JetRuby Agency

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business field manager for urban and digital farming. My company is a provider of lighter technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby?

We were looking to do some quick software development, specifically around an application. The idea was to come up with an MVP of the application in a short time, in order to show customers and parties within the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were tasked with creating a frontend UI for interacting with our system. Secondly, they had to incorporate lighting controls and sensor feedback into the app. Thirdly, we needed to generate a first demonstrator of the analytics package within the application.

We then broadened the scope of work a bit, to include a different challenge we had, in terms of connecting a physical demonstrator of what we wanted to showcase. That wasn’t part of the initial scope, but they gracefully stepped in and helped us, and it was completed in about four weeks.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a designer, a backend developer, a scrum master, and a customer outreach person.

How did you come to work with JetRuby?

A previous colleague of ours recommended them based on his experience. The decision was partly based on that feedback, and partly on a nice proposal they put together in a short time. From an overall scoping perspective, the flexibility they had in setting up the project and getting it started, and then working with us to get moving, certainly helped. Their cost was also very competitive.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $69,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2018, and they completed most of the work we set out to do by February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Having the initial demonstrator in a short time was really important to us. We expected that JetRuby would take a bit longer, but they met the target without any issues. They hit the mark for the initial six-week development sprint right on time.

The scope was for an initial prototype or MVP, so when we broadened the scope, one of the things we needed to achieve was end-to-end connectivity. They accomplished that as well, working with some of our staff. They helped us get something up and running in a very short period of three weeks.

Furthermore, qualitatively and from a customer experience perspective, they were extremely responsive, easy to work with, helpful, and communicative.

How did JetRuby perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really good at project management: they communicated clearly, took in our requirements and feedback, made sure they understood them, and—where there wasn’t clarity—asked us questions. They set up plans of 1–2-week intervals, describing the scope of work and keeping track of what was accomplished and what was in the backlog. They also summarized the resources needed, and how much time and scope remained, regarding planning and budget. It was always transparent.

We primarily used Slack for communication. We were setting up Jira on our end, but we had some integration issues, so we ended up not using it. We did set up a Bitbucket repository.

What did you find most impressive about them?

JetRuby is very customer-oriented, which impresses me. They go out of their way to work and engage with the customer. They really make us feel that we’re being treated well, that we have their attention, and that they are supporting us. To me, that’s been the biggest strength of the team, aside from their technical performance.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing large I can think of. There was insufficient follow-up on noncritical things, and some fell off the wayside, but those were relatively minor things. Otherwise, they have a really solid team.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They picked up on what we wanted to do very quickly. Make sure to have a clear story in that sense, and be able to communicate it, so that JetRuby can get going fast.

They really move at a fast pace and seek information quickly from us. Clients should make sure they constantly engage with the team, and things will work out really well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the managing director of a company that provides a photo editing app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby?

We were looking for a trusted development agency to help build out our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JetRuby designed and developed a mobile app for iOS that allows users to make edits to photos.

What is the team composition?

We work with five people, including an account manager, lead developer, developer, and the owner of the company.

How did you come to work with JetRuby?

They were referred to us by someone we trust, so we decided to give them a shot.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since September 2018 and we're nearing completion of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

JetRuby has delivered high-quality work on everything we've requested thus far. The whole process has been relatively seamless.

How did JetRuby perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very thorough, providing lots of updates and documenting everything they're working on throughout the engagement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They go above and beyond expectations and are very persistent in overcoming any challenges.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be responsive as they communicate what they need so the project's timeline can stay on track.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a co-founder of a software development shop.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby Agency?

We were looking for experienced, affordable developers to help us build out our two platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JetRuby has worked on two different projects with us thus far. We provided most of the design work, and they've developed the platforms and made them accessible on Amazon.

The first project involved Ruby on Rails and allowed users to offer virtual classes online. The second involved a React Native environment on the frontend and AWS on the backend, incorporating features that allow for scheduling and alternative dispute resolution.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with about 3–5 different resources, including a project manager, some developers, and QA testers.

How did you come to work with JetRuby Agency?

I initially found them on a subcontractor website after searching for vendors with Ruby on Rails experience. Once I spoke to JetRuby Agency and a few of their references, I felt they were capable of getting the job done. We gave them a pilot project to work on, and they were very successful. So, we decided to keep moving forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've probably invested around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since October 2017, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're still in the early stages of releasing the products, but we've already received some positive feedback on the resolution product from beta testers.

How did JetRuby Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is organized and proactive overall. Despite the fact that their first language is Russian, we haven't had any language barrier issues. We mostly communicate through Slack and email, managing projects through Pivotal Tracker and Google Docs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've successfully learned new, complicated technologies we've requested them to become familiar with. Their developers conquered the challenge and saved us the cost and time of having to hire another vendor. I appreciate that they're always willing to work outside the box and stay flexible in their approach.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It's not entirely their fault, but there were times when we lost track of the hours their team spent on certain tasks, so we ended up with larger bills than we anticipated. We should've more closely tracked their work on a month-to-month basis because it can really add up quickly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. The more we stayed in touch with their team, the smoother the process ended up being. I also recommend tracking the number of hours the team spends on projects as they progress. That way, there are no surprises when invoices arrive.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of hellocecil, a startup video interviewing application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby Agency?

We needed to build a web app and wanted a team that we could trust from an execution and strategy standpoint.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JetRuby Agency worked on three main projects: marketing, frontend development, and backend development. We wanted a modern platform that we could expand with over time, so JetRuby Agency helped us choose React for the frontend and Ruby on Rails for the backend. The web app interacts with third parties and allows users to record, save, and replay videos in the application process. The web app went live about two weeks ago, and we’re currently working on new features.

What is the team composition?

We work with about six people: an account manager, a project manager, and four engineers.

How did you come to work with JetRuby Agency?

I'd worked with them at a different company before. At the time, we were evaluating 4–5 other vendors, but I was already comfortable with JetRuby Agency and confident in their skills. Plus, they asked questions about our project and took a sincere interest in what we wanted, unlike other companies.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in February 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I had some trusted colleagues look over JetRuby Agency’s work, and they said it was clean and up to date. They were highly impressed with the agency’s work.

How did JetRuby Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re incredibly organized and impressive. We’ve worked with a lot of other firms, and JetRuby agency is one of the best. It’s been such a positive experience. We not only have a project manager who understands the technical components of the product, but we also have an account manager who walks us through the business goals and problems. We have a phone meeting every week, and they always have questions and improvements for our project. We also use Slack to communicate, Pivotal Tracker for development, and Basecamp for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical skills are remarkable, but their communication and product management set them apart from other agencies. That can be a hard skill to develop, but JetRuby Agency has put a lot of time and resources into making it a strength.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. It's been such a great experience.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

JetRuby Agency is great for companies who don’t have full-time engineers on staff and need help both building a product and also strategizing in the early stages. They’re a great partner to bring on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I founded Slick Studio, a creative services studio that does visual research, ghostwriting, and treatment design for television and film creatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire JetRuby Agency LTD.?

We needed a fast and precise in-house video platform for our visual research.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a very complex search logic involving a customized information database.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We consulted with a few other agencies that could not fulfill our requirements. It was a very complex job, but JetRuby Agency LTD. told us they could do it. We hired them after reading reviews and evaluating their work.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They developed the custom platform using Ruby on Rails and React. The team now maintains and updates the tool.

What was the team composition?

The team includes two backend developers, two frontend developers, one tech lead, one QA specialist, and one project coordinator.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform was so good that we decided to scale the platform and share it with the world. We’re currently seeking angel investors.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

With an all in-house development team, JetRuby Agency LTD. provides effective and speedy service. Their communication skills are also great.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re quick and willing to take on complex challenges.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

The project’s design and branding components could have been better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder of Moments Inc. We are developing an app-based system linked with a wristband device, which will allow customers at a bar or club to easily pay for drinks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby?

We want a system that is intuitive and easy to use. We need an iOS and Android app for users to easily manage their funds, tipping, and spending. We also need a second iOS app for venues with a POS terminal to take in payments and disperse the funds.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the venue app, a big challenge of the project was to downsize current POS terminals that only operate on large computer screens or tablets to mobile devices. Using our designs, they developed the frontend and overall functionality to make processing transactions efficient for bartenders on mobile screens. They also developed an online web portal for the venue managers. For the user app, they focused more on visual aesthetics; Their team incorporated a simplistic design that's easier to use for intoxicated users. Currently, they’re beta testing app through a local event; We will soon be ready to formally launch on the app store.

What is the team composition?

We work with five of their employers including a project manager and developers.

How did you come to work with JetRuby?

I was recommended to them by a colleague of mine. We set up a meeting and connected with them right away. Their costs were far lower than a U.S. company's, but the quality the promised was on-par.

How much have you invested with them?

We estimate spending $80,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in November 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

JetRuby provides outstanding value and their price is exceptional compared to other vendors. Potential users (bartenders, managers, and customers) say the app looks great and functions well.

How did JetRuby perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Slack for daily communication and Google Hangouts for occasional video conferences. Our project manager is professional and regimented. He diligently records the number of hours each task takes and puts together their statement of work, which always updates us on the latest iteration. He clearly states the goals we're trying to achieve for each specific iteration. When we ask for additional designs or features, their team addresses the ways to add it without increasing the scope and budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In our first kickoff meeting, they were genuinely interested in the app we wanted to produce. They are a young team and our app appeals to their demographic, which makes it easier to work with them. Their team thoroughly understands the vast amount of information and requirements we throw at them. I am happy with how they adjust their approach to appeal to as a customer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no real complaints. Perhaps, the language barrier is a bit tricky at times, as their English translations on our app are sometimes wrong. Having someone a little more fluent in English to look over the grammar and vocabulary before it's released could save us time and money.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared with your design, mock-up, or wireframe before you start working with them. Show them how you want the sentence structure, exact words, and text displayed. This will save you a lot of time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is a social safety application that keeps college students safe while making college campuses safer. I’m the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby Agency?

When we were working with JetRuby, it was at a point when we were trying to develop our first rough MVP prototype of our mobile and web app as well as Bluetooth integration, which included firmware development between the mobile app and a Bluetooth-enabled device. We were also addressing specific user stories, all under a very tight budget. It wasn't just me going to them and saying, "I need to get this done," but more "What should I get done first?" Overall, it was a prototype creation process as well as development work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked on developing the web app first. That's developed in React, and it was a live-updating web dashboard that receives signals from the API of the mobile apps—it's like an integrated server software solution. The mobile app was coded in Objective-C for iOS and had to communicate with the dashboard. Those were the two main rough prototypes that we put together. We focused on getting the systems integrated first. Then we developed admin databases and user experience into the mobile app and web dashboard. I worked with them to go through user stories and figure out what specific features I wanted first, and what I could fit within my budget. They were super helpful because they outlined what it would take to get to a certain feature or product, and we could go through an outline, specifically "must-haves" and "good-to-haves," and what would need to be included on the next project development sprint.

How did you come to work with JetRuby Agency?

I'm in the Northeastern Venture Accelerator Program, and JetRuby came highly recommended from another company called LinkSquare. I know that when I was going into outsourcing the prototype, I was very wary of entering a relationship at a point where the technical features were still not that thoroughly developed. I received a really great recommendation not just on the coding and the development work, but on the communication and relationship that JetRuby provides their customers. I reached out and started talking with Ivan [Linko], the CEO, about developing a relationship, and we started with the first development sprint. I was extremely happy with their work, and then we moved into a second one.

How much have you invested with JetRuby Agency?

It was less than $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began budget creation in February 2016. The first development sprint wrapped up in October 2016, and then the second one in April 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I came in having an idea and some mockups for an app. Now, less than a year later, I have a complete MVP of my network that I can demo, that I can data pilot, that's been approved by the App Store for me to launch on TestFlight, and for an unbelievable price that’s nothing like what I was quoted for in-house development or any other development firm. Also, it’s code that my CGO can work off of. It's not like we have to start from scratch—it's great quality code.

How did JetRuby Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

It was great. I experienced two project managers throughout my course with JetRuby. It was great because these people were the middlemen between me and the tech, and I had great communication with them. We worked with several trackers and had video calls to discuss development. I could email them. There was a time difference, which is one thing, but if the time zones lined up, I would get very quick responses, and bugs would be fixed post immediately. If it was taking more time to do something, I'd have visibility into everything that was happening with the app. Whenever I had a question, it would get answered, and whenever I wanted them to do something, they would do it.

I know I had at least three developers that I had a direct correspondence with who are the main leads who would troubleshoot the bugs for me, but the number of developers switched over from different development sprints. It would be great because then they would send me an email saying they fixed the bugs personally. It wouldn't be the project manager, but the exact developer.

They definitely met deadlines within those sprints. We went a little over budget in the second development sprint, but I felt that it was justified as everything came under the terms of our contract. Besides that, deadlines were very well set, and I knew what was taking longer or shorter than expected.

What did you find most impressive about JetRuby Agency?

The ability for me, a very early-stage venture, to come into a professional development agency to create a prototype under a very tight budget was a really important distinguisher. It's not just about delivering certain features; it’s about working together with JetRuby to know which user stories should and need to be included in an MVP. I only received very personal communication into what I should do first. It was almost like a guidance into how to create the best prototype for the best price. We really went into what it would take to develop prototypes that I wanted. A lot of development agencies don't really get into that; they just want a scope of work delivered to them right up front and don't really take the time to get into what should be done. They delivered that, which was vital to me, being a very early-stage venture. From there, it was really professional quality code that people look at now and say, "How did you get this done for the budget that you are allotted?" I think that's such a great situation for me to be in.

Are there any areas JetRuby Agency could improve?

I think they're already on this track, but standardizing the visibility into the actual specific tasks that are getting done every day. I'm not that much of a project manager and I didn't request that much visibility into the Pivotal Tracker. They did give me that, but in the first round, we didn't use it as much. In the second round, we used it more. For me, it was totally fine. I'm not sure exactly how they interact with their other clients, but having more visibility and a more standardized use of tools like Pivotal Tracker. If they want to scale to a more professional and later stage company for development, they're going to need that to be really well-developed. Then again, I don't know how they interacted with their later-stage clients, and it could have just been a situation for me that I was completely fine with

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Suggest It, a group messaging application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby Agency?

At that time, we had a lack of internal resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were developing the backend of an application that allows users to suggest events that are happening locally. It’s a social network forum application built on Ruby on Rails. They were able to build the product to our requirements with minimal bugs.

How did you come to work with JetRuby Agency?

Initially, we were working with another agency on our previous product. When we started building a new product, that agency referred us to JetRuby directly. Their backend developers had proven themselves to be competent on the first product, so we chose to keep them on for this product as well. We had also interviewed other agencies both onshore and offshore, but we knew JetRuby had expertise in Ruby on Rails.

How much have you invested with JetRuby Agency?

We will spend between $130,000 and $140,000 with JetRuby on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them on the newest project in August 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work is impressive, both on this project and the previous project. Their execution of the requirements has been flawless. We have not found a company that’s been able to execute that quality of code with as few issues as they have.

How did JetRuby Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a project manager who works alongside their project manager. There is a clear line of communication between the teams. They have video meetings once a week, and their project manager is available most hours of the day via Slack. They’re able to meet deadlines to our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about JetRuby Agency?

We have a very iterative product that’s continuously changing. I’m impressed by their ability to meet those changes on very short notice while keeping with deadlines. We enjoy working with them.

Are there any areas JetRuby Agency could improve?

We’ve worked with many outsourced development teams, and communication has always been a challenge. JetRuby has to deal with the same challenges and make sure that when the scope changes, the whole team knows. The communication and processes surrounding those situations can always be improved with any agency.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is Sparksfly Technologies and we are developing a solution for businesses to help them manage their social media footprint across various networks. We’ve developed a platform that enables aggregation and management of the social media platforms into a company’s strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby Agency?

We were pulling together many different APIs and policies. We needed a team that had a good grasp of integration. We needed someone who had a strong background in Ruby on Rails, which was the platform we chose.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed to build the enterprise foundation on Ruby on Rails. In the ideation phase, everyone was involved including JetRuby Agency. They were an integral part of the team because when we looked at building the Sparksfly app in both iOS and Android, we had to always keep an eye on the design with respect to the limitations of what it’s going to take to pull all of this data from various networks and present it in one consistent, unified, effective presentation to the user. It required a lot of detailed work, caching, and advanced preparation. As we moved to deployment, the challenge was to build an administrative backend that managed everything and was scalable. From there on out, we were adding networks, so we needed a scalable platform with an infinite number of capabilities. There was a lot of thought given to the database management and structure, and the ability to keep things organized so that they would scale appropriately.

How did you come to work with JetRuby Agency?

I found them through a referral from a design company that I was working with. The design company was using JetRuby for their own hard backend development. We started the design of this project with this company, and then as we started to build, we were introduced to JetRuby. They had to prove themselves every step of the way and that’s what they did.

How much have you invested with JetRuby Agency?

This information is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in March 2013, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The solution has supported over four million transactions on an annual basis with no problems.

How did JetRuby Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

The key to success in any project management is that you have to build a relationship with the product team. Because we’ve had a long-standing relationship, we’ve very good at it. They are very good at listening and working with your timeframes. We have some amazing people on our team and it has been a wonderful experience.

What did you find most impressive about JetRuby Agency?

Overall, their price is very fair. Their CEO, Ivan, is a great guy and very reasonable to work with.

Are there any areas JetRuby Agency could improve?

I don’t have anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Sortly, Inc, which offers an inventory solution for small businesses and consumers. It’s a very popular inventory app in the iOS store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JetRuby Agency?

There was no way for users to check their inventory on the web because we just had an iOS app. We needed to develop a web application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped me design the UX [user experience] of the site, and then they helped me execute the frontend. Our backend is coded in Ruby on Rails and they suggested we use a JavaScript framework for the frontend. The project was a collaborative effort. One of the project managers was also a product manager who really understood our product. She made many decisions and helped the designer, which saved me time. They both made suggestions as to what would make the product better. We started with just one engineer and the designer, and have scaled up to five engineers now. We hope to use them to help us with the iOS app in the future.

How did you come to work with JetRuby Agency?

I posted a job on Upwork and did my due diligence to research the companies that applied for the job. After my conversation with the CEO of JetRuby, he seemed very intelligent and experienced. He knows what he’s talking about, and I was impressed. They are experts in Ruby.

How much have you invested with JetRuby Agency?

We’ve spent between $50,000 and $200,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site is great and we’re getting rave reviews from our users. We hit our highest revenue last month; having a web presence has helped us grow. Until we hire someone in-house, JetRuby will be our go-to agency to run the engineering team.

How did JetRuby Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

I feel they need to master this area a bit more. The first PM [project manager] we had left the company and now we are on our third PM who is doing a good job. The engineers have been around and know the project well, but there’s been more turnover with the PM.

What did you find most impressive about JetRuby Agency?

They have very experienced developers when it comes to Ruby on Rails. With an inventory app, it’s absolutely critical that the backend system works reliably because of all the data going in and out. I was hesitant to hand the project off because of that, but now I don’t deal with it at all. The team handles it perfectly and they’re improving it.

Are there any areas JetRuby Agency could improve?

They need to set down a good process for what a project manager does. They still lack a full-time in-house design resource, so I believe they need to hire more designers to hone that skill.