What was the scope of their involvement?
One of the guys on one of the IT Craft development teams got a hold of the materials we use and created a simple HTML prototype as a vision and presented it to us. It was a good idea. From that, we started working with IT Craft. Everything was pretty much done from scratch.
The biggest project is a web-based app to convert and deliver printed material. We have a series of 63 booklets that cover different subjects that we train on. We’ve created a way to not only display those and deliver them, but to create a relationship management tool for training one-to-one and one-to-many. That’s been a two-year project so far. It’s developed to the point where we can use it to deliver other types of materials as well. It’s probably something that’s going to continue. We’re just now starting to get user feedback. As more of that comes in, it will drive the direction of the project in the future.
The interface and database not only contains the content of the app, but also stores any sort of interaction that happens between a trainer and a trainee, notes, questions, and the state of an assignment. We had to figure out how to make that happen without crashing.
The other significant part of this project is that the materials are now available in 40 different languages. We had to figure out how to create a system through which we could easily translate the content. Every bit of text in the web app has a tag or a reference number assigned to it. We had to figure out ways to import and export translated text and add other languages. That’s the most significant feature; it allows us to quickly convert the app to another language.
We have an IT consultant who acts as the interface between us, the managers of the project, and the developers working directly on it. He would know more about what platforms were used.
The second product is a one-page web service to replace a complex download system that existed on another website. We’ve consolidated it into a simpler product that creates a download log and gives users more flexibility in terms of the different languages and types of booklets that they can access.
The third project is a simple landing page that directs people to a couple projects and some audio and video files.
What is the team dynamic?
They started working on those projects with three different people on their team. As time goes on, some people get shifted around and some people leave. A couple of the guys have moved onto some other companies or immigrated to another country.
Currently, the developer on their end that’s been primarily involved with us picked up some tasks for the other two projects. We’re starting to see some significant back and forth in the development progress of those projects.
There’s another guy that works with them on other projects who has always challenged them to learn new things. We’re doing stuff with native script development and some new platforms, like GO. We’re always looking for ways to push the limit.
I’m not completely familiar with their structure. The people that I’ve worked with have been consistent. Any inconsistencies have been on our part, like when we request extra hours in a certain month. Sometimes as projects progress, there can be lulls, but on their part, it’s been consistent.
How did you come to work with IT Craft?
IT Craft had a prior working relationship with one of the guys that directs information services here. As more opportunities became available for us to engage in development work, he started introducing IT Craft to the projects and the other people in our organization.
How much have you invested with them?
About $120,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in October 2015 and the work is ongoing.
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