement, we’ve also had a very seamless and successful product launch, with very minor fixes and changes going into the second phase of the project. Overall, we’re very happy with their work.

How did Flatirons Development perform from a project management standpoint?

During our first engagement, Flatirons Development stayed within our budget and timeline. We had an extensive QA and testing period during which the technical person on our side was able to submit tickets for the issues they found. Their team worked very diligently around the clock to address those issues to make it to the launch’s deadline, which was impressive.

Overall, our engagement has been very seamless. We have regular check-ins, allowing us to work on this project remotely. They’ve given me access to the roadmap they’re following and to Figma, where they do their designs, which has been very helpful. Whenever we need to make adjustments, they’re very upfront about how those changes would affect the budget and timeline.

As for communication, we use Slack and have a weekly Google Meet meeting to assess progress and make clarifications. Flatirons Development’s team is very good at explaining things to me. In the same way that I explain very complex medical things to patients, Flatirons Development has been able to explain pretty complex development things to me, which is really important. Additionally, Andrés is very thoughtful, and he always has a reason for his design choices.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our product is unique. However, Flatirons Development has been able to help us pick the right tools for our project, which has been very important because this product is the base on which we’re building our entire platform.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if they were able to get the budget and timeline set before going into the projects. Sometimes, we’ve gone into projects without having those estimates finalized. However, that’s the nature of our business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with them! They’re very invested in projects and take a lot of pride in their work, which ultimately shows in the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Jombine. We’re a recruiting marketplace platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flatirons Development?

We needed help to build our application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have a recruiting platform that evaluates a candidate through different steps and pieces. Flatirons Development has built a platform from scratch to house our candidate evaluation program and all of its pieces, including extensive profiles and video interview capabilities. We use a third-party provider for assessments; we send the platform with the assessment provider and reference where the candidate can reach out to have them fill out the survey. It’s all done through the application.

Secondly, our recruiters tap into a crowdsourced network of candidates to claim who they want to work with. Also, they can see the full sourcing of candidates that have gone through the program for particular positions. For our company, we must have several recruiters that specialize in sales positions.

We’ve worked together on the platform’s color scheme, fonts, and overall design. It’s been a fluid, back-and-forth process. Flatirons Development has also helped us with our WordPress landing pages.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around six people in total, including Michael (CEO & Co-Founder) and Rosina (Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder). The development team has a senior software engineer, a project manager, and a designer. 

How did you come to work with Flatirons Development?

We interviewed about five companies that we found through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2022 and are just finishing the final product. We plan to engage them in the future as we continue on our path.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t set specific metrics or KPIs for our expectations, but we meet weekly to understand what’s needed and make changes accordingly.

How did Flatirons Development perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly stand-ups and use Figma for all the design and notes back and forth. We’ve been over budget and timeline, but we don’t knock them for it — there have been circumstances we couldn’t control. It’s just part of the process.

Additionally, they use Jira, but we’re not tapped into that. We also use Slack for communication and Google Docs for certain things.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their organization is outstanding. They ensure they pass everything out from the onset and continue with transparency throughout the process. They show us before building anything, which has been key. Overall, they’re authentic, honest, and transparent in coming alongside our goals. If there’s a project scope that’ll cost too much money or take too much time, they bring it up and come to the table with solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are disadvantages to every pricing model; either the client or the developer will take a hit. In this case, we’ve taken the hit because it has cost us more money than we wanted to spend. However, we’re pleased with the money we’ve spent because we’ve gotten the value out of it.

In general, it has been a daunting process for us from a budget standpoint. We would’ve appreciated it if they’d worked with us through that piece a bit more.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to work with Flatirons Development, you must understand that it’s a process. It’ll potentially yield better results if you trust them and allow them to follow it. If you want to build assets and products quickly, they can do it, but I’m not sure that’s their strong suit. In our case, having a team that acts like a true partner and helps us build the product has been wonderful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of product management and UX at a business management startup, and my responsibilities revolve around our software development efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flatirons Development?

We wanted to paint a visual picture of what our organization would look like in the next 5–24 months in terms of where we could take our product. We needed help in visualization to illustrate our roadmap moving forward.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flatirons provided us with a senior designer that had the experience to think strategically. We had quick and open-ended conversations about our team's ideas. From there, they worked to discover the solutions and visualizations for our workflows.

We had daily, 15-minute check-ins involving myself and the senior designer. We never interacted outside of those calls, which was all we needed to work towards our goal. They used Figma to create designs, and we collaborated through Slack.  

What is the team composition?

We initially consulted with Rosina (Co-Founder & CCO), and then I worked directly with Jose (Senior Product Designer).

How did you come to work with Flatirons Development?

I previously worked with Rosina at a different company, so I chose Flatirons when I came into my current position and needed this work done. I had seen Rosina's leadership and experience before, and I could only imagine how that translated to her current team. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $12,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October–November 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was unique because our output couldn't be tracked with any metrics or use numbers. Flatirons' work was meant to be an internal guide to our team to get people fired up about our vision for the company. 

However, I could say that Flatirons' work was already coming to fruition. There were elements from their visualization that had been immediately put into development to launch into our customers very soon. 

Flatirons successfully told the story about our company's future to our designers, developers, marketers, and the rest of our team. Their work got everyone on the same page, and it inspired action among our people.

How did Flatirons Development perform from a project management standpoint?

I was thrilled with Flatirons' project management. Jose and I only spent 15 minutes together, which we preferred. Nonetheless, they handled everything, including our communication, scheduling, and questions. The project went really well, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We communicated through Slack and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Flatirons' professionalism and talent were outstanding. They had an amazing leadership group, but I was also impressed with their team's ability to own our projects and come out with high-quality work. They didn't just finish for the sake of completion, but they put a lot of thought into what they were doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. The project went well, and I was hoping to start a new contract with them in the future. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your needs and goals. As long as you give clear instructions, then Flatirons' team can take and do it. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flatirons Development?

We were looking for a company to build out an MVP for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flatirons did the development of an MVP for our software. They were involved in the UX/UI of the desktop application as well.

How did you come to work with Flatirons Development?

I believe I originally connected with them via LinkedIn. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent approximately $50,000-$60,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Flatirons is very responsible and accessible. Even with COVID, we’re still engaged frequently and they’ve been very responsive to address any issues that have come up.

How did Flatirons Development perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good. Flatirons is very transparent, and we had a good, clear schedule. The team has met every deadline and every budget that we’ve initiated. We’ve used a few different tools, including Trello and Slack. We also have weekly calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The blend of UX/UI design, as well as having a technical team, was great. We didn’t have to go to one company for the design and another to implement it. Flatirons’ multifaceted team is excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re very happy with them. That’s why we’re still working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them the whole scope of the project and create a roadmap for what you want them to do from there.