Octobot

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

We got excellent internal feedback. Everyone in the agency loved the way it looked and functioned, which I largely attributed to Octobot’s attention to detail. They implemented our visual designs at a high fidelity. When we ran into issues, Octobot proactively suggested alternative solutions and enhancements, which we implemented quickly.

We supplied wireframes, designs, animations, and other pieces of functionality for visual implementation. Once we started development, some of those elements proved impractical or simply clunky. Octobot usually brought those situations to us with a potential solution and an estimate of how long its implementation would take. Working with them was exceptionally valuable.

In many cases, their alternative solutions were excellent fixes. Our team could have devised them on their own, but the fact that Octobot could make those suggestions was indispensable. They already had roadmaps for building them, which expedited their path. 

How did Octobot perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good partners, and flexible with the changes we dictated. We used to communicate with them on Slack. When our company shifted away from it, Octobot didn’t skip a beat. We continued to use email and other tools. 

We gave their co-founder access to Workfront, our internal workflow management tool. He seamlessly communicated through that tool, using it in coordination with Octobot's internal project management tools. It was great to have their co-founder as a local resource. We got the best of both worlds, with face-to-face conversations to hash things out, plus all the benefits of a remote team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their key strengths were their flexibility and ability to execute whatever we threw at them, often on very tight timelines. They never failed to deliver what we asked for within a reasonable amount of time, even if it was beyond our initial goal. They were either early, on time, or gave us a heads-up that they couldn't meet a deadline. They were always upfront about the feasibility of those timelines and deliveries. They often hit deadlines early, which was always a bonus.

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

After we went live, if there were any issues they reacted very quickly. The feedback has been very positive. Our operators are not very tech savvy and they found the new software to be more user-friendly and better for productivity. Before, scanning would take 30–45 seconds per barcode when doing the shipping. Now it’s immediate, and it’s the same for the inventory. We now save one FTE [full-time equivalent] per year.

The system is also more stable and reliable. I feel more comfortable looking at the data and not having to work out if the information is correct. Before the system, we had some downtime where users were experiencing freezing and frustration with the software. Now that’s gone.

How did Octobot perform from a project management standpoint?

They were hitting the deadlines throughout. They have a project management tool they use for the sprints, which I thought was very good. We had a weekly call and had open communication at all times. If there are any issues, we would Skype or FaceTime to get things going. We would send them videos, they could look, and work around any issues. We have a time difference, and if they have to work later hours they did. I was very pleased with that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Usually, there’s a big disconnect between the programmer side and the business side. Octobot took time to understand the pain points that I had and how my business works. We are in the food industry so products expire and there are different measurements we use. One of the team came from Uruguay to spend some time with us to understand our business. They understood the business side and were able to provide different ways to do things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they could continue to tighten up the weekly deliverables in order to keep their promises.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure they use the sprints. This was the first time that I dealt with a developer that did. I found that it worked very well for us.

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

People have been very impressed with our platform, and have requested introductions to Octobot’s team. They took the software to the net level, creating a sleek design and plugging in different types of modules. I’ve received many compliments.

How did Octobot perform from a project management standpoint?

I couldn’t be happier with Octobot’s team. They’re a pleasure to work with, and we even cracked jokes during our meetings. It wasn’t a dry collaboration; Octobot was in it as much as I was, and it was important to see that passion from the people I was working with.

I was trained on the development process, and got onto the same project tracker as the team. When I identified a bug, I put it in, and we developed a very good rhythm. We’ve been using the django-project-management application, through which I can give overviews of the app by myself.

My husband and I visited Octobot in Uruguay, and we’ve been impressed with their office space. They also surprised us by having the CEO and three other team members come to our office in order to help us with the demo phase.

What did you find most impressive about Octobot?

My husband and I have been very impressed with the work provided by Octobot, and we treat them more as partners, which is hard to find when outsourcing developers. They have been our team since the beginning, and I strongly appreciate their counsel regarding how to make the app better and lessons learned. Instead of just doing what we’re asking them to do, Octobot has given them that extra layer which we hope to see with any third-party partner.

Are there any areas Octobot could improve?

There were issues here and there, but their project management was very professional. Given what downsides could have occurred, I have no complaints. We were given results for testing in order to eliminate any issues later on.

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

Having had the same dev shop from the beginning has allowed us to find a good rhythm, and I strongly recommend that others find the same kind of partner. There is a lot of added value in sticking with one team.

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

We wanted to create an MVP [minimum viable product] in time for a tech conference. Octobot created a working app which we could run from a phone, rather than an animated proof-of-concept. It allowed us to get a lot more attention, and gain leverage in our negotiations.

We had a technical difficulty before a meeting with Women's Health magazine, and it was critical that we got the app working properly. Even though I was in New York, while Octobot's team was in Uruguay, they were there for us, making the app work minutes before we walked into the meeting. That sense of reliability showed us that we weren't simply outsourcing a project, but bringing in a group of people who would have our backs. Octobot has incredible communication and accessibility, especially in the case of our two partners from their team.

Right now, we are in the beta-testing mode for the app. The best measures I can provide are regarding response and execution rate. Octobot has been very good at achieving our goals and handling unexpected circumstances. The team has been able to solve any problems which popped-up within the course of a week, on average.

Our app works with a specific bike mount, and we needed to add GoPro camera integration to the app. Within one week, Octobot delivered a prototype. Whenever we have a new demo, we're impressed by their work.

How did Octobot perform from a project management standpoint?

We almost have daily communication, and we try to have a full review of our achievements once per week. This gives me a good feeling over the collaboration.

Our project doesn't always involve building fully functional solutions from the start. We may look at proofing a particular feature, and within a week Octobot will deliver a result which we can test.

Octobot has Scrum management for the team, which is extremely effective. The group is very organized, working based on roadmaps and feature-breakdowns. They've pushed us at the same time to conform to the same organization.

Communication is mainly done through Slack, but we also have Google Hangouts sessions and in-person meetings. The relationship with Octobot is personal and approachable. The group isn't very bureaucratic, but they're still very organized. This allows us to brainstorm during every session, conceptualize, and take the app to an actual successful result.

What did you find most impressive about Octobot?

Octobot has helped us understand what was or wasn't possible. Even though we could unleash our imagination and bring new ideas to the table, Octobot always knew how to manage our expectations, which is important. Octobot never said no to anything, but they still let us know what our limitations were. Their abilities regarding software development are very strong. Octobot has been able to manage any challenge we put up, giving us good time estimates. They're also good at providing alternatives which may provide the same results regarding UX.

Are there any areas Octobot could improve?

Every startup will want to spend as little as possible, and Octobot is not the cheapest software development company out there. In general terms, we've never had a real issue, though. Any situations we've encountered in the past, like moving from email to Slack, were always improved on-the-spot. Keeping up with bugs and fixes proved to be difficult recently. We had a single channel on Slack for discussing bugs, but we've made a dashboard on which we upload videos, pictures, and descriptions of particular bugs.

It's not always the best to work with a team from another city, but we have overcome these things through technology. We couldn't be happier with Octobot. It may sound too good to be true, but it's the reason we've kept working with Octobot, even though we found cheaper solutions on the market.