Compile Columbus

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a hybrid social network and job search site for college coaches. Athletic directors and other coaches can use our deep search functions to find qualified candidates to fill their vacancies. It also operates as a networking tool. I'm the director of sales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Compile Columbus?

We started the project from scratch, and they did the entire software build for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did all of the planning and development for the whole project. We provided some wireframes, and they went from there. They built out two or three backend APIs and all the features within the site. An unauthenticated user can go through the authentication process and build a custom profile. There is also a school API for directors and hiring officials. They also created our entire job board. Users can manage job postings, monitor applicants, or apply for open jobs. Technologies included Java and AWS.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of five, including a scrum master, a UX lead, a couple of API developers, and a coder.

How did you come to work with Compile Columbus?

A friend of a friend recommended them. We considered three companies, but Compile was the most cost-effective and competitive. The MVP they could deliver was exactly what we wanted for the price.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe we spent between $60,000-$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started initial discussions in November 2018, and the development ran from about January-May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're still in initial phases, with about 50-60 beta users. Once that testing period is complete, we'll go back to Compile to make changes and help us go live officially. Beta testers respond positively to the platform, and everything works exactly as we need.

How did Compile Columbus perform from a project management standpoint?

They were awesome project managers. We had weekly or twice-monthly meetings, and they finished earlier than they originally estimated. They made suggestions and were very flexible with last-minute changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Financially, their goal is to come in under other bids. They're a new company, and they work hard to provide white glove service. They held our hand through the whole process, and they gave us a lot of helpful information to help us succeed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I know that a lot of people use Java, but they might benefit by a move to React and Node. We didn't need either for this project, but it will help them scale in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work out the scope of your project ahead of time. We provided wireframes, which helped speed up the process. Also, verify the languages you hope to work in to make the project go as smoothly as possible.