LITSLINK

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of the company, responsible for the development of our product. We are an EdTech company, teaching financial literacy through games.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LITSLINK?

We had a beta version of our game built in Construct 2, and needed to transfer it to Unity. We didn't have enough experience with Unity on our team, so we needed someone with more experience to help us build the project from scratch.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched on Upwork for Unity developers and shortlisted a few. After interviewing them, we chose LITSLINK based on their past projects and cost estimate.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We started out with a shorter version and extended the project as we went along. We only needed the Unity developer at first, as we had the graphics and design provided by us. The developer was responsible for everything on the Unity side, from scene and prefab creation and architecture, to cross-platform capabilities.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We started out with one programmer which was managed by us directly, and at later stages took on another temporary programmer for some necessary Web development for the program. They also provided us with senior programmers for advice and help on specific complex tasks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was slightly delayed, mostly because of our increasing scope. But we managed to test and deliver the first version on time, and is now being played by hundreds of students, with thousands more planned this year.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective as I was allowed to work directly with the programmer. The tasks were handled in JIRA, and we talked on Slack daily. The developer made sure to keep us up to date with any delays or complications, and always checked that he was on schedule. The management team was always responsive and helpful with any request or questions we had during work.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were available for any question or request, and it felt like they always had skilled developers at the ready for any project.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Some of the team members did not speak English natively, and were not very practiced at speaking. The company and employees were aware of this, and although we were hesitant at first, it didn't hinder our progress in any way.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Mainframe Real Estate in Florida.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LITSLINK, and what were your goals?

Our company hired LITSLINK for the development of two custom application for real estate. One was for a back-end system and the other was for website application for consumers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I initially used LITSLINK for a design project only, but then started working with them for the development of our website application. I was so impressed that we then hired them for the back-end application as well.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They did a lot for our projects, including design, documentation, development, project management and more. Both projects had slightly different approaches, but LITSLINK had a very organized approach to how to manage each project in an organized manner.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We have worked with many people from their team including project managers, business analysts, designers, front-end developers, back-end developers, server specialists, and more. The great part about their team is that they have people that specialize in everything, even if you only need someone for a short period of time, like with our server set up, for example.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Both projects are currently in development, but we are very happy with the progress so far. The results of the work are exactly what we are looking for because their planning and communication are so good.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Constant communication is a big part of their work style, and we keep in touch through Slack and regular video meetings on Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Some other companies don't really listen, or ultimately want to follow their idea or path. LITSLINK has always made our vision and goals a priority. Their team works together so well.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Compared to other companies and developers, I think LITSLINK is top notch.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of an application for adults to meet in gamified classified advertising with 3D, AR, and metaverse functions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LITSLINK?

I needed help with frontend development in Unity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LITSLINK has provided support staff. We initially had a couple of meetings, and they told me they had the personnel to provide. They gave me a rate, and we agreed on a start date. I’ve worked with LITSLINK on the app’s challenges, and they’ve helped me resolve them.

They’ve worked on the metaverse side, which is an immersive 3D VR. They’ve also tested the network ability with our API, created a few trigger events, and produced a demonstration in third person so we could distribute it as a demo in console view. Additionally, LITSLINK has done other open-ended tasks, provided me with files for future use, and done timing on the transition screens.

What is the team composition?

I work with a mid-level Unity developer.

How did you come to work with LITSLINK?

I met them through LinkedIn and interviewed a few companies; the decision was between them and another company. When I needed the service, they had someone, and the other company didn’t. In the end, it came down to that.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in August 2022, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve dealt with four challenges and resolved all of them. Overall, they’ve done an excellent job.

How did LITSLINK perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve gone over budget by two weeks. However, it’s partly because they needed a two-week termination timeline, and we weren’t finished. I planned for six weeks, but the project went to eight. Since there was more work to do, it’s hard to say it was because of them.

Our main form of communication is Slack, and we’ve used Trello as an outline for the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re outstandingly professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they don’t need any improvements in their processes.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have outlines and work with the project manager and developer.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of a scholastic Sports & Activity software platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LITSLINK?

We hired Litslink to complete the rebranding of two software platforms we acquired written in PHP and Ruby to our branding.

SOLUTION

How did you select this agency and what were the deciding factors?

We sent an RFP to several firms and through discussion and review decide to go with Litslink.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They provided a full development team consisting of a PHP developer, a Ruby developer, a designer, a business analyst, and a project manager. Their first step was reviewing the platforms and formulating a plan for the rebranding. They then worked with our internal design team to lock down the UX/UI changes for each platform and page. They then executed on the project for several months. Finally, they supported the rollout of each rebranding.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

We sent an RFP to several vendors we had either worked with in the past or were recommended to us. We then met with each to assess their team and capabilities to deploy quickly. From there we went to legal to ensure we were adequately covered given the sensitive nature of our platform's data. Finally, we talked with the team and made and ultimate negotiation on price.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was shipped within two weeks of the original estimated timeline which was projected 6-months in advance. A 14 day miss on a nearly seven month long project is great in my experience.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective. There was daily communication between our team leads and week full team collaboration.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their ability to quickly swap talent if they were not meeting our expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No, there is not.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of engineering at Tembo Health. We’re a venture-backed startup out of New York City focused on the senior living healthcare space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LITSLINK?

We’ve done a number of projects with LITSLINK. Essentially, they’ve helped us build our internal dashboards and infrastructure. They’ve also developed our B2B customer-facing dashboard and apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LITSLINK developed our internal dashboard from scratch. Our teams iterated the development using an agile approach. They also helped design it along the way. To do these, we created high-level product requirement documents that they used as a starting point. 

After that, I gave them descriptions of what we wanted to do. We then worked with their product designer and came up with sketches that we showed to our team. From there, we iterated on the process and developed the product. 

At present, we’re still deep in the process. Our teams have essentially created dashboards to manage our end customers; we’ve also created dashboards that enable our customers to self-manage. On top of that, LITSLINK has helped us create apps that allow our customers to make urgent telemedicine care calls to us. Moreover, the team has also created software for our clinicians to receive those calls and visits. 

In terms of tech stacks, LITSLINK has used Vue.js for the development of a single-page app. They’ve also used Cypress for testing. Internally, they use Firebase in their testing environment; they also host their own development environment. Meanwhile, the designers use Figma.

What is the team composition?

We work with a product designer, a project manager, and a group of developers. The designer helps us with the UI/UX of the apps and dashboards. 

How did you come to work with LITSLINK?

I searched on a number of places, including Upwork and Clutch. I also used LITSLINK before on a small project. They were one of the finalists when we searched for vendors. We ended up going with them since they had the capabilities we needed; we also felt comfortable in their ability to execute what we were trying to accomplish. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $120,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have specific customer-facing metrics, but we’ve launched three apps in production with LITSLINK since July 2021. A fourth one is about to launch next week. Moreover, I’ve also signed some new customers.

How did LITSLINK perform from a project management standpoint?

LITSLINK’s project management has been great. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with them; frankly, I rely on them more than I thought I would. Our primary communication tool is Slack, and we also do Zoom meetings from time to time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team’s overall management and designs are impressive. I’ve worked with two of their designers, and I’m happy with both of them. On top of that, I’m also pleasantly surprised by their engineers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I initially didn’t like one of their original engineers. However, they quickly fixed that. 

To be fair, this thing often happens, especially since I’m picky. They’ve handled this situation well. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your expectations; be direct and explain what you’re looking for and what you need. Moreover, don’t try to outsmart yourself and be clever. Sometimes, when people try to hire a team, they try to be tricky about it. Instead of doing that, just pick out people that are competent — that’s it. There’s no silver bullet for hiring people. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a mobile application platform with a web app integration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LITSLINK?

We needed to have mobile and web apps developed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we provided LITSLINK with wireframes and documentation. The mobile app development had already started before they joined the project, and it was in the first stages, so they continued the development. They also developed the cloud-based backend web services from scratch and connected the mobile app and the cloud services.

The mobile app has been developed in React Native and is available for iOS and Android. The QA is handled in-house, but LITSLINK provides ongoing maintenance services, including adding features to the app.

What is the team composition?

We work with 3 people from LITSLINK: a frontend developer, a backend developer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with LITSLINK?

I found them on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $48,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around December 2019, and our engagement is ongoing. The app went live in September 2020, but we’re still working on some elements and adding new features.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

LITSLINK’s mobile development and backend solutions have been done in a professional manner.

How did LITSLINK perform from a project management standpoint?

LITSLINK does a good job of project management. We have access to the project manager and the developers, and we communicate via Slack, email, and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

LITSLINK is stable and consistent, and they have the ability to extend the size of their team when needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve included the project manager in their initial pricing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your specifications and requirements. The clearer you are, the better the project is going to be. Decide who the product owner is, as it will determine the approach taken.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of Product and Experience for a software development consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LITSLINK?

I needed to find a UI designer to translate my low-fidelity UX mockups into pixel-perfect UI designs.

SOLUTION

How did you select LITSLINK?

Selected this vendor after an extensive search. Their portfolio and experience on UpWork stood out from the crowd.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

To start I provided UX mockups, user stories, supporting research, a brand guide, and brand assets. From there we discussed the project and what I was trying to achieve. I provided guidance on what type of look and feel I was looking for based on existing work.

From there the team came back to us with UI designs and we have iterated on them as needed. Very smooth process.

How many resources from the LITSLINK team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two resources worked with us. One designer and one project manager. Both were fantastic to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is still in development internally, but the UI deliverables from the vendor exceed our expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Smooth as can be. They are on top of the project from a time management perspective, and we help them out by providing clear guidance/requirements.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The team is able to turn around the UI assets quite quick, and they have executed our vision perfectly.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an early-stage startup that helps caregivers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LITSLINK?

As we’re in the process of building a web application, we wanted to do the UI design for both our website and mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main service LITSLINK did for us was designing the UI of the web and mobile app. We had a mock-up of the design that showed us what the final product would look like. Our backend also had some API documentation, which they were able to use so that they didn’t have to do much research.

What is the team composition?

We had a two-person team. One of them was the project manager, and the other was the UI designer.

How did you come to work with LITSLINK?

We selected them through this website called Upwork. We wanted a team that had the technical knowledge of design that can be applied to the web and mobile platforms. We wanted a team that could understand the big picture, the app’s purpose, who our targets were, what our roadmap was, our budget, and so on. Additionally, we wanted a team that has good project management skills, and is efficient with managing their time.

We also required a company that could pull in experts to meetings if we needed feedback. On the interaction side, we wanted someone who was easy to work with and was flexible enough to work with our changing design requirements. Moreover, we needed someone with good English speaking skills and offered competitive pricing.

How much have you invested with them?

We went with an hourly contract and invested $5,130 in the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership ran from January–April 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

LITSLINK's design skills were very high quality. We had weekly meetings so we could keep track of what was going on, and it was very interactive. The overall quality of the partnership was very good.

How did LITSLINK perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was very good. They were able to plan ahead and bring in some experts for questions on the technology platform. We had weekly Zoom meetings where they would show us the progress of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed by the quality of their work and how they were very easy to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. They did exactly what we wanted them to do, and they were able to provide good ideas. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to give them as much information as you can, so that it’ll be easier for them to plan the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a founder of a startup venture.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire , and what were your goals?

I have started creating a state-of-the-art, SaaS recruiting platform based on a unique logic. The challenge is to implement custom ML solutions to accommodate the special logic around text parsing and analysis.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I have selected this vendor based on their experience in the area, their flexibility and ability to implement custom solutions within a favorable price-range.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Firstly we went over the project details, roadmap, identified key milestones and agreed deliverables. We have used several different technologies to build up the supporting database (Django), UI and Machine Learning algorithms (Python).

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

• 1 Account Manager
• 2 Python Developers
• 1 DB Developer
• 2 PMs

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Outcomes were up to the standards identified at the project start. With ML algorithms which are not "battle tested" and not easy to predict, we were able to achieve a strong success ratio upon user testing.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Communication and timeliness was always punctual, reliable and detailed.

Tools used:

• Upwork
• Drive
• Jira
• Trello

Regarding Business Analysis there were some gaps at the beginning in terms of thoroughness, however the company made up for it with flexibility throughout the development phase.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Flexibility, great communication, timeliness, ability to provide custom solutions in a timely manner.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

More thorough product analysis at the beginning and better project progress tracking.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the COO/Co-Founder of a startup company, based out of Silicon Valley.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LITSLINK?

Our AI taxonomy consists of an algorithm that puts together outfits based on a user’s activity style, local trends and climate.

SOLUTION

How did you select LITSLINK and what were the deciding factors?

Shortlisted 5 companies, and picked them due to their extensive experience with startups & AI

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Trained with quality and quantity data, our AI analyzes social feeds for past fashion data, checks out the customer demand and preferences to identify market trends.

How many resources from the LITSLINK team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with 3 AI engineers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After processing the data, the AI tool gives accurate details on trendy styles and outfits within seconds for accurate local fashion. (Normally this would otherwise take days or even months, and require many stylists.)

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very reliable team of experts, and amazing communication

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They have worked hard to produce high quality of work. fast turn-around

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We are super happy with them, and definitely continue working!