Space-O Technologies

Please describe your company and your position there.

We have a mobile messaging startup, targeting iOS and Android device users. We have less than 5 employees.

For what reason(s) did your company hire Space-O Technologies?

The project was to build several new forms of dynamic messaging to increase the capabilities of smartphones beyond that of SMS and MMS. The opportunity to create new forms of messaging is unlimited as there have only been a few true breakthroughs since the late 1990s.

How did you select this vendor?

I discovered them on Upwork—Elance at the time. They provided similar services on a smaller mobile game project and were primarily involved in development and project management. They also gave us feedback on design and UX [user experience].

Describe the project in detail.

At the start of the project, we paid to fly a business development/UX designer to the U.S. for 10 days, which was extremely helpful for fleshing out the entire project and developing a rapport with Space-O. The designer was instrumental in developing wireframes and understanding the intent and scope of the project; he was able to convey that back to the project managers when he returned.

They provided a full range of solutions and support to the project. The core IP was developed in-house and planned and executed together with them.

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

In the end, Space-O delivered the original scope plus several key changes that were discussed and made during development. The executive and management teams were fluent and easy to work with.

Our project still hasn’t launched, so we don't have any metrics on new users. However, we were able to get over 200 unpaid Android and iOS testers to download and use the beta. In contrast to previous projects, this is a very high number and is reflective of the quality of product that was delivered and the backend support to keep it running.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their project management was first class. After a few bumps getting started involving time scheduling between Texas and Russia and setting up Basecamp and the software design flow, there was never a time when I felt the project was being mismanaged. Designs were easily passed back and forth and changes/updates were timely.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are very straightforward and will deliver exactly what you agree to.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend to anyone using Space-O to have your scope well defined and tested in order to receive the most accurate estimate for services. This will also save downtime in development and cut down on the number of changes to the original scope.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a car inspection service company in France. I’m a manager.

What challenge were you trying to address with Space-O Technologies?

We were looking to develop our company website. As we are a small company with only a small amount to invest into the project, we were looking for a good, competent partner with a low budget.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and developed a complete website for us. That included the logo, the frontend, and the backend of the website, which was a little complicated. 

The result is a completely automatic on the website. When a customer places an order, the website checks who is available in that area to do the inspection. It sends an email to those people automatically. If they are interested, they can confirm that they will inspect the vehicle, which gives them access to the report to fill out for the inspection. Once they are done with the inspection, they submit the report, bill, and are paid automatically. Currently, Space-O is working on the final version.

How did you come to work with Space-O Technologies?

We put out a call for tenders. There were four companies and we selected Space-O because we got a good technical report from them. They gave us a reasonable price and we had a good feeling with their team.

How much have you invested with them?

I prefer to keep this confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

The tender went out in January 2016, and we chose Space-O in May 2016. We are still working with them now.

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

They’ve had a strong impact on our company. Our startup is 90% our website and they did the website, so the impact is huge. We measure their success by whether they hit the goals of what we want. Also, if there are too many bugs, that’s bad quality work and if there are no bugs then it’s very good quality. We had some bugs, but I think that’s normal for a project like this.

How did Space-O Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Basecamp to manage the project. We communicate on Skype, and other similar platforms — all the communication was clear. However, there was a time difference so sometimes communication was a little delayed. We didn’t meet our target date, but that’s not a big deal.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are hard workers. They never say no and they work until they solve the problem. Any time there are bugs, they focus on the problem and come back with a solution no matter how long it takes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’m very happy with their work. I had a good relationship with the team leader and the developer.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a technology startup. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Space-O Technologies?

I have a product that is in the patent processing phase and needs to be developed. It’s a software/hardware combination solution for parking management. It removes a lot of the overhead in the parking process. I contacted Space-O to develop the solution based on my requirements.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The solution is a web-based system, and I think the backend is developed in a Yii PHP framework and hosted on Amazon Web Services.

The technology was completely outsourced to Space-O and funded 100% by me. The solution is now being tested by first-phase customers, and then we’re going to expand testing. As you expand testing, you need more resources, so I'm also raising funds to be able to launch the product when it’s commercialized.

How did you come to work with Space-O Technologies?

I searched online and came across Space-O’s name on a website that talked about some of their projects, so I put them on my list. I contacted companies across the world, including the United States, Russia, India, and I think South Africa. I did background checks and contacted some references, eliminating most of the candidates that way. It took about eight months to assign the project to Space-O and make sure they understood my requirements.

How much have you invested with them?

I’d rather keep this number confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we started working together in April 2016. 

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

The product is in the process of being commercialized, so investors are looking and evaluating it. I had the proof of concept, which was turned into the final product that Space-O built for me, and now I have investors looking at commercializing the solution.

So far the product is looking good enough to launch commercially, except there may be some small hiccups that we’ll need to fix. For example, out of 1,000 people testing it, it might work for 990 people and not work for 10 people. That’s an acceptable rate to launch at, but I'm a perfectionist and I want to reach 100%. 

I’ve given Space-O more work and have hired them for a second project.

How did Space-O Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely available. We’re two and a half hours apart, but I can call them on Saturdays and Sundays to talk and most of the time they’re available. We communicate through Skype and email, and use Basecamp for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are committed to delivering a good product. Usually, when you go with a company, they’ll deliver a project, then walk away even if you have an issue. Space-O put in a lot of effort to make sure that I am satisfied. They never asked for additional funds, even if something might have cost them more. They are professional in terms of how they run their business. 

I’ve worked with many different companies involving development, hardware and so on, and overall Space-O is much better than the other companies I used to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I would give them more work, and I'm very satisfied with them.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Space-O Technologies?

If it’s your first time working with Space-O, make sure that the research and development are complete and 100% successful before Space-O gives you the exact timeframe and cost for the project. Do more legwork in the beginning. It might cost you more, but it’s better for them and for you.

My success was not only because of Space-O but due to the preparation I did on my side before I approached Space-O. You have to do your homework, and I think that’s important to mention.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a meal-planning project, which started at a prestigious research university about four decades ago. We wanted to build an application for people who have to follow a certain diet due to a condition like heart disease or diabetes. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Space-O Technologies?

We developed 2 mobile applications [iOS/Android] with Space-O. The applications help patients with heart disease or diabetes to manage their nutrition requirements.

I wanted to gather this data and hand it over to medical researchers. It’s very difficult to develop medicine for these people because doctors don’t know what they eat all the time. We wanted a huge database with information so that we can apply machine learning and find out what foods increase the heath of these people.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted the app developed for both iOS and Android at the same time. Our audience uses both platforms, and we continue to work on both to provide access. We also have a website that we built ourselves.

The platform is getting complicated. It’s a big application with a lot of pieces. It keeps track of everything users eat and gives them feedback. The app also sounds an alarm if you eat something wrong for 3 days.

How many resources were assigned to your project?

We changed the project manager a number of times. We worked with the initial manager for more than a year. He was a great guy but had some personal problems. We were assigned another project manager, who is awesome. We’re very happy with her.

We have a huge database behind this project, so we have separate teams for iOS, Android, and the backend. Depending on what we need, they bring new people onto the team. We have a machine learning team that works alongside us at Stanford but not full-time.

How did you come to work with Space-O Technologies?

We found Space-O through one of my friends in New York who’d worked with them before. She said they were unbelievable, so we tried them. We looked at other companies in Sweden and Norway and still selected Space-O, primarily because the other companies needed 3 weeks to get back to us. Space-O responded the same day, did a wireframe, and showed us different mock-ups. We were impressed by their size and understanding of what we wanted to do. We just gave them a short description, and they recognized our needs immediately.

What is the status of this engagement?

Over the past 2 years, we have added more functionality and new designs. Space-O has provided great work and strong suggestions. We feel like we have a partner, not just a service provider. 

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

The app isn’t live yet. We want to launch in September. We’ve put the product on the app stores multiple times and attended a number of competitions. We’ve pivoted a number of times based on feedback. Thanks to the great work and the fabulous service provided by Space-O, our applications have been finalists in some of the world's biggest entrepreneurship competitions, including TechCrunch, StartupGrind, and 43North.

How did Space-O Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re awesome. Whenever we asked our project manager something, she fixed it quickly. In 2 years, they’ve never missed a deadline. We put pressure on them when preparing for competitions, but they were there day and night for us. They worked over the weekend to help us as well.

They have a clear process and communicate clearly. That has developed over time. Our project manager is very efficient, respects our time, and is well prepared. We have a time difference of 4 hours. I send material late at night, and when I call them in the morning, they’ve already gone through it and have questions ready. They’re extremely professional and document everything well.

We use Basecamp and confirm all the deliverables they send us. We’ve developed a way of working that meets both our needs. I send material in PowerPoint or a type of wireframe. They load questions, and I open my own questions for version control. Then, they start delivering while keeping me appraised. If they’re implementing something new, we approve it first.

What did you find most impressive about Space-O Technologies?

Space-O goes beyond the call of duty in offering great service. Often, we’ve had to deliver new versions of the applications in a short timeframe, and the team at Space-O worked many late evenings and weekends to do that.

Are there any areas Space-O Technologies could improve?

We have a candid feedback process. We’ve never had any issues. Once, a team leader was struggling because he doesn’t cook food at home and didn’t understand the goal of our product, which has a lot of recipes and tools. Space-O had another person jump in, and she understood our needs in seconds.

They’re constantly improving their processes for working with customers, which we welcome. I wouldn’t change anything. I think we’re quite lucky. 

Please describe your organization.

My startup offers a mobile app for the iPhone that allows user to create customizable, printable greeting cards. 

What is your position?

I'm the founder and owner.

What challenge were you trying to address with Space-O Technologies?

At the time, I actually needed to make my iPhone app. I had already come up with the proof of concept and had my requirements fairly well defined. I also had a good amount of visual collateral for the user interface, which I needed to have implemented. I'm not a technical person, so I couldn't build the functional application myself. I knew I would need a partner and thought an outsourced solution would be ideal for cost savings.

How did you come to work with Space-O Technologies?

I'm fairly positive that I found them online. I did the research myself and found a handful of potential companies. 

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this engagement?

It was less than $10,000.

What is the status of the project?

It's a live solution. We finished development and launched it back in 2012.

Could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback from this engagement?

I don't have any real stats to share. Unfortunately, I've had trouble monetizing the app. Users really love it, but they're content using the free version rather than the paid version with the additional features. I didn't spend the necessary time and effort marketing the app, which meant that organic growth was entirely based on word of mouth. I rarely get negative feedback related to bugs or defects. Mostly, I receive questions regarding newer versions or more features, but I'm not ready to do that without figuring out how to monetize it. These are things unrelated to the app's performance, so it isn't reflective of Space-O's involvement. 

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They were spectacular. I never had any critical issues with them. Space-O Technologies was always very responsive to my requests, and they never once missed a deadline. It was a great experience and very rewarding. 

What advice, if any, would you give to a future client of theirs?

My biggest lesson learned was that you need to have everything planned out. It's more than just having a sound idea and technical requirements. You really need to think through every stage of the idea, even after the development, assuming it's successful, you need to have expectations about user adoption and how you plan to continue supporting your efforts. That's probably something Space-O Technologies could help with, but the client should come into the project with a long-term vision. 

Please describe your organization.

My company is a mobile portal for content and commerce targeting niche communities. We created a portal first for the African-American community. Our site is part messenger service, part business, and event directory, and it has a news section as well.

What is your position?

I am the president, CEO, and co-founder.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Space-O Technologies?

I needed a mobile application to complement our site. I would say go hand-in-hand with the site, but we are transitioning from a website to more of a mobile-first type of product. We needed somebody to implement that change. That's when we engaged Space-O.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Before we started working with Space-O, we already had a website. We wanted to take what we had on the site and put it into a mobile app. The original scope was to build two apps, for both iOS and Android, and build an API [application programming interface] to push the information from the website to both of those apps. The data that we had was business data, event data, and news data. Then, on top of that, we needed Space-O to build a messenger service, which we didn't have on the site. They did the design, back-end and front-end for that.

How did you come to work with Space-O Technologies?

I had been looking for an app developer for a few months. I interviewed a lot of people and there were a few that I liked. While I was going through this process I had a few friends who had worked with Space-O beforehand, and two of the people on the team really spoke very highly of Space-O. One of them showed me the work they did in terms of design. The app hadn't been implemented yet, but they said this is what it's going to look like. They showed me their finished product, and I was really impressed by the quality of their work. I decided to have a conversation. They did an introduction, we had a conversation, and based on the portfolio work that they showed me and the scope in terms of what they said they could do, I decided to go with them. The recommendations were also a factor.

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

The size of this project is confidential.

Could you share any feedback from this engagement?

I think Space-O did an excellent job. Everything positive that my friend said, I would completely agree with it. They were very easy to work with. As soon as I saw the design probably a month after we started the engagement I knew I had made the right call. They took what I was thinking about and just did a great job with it. I got excited. I knew I made the right decision when I saw their design. Their implementation was no different. It was really good. It exceeded my expectations. They did a great job – they're really easy to work with. I'd rank them high across the board on every metric. I definitely look forward to working with them in the future for any other needs that we have.

What distinguishes Space-O Technologies from other providers?

The design was good but, actually, that's one piece. The designer was there from the very beginning, and it was actually one of the developers. In terms of customer service, I feel like they're very responsive, very good in terms of communication, and Space-O Technologies delivered a really good product overall. They always work to get it right. I was asking for a lot of things. Usually people have apps that only do one thing. I have apps that do about four different things. For example, in beta testing, a lot of people were saying it was slow. Even afterward – we were sort of done. It was on the App Store and they just kept working to optimize the code to speed up the response time of the app. I just felt like they were responsive all the way throughout the process.

Is there anything Space-O Technologies could have improved or done differently?

Nothing I can think of. With development, you always have a few roadblocks. But, the roadblocks that we ran into, they were able to communicate with us quickly. I can't think of anything they could improve. I don't have any negative feedback that I can think of.

Please describe your organization.

My company provides software for pre-hospital care. Fire departments and private ambulance companies use our software to document a patient prior to arrival at the hospital. It's basically a triage software solution.

What is your position?

I am the chief information officer.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Space-O Technologies?

We had developed the software before we hired them, and it was on a Windows platform. The challenge was to modify it into an agile piece of software that could work in the demanding environment of pre-hospital care. Windows can't do that, in our opinion, due to the operating system itself. We needed to transition to iPad, and that's where we found Space-O and decided that they would be a great fit.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

They did iOS development specifically for iPad in the beginning. Since then, we actually had them develop an Android version as well. We also had them develop an iPhone version, and believe it or not, we went back and had them develop a Windows version as well. They've developed the app across all major platforms.

How did you come to work with Space-O Technologies?

I believe I found them on Elance. Their company owner [Rakesh Patel] actually flew out to see me in-person, and I was impressed with what he said and with the projects he had done in the past.

I can't even explain with how impressed I am now working with them. I would have been satisfied if they had delivered what they had sold me, but this service goes above and beyond.

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

It cost $600,000 during the course of two years, give or take $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have many mini projects within our big projects, so we have milestones all day long. For each of my tablet systems that I have, I have five to eight – maybe 10 milestones – within each project. Not one project – not one milestone – has been missed.

What was very unique about Space-O is how they make sure the milestones aren't missed. I guess that goes along with why I'm so satisfied with their service. Number one, he's straightened me up, but the big thing is how they document. They document very well. They communicate very well, and they don't let things slip.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I'd say they get it right on the first try 98 percent of the time.

No software written goes without bugs. If you say you have bugless software, somebody's lying. I don't have a problem with bugs. My issue is how the bugs are handled. Usually, there are no major bugs and there's no downtime on my software whatsoever once it hits production. If there is a bug, they are so tight on fixing it. They're very apologetic, even though I realize it happens to everybody. They own it, and that to me is why we continue to give them money.

I'm in the EMS [emergency medical services] world, so we can't have things go wrong. If you ask anybody using our product that Space-O helped build, they would tell you it is as robust as they come.

How did Space-O Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Basecamp as a project management tool. Basecamp is all I need. It's documented so well, which makes it easy.

I tell them what I want, and they scope out the project in terms of development size. I really don't care about the development size; what I care about is that the work is done in my time, and my time is usually very fast. They get it done.

What distinguishes Space-O Technologies from other providers?

Their responsiveness and their exceptional documentation are Space-O Technologies' best qualities. There are plenty of other companies that deliver great quality work, but the reason why I'm talking about Space-O Technologies is because I believe their project management and their communication saves me money.

They go the extra mile. Everybody's got skill, and I think their skill is superb. They finish my things in an extremely timely fashion, they have the technology, and they have the skill and the project management skills.

Is there anything Space-O Technologies could have improved or done differently?

No. Where I thought they would fall short is taking on my projects. We're kind of demanding because of the nature of my work. I demanded a lot from them and I expected them to fold, and not be able to handle it, but they did handle it. They finished early on two of my projects, and they're very good about resource management, project management, and communication.

Could you provide a brief description of your organization?

I’m the founder of a company [where] I basically needed to look for software engineers that could develop and deploy our custom application.

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Space-O Technologies?

I needed someone that could design an app that changes audio settings automatically on your mobile device by location via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or GPS. It’s exclusively for the Android platform because iOS doesn’t allow developers to create apps that will change things automatically. The users have to do it.

The app changes your phone’s audio settings by location. I wanted to make an app that would change my settings automatically, so I wouldn’t have to think about it. Imagine walking into a courtroom, it goes into silent mode without prompting. I walk out of the courtroom for lunch, and my cell automatically reverts back to ring. The first version we developed was based off GPS coordinates, but it was milking the battery far too much to be a realistic solution. I then decided to add Wi-Fi as a workaround, and then eventually added Bluetooth to the mix. I had none of the technical skills to incorporate these features, which is why I needed Space-O.

Could you describe the scope of work in greater detail?

They’ve offered design, development, and testing for the Android platform. If there were an element that required technical attention, they’d be the ones dealing with it. If it were more creative or strategic, I’d be the one describing to them how it was I wanted it to work down the road. They’d translate those desires and expectations into technical specifications, and then build the testable prototype.

When we’d reach a milestone, they’d test the prototype, and then send it to me, and I would test it and provide feedback. I wouldn’t expect to get a completely bug-free item right off the bat. It was much more of a give and take. They process worked out very well because they’d deliver quality work. When we discovered bugs or malfunctions, they’d be working on a fix very quickly.

How did you choose Space-O Technologies as your partner?

I found them through Elance. I knew a little bit about certain things that could and couldn’t be done with Apple’s iOS and Android. I had a few different software engineers in mind, but the only ones that answered my questions correctly were Space-O, and they came with a good track record of success. It made sense to move forward with them.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this particular project?

It came close to $30 an hour for development of the Android app. I also used them for marketing, and that was a little less. They did successfully stay within the agreed upon budget and project timeline, which was impressive.

When was this project completed?

The first version has live and available for a year, but it’s been updated three different times. The latest version was released in May or June of 2014.

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

The app itself hasn’t sold that well, but that’s no fault of theirs. In hindsight, it requires too much data entry from the user, so I think that’s a contributor to its failure. In terms of functionality, it works flawlessly, but the user experience isn’t simple enough to be a convenient fix to the user’s everyday life. That has more to do with my own lack of research into the space.  

When working with Space-O Technologies, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach and/or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

They didn’t have any problems with me adding components to the project. They’ll simply map out the hours and they won’t deviate once it’s agreed upon. They won’t tell you it will take 20 hours and then say it took 25. They won’t pull anything like that. They’re very good at managing client expectations in that regard.  

The quality and price range was also more than reasonable. They might be a little higher than other offshore companies, but they do a good job, so it’s worth it. They’re extremely honest and their process is very transparent, which I’ve really appreciated.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think they could improve as a service provider?

I really don’t have any complaints. I thought they were quite good. If I had a question, they’d get back with me quickly. I was on Skype with them at least a few times a week for status reports and to provide feedback on prototypes.

My only recommendation to others would be in the design aspect. These guys have some serious technical chops. They know how to develop across platforms and they understand how to incorporate user feedback, make incremental improvements. However, their designs aren’t the most creative. If you were going to use their design services, you’d have to be very specific about what it is you want. The more details you’re able to offer them, the closer the final product will look like what you want it to. To some extent, that’s probably true of most companies, but it’s still something to keep in mind before going in.

Could you provide a brief description of your organization?

We publish photo and video apps primarily on the Apple App Store as well as Google Play store.

What is your position?

I’m the founder and president.

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Space-O Technologies?

I have a continuous need for developers on my projects, and I generally find them on Elance and oDesk. When I started working with Space-O, they were able to demonstrate that they were very persistent. They’re capable of going beyond sending code back and forth, but were able to communicate about what the goals were for the project, and alternative technologies, and reusing third-party services to get there instead of reinventing the wheel. That was pretty rare, so right away I was pleasantly surprised by finding a vendor like that on Elance.

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Space-O Technologies?

We approached them primarily for custom software development and maintenance and support. Through another one of my companies, we’ve also started to do some mobile app development using jQuery.

How did you select Space-O Technologies as your partner?

For about three years, I was cycling through independent developers that I’d found through Elance and oDesk, but they just couldn’t meet the quality parameters I would establish. After launching small projects with 20 or 30 different vendors through those sites, I finally ended up with Space-O. They handled their demo very well, and I was impressed with their previous work.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this particular project?

I’ve probably completed around forty projects with them, and they’ve cost was anywhere from $100 to $8,000 per project.

Could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

The Apple user reviews speak for themselves. User feedback on the iTunes store is probably the simplest, most effective way to communicate the quality of their work. All reviews are 4.3 or higher, on a five-point scale, which is much higher than most. Outside of that, from my own standpoint, I’ve been consistently impressed with the quality of their work. They’ve managed to deliver on their word each and every time. 

When working with Space-O Technologies, is there anything you’d consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

I would say that they’re extremely efficient in the bidding and scoping process, much faster than most. They’re very easy to work with, in that they don’t ask me any technical questions. They really take on that entire responsibility. They’re not burdening me with a bunch of technical questions in order to eliminate any tough decision making on their end. They take ownership of the project on the technical side, and leave the creative and strategic decisions to me.

Out of all the projects that I’ve completed with them and others, very rarely is there a major project crisis that results in a drastic delay of the deployment timeline. On average, they are meeting their estimates. In other words, even though they’re offshore, they’re still able to deliver within a reasonable timeline. It’s almost as if we were working with a senior developer based here in the U.S. Their responsiveness seems to be on par with onshore counterparts, and yet the quality of work is exponentially better than the other offshore developers. I’m really getting the best of both worlds.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think they could improve as a service provider?

Most of the time, they’re great at providing us with milestones for when we can expect things to be completed. If they’re a couple days late, my recommendation would be for them to notify the client in advance of the milestone being missed, instead of after. They could be more proactive in that regard.

I think it would help clients like me, and them as a business, if they were more proactive in terms offering coordinating services like maintenance and support, instead of being purely reactive. I would like to receive that type of communications from them. That would be my only recommendation.

Could you provide a brief description of your organization?

We’re an IT [information technology] firm that makes iPhone applications. I’ve published my own apps on the App Store. Most of the development is outsourced, wherever we can get quality code at a reasonable price.

You’re the owner and founder, correct?

Yes, I’m the owner.

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Space-O Technologies?

It’s tough to find a reliable team of developers and designers. I’ve had a lot of different developers, and I was dissatisfied with most of them. If I’m satisfied with a developer, I’ll go ahead and award them more work and then, most of the time, they’d eventually fail, because the scope would fall beyond their capabilities. I wanted to avoid those situations. That was the primary challenge, simply finding a developer that could deliver viable solutions that weren’t necessarily always using the same technologies.

Could you describe the scope of work in greater detail?

It’s been exclusively custom application development for iOS. We might do a little development for android in the coming months, but I’m not sure yet. They also handle the design and theming, including icons, screenshots, wireframes, templates, etc. They provide unit testing for completed prototypes, too.

How did you choose Space-O technologies as your solution partner?

I posted a statement of work on Elance, and received several responses from different teams around the world. I usually test the apps that they’ve made beforehand, so I can get a good handle on the quality and type of development their capable of. I tested Space-O’s apps, and they were well designed, stable, and the flow was decent. I was most impressed with their previous work, so it made sense to reach out to them.

If I want to get a project started, and I’m not very familiar with the team, I Skype with them and interact with them directly. I had a positive gut feeling with these guys. They were making high-quality apps. They were well designed, and offered decent usability. They were slightly more expensive than less experienced teams, but that didn’t really matter. I prefer to pay an increased premium if it translates into a more reliable team of developers.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this particular project?

We’ve invested between $2,000 and $4,000 per application. At this point, we’ve made six or seven apps together.

Does this relationship remain ongoing?

It’s definitely ongoing. I currently have a single full-time resource from them, working exclusively on my application design and development.

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

All of my successfully deployed apps have justified their initial development costs within the first month on the iTunes store, and they’ve all received excellent user ratings and reviews. The apps never crash. They’re very stable and very intuitive to the end-users.

When working with Space-O Technologies, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

It’s very easy to collaborate with them; I’m very pleased. I typically work with the same project manager, and he manages different developers, so communication is quite easy. When I outsource development, I really make sure to be as clear as possible, otherwise things don’t aren’t understood. Details can literally be lost in translation, which results in a less than desirable product and end-user experience. They’re very flexible, and I’m happy with their communication and transparency. They also speak English well, which can be a recurring issue with outsourced development.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think Space-O Technologies could improve as a service provider?

On the latest app that we’ve made, I wasn’t completely happy with their final design. When I brought it to their attention and gave them some examples, they turned it around and returned to me with significant improvements. They’re not always right on target, but they’re very open to modifications. I’ve been impressed with that characteristic.