Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?
It's hard to gauge success, given that we operate as one big team. This in itself is a great success story; Softjourn seems to be very flexible in this type of engagement and it works well for us. Overall, we've been able to accelerate development. We have also been putting out monthly releases since engaging in this model. This is a significant result, considering the complexity of our platform.
How did Softjourn perform from a project management standpoint?
Softjourn has provided resources as needed and was flexible in order to accelerate our delivery timelines. For the most part, Softjourn has delivered the work within schedule and budget.
We use Visual Studio Team Services for managing our internal team and Softjourn’s team. They operate in the same way as our domestic staff. Going over that tool, there isn't a difference between someone delivering work in New York, compared to a Ukrainian developer.
What did you find most impressive about Softjourn?
I appreciated Softjourn's flexibility. They're responsive. When we wanted to ramp up the team even more, we received additional talent quickly. We're always fighting for resources in New York, so it's good to have access to good-quality developers when needed.
Are there any areas Softjourn could improve?
This type of collaboration is a new model for Softjourn. They've been good at it and, if Softjourn truly mastered this model, it would be helpful for us. Being able to stretch our team into a virtual offshore location is a valuable asset. Softjourn should keep doing what they're doing and get better at it.
Core strengths include access to a wide range of expert-level resources, professionalism, and a demonstrated understanding of Agile best practices.