Alnicko Lab

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Inforeach Inc. We develop home automation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alnicko Development?

Our software firm needed development help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built hardware from scratch using Zigbee and Wizmap, then embedded the software. We focused on the software and the service elements.

What is the team composition?

Between two and three people from their team worked on this project. Their co-founder handles their project management.

How did you come to work with Alnicko Development?

It was difficult to find the expertise we needed in this area. I tried a few other groups, but they didn’t seem interested in the project on the terms I was offering.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent over $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2015 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have cooperated well with our initiatives and given us good advice about technology. Working with them is interesting as well as educational. They have come up with some good ideas and solutions to issues that we were facing.

How did Alnicko Development perform from a project management standpoint?

They could improve their client-side communication and project organization. We’re used to working in the environment on the current terms.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have really enjoyed their collaborative approach to the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their structure and project management could be improved, but they are in a different country with different traditions, so it is somewhat expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior technical officer for a product development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alnicko Development?

We needed help with development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We built a handheld, portable device for detecting. They used micro-processes, analog and digital electronics, and some optics.

What is the team composition?

There were 5–6 people.

How did you come to work with Alnicko Development?

There were too many issues with IP theft and leakage of IP in most Asian countries, particularly in China. We had past experience with Chinese developers who didn’t do any more than what is asked of them. For this project, it was too expensive to use engineers in New Zealand, so we looked elsewhere.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent under $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2016 until August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did very good, timely work and reported it clearly. They were excellent and thoroughly professional. We intend to do more projects with them soon.

How did Alnicko Development perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very keen to work with us. They offered very practical insights into what we were doing. If there was a problem, they came up with ideas to fix it. It was a very proactive, enthusiastic, professional team.

Their ability to meet deadlines was extremely good. I communicated with them through email. From my time in their offices, I know they spend a lot of time talking to each other so that everybody knows exactly what’s happening. Every time I asked a question, it was answered promptly and thoroughly. There’s very good communication. The documentation they supplied on the project was always to a very high standard. Sometimes it was in Russian, but they were quick to send an English version. They have very high standards for collaboration internally and with the client. I was very comfortable working with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were extremely professional and very good to work with. They’re a fun team with a great attitude. They were scrupulously honest, and their integrity is above reproach. They were extremely careful and completely trustworthy about issues around intellectual property.

They have a proactive stance. They always presented a problem with 1–3 possible solutions. Sometimes they were really good options that we hadn’t thought of. They made us feel like they were a part of our team.

When we went to Ukraine, they went beyond just a client relationship. They were genuinely concerned that we were comfortable and we could find our way around. They provided an English and Russian speaking guide to assist me to find an apartment.

They went above and beyond in every respect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a good understanding of technology, but Ukraine is a poor country. They have availability of some technology, but it’s extremely expensive for them. They could have a few more resources, but this is an economic issue though rather than a proficiency in their operation. If they charge what I consider low prices, they’re not going to be able to afford all the latest test gear. They do have good quality though.