GLOBALDEV

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is working on a collaboration platform powered by blockchain. It provides tools for managing projects, sharing tasks, and delivering notifications. The company was founded specifically to launch this platform, which we are planning to launch in the autumn of 2018. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

We’re based in Austria, and needed developers who were proficient in a specific area to address a development challenge. After reviewing several companies, it turned out that SteelKiwi was a good partner for us. They had adequate pricing and the specific attributes we required. It was a good choice for us to work with a company based in the U.S. and Ukraine.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We developed the platform concept locally and gave SteelKiwi a fleshed-out concept from which to start. They supported us in planning features and wireframing the platform. We planned the core features, but they helped us refine and augment them. The platform was built using React.js and the Solidity blockchain programming language.

Implementing the blockchain functionality was a particular challenge. The platform is blockchain-powered, so SteelKiwi has brought in some experts who are proficient in this technology. We've also brought some extra people on our side. Overall, the project has gone smoothly.

We’ve had some organizational challenges, but nothing technical we couldn’t solve. The challenges came from having a decentralized approach. The team from SteelKiwi is in one place, but we’ve brought in collaborators from the U.S. and Canada to work with us. Since developers didn't work from the same office, we had communication issues.

What is the team composition?

The size of the team has fluctuated. Including quality assurance (QA) resources, we’ve worked with up to 15 resources from SteelKiwi.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

We prepared a short brief about the project, which was a retrospective of the weightier brief. The concept has huge innovation potential, so we didn’t want to send it to dozens of companies in its entirety. We received different responses from different providers. Some didn’t reply, while others just wrote an email.

SteelKiwi was quite eager to talk. We immediately organized a meeting with their sales agent, who was motivated to find out about the project. She prepared a convincing quote document that assessed the whole project, then based a detailed quote on what we sent them. This document—along with SteelKiwi's personal, communicative approach—was a big factor. Their price was also relatively competitive. They refunded the initial wireframing later, as a little bonus.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SteelKiwi in 2017. We have finished the minimum viable product (MVP), and are continuing to develop additional features. We are 65–70% complete.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, SteelKiwi has usually delivered on time. We recently launched the landing page of an initial coin offering (ICO) we’re performing, a side project advertising the platform. We’re very happy with the design and functionality of the platform. Creating the MVP was a huge milestone.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had some issues, but they have been resolved quickly. They mainly stem from us bringing in external people to work on our blockchain smart contracts. SteelKiwi has adapted to our situation quickly. Nothing is unsolvable, and nothing blocks the process.

We have a lot of Skype meetings, and we also use Slack. They use great tools that made it simpler for us to collaborate on the project. They are always forthcoming, coming up with good solutions for us to improve processes. They are always reachable, remaining in contact throughout the day through Slack and Skype. The collaboration works well. I wouldn’t give them a good review if I didn’t think they do a good job. They are helpful in every regard.

Are there any areas they could improve?

A common problem with many development studios is adopting too many communication channels, like email, Slack, and Skype. At one point, we had to dial down the number of channels we were using.

As the amount of information grew, the channels also grew exponentially. We’ve had to simplify communication a bit and remove some channels to make the information flow in a more structured way. We resolved it quickly. It wasn't a major gripe or a permanent, specific problem with SteelKiwi. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of Vezam, an app-based marketplace that matches independent delivery drivers with customers who want to ship parcels door-to-door internationally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

I had the idea for the platform, but nothing in terms of an app, or any of the technology-based elements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built native apps from scratch for iOS, Android, and the web. They helped me scope out the project—I'm not technically-minded, so they consulted me on which tech solutions would be most appropriate in my case. They then helped project manage the development of the app and built all versions themselves. 

It’s a standard platform app that features geolocation and integration with Google Maps and with Facebook for the signup and sign-on process. The app has a built-in messenger system between users. The backend sends email messages to users for new notifications. The design was a combination of my input and their input and execution. The web platform has not been launched yet, but it will also be an external tool. 

What is the team composition? 

They assigned a project manager, a designer, a QA specialist, and three developers—one for iOS, one for Android, and one for the backend. 

How did you come to work with IDAP?

I knew that I wanted to use an Eastern European provider due to the price and to the startup nature of my venture. I wanted a firm that would not only build what I wanted, but that would also help me define the scope and bring suggestions. 

I did a small market review and tender, which is how I found IDAP. They’d done a small piece of website design for me a couple of years back, so I knew that they could deliver projects quickly and on budget. That was an additional reason for selecting them.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work has been around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in June 2017. We did an initial launch and are now working on improvements in order to get to an official launch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most important success metric for me was the budget, which they met. They were focused on that. The project was a bit delayed for various reasons, but it was still completed within the acceptable time frame.

They’ve been useful as a sounding board for ideas on what is possible and what isn't. They worked proactively and quite well on the project. I hope that they will be able to help me with digital marketing as well, but we need to work on this.

In terms of the quality of the app, people don’t generally contact us with positive feedback. There have been some teething problems—as with any app—but nothing major.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve worked in two-week sprints and they were generally good in terms of keeping me updated. The communication has been very good. We mainly communicated through Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The accessibility of their CEO was very important for me. I had someone outside the team whom I could go to and discuss issues. The communication was very good. It would have been a disaster for me, had we gone over budget, but we didn’t.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should follow-up with where the project is going and be more proactive towards continuing the development collaboration. This is an element of proactiveness required, beyond the quality.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

We cannot completely outsource a project. As such, if there is no in-house team in place, we have to monitor the progress of the developers closely and regularly, while maintaining communication. This is very important in making sure everyone understands each other in terms of what work needs to be done and in making sure that expectations are aligned throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Roopor is focused on audio-streaming and podcasting through an iOS and Android app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

We were in the idea stage of the business and had received our first investment. We couldn’t afford to hire a full-time development team, so we decided to outsource the work on our MVP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us build and launch our application. They were responsible for the front- and backend development, the frontend of which was cross-platform. They were also responsible for bug fixing— their job was bringing the platform to a stable working condition.

Streaming is a tricky process by its nature. The user can simply press a button and start recording, but there are lots of invisible features in place for solving connection issues, buffering, and so on. IDAP provided a lot of consultation on this, taking control, identifying our problems, and making decisions based on our user numbers and other factors.

What is the team composition?

They assigned a team of front- and backend specialists, as well as a project manager. This allowed us to develop the app for both Android and iOS with minimal delays and expenses.

How did you come to work with IDAP?

Our CTO had previously collaborated with them on smaller-scale projects and found them to be experienced with streaming platforms. They also had very good references from offshore clients. We met a couple of other candidates as well, but went with IDAP.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work was $45,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The technical consultation stage took place in April–June 2017. We spent a couple of months formulating assignments and calculating the development cost. The project was finished in November 2017 then we had a few iterations after that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The success of the project was down to them—they did a great job of developing our front- and backend, as well as structuring the software in a way that allowed us to optimize our budget. This was really important for us as a startup.

The app looks simple from the user end, so we haven’t received a lot of feedback on its interface. It’s functional and it brings value to users. We haven’t heard any negative comments, aside from a few compatibility issues with new devices like the iPhone X. We picked a range of products to test the app on and that device hadn’t been launched at the time.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

We could contact them at any time of day if we needed to fix an issue or implement something new, and the work was always done quickly. Whenever we had a concern, they were more than willing to discuss it with us, and try to fix it. This was important for us, given that we were a startup and had a changing business model.

I don’t remember any significant delays. Outsourcing teams do what the client asks of them, and any changes come at an additional cost. They were able to stick to our original brief and budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t been in this business for long, so I don’t have too many comparison points. They had experience in the particular area we were tackling—online data streaming, which is a complex process. I also liked the speed at which they incorporated our decisions into their work, regardless of the time of day. Speed and quality are crucial characteristics for a provider working with a startup. Considering all of that, I have nothing to complain about.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. Everything has been great so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO and co-founder of KITWAY. We develop comprehensive, high-loaded systems for the financial industry, with a special focus on enterprise resource planning solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

We create web frontends in-house and rely on IDAP to provide mobile development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with IDAP on UI/UX design, development, and testing across three projects. The first was a big-data solution related to a mobile bulletin board. Their team developed the Android and iOS app that connected to the backend components created by our in-house team.

The second involved the development of an Android application for an IoT solution. They worked under a tight budget and deadline to build a number of features. These included user registration, tracking of moving and immovable objects, photo management, emergency notifications, and connections for multiple IoT devices.

We recently completed our third project, an Android application that they also built under a strict budget. All applications were developed natively for Android and iOS. As skilled testers, we’ve also consulted them for estimations on various aspects of mobile development.

What is the team composition?

They assigned a team of eight full-stack developers and QA testers for the first project. On our most recent assignment, we worked with two developers.

How did you come to work with IDAP?

We contacted three companies after conducting market research. IDAP stood out because of their expertise and responsiveness.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2016 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customers are consistently satisfied by IDAP’s UI/UX designs.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

They have good communication skills and are able to work under pressure, achieving results under tight deadlines. They always work within our budget, and their responsive team is friendly and open to discussion.

Their process is different from our own, so we had some difficulties integrating our teams in the beginning, but we addressed these issues. While we began coordinating with their internal tracking system, we now use Excel timesheets and communicate via email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is their most impressive quality. They’re friendly, willing to implement change requests, and have always helped us resolve any critical situations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a different approach than us, requesting highly detailed documentation for any project. We’ve had to make an extra effort to clarify the goals of our clients, but we’ve been satisfied overall.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of a company that provides inspections, including backflow, fire sprinkler, and fire alarm inspections and plumbing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDAP?

We've had multiple programmers fail to provide coding for one of our custom solutions. We needed to work with a new programmer and also decide whether it was worth salvaging our progress or better to start the development from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once we established a contract with IDAP, they visited our property to evaluate our team and the pros and cons of the solution we had. They came up with a new technology and developed a Linux-based enterprise solution that wouldn't incur high overhead costs.

The new program links text within our office electronically and tracks various services and inspection reports throughout different timelines. They built out a dashboard application that is compatible with iOS apps. Initially, the program was used internally, but their team is working on a second version that will be public-facing.

What is the team composition?

We work with 12 people, including a project manager, lead programmer, UI and UX designers, iOS programmers, and backend programmers.

How did you come to work with IDAP?

I believe I found them through Clutch after doing extensive research on companies from all over the world. I chose them based on their professional approach and responsiveness.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since February 2017 and expect to be working with them for the foreseeable future since the project is so large.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm incredibly happy with IDAP's solutions, their level of output, and overall commitment. Progress is happening every day and they continue to propose new technologies to help us achieve our goals. Any bugs or issues are addressed almost immediately.

How did IDAP perform from a project management standpoint?

Their approach to project management makes the collaboration easy. We have meetings and phone calls on a daily basis. I have one main point of contact who not only fully understands our work but is great about coming up with additional ideas that add value to projects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team genuinely cares about our work and is committed to delivering the best possible product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that the vendor you choose is qualified and has the manpower to take on your project. I spent a long time searching for the right vendor, so it's been a huge relief to finally find those qualities in IDAP.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a startup called Your Living-room Trainer. It’s basically an online gym with profiles for trainers and trainees, and the service matches compatible exercise preferences and processes payments for individual sessions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

We needed to design and build a site that would support the platform and all the features we were looking to include.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SteelKiwi created the site on Drupal, and handled all aspects of development including design, UX/UI, and backend work. We initially provided them with a series of sketches/ideas for the look and feel, but they took the lead on design execution. Throughout the project they used Django, Python, and Amazon Web Services for hosting. They also set us up on Google Analytics.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Kristina Malik, who acted as our project manager. Yvette Mosiichuk lead UX development and the design process. I also worked with two developers on occasion.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

I originally found them on Google. I interviewed quite a few other agencies, but none of them were a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested under $50,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May of 2017, and concluded in January of 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The design of the product was very clean and well-done. It’s simple to use, and the user flow is great. We’re still waiting on user feedback, but we’re very happy with the end product and looking forward to seeing how it’s received.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were top notch; Kristina did an excellent job. She was communicative, organized, and attentive throughout the project. They were very responsive. We used a combination of Slack, Jira, Confluence, and Skype for communication and tracking progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication was very impressive, and they worked very well as a team. Also, during the project, I had some personal issues due to Hurricane Irma, and they were very understanding and were willing to work around my schedule.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was a bit nervous about the number of bugs that came up during the testing phase, but they fixed them efficiently at no extra charge. They could also be more communicative around pricing, because they’re charging more than their initial quote.

Advice for potential customers?

They’re an excellent company to work with, and the customer service is great. Be open and communicate with them. Make sure they know exactly what you’re looking for, and I’m 100% sure that they’ll do everything they can to make it happen.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Jezter, a parental-controlled children’s entertainment and education app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

We needed to outsource a company for mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we discussed project specifications and negotiated a price. Then, we were assigned a project manager who laid out a timeline. They provided a beta version that we then had tested. Once that was complete, SteelKiwi resumed development. We received weekly builds and provided feedback until the product was complete.

Essentially, they developed an iOS app that aggregates kid-friendly online content like YouTube videos, web games, and comics. This included building a backend server that we upload content too, and designing the app’s final UI. The finished product features a catalog for users to easily discover content. Alternatively, parents can manage what their kids view by creating playlists and limiting screen time via in-app functions.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the account manager and project manager, but never interacted with the developers.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

We found them and 5–6 other companies on Clutch. After interviewing all potential vendors, SteelKiwi was the most professional and had the best prices.

How much have you invested with them?

This project cost around $27,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement took place May 2017­–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had 200 beta testers, and 20–30 have sent positive reviews. Parents are impressed with how easily they can manage their child’s screen time.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via Skype and email, while using Trello and Jira to assist with project management. They’d respond to questions within an hour, or at least communicate when they’d have an answer if the question was difficult. However, the 7–hour time-zone difference was challenging in terms of deadlines, but that’s the drawback of outsourcing overseas.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The final product was delivered above expectations. The UI is great and functions completely without bugs. We’re fully satisfied and plan to work with them on future developments.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project manager’s English wasn’t perfect, and that sometimes caused miscommunication. However, the account manager is almost fluent in English, which is impressive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

SteelKiwi is great for startups with a fluid vision. They did a lot of research to help us decide where to take our product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of Hashtag Hound, an app that helps find hashtags for Instagram.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Steelkiwi?

We needed to find someone who could develop an app they haven’t done before. A lot of companies just want to do something they've done in the past. No one could guarantee us that the algorithm we wanted to build will actually work. Steelwiki was the first company that said they could definitely do it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on everything involving the app. They built it for iOS and Android. They built the user interface. They drew illustrations for use inside the app and created the icons and logo designs.

The user logs in and sees categories that they can choose from that relate to their photo. They can choose the date, location, and language, and the app provides the user with a list of the best hashtags that are suitable for their photo. The user will be able to get the relevant audience that will see the photo. The app isn't on the App Store yet, but it's almost done. We are testing it now.

What is the team dynamic?

There were 2 developers on each platform. We had meetings with the whole team working on the project whenever it was necessary, but I dealt mostly with the team leader.

How did you come to work with Steelkiwi?

I was browsing websites and portfolios of different companies. Steelkiwi attracted my attention because of the designs of their apps. I felt like it was suitable for our purposes. At the initial meeting, I saw how involved and passionate they are. They understood me straight away, and they seemed genuinely interested in developing my app.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $40,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since April 2017. We're testing this particular build of our app. Once we get feedback from the users, we'll look at it together, fix the app, and then launch it on the App Store. They'll provide the support afterward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback has been positive so far. For people who haven't had help with finding hashtags for Instagram, they're happy and excited. People who are using other services or apps have concerns that it doesn't work the same way as other apps, but they're happy with the design, and they like the interface. The main complaint is that the selection process for the hashtags is not as fast. We might change the technical selection process.

How did Steelkiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were incredibly reliable. I have no complaints whatsoever. They worked so fast that I didn't expect the project to finish this soon. That created a few problems for me in terms of management, because we weren't prepared to launch in terms of marketing. I wish there was more communication on that part, but their general strategy in terms of project management is to over deliver as opposed to under deliver. When it comes to time, it's not always convenient for a client to have the project ready sooner rather than later, but that's my issue.

We used Slack to communicate. We could also see all the details of the process on JIRA. I met them in person at the beginning, but because we're in different countries, we communicate online.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very organized. Every issue that came up was solved straight away. The level of planning that goes into every task was ridiculous at times. We sat down and they explained every detail in the process. Eventually, we had to simplify that because it was too much for me. That impressed me; their style is very linear.

The way their developers work together with UX designers is very efficient; I'm glad I didn't go with my own UX designer. It was perfect. It happened so quickly. They did everything exactly the way we wanted.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their timing could be improved, which also impacts financing. If you're not sure when they're going to finish the project and how quickly they're going to work on it, then you're not sure how much you have to pay them every month. Their initial quote was correct, but it was a hard to put together the finances necessary for this project as quickly as they were developing it because I expected it to last longer. They finished it 4–5 months earlier than I expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of three founders of a startup company that does business and location intelligence. We have a web application that looks at worldwide demographics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

SteelKiwi redeveloped an app for us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SteelKiwi helped create an API and the framework for the backend of our application. We already had a functioning version of the app written in ASP.NET, so we had SteelKiwi redevelop and modernize everything for us.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

We had used SteelKiwi before to develop a webpage while we were doing work with a humanitarian aid company. We wanted to hire stateside for this project, so we probably looked at three different companies stateside. We also looked at individual developers, but we decided to go with SteelKiwi. We had the previous experience with them, and they had done good work for us before. Cost also was a consideration.

How much have you invested with SteelKiwi?

We’ve probably spent a little over $20,000 with SteelKiwi.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re still working with the humanitarian aid company, so we have an ongoing relationship with SteelKiwi. I think we originally started working with them a little less than a year ago. We started on this specific project probably 3–4 months ago, so around January of 2017. We’re not quite finished with the project yet. They’re wrapping up a few things for us on the backend, and we’re considering some additional functionalities. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The communication with SteelKiwi has been good and easy. They use a bunch of different platforms, including Slack and JIRA. They’ve also been accommodating in terms of the time zones. We’re in Colorado, so we had a time difference, but they’re pretty good at dealing with that.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

Not including the project manager, I would say five developers from SteelKiwi worked on our project. That includes the quality assurance person. We basically let them assemble the team that would work with us, but we used some of the same members we’d used on our previous project.

What did you find most impressive about SteelKiwi?

We were really happy with what SteelKiwi did for us. We didn't get too much into how they conducted their business. I guess they do have a live video feed where you can see them working. I thought that was interesting. We didn't really dive into how they operated, though. We let them do their work.

Are there any areas SteelKiwi could improve?

One difficult area has been in terms of billing. We’ve had a little bit of confusion in trying to get the billing correct or fully clarified. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My business is AppLab. I’m creating a travel app for friends. It’s similar to TripAdvisor and Foursquare, but mixed with Instagram.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SteelKiwi?

I wasn't into apps in general. It's not my main job; it's just a hobby for now. I just had an idea that I thought it would be great to create something because the app that I had in mind doesn't exist. Every time that I was traveling, I would look at TripAdvisor reviews, and I always made mistakes because the people who review different hotels, restaurants, etc. are not my friends, and don't have the same taste as I do. I was also reviewing existing apps, such as Foursquare, which I found very difficult to use. I wanted to develop something more personal and only for friends.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My app is very simple. It's based only on images for now. I think an image speaks 1,000 words, and there’s no need for detailed reviews. If I see my friend visited that restaurant when he was in New York, I know his taste and I know it's a good place to try out. 

The main feature is image upload. The profile is done through Facebook. So when you sign in, you sign into Facebook. Another feature were map pins, which are very important. If you're trying to see the places your friends have visited, you login to the map and you would see all those places. You can also find a direction to each place.

They helped me with the requirements for the app. It's not something I did by myself. I had a clear idea of what I wanted, but since development is not something that I do, I wasn't sure I would be capable of translating what I had in mind to the actual app. They helped me a lot because they understood right away what I was looking for.

I had a project manager, a designer, and two other members on the project. I was always in communication with the project manager. She handled everything, and I had to meet a few times with the designer. I didn’t interact much with the developers. We had two to three calls to resolve small issues, but I assume five developers were working on the app. It was really the designer and the project manager that I was in contact with.

The app is still being tested because of a few issues that I noticed. While we were developing the app, everything was done well. Issues that we are having now can be fixed once the testing is done.

How did you come to work with SteelKiwi?

I went to Upwork and posted there what I was looking for. Before I decided on SteelKiwi, I was in contact with five developers at the time. There was one in India, but it was really hard because of the time difference. I was looking for someone that's closer to where I'm at in Italy. Then I had another company from Moscow.

However, SteelKiwi was local, and they offered a better price. I wasn't even considering the other companies. One did a quote that was triple from what it should have been. I think the Indian company was a great company, but the time difference would be an issue.

SteelKiwi were just better than anyone. They just convinced me, and Kate was really helpful. My first gut instinct was to hire them because I really had a good feeling after my first interview with them. There was just no question that I would choose them.

How much have you invested with SteelKiwi?

The total was $16,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in November 2016 with wireframes. I was delaying the entire process for a month or two, because in Italy it's better if you have your own company if you're doing something like this. Bureaucratic things in Italy are so long, so I'm still waiting to have my company set up. It's something that will happen in the next few weeks or so. For that reason, I couldn't move forward faster because all the invoices need to go through the company, and if you don't have the company you can't put all the expenses on the company. I'm sure we would have finished everything at least two months earlier if it wasn't for those bureaucratic parts that I had to deal with.

The app is live. I'm testing it with a few of my friends because it has my first and last name underneath because I don't have the company yet. I'm just waiting for that to happen. I can't go live with my name because to be honest, it looks weird. It's live for users, but I haven't started with marketing or any initiatives that were supposed to happen after the launch. I'm just waiting for that to be determined.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Every time I have to travel, I always have those long emails of places. For example, I'm traveling to Abu Dhabi tomorrow. I had a friend who was there a week ago, and he sent me a huge email with places I have to visit, but I think that will be easier to have that through my app. Then you can check the images and details, so it's definitely something that will be more useful for users and me. Based on this idea, I think it will have a positive reaction.

Of the three users using it right now (my husband and best friends), the reception has been positive. It's still in the beginning, but I think it's something that can be developed into something bigger since my initial idea was an app that was more complex than this one. I have to say SteelKiwi were pretty honest, saying it's better to start with small, and then if you see a positive reaction from users, we can definitely build it up to be what I had in mind in the beginning.

How did SteelKiwi perform from a project management standpoint?

It was really good. I don't know about other project managers, but mine was really perfect. She was available 24 hours a day even though I wasn’t. I never had an issue in communications with them. We used Google Docs, Skype for conference calls, and email.

What did you find most impressive about SteelKiwi?

They are very detail-oriented. They push your limits, saying "You have to think about this, and you have to get back to me tomorrow." They're really pushy but in a good way. They're trying to make you think more than you have time to do. 

Are there any areas SteelKiwi could improve?

I spoke to them about it. I think the only thing to improve is their invoicing. Every time they would send an invoice, I would have a list of what has been done that week or month. Since I'm not a developer, I don't know anything about apps, so it wasn't really clear to me. Every time I had to go back and talk to them about it. They were completely transparent, and I don't think there was an issue there. In terms of the description of the invoice and what has been done, they also agreed that that should have been more clear for someone who’s not a developer, or someone who doesn't understand those terms.