Yellow

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CTO of Silk Data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Yellow?

Yellow helped us with UI/UX design for an e-learning mobile app for Android and iOS.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking for a suitable partner on Clutch.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We had an idea of an e-learning application and its initial design concept, but we couldn’t proceed with further design work. We needed a hand to realize our view on what the app will look like, so we searched for a partner.

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

There were the Head of Business Development and two designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are happy with the result of our cooperation. In the beginning, we together with them went through what we already had. They helped us change several points in our core concept so it will be more user-friendly. We never had any major disagreements so the project was delivered ahead of planned time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a call via Skype at the end of each week and daily updates in Slack. We always understood each other. Everything was clear, and the process was coherent.

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

They worked quickly and almost always ahead of deadlines but it didn’t have any influence on the quality of their work.

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

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the former the chief of staff at a sustainable, socially responsible investment fund with $200 million under management in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yellow?

We had a Wix website that our founder built, and since we were about to launch publicly on the New York Stock Exchange as an exchange-traded fund (EFT), we needed a company to develop a new website for us and do a general website rebrand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yellow did front- and backend development for our website. I managed the process, but the Yellow team did everything else.

They started by redoing our website’s UX/UI. We provided them with our initial design and then helped formulate the design in Figma. They helped us flesh out exactly how we wanted our UX to flow. 

We went back and forth with our entire executive management team on the design. After that, there was about a month of UX development — they built out the platform on Contentful and AWS. 

Then, their backend developers collaborated with our data provider to create a platform that would allow users to purchase our EFTs. 

What is the team composition?

We first started the engagement, I talked to the founder, but then Pavel (Project Manager) became my go-to person. 

How did you come to work with Yellow?

I actually found Yellow on Clutch! I had some friends who had some success with developers in Minsk, Belarus. I did some research and then reached out to a few developers. 

Yellow was timely in responding, and I had good conversations with Pavel. When talking to them, they were hard-working and communicated well. We were on the same page about the development cycle and expectations.

All of that, plus their price point and efficiency, made Yellow the right choice for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $25,000 with Yellow. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2020–March 2021. However, we still reach out to them with follow-up questions on the project. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our primary metric of success was whether or not we could launch the website the day our fund went public on the New York Stock Exchange. The website was completed right on time to our specifications, just when our fund went public in March 2021.

How did Yellow perform from a project management standpoint?

Yellow had good project management. They were very responsive as we got closer to our deadline, and they did an excellent job balancing some of the bigger personalities in our firm. The Yellow team was great about feedback — we went back and forth on each aspect of the project throughout the project duration. 

Communication was very efficient. The project manager took over the helm of the project and we communicated via Slack — the entire team was very responsive. 

Their team put together a project timeline that outlined when each aspect of the project would be developed. We used that timeline as a project tracker. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

In the end, the website design was excellent. The website’s speed and performance was great as well. 

They were great at explaining everything, even to someone at a non-technical level. Pavel was also a great project manager, and their team was great at implementing feedback, coming back to us with updated drafts, and still meeting deadlines. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Any issues we ran into were from our side of the project. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients need to take the design period seriously. Yellow charges a relatively small fee upfront for their design services, but it is the most crucial aspect of the project to do. If you don't invest early, changing the design during the development process can be expensive.

Yellow structures their design process well and they take it seriously — it is critical for success. Clients need to really utilize the design period and provide feedback to get the most out of the engagement.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a young technology startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yellow?

We needed someone to provide us with cost-effective software development, specifically for chat architecture.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yellow provides us with the full development of an iOS-based app that deals with encrypted messaging and relationship management tools — from initial mock-up and design to development and beta launch. 

We’re using Native and React for the development, and we’re looking to finish the Android version as soon as we go into beta with the iOS version.

What is the team composition?

I deal specifically with the project manager, but I can talk to the CEO for any larger questions or concerns. We also work with front- and backend engineers and designers.

How did you come to work with Yellow?

I was introduced to them through a friend of mine, who had done some work with them in the past. The majority of their work is centered around US-based government technologies, which is what our company focuses on.

I really liked their approach compared to other app development companies. They have a more unique approach that I initially thought would be a better fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested somewhere between $90,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The ongoing partnership started in May 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I work with a lot of technology entrepreneurs, and they’ve been extremely impressed with the UI/UX design I’ve been working on with Yellow. Everything is done well from a professional perspective, and I really like their style of prioritizing the functionality and end-user experience.

How did Yellow perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform really well from a project management perspective. Communication can be an issue when it comes to overseas outsourcing, but the project manager I have is amazing. They really understand the mindset of the typical American demographics, which is very important to us.

Our primary tools for communication are Slack and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their loyalty and honesty. They were able to stay true to their original quote even though we needed to change and add a few requirements. They’ve done a lot of good work for us on all fronts, but it's amazing to see that they’re able to stick to what they initially promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would’ve loved to have stayed with one project manager, but it was my fault due to some changes in the development. Other than that, the process has been really smooth so I can’t complain.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would suggest listening to their methods on how they go about the development process because it works.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of Dektry

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our company hired Yellow to assist us with the development of a mobile photo editor. We wanted to implement a simple editor with custom filters and masks.

SOLUTION

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

We found them on Clutch, then looked through their website and found out they have the experience and expertise needed for the project.

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

Our team had the idea of creating a fancy photo editing app for Android users. We didn’t have enough experience in working with this type of app, so we started looking for a partner who could give us a hand.

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

We worked directly with a project manager, two Android engineers, and two UI/UX designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yellow provided us with a high-quality level of service. All the documents were set quickly and the team started the development in time. During the process, we had no issues with communication, everything was delivered within deadlines. When released, the app received a warm welcome. Users claimed design and simple flow as top advantages of the app.

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

The workflow was fine. We communicated daily via Slack, all their updates were detailed and clear. The team was answering our questions within a day. We were always on the same page and none of us ever felt left behind or confused.

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

They provide the necessary feedback and answer questions very quickly.

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

Everything was just fine.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of weffect, an employee mobilization app. Our B2B app helps companies implement their strategy more effectively.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yellow?

We needed someone to help us with our development efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yellow helped us built our web app’s frontend. They worked on adding new features to our existing web app such as users being allowed to add customer-generated content. We also rethought the user profile and what was displayed there. The team also implemented bug fixes and other general improvements.

They then developed our mobile app from scratch. In every sprint they implemented, we gave them our user story requirements. With our mobile app, they integrated push notifications for our users. On top of that, they enabled us to identify which customer distribution a user belongs to so that we could reroute it to the correct distribution.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one developer from the Yellow team.

How did you come to work with Yellow?

They reached out to me on LinkedIn. When we met in person, they had a convincing presentation. About two months later, I needed a new frontend developer because our old one had left, so I contacted Yellow if they could provide a frontend developer that was capable of working in our frameworks. After a short testing period, I started to work full-time with their developer.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership ran from February 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I liked working with them because they were good. With their work, we increased our mobile app’s user usage. We also got reviewed as one of the top 10 employee engagement services in Europe.

How did Yellow perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was really good. They worked in sprints, and I always communicated directly with their developer. There was a minor inconvenience when he didn’t respond immediately, but it didn’t affect the quality of his work. We communicated through Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were really good at understanding what type of developer I was looking for. More importantly, they were attentive to our project's details.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The developer could’ve been a bit more responsive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start with small tasks so that you’ll feel secure that you have the right developer for your needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of QKSS, a software consulting company that specializes in bringing in nearshore and offshore labor when and wherever needed. We connect American and venture capital businesses with software companies, which is basically a Fortune 500 service at a much lower cost.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yellow?

With Yellow, I was trying to hire a fairly hard-to-find technical skill set. It was a data engineering role and React Native development role for some of my clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Yellow has filled our two roles with excellent people. Data engineering is a sought-after skill that’s a mix between a data scientist and someone who can organize data. As for React Native development, their resource works on Android and iOS projects. We’re actually going to hire another person for a web-based development effort.

What is the team composition? 

I’ve worked with four people, so far: two developers, a data engineer, and Dasha (Head of Business Development). Outside of that, I’ve been interviewing for several different roles that we’re trying to sell for some of our customers.

How did you come to work with Yellow?

My language skills are Russian and Spanish, so I was looking at countries that spoke either Russian or Spanish — that way, I could more easily understand the vendor’s culture and how they’d work. Also, for the positions I was looking for, Belarus and Ukraine tended to be areas where one could find affordable but skilled resources. 

I came up with a list of companies in Belarus that I wanted to call and interviewed them for quite some time before I hired Yellow. I’d interviewed companies for quite a bit of time, so I knew what to look for in a solid company. They had to be of a certain size and quality in addition to knowing what they were talking about. Their points of contact also had to speak English fairly well.

How much have you invested with them?

We subcontract Yellow, so I’ve sold about $40,000–$50,000 in projects with them, which translates to purchasing $30,000 from them. The project is going to go on for six more months with additional people, so that’s probably another $150,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started speaking to them around March 2021, and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mainly, I go by client feedback to judge Yellow’s performance, and the clients have been very impressed with their work. The team is exact in what they do, their delivery has been good, and they’re on time and budget. 

How did Yellow perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management is on our side, but their developers are great at overseeing their personal time. They’ll let us know when to expect something and will finish within that timeframe. Since we use an agile methodology, we work in 1–2-week deliverables and track them in Jira.

Yellow also has good communicators. One thing people might find with companies where English isn’t their native language is that they’re typically not willing to speak up when there’s an issue. However, Yellow is willing to speak up, which helps make sure that problems get solved quickly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re able to give me people so that I don’t have to conduct multiple interviews for a role. If I tell them that I need a certain type of developer, then they’ll give me a good developer. I might go through 1–2 people — maybe three, tops — but that’s about it. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve exclusively had good experiences with them, though it’s only been about four months, now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with Dasha to get their people. She is impressively up until odd hours of the night her time. I might send her a message at 3:00 in the afternoon my time, and she responds. Dasha and her team are very attentive to American time zones.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Twinslash.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Yellow helped us to build a chat architecture for our call center project and finish its design. The main goal was to create a scalable and well-structured chat architecture and then create a design for the chat.

SOLUTION

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

We found some potential partners on Clutch and contacted them. Yellow was our final choice since they have substantial experience in working with chats.

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

Our call center app needed a fast custom chat that will take into account all frequently asked questions, and we wanted to start with building a proper architecture and finish with a simple interface.

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

Two developers, a CTO, and the Head of Business Development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At first, they created the general scheme of how the chat will work, with potential solutions for each part. Then they built wireframes for main screens and offered the possible technologies for the implementation. Together we then defined the final tech stack and started the development.

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

They did everything that they promised.

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

We didn’t expect to find an agency with such a suitable experience and effective approach to development.

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

They are really good at what they do.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Business development manager of a development company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a hand updating our website.

SOLUTION

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

We found them in the Top Web Developers list.

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

We wanted to update our company’s website. But to move forward with the development of a full website, we wanted to test an MVP on our target audience. Our team was busy on other projects, so we needed a partner to create and test it.  Now we’re continuing to work with them on the development of a full website.

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

We worked with a project manager, UI/UX designer, and developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their communication skills are outstanding, the team was always ready to respond to our feedback or clarify any issues. We've been satisfied with the results.

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

We were surprised by their project management skills. We always know what stage we are on and what processes are ongoing. Slack and Jira were used to settle the workflow.

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

They are ready to help, not only with the code itself but with the project as a whole. Yellow is a good partner that has a vision for every process, and they're ready to share their knowledge.

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

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of MBicycle.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Yellow?

Yellow was hired to help us with UI/UX design for an iOS app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had already worked with them on a web development project, so we decided to hire them for this task as well.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Our team had a mobile iOS app in development, but we weren’t able to allocate enough resources to UI/UX design, so we were looking for a trusted partner to assist us. We needed illustrations for onboarding, UX design of main screens, and a logo redesign.

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

Our project manager communicated with two designers and the Head of Business Development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we already worked with Yellow, we knew what to expect from them. They always listened to what we had in mind and were proactive while trying to find the best solution for our goal. They made several illustrations in three styles, then together we conducted A/B testing. Its results defined what the final version will look like, so the Yellow team finished the rest of the project in that style.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Daily text communication between teams was organized via Slack, and video calls were held once a week via Skype. Since we’ve worked together before, it was easy for us to coordinate the processes and find a common ground.

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

They were very attentive to feedback and always ready to communicate.  At the same time, they do not just follow your lead but offer their views and ideas on how to improve the project.

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

No, we are completely satisfied with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of SLON Media. Our company provides video marketing services for companies all over the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Yellow?

We hired Yellow to develop an iOS and Android app for organizing our internal workflow. The required functionality included a chat, file storage, and calendar.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a simple app to address our internal communication needs.

SOLUTION

How did you select Yellow?

We contacted several software development agencies on Clutch and Yellow fit our needs the most.

Describe the project in detail.

We started with the MVP development. After some tests, we discussed what we want to change and add, and Yellow built the whole app.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the CEO, a project manager, and two developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The precision and speed of delivery were impressive. They implemented all the features we needed and carefully listened to our feedback. All tasks were completed on time or ahead of schedule. The speed of work didn’t influence the quality of the final product, everything was good. We had some small issues, but they are not worth mentioning.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We used Slack and Jira for management and also communicated via Skype and email. Their project management skills are excellent. The team was always ready to communicate and discuss everything that came up on our end.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were extremely proactive and attentive. They carefully listened to our needs and offered the best possible solution to address them in the product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, everything was good.