TechDoodles

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-founder and CTO of a UK-based startup that aims to make neurological rehabilitation fun and affordable. We designed a sensor-enabled hardware device that connects to a mobile app. It allows people with fine motor skill impairments to train through simple, engaging games that are easy to play.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TechDoodles?

We wanted to develop a professional, high-quality game and integrate it into our software platform. Meeting our four-week usability study deadline was critical.

What were your goals for this project?

Our primary goal was to develop a simple shooting game within 2-4 weeks.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We limited our search to Unity game developers. Our ideal vendor could promptly deliver a strong product that met our expectations. TechDoodles responded to an ad we published in a Unity forum. They seemed friendly, professional and honest.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

TechDoodles developed our entire game. They sent us frequent Android Package Kits (APKs) to preview how it would work on a tablet. We provided feedback based on these demos.

What was the team composition?

I was in constant communication with their manager. I had an additional call with one of their developers about technical questions. TechDoodles also worked with our full-stack developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their game received very high ratings in our usability study. Eighty percent of users found it highly engaging.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

TechDoodles was always readily available and thoroughly prepared for our discussions. We communicated through email and Skype. They asked detailed questions to determine the best way to fulfill our requirements within a restricted budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

TechDoodles was genuinely dedicated to finding a viable solution. The team was hardworking and committed to delivering on time. Their developers wrote very clean code.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They should offer templates that include assets. Providing basic support for the game's artistic aspect would be useful. I spent significant time searching for music and backgrounds, which ultimately increased the final cost.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a mobile app called Pix. Tours.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechDoodles?

I've been trying to launch my app for a while, and I'd hired several previous developers who couldn't deliver what they promised. TechDoodles seemed like they had the skills to see the job all the way through.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I came up with a concept for a patent-pending app that lets people sort through their phone's photo album in an entertaining way and helps them set aside images for deletion. I sketched out what I was envisioning and wireframed as much as I could, then TechDoodles built the app for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I work with the project manager and he handles the development teams for each platform.

How did you come to work with TechDoodles?

I'm always on Skype for my business and one of their developers reached out to me that way. I was a bit wary after losing money on other developers, but I liked their approach, their business ethics, and how thorough they were about answering my questions, so I decided to give them a try.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in October 2017. The Android version has already launched, and we're wrapping up the iOS launch soon, so the project is almost finished.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm just kicking off the process of aggressively marketing the app now that it's launched, so I don't have a lot of data-driven results yet. That said, the user feedback that's come in has been positive so far. People are impressed by the design of the app and are interested in using it.

How did TechDoodles perform from a project management standpoint?

They're well-organized, thorough, and very effective. They always hit their deadlines and they're in constant contact with me via Skype or email to follow up on any adjustments we make. I really appreciated that diligence, especially during times when I had to step away from the project for a few days here and there, because they did a great job of bringing me back up to speed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've worked with other teams in the past, and the most striking thing about TechDoodles is their willingness to go above and beyond your expectations. They were much more like a collaborative partner: they'd map out the whole project and offer recommendations for different elements of the app in order to take it to the next level. I got a lot more value out of that process than I anticipated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having a dedicated project management tool might streamline the process even further and help keep everything in one place.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Every project is different, so be honest about what you're looking for and make sure that concept and wireframes are well thought out. If there are holes, the developers will run into ambiguity in how they design your app and then it might not come out as intended. And if you're not sure how to fill in those gaps, ask for advice. They'll be glad to help you brainstorm any additional solutions you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sole entrepreneur. I’ve come up with a game concept which I want to develop and sell through app stores. It’s basically a strategy thinking game which will give chess a run for its money in terms of complexity and challenge. It’s an abstract game set in outer space with an unusual and interesting approach.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechDoodles?

I tried to do the development myself using Unity, but I could only take it so far. My experience with programming wasn’t vast, so I needed someone else to take over certain aspects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve created some 3D graphics and coding so far, but I needed help with certain complexities around piece manipulation and animation. TechDoodles has taken over the multiplayer and AI aspects of the game.

I believe that there were three or four people assigned to my project. I provided them with Word documents, CAD [computer-aided drafting] drawings, and so forth. The app is being developed for Android at the moment. I also want to create iOS and desktop Windows versions.

TechDoodles mentioned that they could help me publish the app on Google Play, but I might choose to do this locally.

How did you come to work with TechDoodles?

I had worked with another developer in the UK, but the work wasn’t very satisfactory. I searched online through freelance websites and found TechDoodles on one of them. They were confident that they could do a good job for me and eventually won me over. So far, so good.

How much have you invested with TechDoodles?

The cost of TechDoodles’ work has been at least $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with TechDoodles in August of 2016. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

TechDoodles took over the areas I was working in myself—namely, programming, graphic design, animation, and networking. The quality has been pretty good, relative to TechDoodles’ size and experience in the field.

How did TechDoodles perform from a project management standpoint?

Certain things could have been delivered faster, but we’re coming along at a speedy pace, so I’m happy with TechDoodles’ work. I’ve had to find suitable times in the day for working with TechDoodles, but their language skills are very good.

What did you find most impressive about TechDoodles?

Their team was always understanding and willing to help. TechDoodles offers good value-for-money.

Are there any areas TechDoodles could improve?

There was some occasional miscommunication, and I may have expected more than what TechDoodles actually delivered, but they were all right overall.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of a startup. We offer an app that motivates children to study and progress in school.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechDoodles?

We were looking for a developer to help us bring our idea to life. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechDoodles developed an iOS and Android app that motivated children to do their homework. I have provided TechDoodles with designs as well as the main game functionality. From there, they developed the apps and added great suggestions that made the app stand out. They also provided regular updates to fix any bugs or issues that came up. After finishing up the development, they made a short promotional video to showcase key features of the application, which added value from a marketing perspective. They have proposed to help me with front-end designs as well with the demo, but I was confident in my internal team’s abilities. In the future, I will surely go with TechDoodles for front-end designs as well. 

How did you come to work with TechDoodles?

Initially, Kaushik approached me by email when I was stressed out about my product. I was not sure whether to trust them or not, but they have delivered astonishing results.

How much have you invested with TechDoodles?

We paid less than $10,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project duration was between August and October 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have completed my app error-free within a few weeks. One point of our agreement was that the app gets the Apple certificate. That worked out right away. I am more than satisfied with all aspects of the project.

How did TechDoodles perform from a project management standpoint?

TechDoodles provided great support and project management. They were great about communicating everything that they were doing.

What did you find most impressive about TechDoodles?

Their support throughout the project distinguishes them from others. The people at TechDoodles were always very helpful and made great suggestions. They also made a fair offer and I am absolutely satisfied with the price-performance ratio. 

Are there any areas TechDoodles could improve?

I am very satisfied with TechDoodles. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Giant Fox Studios, which is owned by a colleague of mine. I am the project manager for all of our client projects. He works on the internal initiatives and I work on all of his client projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechDoodles?

We hired them because we needed an engineering team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The only project we actually worked on together is a mobile trivia game. He says his team is specialized in Unity development, so we went online and we bought a template for a trivia game, and his team built upon that. We supplied them all the graphics; I hired the artists. Krunal is the manager over there. Basically, I helped create all of the documentation. I worked with him on a daily basis, having multiple conversations, getting all of the clients’ needs met, building on the template, integrating all the art, new features, and expanding on existing features. It was a Hollywood trivia game that has not been released yet. It’s going to be cross-platform.

How did you come to work with TechDoodles?

I knew Krunal from a previous team, and he had reached out to me saying that he had a new company. I knew him, and I’d worked with him in the past. I went with his company and they did a great job. I looked at other companies, but he beat out the price of the other companies and I also trusted him. I got a good price, and I already knew his work ethic, so overall it was fine, but I definitely went to multiple vendors.

How much have you invested with TechDoodles?

We spent under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It was from February to June 2016. The project is currently on hold from the client.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People that look at the app like it very much, but it has not been released and it’s still very much in a beta phase. There are some temp assets in there, but it’s not even close to ready yet.

How did TechDoodles perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job.

What did you find most impressive about TechDoodles?

I appreciate that TechDoodles is always willing to try to find a solution and that they don't give excuses. Krunal is very good about raising the issues with me. I’ve had that problem with other projects in the past where I’m waiting three or four days for a developer, and they’re like, “Well, we had this problem; didn’t XYZ talk to you?” Krunal is always very good about giving me daily reports and updates about what they need to move on, what’s blocking them, and what may be too difficult, providing solutions and compromises for a lot of different things.

Are there any areas TechDoodles could improve?

I don’t think so. I think they did a great job overall. I really have no cons.

BACKGROUND

Could you please describe your organization?

Our organization is Developing Minds Psychology and Education. We are an Australian-based organization that focuses on child psychology.

What is your role in the organization? 

I am the director of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached TechDoodles?

We were looking to develop an app for an e-book that we had published for teenagers in need of counseling.

What was your process for selecting TechDoodles?

We found TechDoodles on Elance. We chose TechDoodles because they gave us the best price, and best understood the job that we needed them to do. They showed great enthusiasm for our project and wanted to be a part of it.

SOLUTION

Can you talk about the scope of the project?

TechDoodles developed our app, "When Life Sucks for Teens," end to end. We had the concept and the content for it – our e-book. The app is a replica of the e-book in mobile form. TechDoodles also added a functionality that allows users to connect with psychologists through the app, via text or email.

What was the size of the project?

This project cost us around $1,400. It took around four weeks to complete.

When was the project completed?

The project was completed in July 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Is there anything that makes TechDoodles stand out?

TechDoodles developed our app very quickly. They were persistent in communicating with me and getting things done as fast as they could, which we really appreciated. They completed the job exactly as I wanted it done. It was everything we asked for.

Is there any area that they could improve upon?

Because English is their second language, communication was a bit of a struggle at times. There were some miscommunications and, sometimes, I found it difficult to make myself understood to them. That said, we were able to overcome this with some extra time spent trying to clarify things.

BACKGROUND

Please provide a description of your company. What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the lead developer for a digital marketing agency. I am in charge of both the internal development team and the external development teams that we contract for specific projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge/ opportunity that you were trying to address?

We wanted to develop a gaming mobile app on both iOS and Android OS. We didn’t have the expertise to develop the kind of app that we wanted, so we knew that we had to outsource the project.

What was your process for selecting TechDoodles with which to work?

We researched companies that provided the types of services that we needed. We vetted five or six, from large enterprises to small shops. We felt like TechDoodles was the right choice for us. TechDoodles seemed to work and approach the project the way that I would have. They wouldn’t give us estimates until they had written some code and knew exactly what kind of work and time would be needed for the project. I really respect that about them. TechDoodles seemed invested in working with us. That sold it for me.

SOLUTION

Can you talk about the scope of the project?

We had the concept before we approached TechDoodles, but they are doing the bulk of the project. They are doing all of the coding and development for both mobile apps, the Android and the iOS. They’re taking care of the whole back-end and design of the project for us.

Can you give a sense of the size of the project in terms of dollars or personnel work hours?

The size of the project is slightly more than $10,000.

When was the project completed?

The project is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Are there any metrics or numbers that can quantify the challenge or opportunity?

The development project is still ongoing, so we have not launched yet. We don’t have any user feedback, but we’ve done a lot of testing and had some focus groups to help direct our project. All the results and comments from those were very positive. We are confident that this app is going to do well.

On the development side, having them write the code is a lot more efficient than having our team learn this kind of expertise that we don’t have. So, it’s more time and cost efficient for us overall.

Is there anything unique or special about the service provider?

I wouldn’t say that they are unique, but I am highly impressed by TechDoodles's communications skills. They are very clear, accurate, and straightforward when we are discussing the project and where we should go with it.

Is there any area that the service provider could improve or you would do differently?

I really can’t think of anything. Our partnership with TechDoodles has been a great asset for us so far. The project isn’t complete yet, and we haven’t launched yet. Maybe after the launch, when we can see the whole app and get more results from our users, I’ll be able to think of something, but I’m satisfied with the overall work. It went smoothly, we didn’t really have any bumps on the road. TechDoodles's approached this project from the right angle.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

director of well known cosmetics company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TechDoodles?

To create and install a website app that has been highly successful

What were your goals for this project?

to create a useful tool that would set our website apart from competing brands

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

i selected based on professional recommendation

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

build and deply website app

What was the team composition?

not applicable

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes this is the second highest hitting page on our website and directly increases sales.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project was managed impeccably. TechDoodles had a very clear picture of the end result right from the beginning and delivered everything perfectly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The are 3 most impressive experiences i had when dealing with techdoodles. 1) excellent communication and customer service - a pleasure to work with such a professional. 2) seamless delivery 3) was able to build on suggestions and my vision to further enhance it and greatly improve user experience and our sales.

Are there any areas for improvement?

no items for improvement from my experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work with a game development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TechDoodles?

We needed them to build an AR application for us.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a functional app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them on Fiverr.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed the app.

What was the team composition?

We worked with one developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered poor quality code, and they delivered it late. I didn’t receive a functional app, and I had to redevelop it internally.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They created a lot of .pdf files to show me issues when they arose, but ultimately, I didn’t find that helpful. Their communication wasn’t effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I did not find anything impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They should improve their artistic and development processes.