Halcyon Mobile

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO for Guidepost Media. We are a content development and publishing company with a strong focus on inspiration and positivity. It was established 75 years ago and is currently going through a digital transformation to become more of a media conglomerate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We needed help developing mobile platforms for our R2Q (Resolve 2 Quit) initiative to help individuals on their journey of addiction recovery. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided a full stack development team which has been involved in everything from UX/UI development to analytics, data, backend development and everything in between. The mobile app was developed for iOS and Android platforms. There is a concurrent development stream going in order to collaborate content, releasing to both platforms simultaneously when code is released. 
The mobile app is used by clients. There is a separate web app interface for the coaches that allows them to interact and communicate with clients. There are many components, including a video for one-on-one conferencing and messaging. There is an open line of communication, enabling coaches to have direct contact with clients as they help them through on their journey. There’s also a feature for clients when they struggle or are triggered by something and need to speak with someone for assistance.

There’s an analytic component, allowing us to monitor the efficacy of the engagement, and enables the coach to have a separate environment to manage what’s happening and monitor activity from each of the clients using the mobile app. 
Currently, the team is working on important enhancements to the platform, which is nearing completion.

What is the team composition?

The team consists of six engineers and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

A partner in the addiction recovery space referred them to us. I contacted them and quickly determined they were perfectly suited to develop this platform for us. They were knowledgeable and capable.

How much have you invested with them?

It’s nearing $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in the 1st quarter of 2019, and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their level of expertise is spot on. They provide impeccable work and a quality product. We’ve been tracking the efficacy of their deliveries. They’ve handled every issue, challenge and feature development we’ve thrown at them without a problem. So far, quality level and delivery have been exceptional.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re phenomenal. We track diligently, working in an Agile methodology. We have frequent and consistent check-ins and open lines of communication.

We’ve had two project managers, and they’ve both been great. We haven’t sacrificed at all regarding the level of expertise. Their methodology is very effective, as are the tools used to manage, report, and analyze projects.

They have never missed a deadline and have been quite accurate in financial projections. If there was need for timeline adjustment, they addressed it proactively. They also have an array of communication tools that don’t always require jumping on the phone. We have messaging systems and collaborative tools in place, in addition to the video and phone conferences. Project management is one of their strong suits.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The variety and range of the expertise among the team is amazing. They’re equally proficient in Android and iOS development, which is rare. They did a good job reallocating resources when we had urgent needs in specific areas of the project. It was a good decision to make them our primary developers for this project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While we didn’t encounter this, I believe they would struggle to immediately scale up resources if a project increased.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In case you need to scale up, be prepared for a possible struggle. The way they operate is effective, and they’re conscientious about the quality of their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Monday/Tribes of Health, a platform marketplace for world-renowned lifestyle experts. They’re experts in the health and sustainable living space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We’re non-technical founders and needed someone to develop our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had quite an extensive brainstorming session at the beginning. I had a good idea of what I wanted, which was essentially three apps in one. The programs we’re creating consist of nutrition, physical activity, and education.

From there, we outsourced the whole platform development to them. They created a fully-functioning backend, where we input our content which then is pushed out to the Android and iOS apps for users. They developed those mobile apps as well, building everything from scratch.

What is the team composition?

There was a team of designers, iOS specialists, Android developers, and engineers focused on the backend.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

They were recommended by a large IT company with about 1,000 employees. They outsource frequently for app development and highly recommended Halcyon Mobile.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about €120,000 (approximately $133,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and the effort is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were 100% satisfied with the solution and its functionality.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is excellent. I’ve been in contact with them on a daily basis, sometimes several times per day. We received monthly work reports on their hours and progress on the backend, iOS platform, and Android app.

I’m a non-technical person, so it was very hard for me to outsource a large, complicated project without an in-house CTO. However, our project manager made sure we defined the problem to build the solution I wanted through sprints.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really like their communication. They’re very straightforward, transparent, and clear. I’m really impressed with their business culture. They're a very energetic and passionate team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We weren’t 100% satisfied in the beginning with the design work. We sorted it out, taking more control over the design.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Our product is very appealing, and the development was enjoyable. I received so much passion and dedication from them. I had people working the weekends and evenings, constantly in communication with me.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Brightmind Media, a meditation startup. I focus on product design, user acquisition, and content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We were looking for a partner to develop an Android version of our iOS app but after our in-house developer left, we needed someone to help with the backend and iOS app as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Halcyon Mobile developed both versions of our mobile app and took care of our software needs. In terms of the iOS work, we already had an app up and running. For the Android version, their team built the UI of the app from scratch. 

Their team changed the backend, creating new features and functionality as well as starting some code from scratch. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a number of members of the Halcyon Mobile team. This includes project managers, Android developers, iOS developers, and a backend developer.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

We had a friend of a friend who works with several Eastern European coding shops and we reached out to him for suggestions. After interviewing a number of firms within his network, we chose to work with Halcyon Mobile based on their reasonable prices and fixed-cost model. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Halcyon Mobile in November 2018 and are in the process of phasing them out because they completed the work we hired them to do.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our backend is in much better shape and we have an Android version. We’re also very keen JIRA users.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is excellent at communication. All of the project managers we’ve worked with were very rational and good at breaking down complex problems into manageable chunks. Communication has been a strong point with Halcyon Mobile, especially given the time difference.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Halcyon Mobile has shown themselves to be responsive and dedicated. For example, we had some unforeseen problems with the app over the course of a weekend, but we were able to get in touch with them. Halcyon Mobile worked on a Saturday to fix the problem. 

Their team would often stay late if there was a lot of pressure on what needed to be done. They definitely logged several hours that they didn’t charge for just to make sure things were completed. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The timeline with the Android app took a bit too long. But part of that was due to difficulty QAing in-app subscriptions, which is somewhat reasonable since they are complicated. A lot of people in the mobile industry are having trouble wrapping their heads around the kind of tech you need to execute that effectively.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If things aren’t going well, schedule daily meetings to keep things moving forward rather than relying on weekly or bi-weekly meetings.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the project manager at a FinTech startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We are building and launching a digital bank and we needed someone to build the mobile app for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Halcyon Mobile developed an Android mobile app from scratch. We have plans to launch in iOS at a later date. We currently have a working MVP.

The app allows users to create an account and verify their identity electronically. The app attaches to prepaid Visa and Mastercards. Users can then track their spending and visualize it to have a better understanding of how they spend their money.

What is the team composition?

I interacted directly with our project manager from Halcyon Mobile. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between €90,000–€95,000 (approximately $99,200–$105,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Halcyon Mobile began in January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They deliver a version of the project, which we then test, and then make adjustments as necessary. We engaged with them on a project basis so there was a specific amount of work scoped. They delivered on all of that.

Like with any software project, bugs can pop out. Halcyon Mobile has fixed every single one of them. They’ve helped us out with things that were outside of our scope that came up at the last minute. Halcyon Mobile was a great partner for us, quick to adapt and super flexible.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Having a one on one relationship with our project manager has been bliss. It’s been a great experience. I have nothing bad to say in that regard. They’ve been super helpful, super understanding. Our project manager has been nothing short of amazing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I understand, coming from a financial background, that sometimes clients have evolving needs. Sometimes we had last-minute emergencies to deal with they would find someone to help us out, even if it wasn’t someone resourced to our project. Large agencies often have a more set script, especially an agency as big as Halcyon Mobile. 

They were very accommodating to the needs of a startup that is constantly evolving. Halcyon Mobile has been really good to us. It’s hard to be as flexible as they are, but we appreciated having a partner instead of just someone we were subcontracting. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had a good relationship with our project manager but would appreciate more communication with other members of their team, such as developers or UI/UX designers. I find it easier to get on board with and behind ideas when those ideas are explained to me. That communication was a bit lacking at first. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m head of product at EdPlace, a tech business that provides educational resources to kids from ages 5–16 in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We wanted to replace an existing iOS application and build a brand-new Android application to run alongside our existing web app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Halcyon Mobile rewrote the code for our native iOS app using Swift. They then build the Android version entirely from scratch using Kotlin. Their team then integrated in-app payment systems into the platforms, which was a first for us.

For the design part, Halcyon Mobile reviewed our app’s UX, created wireframes, and mocked up screens in high fidelity using InVision. The new design reflects our new branding, and their team also did a lightweight reskin of our web app so it’d match the mobile apps. 

Halcyon Mobile also designed the backend APIs; another team built them based on Halcyon Mobile’s wireframes.

What is the team composition?

We work with eight in total: 2–3 Android developers, 2–3 iOS developers, a project manager, a dedicated QA person, and a dedicated designer.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?
I actually found them on Clutch. I shortlisted a group of companies in Romania that had the right combination of skills to complement our existing backend teams. Their prices and availability also worked well for us. After an initial round of phone calls followed by face-to-face meetings, we decided to go ahead and submit an RFP with Halcyon Mobile. They responded, and we went from there.

What appealed to us about Halcyon Mobile was that they'd built products of their own that they’ve released. They have that insight into being a business selling products to customers, so they understand the product development cycle that much more intimately.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £150,000 (approximately $185,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in February 2019. The app launched two weeks ago, but we’re still working together as we downscale Halcyon Mobile’s involvement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the apps’ launch, we’ve received really positive feedback from customers. We’re thrilled about the level of downloads, and the new in-app payment system has opened new sales channels for us. Everyone internally and most of our customer base especially appreciate the design. Over the next few months, we’re going to assess the success of the apps so far, and then we’ll plan what changes we’ll make. We intend to work with Halcyon Mobile on those updates going forward.

What’s been excellent about Halcyon Mobile is that they really embedded themselves with us as a team. They don’t just sit there and take instructions; they have strong opinions about how things should work and are not afraid to share them. That’s added a lot of value to the project. The quality of Halcyon Mobile’s work and interaction with our team has been universally excellent.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is probably the most outstanding thing about Halcyon Mobile. Our project manager is superb. I’ve worked with a lot of agencies over the years, and he is by far the best project manager I’ve ever worked with.

We communicate through weekly phone calls and then with Slack and Google Hangouts as required. We used Basecamp to communicate requirements and Jira to manage the day-to-day. There also were a couple of trips out to Halcyon Mobile to work with the team directly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The standard of English spoken among Halcyon Mobile is exceptionally high. There's zero language barrier working with them if you're English-speaking. The quality of their output is exceptional. Not only are they very technically competent, but they're also really investing in their skills and their staff. Their team members are happy to be there and constantly learning to become better developers. They have a high level of creativity as well, which is quite unusual to find in an offshore model. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve been pleasantly surprised that it's been a straightforward experience working with Halcyon Mobile. It’s felt like a strong match between our two teams since the beginning.

Any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to meet face-to-face at least once or twice during any project. That's the difference between being a good project and an excellent one. It helps you get to know the people, but it also enables you to communicate those things that you can convey over email, Slack, or video call. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the VP of engineering for Ryalto Ltd., a healthcare provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We have a mobile application with a Ruby on Rails backend. We were trying to find a scalable resource of equal quality but with more affordable prices than what firms in London can provide.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Halcyon Mobile helped us redevelop and add new features to our legacy platform—an Android and native iOS application. The team also made other fixes and improvements. 

The app features a live chat functionality that allows healthcare professionals to find each other within the trusts that they work and chat about anything to do with healthcare lifestyles. A shift-booking integration with third-party systems lets users see available shifts and book themselves via their phone. Lastly, we provide a bespoke newsfeed and other features, such as allowing healthcare trusts to send notifications to all of their end-users.

We shared some documentation with Halcyon Mobile to start with. Our team in London now works with them very closely.

What is the team composition?

We have a team of 8–12 people, including a project manager on their end.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

I wasn’t involved in hiring Halcyon Mobile initially. I believe it was through a word-of-mouth recommendation from someone from our board.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $1 million–$5 million

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in September 2015, and the work is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our cadence improved massively via projects. Halcyon Mobile has very effective developers—they’re even more effective than the original developers based in London.

We regularly get compliments on the way the app runs. Our internal feedback has been positive, and whenever we’ve run demos, it’s been well-received by customers on every single point.

Something invaluable about Halcyon Mobile is that they don’t just do as they’re told. They get invested in what they’re doing and suggest ways to make our ideas better. The team is very much part of the business and cared about the product itself. They definitely improved it with their feedback and thoughtfulness.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager is probably the best one I’ve worked with. He isn’t afraid to give me bad news, such as if Halcyon Mobile can’t do something the way we wanted it. (Situations like that are invariably because of business decisions changing, not because of the development).

He is also very straightforward to deal with as well as incredibly well organized—he understands the project incredibly quickly as well. The project manager is a massive point of value for our business.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Halcyon Mobile understands our requirements and makes them happen, no matter what. They are very well-organized and work well as a team. Their communication is exceptional. When a couple of freelancers joined us in London to help out with our technical debt, they both got up to speed very quickly by working with Halcyon Mobile. 

The team has high standards of technical excellence and quality of work. There’s not a single developer from their side I can question in the slightest, and I am pretty particular when it comes to these things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. In lots of ways, Halcyon Mobile is leading us where we need them to. They’ve worked out exactly as I wanted them to.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to Halcyon Mobile’s advice. I have worked with quite a lot of offshore companies before, and they are one of the very best. It is worth it to have a bit more of a relationship with them—treat them like they’re staff rather than an offshore outfit that is just there to do as they are told. Halcyon Mobile brings so many benefits with them aside from just writing code.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Vern Insurance technologies, an Esurance tech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We were in need of a development team along with designers and UX designers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The product is an Esurance distribution platform for digital business. It allows digital businesses to sell insurance either integrated into their product or service or under their own brand like on their own website. We have ongoing sales processes where we’re currently integrating our service. We continue to develop according to these new sales partnerships because they define what we have to work on.

They did the UI/UX design for our web application as well as our native mobile app. They also did user tests, branding guidelines, and design work for our logo and landing page. They used InVision for the design work. Then we entered into the development phase where they developed the back- and frontend of our web application. They used JavaScript, React, Node.js, and MongoDB. They developed the style themselves using CSS.

It’s an Express application and they deployed it to AWS using EC2. The frontend is hosted from S3 Buckets. We’re using MailChimp, Mandrill, and GitLab.

What is the team composition?

The founders and the tech lead were involved with project estimations for a few days. For the actual work, there was one UX/UI designer who did the mobile screens. From the development side, there was a senior full-stack developer and a junior frontend developer. Currently, only the senior developer works for us. Since then, we’ve hired a UX/UI designer onto our team. According to our current plans, we are going to have some new projects coming in and we plan on using more developers from their team.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

My co-founder was in a Hungarian UX design Facebook group and he saw a post from some of their previous projects and reached out to them. They’re from Romania, but they’re a Hungarian company and most of their employees are Hungarian. We collaborated in Hungarian, which was very helpful for us. It made the development much easier.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent 75,000 euros ($85,243 USD)

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application is not yet live, but we did user testing and we’re very satisfied with their work. I have a degree in computer science. I wasn’t working on the backend, but I did QA and it was very well structured and developed. It was professional.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

There was a designated project manager who kept track of the whole development process, the long-term vision, Gantt Charts, the sprints, and the tasks. It helped us a lot to have a structured process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We previously worked together with another company for a few months and made a small beta prototype. It’s much easier working with Halcyon Mobile because it’s easier to communicate and collaborate with them. They’re very welcoming and open to feedback. They try to improve the design as much as required.

We have a really good relationship and have become friends with their team members. It’s great working with them both professionally and personally. We even traveled to their headquarters in Romania where we had a small workshop that was very successful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, there were some issues with the time estimates, but it was partly on our side because we couldn’t really define exactly what we needed from them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to have a good starting point with them, which makes the whole collaboration successful.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the product manager at memoQ. My responsibilities include assessing market opportunities and maintaining roadmaps for our product and development teams. We provide software for the professional translation industry. Our software is used by translators, project managers, and language engineers. We work for a global market, and our software is language independent.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Halcyon Mobile?

We hired Halcyon Mobile to develop an iOS companion app for our main product, a translation environment. The app enables users to enter translations through dictation and issue voice commands for common tasks like jumping to the next sentence or searching for a phrase. The iOS platform connects Apple's free speech recognition service with the translation environment. Our primary product platforms are Windows desktop and the web, so we lacked mobile development expertise.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to turn a working prototype into a market-ready product. Dictation can make translators more efficient and their work less exhausting. It can also make translation more accessible for people with health issues and disabilities. Before this app, high-quality dictation was only available for a small number of languages on a third-party, paid Windows desktop tool. Our free app extends dictation support to many more languages.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked for a mobile app developer in our region, for both financial reasons and efficiency in communication. After while reading the content of several proposals, we found Halcyon Mobile's the most convincing. The time and cost estimates didn't vary significantly. Since we're a product company, the fact that Halcyon Mobile had experience with their own products was a plus.

Describe the project in detail.

We analyzed the market and opportunity, along with our prototype, user stories, and designs. Halcyon Mobile developed our native iOS application and handled QA. They had a lot of experience with mobile app development, so they provided professional advice on management and launch.

What was the team composition?

They assigned a project manager as our main point of contact. They had a small team with no more than three developers or testers at any time. We occasionally contacted their developers directly for technical matters. Halcyon Mobile responded well to our team capacity requirements. We agreed with them easily on these matters and were happy with their availability and responsiveness.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Dictation is still an innovative field in the translation tool market, which makes measuring success difficult. We watch the application metrics closely and  survey users for more information. The stability of the project looks good, and the application works as expected.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We were satisfied with their communication, scheduling, and delivery. They were responsive, and their personal touch made them great to work with. Many members of their team were native Hungarian speakers, which simplified communication. Communicating in English worked great with the rest of them.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I don't have much of a basis for comparison, since this was a one-off project. They were helpful and responsive to our requests, they were clear and approachable in their communication, and they always finished the work as expected. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall, there was very little to complain about. We rewrote part of their code to solve an issue that could have been avoided by following our prototype.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of walk in love, a faith-based apparel company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

In addition to selling t-shirts, we create a lot of content. I had an idea to create an app that could digitize our shirt designs and allow people to put them on their photos, or add devotional writing on top of an image.

I needed to find a company that could turn my idea into reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We designed the look of the app and they built it from scratch based on our Photoshop files. The key feature of the app is the ability to grab one of the graphics and put it on any photo that you want.

The app is exclusively for iOS/iPhone. Originally, it was a paid app available in the App Store and on iTunes, but it is now available for free. They've made a few fixes since launch, as well as some general maintenance due to iOS updates.

What is the team composition?

There were four people on the project in total, and we had one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

I searched on Google for information on how to make an app and reached out to a few companies. I got quotes ranging from $300,000 down to $50, which was really hard to navigate.

Then I found a website that had a “top 30” list of app developers. I again reached out to a handful of companies for quotes. I felt like Halcyon gave me a reasonable quote and seemed excited to do the project. I checked out a few apps they’d built and then decided to move forward.

How much have you invested with them?

The total spend was $17,000 for the build and for several tweaks and updates over three years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October of 2013 and they finished developing the app in early 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app got up to number 17 on the App Store the day we launched and was the top paid app in the photo/video category. We were right on trend when it was super trendy to put text on your Instagram photos, so the app really capitalized on that moment.

The app didn't have any bugs. The only issues we've had since release are when there's an iOS update. That seems to impact every app and Halcyon was always able to fix it.

The app has pretty good user reviews on iTunes and in general, people love the app. The main complaint was that it wasn't also available on Android.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Because they’re based in Romania, I was worried there would be a language barrier or the time difference would be a challenge. However, they were super easy to work with and very responsive. They use Basecamp to communicate and did a great job of explaining why they did things, how they approached the work, and when tasks were going to be completed. It was a pleasant experience the whole way through.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Halcyon was transparent from the beginning about how much the project was going to cost and then delivered on that. Some companies say they can do something and then in two months turn around and admit they can't deliver. I also really appreciated when they volunteered to update the app for free after an iOS update. That was very cool.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would’ve been nice to have an app builder's perspective on the project. For example, at first we only allowed the use of square photos and of course, people wanted to use portrait and wallpaper-sized photos. It would’ve been nice to have some back and forth on the scope of the project at the beginning, rather than have to pay to fix that feature after launch.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Get Konversed is a media and content-exchange platform that serves as a do-it-yourself mobile application creation channel for the advertising industry. Agencies can use it to build mobile apps in a more affordable way. I am the company’s founder and head of the product team. I work on UI/UX and liaise with developers to complete projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Halcyon Mobile?

We are working on a large project with a web CMS communicating to mobile applications so there are a lot of intricate tasks and hidden complexity. We needed rapid deployment of different mobile applications and didn’t have any in-house developers at the time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Halcyon Mobile was engaged to build two web applications and connected mobile applications for our MVP product.

We came in with the idea of the product, previous mobile development and design experience, and wireframes and mobile app screen designs. We sat down with their team to discuss the development stack and get feedback.

Halcyon scoped out the project and determined which resources we would need. Since they specialize in mobile development, they gave particularly good feedback on what we would require. They also brought ideas about how the flow should work and what problems we might encounter. They worked out how we could scale the platform to produce applications in an easier way, especially since we were creating a do-it-yourself app builder.

What is the team composition?

We have a mobile development team, a web development team, and a project manager. I also worked closely with the team as a product owner and heading the UI/UX team. We worked closely with Botond Székely, their CEO, for the project tasks, timelines, and deliverables.

How did you come to work with Halcyon Mobile?

We chose them based on online reviews. We held interviews with four or five general developers, three of which were larger teams. Everyone we approached was professional, but Halcyon had won a few mobile awards, were receptive to what we were building, and seemed open to a close collaboration. They didn’t have a problem with me flying to Romania to chat with them and actually sit in on meetings. They’d worked with a few large clients, including Red Bull and Nokia, so I felt confident that they could deliver our product.

How much have you invested with them?

Over a two-year period, we have invested around $300,000 USD in their expertise.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Halcyon Mobile in 2015 and worked together for a year-and-a-half to develop the MVP. It’s been a continual process. At the moment, we’re re-engineering parts of our software from client feedback, usability, and screen designs. We are looking forward to engaging Halcyon again in 2018, for another iteration of our mobile product suite.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I do not have any general metrics, however, our burn-down charts on JIRA improved overtime with Halcyon, so from a product development point of view this is great.

How did Halcyon Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

The Halcyon management team did very well. It is great they know Agile development and the Atlassian products. I was given access to their JIRA, which we used in conjunction with them to keep the project on point. We met with the development team daily for a 15-minute scrum via Skype, and we organized sprint planning meetings every two weeks.

I am based internationally and have twice visited the Halcyon office in Cluj, Romania to work with them for two-week periods. I found them to be knowledgeable in many respects. If they didn’t have the right resources for a project, their team was deep enough to give us beneficial input and help with the project management.

We integrated well together on the design and development of the product. Whenever we made contact, the team got back to us immediately and offered a very hands-on approach. Their scheduling, availability, and communication is great. They went out of their way to fit into our schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve outsourced to numerous teams from a few different countries and have worked with developers from diverse backgrounds. One thing that stands out is their passion for technology. Everyone on their team was excited about mobile development and UI/UX. When looking for developers, I try to find passionate ones who will go above and beyond what’s expected.

They gave really beneficial feedback on the mobile UI and UX that enabled us to improve the app products.

Starting an MVP can be stressful on all sides, but Halcyon was good throughout the process. I am very impressed by their approach to challenges and their English communication skills are exceptional. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The communication on project tasks, timelines, and deliverables can be difficult to gauge at times. The more prepared a client can be, the better.