What was the scope of their involvement?
Evozon helped us scope the entire concept. My partner and I flew to their offices in Romania and we white-boarded the solution in partnership. Our platform is a global community for international and private schools and the teachers who work there. The process is equally transactional between candidates and schools that are hiring.
Evozon proposed a technical solution for our business problem. Together, we defined the functionality and a plan for development. They advised us on which features were cost-effective or unnecessary and helped us choose between a V1 or V2 and an alpha versus beta.
Evozon built the platform on a Firebase real-time database with Firebase Authentication. We leaned on their knowledge to select the right technologies. It’s coded entirely in JavaScript. They also used Node.js, Angular, Ember, and React Redux.
The platform has two sides with log-ins for teachers and schools. Matching functionality pairs candidates with open positions. Teachers can swipe left and right on jobs that fit their background. The sign-up and registration process prompts users to complete a social media-style profile and upload a photo. It also features a video. Teacher profiles include their personal site, CV, education, and professional experience. They can list up to five target positions based on qualifications and desired location. After the overview, there’s a longer section for educational philosophy. We also enable them to add personal details about marital status, children, and if their partner also needs a teaching job if they relocate.
A matching server runs in the background of the system. On the school side, profiles include website links, salaries, benefits, and curriculum. Hundreds of fields list details such as teaching load, school and class size, and expectations such as mentoring clubs or extracurricular activities. The system sends notifications about how many candidates match postings and how well they qualify. A sophisticated, yet simple drag-and-drop feature indicates relevant criteria. Clicking on a teacher’s profile notifies them of a school’s interest.
Evozon also helped to initiate our WordPress site, including the wireframe and design. Since we finished version one, we’ve been building on the business side. As we pursue round one fundraising, we’re investing in sales and marketing.
What is the team composition?
At first, we worked with senior project managers and designers, and a mix of junior and senior engineers. A few months into the project, the CTO got involved, which was a significant improvement. We could send him specifications or business problems to solve, and then have functional and efficient conversations about the best solution.
The team size varied based on the phase, from the usual 4–5 resources to a high of 10 one peak month. During the initial design-heavy periods, we primarily worked with a UX designer. She coordinated with the frontend developers. Evozon has a whole team for backend development and testing.
How did you come to work with Evozon?
A technology company I used to work for had a team in Romania. One of the members left to join Evozon.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent just over $100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started the project in August 2017 and finished version 1 in December 2018. The project ran well over the timeline and budget, but we hold equal responsibility for the delay.
Our current contract with Evozon covers the first few months of 2019 management and maintenance. We’re in talks about how to move forward. They learned so much from this project that they understand our platform better than anyone. We would like to build version two together.
From the discovery phase to the end-to-end build and release, Evozon contributed greatly to every aspect of the platform. They identified innovative solutions and maintained open communication. The talented team demonstrated a consistent, enthusiastic commitment to delivering optimal results.