Xmartlabs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is a B2B medication-related data provider; part of a broader healthcare portfolio of one of the largest media companies in the world. I am a Product Manager overseeing a medication management/adherence-related product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Xmartlabs?

We needed to build a mobile app demo of our content for sales purposes.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a simple mobile app that shows medication information in a mobile-friendly, interactive way (vs. as digital PDFs).

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Xmart was referred to us internally.

Describe the project in detail.

The goal of this project was to build a simple demo iOS app. A user could import and ID and add meds as needed. Within the app a user could click into each med to see schedule and clinical details (cautions, key instructions, side effects). We provided high fidelity wireframes and they adapted the design for the MVP. Overall the project took about 5 weeks from kickoff to handoff.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, lead developer, and UX designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Too early to tell.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team was extremely responsive and friendly. Very quick to address feedback. Overall there were little to no communication barriers.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Responsiveness and friendliness.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Asset management throughout the process was mostly via email.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and COO of DiveIn, a platform that makes local impact easy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

We created a previous version of our app in 2017 that we just weren’t happy with. We didn’t have the sort of traction we were hoping for, so we wanted to rebuild our product to better reflect our vision.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Xmartlabs rebuilt our apps form scratch. They built both an iOS and Android version of the app. The team worked in React Native on the frontend.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five members of the Xmartlabs team, including a project manager, two frontend developers, and two backend developers. They would also pull in folks for part-time work and special tasks, so approximately 10 in total.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

My co-founder and I found Xmartlabs on Clutch. We found about 15 different firms and personally interviewed them. After that, we narrowed it down to seven and held another round of interviews. Once we got it down to three companies we had our technical advisor do the final interview to help us make our final decision.

Ultimately, what did it for us was how much we enjoyed chatting with the co-founders of Xmartlabs. Agustin and Enrique were a joy to talk to and really seemed excited about the potential to build our project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We initially reached out to them in September 2018 and kicked off development in February 2019. The project wrapped up in September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a finished app that is much closer to what we initially envisioned. Our team leaned on Xmartlabs for design help throughout the development process. We ended up with two very clean apps that look great and work well.

My co-founder and I were first-time entrepreneurs so we also learned a ton about the development process. I was able to function as the product manager and be the point of contact for our team. From Xmartlabs, I learned a ton about scrum and agile project management processes, which was a fun learning experience.

We gained a team of friends and everyone who touched the project was great to work with. My co-founder and I have nothing bad to say about them because they worked so hard to get us a product that we wanted.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira and Slack to communicate with Xmartlabs. Slack was specifically helpful in our situation because if a developer had a question, they could hop on a channel so we could give them an answer and keep things moving. We also worked in different time zones so it kept our everyone informed at any moment in town. They were very good at not allowing blockers to creep in and slow down the project.

Our project manager was great at being on top of it and super organized. She made sure things didn’t fall through the cracks. They kept the conversation flowing and made sure everybody had the answers they needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team did a great job of being more communicative, setting expectations, and helping us meet our goals. More than anything, we felt like they believed in the product they were building. It didn’t feel like work to them.

They would come in every day with smiles on their faces. At the end of the project, it felt like the end of summer camp and all of my new friends were going back to their respective schools. We had a really good time working together and I’d recommend them to anyone. They are a passionate team that’s going to do a really good job and enjoy the process along the way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of engineering at an addiction recovery platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

We hired Xmartlabs for their software development expertise through building a mobile application we wanted to get to market. There were challenges with the complexity of the technology as well as recruiting in our local market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the mobile app, the team used TypeScript and React Native for development. The platform is available for both Android and iOS.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two developers throughout our collaboration.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

We reached out to Xmartlabs based on a referral from someone in our professional network. Our team felt that they were a good fit because of their experience working with companies of a similar profile with similar needs. Their technical expertise was also noteworthy.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began sometime in the middle of 2018, and we released the app into the market in December 2018. We’ve also carried the engagement forward, making our relationship ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Xmartlabs produced a portion of our software product that many other developers tried and failed. Their expertise, particularly at the early stages of research and proposing possible solutions, was quite detailed and balanced. They look for the best overall solution, not necessarily trying to extend the collaboration. Xmartlabs is fully embedded, working alongside us as if they’re part of our operation.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

Xmartlabs integrated into our own project management processes. They were given our system accounts and then operated alongside the employees.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is proactive. They don’t sit back and wait for direction, but propose solutions and look ahead. Xmartlabs is an active part of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
 
I’m the founder of Gush, a consumer internet company.
 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?
 
We were trying to get a web app to market as quickly as possible, so we used Xmartlabs to support our in-house engineering team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?
 
They performed frontend engineering on the web app using JavaScript, HTML, React, and Node.js. 

What is the team composition?
 
They assigned one junior developer and a midlevel to a senior developer who helped the junior developer. They also had a project manager who ensured the team adhered to timelines. 

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?
 
I met the founder a couple of years ago, so I thought of them when we were hiring. We spoke with several development agencies, asked for pricing quotes, and met team members. After this process, we realized Xmart offered the best combination of a good development process and strong operations. They also offered the best value to cost ratio. 

How much have you invested with them?
 
We have invested about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?
 
We started in mid-September or early October 2018, and we stopped working with them in February 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team produced high-quality code within a reliable timeframe. They started generating value beyond their assignments, suggesting helpful code enhancements and suggested tweaks that would result in long-term success.  

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?
 
They dipped into our stack of management tools, including Jira and Slack. For design work, they introduced us to Abstract, which was quite helpful. 

They had a strong communication style, offering daily check-ins. We connected just enough to remain updated on their progress without feeling burdened with too much information. Xmartlabs also paid close attention to the schedule, making sure they caught up after any delays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated how they provided both a senior engineer and the project manager to ensure high-quality support for the junior developer. When the junior developer had trouble accomplishing tasks on time, they allocated more work to a more experienced developer mostly free of cost. 

The team was very friendly, and working with them was a pleasure. We had a great cultural fit, and they maintained a positive attitude throughout the process. If anything negative happened, they ensured it didn’t affect the deadlines or the quality of their work.
 
Are there any areas they could improve?
 
There was a miscalculation on both of our parts considering the ability of the junior engineer to complete the project without support. However, they were happy to tweak their resource package to ensure they could meet the initial scope we described. Out of vendors we’ve worked with so far, working with Xmart has been the most positive experience. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a health technology startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

We needed mobile application development help. At the time, we weren't capable of developing an Android app in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed an Android application for us in the health technology space. We’d developed an iOS app internally, and Xmartlabs used that to build an equivalent Android solution. The application enables users (asthma patients) to track and monitor their health. They can log asthma attacks, complete a quality of life survey, and receive advice on managing their lifestyle based on several variables: fitness levels, attacks, medication, and environmental factors such as pollen count, temperature, wind speed, and pollution levels. They developed the app using Java for Android. They’ve also done work on other projects using Objective-C for iOS.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager and several developers. We’ve also been in touch with the CEO and CTO.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

We posted the job on Upwork and they came to us with a competitive quote and examples of their previous work. They provided an overview of their development process, and we were able to speak to both their CEO and CTO to get to know their business. They spoke fluent English, and seeing how there was only a few hours’ time difference, we signed with them. They came across as incredibly professional and competent.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our client is extremely fond of the solution. The Android solution Xmartlabs developed won several awards in the pharmaceutical industry in the UK, as did our internally developed iOS app.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

They use Slack, which we already used internally, and we communicate with the project manager and developers daily. Weekly calls on Google Hangouts allow us to share screens and see what they’re working on. They’re also available for ad hoc calls when required.

We use Jira, and they were willing to adapt to that system. They log and update tasks and build their sprints in Jira. Feedback also comes through Jira, as do weekly builds that we pass off to our QA team. Their project manager is fantastic to work with because of their responsiveness.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their software development lifecycle is incredibly strong. They put a senior programmer in place to oversee everything and do code reviews, which they share with us. This provides us evidence as to the level of rigor they work with.

Everything goes through QA on their side before we see it, but they accept any bugs we find without resistance or hesitation. Additionally, they've shown initiative in modifying our iOS designs where they conflict with Android technology using their internal design team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. They’ve been open to feedback throughout the project, and their CTO checks-in weekly or bi-weekly to keep a pulse on how things are progressing. Our relationship is very strong now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Free & Willing, a freelance job platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

Xmartlabs helped me develop, launch, and evolve the platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

While initially developing the website, I provided Xmartlabs with designs and content, and I relied on their team to build the backend. The website utilizes AWS and is coded with Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and jQuery. Over time, I improved my own coding skills, but Xmartlabs cleaned up much of my work. Since the site was completed and launched, I have relied on Xmartlabs to provide updates as necessary.

What is the team composition?

The team usually consists of a project manager and a developer, but a technical lead is sometimes involved depending on how junior or senior the developer is.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

I began working with Xmartlabs about six years ago when I approached them about a proof of concept. I appreciated their strong communication. Even though they are remote, we operate in the same time zone, and I preferred to work with them over a developer in Asia or Europe.

What is the status of this engagement?

I engaged them originally in 2012, but this current project began in 2014 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Throughout the development and post-launch, Xmartlabs has proven to be efficient and reliable. My website has experienced no major issues because Xmartlabs prioritizes both functionality and a strong UX.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

I can sleep well at night knowing that they’re on my team. We collaborate well through Slack for day-to-day tasks. We only use email when discussing financial terms.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They will execute on all specifications and do so fairly quickly—that’s what makes a developer special to me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their written English is strong, but their spoken English could be improved. Still, it’s nothing that prevents us from working together.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a B2B software provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

We needed additional development resources that would become part of our development team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They've done a number of development projects for us using mainly Java. They've also used MySQL, Ebean, Framework, and React. We made them part of our development team, so I don't see our collaboration as outsourcing–even though they're based in Latin America.

What is the team composition?

We work with three of their developers.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

They were recommended to me by a colleague who had worked with them previously.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've met all of our expectations, and they've done all the work we assigned to them with rigor and diligence. We see them as part of our team, and they're acting that way. I can give them any kind of work at this point.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been using our internal project management tools, such as Pivotal Tracker and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've blended in with the rest of our team rather than being a separate team. Also, they go above and beyond to understand our product and the product evolution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the VP of engineering for a digital identity platform. We worked to simplify how individuals could securely prove their identity online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

We had built APIs and UIs, but didn’t have a mobile presence. We wanted a mobile application to introduce ourselves to that market, but didn’t have the in-house resources to build one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Xmartlabs developed a mobile wallet app for iOS and Android with support from our in-house design team. The solution enabled users to redeem benefits and verify their identity at our partner websites. Users would create an account and then store and manage their various identifications—whether student or military—in the app. Xmartlabs built the solution on native platforms and released the iOS version into the App Store in late 2017.

What is the team composition?

Enrique (Co-Founder, Xmartlabs) served as the project manager. The team included a technical architect, and a full-time engineer for each mobile platform.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

Another vendor that we knew and trusted recommended Xmartlabs. As a result, they were high on our list when we evaluated different firms.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016. I left the company in September 2017 and the partnership ended a few months after that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since this app was an unfulfilled goal, I consider seeing it in the App Store to be a marker of success. Overall, the team was insightful and provided intimate knowledge about native app development. We completely relied on them to finish the app.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was consistent. They did phone calls, daily stand-ups, and weekly sprints on a regular basis. The team excelled at backlog management and always kept us in the loop.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Some of our concepts were in the identity space and weren't common in typical app development projects. The team leveraged their expertise to learn new things quickly. They were also helpful with the overall process and sprint planning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The language barrier caused some confusion. We communicated over Slack and asked for a few clarifications. While it was the only thing that came up, it wasn’t a real issue.

Any advice for potential customers?

Don’t treat technology vendors like another black box that will figure everything out. Be involved in the process to have a successful product at the end. Results require work on both sides.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of Xapnik. Xapnik is a tracking tool for small groups that allows people to follow each other and engage in activity on social media.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

I had a prototype of the app, which I built in Angular, but it wasn't good enough to launch with. I was looking for a company to help me rewrite it in React Native and update it to ensure it's a progressive web app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided them with the full write-up of the technical and business requirements. After that, they came back to me with a detailed proposal that included the timeline and the cost. Then, they developed a React frontend, while I wrote the backend. I'm also planning to do phase 2 with them.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one full-time developer and a project manager.

How did you come to work with them?

They were a recommendation from a friend who had used them for smaller React Native projects and was happy with their work. When you hire an offshore company, there are usually concerns about the quality of work and a language barrier, but Xmartlabs has a very professional team that speaks perfect English. I also liked the fact that they used agile methodology, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them between April–August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They produced a high-quality code. Initially, I had to do everything myself, so they were a tremendous help. They treated me like a member of their team rather than a customer, which was extremely valuable to me.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They broke down their work in daily tasks, so I could see their day-to-day progress. We also used Trello and Slack for project management. They were very transparent and stayed on schedule. It was a pleasure to work with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their developers are highly skilled and responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. I was really happy with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the co-founder of a real estate app that allows renters to manage their apartments and bills.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xmartlabs?

We had them work on a native iOS application with a user interface that interacted with the API that our team had already built.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed the application that allows users to better manage their money as it pertains to their homes or apartments. Users can split bills with roommates and set up accounts for gas, electric, internet, and renter’s insurance.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two to three Uruguay-based developers.

How did you come to work with Xmartlabs?

They had worked on some open-source projects we had used before. We reached out to them because many of the components we were using in our application were elements their team had built.

How much have you invested with them?

We paid them $2,500 per developer per week. I do not have an exact total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We contracted with them for very specific features, and they delivered them. They finished the application and accomplished everything we needed.

How did Xmartlabs perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Trello and Slack to stay in communication. They were quick to respond and complete certain features. More or less, they met the project’s deadlines. We all had to adjust to the time difference—we only had a couple hours in the morning to overlap schedules, but overall it was smooth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If something was outside the scope of the product, like a build tool that would help us speed up our development or a test we needed to integrate, they seemed to be very on top of the best practices, and they worked well with our existing engineering team on integrating those things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, none come to mind.