Artjoker Software

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an animation studio. We connect brands and people through animated video content.

For what projects/services did your company hire Artjoker Software, and what were your goals?

We looked for the partners whom we can outsource software development services.

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

I contacted several different software development houses regarding my project and Artjoker proved highly engaged and quick to answer my query. Within a few hours of contacting them, we set up a meeting to discuss our request in detail.

After the initial meeting, at which they showed a good understanding of my needs and professionally answered all questions, an estimate was prepared. I decided to start my cooperation with them.

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

Artjoker was responsible for the full cycle development. We gave them basic requirements and started SRS development. In parallel with Business Analysis we created UX prototypes. Further stages were UI design, frontend and backend development. I got direct access to the project and was able to provide constant feedback on the progress.

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

Initial collaboration was with a business development manager with whom I agreed on general conditions. This same person was always my contact for administrative and financial matters.

Artjoker provided us with a Scrum master who was in touch with us during whole project. We planned backlogs, sprints and had daily meetings and sprinnt’s retrospectives. The interaction process was efficient and smooth. At first stages we were collaborating with BA, 2 UX/UI designers and an Art director. Also we were working with development team.

It was 2 Backend and 2 Frontend developers with team leads and CTO. All ten contact points at Artjoker were good for cooperation/.

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

We received a high-quality product. Our team is happy to have experience of work with Artjoker company. We will be in touch and continue cooperations with them.

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

I find that our cooperation was so successful because both sides knew their part of the work. We were clear about what we wanted and they have the right capacity to bring it to life. For this reason, our communication was clear and effective. Design and development departments were performing without delays. All agreed deadlines were reached.

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

At all stages of the project, we felt Artjokers' involvement. The team was responsive to our requests and usually offered us valuable solutions.

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

From my perspective, I have no concerns about the work and performance demonstrated.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager at a construction company based in Dubai.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker Software?

We wanted to build a fishing app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them our idea and they developed a wireframe for us. Then, they built out the app based on those specifications.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, a senior project manager, and a designer.

How did you come to work with Artjoker Software?

We found them through a word of mouth recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and our work is ongoing.

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

They implemented design elements that we really liked. From the technical standpoint, they gave us options and explained the possibilities at every stage. We were very happy with this thorough approach.

How did Artjoker Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via WhatsApp and regular phone calls. They met all of our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In comparison with the previous organization we came across, their language proficiency is much better. With the other company, I had to correct almost every single grammatical structure. With Artjoker, I didn’t have to correct a lot.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I haven’t found any shortcomings. They’re up to our standards and the team is very polite.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to just go for it. They’re great with mobile app development.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a digital agency specializing in social media marketing, PPC, SEO, and web design.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker Software?

I initially hired them to build a WordPress website. Since then, I’ve continued working with them and our relationship has evolved.

What was the scope of their involvement?

A friend of mine who is an actor had put together a fake presidential campaign last year, for which Artjoker Software created the website. Now, they help me with Shopify stores. The team has also been working on a website for a commercial developer who mostly builds out law offices.

I usually provide them with designs and content, and the team then works on the development using the materials that I give them.

What is the team composition?

I work with Anna (Trainee Project Manager), who serves as our project manager, and Kate (Business Development Manager), who handles budgeting and cost.

How did you come to work with Artjoker Software?

I found them on Upwork. I ultimately decided to work with them because they got back to me quickly, were willing to work within the budget, and had done other projects that were similar to what I wanted to do. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in about June 2019 and our engagement is ongoing. We launched the first WordPress website and we’re still working on the website for the commercial developer. 

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

They’ve been easy to work with, but the work they do is a pretty small portion of our business.

How did Artjoker Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has generally been good. Although it has happened a couple of times, Artjoker Software has been quite good about not overpromising on deadlines they can’t meet. We communicate via Skype and we brought them onto Asana, which is a tool we use internally. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Different developers are good at different things. Whenever we need a higher level of technical expertise, we reach out to Artjoker Software.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had asked them to do some WordPress work for me, but they told me that they wanted to charge me a higher rate. This isn’t outrageous, but I’m an agency owner and I prefer a cheaper rate than most end-user clients.

So, I tend to lean toward working on Shopify projects with them because they seem to want more money for WordPress projects than the market demands.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

For agencies, Artjoker Software would be great. If you have experience working with developers overseas and you understand how technologies like WordPress and Shopify work, they are a great team. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, I would recommend hiring teams in the U.S.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Head of PM department

For what projects/services did your company hire Artjoker Software?

We as an agency work with a different stack of technology and were asked by our business partner to help with IoS & Android development, thus we needed to find a team capable of developing.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking for a team that can take design and specs that were created by us and make the App work

How did you select this vendor?

I've sent a lot of RFQ's to different vendors, and I really liked:

1. How fast their reaction was
2. What questions I've been asked for the project.
3. How our NDA was reviewed and signed
4. Quality of the Estimation and offer

Describe the project in detail.

Even though we already had specs, Artjoker insisted to create a new one, a more detailed one. And that's how we started.

We've been lead by their team starting with technology recommendation. Step by step, we were shown the progress by builds for IoS and any of our team ould test a small part of the app and give instant feedback - which was pretty handy.

Even though we found out some differences in specs that were created by our team and then revised by theirs (human factor, we all can miss things), some point that was missing in their one still has been implemented within the agreed scope of work.

What was the team composition?

We started communication with Business Analyst at the beginning of the estimate and when the project started we had a team of: Project manager Ios developer Android developer and QA

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

Generally, all went smooth. We didn't have a very strict deadline, so some of the due dates were missed, but they were totally justified and the final outcome was good. My expectation totally matched to the result.

And even though we haven't launched the app yet because we still have to adjust a few things on our side, I'm glad that I know who will help in further development and maintenance.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

All the communication went through Slack. The project manager was fast on a reply. Moreover, separate channels were created where I could talk directly with team members if needed - but that depends on the level of involvement you need.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their quick replies and a problem-solving attitude—those were the most important things to me and what I found in them. When you don't have to wait for a reply to long and you receive a solution to any problem that may pop-up, and they definitely will, that's vital to have a team capable to suggest a better solution

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is always something to be improved. I found that I spend a little bit more time to QA the apps and pointing some obvious issues, but looking back at own experience of leading teams for web dev - it's impossible to give bugs free app.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief development officer at a financial microcrediting company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker Software?

We needed a company to develop a platform to provide online crediting based on a model of payday lending.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed an integrative platform that has full online processes for payments. They managed all the technical parts starting from website creation, then moving to software development. Finally, they integrated the software with the required external software.

We also have a new project and implementation that’s starting now.

What is the team composition?

We have a dedicated project manager.

How did you come to work with Artjoker Software?

We did a tender and based on that internal process, we selected Artjoker Software. They were the most competitive in terms of portfolio, quality of execution, and value for money.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2018, and the work is ongoing.

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

The feedback has been positive, and the work has been a success. The solution that they delivered is adequate and exactly what we wanted. We were able to achieve the implementation and start our business in record time. The collaboration has been vital for reducing the timeline necessary for our startup.

How did Artjoker Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We interact daily from morning to evening. Their responsiveness is 120%.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very flexible, very fast, and extremely open for new projects. Compared to other developers I’ve worked with, they offer much more flexibility and have the ability to overcome obstacles.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their day-to-day efficiency of managing tasks in a very fast-changing approach. It’s not necessarily a negative thing and we’ve made progress in the last month.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, I can't name anything.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a startup called [email protected] It’s a C2C platform that will enable anyone with a passion for cooking to create a free profile and share dishes or menus.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker Software?

Using an in-house developer, we started the project almost three years ago. Back then, our ambitions and view of the platform were more limited, but, after redoing the UI/UX design of the website one year ago, we realized that the scope had to be broadened and a single developer would not be able to handle such a challenging project.

Previously, we found another Ukrainian company on Clutch, and they did a good job on our design. We wanted another partner for the web development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The product is based on JavaScript and the Laravel PHP framework, which is flexible and allows for better development. It’s a complicated e-commerce platform, with two kinds of users: the ones offering the service, and the ones looking to purchase. There are booking, payment, review, and social components. We also plan to integrate it with an ICO (initial coin offering) token system. The platform is almost as sophisticated as ones like Airbnb; we’ve tried to achieve the same kind of flexibility.

What is the team composition?

The initial email conversations were with the business manager. She described Artjoker Software’s work approach and the quality they provided, and we figured out an estimate and started the project. I was assigned a project manager and a small development team. Now, I interface with their project manager.

How did you come to work with Artjoker Software?

We couldn’t afford companies in the U.S. or Western Europe so we decided to work with Russian-speaking developers who had a reputation for being good programmers. We found a good price range in Ukraine, and we started to select our candidates from there. We finally decided to go with Artjoker Software.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid around $20,000 for their work. This was a low price compared to other studios, some of which were asking up to $100,000. This project required almost 1,000 hours to develop.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Artjoker Software at the end of May or beginning of June 2018. The work is ongoing.

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

So far, the demo that Artjoker Software showed me worked. They’ve been making huge progress, and they’re usually ahead of time with deliveries by 5–6 days.

How did Artjoker Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We were in touch almost daily during the drafting of the project plan, which took almost three weeks. The technical specifications were complicated and long, taking over 40 pages just to specify how the website worked. Now, I hear from the project manager 2–3 times per week, aside from the thorough weekly reports. I provide further information as needed, such as access to API keys, but they work mostly autonomously.

We divided the development of the platform into two stages: the minimal viable product (MVP) and the final version. The MVP was divided into four sprints, and they’ve just started working on the third one. Once the first version is ready, we plan to go live with it. Our marketing team will collect cooks who are going to offer their services while Artjoker Software continues to develop the final version, which we’ll upload a few months later.

Sprints are decided upon before starting the development. They set up a Skype call at the end of each one during which they show me a live demo of what they did with a step-by-step breakdown of the sprint content. I’m happy with them and their work style.

The communication is done mostly through email and Skype calls. We use Jira for task management. I’ve always had access to their servers and development and testing environment.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always friendly and willing to find alternative solutions to our problems. We’ve had some difficulties achieving some specific goals with the platform, but we were able to pin down doable alternative solutions with Artjoker Software’s help. Also, they have a competitive price/quality ratio.

Considering Artjoker Software’s quality and the speed at which they work, they’re very professional. They’re swift at understanding our concepts. Whenever we’ve had a problem with estimates or delivery time, for example, they’re willing to find a common ground.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Potentially, their weakest side could be English communication. They’re not native speakers and their proficiency is limited, but it’s good enough to produce a 40-page technical document. Sometimes I might ask them to repeat an answer or explaining a concept twice, but they’re smart in picking things up.

I haven’t found a downside to Artjoker Software, and I hope it remains this way.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Take particular care into drafting the technical documentation. The development contract will be based on that documentation, so it should be as thorough, deep, and specific as possible. Artjoker Software always tries to give us the best price, but they also warn us that, if we go outside of the specifications during development, they will ask for extra pay. Once those documents are approved, Artjoker Software will do an excellent job, but the documentation needs to be clear for both parts.

I recommend Artjoker Software to any client who might be interested in them. They’re truly skilled, professional, hardworking, and cost-effective.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m head of the sales department for FC Shakhtar Donetsk, a football club in Ukraine.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker Software?

We needed to create a mobile app for ticket sales.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app was created for fans that want to purchase tickets digitally. It’s currently available for Android devices but we will be creating an iOS version in the future. Fans are able to choose the section they want to sit in and then purchase the tickets through the app, which gives them a barcode that’s scanned when they enter the stadium.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their IT project manager and another person.

How did you come to work with Artjoker Software?

There were two or three other companies in Ukraine that could do this for us, but Artjoker, in my opinion, is the best company in our region. We felt that they would deliver and decided to have them work on this project.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent $11,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from December 2017 to February 2018.

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

It’s a very dynamic app, and within only one month of publishing it in the Google Play Store, we had 3,000 downloads. After three or four football matches, we sold between 400–500 tickets through it. Our fans are very thankful because it makes it easier for them to purchase tickets, eliminating the need to visit the box office in person or print their tickets from home.

How did Artjoker Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a professional company that works fast. They maintained communication with us at all hours of the day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re so happy with their work that we’ve decided to have them develop our iOS app as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend working with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of Wapit. We’re a web development company mainly focused on Magento and custom PHP applications.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker?

Initially, we needed additional Magento developers but as we saw their skill, we realized that it would be useful to increase their web development workload.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came to them with clearly defined requirements, timelines, and technical expectations. The team worked in iterative sprints and used Magento for the initial web development project. As we’ve increased their workload, they’ve also used custom PHP code, Laravel, and WordPress.

What is the team composition?

Artjoker’s team consisted of a project manager and a front- and backend developer. Our internal team and project manager had direct contact with them.

How did you come to work with Artjoker?

A company I had previously outsourced some work to referred me to them. After their success on the first project, we decided to increase the amount we worked with them.

How much have you invested with them?

All of our projects together have totaled €24,000 ($27,839 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in October 2013 and still have ongoing engagements with custom Laravel and WordPress projects.

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

They have skilled developers that deliver high-quality code. I’ve been satisfied with all of their deliverables, and see them as a great asset to our company.

How did Artjoker perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is very important to me, and their project managers are definitely responsive. We use the project and task management tool Work Section to update the progress of each task. We also use Slack quite often, and occasionally Jira or Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They begin working immediately when we give them clear project details and requirements. They see us as their partner, so they always follow up on their work and consistently provide feedback on how to improve our support.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve actually helped us improve some aspects of our workflow. For example, we would usually come to them with every facet of the project detailed. Now, based on their guidance, we include them much earlier in the process so that they can give realistic, technical feedback on requirements and timeline estimations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With every project, you need to make sure you’re in charge of the schedule and expectations.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Tag A Long, which allows users to connect and train with professional athletes.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker?

We had an alpha version of the platform, and we needed outside assistance to handle software development, wireframing, and all design for iOS.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The initial version had basic functionality as far as which buttons would go to which screens. Artjoker increased that functionality with a backend administration panel, which allowed for easier access and faster changes. It is a catch-all platform that manages all users and athletes and allows for communication from both parties. After the upcoming iOS launch, we plan to build an Android version.

What is the team composition?

The business developer and project manager of the mobile department were our main contact points. The project manager was our liaison to the Ukraine-based engineers. 

How did you come to work with Artjoker?

We conducted an online search of local software development companies. I don’t have a lot of background in software development and tech, so I needed to find an organization that had a good reputation and provided all the services we needed. We compared portfolios and previous clients. We had three calls with Artjoker to discuss our goals, and they took extensive notes and sent recap emails to clarify the scope of the work. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $16,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in December 2017 and it is ongoing. We are anticipating a June 1 iOS launch. We are in the final 5-10% of the beta minimal viable product for our application and platform. We are also anticipating future collaboration on an Android version.

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

Although we haven’t launched the iOS yet, in terms of what I envisioned for this app and what it actually looks like, I couldn't be happier with it. It's exceeded my expectations. Hopefully, we can bring on one or two of their developers full-time to manage the user base and the company as it grows on the software side.

How did Artjoker perform from a project management standpoint?

From the beginning, Artjoker was concerned about the end goal. They understood the big picture from the start so I didn't have to micromanage. I was based in LA and they were based in Ukraine, so there was a limited amount of time each morning to work, but we would call or text regularly, and everything was efficient and seamless. Their engineering team spoke Russian, but very little was lost in translation. I was coming from a very non-tech background, but everything was explained to me in a much more basic way as to why we were making certain changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've worked with several freelancers for different services, but Artjoker has the ability to provide multiple solutions. That makes them stand out. They also understood what the goal was and what steps we needed to take for completion. They adjusted swiftly to any changes I wanted to make.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Working in different time zones has been a challenge, but we worked around that. Given those circumstances, the fact that we've made the progress that we have in six months is why we'll continue with them as opposed to finding someone more local.

Any advice for potential customers?

Ukraine is generating many talented engineers, so it would be worthwhile to explore the options with Artjoker. I would recommend getting to know the leadership and development team on a personal level as well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and director of AVI Design Ltd. We're an e-commerce business specialized in contemporary furniture, home accessories, and anything with a pure design aspect.

What challenge were you trying to address with Artjoker?

I needed to get Magento up and running as we were starting from scratch.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They came up with a plan of action. I signed up for the full package, meaning that they developed the platform and they run the project for me. We chose a template which was more suitable for the business model. They came up with all of the features and the design. They delivered all of that, plus they implemented SEO [search engine optimiztion] and the blog side of things.

What is the team dynamic?

My first point of contact is Roman Katerinchik [CEO, Artjoker]. I've also been speaking with Nikita Borisovsky [Business Analyst, Artjoker] who handles the SEO side of things along with Elena Halyavka [Chief Marketing Director, Artjoker]. I contact Roman and Nikita on a daily basis. They give reports every Friday. If there’s any backlog or anything like that, they'd let me know weekly. We'd stay in touch on WhatsApp on a daily basis. If there's anything I need, I usually just pick up the phone and send an SMS.

How did you come to work with Artjoker?

My IT director found them. When I was doing my research, I spoke to a few companies in U.K. and U.S. Unfortunately, the service wasn't great, plus the costs were 30% to 40% higher than Artjoker.

When I spoke to Artjoker, I realized they were really good. They're knowledgeable, they understand what the client requires, and most importantly, they deliver on time. It was down to execution versus time, meaning that they came out a bit cheaper, a lot quicker, and their service was really good. By far, it was probably the best out there that I've found, and I've spoken to about 10–12 companies.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent 9,000 to 10,000 euros [$10,800–$12,000].

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since April 2015. They delivered the platform in November 2017 and since then I've signed a contract with them so they can be my support team. SEO is an ongoing project as well.

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

We're very happy with the work they've done. My expectations were quite high, but they've managed to perform better than expected.

How did Artjoker perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is 9 out of 10. We mainly communicate through phone and email. They have a system for clients to keep track of things, but I didn't need it. We've been delayed only by two weeks, but that was because I was thinking about something.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach. They understand the client, they relate to them, and they understand the project. They've been mainly focusing on the Russian, Ukrainian, and European markets, and more recently on the U.S. too.

They look after their clients and that’s what made their approach a lot better than other companies. Some of the other companies didn't call me back or didn't follow up on the requirements. Artjoker always calls and goes out of their way to always perform better, asking if there's anything else they can do or suggest how to improve something. They think outside of the box.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they refine they're doing and how they work, they will get a lot more business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as open as possible and give as much information as possible, so there's a proper dialogue between the client and the company. The client is always right, but that's not always the case. From the client's point of view, being open-minded can give way to even better ideas.