App Knit

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Founder and CEO of a mobile application that connects people to sports, keeping them up to date with various different events like games, tournaments, and other sports-related information. 

What challenge were you trying to address with App Knit?

I am very new to the app space, and while I had an idea that I wanted to convey to the general public, I didn’t know how to build an app. We actually had a local developer in place, but as we were going through the process, that individual decided they didn’t have enough time and backed out.

My biggest challenge was finding a credible, honest developer that was cost-efficient but also understood my vision and how to help me get it out there.

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Knit has been very helpful in every step of the process. Beyond designing and building technical features such as geolocation for our iOS app, they’ve helped out in every facet of the project. Whether it was assisting with marketing, or explaining who our target audience is and how we can reach them, they’ve helped us understand what makes sense in the space and what our target dates for product roll-outs should be. 

A lot of service-oriented companies will just do whatever you’re willing to pay for, but App Knit helped us slow down and focus on first steps—like rolling out an MVP—that would set us up to accomplish our big audacious goal further down the road.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Sumit (Founder & CEO, App Knit), who worked with about 3–4 other individuals on his team.

How did you come to work with App Knit?

We found App Knit on a third-party site. Though I was concerned about the inability to meet in person with their team, my concerns were put at ease as soon as we started the interview process with App Knit. Even through Skype calls, we quickly developed an excellent rapport.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $8,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in January 2019 and the project is still ongoing. The iOS app has been complete for about a month and a half, but we’ve been continuing to tweak and make little changes as we go on.

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

First, the app wouldn’t exist without their help. We wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for the App Knit team. Other vendors we spoke to were way more expensive, and Sumit and his team have been awesome throughout the entire project, so we really appreciate them.

How did App Knit perform from a project management standpoint?

I would give them 10 stars if I could. They have a really impressive skill set, but more importantly, they are flexible and are really good people. It’s been amazing to have a project team that is not only staying on top of their work but also making sure I’m doing everything I need to balance the project with my job, my family, and everything else.

They began to act more as a partner than as a contractor. We have very open communication channels, mostly using Skype calls and emails. Any time we have a question, or if we need to plan our next steps ahead of time, there is a fairly consistent back and forth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were extremely transparent. Sumit paid attention to what we wanted to get accomplished, to the point where we felt like we were one team by the second call. I vividly remember after our first call with Sumit, my business partner and I felt very comfortable in regard to the whole interview process because we knew that the App Knit team was a great option. They made us feel very happy and we trusted them almost immediately.

They were very conscious of our goals, especially from a financial standpoint. The whole time, they kept our financial needs in mind and never pushed us to pay more throughout the project. We spent a lot of time breaking down how we could be cost-conscious while still getting a great product, and it paid off.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of UrbanKiddie, a free free parenting-group App that connects expecting or current moms AND dads within local neighborhoods for advice and camaraderie regarding pregnancy, babies, toddlers & big kids as well as relationships, family life, parenting, work/life balance and community. This is a self-funded project that just finished development and is live on the iOS App Store. Marketing will commence shortly.

For what projects/services did your company hire App Knit?

They developed the entire mobile application and 2 updates/revisions.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to create an app where parents could discover a network of families with similarly aged children to help them navigate their local community regarding a variety of topics, such as what are the best playgrounds and baby classes to the more important matters such as how to find a good nanny or which schools to choose for your children, or what part-time jobs are available. Parents can also connect to the global community or on a regional level to ask higher level, non-location specific questions and share information and resources about all parenting-related topics.

How did you select this vendor?

I found Sumit and the App-Knit team using Upwork.

Describe the project in detail.

Once I had hired the team after interviewing and searching on Upwork, we immediately started conversations about the app and the environment and functionalities I was looking for.

They built a workflow and we made revisions as necessary. Then they sent me user stories and we made revisions. Alongside this content and framework build, we also collaborated regarding the look and feel of the app and exchanged ideas for any images to be used in the app.

After this planning period they started to build the app, keeping me updated of progress all along the way. Once the app was built, we did a testing phase and made changes, as necessary.

Then they posted the app on the app store where it was accepted for the platform. The initial launch was great and I was very satisfied with the app and how it worked, which was exactly how I had communicated I wanted the app to work.

In the next few months I decided on a few different functionalities to add, and used Sumit's team to make those updates. We just finished the last one and the current and most updated version of the app is available in the iOS store.

What was the team composition?

The team at App-Knit that worked on my specific project comprised of four different individuals, all with different specialties and skills to contribute toward creating the app.

I dealt mostly with Sumit and Saanchi who are the two in customer facing roles and both were easy to work with, trustworthy and reliable. I would recommend working with either of them.

Sumit is the founder and he is great to work with; professional, well-spoken, a clear communicator and always direct and reliable in terms of the final product. I would enjoy working with this team again .

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

The app was developed and updated, just recently having gone live in the App Store in its most recent version. Marketing will commence shortly. I am so happy with the way the app turned out!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sumit was a pleasure to work with for the first half of development. After that the project manager Saanchi took over and I was happy with the communication and outcome of all discussions that took place between myself and the App-Knit team. They always did everything they said they would in a prompt manner and were very professional and communicated effectively.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with the team, and how they executed on concepts discussed and with different skill sets were able to create the app I was imagining.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I honestly can't think of anything. I was pleased with the outcome of the app.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and managing director of Just Innovate Ltd, a product development company.

For what projects/services did your company hire App Knit?

We needed help to create a Family Trivia Game mobile app for iOS.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted an app that could meet a specific functionality and user experience that was easy, fun and engaging.

How did you select this vendor?

After interviewing multiple development organizations, App Knit won our business due to their generosity with their time during the sales process. They ensured we would be comfortable during the project. It was clear they understood what we were trying to achieve from the very beginning.

Describe the project in detail.

App Knit started by creating user stories. Next, they delivered hi-res wireframes followed by a prototype. Throughout the journey, the team accepted our adjustments, clarifications, and changes. They produced the administration tool and app for testing.

App functionality included a backend database that tracks trivia questions by age, category, and difficulty as well as the frontend UX. Finally, they fixed errors and made a few additional adjustments that we hadn't realized were needed during the design.

What was the team composition?

Sumit (Founder and CEO, App Knit) handled all project communication and served as our project manager.

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

Our app is live on the App Store and initial feedback has been very positive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow and communication were excellent throughout the project. Sumit was always courteous and quick to respond to questions or requests. He often went above and beyond to make recommendations that clearly demonstrated App Knit’s expertise. We used email and WhatsApp for day-to-day communication. The project ran smoothly even though I was splitting my time between the UK and the US. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really appreciated App Knit’s commitment to the project. At no point did I feel they had forgotten about me or my project. They were extremely respectable in terms of milestones and project payments. Expectations for each milestone were clearly documented. Parts of the project took them longer than expected, but I was impressed that they honored their quote without questions.  

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would have loved for them more resources so we could have gotten things done faster. However, I respect that they honored the timeline that was quoted.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder for an app startup.

For what projects/services did your company hire App Knit?

Design and development of an MVP iOS and Android app.

What were your goals for this project?

Wanted to develop a minimal viable native iOS and Android app for a startup.

How did you select App Knit?

We searched online and received numerous proposals for this project. After several phone calls with App Knit and competitors we decided to proceed with the App Knit team.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected App Knit, we had a series of calls to define the scope of work and functionality of the app. App Knit then prepared wireframes for the app design and we had several rounds of phone calls and revisions for the wireframes. App Knit then prepared the user story for the app and we had a few rounds of phone calls and revisions. Once the user story was finalized, App Knit built the apps and we tested and debugged.

What was the team composition?

There was a project manager throughout the process that was the primary point of contact.

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

The app we desired was delivered according to the estimated schedule. The app had all of the functionality and design we desired, including additional functionality that arose during and after the design stages.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was highly effective. The App Knit team was always clear about their timeline for deliverables and highly responsive to feedback and questions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

In addition to being highly responsive and skilled at app development, the team is flexible and accommodating with design changes. They accommodated even late-stage design changes without increasing the budget or delaying the timeline.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of ShareCity, Inc. ShareCity has developed a mobile app that connects travelers to a destination to share holiday accommodation together and split costs.

For what projects/services did your company hire App Knit?

To develop an iOS mobile app for ShareCity.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a working product that I could launch and test for proof of concept.

How did you select this vendor?

I compared reviews and ratings and looked at past projects, assessed relevant knowledge and skills, and did a cost comparison.

Describe the project in detail.

The project involved scoping through user stories, which then led to wireframing, designs, prototyping and final build followed by testing and release.

What was the team composition?

I was assigned a project lead who I worked with as my primary point of contact. The project manager, Sumit, was also available if I had to escalate. Under the lead there were developers, designers and testers but I mainly worked with the lead and project manager.

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

The product was developed as per instructions. The design was a highlight as was the flow and backend. Testing identified quite a few issues all of which were resolved as part of the testing stage. The goal of launching a working product was accomplished!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

App Knit team were efficient in their project management and kept me informed throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The skillset and technical knowledge of App Knit was a highlight. The company had excellent communication.

Are there any areas for improvement?

While the project was delivered successfully, it met with some delays. App Knit may need to work on estimating accurately the completion timeline. Having said that, I was kept aware of the upcoming delays and reasons behind the delay which were well justified. I was fairly flexible so in the end the slight delay did not negatively impact me. I am very happy with the outcome of the project.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO and Founder of Forhtgreen. We a vegan marketplace.

For what projects/services did your company hire App Knit, and what were your goals?

Our vision was to make a vegan marketplace where brands can create their profile and add their best products on the web app, and shoppers can discover them and follow them from the mobiles apps.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We researched online for developers and after interviewing them, we chose App-knit because, from the first conversation we had, I felt that we would have a good relationship as a team.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a kick-off meeting to discuss our objectives. We had the designs ready, so they created the user-stories based on them and after our approved on the user stories they starting working and sending interactions so we could check that everything was like we wanted.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager is our main point of contact. There is also a dev team that makes you feel that you have great support working on your project.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We have just started but the feedback we have it’s very positive.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

I had weekly meeting to know the status of the project and now with the new milestones, we have many meetings as we need.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were patient during the project with many improvements I asked for.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

When we first launched, there were some minor bugs that we are fixing. We are working with them and they are getting fixed.