Keenethics

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a co-founder of a marketing startup. The company revolves around a software solution that forecasts trends for retails and provides data-driven advice. The solution is a web and mobile app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KeenEthics?

We’ve addressed KeenEthics to support us to create an application from scratch. The project started with a UX/UI phase, and after a year-long pause, ended up with the development of the responsive web and mobile app for iOS and Android.

What were your goals for this project?

We aimed at a software solution that fits the needs of fashionistas and marketers. The solution consists of a well-rounded user interface and a sophisticated algorithm providing retailers with inspiration and fashion insights.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’ve selected KeenEthics based on their outstanding and relevant experience with different algorithms for software solutions. They focused on delivering results and were eager to start this long-term project. Also they consulted us with important informations and experiences even if the needed resources have been outside their portfolio.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Confidential!

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of a dedicated developer and a reliable project manager. Just to be on the safe side, we also requested quality control services. However, the code was good enough, even without the QC.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The startup is currently on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will be up and running as soon as the market horizon clears out. I’m counting on a good start with the software solution developed by KeenEthics.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The KeenEthics team was ready to go the extra mile to make everything work. The workflow was slightly difficult at the start, but it is polished to perfection now.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I loved working with my last dedicated developer Yaryna. She was a real lifesaver when the things came to development. She cracked issues like nuts and offered new and interesting features.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I’ve been working with KeenEthics since 2017, and they grew impressively since then. KeenEthics is great in comparison with other Ukrainian software development companies. They have decent project managers and very proactive developers. It’s always nice to work with developers who can solve your issues before you even anticipate them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Director of Production at StoryTerrace — a ghostwriting platform. We connect professional writers, editors, and people who need help with writing their book. Here, a person can find a suitable writer, organize and conduct interviews with them to share ideas and discuss the contents of the future book, review the book while it’s still in progress, choose illustrations and design, and finally, have it printed and delivered to their door.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KeenEthics?

KeenEthics helped us develop the web platform for StoryTerrace since the very beginning. They developed both frontend and backend of our system using the means of JavaScript.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to make a convenient and responsive platform, which would make book writing easier for every user. At the same time, we pursued security since users entrusted us with their data, and we could not afford to have these data compromised.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A partner of StoryTerrace recommended us to hire KeenEthics. He was very satisfied with their performance, so we decided to give it a try. I am happy to say that we did not regret this decision.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

StoryTerrace is a ghostwriting platform. A user who wants to write a book but needs help doing it selects a writer. Then, they conduct interviews to share ideas and work together on the book contents. After that, the writer works on a book and the user reviews it on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, the user can upload pictures to include them as illustration or cover. After the book contents are ready, the book is worked upon by editors and designers. Once the user is satisfied with the final result, the book is printed and delivered to their doorstep.

What was the team composition?

The team composition included 1 PM, 1 QA, and 3 full-stack JS developers from the side of KeenEthics.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is already up and running. We have successfully implemented the idea and now are busy promoting it.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

In a software partner, I value liability, trustworthiness, and transparency the most. I can say that all three are present in KeenEthics. Our work was effective, and we definitely demonstrated a great deal of progress as the project grew larger.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most valuable thing about KeenEthics is their attitude, both to partners and to employees. Our cooperation has never been stained by conflicts or mistrust. By contrast, it was very transparent, friendly, and thus, effective.

Are there any areas for improvement?

At the very beginning, we failed to grasp the bigger picture of the project. The briefing should have been more profound and careful.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Co-founder and investor at an on-prem, open-source chatbot building platform for businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KeenEthics?

We hired Keenethics to help us develop bots and platform functionality in general but particularly for help in delivering professional services to our customers.

What were your goals for this project?

To provide our customers with high quality chatbots at a reasonable price.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A friend of ours recommended KeenEthics to me.

Describe the project in detail.

Besides contributing to the open source core, the main projects that Keenethics worked on where multi-language customer service chatbots for a number of government departments that had heavy integration with internal systems.

What was the team composition?

We mainly employed developers and testers (probably 4 devs and 2 testers over the period) and also a designer. From our side we had various staff involved, the main one being the business analyst.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have achieved everything we planned, and the various chatbots are live. The open source contributions the did are part of the open source core.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our cooperation was effective and productive, we engaged in a lot of discussions on how to improve the software we were developing during the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The commitment and willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It's hard to think of something obvious, occasionally there was code that was released and not tested but not a major issue.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of Condofy, a condominium management platform. Condofy is revolutionizing the way that apartment residents, building managers and service providers engage with their communities. We offer end to end Home Owner Association services through an intelligent platform. For building managers, we provide financial services, legal advisory, human resources and payroll services. For residents and home owners, we provide tools to help communication, B2C service providers and amenities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KeenEthics?

The project itself is a sophisticated management system that helps running a condominium. It connects property owners, managers, and tenants in a friendly ecosystem where everyone can get more for less effort. The system has lots of integrations with third-party services for all sorts of usage: from issue tracking to financial interactions. I came to KeenEthics in order to implement in code the idea I had visualized. They used JavaScript for both front- and back-end development.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to build a system where lots of integrations add to each other seamlessly resulting in a great experience for the end-user. As a start-up, you are always looking for ways to get the most bang for your buck. The development had to be fast yet with good quality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I selected KeenEthics because their experience in web development is impressive. The communication is seamless, and their honest attitude is what makes them stand out among other software development agencies.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

It is a web platform for property owners and tenants to communicate and cooperate. Built with JavaScript, it turned out to be highly responsive and performant. It offers a unique solution for condominium management and delivers it in a highly effective manner.

What was the team composition?

The team composition was dynamic as we started with 3 Developers and a Project manager. When a design system was in place, the team was reduced to 2 full-stack developers for optimal cost management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is already on the web, I believe that the business idea was successfully implemented. At this point, we are considering ways to promote and scale our platform.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I enjoyed working with KeenEthics because of their openness, straightforwardness, and responsiveness. I fully trusted them, and I guess it is the primary reason why our project succeeded.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The ethical dimension of KeenEthics impressed me a lot. The way they treat partners and each other is unlike anything I have ever seen in any other company.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had some misunderstandings as for how back-end should be implemented, but, I guess, they stemmed from some miscommunication at the initial stages of the project

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of Ideal Role. Our chatbot starts conversations on company career sites to assist people in finding the right job. We help them understand the benefits the company can offer and answer any questions they may have. On the other hand, companies get more high-quality applications and a pipeline of talent for future roles.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Keenethics?

We hired Keenethics to create a well-designed web interface for the chatbot.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have an open, friendly, and easy-to-use web interface for the chatbot. Since the UI is a crucial part of my project, it had to be reliable, easy to customize, and visually appealing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I chose Keenethics based on their previous chatbot development experience. Plus, they were responsive, helpful, and friendly.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Keenethics did the frontend development of a web chatbot using the React framework. It communicates with the chatbot using the Microsoft bot framework Direct Line API 3.0.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a dedicated developer, a project manager, and a QA specialist from Keenethics.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Keenethics delivered exactly what I hoped for. The chatbot is up and running with excellent functionality. We’ve gotten positive feedback from test users about how easy it is to use.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team communicated with clarity, responded quickly, and clarified any questions I had.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As the name suggests, the Keenethics team was quite transparent. They listened and made sure they understood what I was trying to achieve, not just the features I wanted.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall, the project was great. However, it would have been good for them to explain the development stages and timeline in more detail. This would have helped manage my expectations from the start.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of an early-stage edtech company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Keenethics?

We hired Keenethics to help develop the UI/UX for our app and also a clickable prototype that we could share with customers

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to have a prototype that accomplished two purposes:

• Provide a guide for a team of developers to build the actual application. 
• Provide a demo for potential customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed a number of shops similar to Keenethics, and ultimately chose them for the combination of price, communication, past portfolio, and comfort with the team members

Describe the project in detail.

I started by sharing what it was that we were aiming to do, providing some sketches, and a list of screens I wanted to be developed. They provided me with estimated time to completion, and we set out to working. Over the course of the project, I was getting input from various potential customers and providing iterations back to the Keenethics team, and they updated the screens accordingly until we reached a final project that we were all excited about.

What was the team composition?

I primarily worked with a project manager and a designer. Most of my update calls included both of them, though sometimes I spoke only with the designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Once we had the clickable prototype in hand, our customers' understanding of our product increased significantly. We were able to help them visualize and conceptualize what it was we were doing for them. Also, since the designer provided components in Figma, our developers were able to quickly implement the designs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was generally quite effective, we had regular check-in calls, they kept me well informed when there were company holidays, and they were able to respond to our needs in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They adhered to the deadlines, scope, and cost projections while providing an end product that has been extremely valuable for us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Tools for communication - found that Hangouts Meet was not a satisfactory tool for us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a lab director for a small tech company based in the US. We create hardware and software products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Keenethics?

We engaged Keenethics to update an existing Electron app’s UI and bug reporting system. They also fixed bugs and built new features.

What were your goals for this project?

We had a roadmap of features that we wanted the updated app to include. We needed a partner to guides us through what is possible within the Electron framework.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched on Google for firms with expertise in Electron. After interviewing multiple vendors via email as well as phone and video calls, we settled on Keenethics.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Keenethics took over an existing code base. After taking the time to understand it, they improved and refactored the code. The team then built new features in response to user feedback. Key features include saving files to a user’s local machine and an automated bug and crash reporting system to improve our feedback mechanisms and how users share information with us.

What was the team composition?

We collaborated with a business development team at the kickoff; now, we work with a developer who serves as our main point of contact and a project manager who handle invoicing and long-term planning.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Keenethics has so far transformed our prototype into a production-ready application. They also helped us move to a more automated system of bug and crash reporting from our users.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

At the project’s start, the project management team established a toolchain for communication, task reporting, invoicing and payment, QA, and other functions. All we needed to do was log in and get started. The toolchain, as well as the developer’s consistent and direct communication, work effectively; we rarely need to bring in the project manager.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Keenethics is highly flexible. They worked with us even when we lacked a complete budget and timeline for the project at first. When a change in developers occurred, they oversaw a seamless transition. The developers we have worked with complete tasks quickly without sacrificing quality. They get to work on features as soon as they process our requests, and they remind us when features are ready for QA that we may have forgotten about, showing both initiative and diligence in completing this project. Overall, the team is highly professional; they communicate clearly and produce high-quality code.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the COO and co-founder of WorldLabs. It is a one-stop collaboration platform that simplifies how organizations engage with their members, while simultaneously tapping into a global community of innovators.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Keenethics?

We are creating a comprehensive web platform with limited resources, so we needed to rely on a highly efficient yet small team.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a platform with quality code that is reliable and scalable with the specs we defined.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Keenethics completed our trial period. They were ideal as a software development partner, giving us the additional resources we needed.

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

Keenethics provides software development and QA services.

What was the team composition?

Their team includes a project manager, various developers, and a QA tester.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Keenethics is instrumental in the development and launch of our project providing all the resources we need.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their dedicated project manager makes sure that all tasks are efficiently coordinated. The communication runs smoothly between our companies.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Keenethics delivers the required tasks within the time frame and at high quality. Their expertise in software development and their dedication to our company has helped WorldLabs launch a fully functional product. Keenethics’ cost-effective and hands-on approach was an integral part of our early growth.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

There’s nothing to mention at this point.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the technical lead at Isapiens srl, an e-learning company. We provide services to corporations in Italy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Keenethics?

Our one-developer team needed extra resources to meet three deadlines for building a software application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a partially-developed application that collected information from a learning management system and displayed it in a dashboard for clients to read, modify, and extract reports from. Before Keenethics became involved, the app had back- and frontend basis, a small dashboard, and a project page. Keenethics added more features and pages. They built and helped launch a training progress page that shows each student’s progress and a general overview of Italy’s geographical regions. They also implemented a system to track how each administrator creates or modifies information.

Keenethics developed the application in Node.js. The backend—built on Express.js—functions as an API and is completed divided from the frontend—built on Angular.js 5. The app uses modules such as Passport.js for authentication among other functions.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with 2–3 developers depending on the project’s needs.

How did you come to work with Keenethics?

We found them by posting a job offer on Upwork. We narrowed 50–60 proposals down to four companies. Keenethics was close to our time zone, and their team of developers and project managers provided valuable insights into how the project should continue.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Keenethics team performed well alongside our internal team. Their intermediate developers produced high-quality code and efficient scripts that emphasized the app’s performance.

How did Keenethics perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was highly accessible and responded to any inquiries within 30 minutes. We communicated and held meetings via Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Keenethics accommodated two weeks of 10–12-hour days to help us meet our strict deadlines. They truly invested themselves in the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They write clear code, but it could use more comments.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Because I had a technical background, I interfaced directly with developers rather than with the project manager. Keenethics made the process simple for me, but their project managers are excellent if you prefer a more traditional approach.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a founder of BankerAdvisor, which is a website and ratings platform aimed at the investment banking and banking industries that is in many ways similar to Clutch. We hope to be live within the next 30 days.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KeenEthics?

I hired KeenEthics to create the platform that would function as the core part of our business. My background is in finance, and although I understood the company I wanted to build and the type of website and application I wanted, we needed additional technical resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BankerAdvisor is intended to be a comprehensive directory and review application for learning about investment banking and merger and acquisition advisory firms. At the beginning, I provided KeenEthics with a detailed specifications document from which they then worked. They managed the user interface design and branding, as well as the app development. One vital feature that we requested specifically was a multi-varied search capability, which needed to include the use of tags for industry sector experiences and the nature of services for search refining purposes. We also wanted a way to provide prioritization for premium app registrants versus basic registrants in the database. They did their work using Node.js on the backend and JavaScript and HTML5 on the frontend.

The project is not yet finished, although phase one is close to being complete. I have already written the specification document for phase two, to which I have added commercial banking and investment management to the initial minimum viable offering. The plan is to slowly expand our range of offerings as our user base grows, so we are currently planning ahead, and I intend to keep KeenEthics on board for this further work.

What is the team composition?

Our primary code team involved three people—Yura G., our primary full stack developer; Alina K.; and Vlad O.—and our UI team involved at least two designers at any given time.

How did you come to work with KeenEthics?

When I was ready to begin the project, I conducted a series of interviews with development shops and found the KeenEthics team. Since I did not want to deal with fielding responses from a wide variety of firms, I emailed them directly to ask if they had the requisite skills for which I had been searching. KeenEthics fit the skillset in the particular technology stack I wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we have invested US$30,000, but we plan on spending another US$10,000-20,000 depending on the progress of phase two.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged their services in May of 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the project is not yet finished, we do not have any concrete metrics to demonstrate the impact. However, I am very pleased with both the site and the app’s functionality.

How did KeenEthics perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed extremely well in terms of communication and working with the project manager on invoicing and understanding changes as the work progressed. From my perspective, they did an excellent job of setting expectations. I was often to blame for scope expansion, and how they adjusted and responded to the changes was excellent. We communicated primarily through email correspondence, although we also used Skype for video conferencing and Google Docs. Our regular work schedule involved weekly appointments to touch base with KeenEthics, and in between they were very responsive through both email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I found their sophistication on technology and keen business judgment particularly impressive, especially for a younger organization. The code itself has been very reliable, tight, and reflective of their knowledge of the technology stack and of coding best practices. They have been patient working with a non-product manager who is a domain expert but not a product management or product design expert. Additionally, their command of the English language truly blew me away. The language difference has been a complete non-issue in working with KeenEthics.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are fairly understated in their skills versus their profile. Since I believe that this firm is going to grow, my recommendation to them would be to get the word out about themselves more effectively.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Writing a detailed specification about a project and boiling down precisely what you do will make it a lot easier for the development team and project manager to understand what your goals are for the collaboration.