TechMagic

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product owner at The Outplay. We manage a three-sided platform for advertisers, publishers, and video producers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We were looking for someone to help us with the frontend development of our video publishing platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMagic is developing the frontend of our platform. The team is building new sections that will provide more features to users. One such component is a video widget that we can embed on each publisher page. The team is using team using TypeScript, React and GraphQL, along with several other technologies. We’re handling the backend internally.

We provide the design work for the platform. I produce wireframes and user stories, and our designers create mockups of my work. When we finished the initial designs, we met with TechMagic to discuss our requirements and divide up the tasks. Although they’re focused on building new sections of the platform, they’re also improving what we already have.

What is the team composition?

I’m in contact with an HR manager.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

They actually contacted us via LinkedIn.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything is working properly, and the project is proceeding as planned.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

The workflow has improved a lot since we first started working with them. Our first project manager left the company, and their replacement has been much better. He’s much more driven and is great about planning tasks.

They’ve separated the project into biweekly sprints, and we have continuous calls to track progress. Their team is great about handling small issues without involving me. This frees me up to focus on higher level matters.

TechMagic has facilitated a seamless workflow from conception to execution. If there’s a problem, they’ll respond quickly to help us resolve it. They’re professional and capable of adapting to many different situations.   

What did you find most impressive about them?

We work with many other international companies, and the thing that distinguishes TechMagic from others is that they’re serious and dedicated to their work. They have excellent communication skills, and their approach is well structured.

They’re also extremely competent. I consider our platform quite complex from a development standpoint, and they’ve been able to jump in quickly and understand everything.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can expect a team that has the experience required to deliver high-quality work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am CTO of an automatic image correction company. We provide products and solutions for individual users and businesses to analyze digital photos and make them look better.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We've done a number of projects with them over the past two or three years.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first used them for small Salesforce projects. We've since used them for an integration with our ecommerce system, reporting, customizations for the business, and to build a SaaS application. We use Angular, various AWS resources, Web API, Lambda, and MongoDB. We've also used them for some general web development and JavaScript needs.

What is the team composition?

We experienced some turnover in the team, which was composed of three engineers, a QA lead, and a couple of project managers. The team we ended with had only one or two original members. Over the course of the Web API project, which lasted about three months, I dealt with six to eight people in total.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

I'm not sure how our relationship started. I believe our CEO found them through a Salesforce channel.

How much have you invested with them?

We probably spent between $20,000–$30,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from September 2018–January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The service is up and running, so the project was successful. A handful of issues did pop up, and we've worked with them to do some feature additions and bug fixing. We don't have any hard stats on the metrics at this time.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was the hardest part of the process. Technically, they were very strong and built what they said they would. Most everything worked, even though we were doing new things for their team. They had to do some research and find creative solutions, and I was very impressed by their technical competence. Reporting on the completion date and the launch process was a little shaky, and we didn’t know in the beginning how they planned to move through development and production.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical competence is very good. They have a broad set of capabilities. The Web API project had a lot of elements, and we've used them for other projects as well. In every project, they have all the technical knowledge we could hope for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We've talked with them about the issues with project management. We had a deep dive after the project ended to discuss the problems. We haven't done another big project to see if that has improved, but the turnover we experienced was probably a factor in some of that confusion.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep an eye on the requirements and the work as milestones pass. Make sure documentation is good, and be certain you have all the tools you need to take over and manage the product after completion. Cooperation was a key factor in our experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the SVP of engineering for an HR company. We help people to find a better fit where they work based on psychometric analysis available through web and mobile apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We needed a partner to develop our mobile application for the B2C aspect of the business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMagic does web and mobile application development for us. They’ve developed all of our frontend applications from scratch including four native mobile apps for iOS and Android. They developed our B2B product on Angular and other widgets on Reactive. For the last six months, they’ve also handled all of our backend development.

We work very closely with them and develop product specifications together. We provide the overall architecture but for each client implementation, they have the autonomy to develop the code as the individual clients wish.

What is the team composition?

We work with about 35 people at the moment including developers, QA engineers, some designers, and a couple of managers.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

That was a long time ago. We were a very small company looking for help to develop a mobile application. I think we used Elance to put out a proposal with a description of what we wanted to build. We opened it for bids and TechMagic had the best response by far—which proved to be a very good choice.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2016, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their success is our success. We were acquired which was thanks in part to their contributions. They hadn’t done much yet at the time but they gave us something solid to start with. Now we’ve grown to the extent that we’re working with 35 of their engineers up from two. I think success is measurable by the cost we pay to engage them.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

We have daily calls to share information about the features that are in development and ask any questions. We do the project management on our side for the features we are developing. They do their own internal management, like scrums.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re professional, honest, and trustworthy. They're knowledgeable about the different technologies we've been working on. It's easy to talk to them. We have a great relationship with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Something that plagues a lot of companies, especially in Eastern Europe, is retaining talent. The people that work for TechMagic are very young because the crowd that does technology in Ukraine is very young. They’re eager to learn but also eager to explore different areas, which makes it challenging to retain people for longer periods.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think our success is based on the fact that we talk to them every day. That gives us ample opportunities for their engineers to ask questions and for us to clarify any kind of misunderstanding as early as possible. Maintaining efficient, daily contact is key. There’s no chance for us to get out of sync or let things diverge.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a sports app. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We reached out to TechMagic to develop our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMagic developed the second version of our sports app for iOS and Android, using Swift. Referring to our MVP, they helped design additional elements of the app and equip the platform with new features. They also provided testing services and continue to maintain and update the app as needed. 

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

They were recommended to us and we were very attracted to the quality and affordability of their services. Working with them allowed us to expand our development power more affordably than building out our internal team. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new version of the app TechMagic developed improved engagement and attracted more users overall. We're very happy with the quality of their work. 

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, they manage projects well but can improve the accuracy of their estimates for different sprints to make sure we're not exceeding our budget. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They consider the big picture when working with clients, looking for ways to constantly improve products and provide feedback on implementing new features. They also push back on any ideas they don't agree with, which is very refreshing. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As I mentioned, they could improve project estimates so we don't have to worry about exceeding our budget. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be in touch with them frequently throughout the project to ensure timelines and budgets stay in line with expectations. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the CTO and co-founder of Color My Life, a startup and app for paper crafting. We focus on scrapbooking, cardmaking, and space to catalog supplies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

My co-founder and I have technology backgrounds. We wrote the spec for the app but needed to hire an external resource to execute our vision.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

TechMagic principally worked on the UI design. We gave them the wireframes that we’d developed ourselves. They further developed the UI using the Sketch drawing package. Then they used InVision for putting it all together into an interactive display so we can check how things work and how to go from one screen to another. We used another vendor for the app development because their team wasn’t available. We're back working with TechMagic again to add new features.

What is the team composition? 

I directly work with one person who then manages the work in the background. There are at least two other people involved in the project. 

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

I was working with another company in Ukraine that doesn't do apps. They recommended we reach out to TechMagic. In speaking with them, I was quite impressed with their excellent English ability. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $6,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project first started in July 2018 and is currently ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re extremely happy with the work they’ve done. TechMagic took our horrible but functional wireframes and turned them into something much better. Everything they do is great. It’s cheesy, but they literally provide the magic. We’re happy to continue what will become a long-term relationship working on the UI.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project lead is excellent. He manages their work so that it's seamless to us. We don't have to worry about how many people are on the project. We just deal with him, and he gets it done. They’re also very flexible about how we want to work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication is so natural. We're used to working with teams around the world, but they might as well be down the road. Their feedback is great, too. For example, we have conference calls with the UI developer. He works while we're talking through our rough ideas. They can translate our ideas into practical, workable solutions on the fly. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, not really. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to begin with a good specification. You should know what you want before you start. We started with wireframes and a well-written, functional spec. We’d already worked out roughly how we thought the app should work. Rather than guessing what we wanted, it was a really quick and efficient process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the development manager at a project management software company that works primarily on the Salesforce platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We wanted to scale up our development output in an easy and scalable fashion. We have a significant internal development team, but thought it made sense to bring on a second team to boost our output.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMagic initially worked on AngularJS development for us, but have since moved onto working on our core products as well. Specifically, they are working on completely rewriting our Gantt chart functionality and one of our internal products.

What is the team composition?

We work with three JavaScript developers, two Salesforce developers, and one QA expert. Initially, I was engaged in the hiring, but now, a TechMagic development manager that handles it.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

They came highly recommended from a customer of ours. We did look at a few other vendors, but the strength of the recommendation made them the only candidate we considered seriously.

How much have you invested with them?

So far we have invested $400,000­­–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working together since February 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

TechMagic have met all their development targets and increased our internal development output by 30%–40%. They have helped us organize and streamline a lot of our processes and improved our tooling as well.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a project manager who oversees their work, which has been very successful. We use our own products and Jira to manage their work as well as code quality tools like Codacy and GitHub.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In comparison to other outsourcing companies, we are able to speak with them at a very high technical level, and they can then drill down and implement our ideas. This has been a huge benefit for us internally.

Any advice for potential customers?

It is important to have a very clear idea of how you are going to approach a partnership like this. You need to think strategically about how you are going to divide work and have a clear development pipeline before you engage a company like TechMagic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a business platform that creates new ways for customers to engage with employees and create shop local programs. The platform also lets businesses learn about the behaviors that impact the customer experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We needed a vendor because our team didn’t have any experience with mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They launched the Android app first and then the iOS version. I wrote the app’s key functionalities, specifically on the server side, which they built with MEAN stack. TechMagic developed the shop local piece, the digital stamp card, as well as the GPS notification that alerts users to contests and nearby stores. The team also did integrations for Google Maps, Facebook, and other social media platforms. We’ve been updating it for the last three years in an ongoing partnership.

What is the team composition?

The team size varies, but it’s usually five or six people at a given time.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

We sent out an RFP via Upwork and interviewed the applicant vendors, having narrowed 40 firms to three finalists. TechMagic was the most knowledgeable agency and already had great processes for project management and adherence to requirements; I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about scope creep with them. They also offered design assistance, but we didn’t need that service because we had a visual piece already in place.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $75,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2015 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw clear growth from the citywide shop local program, which we created from the shop local piece. TechMagic did a great job with that implementation, particularly testing to ensure its functionality. Overall, their competence aided our productivity because we don’t have to worry about progress or results. They handle everything and keep us updated.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

They produce great weekly reports and conducted daily calls when we requested them, in addition to communicating via Jira and Slack. The team also has solid processes for QA and performance testing. The Node.js developers are fantastic; they work in agile, which benefits the partnership.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They care about the requirement process, which is rare in my experience. To ensure accuracy, the team requests documentation to double check their work and proactively onboards new resources in a dedicated training space. TechMagic also clarifies any assumptions during development to optimize the QA process. We originally chose them for that approach and will continue to work with the team because their attitude is invaluable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a lot of demand and need to scale. I’ve wanted to start a project immediately in the past, but couldn’t because most resources were already engaged.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product owner and co-founder of Antourage, which is a media tech startup based in Stockholm, Sweden.  We focus on livestreaming and managing flexible broadcasting teams for multiplatform audiences.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

Our service involves a mobile app that’s used for capturing and broadcasting media, another app for viewing content, and a backend administrative system. We needed to get our technology out of the prototype stage and ready for customer use.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a thorough outline of the project timeline. They did a lot of strategic consulting work to help us prepare to redesign our database and backend system. After that, they built us a native Android app that allows viewers to access broadcasted content. The features are fairly straightforward: users receive alerts about what’s live, they have the ability to chat with each other in real time during a broadcast, and they can answer poll questions created by broadcasters and view the results live. The app is also designed so livestreams will run smoothly even if the user is changing apps in the background.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their CTO, our project manager, an Android developer, and a DevOps engineer. We also met briefly with an iOS developer but didn’t complete that part of the project.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

We knew we needed to outsource, so we conducted an extensive search online and by phone. We also contacted other clients who’d worked with each company to find out how their projects went. TechMagic’s other customers had the most impressive answers, so we decided to go with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from January–April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our Android project came in ahead of time and under budget, and the app did everything it was supposed to do. There were a few features missing because they relied upon backend work that we couldn’t complete, but everything else was executed well.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a dedicated project manager who kept in touch with us daily and was excellent. I was always aware of what was happening with the project, and they were quick to provide us with additional information whenever we asked. Any time I reached out to them, they’d get back to me within an hour.

They worked within our system on the project itself, uploading the code to us and submitting tickets on our Jira account. We also set them up to upload documents to us and have access to our Slack channel.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In the early stages, when we were explaining our plans and our wishes, they said no to us several times. That was incredibly valuable to us because they were willing to explain when an idea wasn’t feasible or might lead to a lower-quality product. They really value their reputation, which is evident in their integrity and serious work ethic.

At one point, they helped us with some exploratory work on our old backend system. When it became clear that we couldn’t modify it to do what we needed, they halted the project and refused to charge us for that time. They want to be proud of everything they deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were a little surprised by how quickly they reassigned their team members when we had to pause our project. I don’t know if that’s just how the system works or if they actively moved on, but it was unfortunate. By the time we were ready to restart, they didn’t have anyone available for us. It’s not something that would stop us from working with them again in the future, but it was a bit disappointing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder of Mobile Practice. We offer a mobile training and feedback platform for organizations that want to help their staff practice critical work skills. Users are also able to identify and share best practices based on an evaluation of the results.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We had a clear business solution in mind but didn't have the technical expertise to make it happen. We were looking for an outside team that could understand our business and deliver the solution we needed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prior to hiring TechMagic, we'd already drawn up a dummy UI with another company and tested it with a number of customers. Our next step was to take that initial UI plan and move forward with the front- and backend development of a fully usable mobile platform with high-quality video processing ability.

We're developing native apps for both iOS and Android, but we decided to start with iOS first in order to get feedback on the features before we develop a new version for both platforms. We're in that phase of the project now and are preparing to roll out a second version of the iOS app. We're also getting ready to launch a web-based component of the software, and we already have a web-based backend management system. Once those pieces are ready, we're going to begin developing the Android app.

The app allows the manager of an organization to create practice scenarios for staff training. We offer a series of templates they can select and assign. Our app also lets managers provide direct feedback to their staff about their responses, and also gives them the option to share one person's response with a group in order to demonstrate best practices.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

I received a recommendation from a friend who'd worked with TechMagic before. Based on that recommendation, we decided to work with them on the first round of development and see how things progressed.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around €65,000 ($80,490 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in May 2017 and the project is still in progress.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered our product according to our specifications on time and on budget. They dedicate a significant amount of time to QA testing, so we haven't had many bugs along the way.

Their attention to detail in the development phase has meant that our product doesn't have many problems when it's released to customers. In fact, we've already made some sales on it, despite this being an early version of the software. Users are finding it sufficiently functional and robust even in its current state, which is promising for the future as we add more features.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

I didn't work with them directly, but our CTO found it very easy to communicate with their team even though they're based in Ukraine. They feel almost like an internal resource because of how well they've responded to us throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In terms of customer service, they're very open and willing to listen. They're also quick to address any concerns we have, which makes them a good partner. On the few occasions we've had a problem or miscommunication, everyone works through it calmly and comes up with ways to improve in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their developers are good at doing what we ask, but I'd like to see them challenge us and bring a bit more of their own insight to the table, particularly in terms of UI and design. I'm interested in a more collaborative partnership in that respect, so perhaps with more experience on our project, it will start to happen more often.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Speak to a number of companies before you choose one so you can understand what will work for you and your team. Make sure to have somebody technical on your side who can ask the right questions before you agree to a partnership. It's also very important to meet the people you'll be working with, and in our case, I wish we could do it more often. Every time we see them in person, we find it very valuable. They're good at communicating remotely, but that face to face time helps make things progress a bit more smoothly because you're gaining an extra level of understanding.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the tech lead and lead frontend developer for web applications at a media company with a presence in broadcast television, publishing and online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechMagic?

We were developing a number of web-based video streaming products in a short amount of time, all of which were driven by the Winter Olympics, the Commonwealth Winter Games, and the Australian Open tennis tournament. We decided to augment our team with offshore companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechMagic worked closely with our own development team, primarily providing assistance with resourcing office space, systems, and internet access. They conducted a rigorous hiring process to filter out developers and produce high-quality candidates.

We worked together to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for those employees, ensure that they attended training events, etc. We ran a co-management effort, with TechMagic focusing on local laws and regulations as well as the payroll and HR activities.

We’ve worked on three projects: an existing one that had to be made operational for the Australian Open, a live-streaming video-on-demand project for the Winter Olympics, and one that’s currently online and about to enter heavy marketing. This last application is for the Commonwealth Games and consists of live video-on-demand, score tracking, and other functionalities centered on those events. All of the products were built as responsive web apps, designed to work on any internet-connected device.

What is the team composition?

Our current team consists of TechMagic employees, and they provided development under our leadership. They have four web developers and two QA engineers. I’ve also worked with the client partner on TechMagic’s side, three members of their HR team, and their CTO.

How did you come to work with TechMagic?

We researched different companies online and traveled to meet with each candidate. TechMagic came up a few times, and they seemed to understand what we needed. They showed more enthusiasm in our project than the other firms, and they set up a team quickly, so we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with TechMagic in June 2017, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The applications were very successful. The Australian Open had around 8 million minutes of video being watched per day through the app; the second event had a similar number. In terms of usage, we reached a large part of our market.

The success of our platforms isn’t necessarily due to the development team, but rather the marketing and the content itself. There weren’t any development issues—everything was delivered on time and in good quality.

How did TechMagic perform from a project management standpoint?

I mostly work on site with the team, and I also share some of the project management with a liaison on our company’s side. TechMagic’s principals step in occasionally, but one of our requirements was that we do the project management. We wanted it to be a close extension of our in-house team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They seem to genuinely care about the team. The developers seem to love working for TechMagic and enjoy the work environment. They’re not the biggest firm in their area, so they know the projects and teams well. We have a family feel that I didn’t expect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re quite a new company, which led to a few delays in drafting a contract. They hadn’t worked with bigger companies before, but they’ve probably learned all they need to during our collaboration.