Fluidity Software Solutions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of several blockchain companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fluidity Software Solutions?

First, our challenge was using generative art to create a charitable-based NFT company. Secondly, we needed to set up an NFT-based player-versus-player gaming platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fluidity Software Solutions has built bespoke solutions from scratch. They’ve used the latest technologies in the blockchain and web development spaces for the backend. We initially gave them our high-level requirements and collaborated with them on the design. Currently, they’re in charge of maintenance and hosting.

Both platforms have generative art components that allow people to buy NFTs with unique graphic properties. Fluidity Software Solutions has built the engine and all the backend components. For our NFT gaming platform, people can collect soccer cards and players and build a team to play against each other.

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 team members, including Marc (CEO), one of the co-owners, a social media specialist, and a UI designer.

How did you come to work with Fluidity Software Solutions?

I worked with Marc in a previous role.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2021, and our relationship is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered exactly what we require. We have an active and functional gaming platform with active users. Moreover, we now have 10,000 followers on our social media, so we’ve built a large following and engaged community.

When we came under Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, they managed it effectively.

How did Fluidity Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on time and within budget. The team is sincere, and they usually deliver more than we expected. We use Jira for project management, and communication is typically through phone calls, video conferences, and document sharing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their top-level executives have a long history in gaming platforms. When facing issues setting up a highly distributed platform with multi-users, their knowledge has come to the forefront.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve been very happy with them.

Any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want to do and discuss it with them first to nail down the design before coding.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a business process engineer at a large pathology practice.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fluidity Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

Fluidity is assisting our development team with building a web application that will be used internally by our staff to register patients and cases.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We have successfully worked with them on previous projects.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a series of scoping workshops, where after Fluidity provided us with a proposal that was accepted by our board. We are following the DSDM project methodology.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The business owner was initially approached and led scoping of the project. We currently work with the project manager, a part time developer and automation tester.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We are still in development.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The project management approach was suggested by our team as this project feeds into a larger project. We use Jira, with weekly planning sessions and email for communication.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We had an existing relationship with Fluidity, and felt they would fit in well with our tech stack and internal development team. It is very important for PathCare that we are able to maintain the product going forward, the fit of tech stack and working well with the team was important for us.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Communication by the business owner and developers can be more pro-active and direct with relevant coworkers at PathCare. The project manager, is often expected to communicate and follow-up on behalf of the developers on technical matters. In my view this is not an efficient process, many issues would be much quicker resolved if the developers contacted the correct person at PathCare directly. The person experiencing an issue is almost always the best person to provide feedback to resolve, especially dealing with technical settings for example KeyCloak, or host file configurations on a VPN. Other project related communication could also have been more pro-active and direct.

All these arrangements were fair and in order, but the PathCare team at times needed to clarify whether observations were correct, as opposed to upfront discussions. For example the lead developer leaving the project, and the front-end developer becoming part-time. While neither of these changes were disapproved of, the communication could have been better. There was a clear expectation set by the business owner, that he would be integrally involved in the project. While the need for a back-end developer was largely absorbed by the internal PathCare team, and he is no longer required as a full-time resource on the project, an oversight and review role would still be beneficial for the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an ERP consultant working in the IT Department for a retail building company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fluidity Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

We hired fluidity to help us develop a mobile app for customers to use to access account info

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I was not part of the project when the vendor was selected

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We worked with Fluidity to develop a mobile app for our business. They provided a great look and feel in terms of design of our app that we are happy with. In terms of functionality the app works well. Most requirements have been met for this phase and we are pleased with the result. We did a lot of beta testing and after each round of testing they deployed changes to production

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

When i joined the project we primarily worked with Mark and Sonika but i believe there were other resources in the beginning.

• Sonika - Head of operations
• Marc - Founder and CTO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We are still in the pilot phase with our internal customers so we dont have much data to measure on but the pilot customers seem to be happy

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

I dealt mostly with Sonika who was very easy to deal with. Due to covid we had lots of teams meetings and they were always available to assist. We had one face to face meeting that i was involved with, but prior to that when they kicked off the project, and pre covid, they were on site for meetings

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Sonika and Marc were very professional and patient, especially with me. This is the first time I have been involved in app testing and they were great at getting me up to speed.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

As with any project there are always issues and a lot of back and forth but Sonika and Marc a were always available when we needed them and provided good advice and assistance.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are offering our customers the possibility to buy lottery tickets online. The company was founded in 2015 and I am part of it since January 2020 as a Project and Compliance Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fluidity Software Solutions?

They mainly helped with font end development and UX/UI ideas, but also helped with content writing as an addition.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to get valuable expert ideas for the enhancement of our website and its relaunch.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Recommendations.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project begun with several calls in order to understand what we were looking for and they helped with the design and development of specific sections of our new website. After the completion of that work they provided suggestions on UX and UI for the whole website. Finally they also helped with content writing for our Marketing team while we were looking to fine someone to hire full-time.

What was the team composition?

We mainly dealt with a Senior Manager and a Project Manager, who then internally engaged different people from their side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Now we have fully functional website where we accept free registrations and purchases. Before the web relaunch, we were only able to accept purchases from our commercial team. This is a huge milestone as it unlocked a potential of including more products and develop the brand further.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Everything was scheduled accordingly and they strictly stuck to that schedule seamlessly. The communication was over Skype.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The expertise they have and the variety of disciplines they are able to help with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We could not spot anything major to suggest improvement of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of WB Innovations, Ltd.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fluidity Software Solutions?

We developed a valuation SaaS, the URL of which is Worth.Business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fluidity developed the solution in Java and JavaScript. It’s an online platform where users can value businesses. They can enter critical financial information and certain statistics as well as perform value calculations. The platform has different tables, a summary, and a section where a working report can be compiled. The reports are generated in PDF format.

What is the team composition?

I worked with seven people from Fluidity, including Gregory (Software Developer), Marc (Founder and CTO), Sonika (Project Manager), and Duane (Senior QA Analyst).

How did you come to work with Fluidity Software Solutions?

I was referred to them by someone who bought a website I created.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost so far is around $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Fluidity around October 2015, and they’re still entrenched in our project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a very good relationship, and they’re a trusted part of our team now. As with any development company, it took some time for them to understand the way we work, our business, and what we want to achieve. They adapted to that, and we have an excellent working relationship now.

They deploy to a staging server, where we’re constantly doing testing. When we’re happy, we then deploy to a production server. We work on a foundation where we all take collective responsibility for the project. I’m very involved in the testing side, and that’s how I measure their success.

We’ve progressed from manual to automated testing. After the current round, I’d say that 60–65% of testing will be automated. During the development process itself, it’s pretty much manual, and that’s how it should be. We do A/B testing on financial models, comparing numbers. This is being automated more and more, but the testing for each development sprint is pretty much customized and requires manual involvement.

I’m happy with the quality of their work. They understand what they need to do, so it would be quite hard for me to switch to someone else. It certainly would be risky. They have a proper understanding, they’re honest people, and they buy into our vision. I’m happy with their energy levels, and the relationship is quite good.

How did Fluidity Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re continually improving the process. We’ve codefined a system for working together, and it seems to be doing fine. It’s still quite new, but it’s certainly better than what it was in the past. We’ve grown into it, and I’m very happy with how it works at the moment. It’s certainly better than 2–3 months ago.

We’re using a cloud-based system, and everything is done online. We’re both located in Cape Town, but they’re in a different part of the city, around 20 miles away from us. We never have physical meetings; I last saw them in person nine months ago.

We use Skype for day-to-day communication, which seems to work well at the moment. We did try Zoom but found it wasn’t functional for switching between multiple display screens; Skype is better for that. We also use MeisterTask for communicating different development sprints and defining specs.

On the timekeeping side, they’re using Harvest, which is integrated into MeisterTask. We can keep a handle on the hours of each development sprint. We use email every now and then, but, by and large, we send files through MeisterTask or Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very dependable, available, and committed to the project. It’s a very difficult code that they’re writing, and they have a good handle on it — that’s an achievement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re still not transparent enough on the billing side of things. We have a discussion with them every month, and it’s improving. Also, I’d like to see their knowledge on the system and the code spread a bit more widely within their organization. It’s still a bit concentrated with 1–2 people who know the bulk of it, especially when it comes to the code. The UI/UX and testing can be handled by different people, but those aren’t the same as the code.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Anyone working with a development company needs to make sure that their specifications are very clear. There’s always a risk of miscommunication and that pushes up costs and delays in the project. That will be a universal requirement when working with developers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of thatthing.io. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fluidity Software Solutions?

We needed to develop our IT platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They began with a message broker, routing projects, database management, load balancing, etc. In that effort, they incorporated an alert manager and dashboards for mobile other technologies. They build the application on JavaScript, with a MySQL database.
The application is used to monitor clinics remotely, including medical supplies, power generation, condition of inverters, intrusion, and more. They currently continue to work on advancements.

What is the team composition?

Marc (CEO) was the main architect and point of contact. There were 1-5 people over the course of the engagement we’ve worked with. 

How did you come to work with Fluidity Software Solutions?

We considered a few companies, but we chose this team for their flexibility and willingness to follow our directions and vision. Once we connected with Marc, we liked the way he worked. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $200,000 on the work, maybe a little more.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around September 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The arrival rate is roughly 20% more than other WPS systems can handle. Their work is reliable and functions exactly as we wanted. There is no deviation, so we're pretty satisfied.

How did Fluidity Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet deadlines, and if they are going to miss one, they let us know. That communication system is open and effective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They engage and communicate transparently with their customers. This is unique, in my experience. They understand trends in the market, and their architecture is bulletproof. They’re also extremely cost-effective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would like them to show test results, and solutions, before applying them to the software. It’s not a major issue, but it could help them not miss some details.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Involve them in your vision, and engage with them constantly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

wiGroup is a Loyalty and Rewards Company building core technology to allow clients to make their customers transactions instantly rewarding. We also develop mobile applications on behalf of clients and in this role I serve as the Account Executive and Scrum Master to one of our largest Financial Services and Retail clients. It is on this account that I have partnered with Fluidity to source and manage several key Development Team resources.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fluidity Software Solutions?

Fluidity are providing me with testing and development resources to supplement my dedicated App Development team, as well as competency oversight.

What were your goals for this project?

Build and maintain a Mobile Application for a Tier 1 Financial Services and Retail client

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The vendor had an existing relationship with our company when I started, but I have developed a strong personal relationship with Fluidity and a high level of trust.

Describe the project in detail.

Typical Software development project. Working from backlog prioritised items to take into a sprint / Dev cycle. A regular review / demo to business and frequent incremental releases to app / play store of value to business, with all the necessary metrics in place.

What was the team composition?

I have two of my key resources from Fluidity, ie: a Senior Server (Java) developer and a Senior Systems Tester

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ongoing sprint deliverables being met. A journey towards continuous integration. App and Play store ratings improving over time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Not applicable, as we operate on-site with client, including Fluidity resources.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Owner, managed oversight. A very humble and hands on leadership style. They are always interested in helping us improve our way of working and bringing us insights around best practice.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Where we have had the need to replace a resource due to a resignation, we have found that it is not always possible to find senior resources within a month notice period. I'm looking at increasing our notice period to 2 months to allow Fluidity enough time to onboard and recruit the right person when needed (if not already available in their team).

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Co: Catena Media, Position: GM EMEA

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fluidity Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

Affiliate Website Development

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Pitch

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

As pre scope

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

3-5

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Very good

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Very good better transparency on spend

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We were impressed with their quick turnaround time and flexibility.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

testing could be improved when it come to details