Flint Hills Group

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of the Texas division at a company called ParkPro Tek. We do cloud-based playground and park inspections as well as minor maintenance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We wanted to create an inspection software that hadn’t been used in the market before. It was completely customized for playground inspections.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flint Hills Group has developed our inspection software from scratch. The technology they used is cloud-based, including the customer login and inspection. Once our inspection was completed, it would be saved into the cloud for the clients to go ahead, review, and use it.

The first phase of the development process was to sit down with Dave (Founder) and his software team. We ran through how we wanted the software to look and what we expected. The following phases were about the general structure of the software and how it was going to be laid out. In the second phase, they sent us what they designed and created for the software. 

The third phase was about the software deployment. We tested the software out in the field as Flint Hills Group was working on it as well. That integration was one of the larger phases that made our software move quicker. If we found a problem, their team would fix it immediately. 

Flint Hills Groups is working on the fourth phase of the development process. They’re adding the changes we want to add and supporting us when we have any issues.

What is the team composition?

At one point, there were five people from Flint Hills Group working on our project, but currently, there are four. We’ve been working with Dave; one project manager, Monte (Technology Leader); and two software developers.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

We were searching on Google for US-based software companies because we wanted someone who would have the same time zone as us. A lot of the companies we found had software teams all over the world, so we decided to call Flint Hills Group. 

Flint Hills Group was open and ready to help us. They were able to scale whatever we wanted and schedule everything we needed. If we wanted to make the project larger and quicker, Flint Hills Group was able to assign us 5–6 software developers. We liked their scalability, the ability they offered, and the way they had set it up. The experience of the software development and design teams were a huge plus, as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Flint Hills Group in July 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were using a software called Pexpect that structured questions and gave us an answer at the end of it. It was very basic, and we couldn’t do anything. On the other hand, with the software that Flint Hills Group has implemented, we’re able to get feedback not only from our clients, but also from our inspectors. 

We’ve started to partner up with other playground companies that have been using our services and asking for our help in regards to playground inspections and the software we offer. That has helped our business tremendously.

We’ve also started allowing client logins, which has been an absolute blessing for us because they’ve been more communicative. Our clients have all their inspections in their hands on a daily basis, and they’re able to log in and view all their reports and properties. Our workflow has increased significantly.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Flint Hills Group has performed wonderfully. We communicate remotely through Zoom and phone calls. We also have a Slack channel where we can talk daily. That’s one of the most beneficial aspects because they’re there all the time.

We’ve done weekly scrum calls where we go into detail on our vision for the software, what we want, and how we want it. As a result, Flint Hills Group tells us what we get from the previous meeting, where the software is, and where we want to go from there. 

Every Thursday, they meet privately. If there are any questions in between, they constantly are sending us information to ensure that we’re all on the same page. The items have been delivered to us every single Monday, whether sending screenshots with the software structure design or adding new inventory sections onto it. If Flint Hills Group can’t deliver something, they come to us with a plan of action to go ahead and get that moving by the following week. It has been very prompt, and we’re constantly in touch regarding the project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Flint Hills Group team is extremely communicative, and they’re always available to answer our questions or handle an issue almost immediately to ensure that we’re never left hanging. That’s one of the aspects we appreciate about them.

The ability to contact Flint Hills Group at any time, knowing that they’re in the same time zone as us, is a major plus. That puts them above the others and makes them unique in their own terms. 

We’ve ran into a few issues when we’ve deployed our older updates onto the programs that we couldn’t have because there are inspectors out in the field doing inspections and maintenance. Flint Hills Group has immediately stopped what they’re doing and has added the updates while my employees have been working on the playgrounds. They’ve fixed the problems before the employees have left the property. 

Flint Hills Group’s previous experience gives us a lot of hope. They’ve run other software companies, know what they’re doing, and are able to provide us what we need. 

Flint Hills Group is very friendly. It seems like we’re working with friends and not business partners, so it gives us the feeling that we can rely on them. We’ve enjoyed our meetings and the contact we have with the team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

From a development standpoint, it couldn’t have gone better. We’ve worked with a lot of companies that have done construction management and these developments on larger projects. Flint Hills Groups has blown it out of the park in terms of scheduling, prioritizing, and putting it all together with a good design. We’ve always felt we were heading in the right direction.

I can’t see anything that I can ask Flint Hills Group to improve. They’ve been constantly in contact with us. We’ve never felt on the wayside because if there’s an issue, they respond and find different solutions for it.

Any advice for potential customers?

If other people are planning to work with Flint Hills Group, I recommend that they don't be afraid to contact them and communicate the problems they have. The Flint Hills Group team is very friendly, and they’re a great company. They’re a family-oriented group of people, and they want your best interests. 

I know a lot of people who stay silent on certain worries because they don’t want to create a problem. However, Flint Hills Group will fix and address any issues they have, going above and beyond to make everything better than people can describe it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT director at a rent-to-own provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We recently worked with a development company that had integrated a payment vendor into our website. But, we weren’t quite satisfied with the results, so we decided to sign up with Flint Foothills Group.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met with them to discuss the current state of our code. Then, they starting performing bug fixes and enhancements, specifically related to the payment integration piece on our website.

They worked in the PHP code on our website. They also had to become familiar with the API of our payment processor.

What is the team composition?

We work with two developers and one project manager. 

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

We found Flint Hills Group through some research in mutual contacts. We liked what they presented to us, and we saw how they could help us accomplish our business goals.

How much have you invested with them?
 
We’ve invested between $50,000 to $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in November of 2019, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It only took the developers about 3-4 weeks to get familiar with our codebase. Since then, they’ve been actively contributing releases for us. We receive bug fixes and enhancements at least once-per-week. 

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We have Scrum meetings twice a week for about 30 minutes each. They work on two-week sprints, so we’ll meet twice a week. At those meetings, we’ll discuss any new requirements or if anything needs to be tested. 

Those meetings have helped keep us on the same page. It helped move the process along quicker than other projects I’ve experienced with other development shops. We mainly worked out of GitHub, and we use Microsoft Teams to communicate with them as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

 It actually felt like they cared about us and our business goals. They want to do whatever will make the most sense for the client while keeping the project within budget. 

Also, the developers were super friendly. They were able to take in our bug fixes and enhancements, and then produce results. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. Our experience with them versus other development shops was night and day.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should have a list of business goals you want to accomplish and stick to that. They really helped us make sure we were accomplishing our business goals within the scope. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager at Vaetrix, a precision pressure gauge company. We build high-end gauges for recording and monitoring pressure, mostly for calibration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We were trying to develop an application to control the gauge and all its features. Then, the app would help with data logging, which brings the data from your phone to your PC using Bluetooth.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Building the app, they focused on just making it for iOS. They pushed the app in TestFlight so that we could test the app.

What is the team composition?

There were five people in total. We had a product manager, coders, and testers.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

We did a search for American-based companies with both their developers and their product management staff based in America. After reaching out to several agencies, we got a good sense from Flint Hills Group and moved forward. They gave us an honest quote upfront.

How much have you invested with them?

Our total investment was $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June–November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients like the app so far, and we haven’t had any real issues. The end-users in our industry aren’t incredibly tech-savvy, so they’re slow to adapt to new technology. Despite that, more and more users are adopting the app. 

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint

Their project management was close to perfect. Operating in the sprint format, we had a conversation every two weeks to update us on everything that had happened.

They used a proprietary bug-reporter that we had to report issues with, which they quickly responded to. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re continually impressed by how much they excel at communication. Their response time is incredibly quick so that we can move forward and get on the same page without a ton of meetings.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re very responsive to all changes, and we’re pleased with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Walk them through your project and define your scope upfront. Once that’s in place, the project will go smoothly. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of McAlister Oil, a trucking company that performs fueling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We wanted a way to capture the deliveries we were making and send that data to our customers in real time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

All of our equipment is fitted with electronic meters that measure the fuels we deliver into locomotives. Our vision was to build an Android-based app that would capture the information from our electronic meter and allow the driver to add some information to that data that they captured. 

We also wanted to build a web service for ourselves for accountability, reporting, and tracking purposes in each piece of equipment that we have. The product that Flint Hills Group built captures the information at the meter, uploads it to a website, and then makes it available for report downloads and tracking. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with someone that takes care of the user interface, someone that does server work, an Android developer, and someone that took care of testing of the app and website. Additionally, I’ve collaborated with a project manager as well as the owner of Flint Hills.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

They were referred to me by a company in town. I talked to them along with two other companies, assessing them on different levels. In the end, Flint Hills Group had the team and the motivation needed to finish the project.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent about $110,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in March 2019, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a functional version installed on approximately 40 of our trucks (about half of our fleet). We are in the process of putting it on all of our equipment. We’re still tweaking a few things—only the kind you can find after putting 40 of them in the field—but it’s going really well.

We used a company to do the same thing before Flint Hills Group. It was just so cumbersome as there were five or six different pieces of hardware that had to go in each truck. Communication between the hardware was clunky, the system didn’t work 10% to 15% of the time, and it was a real problem. That old system was on 3G, so we had to look for a newer version. 

Since putting in the new software, the drivers are so excited. The UI is simpler, the system is quicker, and it works every time. We all know how frustrating it is for our drivers when they need to complete the work but can’t because the computer won’t work. The new app has helped a lot with driver happiness with the system. 

The reporting has been far superior as well. The way we generate reports and receive information from the trucks has improved drastically. The managers who have to collect and report that data to the customer are excited about it too. It used to take a couple of hours; now, it takes half an hour.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Since the inception of the project, we have had twice-weekly scrums. Initially, I felt like it was going to be overkill, but as we got into the project and saw all the things that come up, it really proved to be just right. Meeting twice a week for half an hour at a time with the entire team on those calls pretty much without fail helped a lot.

By meeting twice a week, I was worried that they wouldn’t respond to emails, questions or concerns very fast, but they do. We have our meetings, but if something comes up before then, we can communicate immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have never been involved in a software project at this level before. The developers seem to be excited about the project—it doesn’t seem like they were just phoning it in. It got me excited that they were excited. Maybe this is more common than I think it is, but it just felt different.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This isn’t constructive criticism, but the hurdle that took the longest to get over was basic industry knowledge. If they had spent a little more time in our legacy system at first, it might have advanced the project a little faster.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say trust the process. A few times, I thought we weren’t heading in the right direction, but we were. They really do care about making their client happy. There was never a situation where I felt like they were going against all my wishes. They were doing what was good for me even when I didn’t know it. Have good communication with Flint Hills Group and trust the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a third-party administrator of drug and alcohol testing programs in the oil and gas industry. I'm the manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We have our own in-house IT staff, but we also perform a lot of tasks. We didn't have enough internal bandwidth, so we decided to outsource this particular project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a system to log-in to our website. They also created a supervisory training module. Our goal is to morph this product into a single sign-on so users can get into different protected aspects of our site and a sister company’s site.

Initially, we maintained usernames and passwords in our system, and we wanted to move toward a different platform. We're a .NET shop, and they used IdentityServer as our platform. That allows clients to access the secure sections of our website. The programing redirects to that platform and ensures users have the proper credentials.

What is the team composition?

Flint Hills Group had a project manager and a developer, and their owner was involved some of the time. Two or three people from their side usually participated in our weekly scrum meetings.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

We searched the internet for web developers. Flint Hills is fairly local to us, which was important in our decision to hire them. That proximity allowed for a lot of face-to-face interaction. We became familiar with their team and the processes they'd go through.

How much have you invested with them?

All told, this program ran to about $28,000. That was a little higher than the original estimates, but there were changes to the scope. We anticipated that costs would run higher anyway.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in November 2018, and we wrapped up in May or June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The program is successful and works well. Clients don't notice the redirection to verify their credentials. We no longer need to maintain the usernames and passwords within the site, and we changed a lot of internal procedures for how we work with our clients.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They met their deadlines fairly well. There were a few delays, and the nature of our business requires us to keep our information secure, so the hosting and the learning process slowed things down a little. Overall, we didn't have many issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our experience with outsourcing is relatively limited, but Flint Hills Group performed much better than the projects our sister company ran in the past. Their developer was very capable, and we're using them again for another project. As we continue to use them, we anticipate that they will get to know our company better and we'll shorten our development times.

Are there any areas they could improve?

A few problem resolutions took longer than we would have liked. We also had to correct a couple of issues after the program went live. Everything we faced was fairly normal for this kind of project, and any difficulty was resolved quickly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. Make sure that the scope and the ultimate goals of your project are as detailed as possible, and make your expectations clear. If anything changes, let them know quickly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and CEO of KingFit, which provides a mobile app that delivers diabetes education to users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We had designs for a mobile app, but we needed a firm to develop it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app was built for both iOS and Android using React Native. The purpose of the app is that when somebody is newly diagnosed with diabetes, they download the app and it informs users about how to live well with diabetes via guidance from medical experts. The app requires users to log in, and there are pop-up screens that ease the signup process. The app delivers a library of videos and tracks which videos the user has already viewed.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with the CEO, a project manager, and one developer.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

A trusted colleague referred them to me. They had worked with them and had a great experience. I reached out to them, asked a few questions, and I felt comfortable moving forward with them on our project.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested $45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2018, and I received the first version of the app in July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are about to launch some critical research studies that will give us feedback on the product. It is only the first version, so I look forward to working with them over the next year.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

The CEO has been great at articulating our vision back to his team. He’s flexible to how we wanted to utilize our budget. Our project manager is easy to reach with texts, and he provides thorough updates. The developer worked without a lot of oversight. He was intelligent and an adept problem-solver. They allowed me access into all of their meetings, but I usually got my updates from emails. They used an in-house hosting system for their meetings and file sharing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've worked with both young developers who are still in college and had to redo a lot of that work, and I've also worked with experienced developers who are not very professional and had to deal with those headaches. Having Flint Hills, who is both experienced and very professional, has made my life much easier.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We only had one developer working on our project, but he was also working on other projects. If we increased our budget, we may have received a developer that could give full attention to our project.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’ve been down the path of trying to save money and trying to cut corners on development because that’s how startups operate sometimes, but it’s well worth the investment to work with Flint Hills Group.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and COO of a sanitation startup. We automate sterilization processes. Given sufficient time and power, the tool breaks the DNA of microbes that come into contact with it. Since you can’t expose people to it directly, it’s limited. We've patented some methods for optimizing the germicidal power of automated sanitation while maintaining a safe environment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

The group of software engineers that developed the prototype were talented, but they weren’t scrupulous. Our contracts clearly stated that my company owned all the work that they developed for us. At the completion, they’d receive their payment and we’d get all the code.

It became clear that they were holding the code, although that was challenging to prove. We needed a third party with the skills to understand the problem and  identify exactly what they had left out.

I also wanted to bring all the software engineering to Wichita. As we were creating beta units and products, the launch grew closer to home. It made a lot more sense to have a local resource.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed custom software that allows me to control our automated sanitation system from a computer. It has many sophisticated properitary controls, since sensor redundancies are highly desirable in an industrial environment. It incorporates logging, automated fail saves, system shutdown, and scheduling. 

They have observed it all and think it’s cool. They instantly started developing ways to make it safer, more intuitive, safer, and more resistent to hacks. We'll definitely be adding those elements to the next version.

I went to Underwriters Laboratory for a safety review, and they stayed on the phone with me while I was in Minneapolis. They’ll to participate remotely whenever I need them.

They also helped me when two of the units were stolen, along with some irreplaceable components. That particular product had been upgraded and the code no longer worked. While rebuilding it, they also upgraded the code. It’s tricky to work with a huge insurance claim, but they've helped me the whole time.

What is the team composition?

We work with their founder and CEO, along with a few developers.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

I spent too much time trying to find a local resource. Some quoted an exorbitant price and said it would take seven months. I also went to a well-established firm in Kansas City, with predatory contracts.

From the beginning, I loved that Flint Hills Group's founder is a straight shooter with decades of embedded software experience. He put together a team of qualified, seasoned professionals.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a solid team. Flint Hills Group is well-known among other members of the business community. If I say they're my software design team, I get a lot of positive energy. They tell other people. 

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Every time we make a goal, I get a separate bid. They do this through weekly or biweekly teleconference scrums that include the CEO, a moderator, at least two engineers who directly work with that aspect of the project, and one other engineer. Their CEO likes to familiarize another engineer with the project in case the first gets busy.

Each of our goals are specific, and we follow them closely. At the end of every scrum, we have a specific goal for the next meeting. That's much more favorable than just looking at a project management report. I can prioritize, time tasks based on our cashflow, and not get a shock. 

Since the engineers use a lot of technical jargon, their CEO explains what I’m trying to say. If I have questions, I get to learn. I always have questions and I've learned so much.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have integrity, which is important when you’re dealing with proprietary, speculative patents. Our prior team would give us a good price upfront, but an enormous bill as soon as something unforeseen occurred. It’s so nice to receive strategic assistance and not deal with that issue.

They’re a fantastic startup company themselves. Their CEO even goes outside our immediate region to identify top-notch software engineers. They do artificial intelligence (AI) and other things that no one in Wichita can do. He searches for professionals, recruits them, and brings them to Wichita for people who need them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Dive right in. Although I believe in due diligence and trying different places, you'll always do great with Flint Hills Group.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a technical marketing engineer for a cloud data services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

One of the challenges with creating collateral is keeping it fresh. As time goes on, that challenge grows as the backlog of content that we need to keep fresh grows. Flint Hills came in at a time when we needed to make a big push to get older content back in a good state.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flint Hills took on projects to learn how the products had changed and document those changes per our technical writing standards. We did three projects with them. They specifically worked on technical marketing material.

Service engineers who have to go out to the field and convey this technology sometimes sit down with customers in proof of concept atmospheres. Flint Hills took on the task of not just being a technical writer on a collateral refresh project. They focused on understanding how the product evolved over time from the moment when the original document was written. They did the analysis to determine what was the delta needed and came back to produce that delta within our writing standards.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three team players. Their founder/CEO set the criteria and set up Flint Hills as a supplier. He made a good process for us. As requirements were identified from our side, he was quick to respond and meet those, making sure that Flint Hills would be a qualified supplier for us.

We worked with their product manager for project scoping and delivery. He was instrumental for us, given his background and knowledge in the storage industry, along with his knowledge of technical writing and marketing standards.

They had another person in the background who was in charge of contracts and other paperwork and made sure that things were billed appropriately.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

I knew some of the people from their group from former roles they had in the industry. I knew the capability and experience of their team, and those were a match for what I needed. Flint Hills Group was competitive from a cost perspective as well.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had three projects going between September–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our overall consumption of collateral has increased by more than 20%. Although I can’t attribute all of that to the work Flint Hills did, those documents appear prominently on the download lists. Their content is regularly and heavily used with hundreds of downloads, internally and by partners. The feedback has been excellent. In fact, the impression of the QA organization that qualified one of the documents was that I had personally written the content. The manager sent a note back to me, saying that it was the best document they had ever tested. The quality of the work and the resulting utilization are excellent.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

I didn’t use any project tracking tools given that projects weren’t initiated on a sprint basis. They managed the project. They did it all seamlessly.

Their good work allowed us to catch up. It was a turnkey approach for me in that I could hand the project off, as opposed to a lot of collateral projects that require a lot of engagement. They contacted subject matter experts and did independent research for the content and turned over a finished product that I could put into our corporate editing process and move on. That’s what I was looking for, and that’s what they delivered.

It went seamlessly from our side. Because we’re a large corporation with a rigid qualification and purchasing process, things can get challenging. They worked well with all of those requirements from a large company.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They got it done with depth that sometimes took a lot of tenaciousness to get to. I never once heard a complaint about Flint Hills taking too much of our time. It’s gone smoothly, given the kind of digging and details they had to put together for us. They did it in a smooth and seamless fashion, respecting the time of the other people on the team.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be upfront, specific, and clear about exactly what you want, and document that clearly. Flint Hills will deliver exactly that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of HeavyWorth. We help users understand the true market value of their farm, contracting, and dirt moving equipment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We wanted to build a mobile app so that our users could have the luxury of taking pictures of their equipment and receiving immediate feedback.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we just wanted them to develop the mobile app as an MVP. The first undertaking in this was building out the ability to take photos and upload them to the cloud. We have continued to work with them in maintaining and updating the mobile app and have added the development of a web app that interacts with the mobile technology.

What is the team composition?

During the first stage of the project, we worked directly with the Founder and CEO. As the project has continued we work with our project manager and developers. There is at least one Android-focused developer and one iOS–focused developer.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

They were recommended to us and after meeting with them we were very impressed. They knew—and were very transparent about—their strengths, as well as areas where they were less confident. We liked the speed they said they would be able to complete the project and their familiarity with the Agile methodology, specifically the iterative two–week sprints we wanted to work with. They had the flexibility that we needed as a new agency and for our new product. They were also below market value at the time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $100,000–$125,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Flint Hills July 2017 and have ongoing projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest impact of the initial MVP mobile app is that we were able to go beyond talking about the product and actually show it; have users interact with it and receive feedback. As a technology company trying out a new product, that was essential for us. The developers we work with are incredibly talented and have a high level of ownership over their work. Very little was released on the mobile app with bugs or issues.

We had slight issues with the web app, but Flint Hills quickly autocorrected. There was one instance when parts of the web app were proving more challenging than initially planned and Flint Hills made a fast mid-course correction, which is not easy. Throughout the entire project, they have been honest, direct, and willing to have difficult conversations.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager they assigned us and our internal product designer have strong direct communication. Every Tuesday and Friday morning we have 15- to 30-minute scrums where we talk to the developers about project status, questions, or issues, and every six weeks we have retrospective meetings to go over the progress.We have access to every person working on the project. Every time we reach out to the developers, we receive a response well within two hours.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take such a posture of partnership that we view them as an extension of our company. It’s important to have someone working alongside you that understands your pains and what you're working towards so that you don’t have to re-explain it and waste money in the deficiencies that produces.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is no consistent issue that really warrants any changes or improvements. The scope of the web app development ended up being larger than anticipated so they didn’t have all of the necessary resources, but they quickly corrected that. They’re a young organization so they have some internal things that need to be ironed out, but they were incredibly transparent about all of that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Flint Hills is very relational. They come in wanting to invest in the product and people behind a company, and because of this, they think of long-term solutions for your company. They excel when they have depth and structure in place, especially when it is Agile aligned. While they will take on any project, they are very technically sophisticated developers and get excited about challenging or new work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of Alyss Analytics, which creates AI technology for human resources departments to simplify the hiring process. We use our product, “Alyss,” to screen job applicants’ video introductions to determine the applicant’s soft skills, then share that information with an employer so they can find a good fit for their open position.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flint Hills Group?

We needed a team to build the entire AI-based technology. That’s a complex build—even when frontend and backend developers collaborate, there’s no guarantee that they can produce an AI product—so we knew we needed a capable and versatile group with a broad programming background.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flint Hills Group provided a team of developers with different and overlapping areas of expertise, which allowed for the flexibility and creativity we needed.

The caliber of the FHG team meant we received a quality product in addition to regular updates, thorough communication, and a detailed timeline. Their internal team built it from scratch while our company's project manager provided oversight and support. We told them what we wanted the AI to do, but they figured out how to execute the build based on our parameters. Their development team finished the scheduled work on time and under budget, which is unusual for a software project.

Instead, Alyss can watch the video to determine the visible and audible clues that indicate a person’s various soft skills. Alyss measures qualities like facial expression, tonality, and spoken content. Alyss isn’t intended to replace hiring managers, but to provide humans with the relevant data needed to decide if an applicant is a viable candidate. We want our AI technology to assist humans to make decisions, like a companion in H.R., but we don't arbitrarily make decisions for human beings.

What is the team composition?

At most, we had six developers assigned to the project. They all have their own specialties, so that number fluctuated depending on where we were in development.

How did you come to work with Flint Hills Group?

We took quotes on this project—both inside and outside of this geographic area. FHG had the development capabilities we needed and the work ethic we wanted. They were not only determined to complete the project at the best possible price, but also wanted to build the product we needed.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in July 2017 and they delivered a prototype in March 2018. We’re still working with them to incorporate customer feedback into future iterations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we just finished the prototype last month, it’s still too early for measurable results. We signed our first pilot partner, and they're working with the technology now. Early returns are good, but the product hasn't been immersed on the market long enough to have comparable metrics.

How did Flint Hills Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Their strategic planning and communication prevented the project from getting out of scope or behind schedule. When building the prototype, they held two-week sprints, during which time they aimed to complete a set of predetermined objectives. We had semiweekly scrum meetings via conference call during their sprints to talk about our progress and to make sure the project didn’t deviate from the schedule or budget. After each two-week period, we’d meet in person for a sprint update.

We currently communicate by email, Slack, and Teamwork to delegate tasks to development team members. They’re able to communicate in various ways and accommodate our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The versatility of their team is paramount; whatever we need to be done, regarding either planning or development, they'll have someone on their team with the capability to do it. Unless the customer asks specifically for a project communication plan or a defined structure, software projects go off schedule or over budget. The opposite is true of FHG: their strategic planning and communication prevented the project from getting out of scope or behind schedule.

Also, from a pricing and competition standpoint, you can do a lot with Flint Hills Group for a rate far lower than we’ve seen quoted in major markets across the country. They're highly competitive from a pricing standpoint. The bottom line is they execute.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We made our expectations clear regarding the product’s capabilities, our budget, and our deadlines. Often, companies will provide their software developers a comprehensive summary of their goals for a finished product, leaving it to the development team to create a timeline and determine priorities. By providing FHG our expectations for KPIs, metrics, and milestones, they were able to stay on schedule and complete the project on time. All we had to do was provide the parameters, and FHG was able to produce an amazing product.