Onix-Systems

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a precious metals FinTech company and are building a trading platform for investing, trading precious metals, and interacting with financial institutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Onix-Systems?

We hired them for software development, scaling our resources and expertise, and providing frontend software development technologies for both web and mobile.

We were looking for a way to scale up and deliver some of the particular projects in the those areas while avoiding full-time hiring.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They delivered some of the frontend applications that are built on top of our trading platform. The core platform is completely in-house.

We had an existing application and wanted to deliver iOS and Android solutions. They designed and delivered the applications, and now they’re updating the technology for the web version.

The app itself is a gold investment application where users can create an account, transfer cash, and buy and sell physical gold.

Onix-Systems did a little bit of the UI/UX as well. We had an existing tool kit and UI framework, and they helped us transform our existing tool kit into UI and UX experiences on mobile interfaces. They built out our existing framework.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around 2–5 individuals, though it was traditionally around three. There was a range of designers at the beginning, and there’s now a project manager, an engineering tech lead, and several individual engineers.

How did you come to work with Onix-Systems?

We did a bit of research into development agencies and liked their experience with iOS and Android mobile development. There were examples of apps they’d worked on, and we liked the design and usability of them. We then had a couple of conversations with their tech lead prior to the engagement. They were straightforward in the way they worked as well. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have strong, focused competencies in React Native and web technologies. These are particular technologies that we were interested in, and their developers are very competent and experienced in these technologies. Additionally, they are able to understand the tasks that we outline for them and deliver them in a timely manner.

We had some areas we had to consult with them on beyond the React Native framework and interacting with native components of iOS and Android. They were experienced in bringing other people on to consult in their specific areas. We were able to successfully launch our application on both the iOS and Android stores. We’ve had a pretty successful showing since then.

How did Onix-Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira to manage our software development tasks and bugs. There are monthly check-ins with our account manager, and then we have daily stand ups with the engineering team actively working on the development.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Beyond their competency and straightforward execution of tasks, I like their flexibility, especially regarding allowing different project phases. Initially, we wanted to begin with a mini-project to get a feel for each other, and Onix-Systems was quite accommodating. After that went well, we moved into the full app development, which was followed by another smaller, tuned-down stage as we didn’t have another full project ready, but we wanted to keep working together.

Finally, in terms of staffing, even though we didn’t need a full-time designer, they provide part-time expertise as needed. The same has been true for other technologies; they’re quite willing to add to our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are sometimes miscommunications between our in-house team and their technical team, so they could be clearer about if they understand what we’re asking. When we’re going through code reviews, there is no room for miscommunication, so we have our engineering team work alongside theirs. If we didn’t have that layer of protection in place, then there could be issues that would lead to more iterations.

Additionally, I sometimes find that their estimations on tasks can be either very inflated or very aggressive. When it comes to testing, things that get deployed haven’t necessarily been full tested from a UX perspective, so we find bugs, but I think that goes back to the communication and not fully understanding the use cases.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to have as clear expectations as possible ahead of time. It would also be ideal to have a technical person from your team work alongside Onix-Systems. Frequent communication will also help —daily standup meetings and weekly check-in meetings.

We started the relationship with a mini-project to get a feel for each other and an understanding of the teams, and that was a great way to move toward a bigger project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a learning software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Onix-Systems?

We wanted to scale our development team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Onix-Systems works on a wide range of products for us that deliver training to large organizations. Their efforts involve front- and backend development, as well as data aggregation.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working with a dozen members of their team, including a group of developers and QAs.

How did you come to work with Onix-Systems?

We were looking for offshore contractors, and we found them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re working collaboratively with our team in an agile way, and we’ve had a good release cadence. Performance-wise, they’ve been diligent and have good technical individuals in their team — we’ve had no problems with the output.

How did Onix-Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, they’ve been good; if we give them a task, they get on with it. They work alongside our Scrum team at a similar pace.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The language barriers have been one of our biggest challenges. We’ve been trying different ways of working, like engaging with their own teams alongside our product teams, but that hasn’t worked very well. I’d say they’ve worked out best when either they have entire ownership of the product they’re working on, or they’re embedded alongside existing team members. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them, and don’t be afraid to put their junior staff on probation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CYBERTEC is your professional partner for Data Science and PostgreSQL. From machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data to PostgreSQL support, consulting and training. I am the Senior Consultant/Developer and was a lead manager for the project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Onix-Systems was responsible for front-end development and front-end design

SOLUTION

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

We worked with this company before.

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

Onix-systems covered the entire work with the user interface: designed the UI, implemented frontend work according to the designed mockups. We used React.js on the frontend with Node.js on the middleware. Key deliverables where the sections on the user interface released step by step

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

1 UX/UI designer 1 Project Manager 3 Frontend developers (React.js)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We released our project and delivered it to the most valuable customers

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

On the different stages of the project, the team worked by Scrum and Kanban approaches. Routine processes included daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospective meetings. Regular financial and hours reporting at the end of each month. The process itself was well-planned and possible to forecast.

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

Personal approach. The project was very well treated by the team.

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

I don't think so. Everything was performed according to our plan.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a fantasy gaming platform for reality television

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Onix-Systems, LLC, and what were your goals?

We hired them to do a full website/web app overhaul including documentation, development, design, and testing. Our goals were to create a functional web app that is scalable for when we expand our business into different television shows, and that also had an elite user experience

SOLUTION

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

A member of my team had already worked with them and we knew how skilled and dedicated the team was

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

The scope was to completely transfer the old website/web app to new technologies and improve the infrastructure so that it would be possible to improve/expand the project in the future.

Onix did all of the development. We co-wrote the project documentation and business requirements.

Created a completely new and unique design for the entire project.

Developed the Server - internal Front End pages and Landing.

Large-scale work was also carried out on the implementation of the AWS infrastructure.

After that, the project was tested and the support stage began, in which we fixed critical Bugs and performed simulations before launch

The main technologies of the project are WordPress and Ruby + Vue.js.

Infrastructure on AWS.

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

We communicated regularly with 2 managers at Onix who were responsible for transparency in the development and building future development plans.

The team included 2 Front End Dev, 2 Back End Dev, 2 QA, Designer and DevOps engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site looks much better than previously and users are enjoying the refreshed look - we just launched so we don't have measureables yet but are exciting to track time on site, session duration, etc.

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

We had standup calls a few times a week and communicated regularly through slack and a project management tool, Aloa. Communication was great.

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

They always went above and beyond and really viewed themselves as an extension of our company's team. It didn't feel like we were outsourcing; it felt more like internal software development.

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

There were a few minor bugs at launch (which happened to be while most of them were on vacation) and they STILL were able to fix them quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CTO of the company headquartered in San Diego.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Onix-Systems, LLC, and what were your goals?

Our company wanted to develop an iOS app that would be helping our customers navigating complex market of products. Our goal was to develop the app as fast as possible, while keeping it reliable and bug-free.

SOLUTION

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

We have reviewed tens of companies and interviewed around 10. Several deciding factors were the age of the company, it's size, recommendations and reviews from happy customers.

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

Our company provided developers with designs and wireframes, and after series of meetings with developers and project manager we have developed a detailed project plan, selected applicable technologies and frameworks. Key functionality was delivered in three months, according to the initial project scope.

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

Our team worked with a great and supportive project manager, and senior iOS app developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our iOS was successfully launched according to the initial scope and was well accepted by users. By now it's rated over 4.8 on app store, and is still a valuable asset for our business, with tens of thousands of returning users on monthly basis.

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

The project manager was very supportive, always available and helpful. We were always able to reach project manager via Slack, all tickets were managed via Trello, additional questions were resolved via emails.

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

We value their availability, flexibility, and eagerness to do their best in what they do.

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

We were always receiving all updates and communication was timely, the project was delivered near to perfectly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an alcohol kiosk company and alcohol brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Onix-Systems, LLC?

We wanted a user-friendly website that allows our customers to purchase online without too much confusion.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Onix-Systems basically created a website that loaded fast and was optimized for mobile devices. It showcased all of our products and was able to show up on desktop tablets and any device without any issues or loss of quality. They also came in and implemented a layout and logo and replaced the logo I was initially married to. The logo they came up with is going to be the one I’ll be using on our beverage cans now.

What is the team composition?

I probably worked with about 4–5 different people during the design and development phases.

How did you come to work with Onix-Systems, LLC?

I found them on Upwork and saw that their work and reviews were really good. One thing that I liked about them was they gave suggestions before they even brought me on as a customer — Onix-Systems was already helping me out with different problems without me even paying them.

One thing that sold me to them was they told me that they’ll set up my website, so even if we don’t end up working with them in the future, it’ll be easier for another company to come in and do whatever they need to do.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–April 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t really deployed the website so we haven’t had any traffic yet. It’s pretty much just a showcase site right now since the actual product isn’t ready yet. However, we really like what they delivered.

How did Onix-Systems, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well from a project management standpoint. On a scale of 1–10, I would give them a 10. They managed the project well, answered all my questions, and kept me updated. They also let me know about any delays so I had no complaints.

We normally communicated through Upwork or Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In my opinion, the quality of their work and how easily they respond to questions and concerns are top-notch. I know there’s a time difference between our companies but they’re really good at responding in a timely manner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I thought the money that I spent was a little bit expensive, but looking back now, I thought they did a really good job. It was well worth it, so I don’t think they could’ve done anything better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sometimes, talking to someone can be confusing, but having a visual aid to point out exactly what you want to change can prevent a lot of misunderstandings. This can also enable you to get your project finished the way you want quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder/CEO of a paddle tennis educational website. We launched in December on the platform Onix built for us and we have on-going work as the platform keeps developing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Onix-Systems, LLC?

We hired Onix to build our whole platform, from start to finish.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a platform that allowed us to manage users and update content on our site.

SOLUTION

How did you select Onix-Systems, LLC?

A friend of mine who is in the tech world recommended them to me.

Describe the project in detail.

We met with the Client Relationship Manager and the Project manager and came up with some discovery stage deliverables and they were able to give us project estimation.

A presentation was given which showed us the outline of the project and the different stages + an estimated time frame. We had regular meetings to discuss progress and payments were made as we went.

What was the team composition?

• Project Manager x 1
• Designer x 1
• Front-End Developer x 1-2
• Team Lead x 1
• QA Engineer x 1
• Back-end Developer x 1-2

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch and in the first 2 months, we have 600 paying subscribers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good, we had very few issues and when there were they tried hard to rectify the situation.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are impressed with their professionalism and transparency in their work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think the better they can get in communicating and explaining the whole process of building a website (or whatever service they are doing) for someone with limited technical knowledge, the better customers' expectations will be managed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Strategist at Aloa. We are a platform for outsourcing software development for startups. Onix is one of our trusted partners who we contract our work out to.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Onix-Systems, LLC, and what were your goals?

We have had a handful of projects, ones that were needing a dev team to build everything from scratch as well as some that were handoffs to improve an existing application.

Our goals are to build a successful product and experience for our clients, and in order to do so, we look to companies like Onix to support us in our need.

SOLUTION

How did you select Onix-Systems, LLC and what were the deciding factors?

Our vetting process is very exclusive. We have vetted through thousands of firms and have only selected 11 to be within our network. We start off by qualifying based of UI/UX. Onix has a tremendous design department, so they passed round 1.

After that, we asked for at least 3 US client references to reach out to. All said glowing things, so the passed round 2.

Round 3 was interviews. We jumped on calls, did code reviews, analyzed their development processes, and ultimately determined that they are more than qualified to be part of our network.

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

The exact details of the scope of work are under NDA so I can't explain it specifically.

However, we have worked on projects across many industries and tech stacks with Onix: We have done projects utilizing React, Javascript, GTP-3, Unity, Swift, Kotlin, and Python.

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

I have worked with 10+ people from Onix. During my day to day, I work most closely with Onix's Project Manager and Account Manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They're amazing, and always are! We have a very strict policy and low tolerance for sloppy work, so the fact that we continue to send work their way speaks volumes about their quality of work.

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

We use AloaManage, a proprietary management tool to facilitate the management of the relationship.

Onix has fabulous communication skills and is consistently available for the client's questions or concerns. They are also very proactive in raising points to the client and setting proper expectations.

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

Their diligence and willingness to go above and beyond to support their clients. Onix is very relationship focused, which isn't the norm when it comes to outsourcing.

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

Very little - we do review feedback with them every other week, and by in large, they tend to have very few things to improve upon.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of messageLOUD. Our Android app reduces distracted driving by reading aloud messages as they’re received. This allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Onix-Systems?

While our Android app has become quite successful in the marketplace, an iOS app with similar capabilities doesn’t exist. We needed resources who could overcome those technical challenges and develop the iOS app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve built an iOS app that can read messages aloud, using our designed wireframe. Because an iOS with similar capabilities doesn’t exist, they’ve needed to overcome significant technical problems to ensure product functionality. It’s a case of finding the right technical solution. They’ve developed the backend for the app, which has a notably complex server-side architecture.

What is the team composition?

The four-person-core team includes back- and frontend developers, a tester, and a project manager. We exclusively work with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Onix-Systems?

We originally contracted them through UpWork for another project. When we began conceiving the iOS app, we spoke with 15 app developers who deemed the project impossible. We then approached Onix-Systems’ project manager with our idea. Despite the technical challenges, they accepted the task.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began in December 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re currently in closed beta and plan to transition into a public beta in a few weeks. As a result, we lack current quantitative metrics on the app’s success.

However, from a technical standpoint, we applaud their incredible technical skill. This is a project that has never been done before; the app either works, or it doesn’t. Onix-Systems has produced a functional app that others have labeled impossible, which is a testament to their expertise.

How did Onix-Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been truly excellent. We primarily use the ticket management platform Redmine.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their outstanding ability to solve extreme technical challenges distinguishes them from their competitors. We praise their innovative approach to overcoming difficulties that have never been addressed before.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Adopting a consistent and methodical mindset is crucial in solving complex technical challenges.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company's product is aimed at giving good information and visual aids to people interested in physical training. We are based in Canada. I am one of the co-owners of the company, and one of the main IT [information technology] people.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Onix-Systems?

Our code base had been created, but it was an organic construct. We wanted to make sure that we'd be able to create a solid base for our products. The idea was to remove some of the functionalities and focus on core elements, making sure that we had a robust framework.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided the target architecture as well as a demo for our first platform. Onix has suggested some changes and provided creative ideas in order for us to obtain a product focused on what we wanted to accomplish.

We've worked in an agile manner with Onix, getting inputs from one another. There were no order takers in the project. We've worked with up to 3 developers from Onix as well as a project manager.

How did you come to work with Onix-Systems?

We decided to make a post on Upwork and leveraged some partners who had been working on the platform for a while, in order for them to help us identify the right people. We published an RFP [request for proposal], explaining the project, and contacted 3 candidates, before finding Onix.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Onix in January 2016. We've had an open roadmap, with a focus on the core of the platform. This has been done, and we're on the verge of engaging Onix again in order to continue the work and enhance the product. Our product will always be evolving, and I see no reason for not continuing to work with Onix unless we adopt technologies, which aren't their forte.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our work was successful. From what I've seen, the code produced by Onix was very clean and efficient. The platform works great. Our only difficulties were part of getting to know each other and working as a team, making sure that we understand each other. We're a French company, and English is also our second or even third language. It was our main difficulty, but it still wasn't that much of a problem.

How did Onix-Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

Onix was closer to working in an agile manner than our own team. They knew how to manage scope, which is important from a project management perspective.

We're in the process of getting an estimate from Onix for the rest of the work. There were some differences in understanding during our discussions, but that was a part of getting to know each other.

What did you find most impressive about Onix-Systems?

We've always had good service because our project manager was also the customer relationship manager in a way. We felt privileged to work with someone who was always there. I don't know how many hours Onix worked, but it seemed to be a lot.

Are there any areas Onix-Systems could improve?

Some elements need to be better clarified in written form. Onix needs to make sure that documentation is clarified before engaging anything. This never reflected on the price that we paid or the delivery time.

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

Clients need to make sure that they clarify requirements and have confidence in Onix. The team will propose some very interesting approaches.