ChaiOne

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of VectorizeMove. I am also a software lead at the company and I am responsible for everything related to software.

We have products that are based on the technology that we invented. Our first product is called Walkbeat Horses, which we sell to horse trainers to help them analyze the performance and health of their horses.

What challenge were you trying to address with ChaiOne?

We’re in a phase where we are going from a prototype to a product. The challenge was that we needed to implement the frontend of our app before it can go to market, but we didn’t have internal resources or expertise to do so. That is why we hired ChaiOne.

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChaiOne helped us implement the frontend part of our application by providing a dedicated, full-time mobile developer. They used Flutter to build the app for Android and iOS using a single code base.

I requested that the developer create a whole new UI for our app to allow for the management of the metadata like the horse, its trainer, and the facilities where they train. We also asked him to build the app so that it could graphically display and report data around how a particular horse is walking, trotting, and performing as a whole. We integrated a function to enable users to log in and create their own accounts as well.

ChaiOne wrote up all aspects of the frontend while our own in-house developer integrated all of the screens into the app. I provided the rest of the backend data.

What is the team composition?

There was just one developer that was assigned to us.

How did you come to work with ChaiOne?

We’ve always wanted to work with them for two reasons:

1. There's an existing link between our CEO and ChaiOne’s CEO; and 
2. They’ve done a wide range of work for many clients and they’ve always produced high-quality outcomes. 

When this challenge came up and we needed to have the best in the market, we finally had the chance to hire the team.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from July–August 2021.

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

We don’t really have any metrics at this stage, but all of the QA testing that we did on ChaiOne’s work revealed that they delivered to the quality level that we wanted. We had a specific timeframe and they were able to work within it. Our experience was very positive.

How did ChaiOne perform from a project management standpoint?

The developer they provided integrated pretty quickly into our software development team and processes. He was really skilled and easy to work with, and he brought a lot of experience to our team. When the tasks were defined, he would accomplish those tasks. 

Since we were dealing with development, there were inevitable delays, but we were able to reorganize to make sure that we met the final deadline despite those challenges. We used Azure DevOps to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It is just so easy to work with them. All of the agreements and documents were available online, and signing the contract was an extremely fast process. The developer that they provided to us also knew how to work in an agile team, which made everything a smooth experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would’ve been great to have had more than one dedicated developer. A project manager or someone on that level could’ve also brought in the help that we needed. This is partly on us, though, because we chose the single dedicated developer model from all of the other options.

We would also recommend that they train their dedicated developers on Azure DevOps since not all companies use Jira. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you plan to use the same model we did, where there is one dedicated developer provided by ChaiOne, you need to be very clear on what the tasks are. The expectations need to be well defined, and you need to be in constant contact with that person to reconcile the difference between your companies’ cultures.

Also, make sure to gather feedback and conduct meetings regularly to eliminate any gaps in communication. This is especially important because you’ll be working with a team that is based in a different time zone.

Please describe your company.

I work for an international oil and gas company.

What are your role and responsibilities?

I am one of the communications advisors for that part of the corporation that does construction work overseas.

What was your goal in working with ChaiOne?

We have a number of employees who go to locations around the world and drill for oil. They travel a lot, and have a lot of things they need to document and keep track of. ChaiOne developed a product for us to facilitate that.

What was your process for selecting ChaiOne with which to work?

Our IT [information technology] department found them. I followed up and they offered everything we were looking for.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000 and $200,000 working with ChaiOne.

Is the relationship with them ongoing?

Yes. The relationship is ongoing.

Do you have any statistics, metrics, or general feedback to show the success of the project?

We have looked at all the relevant statistics, and we’ve been very happy with what we have seen.

Is there anything unique about ChaiOne that really makes them stand out compared to other companies?

One thing I’ve enjoyed is their willingness to bring in different ideas. They offered suggestions based on their past experience to help make the project better. That’s a nice value add from a vendor. Instead of just executing the scope, it’s great that they could add value.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

They were a new vendor for us, and working with us can be a little complicated. We’re a large corporation with a lot of internal processes, so they might have been just a little bit more understanding of the internal challenges we have. There were some growing pains for both of us.

What advice would you give a future client of theirs?

You want to have a good idea of your scope before you engage a vendor, but also be open to the suggestions that ChaiOne brings, because they can add a lot of value.