What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Their team managed the development at a consistent pace and delivered things on schedule. When we planned the features we wanted to be developed, we’d estimated that it should take six or seven months and that’s about how long it took. Within the span of under a year, we managed to deliver three major releases of our product and are working on the fourth. We’ve successfully installed the platform for one live client and done several demos. We’ve also been able to update successfully for our client without running into any errors.
How did Core Value Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
I handled the project management overall and coordinated with the project manager/scrum master from their team. He coordinated things on their side and was highly involved in the project. He ensured that the processes from our side were executed correctly and always provided proper metrics for product follow-up. We were always alerted if there were delays or if project components wrapped up ahead of schedule. They did a great job of communicating so we could adjust our priorities, plans, and potential executions as needed.
In terms of communication, we held a sprint planning call at the beginning of each week and a review call at the end of the week. We’d also connect by phone as needed if there were crucial issues that required more detailed discussion. We also used a project management tool to exchange technical details and information that the development team needed. If necessary, we’d also touch base over Slack.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The first version of our platform was built by a legacy team, and when we went to install it for a live client, we realized it hadn’t been properly tested for large volumes of data. We couldn’t proceed until the errors were fixed and the Core Value Inc. team addressed most of those bugs and gaps in the code within one week.
In another instance, we had a partner who installed Salesforce for a client and was supposed to build out some processes on top of our platform. These weren’t built correctly, and we couldn’t connect back to them to get the errors fixed. Our client needed the repairs quickly, so we asked Core Value Inc.’s team to investigate the system. They located the issue, fixed it, and retroactively applied the patches to catch up on all of the data updates that hadn’t happened while the processes weren’t working.
In both of these cases, they took ownership of code they hadn’t built, deciphered the problems, and resolved them promptly. Their reaction time was great, and their technical competency was impressive.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, not really. We repeatedly adjusted the process throughout our collaboration and the team was always flexible. They were quick to adopt new ways of doing things or handle changes in scope. Some of the team members had weaker English skills, but it wasn’t an issue because they collaborated with those who were stronger. Most of the communication was in writing, so language didn’t impact the project.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
We worked in close collaboration with the account manager, who did a great job, and that worked well for us. If there are any prevalent issues or bottlenecks, they can help find a solution. Core Value Inc. was always very flexible and proactive in offering assistance.
The efforts of Avenga (formerly Core Value Inc) made the simultaneous development of multiple versions of the platform possible. Their team goes above and beyond to improve themselves, adding members to the team and meetings to the schedule where necessary. They are communicative and talented.