RebelDot

Please describe your company and your position there.

carecircle.org is the world's first, independent and truly global healthcare community and platform for consumers to share experiences, write stories, engage with each other, journal their health using WHO standards and connect on their terms with the healthcare ecosystem. carecircle.org is hyper scalable, has the best data privacy in the world and is available in 158 countries on web, Apple and Android. I am the CEO and Founder.

For what projects/services did your company hire RebelDot?

RebelDot have been responsible for building carecircle.org with a focus on frontend development on the web, web mobile and native mobile - and covering supporting the design, frontend dev, testing.

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

RebelDot produced a very credible and well thought through response to our RfP - and moreover, when we interviewed them they just had the right attitude, passion for the carecircle.org mission and product vision.

As carecircle.org also had a number of very senior designers, architects and agile software delivery people involved, it was important to be able to work in a multi-company, multi-national setup with the ambition to build a platform which will have global importance in healthcare.

As carecircle.org is based on Microsoft Azure and uses leading edge technology, they had to bring .NET / Azure PasS skills to the table as well as frontend developer skills and were very much able to do this.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The project run using Azure DevOps with Scrum being used. Prior to starting there was already advanced designs, design language and wireframes in Figma where we subsequently evolved. The workflow was already in existence with a backend Azure Functions architecture. We therefore started with coding frontend with a multi-disciplinary team initially working on the responsive web format and subsequently moving to native mobile, taking the product forward as a mobile-first.

A CI/CD pipeline with automated testing was also used so that agile development best practices were being used, a Minimum Loveable Product being delivered at the beginning of December which was then evolved subsequently based on early adopter user feedback. The project is now moving forward into the next phase with a significant product pipeline and user numbers are starting to scale rapidly, globally so user feedback will be integrated continually.

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

There have been up to 10 people from RebelDot working on the project, combined with approximately 15 people working for carecircle (not all in design, development, technology but also legal and compliance, marketing and operations)

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

One of the leading advertising and marketing executives in Europe (the chief creative officer of one of the top 5 advertising and media studios in the world) said that this is one of the best app experiences he has ever seen in a 25 year career - credit to the teamwork of carecircle.org and RebelDot on this amazing product.

Equally, Microsoft has recognised the quality of the architecture by bringing carecircle.org into its prestigious Pegasus program. This product, front to back, is world class. And the users love it and are coming in droves!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Amazing. There is a very special culture at RebelDot - they care about quality, they are passionate about doing good, they are fun and fair to work with. They are a perfect fit for carecircle.org

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

The quality of the people and the empathy of the culture are pretty impressive.

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

Honestly, in 30 years, this is the best external team I have ever worked with.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a geolocation-based social network. The product is still in the works which is why, now, I cannot provide much background to it.

For what projects/services did your company hire RebelDot, and what were your goals?

Having only 2 more people on my side, I wanted to find a dedicated team that could provide tech support and help us with developing the idea. Much like onboarding a CTO and his team.

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

RebelDot’s dedication made possible the development of a successful MVP which flawlessly encapsulates the core concept of our app. Ever since the very first discovery workshop, seeing them asking some questions that I haven’t even thought of addressing made me realize that they were going to treat my digital product idea as it was their own. Their communication was impressive throughout the entire process which helped cultivate a productive and collaborative workflow.

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

Shortly after the initial discovery workshop, the Delivery Manager set up a bespoke team to fit the project needs. Having previously working with startups, RebelDot took on the responsibility to cover all the necessary aspects, from designing the personas and initial wireframes, to developing the front and backend of the app, testing it and, of course, optimizing it based on the feedback gathered from the iterative MVP launches.

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

• 1 Delivery Manager
• 1 Senior Software Engineer
• 1 QA
• 1 Product Designer
• 1 Mid Software Developer
• 1 Junior Software Developer

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

They understood right away that a lot of the potential success of this platform had to do with timing, which is why they designated a tech stack to save us time, while ensuring that the app looked and worked great. It was also comforting to have them disagree with some of my opinions I had in regards to the product. I had a whole bunch of features in mind, but they took their time to carefully prioritise the features of the digital product.

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

At the beginning of the project, we defined processes, templates, and communication platforms we would use, so we’re in constant synchronization. We use Jira and we have daily standup meetings where everyone is actively engaged without wasting too much time in meetings. So far, so good. They haven’t missed a deadline and I honestly feel like working with my own team and not an external agency.

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

Their versatility, agile way of working and genuine willingness to find the best solutions for your project. I knew they have been developing digital products for over 15 industries, which is why I wasn’t surprised by how quickly they can adapt to new situations. What did surprise me though was seeing how even a Junior would take the lead and speak up in meetings when a potentially great idea would arise.

It’s really not hard to see when someone is genuinely interested in your idea. The difference was that, as passionate as they were, they weren’t emotionally invested in the product, which was great because it was easier for them to declutter it and bring to life a more clear and appealing version of what I had in mind.

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

I cannot think of any right now.. I am satisfied with the results so far and am excited to see how the final product will look like.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and communications manager for E-INFRA Nova Power and Gas. 

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

We sought a partner to create the UI/UX for both our web and mobile products.

What was the scope of their involvement?

RebelDot built our mobile app using React and designed all its interfaces. Their team pulled information from our CRM and certain APIs into the platform, which allows users to access their utility services such as bills. They managed all of the graphic design for our website during our rebranding initiative too.

What is the team composition?

We worked with roughly seven members of the RebelDot team, which included a project manager. Their team was split into two: one worked on the mobile app and the other on the website.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

We found RebelDot through a recommendation. As they had a good reputation, we felt confident that they could deliver what we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent €42,000 (approximately $51,000 USD) on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

Our customers reacted positively to the app. The first week after it launched, it had more than 1,000 downloads. We’re pleased with their work and plan to continue working with them for a long time.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly calls during which RebelDot provides updates. Their team’s available, responsive, and organized. They stay on top of their responsibilities throughout each sprint to meet our deadlines. Their team exceeds our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They quickly understood our business. We’re impressed by their team’s organization, which is better than our experiences with previous vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. In the beginning, we had an issue with a team member that was addressed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust their advice because the RebelDot team knows what it's talking about.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Eventmix. We used to provide technology for livestreaming music festivals, and now we’re pivoting to livestreaming any type of event.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

I used to work with an internal team, but it’s hard to keep an in-house team as a startup. I decided to look for an external team that could handle the technology side.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They set up a team for us that provides a variety of services. Their services cover anything you’d need to build a tech startup: project management, front- and backend development, mobile app development, and testing. We’re working with React Native and Firebase. I provide them with the specs and wireframes that I make.

What is the team composition?

There are nine people.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

I searched for different companies and learned about RebelDot because they were working on a project for somebody that I knew. I decided to go with them because I liked their approach, and it seemed like they were very professional.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent €30,000 (approximately $33,600 USD). I’m expecting the whole project to be over €250,000 (approximately $280,200 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2020. We will probably finish the product around September, and then I intend to continue working with them.

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

We’ve been working very closely. At one point during the working process, I got our first customer for our new startup. I asked RebelDot to change the roadmap so that we could accommodate this customer and bring the solution to them, even if it was in manual mode, so that they could livestream their event. Even though this was unexpected, they reacted very quickly, and we were able to put the tickets on sale for that event very quickly. The event is being livestreamed now, and everything is running very smoothly. They managed to adapt really quickly to an unexpected change in the roadmap. I’m very pleased with them.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is great. We have daily standup meetings. I feel like I’m working with my own team. We use Jira for everything related to project management, and it works really well. They meet deadlines. I have no complaints.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their experience with other projects is a strength for them because it’s clear that they’ve dealt with different situations and problems in the past. They know how to deal with them quickly. Another strength is their ability to be adaptable to new situations and to solve problems very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m very satisfied with their work. I compare working with them to having a team in-house. I’ve been surprised that I’ve had such a good experience with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as open as possible, because they’re very transparent themselves. They will be honest if they can or can’t do something. They’re pretty flexible.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of engineering at BlueZone Systems.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

We hired them to work with us on a SaaS product. We acquired the IP from a different organization and RebelDot had built the original version of the product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

RebelDot is working with us on an ASP.NET backend and HTML, CSS, and Angular.js frontend for the product. They’re helping us make changes to the platform, which was designed for salespeople to track and set goals for their daily activities. Users can either enter their goals manually or automatically pull them from Salesforce.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a total of four developers, never more than two at a time. 

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

They were recommended to us by the previous organization that owned the IP of the product. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $90,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in May 2019, and it’s ongoing.

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

Over my career, I’ve done a lot of work with offshore development teams, and it’s often been a frustrating experience. However, with RebelDot’s team, it’s been a much better experience. The frontend developer is top-notch.

I’m able to collaborate with the team and give them specs that they then turn into great results. They’re very detailed. 

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Zoho for project management. We also have web meetings and use video-conferencing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

RebelDot has been very professional and responsive all around, especially their more senior teammates. They always provide us with immediate feedback and accurate numbers. The team is also good at recruiting talent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As an organization, there’s nothing they could improve on. However, one of the mid-level developers we worked with could’ve done better. We're not working with him anymore. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start with understanding the work that you want as well as your customers. Provide the engineers with a clear direction. Be ready to work with offshore developers, and make sure you’re getting good-quality developers out of the engagement.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO of Pivot Sports, a startup in the data analytics space with a SaaS product in the marketplace. We target sports entities and help them understand their client base through monitoring and better engaging with their users.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

We needed help with web development for our sports fan analytics tool.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our platform is web-based and has a web portal for login. I was leading the project from the technology front, and we chose some open source technology for the big data work, such as Scala and Scala for machine learning. We used C# for recording all the data, Angular for the frontend of the web portal, and different technologies such as JavaScript for the charting.

There were many challenges on both the technical and business sides. RebelDot provided us with exposure in terms of the resources that we needed and the ability to upscale or downscale based on our needs and requirements. Being flexible in that capacity gave us more options to explore new things and try new ideas without having a fixed cost base.

We had a clear idea of what we wanted to build as a product. We didn’t understand what tech stack to use, what technology processes to use, or how we would shape the team as well as the size of the team. As part of that, we did initial workshops with RebelDot so that we were clear on the requirements and team size. It gave us more flexibility to move ahead.

Initially, we worked with them to come up with a rough structure of what the framework would look like in terms of the technology stack. Following that, we decided what we wanted for each sprint.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three or four people to begin with, with as many five or six at some points. We are now working with a team of two people with the option to scale up when needed.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

We wanted someone who would be actively involved in the process and product design, as well as the product roadmap. We also wanted someone who would take a keen interest in understanding the successes and failures of our company. We wanted to make sure they were in the same time zone, that they understood the terminology we were using, and that they were in tune on the business side of things. Those expectations made us choose RebelDot.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around £350,000 Pounds (Approximately $432,824 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in April 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Some of their resources were really exceptional. They participated in the whole process, were very responsive to any problems, and were also dedicated to the solution. On top of that, they have a commitment and honesty towards their work beyond anything I’ve seen before.

We work closely with them as a tech partner rather than a third-party vendor, and we lead most of the initiatives. Our time investment was mainly ensuring that there was a need in the market for what we were building and that the market was ready for it, especially as we were targeting sports entities. They aren’t on the forefront when it comes to digital awareness.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked in agile methodology, where we had two-week sprints. We had a daily standup meeting and communicated through Skype, Slack, email, and phone calls.

I visited RebelDot every couple of months and I’ve had good interactions with the team. I treated the team as if they were my own internal team. I got to know the people working there, which was good. With other teams, there were some delays with the product design or wireframes, whereas RebelDot was always spot on. They were very proactive in understanding what could be done. From that point of view, I was very impressed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are a specialist boutique of resources. They are not built like major firms, but they have special skills they can bring to the table. They are more focused and provide more value for your money compared to other outsourced firms. They are a bit pricey, but when you compare that to what they give you, it balances out. I generally had a very good experience working with them and would recommend them to anyone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be good if they had more medium-to-senior resources within the team so that the output doesn’t slow down.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Visit them in their country and see what they are capable of doing. Treat them as you would your internal team and have daily catch-up sessions and meetings every week or two so that you stay in touch.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the partners at InteroCloud, a small IT company in Romania.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

We wanted to create a web application for doctors that was essentially a web-based EHR (electronic health record). In Romania, this is a challenge because a lot of medical clinics have yet to go digital. We wanted a solution for clinics to keep their appointments that have several modules for bookings, patient records, and other electronic files.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a brainstorming session where their team gave their input on what we should implement, what isn’t working, and what could work. Shortly after the sessions ended, the development of the solution began.

What is the team composition?

In total, we worked with between 5–6 people. Alex (Manager, RebelDot) was our project manager and Vlad (Former Business Development Manager, RebelDot) was our account manager. We also engaged with developers and a UX designer.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

We connected with them back in 2018. I’m located in Bucharest, while they’re in another city. They invited us to their office for a workshop where we spent several days brainstorming. After that session, we contacted them for development.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about €97,000 (approximately $109,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with RebelDot from June–October 2018.

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

The MVP launched at the end of September 2018. I’m happy with their work and the support they offered after the MVP launch. Their team made sure everything was running smoothly. Even if there is an issue now, I know I can call or send an email, and they’ll jump right on it.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

Vlad made sure to work closely with our team to guarantee the project would move as expected. Since I was located in Bucharest, we had daily stand-ups every morning. We discussed the previous day, any changes that needed to be made, and what needed to be done the next day. Everything went smoothly. We also talked through email and a project management web solution that they had. RebelDot excelled at meeting deadlines, delivering the project faster than we initially discussed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

RebelDot was involved in making sure the project was a success. They offered support from start to finish. Compared to other companies I approached, they also completed work very fast. The fact that their team finished the work earlier than they initially stated distinguishes them from other market competitors in the area.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything in mind to say about that. I’m happy with everything RebelDot has done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Allow them to get involved and take advice from them. Their team has the experience to guide you through the project, giving tips and tricks for success. If you’re not as experienced, working with RebelDot would be an excellent choice.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

AlphaTech is a portal that allows users to build their own mobile apps online.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

I reached out to RebelDot to design and build the graphical user interface (GUI) for our platform. Since this is a brand new product, we had to create it from the ground up.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

I spoke with their UI specialist in 2018 to start designing workflows and screens for our mobile app development platform. The workflow would cover account creation and management, the app creation flow, and user interactions. 

RebelDot’s team had a lot of insights on best practices, so I valued their input when it came to the flow of each screen and how the interface should be implemented. After solidifying the specs, I met with their programming team to implement their work.

What is the team composition? 

I mostly spoke with their owner and Tamás (UX & Product Design Lead, RebelDot). I also have my own team working on site with them, so, when they start working, I have someone working there, too.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

That’s a funny story. One of their employees actually lived in the same apartment building as my parents, so that’s how we got acquainted.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in August 2019 and is still ongoing. Actually, we managed to launch the product last week, so it’s live. Now, we’re continuing to work on adding new features.

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

It’s too early to give any customer feedback since we just launched. But the most important thing is that I like the platform and like using it. We’ll see how our users take to it.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly use Slack to communicate as well as email. They’re pretty responsive whenever I bring up any issues. A couple of months ago, I needed to have a demo completed to show a company, and they stayed up late to finish whatever we needed to be done that night.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been doing custom development for a very long time, working with different teams across different countries. And, I have to say, I really enjoy working with RebelDot. Their team is professional and gets the job done. They have good people on staff. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. I really enjoy working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?
 
The best advice for anyone starting a project with an off-shore company is to make sure that you have your own requirements done. Communicate with the dev team all the time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Menushare, a collaboration platform for restaurants.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

I had a high-level concept in mind for how to create a product that lets people at different restaurant locations share a common menu and have breakfast, lunch, or dinner as if they were at the same restaurant.  

We wanted to create an experience that would replicate a restaurant environment and make users feel like they were sitting in front of each other. I hired RebelDot to develop the web-based platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Based on my broad idea, RebelDot thoroughly walked me through the planning stages for our project before we began the development. Our app is built for the Android platform. They used a version of Java for the programming.

Our collaboration involves between 4-5 different companies who supply the hardware, payment gateways, and some software, but RebelDot has completed 90% of the development so far.

RebelDot became a very useful partner and helped me expand my ideas along the way. When I was working by myself, I didn’t have a full grasp on the product. They helped me expand my ideas. 

What is the team composition? 

The team included 6 –7 people including an architect, developers, testers, a project manager, and the owner of RebelDot.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

After reviewing a few different companies, I selected RebelDot because they made me feel the most comfortable. I liked the way they answered my questions. 

The founder explained things very well. He arranged the first meeting with three teammates who each explained a specific component of the project development.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $300,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2014 and made the last payment in early 2018, but I still consider the engagement to be ongoing. RebelDot is not active for us right now, but we will re-engage them once we reach a certain point in our marketing efforts. 

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

RebelDot has delivered tangible results we now have in our possession. They developed our product so I could have something functional in my hands to show the other parties who are involved in this project. 

Unfortunately, the product isn’t ready yet due to reasons that are unrelated to their work.  We’re now getting more into the sales and commercialization stages. I still speak with them often to brainstorm new ideas. 

RebelDot has provided a very cost-effective solution. I’ve been very happy with them so far. They have been wonderful people to work with and have taught me many useful things. I frequently seek their input and advice on what they feel is the right approach. They’re always very helpful. We collaborate well together.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been excellent. I am totally dependent on them in many ways since I don’t have a technology background. Their support was especially crucial before our company hired a CTO. 

RebelDot has done everything right. They clearly explained their methodology and guided me through every step of the process. We use an Atlassian collaboration tool to update the project as we go along. The project manager took notes and keep everything up to date. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our CTO is very impressed with RebelDot, especially their presentations and communication style. They always make an effort to clarify the information we provide.

Every positive impression I’ve had of RebelDot has been reinforced by our CTO. He has worked with many offshore companies and likes RebelDot a lot. In fact, he actually hired them to work on a separate project, which speaks to their abilities. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s always a good idea to narrow down the specifications, even if you have to make payments before starting the project. I encourage future clients to be clear and ask questions. Keep in mind that the project will evolve and might take shape differently than you predict.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a product owner at a commercial real estate company. We offer hotel-style accommodations in high-end downtown apartment buildings.

What challenge were you trying to address with RebelDot?

We needed a vendor to help us develop an internal customer-facing software solution.

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we met with their team and discussed our needs. I gave them my design and RebelDot built a software that we can use to manage cleanings and other maintenance actions in the buildings where we operate. We went through a very large sprint-planning process with them and then, I had regular stand-up calls with their development unit. They understand our marketplace very well, so they bring up the things we haven't even thought about and make valuable recommendations. The development work is mostly finished at this point, but we're still making modifications to the system.

What is the team composition?

We mostly work with a delivery manager and three full-time developers. They also bring in other resources as needed to help us accomplish our goals.

How did you come to work with RebelDot?

They did a couple of other projects for us previously and we had great results, so we decided to bring them in for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2018, and the relationship is ongoing.

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

We've been very happy with the whole process from start to finish. We had the metrics designed around our cleaning system, so we could start standardizing operational procedures throughout our entire portfolio. It enables us to track how long it takes for a team of people to clean our units and access the costs of cleaning, which helps us negotiate better contracts with our vendors.

How did RebelDot perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very hard-working, diligent, and dedicated. They're fluent in English and answer any questions that we have. We added them to our internal Slack channel and they've been very responsive. They've kept the project on track and provided valuable insight if there was an issue with the system.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very adaptable. They have a broad range of knowledge and they've worked with our system before. Their ability to adapt to our business requests is outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as possible about what you're looking for and allow them to ask the questions they might have.