Torii Studio

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CTO of a healthcare company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We leverage AI to optimize clinical processes, driving significant quality and revenue enhancements in the healthcare sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Torii Studio to accomplish?

• Accelerate FrontEnd Development
• Enhance Security
• Modernize with React Standards
• Create a Unified Component Library
• Refactor Material-UI Components
• Develop AI Tools
• Improve UI and UX Patterns

SOLUTION

How did you find Torii Studio?

LinkedIn

Why did you select Torii Studio over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Torii Studio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

FrontEnd Development Overhaul: 

• Application Modernization: Revamp and recreate the internal application for hospitals to align with modern front-end processes and systems. 
• Code Refactoring: Modify the existing codebase to: 

Enhance collaboration capabilities. Increase development velocity. 
Implement patterns for system maintainability and scalability. 
Standardize import usage, style, naming conventions, and case style to simplify the system. 

• Workflow Standardization: Introduce Git workflows, with an emphasis on: 

Identifying and rectifying issues. 
Enhancing areas of the development process. 
Incorporating automated syntax analysis using ESLint. 
Integrating Linter checkers for comprehensive automated checks. 

• Documentation: Introduce documentation to enhance the development process: 

Implement a FrontEnd style guide. 
Document the “Development Process” comprehensively in the Readme. 
Create a PR template checklist for consistency. 
Share best practices with the entire development team. 

Security Enhancement: 

• Data Protection: Store all API keys and sensitive data in environment variables to prevent unauthorized access and potential breaches. 
• Security Integration: Incorporate advanced security tools and measures, such as: 

A security analyzer. 
Vulnerability checkers in automated workflows. 
Bots in the GitFlow for real-time vulnerability detection and alerts. 

React Modernization: 

• React Standards Implementation: Infuse modern React patterns such as: 

Hooks. 
Context API. 
Containers. 
Components. 

• State Management: Streamline and simplify the state management system using the combined prowess of the Context API + hooks . 

Component Library Development: 

• Unified Component Source: Establish a centralized component library with: 

High-quality, reusable components. 
An automated deployment system. 
Design Team Collaboration: Create a workflow that allows the design team to access and utilize the latest production components seamlessly. 

• Component Addition Process: Streamline the method to introduce new components to the library for consistent growth. 

Material-UI Refactoring: 

• MUI Best Practices: Ensure every aspect of the Material-UI implementation adheres to the best practices as recommended by the MUI team. 
• Theme Optimization: Properly inject the theme following MUI guidelines. 
• Typography Enhancement: Leverage the advantages of MUI typography for a visually appealing interface. 
• Component Organization: Restructure code and component organization to align with the MUI conventions. 

AI Tool Development: Rapid Prototyping: 

• Utilize the custom Design System to swiftly prototype AI tools that not only function effectively but also visually resonate as production-ready components. 
• Industry Showcase: Prepare and present the AI tools at renowned industry events such as the HFMA conference, ensuring they meet the quality and innovation standards for features in platforms like the AI Generative board and the Forbes "Cloud 100 Rising Stars" list. 

UI/UX Design Enhancement: 

• User-Centric Patterns: Design and roll out a series of UI and UX patterns that prioritize user experience and garner positive feedback from users. 

Summary of Key Deliverables: 

• A modernized internal application for hospitals. 
• A refactored and streamlined codebase with documented processes. 
• Enhanced security measures for data protection and vulnerability detection.
• A system modernized with the latest React standards.
• A centralized and consistently growing component library. 
• Material-UI components optimized and organized according to MUI best practices. 
• AI tools prototyped, developed, and showcased at industry events. 
• User-approved UI and UX patterns across the app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Development Velocity: There was a marked increase in development speed post the refactoring and modernization of the codebase. The streamlined FrontEnd processes led to faster feature rollouts and bug fixes. 
• Security Improvements: Post the security overhaul, there were no reported security breaches or vulnerabilities, showcasing the effectiveness of the new measures. The integration of bots and vulnerability checkers ensured that any potential threats were immediately detected and rectified. 
• Code Quality: With the implementation of automated syntax analyzers like ESLint and the introduction of Git workflows, there was a significant reduction in coding errors, leading to more stable releases. 
• User Feedback: Post the UI/UX enhancement, there was a surge in positive user feedback. User satisfaction metrics and app ratings showcased an improvement, highlighting the effectiveness of the new UI and UX patterns. 
• Component Usage: The centralized component library saw a consistent increase in usage by the development and design teams, reducing redundancy and ensuring a consistent look and feel across the application.
• AI Tool Recognition: The AI tool developed, when showcased at the HFMA conference, gained significant attention, leading to its feature on the AI Generative board and a spotlight on the Forbes "Cloud 100 Rising Stars" list. This industry recognition can be directly attributed to the quality and innovation of the tool. 
• Documentation Utilization: The introduced documentation, including the FrontEnd style guide and Development Process, became essential references for the team, reducing onboarding time for new team members and ensuring consistent development practices. 
• React Modernization Impact: By adopting modern React practices like hooks and the Context API, there was a noticeable reduction in state management issues, leading to a more responsive and stable application. 
• Material-UI Best Practices Compliance: After the refactoring of MUI components, the application aligned better with MUI conventions, leading to a more cohesive and optimized user interface.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

1. Methodical Approach: Torii Studio adopted a systematic and organized approach to project management. They broke down the project into manageable phases, each with defined milestones, ensuring that the project's complexity was handled efficiently. 
2. Timely Deliveries: Yes, they consistently delivered items on time. Their adherence to the established timelines, combined with regular updates, ensured that we were always aware of the project's progress. Their efficient time management was evident in their ability to tackle unforeseen challenges without causing significant delays. 
3. Communication: Torii Studio excelled in maintaining open and transparent communication. Regular status updates, weekly meetings, and prompt responses to queries ensured that we were always in the loop. They used tools like Slack for quick communication and platforms like Notion for documentation and progress tracking. 
4. Responsiveness to Needs: They were highly receptive to our requirements and feedback. Whenever we highlighted a specific need or change, they were quick to assess, strategize, and implement the necessary adjustments. Their flexibility and willingness to adapt showcased their dedication to ensuring the project met our expectations. 
5. Collaborative Spirit: Torii Studio emphasized collaboration. They worked closely with our internal teams, ensuring that there was a seamless exchange of ideas and knowledge. Their integrative approach fostered a harmonious working relationship between both parties. 
6. Issue Resolution: On the few occasions where challenges or discrepancies arose, they were proactive in addressing them. They approached issues with a problem-solving mindset, always eager to find the most efficient and effective solutions. 
7. Tools and Software: Torii Studio utilized a range of project management tools to streamline tasks, track progress, and facilitate collaboration. Tools like Jira for task management, GitHub for version control, and Trello for visual progress tracking played crucial roles in the project's successful management. 

In Summary: Torii Studio's project management was exemplary. Their timely deliveries, responsiveness to our needs, and proactive approach ensured that the project not only stayed on track but also met, and in many instances, exceeded our expectations. Their commitment to clear communication and collaboration made the entire process smooth and efficient.

What was your primary form of communication with Torii Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What stood out the most about Torii Studio was their holistic approach to project development and their unwavering commitment to innovation and quality. Here are some of the aspects that we found particularly impressive and unique about them: 

• Technical Prowess: Their mastery over modern technologies, especially in FrontEnd development and React modernization, was evident. They didn't just apply these technologies; they tailored them to fit our specific requirements best. 
• Proactive Approach: Instead of just executing tasks, they were forward-thinking, often anticipating challenges and addressing them even before they became issues. This proactive approach saved us time and potential roadblocks. 
• Integration of Best Practices: From security to coding, Torii Studio was keen on integrating the industry's best practices. Their focus on refactoring our Material-UI components based on MUI's best practices and ensuring top-notch security measures showcased their commitment to excellence. 
• Collaborative Nature: They didn't work as an external entity but as an extension of our team. This collaborative spirit fostered a seamless exchange of ideas and ensured that the final product was aligned with our vision and goals. 
• Innovative AI Tool Development: Their ability to swiftly prototype and develop AI tools that gained significant industry attention showcased their caliber. The recognition our tools received at the HFMA conference and on platforms like Forbes is a testament to their innovative capabilities. 
• User-Centric Focus: Their emphasis on creating UI and UX patterns that resonate with users demonstrated their user-centric approach. It's one thing to develop an application; it's another to ensure its users love it.
• Transparent Communication: Their commitment to maintaining open and regular communication ensured that we were always in the loop. It fostered trust and ensured that the project's direction was always aligned with our expectations. 
• Comprehensive Documentation: Their emphasis on creating detailed documentation, from style guides to development processes, showed their attention to detail and foresight. This not only streamlined our current operations but also set us up for easier scalability and onboarding in the future. In essence, Torii Studio's blend of technical expertise, innovative thinking, user focus, and collaborative spirit made them stand out. Their holistic approach to projects, where they considered not just the technical aspects but also the end-users and long-term implications, was truly impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Torii Studio could have done differently?

While our overall experience with Torii Studio was overwhelmingly positive, there's always room for improvement in any collaboration. Here are a few areas that could see enhancements or alternative approaches: 

• Initial Onboarding: While they were thorough in their approach, the initial stages of onboarding could be streamlined further. A more concise and efficient onboarding process could help in kick-starting the projects even faster. 
• Training Sessions: While their documentation was comprehensive, a few more hands-on training sessions for our internal teams, especially concerning new tools or processes they introduced, could have been beneficial. 
• Feedback Loop: While they were very responsive to our needs, instituting a more structured feedback loop, perhaps in the form of regular retrospectives, might help in ensuring continuous improvement and addressing any minor issues before they escalate. 
• Resource Allocation: On a couple of occasions, there were slight delays due to resource constraints. A more dynamic resource allocation approach, considering the project's ebb and flow, might help in avoiding such hiccups in the future. 
• Diversified Communication Channels: While the primary communication tools were effective, diversifying them a bit more, perhaps with the addition of video updates or interactive webinars, could enhance the communication experience. 
• Post-Project Support: While they offered support after project completion, extending this support or offering a more detailed post-project maintenance plan could be beneficial for long-term collaborations. To reiterate, these are areas of potential improvement and not necessarily significant shortcomings. Our collaboration with Torii Studio was fruitful, but as with any project, there are always aspects that can be refined over time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Engineering Lead at a startup that provides a platform for assessing and monitoring the mental health of its users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Torii Studio, and what were your goals?

With limited resources, we needed our engineers focused on building platform level projects rather than refining the styles and visual experience for users. Torii was able to use their expertise to build a component library for web and mobile that our engineers have used to quickly create production ready features with the visual quality that is needed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

A co-worker was introduced to the Torii team and provided a recommendation after using them for a separate successful project.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The project was scoped to provide a component library using React and React Native. The Torii team was accommodating with schedules, and we meet once or twice weekly to define their team's sprints and coordinate on deliverables. They established a process for review and hand-off of all components and adjusted as we learned more about how to successfully work together. They also worked with us on some difficult requirements around backwards compatibility and IE11 support.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with four members of the Torii team. Cristobal leads the group and was part of all of our sessions. There was also a project manager and a few developers that helped at meetings and delivering on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The Torii team delivered 20+ new components that has saved our engineers 100+ hours in development work. This allowed us to focus on our other high priority projects.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We did weekly sprint planning with their team and also a retrospective to discuss how we could improve the process. We set up communication channels on slack that they were responsive to. Over the course of the project the Torii team actively looked to optimize our process to make it best for my team.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The Torii team has a high level of expertise that allowed us to avoid pitfalls along the way. We relied on many of their suggestions. Cristobal consistently proposed refinements to our processes so that we could be more efficient. He was very well organized and did a great job of distilling our discussions down into action items for his team to deliver on. The library they had developed is high quality and clearly shows the attention to detail that their team provided.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

If we were starting from the beginning, I would want to better establish up front what are the limitations of their team. Knowing when our requests are too much or add undue effort to the project is important. We worked throughout the project to improve communication in this regard.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Design at a public company based on mental health. We have a platform that works on both web and native applications for iOS and Android.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Torii Studio?

We’re redesigning our current platform. It is a larger scale effort that Torii Studio is helping out with, which includes a lot of design system creation and a component library.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We typically provide them with detailed component specifications to build on React and React Native. We initially gave them the actual specs, and they came back with a component that has been implemented on those two technologies that I mentioned. There is a process of reviewing, testing, and eventually integrating their resulting components into two repositories.

One of them is a storybook, and it’s a process that involves a lot of technical expertise and intersection with design sensitivity. As for discovery and research, we provide them with the specifications of the components, and they do the actual development, but the original request comes from us. There is back and forth to ensure they understand the requirements.

They sometimes provide feedback on different ways to implement it better than requested. They also have a great deal of proactiveness in the way they interact, but fundamentally, we would take the first step in providing them with the direction that we wanted for the project.

Eventually, those reusable pieces of code are given to developers for them to integrate into the code. In a certain way, we build together a series of reusable components. My in-house team does the design, but they do the web development.

They’ve used HTML, CSS, and JavaScript fundamentally, and the specifics are React and React Native. The end result would be used on phones, tablets, and other devices.

What is the team composition?

We work with Cris (Founder & CEO), a project manager, and a developer. Sometimes, we have somebody from their marketing team.

How did you come to work with Torii Studio?

They reached out to us proactively. At the time, we were looking for a partner to do this specific design system, so they came at the right time with the right value proposition.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our ongoing partnership in January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team is very happy with the design and development side. There’s no quantitative way to measure that, but we were all pretty excited.

How did Torii Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

I think they did a good job connecting the design and tech teams in our organization. We have two weekly meetings with them. During our Friday meeting, we provide the requirements that we review with their technical team, and then on Mondays, we review the results after the sprint.

Everything is reviewed by me and the head of technology and captured through Jira. We both use Jira, so it’s been convenient to keep track of everything. We just go through the actual outcome of this sprint with them, so it’s pretty efficient. We typically communicate through Slack and email two times a week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is very focused. They have a commitment to quality, and I think that’s a key differentiator. They put a lot of attention to detail about the actual quality that they bring back to us. I think they’re very responsive, and they never missed any project in terms of quality. They’re also extremely reliable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We review weekly areas of improvement, and they’re quite receptive to anything. This morning, for instance, we were just asking for some improvements when it comes to the status of projects and its characterization. They’re very responsive and adaptive to our needs. We haven’t found any major issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be specific about what you want to get from them. They know exactly what the project is; they’ve done it a number of times in the interaction with some other major companies. If you know exactly what you want, I think it would be a great strategy because that was our case. Be specific and pragmatic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the engineering manager of a mobile e-commerce company. I manage the front- and backend of the application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Torii Studio?

We needed someone to expedite high-quality special features that our internal team wasn’t able to provide in time. We wanted to grow our team and basically hired an external agency to help us find the right team members.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Torii Studio is mostly doing frontend development for our company. They’re building and designing components and experiences, as well as providing their own QA services.

What is the team composition?

Currently, we’re working with five people in their team.

How did you come to work with Torii Studio?

I knew the founder from a previous company we both worked at. I really wanted to hire him for this project, then he told me about his new business — from there, we started working with him and his team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested more than $200,000 in the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in June 2020. The engagement is still ongoing for over a year now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our development team has grown by 300% in less than a month. The founder has a lot of expertise in this field, so he is able to find the right team to build the features we want. They have designers in their team that have the ability to create things that are very close to the internal vision and original design.

They provide me with peace of mind while doing the work because I don’t have to be on top of everything all the time. This saves me a lot of time whereas before, I had to do it manually.

How did Torii Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Having Torii has been tremendously helpful for us. We’re planning to have our own internal team, but we haven’t found a way to deliver the same speed and quality that Torii is delivering at the moment.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What sets them apart is the speed and quality of their work. They’re very reliable and they usually overdeliver so we get more than what we ask — which we highly appreciate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

What I would suggest to Torii is to expand in other areas of design and development.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you’re struggling to find the talent for your team or if you want to keep an eye on the quality of the work and delivery process, it’s important to have the right people with the right expertise. Torii will not only bring you the best solution, they’re also very cost-effective so you will get what you pay for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is a healthcare tech company in the nursing industry. I am a Co-Founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Torii Studio, and what were your goals?

We hired Torii to build our website, which we have designed with another firm. Our goals were build a functional, secure, bug-free web application on a fairly aggressive timeline.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I had worked with Cris (founder of Torii) before and knew he'd be the right guy to work with on this project given his depth of experience and work ethic.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Torii and their front-end developers worked with me, our backend team, and designers to coordinate handoffs, defined product specs, and project managed the whole thing to make sure everything was ready when it needed to be.Torii worked primarily with React to develop our website application.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had 3 total people working with us. Two junior engineers, and one senior. The senior engineer also acted as a project manager for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Despite setting an aggressive timeline for all the things we wanted to get done, Torii was able to get it all done on time. In the process, they're also helped us think of ways to move even faster going forward.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They are available whenever you need. They primarily operate on Slack and will hop on a zoom call with you whenever needed. We manage project scoping and schedules on Google Sheets and Google Docs and we have a weekly demo to go over what had been accomplished in the past week.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They quickly adapt to our needs. They could source us new team members in a matter of days and adapt to our scoping changes (which happened often at our early stage). Overall this helped us move a lot quicker than if we had been working with another firm.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Really hard to think of anything top of mind but since they didn't have a dedicated person doing the QA, sometimes things would fall through the cracks. That being said, they have since changed their team and working arrangement to include someone who does. Another testament to how quickly they can adapt to continually improve!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

A B2B platform that provides a complete infrastructure stack for data providers to build and launch intelligent data products to monetize their data. I'm CEO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Torii Studio, and what were your goals?

We hired Torii Studio to do frontend development work

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We liked background of the founders. We made several reference calls and got really good feedback.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We needed lot's of refactoring, reducing number of bugs, increasing maintainability of the code.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with Founder and CEO - Cristobal C.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Increased our team’s development speed by 3X and optimized collaboration and code quality with new front-end systems and processes. Reduced regression issues by 5X with automated workflows and testing frameworks that enabled our team to identify bugs earlier in the development process.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Cris became part of our team for the length of the project participating in our sprint planning and daily syncs

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their expertise, knowledge, and communication were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing