Arcanys

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

ECN's Source Content Aggregation and delivery is expected to run without interruption (24/7 365 days a year) across 5 international networks, 600+ unique asset locations, combining data from more than 30+ API suppliers, on a daily basis and even more during advertising campaigns which utilise dynamic triggers for a customised audience experience.

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

ECN Project manages all aspects of product development with Arcanys team members in the same style as would be used with our own local resources. Additional inputs on occasion from Arcanys Scrum masters / Team leads proves helpful where meeting schedules are sometimes interrupted.

JIRA is used extensively for allocation of Tasks, Planning and Timesheeting and has been a brilliantly simple and clear layer of transparency ongoing.

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

No pun intended, but Arcanys' unique ability to be a Swiss army knife of services reduces the need to engage multiple suppliers, which saves time, simplifies project spend, reduces communication burdens and improves our agility when kicking off new initiatives.

But perhaps of even greater value is their 'can-do' attitude and relentlessly positive view of the work.

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

There are always areas for improvement in our business and processes. Arcanys as a partner join us in that responsibility and noticeably are proactive in improving communication, transparency and technical expertise. This has been a key differentiator in their style over other suppliers.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Register Now was struggling to find talent at a reasonable rate. We have managed to do that with Arcanys. This has allowed us to concentrate local resources on building the business and growing our customer base which we are doing faster than ever.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We use Azure DevOps to manage our backlog and releases. Our communication is constant and we utilize Slack for internal chat and Google Hangouts daily standups and video calls as required. We find the brief daily stand up at the start of the day to be a very effective way of keeping the team on track.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We have had no turnover with the team we have been building with Arcanys over three years. This is a testament to the management team's efforts to provide an extremely positive workplace for the employees. The Arcanys employees are some of the happiest that I've experienced.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We constantly review our processes with our team at Arcanys and have found the team very responsive to this process. Time zones can prove an issue occasionally, especially during daylight savings, however, on request the team have been willing to adjust accordingly.

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

I don’t have any quantitative evidence, but we’re in the process of releasing a large project that they’ve been working on. It’s an internal workflow tool that they built for us. So far, the launch has been going very well, and I consider that a testament to the great work that they put into the project.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

The person on our team who manages their developers is a developer himself, so communication tends to be very good. They’re much more responsive than other outsourced teams that I’ve worked with, and that helps quite a bit. The time zone difference is challenging, especially for the person on our team who manages them, but they have regular calls and use Slack to stay up to date.

Usually, the developers will send a nightly update describing what they did during the day. That way, we know exactly what they did for us each day. Most of this communication happens over Slack, which has worked very well for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been impressed by their ability to learn new technology on the fly. From what I know, Arcanys is a great place to work, and it seems like they heavily invest in their employees. This shows in the work product that they provide.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think so. Their work is generally very, very good. The toughest part is probably the time zone, but I'm not sure that there's any viable solution there. We’re figuring out ways to make that work as much as possible. But I'd say, for the most part, they’re excellent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, I don’t think I do.

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

It’s very important that my company can grow quickly, and Arcanys has made doing so much easier. They provide highly qualified developers for us to work with. For instance, the first developer we worked with from Arcanys had experience with one of our client’s cultures, which benefitted their interactions. Carrying on the project without this developer would’ve been very difficult.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is good, and their standards are high. Sometimes, we have to push them to communicate with our clients. If they don’t engage with the client, our partnership with them won’t work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their company culture and ability to maintain a long-term partnership is critical. We’ve worked with them for a couple of years in different contexts, and it’s always worked out great. Also, they retain key resources for long periods of time, which prevents turnover on our end.

Arcanys’s developers are independent and don’t require constant guidance and direction. Their team has a drive that can push any project forward.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more active in increasing their technical expertise and communication skills. They’re good, but they can always do better.

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

Arcanys works well within our sophisticated software system. Their UIs have received positive user feedback, and we have full confidence in their ability to troubleshoot and fix complex items. They have truly improved our system.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

We manage the project from our side. We communicate every day via Skype and email, and we use a shared test bay and a shared development platform for testing requests. We also visit their office once a year to get to know their team better.

The team overall is highly attentive and flexible. They have remained patient with us as we formalized our system. Every team member—from the developers to the founders—is easy to reach and willing to fix issues as needed. Despite some ambiguities over the years, Arcanys always meets their schedule and alerts us about potential delays.
 
What did you find most impressive about them?

Proactive and diligent, Arcanys acts like a part of our team. They ask questions if they don’t understand something, and they point ways to refactor a request or improve a process if needed. We appreciate their openness; they feel as invested in our success as we are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We first were worried about evaluating potential resources through remote interviews. However, we’ve developed a recurring process with Arcanys to assess each incoming team member constructively and thoroughly. We’re thrilled with the collaboration overall.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have a formal onboarding process. Visit their team regularly as well to clear any communication issues.

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

Our partnership allows us to move faster and enables our dev team to implement solutions quicker. We’ve become more rapid in our build and release process because of them.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, we’re happy with their level of communication, documentation, and responsiveness. We had to let one developer go because their work wasn’t what we expected, but Arcanys helped make the transition. They’re flexible and allow us to adjust their involvement based on our needs. We mainly communicate via Skype, email, and WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Unlike other firms, Arcanys is a genuine tech partner, not just a resource provider. They also have a payment structure that keeps them engaged in our projects instead of locking us into a partnership for a long time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As they grow, they should continue to focus on being a tech partner with advanced skill levels.

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

Deloitte Australia’s Technology Fast 50 recently named us as Australia’s 34th fastest-growing technology company. We’ve averaged 148% growth over the last 3 years. This success has been supported by the agility, skill, and dedication of our Arcanys resources.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d originally had some concerns about managing a team of remote resources, but it’s been much easier than I anticipated. We use Agile/scrum methodologies, so we talk daily via video conference. We strive to have open communication and it’s worked really well despite their team being in another country. To achieve this, we use Azure DevOps for planning, task allocation, and status tracking. It helps to have efficient workflows through our software development platform.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only do their staff have great technical skills, but they also possess initiative, excellent problem-solving skills, and great personalities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are some subtle cultural differences between the Philippines and Australia. Occasionally, the team is so eager to please that they jump in and start working before the full project team agrees to a concrete plan. We’ve been working to ensure everyone’s in sync and trying to take the shortest possible path from conception to release.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

As great as our Arcanys resources are, they are like any other valuable resources: they need to be managed and nurtured. I suggest getting to know the team and encouraging two-way communication, which includes listening to what they tell you.

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

I haven’t found any functional problems with the builds they’ve developed thus far. Their QA tester has mentioned a few bugs, but none that require immediate action.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

We run development sprints every two weeks, and their project manager ensures that everything goes smoothly. After I walk them through the sprint requirements, the manager creates a task list for each developer to follow. There’s a lot of work involved in that process, but they hit each benchmark as scheduled. Despite a small language barrier, communicating with them is fairly easy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their developers demonstrate a level of foresight that’s rare among outsourcing firms. Most vendors will build what’s asked of them, but won’t think outside of the project’s scope to solve problems. Arcanys looks at each project holistically and will recommend solutions before potential issues occur. By always looking ahead, they ensure that each new element can seamlessly integrate with the other modules in our roadmap. That ability is incredibly valuable to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

An initial lack of communication resulted in us getting billed for hours without knowing what was being done. Once we communicated the issue, they addressed it quickly. We’ve been receiving frequent updates ever since.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Utilizing their project manager allows us to keep track of the engagement without having to allocate a dedicated resource.

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

An independent cost review of our work at a facility in Berkeley, California used the app to prepare and develop their plan. Two weeks prior, we gave community members access to the tool so that they could evaluate it. They were so impressed they recommended to the Department of Energy that all projects use the app going forward. Their recommendation made it all the way to Washington, which is quite an endorsement and success story for us.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve developed a tight-knit relationship with my team of developers at Arcanys, so the communication is wide-open. Because they’re in the Philippines, we talk over Skype. We also use Jira to upload stories and discuss technical issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have really talented developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re 13 hours ahead of us, so I would change their time zone. I have to work late but that's just the way it is. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s important to understand the cultural differences that exist between your and your provider’s locations. Empower them to speak their minds and alert you if you’re leading them down the wrong path. I told our developers this first thing, and we've been fine.

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

They’ve done a good job, and I’m impressed with the results so far.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re happy with their level of responsiveness. We use Jira to manage the sprints, and for communication, we mainly use Skype, Slack, and some email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach makes them stand out. They take the time to understand their clients and what they are trying to achieve. They invest time in making the relationship work. They try to integrate their developers into your team and make sure that they are fitting in and that everyone is working well together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as involved and as technical as you can and get into as much detail as possible. You can’t just give them a brief; you need to actually be involved. If possible, fly there and spend time with them face-to-face to immerse yourself and fully understand how they operate and communicate what you are trying to do together.