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If you can dream it, we can build it.

5.0
5 reviews

Zagaran, Inc. is a Boston-based software consulting and development company. Over the past 5 years, we have proudly served the needs of the Greater Boston community, working on high-impact projects for over 50 diverse organizations, including venerable universities, hospitals, research groups, nonprofits, private companies, and government agencies. Our company philosophy is very simple: We choose to do right by our clients.

We stand by our software, we stand by our clients, and we stand by our community. Clients trust us to build technology critical to their mission, and we always deliver. We are focused on providing the best service and the best results to our community.

Choosing the right software developer is one of the most important decisions you can make. It’s crucial to have software experts who will choose the best tools for the job, who understand the trade-offs involved in development, who are experienced enough to make the right calls, and who know how to guide you through each step of the software development process. We are those experts for dozens of groups. We would like to be those experts for you as well.

Check us out at: www.zagaran.com

 

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$25,000+
 
$200 - $300 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2013
Show all +
Boston, MA
headquarters
  • 129 South St.
    Boston, MA 02111
    United States

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Harvard University, MIT, Commonwealth of MA

Reviews

5.0
5 reviews
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Software Development for University Faculty

“They understood all of our needs and were able to work with our schedule.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
June 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Using a proof of concept provided to them, Zagaran Software developed a web application that allows faculty to track participation in university courses.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Teddy Svoronos
Lecturer, Harvard University
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The application is fast, effective, and user-friendly.  Zagaran went above and beyond to deliver a high-quality product on time despite the changing requirements. Their ability to manage and prioritize tasks exceeded expectations. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a lecturer in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zagaran Software?

We were trying to develop a system that would allow us to track participation in our courses and identify the blind spots. We needed a vendor to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them specifications and loose wireframes, and they coded the application in Python. We met every week and they managed the whole project. We also showed them a proof of concept that served as a baseline for our conversation. They've completed the MVP, but they're still helping us manage bugs and plan the future development.

What is the team composition?

We've interacted with three members of their team and two interns.

How did you come to work with Zagaran Software?

They were recommended to me by a faculty member. We asked for a quote from them and compared it to the other quotes we got.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback has been extremely positive. The interface is very fast and easy to navigate. It's a better functioning application than the proof of concept version we had. The new app relies more on web standards and works easily on different browsers and devices. Also, it's very smooth, effective, and has more features.

How did Zagaran Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a lot of in-person meetings, but we also used Slack to communicate. Our original deadline was pushed back because of the university bureaucracy. I was concerned that we weren't going to produce a viable product by the start of classes. However, in addition to coding a very good software, Zagaran managed tasks and prioritized needs extraordinary well, so we ended up with a product that exceeded my expectations. They were able to communicate effectively with the faculty in a way that even not high-tech people could understand.

Also, they ended up working closely with the Harvard IT department that has very strict requirements. Zagaran was flexible and carried themselves extremely well in those meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated their responsiveness and the ease of communication. They understood all of our needs and were able to work with our schedule. If there was an issue, they'd jump on it quickly (they even created a system that let us report the issues we had, so they could respond immediately.)

We were a bit skeptical that they'd be able to deliver everything we had talked about, but they delivered what they had promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We planned the budget for the project with them and they were very good at letting us know if something unexpected came up. But it'd be nice if they were a bit more proactive about keeping us informed in terms of where the budget was going.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    We ended up pushing the budget a bit far.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

AngularJS & Ruby on Rails Dev for Mobile Payment Company

"We just launched one version and ... The user experience is clear, straightforward, and easy to use."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
3.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Nov. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Using AngularJS and Ruby on Rails, Zagaran developed a web-based mobile payment solution that incorporates an existing loyalty reward structure. They perform testing as well as front- and backend integration.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Boston, Massachusetts
Product Manager, Mobile Payment Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Zagaran corrects bugs quickly and responds promptly to other concerns. They lead projects efficiently without being pushy, and communicate effectively with people of all levels of technological savvy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager for a mobile payments company. We create mobile applications for iOS and Android that allow customers to order and pay at fast casual restaurant chains.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zagaran Software?

We needed a new product offering for web ordering.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Zagaran is helping us extend our product offering to web ordering on Yelp. The solution allows users to place orders directly through Yelp for some merchants. It allows for online ordering and payments, as well as incorporating our loyalty reward structure. The more a user orders from a specific merchant, the more they benefit. We brought them on to make sure things were running smoothly with the Yelp integration, and to bring the existing product to a place where we can start distributing and selling it for our clients.

Zagaran serves as our agency partner for the development resources. They gather the requirements and plan out the process. We give them designs and they work through the front- and backend integration; they use AngularJS for the frontend and Ruby on Rails for the backend. They created a staging site so we can test everything out. Then they fix any bugs so we can ultimately deploy the live updates.

What is the team composition?

The team fluctuates based on our resource needs. On average, we work with two full-time engineers.

How did you come to work with Zagaran Software?

They had an existing relationship with the company when I started. Our CEO knew their founder.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched one version and the clients love it. It highlights the main value of the product, which is ordering. The user experience is clear, straightforward, and easy to use. We’re really happy with it.

How did Zagaran Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m really happy with their project management. We’re able to meet weekly because they’re based here in Boston. They’re really easy to work with and super accommodating. They’ll build whatever we want as long as we have the time and money. I have constant communication with them via a direct Slack channel. They’re very quick to respond. They’re great about setting expectations on the level of effort and what resources a project will require. They’re also very transparent. If I ask them where we’re at in times of hours, they’re able to let me know exactly. They only charge us for the hours we actually use.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Zagaran is really easy to work with. I’ve worked with other agencies and developers where communication has always been a struggle. They have really sharp engineers that code to the current standards, but they can also describe and talk about things in non-technical terms. It’s very easy to understand their approach and they’re also able to meet our vision. It’s always been easy to resolve any issues, and they let us know how it impacts resources and timelines.

They’re strong with UX. They approach user flows and problems holistically. They’ll develop a feature and make sure it works for one use case. They also make sure any feature is accommodated across all use cases, whether it’s different screen sizes or other scenarios. They’ll bring ideas to me that we didn’t even think about initially. They’re really good with ramping up for new projects. It’s really enjoyable to work with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Right now, they’re just a development shop. If they want to round out their services, they could add more design-focused individuals.

5.0
Overall Score They’re really easy to work with.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They do whatever is needed to make it work.
  • 3.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re comparable for the Boston market, which is on the high end.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d refer them.

Web App Dev for Apparel Company

“We all love working with Zagaran. They’ve become a dependable part of our team.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Apr. 2014 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Zagaran used existing Python code to build a Django app. Then, they built a fulfillment and manufacturing app. They provide ongoing support and develop additional features for each app.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Cambridge, Massachusetts
CEO, Apparel Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Zagaran delivers high-quality code that outclasses industry standards. Their software is responsive, stable, and reliably functions as integral part of daily operations. Their team’s ability to build trust and continually improve project deliverables signifies a partnership that’s worth the cost.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an apparel company that specializes in e-commerce. We produce and ship apparel on demand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zagaran Software?

I wrote the software that creates our product designs, but it was only running on my computer. We needed a development firm to build that software into a web application all of our employees could use.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first project with Zagaran was fairly straightforward. We provided local Python scripts that they built into a Django app. The finished product is an internal tool, so the UI is basically nonexistent. This facilitated a quick development process.

After a successful first project, we hired them to be our primary software development team. In addition to our product design app, they’ve taken over the development of our fulfillment and manufacturing app. This app is a vital component of our business as it manages transactional email. It also executes processes like batching orders and passing them to our manufacturer. Zagaran continually integrates both systems with new features and provides general bug fixes.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with three developers.

How did you come to work with Zagaran Software?

Zagaran was recommended to me by a colleague and I decided they’d be a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $200,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2014 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We all love working with Zagaran. They’ve become a dependable part of our team. Our staff uses the software they’ve built daily and appreciates the responsiveness and stability of each app. As internal tools, they’re not flashy but they get the job done. We consider the software a big competitive advantage over other apparel companies.

How did Zagaran Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They willingly integrated into our Asana system and are extremely responsive to email as well. Those are our primary forms of communication, but we also have quarterly phone calls to catch up on priorities.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve worked with a lot of software developers, but Zagaran’s quality code sets them apart. As a developer myself, I know how difficult it is to build complex and stable applications. We’ve built trust with them and they work quickly, but their top-notch code is why we’ve continued the engagement for so many years.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re expensive and other firms could certainly build a project for less. However, the software they maintain is a crucial aspect of our business, so we’re willing to pay more for quality. Not having to fix bugs ourselves makes it worth the cost.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We’re probably a non-standard client considering my technical background. I don’t have any specific advice.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Django Dev Staff Augmentation for Pharmaceutical Company

"I’m delighted to work with them; I couldn’t ask for better."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Mar. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Zagaran Software provides ongoing staff augmentation. Projects include bug fixes, new feature implementations, and coding on a Django backend.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Boston, Massachusetts
Janet Riley
Senior Web Developer, Pharmaceutical Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team’s impressive depth of knowledge enhances the collaboration and allows them to work without external supervision. They are thorough, careful, and amenable to a variety of requests and specifications.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a senior web applications developer on a digital health software team. We have a mobile app, a Django backend, and web dashboards.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zagaran Software?

They provide staff augmentation services. We prefer to hire external consultants when we needed more capacity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the last year, they’ve provided at least two resources for continuous integration set up and Django implementation. The team also assists with backlogs, bug fixes, and new features. Depending on our team’s needs, Zagaran will either fix or suggest refactoring solutions for our mature codebase. A past feature project involved updating all our libraries to improve performance.

What is the team composition?

We work with at least two members, but sometimes up to four. The resource allocations are equivalent to two full-time positions.

How did you come to work with Zagaran Software?

We met an industry conference for Django users. My colleague heard them talk.

How much have you invested with them?

I don’t handle the invoices, but I believe it’s roughly half the cost of two full-time employees.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in March 2017 and is ongoing. I expect it to continue for another six months to a year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As a former consultant, I know they do good work. The team resolves issues in a careful and thorough manner, and without the need of external supervision. I’m delighted to work with them; I couldn’t ask for better.

How did Zagaran Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m the point person for my company. We work in sprints and have weekly status meetings to review the backlog and identify priorities. Zagaran communicates clearly across multiple platforms. We use Slack for day-to-day interactions and Google Hangouts for status meetings and complex matters. As a local company, they’ll come to our office when backlog and coding projects require it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have deep expertise that exceeds our own knowledge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing outside the normal experience of working with someone new. If there were issues, I would’ve told them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any advice. They’re a mature enough to make any engagement work.

5.0
Overall Score I enjoy working with Zagaran and would engage them again.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I don’t know exactly what the cost is, but I feel that they’re worth it.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Python and SQL Dev Support for Research Nonprofit

“They’re really efficient and they definitely know what they’re doing.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
May - Sept. 2017
Project summary: 

When software started causing issues, Zagaran diagnosed the problems with the code in Python, found a solution and implemented the corrected coding. They remain on contract to help if needed.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Senior Research Associate, The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Zagaran’s work resulted in success rates in the 95% range for the API processes. They streamlined the processes by realigning them and made them more effective. They delivered highly organized solutions, worked within the budget, and communicated well throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior research associate at The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab. We’re a network of researchers around the world who conduct randomized control trials in the context of social policies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zagaran Software?

Our product sends mobile credits for talk time to mothers when they bring their kids to get immunized. We also maintained a backend database to deliver these incentives and text messages as reminders. The backend was set up by someone on our team, but that person is no longer working with us. We started facing problems with the software and we needed urgent help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us with a large-scale evaluation of a program designed to increase immunization rates in collaboration with the state government operating across 2,400 villages in India.

The code had already been written and the server had been set up. While everything was running, we didn’t have any proper documentation. I knew the basics of how the overall system worked, but some processes were more complicated, like those that rely on threading and parallelization, which I didn’t have any experience in.

They jumped in, took a look at our code, worked with me to try and build out how it’s supposed to function, and put together some documentation. They helped us fix the parts of the code that were causing the issues and implemented it so it would be more efficient. They helped us reconfigure in a more efficient and cleaner way. They came in as managers plus emergency helpers.

Our code base is in Python and our database is in SQL. The server we query from uses Django interface. The code uses a combination of different Python libraries to kind of tie these three pieces together.

What is the team composition?

There were three people. In the beginning, we worked with Kevin (Co-founder, Zagaran Software) and Alvin (Senior Software Engineer, Zagaran Software). Then Chris (Frontend Developer, Zagaran Software) came on later. I interacted directly with the developers. On several occasions, we met in person.

How did you come to work with Zagaran Software?

They were recommended by the Office of Digital Learning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$49,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May–September 2017. They’re no longer actively involved, but we still have a contract with them for a few hours. We have an agreement that they will step in if anything goes wrong.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The code is mainly on the backend. The success rates of the API processes ran in the 95% range.

How did Zagaran Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re really efficient and they definitely know what they’re doing. They’re very systematic and methodical in gathering the information they need and making sure they have it right. They figure out what the problem is and come up with a few very clear options to move forward. That was very helpful for us. We met in person and used phone and Skype, but mainly communication was through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very organized, methodical, efficient, and easy to communicate with. They’re honest about what they can and can’t do.

They helped minimize the cost for us, which was nice because we don’t have a lot of funds. They were great about helping us figure out how to best leverage them given our resources and our setup.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent about your needs because they have a lot of experience that customers tend to gain from.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    It's very likely.