Simple Thread

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of research in the custom applications consulting services department at the University of Virginia. We do custom software applications for anybody throughout the university.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Thread?

We had to change the scope of the system; it was becoming more of an enterprise-wide system. We also wanted to implement automated testing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Thread helped build software, which we were developing as an in-house grants management system. It’s an enterprise-wide system that supports the research community for proposal development, award management, and other workflows. Their team helped us get up to speed with writing a test and implemented an automated testing infrastructure. They also helped implement the functional areas of the system including the electronic sponsor action requests. Basically, the component replaced a number of paper forms within the university into an electronic request and workflow system for first sponsor programs.

From a technical standpoint, we used all Microsoft .NET technology. We used C sharp, SQL Server, and everything was hosted in an Azure environment. A lot of frontend work involved JavaScript, TypeScript. From an automated testing standpoint, we used the Microsoft Native unit testing components but also used Selenium for user testing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one contractor—David (Senior Software Engineer, Simple Thread).

How did you come to work with Simple Thread?

My manager had a relationship with Simple Thread through the university. We looked for expertise in certain areas such as automated testing. We contacted their team and felt comfortable with their background as well as the type of services they could provide.

How much have you invested with them?

We ended up investing $525,000 over the course of a few years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started with David in November 2016 and the engagement ended last week.

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

There were four major areas of functionality that were implemented while David was on board and it wouldn’t have happened without him including automated testing, proposal development, non-funded agreement module, and the electronic sponsor action requests. Those four things all happened while David was with us. He was a key member of the team.

How did Simple Thread perform from a project management standpoint?

We handled the project management on our end because we had David on as an extra developer. Even though he worked remotely, we were engaged with him every day through ZOOM meetings and Slack. We’re an agile shop, so he participated in sprint ceremonies. His communication and availability were excellent. It was easy to keep him on task and know where he was in the process. Plus, he kept us up to date as far as what he was working on and how it was going. The engagement worked out fantastically.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Simple Thread was not a huge operation. All their developers are competent as well as their principals. Not only do they have their client’s best interest in mind, but they also understand the talent of the people they’re providing for their services. Bigger agencies have products or people that don’t work out because they’re just another body that moves through the company. Simple thread invests a lot to keep their staff up to date on technology. They provide top-notch talent to work on projects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything negative to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Like any project, keep communication channels open so that everybody is on the same page. Not everybody at Simple Thread works on-site, so interact with their team daily to keep a pulse on what’s going on.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior producer at SpangTV. We’re a Richmond based production company that works in all aspects of film and video. We’re primarily commercial based, but also create content for the web and television, amongst other applications.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Thread?

We needed to freshen our website a bit, while also maintaining our WordPress backend solution. We were looking for a vendor to adjust the site to put it on par with industry standards.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Thread changed the way our site functioned. The team kept our video content forward facing and also allowed us to keep using our backend video-hosting solution. They gave us a full bleed image and reel for our home page, and then subsequent pages with different drill-downs and reels for separate directors.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with two members of the Simple Thread team, one of which was Brian (Director of Business Development, Simple Thread).

How did you come to work with Simple Thread?

I knew one of their employees from outside of work. After viewing his work on their website, I reached out to him to try and gauge his technical knowledge; not only was he knowledgeable, but he was an expert. I decided from that point that I didn’t want to work with anyone else but him.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began this project in January 2019 and completed it in April 2019.

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

The feedback on Simple Thread’s work was positive.

How did Simple Thread perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed great from a project management standpoint. Brian kept us on track, which isn’t always easy considering how busy we can get.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Working with them felt very much like a personal relationship. I was especially impressed with how they performed on a professional level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not on this job. I definitely think they did outstanding work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Potential customers shouldn't hesitate to select Simple Thread.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the COO of Dominion Due Diligence Group. We perform due diligence services for real estate transactions that use Federal Housing Administration-financed loans and mainly focus on multifamily housing.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Thread?

We struggled to find a project management software that matched our needs because of the sheer volume of data that we work with. We operate in all 50 states, and we have about 30 terabytes worth of project data. Most of the off-the-shelf project management software packages can't support us. We hired Simple Thread to build a custom project management software for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Thread managed our product from soup to nuts. We identified our pain points, but we had little idea as to what kind of solution would be suitable. Simple Thread conducted a business analysis, defined how our business runs, and determined what type of support we needed in our software. They ultimately designed and developed a Ruby-based solution. Though they built the software several years ago, we still have Simple Thread on a retainer to provide a certain number of support hours each month.

What is the team composition?

The firm’s two partners serve as our project managers and main points of contact. We also work with as many as three developers.

How did you come to work with Simple Thread?

One of our IT systems technicians is well-networked in the Richmond and Central Virginia area, and he initially found Simple Thread through his connections. For large initiatives like this, we typically consider at least three firms. Simple Thread proved to be the best of our finalists.

How much have you invested with them?

The software package was probably about $80,000 by itself. Over the years, we’ve spent around $500,000 in all.

What is the status of this engagement?

The main software development project spanned May 2013–February 2014.

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

We received an impressive software package. When we show it to clients, it’s common for them to request contact information for Simple Thread so that they can contact them regarding similar projects. With the new project management system, we’re far more productive than we ever were with off-the-shelf solutions.

How did Simple Thread perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re fortunate to have the firm’s two partners assigned to our project. They are some of the most experienced project managers that I’ve worked with. We have conference calls every other week that range from 15 minutes to an hour. In emergencies, the most we have to wait is an hour or two. The team is very responsive and reliable, and I can’t say that about all of our other vendors.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re easy to work with, which is why we’re still working with them. They’ve taken the time to understand our business, and when we give them a new challenge, we don’t have to reiterate why we need it or the risks involved. Simple Thread is thoroughly familiar with our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m under the impression that Simple Thread has struggled to grow or find quality developers at times. If we were to take on a significant initiative with them where we’d need their support for several months again, it would depend on their ability to find the appropriate resources.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend working with Simple Thread. They’re easy to work with, and they have smart people running the company.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an IT support specialist at Outdoor Living Brands, a franchise business catering to the outdoor living market.

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Thread?

We were looking for a vendor to perform custom development on an existing pricing tool used by one of our brands.

What were your goals for this project?

Our list of action items included enhancing the UX of the software so end-users could navigate the pricing tool more efficiently.

How did you select this vendor?

Simple Thread was recommended to us by another agency. After speaking with the team, we were impressed by their professionalism and outstanding communication style. They also provided references that complemented their work.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The team first collaborated with internal stakeholders to define the project specifications and scope. They picked up where another specialist had left off on the pricing tool development. They accomplished a number of tasks and released the updated tool in a short amount of time.

What was the team composition?

The project team consisted of three specialists. Most of the communication was facilitated by Mike (Software Engineer, Simple Thread) and Brian (Director of Business Development, Simple Thread).

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

The Simple Thread team kept the software up-to-date and responsive to the needs of the end-user.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team’s stellar project management was aided by ongoing communication about every aspect of development.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team was able to personalize the business relationship through meaningful collaboration. It felt as though they had worked with us for several years rather than a few months.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm happy with the team’s work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO & founder of MajorClarity. We provide career exploration and academic planning software to schools and community colleges.

For what projects/services did your company hire Simple Thread?

After our founding CTO departed the company, we hired Simple Thread to provide interim technology leadership as well as software development.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to optimize the functionality of our platform by increasing security and load capacity as well as adding grander features.

How did you select this vendor?

I met with a variety of software development providers in Virginia and checked their references.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Justin (Co-Founder, Simple Thread) provided interim CTO services to guide our technological leadership. Their team built new features, worked on the platform’s optimization and infrastructure, and fixed any bugs or client issues.

What was the team composition?

We work with Justin and two senior-level software engineers. We also employ one of their team members that specialize in business development and account management.

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

User load capacity increased five times over. We’re catching up on our product pipeline. Simple Thread is now helping us build an internal team of developers while continuing to provide supplemental software development and maintenance.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management is a collaborative partnership. Our COO works with their director of business development. We set up weekly calls with a standard mid-week check-in. We’ve established a feature and bug tracking system through Trello.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Simple Thread is committed to our success and partnership. I appreciate their ability to balance top-level software development standards with pragmatic solutions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There wasn’t a management system at the beginning. Our teams worked together to try and figure that out.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the COO of a healthcare IT company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Thread?

We engaged Simple Thread to develop a software for our billing model that integrated our medical records.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Thread developed a web-based platform, integrating medical records and patient data. As we worked through requirements closely with their team, we held daily standup meetings and talked through development before each sprint.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about four designers on their team, as well as a project manager/scrum master on our end.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June–September 2018.

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

Simple Thread built a phenomenal platform that's been well received across the board. They were extremely detail-oriented throughout the process and we'd work with them again in a heartbeat.

How did Simple Thread perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated constantly over Slack on a daily basis in addition to holding standup meetings and sprint reviews. They worked very closely with our team throughout the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're honest, reliable, and highly skilled in their field of work. They also genuinely care about the work they produce and are very thorough.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything worth mentioning.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep lines of communication open, because they're very responsive to client needs and quick to make any fixes as needed. I'd also suggest taking advantage of the input they offer to help improve product outcomes rather than just providing them with strict instructions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO for Strategic Risk Associates. We provide the financial services and insurance industries with software to track and manage risk in organizations. We also have a consulting side that assists banks and other financial institutions with various projects.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simple Thread?

The risk management software had existed as a prototype idea in Excel spreadsheets. We hired Simple Thread because we didn’t have in-house development resources.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simple Thread was responsible for the build’s technical side. The team architected and designed the software. We provided the Excel documents as a substitute for wireframes or mockups. They worked with internal business stakeholders to validate processes and ensure compliance with our vision. Simple Thread then developed the software from scratch using Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL for the database.

The project is ongoing because the software evolves with our business. Simple Thread implemented the initial version in late 2016 and we now use the second iteration. They host the software on AWS.

What is the team composition?

We work with one of the co-founders and three developers on a regular basis.

How did you come to work with Simple Thread?

Our founder reached out to a developer he had worked with on a past project. However, the developer was busy and recommended Simple Thread because he thought highly of them. We invited Simple Thread to the office and chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2015 and the partnership is ongoing.

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

This is the best software development situation I’ve had in 20 years. We’re experiencing continual growth because users love the software. We gain three or four customers every month and have lost only one account when another bank acquired a client. Some users are hard to please, but even those find little to complain about. I’ve never seen such high levels of customer approval and happiness.

How did Simple Thread perform from a project management standpoint?

They handled project management capably before I came on board; I’ve since assumed that responsibility. The team consistently meets our dates within tight, yet realistic, timeframes. We communicate via Slack and weekly in-person meetings at their local office. The arrangement works well for our business stakeholders and product owner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Since the co-founders are software developers, they know how to onboard the right resources for this project. Each resource has been amazing because Simple Thread does not rush to hire developers; they wait for the right person.

Also, the risk management software has the lowest defect rate I’ve seen in my career. Developers spend only a few hours per week on bug fixes because the build is such high quality. Consequently, our team can focus exclusively on features and functionalities, which maximizes our competitive edge in the market. Our leadership, which has extensive development experience, appreciates Simple Thread’s remarkable performance.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, the software is functional and the team is a joy to work with. They have minimal turnover and reasonable costs. We have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to Simple Thread’s suggestions. Clients that are closed-minded do themselves a disservice. The team doesn’t speak up about everything, but pay attention to them when they do.