Sphinx Worldbiz

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a software company that provides software for audits, incident management, and risk management. We’re based in Stockholm, Sweden and have clients in the Nordic countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sphinx Worldbiz?

We acquired a company a year or so ago, and their software was quite contemporary. It did its job, but we needed to renovate it and bring it up to speed still. Sphinx helped us with the design, QA, and re-implementation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used a number of technologies including Angular, .NET Core, and the standard-issue Microsoft development tools.

They also did quite a bit of more detailed design work. We had major concepts we wanted to have in place: the main method for how the system was supposed to work and the old system. They came up with a design proposal based on those things.

As they were getting bits and pieces of the system completed, I had my own team here in Sweden do QA one more time to ensure the product would fit our needs.

What is the team composition?

It varied over time. In the first couple of months, we did pure design work with one person from their side. We kept this person on throughout the whole project. First, we built the product knowledge, and they assigned it to other people, acting as our technical lead for the entire implementation. At the largest point, we were at 10 people working full-time.

How did you come to work with Sphinx Worldbiz?

A business partner recommended them to me. He said they’d done great work previously and that we could feel secure in handing them something so complicated.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000–$250,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have paying clients using the software now, which is the ultimate success for us. I’ve also gotten feedback from our clients, and I can go to Sphinx and ask them to fix anything if it’s necessary.

How did Sphinx Worldbiz perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done great. We calculated a backlog, got a rough estimate, and came as close to it as can be expected with a project like this. We’ve had the same point of contact throughout the project. We weren’t concerned with how they managed their people in any way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In this context, it’s that they really understand the project objectives. They had the ability to act on things we didn’t specify. If a system is supposed to work in a general way, then they can run with the concepts to ensure it runs correctly in every way. It’s saved us a lot of time as an agile project.

Quite often with the offshore engagements, they can be more rigid, but it’s been really easy to work with them and get to know them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was just concerned about keeping the budget and getting the functionality and quality out of it. If someone on the team wasn’t working or performing, they’ve just removed them and added somebody else.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s the same advice I would give to anyone. Think the project clearly through beforehand and estimate it out. I invest quite a bit of time in making sure we understood the project and objectives before we started, and I think that might be not so common.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an engineering lead for an artificial intelligence company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sphinx Worldbiz?

We wanted to outsource our development and design services to a knowledgeable firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sphinx Worldbiz handles our product development, enhancements, and bug fixes. All of our algorithms are built in-house. Other than that, they oversee our database interaction, UI, system interface, etc. I give them project requirements and design outlines for each undertaking. Then, they build what we need and provide QA services as well. They’re well-versed in .NET, C#, and C++.

What is the team composition?

There’s a team lead who functions as our main point of contact. The rest of the team consists of three people.

How did you come to work with Sphinx Worldbiz?

Sphinx Worldbiz reached out to us. After speaking with them, it became clear that they were accommodating and flexible. We also appreciated their competitive pricing, so hiring them was an easy decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered both quarterly and annual product releases. They’re a good outsourcing company to use for offshore development. I often use their in-house resources, but they’re capable of reaching out to other experts to fulfill project requirements.

How did Sphinx Worldbiz perform from a project management standpoint?

We use a project management tool that has tickets assigned to individual developers. We have regular briefing sessions to understand what needs to be done. Our main point of contact leads discussions and reports tasks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their adaptable approach to product development has served us well. I can come to them with nearly anything, and they’ll be able to deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’m satisfied with their work thus far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re a trustworthy firm. Let them pick their process and procedure from the beginning. They know what they’re doing.