OpenForge

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the senior product director at a publishing company specializing in recipes. We test all of our recipes and kitchen content and publish reviews of them across multiple platforms. We have magazines, cookbooks, television shows, and a subscription-based suite of websites.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenForge?

We were looking to rebuild our iOS and Android app. We wanted to update the scope of content available and add a few new features. It was sort of the next generation of our previous product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenForge developed our hybrid mobile app for us. We have an existing style guide, which was used as a constraint in attempting to keep the mobile experiences consistent. Our teams collaborated to produce an experience map and visual representation of the key screens for the new app. 

Their team worked in the Ionic framework. OpenForge also provided guidance for App Store optimization and introduced us to another third-party company that we now work with.

What is the team composition?

There is a core team of 3–4 people from OpenForge, but they’ve pulled in additional people on their side to complete different parts of the project.

How did you come to work with OpenForge?

We found OpenForge through a referral. After going through an evaluation process with them, we decided they were the right fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $200,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from Aug. 2020–Jan. 2021.

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

Since we relaunched, we have seen a 25% increase in app revenue. Our App Store reviews and ratings have been relatively flat but we’ve taken a nice step forward in terms of customer satisfaction. 

How did OpenForge perform from a project management standpoint?

In general, they were very helpful. OpenForge is very communicative and relatively flexible in terms of working with us to prioritize items. They were very organized during QA and the bug-fixing process. We used Teamwork to collaborate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very responsive and focused. OpenForge was always willing to work with us to identify the areas of biggest need. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We ended up working on a time and materials basis, which meant that we were sometimes paying for work more than once. This would sometimes happen when we found additional fixes in the QA process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to be clear about the scope of work before you start.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a financial services company.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenForge?

We needed an organization to perform a development audit and identify any ways to optimize our app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenForge audited my app that was built using Ionic. I shared the code with them and then their team reviewed it. While they audited it, I was developing the app.

What is the team composition?

I worked with about three people from OpenForge.

How did you come to work with OpenForge?

A friend of mine previously worked at OpenForge and that’s how I found them. They had experience building Ionic apps, and I wanted an agency to audit my Ionic app.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,600 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the audit in December 2020, and we finished it in January 2021.

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

Their work was thorough. It covered the app's end-to-end development process. OpenForge considered aspects of the product that I didn’t initially consider when I built it, which was great.

How did OpenForge perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was responsive. We used a platform called Teamwork to collaborate and that allowed us to communicate as well as keep track of all the audit’s notes. OpenForge archived the project on the platform, so I don’t have to worry about losing any of that work. They were professional. If I had any questions, it was easy to contact them and get answers.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The highlight of my engagement with OpenForge was the thoroughness of the audit.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should continue to use Teamwork. Overall, everything was smooth.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO at New Ocean Health. We provide health and wellbeing services as well as applications for hospital systems, insurers, and large employer groups.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenForge?

We originally hired them to help convert our mobile app to a new platform, Ionic. We also wanted to make some enhancements to the app at the same time.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenForge provided design, development, testing, and project management services. We had two main projects with them. They did the app conversion to the Ionic platform, and then they built a whole other product for us.

What is the team composition?

I typically worked with 3–4 people, including Jedi (Founder & Head of Technology) and Liz (Former Frontend Developer). I worked with the design, development, and project management leads, and then members of my team interacted with other people as well. 

How did you come to work with OpenForge?

We knew we wanted to switch to the Ionic platform before approaching OpenForge. We went to the owners of the Ionic platform, and they actually recommended OpenForge. They’re local to us, which was very convenient; we’re just outside of Philadelphia, and they’re in downtown. We met with them and decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere in the range of $500,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started on our first project with them in April 2017, and we finished our work together in October 2018.

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

The quality of their work was excellent. We’re in the healthcare space, so we had some industry compliance, adherence, and security requirements. They were very knowledgeable and were able to fulfill all of those specific requirements. We put their work through our own in-house QA team, and OpenForge did a great job. We’re still using it today, three years later. The number of bugs was low.

How did OpenForge perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, they didn’t have a lot of infrastructure around project management, so I’d say it was more technically led. However, they recognized that they needed dedicated project management, and they got somebody to manage our projects solely. They stepped up and took care of that. We were very happy in the end; they met our demands.

We had a dedicated project manager, and they also introduced us to tools to help manage the project. They were in constant communication through various channels, such as Slack and Basecamp. We also got a high-level summary every week. All in all, we were quite satisfied.
They were able to complete the work in a short timeframe. We had a pretty aggressive timeline when we went to them, and they ramped up and scaled to meet our demands. They got the work done on time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by their commitment to design. They spent time with us upfront to get some great designs for both projects, and that showed in the final product. The fit and finish of the product were really good. I have a pretty technical background, so I appreciated the architecture that they put together. Again, it’s still in use today, so they did it in a very maintainable and scalable way. Overall, they did a great job.

I’d say that we shared a passion for developing quality products. The app was my baby in a way, and we got to a point where we needed help. I was a little anxious about having other people take over, but after sitting down with the OpenForge team, Jedi shared a common interest and passion, so I felt a lot better about it.

They were also very driven within the open-source community. There was a very custom open-source component that we wanted to be developed, but we wanted it extended. OpenForge extended it and then made that available to anyone. I appreciated that commitment to the community.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. We’d love to work with them again given the chance. The project management in the beginning could’ve been improved, but they stepped up and took care of it. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Follow the process that OpenForge has. It might not be what you’re used to, but it’s important for both sides to follow it. They put a lot of time into the design and discovery phase to make sure everything is done correctly. Oftentimes, people from my company wanted to see something immediately, but you need to put the time in and follow their process.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Loudcloud Inc., a mobile call and text application. We provide worldwide phone numbers.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenForge?

We hired OpenForge to rebuild our mobile application.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenForge took a version of our mobile app and rebuilt it from the ground up. They used an Ionic platform in order to make it into a hybrid app, which also uses web. We did so so that we could create reusable code between platforms.

The team also provided the UX components, rebuilding the interface as well. We collaborated together to come up with the design.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about three people.

How did you come to work with OpenForge?

When we knew we wanted to proceed with the hybrid app development, we went directly to Ionic’s site to find the right partner. OpenForge was listed as one of their recommended vendors, so we decided to bring them on board.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $150,000–$200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration began in January 2016 and is ongoing.

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

We’ve been really pleased with the work they’ve done for us. Our app works well and has exactly the functionality we wanted.

How did OpenForge perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform very well. The team is very good at communicating with us, especially in terms of their time estimates. That’s been very helpful in planning our budget with them to understand what our costs are going to be. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive aspect of our engagement is the quality of OpenForge’s product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We haven’t had any issues with the team over the years.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I run a mobile-based business. My background is in physical therapy, so I developed a solution that calculates scores of various tests to predict aspects of patient care. For instance, they can help determine a patient’s risk of falling or developing worsening disabilities. Users can share this risk information with their patients to track progress on treatment. 

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenForge?

I tried to build the platform myself and failed miserably. We needed an external team to create our solution.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The most important aspect of the solution was that it needed to be easy to use and convenient. It’s intended to easily fit into a physical therapist’s workflow. The UI had to allow users to quickly choose between tests, calculate scores, interpret the results, and easily share them. Outside of the development work they did in Ionic, they assisted with the design and branding of the solution. 

I provided them with general sketches that they made functional and appealing. They were able to improve upon my initial designs in the final iteration of the product. It was built for both iOS and Android. They also created an admin portal that I can use to make updates myself. At this point, we’re moving toward creating an enterprise version of the app. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with a project manager, a lead developer, and about 3–5 additional developers.

How did you come to work with OpenForge?

I set up a few meetings with potential service providers. It was important that they were local and involved in the community. When we met their team, they were trustworthy and down to earth. They genuinely seemed interested in my mission and wanted to make the product successful. From there, we got to work. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $100,000 on their work to this point. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in August 2017 and are still working together as updates need to be implemented. Our work with them is actually expanding now that we’re focusing on an enterprise version.

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

Even during this global pandemic, we’re still getting new downloads and subscriptions every day. I’m also getting positive feedback from people, and I’ve been invited onto top physical therapy podcasts to discuss my solution. People are reaching out to me because they’re excited about the product and what it can bring to the practice. Their team was instrumental to that accomplishment.  

How did OpenForge perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very organized. I work directly with a project manager who provides me with weekly updates. They’re thorough with QA, finding bugs and fixing them before anyone notices. We use Teamwork to stay in touch. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to answer any question I had was most impressive. Even if I needed something that they’ve never built before, they were able to make it happen.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love to see them assist with business development resources as they continue to help their clients grow. They could help with marketing or sales for the products they create.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They appreciated by organization and preparedness when giving them instructions. Because I was able to detail the app’s features, they saved time and money in the development process.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of a digital marketing agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenForge?

We work with their team to provide all of our mobile app development work for any of our clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the course of our work, we will often have clients who want to build an app to go along with some marketing campaign or other effort that they are launching, and OpenForge has been able to provide us with the development services for all of those needs, whether for various B2C products or internal management apps for large healthcare companies.

That includes Native and cross-platform apps for both iOS and Android, both based on detailed schematics that we provide to them and from discovery that they ran for us as well. By nature, they provide some strategy work for us as it applies to the implementation of various features in their apps, but they’re not involved besides the direct design and builds of those applications.

What is the team composition?

We work with about 4–5 members of their team at any given time. There’s a project manager, UI/UX designers, and developers.

How did you come to work with OpenForge?

I met them at a tech meetup in Philadelphia, and we could tell immediately that they were a kindred spirit in our space. We were impressed with their ethics and how thoroughly their values aligned with ours, so we wanted to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a total of around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in April 2019 and is still ongoing.

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

As a case study example, they’ve been involved with clients who haven’t necessarily budgeted or planned properly, and they’ve been able to point all of those clients in the right direction in terms of how to get the most out of their services for the amount of money they have.

In general, they have just always been able to capture the vision of our clients and completely exceed project requirements time and time again. We are totally pleased with the service that they have provided to us.

How did OpenForge perform from a project management standpoint?

They are absolute experts in the space of best practices for developing mobile apps. There are so many ways to start working on a project and burn through serious amounts of capital before you even have a working prototype. OpenForge is such a valuable partner to us because they ask very clear, detailed questions from the beginning to help protect the client and save everyone money and resources that are all too finite.

Their team always takes a process-driven approach. We have check-ins regularly, and they always communicate around deliverables and timelines to provide as much clarity to our team as possible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are absolutely world-class in everything they do, from design to development to testing and QA. Time and time again they have been able to dig into the details and solve business challenges by creating mobile apps that are able to solve any of our clients’ problems.

Not only that, but they build trust with clients right away by creating a process that’s easy to tap into. They are able to educate clients and help them plan out their resources by being realistic about expectations and outcomes, and that is probably their biggest strength.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I suppose you can always improve, but there really was nothing that I’ve seen that they should do differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be really upfront about your budget. They’re pros, and they’re confident in the value they can provide, so trust that level of expertise.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Travel Freely is a free app and website that helps people earn the most amount of points and miles in the least amount of time. I am the Founder of Travel Freely.

For what projects/services did your company hire OpenForge?

We are launching our first mobile app and needed comprehensive testing to help debug and get feedback before launch.

What were your goals for this project?

Thorough mobile app testing on both iOS and Android.

How did you select OpenForge?

I saw the CEO speak at a conference. I was very impressed with his knowledge. I later followed up with him about his company and services.

Describe the project in detail.

We needed some guidance on using Ionic Framework and testing the app to be ready for launch.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a lead manager who had two other developers ready for the testing.

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

Incredibly thorough job was done with very little knowledge of our app or functionality. Very impressive help to find the bugs and issues while giving comprehensive data via screenshots, videos, steps, and written suggestions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good communication, extremely professional, and completely met and exceeded our hopes for the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication was great. Additionally, their willingness to go the extra mile impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. Hope to work with them again in the future.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Goldstein Media is a digital marketing agency specializing in helping small businesses get a presence online.

For what projects/services did your company hire OpenForge?

A current client needed help with a PWA, it exceeded our skill set internally, so we reached out to OpenForge for assistance.

What were your goals for this project?

To develop a PWA for our client that met their needs.

How did you select this vendor?

I know of the CEO from past endeavors and Jedi has never disappointed.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They provide all kinds of mobile web applications from dedicated mobile apps to progressive web apps.

What was the team composition?

There are about 18 people on the team. All highly skilled.

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

They were great and would recommend them in the future.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Top notch and well organized.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Under Jedi's leadership they are able to run smoothly and effectively without breakdowns or hiccups.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Absolutely none. They are great.