What was the scope of their involvement?
I wrote out the technical specifications, and through a multi-phase development and feedback process, SumatoSoft is building software to automate the processes of extracting, combining, and analyzing data from a variety of survey platforms, using Ruby on Rails, AWS, HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap. SumatoSoft’s CTO and I selected that technology stack for efficiency and flexibility. The platform analyzes surveys and uses distinct “norming tables” to score and code the responses with incredibly complex methodologies relying on demographic research. It also enables users to produce assessments and reports. The platform is also customizable, allowing for new methodologies to be defined.
The first phase lasted roughly ten months involved the production of a minimum viable product (MVP). In the second phase, SumatoSoft incorporated some nuanced feedback from the client in Dubai. And the third phase is currently being scoped.
What is the team dynamic?
The team expanded and contracted over the course of the project, peaking at about nine FTE (full-time equivalent), six of which were developers, and bottoming out at two FTE. At times I had a say in which developers were on the team, but it would also depend on their other commitments. I would always request Simon Shchukin and Ivan Nesterovich [Software Developers, Sumatosoft], and I also had access to their project manager Vladimir Shidlovsky [CTO & Founder, Sumatosoft], who we actually flew to the UK to discuss the scope of the project at the onset.
How did you come to work with SumatoSoft?
Our client in Dubai had been searching for development partners, and when they came to us to see if we could connect them with anyone, I thought of SumatoSoft. They had worked with us on a previous project so we were familiar with their capabilities, and expected they would be a good fit for this unique challenge.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project has been ongoing for about 18 months, with the first 10 spent in the first build phase creating a minimum viable product.
SumatoSoft succeeded in building a more manageable solution that is much easier to maintain. Although they’re a small team, their project management reflects the excellence of a larger company. Their team delivers high-quality results, attentive service, and reasonable pricing.