TheAppLabb

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

TheAppLabb’s user story creation and market research have generated a lot of value beyond the initial scope. We now have a better understanding of who our customers are, which has helped us educate ourselves on some of the marketing we’re doing. Based on their information, we’ve defined our long-term marketing roadmap and are able to visualize our strategy, as well.

As for the UX/UI elements, Our backend team still has to create the service before we implement their deliverables, but we really liked the designs. They created several new features and provided a roadmap, which has helped us coordinate a development pipeline as we expand our solution.

How did TheAppLabb perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, the documentation, communication cadence, and deliverables were great. However, they could’ve been more transparent during the week-over-week status reporting, and the actual communication was a bit long-winded. The team provided valid information, but having more conclusion-driven reports would’ve been helpful.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

What set them apart was their commitment to going above and beyond. Even when we just gave them a small requirement, they would approach the task by applying their own experiences. They really sought to add value beyond our initial scope rather than being just a service provider.

Besides that, they had an agile team that was equally as adaptable as our own. We’re a startup, so things tend to change quickly, and we need a vendor that can keep up with us. TheAppLabb was able to remain flexible, helping us adjust and set new requirements wherever we saw fit.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While we liked their deliverables, they could’ve improved on some of their verbal communication. I was trying to create a single product team by having our developers and their resources work together consistently. However, we ran into some challenges because I always had to relay their messages to my team rather than them directly speaking to the relevant individual. 

Focusing on how they treat their clients is key if they want to appeal to a mass market. Their current communication style is a bit robotic, which makes them feel more like an outsourced arm rather than an integrated part of our team. By engaging the human aspects of the project, they’d have a better experience relaying challenges, concerns, and week-over-week progress. It’s just one of the small things that one might expect from a larger shop, especially when considering long-term partnerships.

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

They converted my vision to reality, accomplishing something that three other developers couldn’t. We aren’t live yet because I still want to add a few features, but our beta testers have given generally positive feedback. They can access prayer times all in one spot in a visually-appealing format.

How did TheAppLabb perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication wasn’t perfect, but it met expectations. We had to clearly set goals to avoid scope creep and other issues. We mainly used Jira and phone calls to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The owner is fantastic and makes sure his clients are happy. He ensured I got what we agreed on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project manager quit during the middle of the project, and the transition to the new one was a bit rough. They could’ve been better at more clearly walking us through their process. However, they went out of their way to make sure I was satisfied.