Softhis

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a non-profit dental association with multiple offices throughout the US.

What is your position?

I am the software engineering manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softhis?

We've worked with them on several projects throughout the years. We initially needed to create a symptoms checker that would work as both a web-based platform and a mobile application. At that time, mobile apps were not as popular as they are now, so there were fewer companies specialized in development for them. We wanted both our solutions to be user-friendly and have responsive designs.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Softhis developed our web-based application using HTML5, and built native iOS and Android applications for us. Both mobile apps were developed and deployed at the same time. All three applications use the same database and web services. It was important for us to have only one point of update for our data.

The web app is a part of our website. The mobile apps are available through iTunes and Google Play respectively. Our database is hosted on a SQL server with appropriate APIs for all our applications.

Our team consisted of a project manager, two to three developers and one designer. The design was common for both apps, but we used a different one for the web.

How did you come to work with Softhis?

I had several conversations with one of the sales reps from Softhis. We talked extensively about what we could develop and how we would do it. I liked their previous projects. They had an innovative approach to solving clients' needs in terms of web interfaces and graphics. We moved our conversation to actual estimates and decided to work together. We didn't offer Softhis a test project. Our collaboration started with the full scope of the work.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The development cost for our first project was between $20,000 and $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've worked on several other applications since developing the initial ones. Our first project took between two and three months to complete. We've continued to use Softhis for update work on all our apps, including a major redesign for a dentist training app we've created.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We've received positive feedback for our applications. It was the main reason for deciding to sign a five-year contract with Softhis after our first project. It was done in order to speed up the process and eliminate the need of a new contract for each project. Everyone within my department and company was extremely happy.

How did Softhis perform from a project management standpoint?

I was the internal project manager and have worked directly with Softhis during our collaboration. We've worked within an Agile methodology which gave us results right away. I appreciated the time difference between our locations. When I submitted requests at the end of the day, I had results waiting for me by the next morning.

Softhis was on time for every single run and always within budget. Not many companies are capable of this because of different factors which come up. Our agreement was respected in full, with no additional changes. If we ever had a slight change in scope during the project because we weren't yet sure of what we wanted, the software was always changed accordingly.

We communicated via phone or email, without using any specialized project management tools.

What distinguishes Softhis from other providers?

They were very responsive to us during the development process and we really appreciated their innovations in terms of honing the user interface and design.

Could you share any tips with future clients?

I didn't have any experience in developing mobile applications when we first started our work. Any potential clients should rely on the feedback and suggestions made by Softhis. They're almost always on target in this respect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The American College of Prosthodontics is a national association representing dentists with advanced specialty training in prosthodontics, a form of specialized dentistry.

What is your position?

I am the associate executive director of communications and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softhis?

We had a legacy product called a Board Study Guide, which had been distributed for many years on CD. It was aimed at helping our members become certified by the American Board of Prosthodontics. Most medical dental specialties have a level of certification called a board certification, which verifies their credentials to a high degree. We wanted to transition our legacy product from a CD to an app format, in order to meet the needs of our younger members.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

We reached out to Softhis in order to design an app, which would work on iOS and Android. The applications were developed in parallel. They have the same essential content, but there are subtle differences between how each operating system works. We trusted Softhis to find the best ways in which to deal with the similarities and differences. They were heavily involved in fleshing out and refining our technical requirements. I only showed them the CD and told them what platforms we wanted our solution to be built on. They took the lead in all other regards. We worked with a product manager. I am not aware of the actual size of the development team assigned to our project work.

How did you come to work with Softhis?

We work with The American Dental Association, which is the largest dental association in the United States and probably the world. We're independent of this institution but are located in the same building. They occasionally bring products to us that cross over into what our dentists do so we can review them. Softhis had worked on one of their mobile applications. I talked to the association about their involvement with different mobile developers and, based on what they described, we decided to reach out to Softhis.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

There are many associated fees that come with app development, which don't necessarily have to do with Softhis's involvement, like licenses and fees from Apple. The development cost itself was around $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The apps are currently live. The work was completed in October 2014. We plan to start a new project with Softhis this year for making a version of our application available on Mac OS and Windows.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The response from our members and educators has been very strong. We provide complimentary access to the app for anyone who attends our annual course. We also sell standalone copies for everyone else. We have turned a profit on the app, which has been reinvested into our educational effort. The sales of the app as a standalone product have exceeded the last 5 to 8 years combined of the CD version. We've been very pleased with the reception.

How did Softhis perform from a project management standpoint?

They always came in within budget and worked very hard for our project. We mostly communicated through email.

What distinguishes Softhis from other providers?

They simply give the impression of being very good at what they do. I found Softhis to be flexible, positive and a pleasure to work with.