Avenga

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m VP software development at Instem, a software development house that works within the life sciences industry pharmaceuticals. My position covers all of the software development and testing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Value Inc.? 

We had a significant contractual commitment. We needed to augment our staff in order to help us deliver that software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Core Value Inc. provided us with supplemental development staff who worked as integrated members of our teams. They also provided a software tester to give us additional capacity to meet the contractual requirements. 

Their team used a mix of technologies, including Microsoft SQL Server and the .NET framework. On top of that, they used an application lifecycle management (ALM) Azure DevOps system. 

What is the team composition?

For the most recent project, we had two people working with us. We used a team of 6–8 people on a previous project. 

How did you come to work with Core Value Inc.?

Instem was already using Core Value Inc. when I joined the company. At one point, we moved away from contracting for strategic reasons. We brought them back on when we changed our approach because of the value they provide. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The most recent project started in January 2017 and ran for 18 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've become an integral part of our team’s ability to actually deliver the work we need to do. Core Value Inc. met all assigned deliverables, which made them very valuable.

Judging their contributions as members of a scrum team, the feedback has always been that Core Value Inc. consistently provides top performers. Their employees are often the strongest members of the various teams. We've been extremely happy with the contributions they've made, and continue to see the benefits of having them on board. Because of their successful work to date, we just brought back the two people we used recently for a different project.

How did Core Value Inc. perform from a project management standpoint? 

We led the project management and oversight. We got weekly updates and reports so that we could understand where Core Value Inc. was in the project and what they’d provided us. We also integrated them into our communication systems. We used Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Azure DevOps. They were fully integrated as members of the team and using the same technology as everyone else. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Core Value Inc. was quite flexible in their availability. We've got a good working relationship. They've been able to accommodate us, even when we required additional resources on short notice. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, at the moment we're very happy with the people we've used. Their team is so strong. As a fundamental issue, I expect augment staff to be able to work as if they are part of our team and have been for a while. Core Value Inc. is absolutely able to do so. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

I encourage you to work the way we do and incorporate them on your scrum teams. Give them the same tools as everyone else and treat them as if they're an FTE.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m a project manager for a clothing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Perfectial? 

We had a project last year to build a new company from scratch. We needed to hire an external resource to help us build an e-commerce website in order to drive retail.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Perfectial led development of everything technical involved with creating the website. In addition to the frontend, they developed all the backend-related data flows. The site handles shipping and payment capabilities, so they developed the data flow to both of those systems. They also helped us develop an analytics landscape and all the infrastructure necessary to enable data science. They created our data warehouse, defined the architecture of the data schema, and continue to maintain the data science environments. 

What is the team composition?

The size of the team varied depending on our needs. At the peak, we worked with a project lead, architects, engineers, and testers. In general, the team size was anywhere from 3–11 people. 

How did you come to work with Perfectial?

We started the project with a different company but were not happy with the deliverables. We switched to Perfectial because they were the strongest candidate based on recommendations. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $600,000–$800,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work started around October 2017. The first non e-commerce website launched in December 2017, then the full site launched in March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been really happy with them. Compared to other firms we worked with in the past, Perfectial had really stellar project management. The project manager kept things well-structured, and she was also quite technical and knowledgeable. She replied quickly and always came up with solid solutions when we came to her with requests. She also was good at estimating the time and cost for each task. We felt super comfortable having her as our project manager. 

How did Perfectial perform from a project management standpoint? 

The project manager was the key component to both the project’s success and us being happy working with Perfectial. She was excellent at understanding the business requirements and translating them into technical requirements. She also was quite proactive at making decisions about what could or could not be done based on our requirements. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Their flexibility was most impressive. Perfectial was able to tackle unexpected problems. They could cope with different situations and still always deliver good quality. We would often come up with questions or tasks that were urgent. We could count on them to help us brainstorm to find solutions, and then ramp up or down resources as needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes there was a slight misinterpretation because of the language barrier. The project manager was crucial to making the project work despite that challenge.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Make sure you have a good rapport with your assigned project manager. When working with any company from another country, try to work with them in person as much as possible. That definitely improves efficiency and minimizes the language barrier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and executive director/CEO of BitGive. BitGive is the first Bitcoin 501(c)(3) nonprofit, giving it tax exemption status at the federal level in the United States. BitGive has built a positive philanthropic representative organization for the Bitcoin and blockchain industry, bridging the gap between an innovative technology and its practical applications for nonprofits and humanitarian work in the developing world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Perfectial?

We were building the v1.0 of GiveTrack™, our cryptocurrency and blockchain-based donation platform, and we needed a solid third-party QA and penetration test team.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a well-functioning and polished product for the user experience (QA tests) and a solid penetration-tested platform, especially given the use of cryptocurrencies and processing payments.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Perfectial was recommended to us from a trusted advisor, and, after speaking with the team about our needs and timeline, we were happy to get started.

Describe the project in detail.

GiveTrack™ is our flagship project, a revolutionary donation platform for nonprofits to provide transparency and accountability to donors by sharing financial information and direct project results in real time. 

GiveTrack™ builds on Bitcoin and blockchain technology. It’s a customized platform for nonprofits that is data-centered and user-friendly, providing a comprehensive user interface. The future of philanthropy is real-time tracking of funds and driving more outcomes on the ground.

To ensure our platform’s security, we hired Perfectial to QA our product and perform a series of penetration tests. It was a short turn-around time before the launch, and their team took the challenge on with ease.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a team of penetration test engineers, a QA specialist, and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to QA and penetration test the platform’s high priority areas within our tight timeline and were confident going into our launch. Following the launch, we were able to continue with the remainder of the testing needed to have a thorough effort.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We really enjoyed working with Perfectial. The team was very organized and communicated very well and regularly. We were also able to bridge a big time difference, being on the West Coast in the US while they were in Lviv. We used Slack and Jira for daily communications and task management, and email for more management and executive-level communications.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Perfectial was very professional, clear in their communications, and organized. They followed through on their commitments and worked seamlessly with our team. They have a clean process and do high-quality work. It was a pleasure to work with them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Our communications around future work beyond the initial contract did suffer from some misunderstandings, but we also had our role in this due to not knowing exactly what our needs would be post-launch.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the group vice president and process excellence manager of ABB, a leader in digital industries. We have five leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, Robotics and Discrete Automation, and Power Grids. I oversee complaint management throughout the ABB group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solidbrain?

We rely on a management tool to register, track, analyze, and resolve customer complaints. By 2014, this tool had been in place for about twenty years. We needed help updating and adapting it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since 2014, Solidbrain has updated and developed our complaint management tool. Their support is ongoing.

What is the team composition?

Our main contact is a senior developer. We do not have regular contact with other developers.

How did you come to work with Solidbrain?

Another department within my company hired Solidbrain; I don’t know much about the background of the engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve been working on the project since 2014. I’m not sure when ABB initially engaged Solidbrain. Our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The tool has garnered a reputation for being user-responsive, even though it is one of ABB’s oldest tools.

How did Solidbrain perform from a project management standpoint?

The senior developer is very pragmatic and transparent. If we present impractical ideas, the Solidbrain team is upfront and proposes great alternatives. Rather than expecting us to tell them what to do, their team is part of the thought process. They are incredibly committed and engaged. Our collaboration has been smooth and easygoing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Solidbrain conducts thorough technology tests before releasing anything. We are confident in the team’s ability to deliver high-quality work on schedule, which allows us to focus on other areas. They have made the collaboration effortless on our end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any, which is unusual for me.

Any advice for potential customers?

Engage Solidbrain’s team as much as possible. Make them part of the full process and ensure that they understand your requirements and goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a data engineer and analyst for an insurance tech company. We provide a platform for on-demand insurance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Value?

Our analytics team needed help in all things data-related, so we contracted with their data science and engineering team. Our company provides everything from software engineering to data science work and extract, transform, load (ETL).

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built and maintained analytics databases from scratch. We also added their data science portion, for analysis of those databases. They produced in-depth analysis of our product and how to improve it.

What is the team composition?

We worked with eight people from their team, including the project manager.

How did you come to work with Core Value?

They were brought in before my time at the company. We’d gotten good referrals for them in the past, and decided to bring them on.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend over $50,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in late 2015 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve built several key databases, which store all the important KPIs we need in order to make decisions. Deploying those databases and making sure they’re continually operational is a tremendous success story, given that Core Value has done it in such a small amount of time.

The data is quite accurate and it’s supported multiple products and markets successfully. Our ETLs are running smoothly. Data is coming in and going out with no issues. We’ve been able to leverage that data for reporting to partners and for internal processes.

From a data science perspective, the people from Core Value involved in the work have had tremendous success. They’ve helped us detect and reduce fraud by a large portion, by providing key metrics in that direction.

They’ve been able to improve our product and ad spend significantly, informing our team on our marketing targets, and how to improve efficiency.

How did Core Value perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in touch with them daily, and they’re very much integrated into everything we do. They’ve taken on a lot of work and consistently delivered on it. We work in an agile setting, with two-week sprints. Our velocity has increased, and the whole company has started working in the same methodology. The analytics velocity is always high, and that’s largely because of Core Value’s effort.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the most impressive things about them is their ability to understand our business, and not just the technical implementation. They understand why and how we’re doing things. Core Value is an offshore team thousands of miles away, but they’re very much integrated with our product line. They always ask key questions and they have a vision of what our company is trying to do, and how they’re contributing to that effort.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re worth considering as an offshore partner, and we haven’t run into issues regarding communication nor effectiveness.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a computer software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solidbrain?

We were in need of experienced developers to expand the capabilities of our team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Solidbrain provides a developer who is experienced with a broad spectrum of technologies, including VR. He assists the team on projects from initial conceptualization to development. He also advises on new technologies and provides QA services as well. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with one developer, but if we need to scale, we have access to more on their team as needed. 

How did you come to work with Solidbrain?

I came across the developer we work with on Slack, and we started discussing the project we were working on and what he recommended. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Solidbrain has provided a lot of valuable guidance and helped create a formal MVP, which has had positive impacts on our customer base. Bugs have been minimal, and the quality of their work and support has been outstanding. 

How did Solidbrain perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been great to work with, guiding us through a new world of technology while managing the process efficiently. They've been very understanding of the fact that we're a startup. We can always reach them through email and Slack. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by both their communications and knowledge in the space we're exploring.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they've been very transparent and responsive to any feedback we've had. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start a conversation with their team about project needs and be open-minded as they provide advice regarding the best ways to bring the product to fruition. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior project manager of Simplifield.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Value Inc.?

We needed to develop a Salesforce integration with our main product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with them to build a team that could deliver our code with a quick turnaround. They started from our existing back end code and the results of an existing code review and built the integration on top of our platform. They used Angular JS and Apex on the Salesforce side and JavaScript for some other things.

Once we had that initial challenge squared away, we started focusing more on future development. We created a more structured workflow that included building our roadmap, logging items that needed work, and managing those logged tasks. Our side handled the logs, and they worked in sprints to make the changes. After about three months, we had completed the first stage of the project and ran a code review. The second stage involved fixing any errors we found during the audit. In the final stage, they worked on new features for us. They also reviewed and repaired our legacy code.

What is the team composition?

We initially worked with three people from their team but ended up with seven, including two Salesforce developers and two NodeJS developers.

How did you come to work with Core Value Inc.?

I’d worked with them at a previous job. I’d been happy with the quality of their deliverables, so when we needed to change contractors on this project, I thought of them. After tasking them with an initial project, we were satisfied that they’d be able to deliver.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm part of the product team at a data marketplace. We're building a platform that will allow businesses and ultimately individuals to work with, share, sell, and buy data. Our marketplace is open to virtually anyone. Users who publish data have fine-grain control over who can see it, who is involved within the platform itself, and who cannot access it. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Perfectial?

We hired Perfectial to help us start building our platform from scratch and develop the prioritized features on our roadmap.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Perfectial focused on frontend development because we had strong backend capabilities in-house. They programmed the code in JavaScript. Our platform contains four main components. For the initial marketplace, the team helped us develop core features like the registration, login, profile creation. They also built out the capability to ingest data onto the platform. From there, we developed MVP versions of various other pieces. 

What is the team composition? 

The number of people we worked with from Perfectial waxed and waned over time depending on our budget and development needs. They allocated 10 resources at one stage. Towards the end, we worked with a team of five. A project manager served as our main point of contact throughout the process. 

How did you come to work with Perfectial?

One of our co-founder's contacts recommended Perfectial. They described the team as a particularly reliable and responsive outsourced development option. Our engagement worked out quite well, so we continued working together for quite some time. 

How much have you invested with them?

The cost varied over time depending on the team size. On average, we spent about €20,000 (approximately $23,000 USD) per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Perfectial from August 2017–September 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Week upon week, Perfectial produced the promised deliverables we needed to achieve as we built certain features. We could roll back into the seventh-month view and see all the work we accomplished on a monthly basis. The team’s success lay in the impressive number of features we managed to build together successfully. They resolved all the issues we experienced and met our deadlines on time. 

How did Perfectial perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was great. They maintained good communication at all times both towards us and within their internal team. Since we're based in different countries, corresponding could be difficult at times. Overall project management was well-coordinated. The team thoroughly understood our priorities and what needed to be done. We were well-matched. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Perfectial's method of working was quite reliable. They were responsive, available, committed to our project, and always willing to go the extra mile. Rather than treating us like just another client, we felt that their team fully contributed to our project. They considered aspects beyond our exact requirements. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Perhaps they could form a better approach to working with startups. They used generic pricing and packaging that could be stretched across the average stencil of a company. I think it would benefit them to take on a more case-by-case mentality. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, not particularly. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of AMMI Systems. We build AI chatbots and conversational AI, and we have our own product called UMA. We have been in business for two years and just launched UMA last week.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Value Inc.?

We needed some help with software development on our iOS platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Core Value has helped us to build certain components of our product, UMA. We engaged with them quite early on to oversee iOS development. UMA is a bespoke application for iPad, which includes a room booking panel that sits outside a meeting room. They developed the booking functionality to build off of an existing mobile app that syncs to the booking panel.

The entire process, from initial call to completion, took about six weeks. Once we went over the scope, they assigned all the right people and got the project started.

What is the team composition?

We had four people on our team, including a project manager and a number of QA analysts.

How did you come to work with Core Value Inc.?

A mutual contact from our community of software developers recommended them. They were a good cultural fit for us, so we called them. After those initial calls, we decided to work together.

How much have you invested in them?

We have invested around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The contract started in October 2018. We’re looking to secure a 12-month arrangement to bring them on as a more permanent contractor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched our product last week and already have multiple deployment requests from customers. In a week, our pipeline increased by 50%, and we’ve seen some platform growth. They were in charge of about 15% of the total product, but their work on the frontend of the iPad application made our work much easier. The design is great, and people really like the visual display. Core Value also did a great job with the backend.

How did Core Value Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They are outstanding and deserve high praise. Nothing was too complicated for them, and everything about their process is straightforward and free of any trouble. My CTO communicated with them in daily huddles, and I spoke with them once a week at our regular check-ins. Every time they pushed a release, they gave us a demonstration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The process was simple and straightforward, and the whole experience was really seamless. They were a pleasure to work with, and our entire team had a very comfortable rapport with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I genuinely can’t think of anything they should improve. They’re a great company.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them show you the way. They have a lot of experience and a solid knowledge base. If you have any issues or doubts, let them help you. They are creative and will work best if you let them be a part of your team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a360inc, a technology and outsourcing company that provides services to law firms in the mortgage default marketplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreValue Services?

Our software requires frequent updates to keep up with the ever-evolving legal industry. We needed more resources to manage the changing dynamics.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As an extension of our in-house R&D team, CoreValue Services assists with prototype and software development. We typically work with the project managers to identify the business need, and their developers use the problem statement to create a solution. Their team also provides ongoing support and maintenance after the products are released.

One of the most recent business intelligence (BI) solutions that they’ve developed is a dashboard platform that aggregates data from disparate systems. They’re currently helping us renovate the UI of an archaic platform that we acquired.

What is the team composition?

Depending on the size of the project, the development team can range from 4–10 programmers.

How did you come to work with CoreValue Services?

They had an existing relationship with an ownership group that we acquired, so we decided to continue business with them. After experiencing their collaborative and innovative philosophy, we decided to make them our exclusive development partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend a little more than $500,000 with them annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

The prior ownership group had a decade-long partnership with them before we came onboard in 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without CoreValue Services, most of our product concepts would be stagnant and ineffective. The quality and accuracy are consistently high; the few defects that occur are immediately remedied.

How did CoreValue Services perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a powerful team of project managers and business analysts who fully-committed to our success. We have an eight-hour time difference, but they use it as an advantage to deliver work for us ahead of schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Although they have full-suite capabilities across the development ecosystem and a solid background in .NET and Salesforce, CoreValue Services’ affinity for collaboration and innovation is their greatest strength. Most vendors need detailed instructions to build a satisfactory product, but CoreValue Services only require a problem statement to develop a viable solution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re wonderful in every respect, but our partnership would greatly benefit from more in-office meetings.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Developing strong relationships with their senior leaders has helped us tremendously. To get the most out of the engagement, avoid being overly prescriptive and allow them to take the lead in the conceptual stages.