One Beyond

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the managing director of Movement Strategies, a leading people movement consultancy. We’ve recently expanded our business from consulting to offering a product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire DCSL Software?

We wanted a demo version of our product to showcase to potential customers and partners.

What were your goals for this project?

The delivery needed to minimize the risks of our MVP development, while also looking polished enough to impress potential clients. We wanted a demo that could run on laptops and iPads. Our goal was to sell our first product license.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by Andy (NED, Movement Strategies), who is also a NED for DSCL Software. We were impressed by the initial scoping workshop they ran, so we decided to contract with them for the demo.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did UX and backend design for the product, working to deliver a solution that would work efficiently across various platforms. Compatibility testing was a key part of the engagement.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Alexis (Technical Director, DCSL Software) and a development team, consisting of up to four people at times.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We sold our first product license using the demo that DCSL Software delivered in our sales pitch.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Alexis managed the project throughout its term. They met deadlines and budget targets.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They drew on their experience in previous projects to optimize our solution. We never had the sense that they were operating outside their expertise.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re completely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Fusion Lifestyle, which is a leisure trust. I'm the CTO. We provide leisure management services for small or local councils, authorities, and trusts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

We wanted a sleek solution for our users to join online. We didn't have anything in place before their involvement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met with them and built a specification document, then they did wireframing. Once that was complete, they built the website. We then had a testing phase before we launched. Any customer that wants to join our service can do so through the website. It’s a four-step process, which is much less complicated than our previous 15-step process. It allows customers to complete a direct debit and pay online, and there are a variety of membership options to choose from. They also integrated other important APIs into the site.

What is the team composition?

We had one point of contact who acted as our lead developer.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

They came to us through a recommendation from another company.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £15,000. (approximately $19,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2018. It was a short engagement, and the project was finished that December.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We increased our users joining the site by over 100%. My colleagues agree that the process was slick and DCSL shone throughout. If there's ever a crash or a bug, they address the issues quickly.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a ticketing system in place and they perform very well as project managers. We communicated primarily through email. They're very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The work they did on our APIs was critical to our success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. This was a very short project and they achieved a lot within a month.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Email them. I highly recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I lead product development for an investment firm that invests in early-stage founders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire GuideSmiths?

We needed an outside vendor to develop a product for founders to craft their pitch.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to launch the product by our deadline, write code that our in-house engineers could develop at a later date, and ensure the product behaved according to our designs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with them indirectly at a previous company and they were recommended by previous colleagues.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We provided the APIs, documentation, and design, and they built the project.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and two engineers. They wrote frontend code and our engineer wrote backend code and APIs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product launched on time and worked well. We discovered that maintenance would be more difficult than expected due to some technical decisions that GuideSmiths made, but we take shared responsibility because we didn’t look at the code early enough.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had an active daily Slack channel where we would communicate and file bugs and assign priorities in Github. They were very responsive through both channels.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Speed. They were able to start the project quickly and finished on time despite numerous design updates.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’d appreciate more communication with regard to their architecture decisions. They were focused on speed to hit our deadline, but ideally, we would have preferred more emphasis on long-term maintenance of the finished product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a health platform that shares consultants’ information across all the different places they work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

We’re a new business and needed someone to help develop our software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DCSL Software built our software from scratch, working from the concepts and parameters I provided. They collaborated with our internal team to create the product and make it as user friendly as possible. Instead of a medical practice having to learn about a consultant’s history through them, our software allows practices to share and track data amongst themselves. That means they get the whole picture of the consultant’s background, not just what they choose to share.

DCSL Software recently finished the software, and it’s been through the first round of bug testing. Within the next few months, we’ll start beta testing to work out any other issues. Once we’ve gone live, we plan on using DCSL Software for hosting and support.

What is the team composition?

We work with three people: a software developer and a senior and junior management member.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

We found them online. They were located nearby and had experience developing software for healthcare organizations, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between £50,000–£70,000 (approximately $64,800–$90,700 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They produced a platform that functions exactly as requested. It’s a forward-facing product that looks and works great.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We have regular meetings, and they keep me updated on progress. They happily address my concerns and collaborate with our team to optimize the partnership. We communicate via email and have face-to-face meetings as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They respond well to change and adjust their workflows to make our platform as good as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Stay engaged with the project so that the end product is actually what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business development manager for Richard Smythe Ltd., a fabricator of stone products such as kitchen and bathroom worktops and fireplaces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

We needed a partner to streamline our fireplace ordering process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave DCSL Software a brief to create a software system that would transfer our order processing from handwritten to online. The program does all of the frontend pricing; whenever we receive an order or quote request, we put the information into the system, and it generates a price that we send to the client. They can then confirm their order, which transfers the information to the factory production line. There, workers use a barcode and scanning system that allows us to monitor where the pieces are in the production line. We can also generate invoices through the program because DCSL Software integrated Sage Accounts into the platform.

What is the team composition?

We work with two main developers.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

We found them online. We met face-to-face, and it went well, so we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership began in June 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform works well and saves us lots of time. The speed and efficiency of our order processing has increased, and we’ve received positive feedback from users. If there are any bugs, they usually fix them within the same day.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via phone and email. If needed, we can meet in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The software is impressive and functions well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a large, independent equity research firm. Our clients include investment banks, hedge funds, and other investment firms. I am the head of IT and look after all our global technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

At the beginning of 2018, there was a huge regulatory change in Europe called MiFID II. It effects how firms like ours are paid. We needed to set up a transparent pricing structure and methodology that would fuel our client negotiations and comply with the new regulations. We didn’t have an internal development team and needed an outsourced partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a system to hold our pricing methodology. It has different levels of access and can be used by all our client-facing staff through the frontend. They helped us transfer our internal spreadsheets into something more technologically robust and shareable. They then helped us phase it, build it, test it, and deploy it.

We had to be reasonably prescriptive with internal hosting. We didn’t want a cloud-based system and already had some SQL servers and remote installation services at our disposal. It needed to link to our customer relationship management (CRM) system and support client phone calls. The CRM system is our nexus of client information. It pulls data to fuel the calculation process for pricing.

We also needed a clean UI that could display as much data as possible in a single, uncluttered screen. They put a lot of work into the design for that and we ended up with a top half that is filled with big headlines, figures, and numbers, while the bottom half is tabbed and set up to capture discreet information. Some people use it to consume information, others to input information, and still others to do both.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager and at least three technical resources. I’m not sure of the exact team size, but it was definitely between 4–6 individuals.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

We were looking for a development company near London, but outside the city to save on cost. We gave them our specifications and had a conversation about the scope and pricing for the project. They submitted a proposal and we went through a couple of workshops with them. They are an agile software development company, which was ideal for the changing requirements we faced. We liked what they offered and decided to use them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around £150,000 (approximately $191,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started around October 2017 and just went live in August 2018. They’re still working with us to make changes and provide maintenance and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were very involved with our CRM team, who are the real stakeholders in this project. They met all our requirements and built what we wanted. The new regulations changed a lot but they were willing to be fluid and get the project done. We were happy to work with an agile team who could work outside of a concrete requirements document and help us work out our needs and the technological capabilities. The user experience looks good and is fast and efficient.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well eventually. We had some issues at the start while we were establishing our reporting expectations. They admitted to some of their shortcomings and made changes. They took our feedback and we ultimately got what we wanted.

Their technical directors are always available and we could even talk to the owner. They were always willing to escalate issues and solve problems. They use an online tool to log bugs and figure them out. They’re also available via email and regularly came to our office every other week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They offer a very good value for the money. Their general approach is strong and they produced what we wanted. They tackled the changing requirements without any difficulty and helped us achieve our goals. They also helped determine what we wanted to do within our limited budget and schedule. We had a lot of things we wanted to accomplish but they helped us prioritize.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only issues we had were with project management and the organization of the project. They improved those issues and were a lot better by the end.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be completely clear about the areas of responsibility between you and them, especially with regard to reporting, progress updates, and the breakdown of work. We expected more than they originally delivered, but they eventually got to where we needed them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Chief Actuary for a large international insurance company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

Part of our operation is writing reinsurance business, which involves recording policy and claim information and performing a series of calculations for specific outputs such as regulatory and financial reporting. This has historically been done in spreadsheets via a system with two separate parts, one for data collection and one for calculation. We have a tool for calculations but I wanted a modern frontend for the data capture. We needed a web-based solution to accommodate staff based around the world.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DCSL built us a web-based application for the data capture. I built a mockup using Excel that I handed off to DCSL to build the prototype, which I signed-off on before the build (in .NET) was started. They delivered the first code, I tested it, and they made my required changes.

The functionality includes frontend security with a login and different ways in which to both view and upload data. The website consists of numerous screens to input data in a structured fashion with a clean and modern interface. Unstructured data such as PDFs of contracts, Excel files of analysis, and any other related information can be dragged and dropped to upload to the database for quick retrieval. I was also looking for a specific way to ensure version control by applying updates to the database that is different to how web-based databases traditionally work. That involved a bit of back and forth to get right.

They’ve completed the core functionality. We had a working version last month. They’re now tweaking the design based on our tests and feedback, including fonts and layout aspects. We should have a final version very soon. Once the project is finished, we’ll take over the code to maintain it ourselves.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with the lead developer who was my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

I searched online for firms that had done something quite similar before. I looked at a couple of vendors include DCSL. I reached out to them and had an initial meeting during which I described what I wanted done and we discussed similar projects they’d done. They had specific experience with database integration and management. Based on the conversations I had with them, I felt that they’d be able to build what I wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

Approximately 30K GBP. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The work started in January of this year and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Historically, all of our information was spread across different places – people’s emails, on the network, on local drives. We now have the ability to keep everything together. We also have clear indications that this system will be much quicker at producing financial statements, retrieving data, and auditing figures because all the data is captured in one place.

The feedback has been very positive from the people that have used it so far. It's working very well. I'm happy with the outcome.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I met with the managing director during the procurement phase and the lead developer for an initial discussion to go through the mockup. After that, we spoke via phone.

They were quite hands-off after I gave them the mockup. We didn’t have a strict timetable or schedule for communication but the turnaround was very quick on both the initial build and on making any changes that were required.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very good. They were quick to reply to emails and to deliver outputs. It’s the level of work I would have expected.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend as much time on the prototype as possible. In retrospect, I would have taken a break of two to three weeks between building the prototype and going into full development. That would have allowed me to review and reflect on the prototype more. There were changes that came to mind mid-development that would have been better to catch before that phase.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

We didn’t have the necessary internal resources, so we used DCSL developers to create a user interface that would enable different parties to interact with and see the progress of property transactions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Based on the framework we provided, DCSL provided UX mockups and created software where users can log on, view various properties on a building site, what stage of development the properties are in, whether they have been sold and a mortgage established, and who the lawyer involved in the interaction is—if there is a lawyer. Throughout the project, they used Agile methodologies. I’m not sure on the technologies they used, but I believe developers used SQL, .NET, and probably model–view–controllers (MVCs).

What is the team composition?

We had a dedicated tech lead who had a team of three or four developers.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

I found them during my research and decided to meet with them. In the meeting, we discussed the project and their work in the past. Afterward, I contacted three of their previous customers to confirm the value of their services.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together December 2017 and are now in the second stage of ongoing development work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The interface was tested internally by our QA team, who found nothing wrong with the code. The software hasn’t been fully rolled–out but users that have interacted with it have been very pleased with its functionality and appearance. By delivering the product to users on time, we’ve seen productivity gains.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Since our offices are fairly close, we were able to meet face–to–face at least three or four times and outside of those interactions they were also very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What mattered the most to us and made the biggest impact was that they delivered exactly what they had promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any advice or guidance for them. Our project was relatively short and we were happy with the results.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide detailed specifications at the beginning of the project and keep regular communication throughout. That should result in success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

iMPACT provides outcome management software. Our software evidences change over time and allows bespoke creation of key performance indicators to track performance. It is typically used within the health industry to prove outcomes from health intervention programmes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL Software?

As a business, we wanted to break into the emerging health market. Our challenge was to do this without disrupting the development roadmap of our existing development team. Taking developers off our existing product range would have meant not delivering expectations to our existing customer base. Working with DCSL gave us the opportunity to launch a new product, within a new domain, without impacting on our pre-existing development goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DCSL provided us with a one-stop shop that would build out an agreed specification, develop, test and build the new iMPACT software.  Once the software was delivered, they provided a hosted platform for our clients.  They were integral in the design and specification of iMPACT.  Together with the product manager, a full specification was drawn together based on detailed wireframes, a process that ultimately formed a waterfall specification document, backed up by a fully operable wireframe.  

What is the team dynamic?

Whilst the specification process was waterfall, the delivery was agile. DCSL provided a dedicated development team led by the technical director and backed up with 3 developers and a dedicated QA. End of sprint demos were provided, with bug lists being created for correction within the next sprint. Each demo was checked against the specification document to ensure correct performance.

How did you come to work with DCSL Software?

DCSL came to our attention as the author of a bespoke system being used by one of our clients. We engaged with both DCSL and our mutual client to design and create a new commercial software product.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was signed off in April 2017. Since then DCSL has continued to provide second line support for the software, and development support to resolve bugs. In addition, we have engaged DCSL further in a couple of small enhancement projects to further improve the software.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We ended the project with a deliverable that was as close to finished as possible. It was a project that we were able to take directly to market. We’ve gone from 1 to 5 clients in the past 18 months. We started 2017 with only 2 clients, but now we’re going to finish the year with 5. We expect to grow even more next year.

The sponsor client has grown from running two contracts to 9 contracts, each delivering a range of right now from the outset. They’re one of the largest deliverers of intervention programs in the U.K., so we needed to deliver a complete solution to the market.

How did DCSL Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the project (from specification to delivery) we were allocated a dedicated team and a dedicated individual to lead the project. This was critical in the understanding and the delivery of the specification. The original time and budget specifications were excellent. The project was finished on budget, but unfortunately, didn’t deliver on time. That said, show me a software project that delivers on time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are always areas that can be improved. The standout for me was providing all demos off a single build at each end of sprint demo. In my mind, this would have eliminated some of the bugs that were discovered post sprint and would have provided a better opportunity to stay closer to the original time frames. Administration of bug reports was also clearly a down-fall and again an area that would reap immediate benefits. Finally, I would like to see more negative testing within their test plans, again this would drive speed of delivery as more issues would be captured earlier.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on your vision and specification. It will pay dividends in the end product. Be prepared to assign a dedicated product manager to the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Karantis built an app that gives care companies and care providers an application to support the care provided to individuals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DCSL?

We wanted the agency, the caregiver, and the family to be within a transparent circle of care, within an application. We wanted an openness between the care provider and the families. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we first went to them, we had an idea on paper. They’ve been with us on the journey from the concept. They took us from prototyping to the point where we’ve now developed a very good application that’s currently in beta. The app has been built on Microsoft Azure Cloud platform. 

The development and the actual build is second to none. I can’t fault them at all. When we put ideas to them regarding the build, they were honest enough to come back and give us other options for a better, cleaner response. We’ve used AI [artificial intelligence] at their recommendation. We’ve got big data analysis based on their recommendation. They’ve really aided the development of the application in full.

It’s an extremely vast application. We’ve created a tracking system for companies to use to monitor staff and to monitor interaction with clients who are vulnerable. We have a completely bespoke reporting system per company. It’s a disruptive technology that’s new to the market in the care sector. The current application in the MVP [minimum viable product] is finished. We’re still developing with them for further launches and further products.

What is the team dynamic? 

I’ve had conversations with 10–12 members of their staff. We have a technical director who manages our project. We work with the technical team, the development team, the tester, the graphic design team, and also Nick [Managing Director, DCSL Software]. He was the one that built out the prototype with us.

How did you come to work with DCSL?

We had a shortlist of 5 companies. 3 of us went into our meeting with DCSL, and when we came out and looked at one another we said, "They're the team." We didn't even go to meet the other teams. 

They were very passionate and engaged in what we wanted to do. They were interested in the project we had on the table. We wanted a company that was friendly, reliable, and committed to the project. DCSL is all those things and more.

How much have you invested with them?

$200,000–$999,999. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December of last year and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our application is currently in beta so it’s not available for public consumption at the moment. The feedback we’ve had from the beta trial is incredibly encouraging. The application is easy to use. It’s very intuitive and easy to follow. I’ve had no complaints whatsoever about the application or the build. There’s certainly no bugs.

How did DCSL perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s very slick and steady. You are given complete and utter control over the direction in which you want to go. At no point was anything too much trouble. If you split it into 3, a third is email based, a third is meeting based, and a third is phone based. If there’s something that we haven’t understood, or we aren’t happy with, I can pick up the phone and ask to meet with them. Within 24 hours, we’ve got a meeting booked. Most of the issues can be resolved either on the phone or via email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of honesty and integrity and the way that they interact is most impressive. We haven’t had many issues along the way. If ever there was a problem or issue, they have immediately been honest about it. The service is completely second to none. I can’t fault them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into the project with an open mind and they will guide you in the right direction. Nothing is too much trouble.