Sirocco

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a Polish VOD service and at the same time internet television company launched in 2008. We offer live high quality (HD)broadcasts and a database of several tens of thousands of legal TV content, including full-length movies and series (also available pre-releases), concerts, television programmes and sports coverage, as well as several live television channels. Access to our resources is available through our website and through applications on many different platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sirocco mobile?

After the production of our application in desktop version, it was naturally time to release it in mobile version, where our target group began to operate.

What were your goals for this project?

Our aim was to publish content on mobile platforms and increase the reach of published content.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did not have experts in this area, and Sirocco is known for the implementation of demanding and modern mobile solutions. We have previously worked on the EuroSMS 2008 project and Sirocco has demonstrated its ability to act quickly in providing innovative mobile solutions. Cooperation in the project was therefore a natural course of events.

Describe the project in detail.

We have commissioned Sirocco to implement native mobile applications for such systems as: iOS, Android, Symbian, Meego, Windows Phone 7.5 and 8.X, and Windows 10 (desktop). Design and briefs with technical and functional requirements were delivered to Sirocco mobile by our company.

What was the team composition?

The work has been in progress since 2010 to date. In Sirocco Mobile, the work is carried out according to the needs by a team of 4-15 people consisting of PM, Developers and Testers. Initially, the works were carried out in the waterfall model. We currently use Scrum.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Together with Sirocco, we have gone from zero mobile users to the current number within the range of 5-6 million. The application is continually being expanded and although there are issues, they are always resolved on a regular basis.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We are currently working with Sirocco in Scrum. Communication is on a day-by-day basis - daily scrum and other scrum artifacts. Sprints last two weeks. Due to the need for close and smooth cooperation, our teams regularly take part in integration events.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We consider Sirocco Mobile as a highly specialised company with very substantive resources. This is especially key in our field of business which, by its very nature, is technically very complex. Just like the mobile application.

Are there any areas for improvement?

After so many years of cooperation, it is safe to say that there are no such anymore.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a business focused on global operation. We are a world leader in the field of plant protection products.

We offer a wide range of herbicidal, insecticidal and fungicidal products that prevent crop losses. In this way, we contribute to solving one of the biggest problems of humanity - food supply.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sirocco mobile?

We already had a paper version of the atlas but with the constantly number of digital subscriptions, our readers reported the need for even faster access to information.

We decided to address their needs by creating a tool for mobile search and identification of weeds so that they could choose the means of combating those more effectively.

What were your goals for this project?

We established a goal to create an application that contains a database of unwanted plants in crops (weeds), facilitates their recognition and shows how to prevent their spread.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Searching for a company that could tailor innovative solutions to business needs, we came across SIROCCO MOBILE. Their vision of work and the ability to understand our business encouraged us to entrust them with this project.

Describe the project in detail.

The mobile application has been equipped with an algorithm that facilitates weed identification by answering questions about its characteristics. Another functionality was to equip the application with another algorithm that helps to select the method of controlling weeds.

For that purpose, a CMS panel was created, enabling the management of this database and the publication of news for users. Everything has been designed and manufactured entirely by SIROCCO MOBILE.

What was the team composition?

The team who was in charge of the implementation of this application was established in SIROCCO MOBILE and consisted of Developers, Testers, Business Analyst and Graphics. In total, it consisted of about 8 people on average.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

SIROCCO MOBILE has implemented its task and delivered top quality applications.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The application has been released in UAT mode, i.e. alpha-beta, master,

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The opinion was confirmed that when required by the circumstances, the SIROCCO MOBILE team also works on weekends. It is important to emphasize very good communication with the entire team.

The SIROCCO MOBILE team, despite the fact that our business is a very specific domain, they very quickly caught up on the domain knowledge and put forward interesting solutions to support weed identification.

Calls were always held whenever necessary. Seconded trainers from SIROCCO MOBILE visited us at the main office and conducted training in using the application and CMS.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only improvement that could be made in relation to our cooperation is more frequent information on the progress and creation of the app’s subsequent versions.

Nevertheless, I know that at present SIROCCO MOBILE works in Scrum methodology, which results in very short intervals (2 weeks) in delivering each subsequent version to the client.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Antalis is the leading professional paper distributor and provider of packaging and Visual Communication solutions in Europe and the world (outside of the United States).

Antalis is the only operator in its sector with an international presence in 41 countries. I'm responsible for it in Central South and East Europe Region.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sirocco mobile?

Creation of a system enabling online monitoring of shipments and exchange of information with drivers. Goods are distributed through business partners.

What were your goals for this project?

The ability to track shipments online, inform about delays in deliveries, the possibility of submitting complaints along with sending photos, confirmation of cash collection, communication with drivers

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We chose partners who had the required experience and presented the most interesting suggestions for solving the problem. Finally, the supplier was selected to guarantee the implementation of the project with the greatest potential and experience in implementing tailor-made projects.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

A web application for managing shipments was created with a presentation of deliveries on the map and online shipping statuses. In addition, a mobile application for drivers was created, integrated with the transport management system and the web application.

What was the team composition?

The project team consisted of consultants, project managers from Antalis and a supplier as well as selected key users from business. This combination guaranteed a smooth project implementation and immediate response to unforeseen situations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to this project, the flow of information in the supply chain has been significantly improved, from the drivers of external shipping companies, through the logistics, sales and finance departments.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

An experienced project manager on the supplier's and our company's side was dedicated to the project. This guaranteed work within the intended time and budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The supplier has proved capable of implementing any IT project using the latest technologies.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Due to the innovative solution, meeting the project deadline in the assumed budget proved to be a big challenge. Antalis' requirements also changed during the project and required corrections in the project plan. It is worth defining your expectations well and describing the solution to minimize such problems in the future.