Theory Y Technologies Inc

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a Dubai-based startup called Walkstarr, a mobile fitness app that rewards people for walking.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Theory Y Technologies Inc?

We did not have an in-house team of developers and had outsourced the entire app and website design and development.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase our number of app downloads. We also hoped for the app to be simplistic and use very little battery power.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We reviewed the work of other firms and decided Theory Y Technologies could serve us best. They were highly recommended to us, and they also provided a competitive cost estimate.

Describe the project in detail.

After selecting Theory Y, we held several calls and meetings to detail our goals and objectives. Within two weeks, we received the screen flows and wireframes. After a round of edits, we finalized the specifications. Theory Y built the app to include a pedometer and a voucher reward system linked to the user’s number of steps.

What was the team composition?

The Chief Solutions Officer was our main point of contact, but we also interacted with the rest of the team when we had questions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have not yet officially launched the app. However, we have received positive feedback on our beta version from users and clients. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We arrange a phone call once a week with the Chief Solutions Officer, and we are provided with all notable updates. They were easy to communicate with, and we enjoyed the collaborative approach Theory Y’s team took with our project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are not simply app developers, but they also understand the business need behind the app and our vision. They were professional and dedicated to our project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are one of the largest publishing houses in India. Our flagship product is a daily newspaper that has more than 2.4 million copies in circulation per day. Apart from that, we also have numerous publications on women, children, current affairs, and lifestyles.

We also run a string of websites and mobile apps providing news as well as classifieds services. We have television channels (news and general entertainment) as well as multiple FM radio stations. As Deputy General Manager - IT, I take care of the infrastructure, application development and project management for all digital initiatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory Y Technologies?

This project requirement came from our online classifieds team. We have a very strong presence in print classifieds, particularly in sections like matrimonial, real estate, automotive, personals, etc.,  and we have been expanding these services into digital.

When it comes to hospital appointing booking, the workflow is not quite simple. We have a lot of hospitals and clinics apart from private doctors. Any kind of appointment booking with private doctors is straightforward, but hospitals presented a big challenge because they’re all working on different management solutions. We wanted a platform where users could book appointments based on doctors' availability, check schedules, make payments and then pass the relevant information to the hospital or clinic systems.

Integrating with each of these hospitals’ networks, taking data and giving it to them, then synchronizing with the digital vertical was the hardest element. A large number of clinics and some of the hospitals were directly integrated by Theory Y, and for the major hospitals, we used an intermediary system instead of connecting directly to the hospital.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Theory Y did thorough research and evaluated the hospital management systems deployed by each hospital. We also had a tie-up with the intermediary platform provider to enable connectivity to major hospitals. The entire communication between the online application, the intermediary and hospitals was encrypted and API based. The entire technical architecture was designed by Theory Y and developed and deployed on Amazon Web Services using Django framework and Amazon Aurora.

We launched the application on mobile platforms first, especially iOS and Android. There was also a need to extend it on desktops, so a browser-based version was also developed soon after,  but our primary traffic comes from the apps.

Subsequently, we asked Theory Y to work on the clinic module whereby we integrated with various clinics across the state. Overall, Theory Y has helped us create a secure and robust platform to enable a seamless experience for our customers to book doctor's appointments.

What is the team dynamic?

We started with 10–12 developers. There was a lead architect who did the whole solution because there were a lot of integrations with hospitals, aggregators, end users, and apps. The application framework was developed by a team of senior and experienced engineers. Apart from that they also used QA teams for testing and DevOps for deployment.

There were also dedicated UI/UX team members who created the design, interface, workflow, navigation, and color schemes. The requirements and scope were taken care of by the in-house team, but Theory Y handled the hardest part. They’ve since been guiding us, making continuous recommendations to enhance the user experience and features.

We have a variable team right now of 8–10 members. When there are new enhancements required for the app, we ask Theory Y to enhance the team and add more developers. At one time, we had close to 16 developers working on a clinic module.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend close to $500,000 a year for multiple projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2015, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was a seamless experience from the very beginning, even though it was a complex project. We launched the first stage of the application in July 2016.

The most important task which Theory Y has implemented is the integration with multiple hospital management systems. There were many other mobile platforms that allowed users to book appointments with individual doctors, but none had connected major hospital networks. Unlike other countries, many people in India do not have a primary care physician and they go directly to the hospital, and Theory Y helped us create a solution for them.

We have a good user base right now and are working with almost 125 hospitals. One-third of hospitals in the state are integrated with our application, and we have more than 150 appointment bookings happening every day. It’s a successful model and we charge a nominal fee for service when users book appointments. There is a revenue shared between us and the aggregator, and we both view the project as a success.

How did Theory Y Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a business analyst who takes care of gathering requirements. Theory Y helped us to convert our basic requirement documents into technical documents and scope. Once the requirements were captured and signed off, Theory Y used an Agile model using scrum methodology and JIRA to manage the project.

We have been continuously refining the product based on various feedback, and Theory Y has been able to incorporate these changes on an ongoing basis. Overall, Theory Y’s project management is impressive because most of the deadlines were adhered to, and the project was launched on time. Their management was really professional and they have a highly skilled team to back it up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

This was the first project where we associated with Theory Y. First of all, they have a strong technical skill set, and are well versed in the latest technology. The platforms and frameworks used were really new, but they were able to come up with the right recommendations for this particular app. The team is also good at innovation.

Their proactive approach was also impressive. Based on various traffic patterns, the latest hospital data, and the latest booking information, they were able to help us analyze the trends in order to be prepared for high-traffic periods.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have monthly and quarterly review meetings to discuss the progress of each project. We are trying to accommodate more projects and share resources to reduce costs. But other than that, they’re doing a good job.

Do you have any advice for potential clients of Theory Y?

Theory Y is really good at architecting and developing state-of-the-art solutions. When it comes to process management, the client should know Theory Y well in order to effectively work with their team. We have a dedicated business and project management team who works closely with Theory Y to meet deadlines. New clients may want to check with Theory Y if they have resources to handle the project management in addition to application development.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Atmosphere Group, a small startup software company in the e-book sphere. We are building innovative technology compared to what currently exists.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory Y Technologies?

Like most companies, we were self-funded. I’m not a developer, so I was looking for help with the software development part of the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided all the graphics for the project. Theory Y is building the software based on my graphics, flowcharts, and descriptions. They’ve taken over the work from my people in the US and around the world, who were helping bring the platform together in small parts.

This innovative tool analyzes downloaded e-books and matches them with music. Users can build playlists, needle-drop songs into a book, share songs with other readers, gain followers, and receive feedback. The app is highly adaptable and learns the habits of the reader, so there is some AI involved.  

Theory Y is providing Python, iOS, and Android development. We self-funded the first version of the software. Theory Y has been a good partner. 

We’re nearing the end of the coding phase, so Theory Y has brought in their business development team who is helping me prepare pitches to raise money and take the project to launch.

How did you come to work with Theory Y Technologies?

I initially used sites like Elance to find freelance developers, and eventually came across Theory Y. Their software developers became a partner in our company and actually take equity. They’ve become our built-in development team, which saves me from having to search the globe for resources.

How much have you invested with Theory Y Technologies?

Prior to Theory Y, the total investment in the company was about $60,000. Theory Y has invested their own resources in exchange for equity. They’ve been working on the project for about a year, but I don’t know what their investment has been.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in the beginning of 2016. The software development began in June 2016. After we obtain investors, we will try to enhance the scope of the project with things such as bookstores and call centers. The prototype is a couple weeks away from being completed, but we’re not ready to show the world just yet.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched yet, so I can only speak of Theory Y’s development team. They’ve done a very good job of expanding the scope of the project from a self-funded e-reader with a unique feature to an entire service. There are three big components, including the bookstore, the e-reader, and the playlist creation tool.

There have only been minor details to fix, and there hasn’t been any beta testing.

How did Theory Y Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive, but, as with any new idea, it’s taken longer than expected. We have calls twice a week for both technical and business items, which has worked well. Theory Y has been pleasant and they function professionally.

The Theory Y team includes a project manager, a person responsible for the graphics I send them, an iOS developer, and a chief technology officer looking at other projects, including mine.

What did you find most impressive about Theory Y Technologies?

I loved the business model they were working under. Rather than acting like an angel investor, Theory Y offered their resources to help me build the software. I was working with independent freelancers, so there is a lot of comfort in knowing the work is now done under one roof. 

Are there any areas Theory Y Technologies could improve?

Theory Y is a new company and getting up to speed, but they’ve been doing a good job and I’m happy with them. The resources on both sides are more or less available at different times, and some things have taken longer than expected, but it’s ultimately their responsibility to finish regardless of how long it takes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Smart-ER, which is a company that checks on patients the day after they’re seen in the emergency departments of hospitals across the country. We assess their well-being the next day by reaching out to them via email or text message. We make sure they are doing fine and don’t have any issues, and then we ask about their experience. This creates a feedback loop for the hospital staff. We also send reports to the providers to give them an idea of how they’re doing. Theory Y helped us develop this system and continually improves it. We have another product called Experiato that’s similar to Smart-ER, but it’s a leaner version that’s written in a different language.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory Y Technologies?

They created the design and provided project management, coding, and maintenance of a secure cloud server. They give us guidance, as well. I am not in the IT business myself, so we lean on them pretty heavily for continuing our growth. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our original product—a web- and cloud-based solution—was picked up by a third party that relabeled and currently sells it. We are probably going to be taking that back in a year or so. The new product is called EffectResponse, but probably within the next 8 months, it’s going to be renamed as SmartContact. Taylor Healthcare—a national company—is currently promoting the solution that was essentially coded by Theory Y.

The initial project was Java-based, and Experiato is built on Django Python. We liked to have that versatility. We have been moving our server vendor from Amazon to the Microsoft product for cloud services. Theory Y also worked with some security solutions that we needed to put in place to protect health information. They’ve worked with our other vendors on web security to make sure that everything is finely tuned.

How many resources have been assigned to your project?

There are probably 6 people working with us on a regular basis. We primarily work with our project manager. We’ve had 3 of them since we started working with Theory Y. Each PM lasted for about a year and a half over the 4 years or so that we’ve been working with them. They interface with the programmers directly. We may have 3 programmers working on our projects at different times. We have occasional meetings to make sure we are on target with our goals.

How did you come to work with Theory Y Technologies?

A contact at work introduced me to somebody who was initially independent, and then his services were acquired by Theory Y.

How much have you invested with Theory Y Technologies?

We’ve spent around $100,000 over the course of our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2013, and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are generally very pleased. Theory Y continues to make recommendations about how things should be built. We start with wireframes; as they get more details, they suggestion options the user interface. If we have a goal in mind and let them know, they will really help us try to achieve it. They are specific and met our timelines. They are easy to work with and accessible, even with the time difference.

When we were developing the software in an active phase, we’d correspond every day about a laundry list of to-do items. Once I woke up in the morning, the whole list would be done. We kept moving forward pretty quickly.

How did Theory Y Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We never really had 24/7 accessibility because of the time difference, but we were aware of that. If we had an emergency, they’d work around the clock. At times when we were really rapidly building something or trying to troubleshoot, they were actually accessible around the clock. We used Asana for project management to keep things organized. They are very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about Theory Y Technologies?

Their task leadership is very accessible. The person that we dealt with the most, the project manager, was matched pretty well. I’m sure they are bridging a lot of communication. They gave general guidance and helped with decision-making when we felt unsure by giving us options.