UDTech

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is an IT consulting agency, primarily for Oracle software. We provide consulting services as well as in-house software products to Oracle customers for a variety of solutions. Our in-house development team is responsible for engineering and maintaining our software offerings.

I am the Engineering Lead for our development team. I'm responsible for the product direction, architecture, implementation, and maintenance, as well as delegating tasks to other developers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UDTech?

We employed UDTech for assistance in developing an Apple TV app based on specifications gathered from a comparable, existing Android app. Additionally, UDTech assisted in measuring tvOS app viability, feature-set, etc. Our team has no experience with the technology, which made it necessary to enroll assistance from UDTech.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a functional tvOS app with functionality that mirrored our existing Android app as closely as possible. Our desire is users would have identical experiences, independent of platform. This would allow our business to support our offerings across a wide variety of platforms to increase the amount of users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We initially searched for vendors via Upwork. We compared a number of vendors, however, no other vendor appeared to have both the communication skills and the examples of past work to showcase. Myself and my CEO were the other resources involved in the selection process.

Describe the project in detail.

The scope of the project was to create an Apple TV app that mirrored the functionality of our existing Android app. The functionality primarily included displaying a number of content on the connected television. The variety of content includes videos, images, news feeds, twitter feeds, etc.

Our team provided UDTech with screenshots of the existing app, and wireframes of future features (planned for the existing app). Documents including logic, interfaces, etc, was also provided to the development team.

The vendor was responsible for implementation and communication regarding any impossible features (due to platform differences). The desired app was a native tvOS app, which complements a SaaS offering.

What was the team composition?

The vendor provided two developers, a project manager, and a sales manager. The developers implemented the app, the project manager managed communication and change requests, and the sales manager guaranteed satisfaction and deadlines. If I recall correctly, I do not believe the team size change during development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The delivered software is functional and appears to implement all desired functionality present in the original Android app. Any discovered bugs have been met with a commitment to resolution quickly.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was typically checking in with preset milestones, gathering feedback, and implement feedback or change requests during each subsequent iteration. The project was managed via milestones, so all interested parties were aware of the current state of the app. No obvious or large issues were caused by a language barrier.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The developers are very talented with their technologies and were able to complete all tasks on time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

An exposed project board with individual tasks would be helpful in understanding the app state between milestones.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of digital marketing at devPHASE. We do design and development for agencies and direct clients in Cincinnati.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UDTech? 

We had a quick turnaround project, and several key members of our team were on other accounts. We didn't want to turn down business from a large agency in Cincinnati, so we needed to hire an external resource to help us develop a mobile application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

UDTech led the development of the app for both iOS and Android. The app was designed by the agency in Cincinnati. It’s a peer-to-peer chat and study platform that will be launched at one major university and hopefully grow to multiple campuses. The app allows college students to connect with other students to get to know each other and also to create study groups. Key features include a searchable list of classes and an online study group portal.

The app launched last week there, and UDTech continues to provide ongoing support. It's still an active project as we still go to them for answers to a few questions. 

What is the team composition? 

My main point of contact is her Yuliya (project manager, UDTech). 

How did you come to work with UDTech? 

I think I found them on Upwork. We interviewed a couple of firms and found that UDTech had the best experience. They’d built apps with similar functionality. They did their due diligence and outlined what it would take to develop the app. I liked their presentation and felt they could meet our quick turnaround time. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $60,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began around September 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has been successfully submitted to and approved by Android and Apple. The client is super happy with the app as well. In terms of overall impact, hopefully, this leads to more work for us. We can use the app to showcase our work as we’re finding potential clients. Now that we have a good relationship with UDTech, we will definitely use them in the future on other projects. 

How did UDTech perform from a project management standpoint? 

I communicated with Yuliya almost daily during development. We had daily meetings, and we also chatted via email and Slack. They're pretty open to multiple forms of communication. Given that apps are developer heavy, we'd have various sprints going on at once. At this point in the engagement, we speak maybe once or twice a week, depending on what’s going on. 

I let the owner of UDTech know that Yuliya is fantastic. She's always responsive and a total rock star. We prefer to work with her as our primary contact on any future projects. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

As a smaller shop, we've worked with a number of other external resources. We definitely want to use UDTech again because they're excellent at passing along cost savings. They’ll recommend we go a particular route or else it could take an extra 30 hours of work. That’s something I’ve never experienced. They look at the project from all views and variables to help us make the right decisions. They really guide us through the process. For them, it’s not about picking the path of more work and more money. They're honest about our choices and that sets them apart. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. Typically the biggest pitfall is communication, but this project went so well. Communication is 10 out of 10. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

For any project, try to have all the details ready upfront to help them to provide an accurate estimate. We were quite detailed on the number of screens, and user flows required for the app. There are a lot of unknowns in development. The cost and timing can be thrown off if you don't have the details worked out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and head of product of a video company. We’re revolutionizing the role of video in internal communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UDTech?

We needed a vendor to assist with our extensive digital design needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Essentially, UDTech took the position of our design team. They’ve been an integral part of our process for many years now. The team collaborates closely with the product and tech teams to develop the UX/UI for our products. If we hire additional consultants, UDTech will work directly with them as well.

At the start of our partnership, they served as junior design resources. Once business picked up, we increased their involvement in our core design work. They proved capable, so we promoted them to lead designers. We’ve seen their skills evolve—from basic Photoshop to the latest trends and technology. They are a true partner, continuing to scale with us as we grow.

So far, we’ve completed many projects. Currently, they’re working on the backend of a video conferencing tool that we plan to release later this year.

What is the team composition?

We consistently work with a dedicated project manager and a team of designers. At any given time, we’ll have between 3–6 designers. UDTech scales their resources to accommodate our specific needs and the volume of work. Often, they assign one designer per product, but sometimes we collaborate on discovery projects or engagements with a third party.

How did you come to work with UDTech?

My partner found them through a local reference. We both have offices in the same city in Ukraine. We’d heard of them before we started our company, so when the need to outsource our design work arose, we partnered with UDTech.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2012, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UDTech helps us create products that distinguish us from our competitors. We have a respectable reputation in our industry, and part of that recognition comes from their team’s work. We’re consistently met with the challenge of making our tools seem simple, despite the behind-the-scenes complexities. The UDTech team helps us find this balance, refining our approach to creating and consuming video content.

We have rapid R&D processes, and UDTech is careful never to delay their part in the workflow. They’re nimble in all aspects—demos, analysis, or full UX design projects. The team keeps our pace but remains flexible to our schedule. We can count on them to consistently deliver polished designs.

How did UDTech perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management skills are great. The team is responsive, accommodating, and willing to go the extra mile for us. If they need to work late, they will. If we task them with something urgent, they’ll work through the weekend. Overall, they have a dedicated, yet easy-going work culture. It’s a fun partnership.

Our project manager is superb. She is highly communicative and proactively assures that no details get lost in translation from our team to theirs. We use an assortment of tools to track the project, including Trello and Jira. We have a special board in Jira that tracks our design-specific tasks. We also use Zeplin to share approved designs with our tech team, who can immediately begin the coding process. Over the years, we’ve developed a project management system that works for both sides.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of dedication and pace of work really stand out. They show consistent drive, producing deliverables as quickly as we need them. If we request changes, they adapt quickly. So far, it’s been a fantastic relationship.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Whenever we felt that they could improve something on their end, we approached them immediately. They are always receptive to our feedback and make adjustments accordingly. For example, when we realized we needed a project manager on their side, they filled that position. As a result, we work faster and have a stronger relationship. On a different occasion, we suggested that they switch from using Photoshop to using Sketch. UDTech willingly made the transition and the results have been great. Their designers quickly learned a new tool, and it’s definitely increased our capabilities in terms of work pace.

Any advice for potential customers?

For a sizable design project, make sure to establish a project manager on their end. This will maximize their return rate and improve the overall workflow. It’s not necessary for small projects, but when there are a lot of moving parts, it’s great to have a consistent point of contact to ensure details aren’t missed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of e-commerce for a luxury goods and jewelry company. We started with diamonds and are now launching our own brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UDTech?

We were using a development agency in the U.S., but we had a difficult relationship with them. They did a custom build which forced us to go through them for any work we wanted to be done. We wanted a partner to develop the platform to our specifications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The platform was already developed, and they came to our rescue. They helped on the backend and developed our operational processes for the online administrator. They made it a seamless process for us.

We buy diamonds from consumers through a very simple online experience. The customer inputs the information about the diamond, and then we give them a range of what we would pay for it based on its characteristics, sight unseen. They can then go through the acceptance process, and we send them a prepaid shipping kit which they send back to us. After we evaluate it to make sure it is everything they said it was, we pay them in cash. UDTech revamped our entire backend and how we see the product coming in, the pricing, the shipping steps, as well as all the notifications that go out to the customer.

We are currently overhauling the frontend design, which is also going to have implications on the backend as some of our business rules are changing slightly. We have a design team that took care of the design, but UDTech is in the process of implementing the designs and some new backend functionality for us as well.

What is the team composition?

Mostly, I work with our project manager, who is great at interpreting technical terms for me.

How did you come to work with UDTech?

They came highly recommended by one of our partners whose wife had used them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything works properly and is tested prior to submitting to us. They are very good at seeing how the site is built and recommending the best solutions based on what we are asking for. They see bugs before we do and work to resolve them. They are very on top of things.

How did UDTech perform from a project management standpoint?

It is a very easy relationship. They are extremely thorough with QA and are also strong forward-thinkers. They anticipate a lot of problems that could arise and come up with solutions before we start development.

They are very communicative and I work with them on a daily basis, mostly through Basecamp, which the developers have access to. It works really well for us with the time difference. I give them material, and by the next morning, they are commenting. The project manager and I communicate in Basecamp and everything is documented there. We do a few phone calls, and if it is the start of a bigger project, we usually have a kick-off call.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There is never anything they can’t do. They always research everything and come back to us with the best solution, which I think is a great partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I am extremely happy with our service from them. I am very happy to work with UDTech.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want upfront, and clearly articulate that. Give them as much information as possible. Getting a clear description of your project, your business rules, and what it is you want out of the project is really important to get set up in the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a provider of B2B services to retail markets. I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UDTech?

Our main challenge was to create technical specifications for an application that would help retail services get more customers and retain them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UDTech has provided everything from consultation to gathering technical requirements, making wireframes, design, coding, and deployment. They are the whole design and development team for this project.

We used the Yii PHP framework and SQL servers for the web application, which also needed to be HIPAA compliant. This was one of our biggest challenges, and UDTech aided in the process.

What is the team dynamic?

I'm assigned to a project manager, who coordinates the developers under her, but I also have direct access to the team for certain matters.

How did you come to work with UDTech?

I found them on Upwork and liked their profile, as well as their communication with me.

How much have you invested with them?

For this project, the cost of their work has been over $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with UDTech 18 months ago. Besides maintenance, we're constantly adding new features.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I measure their success based on how well the platform works and how well their design matches our requirements. User-acceptance testing has revealed criticism, but nothing overtly negative. If a design or feature doesn’t work well, they go out of their way to make sure we’re satisfied.

How did UDTech perform from a project management standpoint?

They're always on time with deadlines, easy to communicate with, and responsive. Every interaction is tracked through multiple management tools like JIRA, Asana, and Basecamp. I can also reach them anytime on Skype, even outside of office hours.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Two things I look for in companies are their ability to track bugs and their understanding of what we want, especially when working with groups from outside the country. UDTech has a standard process of tracking bugs, and they've done it flawlessly, not to mention their design creativity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should be as detail oriented as possible because that can make the developer’s life easier and lead to fewer hours being charged since things won't need to be fixed later or added on if missed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of Brainchild Engineering, a development company focused on the design and engineering of electro-mechanical products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UDTech?

I hired UDTech to design and develop an app and printed circuit board (PCB).

What were your goals for this project?

We hoped to receive a ready-for-production PCB and application.

SOLUTION

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

They completed all tasks and met my expectations.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It was extremely effective to have a single point of contact.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were professional and responsive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The estimate of the project cost was low, but we still finished on time and at a reasonable price.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Well, they did exactly what I asked them to do. That's all that matters.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It was a simple, one-person interface to me, and it was extremely effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Simple, professional, extremely fast/responsive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The development estimate was low, but we did finish the project out under a reasonable final cost and time.