MLSDev

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

We’ve recently launched a new version of Idana thanks to the software MLSDev developed. The website is relatively new, so our access to user feedback is limited at this time. However, the results of our internal testing efforts indicate positive feedback regarding the platform’s overall design and usability.

How did MLSDev perform from a project management standpoint?

We required them to carefully track their time and use the same project management tools as we do. This includes Jira, GitHub, and Travis CI. They further accommodated us by using Telegram and Google Meet instead of Skype. We held weekly meetings to review the project’s status, conduct sprint retrospectives, and plan the next sprint. Overall, they perform exceptionally well from a communication standpoint.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re transparent with how they approach each development task. I appreciate the ability to communicate directly with their team members. If we suggested a change they didn’t agree with, they stood up for themselves and made counterarguments. This made us reevaluate our decisions on several occasions, but they ultimately respected our requests and recognized us as a client. They’re professional, reliable, and creative. We made the right choice by working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They do an excellent job and provide a valuable service.

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

We have about three million users on our web platform, and we’ve managed to successfully engage about 120,000 monthly active users on the app. We consider that a successful collaboration.

As far as quality, currently, our Android app is several rolling releases ahead of the iOS app, so we’re attempting to solve that issue in-house.

How did MLSDev perform from a project management standpoint?

When we first engaged them, they did really well because the work was well defined and very contained. When we engaged them again to continue working on our apps, it was more challenging because the business requirements and hence backend API kept evolving. When the scope of the project is very clear, the API is stable and well documented, and the requirements don't have a high complexity, MLSDev works very well. They are able to give close estimates and work to that target. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our initial partnership with them went really well. They gave us pretty good work on deadline at the estimated budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The first issue we had was when we switched over to scrum and tried to integrate MLSDev into our team. Where MLSDev has issues is generally when the scope becomes ambiguous - the API and business requirements are a work in progress and constantly evolving. Also, it's challenging for them to work on a staff augmentation model where MLSDev has to integrate into the client's processes. MLSDev really has its own processes - project management tools, internal build systems, etc. They work very well as a standalone team with few dependencies. 

The second and larger issue was their pricing model. They unexpectedly raised our rates because they claimed they were doing our project management for free and we were now expected to pay for that. We didn’t think that was appropriate, given we had worked with them for over a year and project management had always been included in our rate. Their pricing adjustment made them no longer competitive as we could afford to hire in-house development staff for the same price.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have a very well-defined project and timeline, with few dependencies on your internal team, MLSDev works wonderfully well. But if your project is evolving rapidly, or you need a team to augment your own, it's a bit more challenging. 

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

The problem we’ve had is that we’re a regulated business, so we’re not allowed to push out the apps until they’re approved. We have tested the apps, and MLSDevs have tested the apps. Technically, the apps work well. We’ll see how consumers perceive them in the fall.

How did MLSDevs perform from a project management standpoint?

I touched base with MLSDevs every week or so. My point of contact was the CEO. They had two and sometimes three developers. We developed the UX and UI of the apps ourselves, and then MLSDevs had a guy who kind of went through it and refined it a bit. They had some QA on their end, a project manager, some sales representatives, and then a product leader that changed in between. MLSDevs was also on-site with our developers to fix all of the nitty gritty details. I think the daily contact was on Skype or Google Hangouts, and I believe they used Trello for the project management.

What did you find most impressive about MLSDevs?

We liked MLSDevs a lot. They’re very rigorous. We had worked with other Ukrainian developers on the backend, and we eventually dropped them. I think MLSDevs has enough senior resources on their team. They’re a bit more expensive, but that means their quality is much higher. We’re very happy with MLSDevs. They’re very good and professional.

Are there any areas MLSDevs could improve?

We experienced some friction at the start, because I think MLSDevs had the impression that ours was a fixed-cost project, and they had to stick to the general budget and spec we had agreed to. We were telling them that it’s impossible to stick to spec 100%, and we needed them to work with a bit more agility. Then we had a good talk with the CEO, and we talked to the project managers and told them that it’s good that they were well-structured and tried to meet the spec price, but that they also needed to be adaptable to our needs. I think everything went well after that heated discussion. I think the problem was well-intended from their side, because they wanted to keep to the budget, but I think we should have had more detailed discussions so that we could keep working together to make the project as good as we could make it.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with MLSDevs?

I think what worked well is that, after the fight, I scheduled a short call with the CEO every second or third week or so. I think that was quite helpful. They’re good, quality-oriented developers.