Code District

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a consultant at a consulting and business services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Code District?

We needed help with custom software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Code District has been helping us with custom software integration for a product that can read files, process them, and write them back out. Our team already has the design, so Code District has assisted us in finalizing that design to start building the platform. In terms of tools, they’ve used JavaScript, AWS hosting, and off-the-shelf software for SFTP processing, among other tools for code generation.

Regarding features, the site mainly processes leave of absence requests and integrates our clients’ HRIS and payroll systems into our LOA systems.

What was the team composition? 

We’ve started working with four members of Code District’s team for the project’s first phase, but we currently have two people from their staff assigned to us. These members include developers, their legal department, and their sales team.

How did you come to work with Code District?

We found them online and chose them over three other potential companies because they seemed to be the best fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent $18,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2022, and the engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform that Code District’s has created for us allows us to handle many client files with functional compliance, which is important because it increases our internal productivity twofold.

How did Code District perform from a project management standpoint?

Code District has been excellent in meeting deadlines and staying within budget. We’ve also had weekly calls with them to check on the Scrum process and the project's progress. Moreover, we’ve changed the work’s scope throughout the engagement, and they’ve accommodated my requests within our timeframes. Regarding tools and communication, we use Zoom due to our preference.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Code District's agility and ability to respond quickly to our requests are a couple of their biggest strengths. They’ve also been cost-conscious regarding not making additional charges whenever they make a mistake or want to tackle the project differently. Additionally, Code District is W-9 compliant, which is also important for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially, we had trouble getting their payments to them because they didn’t give us the right information, which put a hiccup in the process. Code District’s team could enhance their overall workflow. Other than that, I don’t think they can improve anything on the technical side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a thorough and clear understanding of what you need so they can provide according to your requirements.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Medical Director/Developer for the Engage with Skills Training Programs

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We engaged Code District to help elevate our use of Salesforce for registration and learning management in 3 separate projects.

• Project 1 involved remediation to an existing grading logic.
• Project 2 was to create a new grading logic for a new developed training product.
• Project 3 was the integration and launch of a Salesforce native application.

SOLUTION

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

We had experienced negative outcomes with 2 previous vendors. They were selected based on a recommendation of an IT consultant.

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

We engaged Code District to help elevate our use of Salesforce for registration and learning management.

• Project 1 included making updates and remediating challenges in existing registration flow, grading and data validation logic.
• Project 2 involved setting up a Sandbox, creating new grading and registration logic for new training products. This included creating new Salesforce objects, custom fields and ensuring that API connections with the training platform were in place.
• Project 3 focused on installing and implementing Blackthorn Events, which is a Salesforce native application. This project included installing two app, Blackthorn Payments and Blackthorn Events, then setting up the Stripe connection with the Payments App and configuring all Salesforce and app settings enabling them to function as desired. For each project, development took place in a Sandbox environment, followed by UAT and then deployment to production followed by a second round of UAT.

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

We worked with two team members, an Account Executive and a Developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All projects were completed successfully. The outcomes we desired were achieved. Updates to existing registration and grading logic corrected errors left by previous vender. The addition of new registration and grading logic, and the implementation of Blackthorn allows us to scale our training operations to meet demand. We now have a system that can collect payment and registration data for individual buyers as well as elevate the registration process for corporate clients. We now have data that we can trust in a system that supports our business use model.

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

Code District allowed us to use and maintain our internal Project Management methodology and tools. We mainly used email, Zoom and Slack to communicate about project status and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for task management. This worked well with a small team. Even with a huge time difference between our team and theirs. The project team was available throughout our day to respond to requests in a timely manner.

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

We valued the flexibility and curiosity of the team. They spent a great deal of effort to understand our product and current technology set-up. They were flexible enough to handle change requests and routinely made suggestions to improve the project result.

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

Since we were working with a small team, we had to modify our timelines and focus on one project at a time. That did not stop Code District from meeting our very aggressive deadlines and their delivering the quality of work we expected.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Megilla is a B2B SaaS video platform for organizations. I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired CD to build our B2B video platform. Our goals were to finish development with a formidable MVP we can use to engage early corporate clients, then iterate and refine the technology as we learn, scale and grow.

SOLUTION

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

We spoke with a lengthy list of other agencies and were impressed with CD's intelligence, professionalism, talent and affordability. They asked smart questions during the interview process and followed up like professionals. We felt confident and safe with them as our agency of choice.

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

We were pivoting from a B2C to B2B model and already had a B2C video platform so we hired Code District to build our B2B MVP. We came with designs, a feature set, and use cases to develop around. Before development, we engaged in a discovery process that proved helpful and insightful.

The new platform was full stack (React/Node) and they were strategic in helping us think deeper and more intelligently about our product. We are continuing to engage with CD on a smaller contract basis incorporating bug fixes and augmenting the platform with new features as we scale.

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

(2) Sales/Account Managers (4-5) Developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During development, CD provided a clickable prototype for us that we were able to use to procure 15 corporate clients ahead of launch. Pre-selling those clients was incredibly helpful for research and the promise that we were building a product that solves meaningful problems with a viable solution. Like all development, it took longer than expected but CD was a valuable partner in helping us build a solid platform with a formidable future.

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

We worked closely with their Senior Software Engineer who served as their project manager and point of contact. He was consistently communicative, compassionate about our timeline and company goals, and we always enjoyed our meetings with him as the lead.

He ensured confidence in the process and always took the time to talk out the development process related to our specific platform. There is a significant time difference so that was a factor at times in terms of waiting for emails but that was reasonably expected. We primarily used email and Zoom meetings as our source of communication.

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

CD zealously advocates for hiring good people who are a great balance of intelligence talent, hardworking and good humans. We feel proud working with them. Having talent and competency is one thing, but we feel it is important to enjoy the process of collaborating and working together and CD made it easy to enjoy the collaboration process and work together as a team.

CD hires people who make the entire process meaningful and successful. We only wished we lived closer so we could meet them in person and take them to dinner to toast and celebrate a meaningul collaboration.

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

The only small area of possible improvement is documentation. We primarily emailed with the team and that worked well, but sometimes there were points when we wished there was a collectively shared Google Drive with all the information or some easier way of documenting the process and information other than email.

More specifically regarding the technical handover process for documentation, we felt it was something we had to ask for in order to have all the requisite information in one contained location.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of Bottom Line Concepts, a contingency-based, cost-savings company. We save money for Fortune 500 companies and sports teams. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code District?

We were building a portal that would allow clients to see their accounts, transactions, and historical and real-time data. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Code District created our portal’s software from scratch. The software is client- and company-facing. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with 7–8 people in total, including the CTO and Ashar (Founder & CEO). 

How did you come to work with Code District?

Code District sent us a cold email, and we interviewed them. They were very courteous and professional. They also took in all of the information regarding what we needed and gave us exactly what we wanted in the demo.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was from December 2020–February 2021. They originally said it would take them three months, but it only took them two.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software is very high quality. They completed the project under budget, which is miraculous for a software development company. As I said, they also finished sooner than the quoted deadline.

How did Code District perform from a project management standpoint?

Code District handled project management very professionally. They communicated clearly throughout. If we shared an issue or concern, they fixed it right away and didn’t have to revisit it a second time. That was very impressive.

We had weekly meetings via Zoom, during which they provided updates. If we had any questions between those meetings, they responded right away, within the same day. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Since they cold called us and we’d never heard of them, I wasn’t expecting such high-quality work. They followed through on every single thing that they said they would.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think their service can be improved.

Any advice for potential customers?

Give them a chance — they’ll definitely prove themselves accordingly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of a software platform for the fire protection industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code District?

We wanted to roll out a new feature for our platform, but didn’t have the time to focus on both the development and our day-to-day operations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Code District developed our service software on Ruby on Rails. The software makes inspections, testing, and maintenance easier for the fire protection industry. Their team used an API to create a database for our team. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with two developers from Code District, both of whom were involved in discussions with our team. 

How did you come to work with Code District?

A friend of mine has a startup and recommended Code District to us. He passed along one of the directors, so I reached out to them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $4,300 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Code District from January–April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, we are very happy with Code District’s work. Their team lead ran an internal code review that went well. We plan to use them again in the future. 

How did Code District perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated primarily through Trello. Despite the time difference, their team is very responsive. We heard feedback from them every day about what they were working on. 

If they were ever stuck on anything or needed more direction, they would reach out to us, and then we would set up a Zoom meeting. They quickly addressed any bugs that came up throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were always able to decipher what we wanted, even when our instructions were vague. Code District could give us as many mockups or as much detail as we wanted with the little information we gave them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a very good operation, and I have nothing negative to say about Code District.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Since there is a language barrier, it’s important to be as detailed as possible with them. It’s better to give them the information instead of leaving it open for interpretation. Unfortunately, our team was very busy when we first brought them on so it was difficult for us to write up exactly what we wanted. When we did, we got better results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a SaaS product that provides ERP for project-based companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code District?

Our first project was to write a plug-in for Outlook. We wanted a panel that would surface information about our platform directly in Outlook. We also needed Code District to rewrite our mobile app, so it worked for both iOS and Android.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wrote the functionality for the API to surface the information in Outlook, and Code District figured out how to get it to appear in the program. The panel provides access to our app, letting the user interact with our data, functionality, and tools. They finished the Outlook plug-in and are currently working on the app.

For the app, we did the concept design and requirements, and Code District turned it into a functioning app. It connects with our API to pass information back and forth. They built different versions for both iOS and Android, and they also do QA.

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager, four developers, some React specialists, and a QA analyst.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in July 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal development had been meaning to work on the mobile app, but it kept getting delayed because of day-to-day tasks and responsibilities. Code District was able to focus on the project and deliver what our own team wasn’t able to do.

How did Code District perform from a project management standpoint?

We hadn’t worked with an external team before, but the partnership’s been great. We have a great relationship, communicating and collaborating well together. They adapt to our change requests, and we hold weekly meetings to review progress. We communicate via Slack and use Jira to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always positive, even if we have a big problem or concern. They integrate well with our team, so we’ll continue to work with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The code branches got a bit complex, so we’re working on making them more simplified for the next project. It’ll make it easier to test things more quickly.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Consider Code District to be part of your team and have them communicate directly with your internal staff.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Develop our mobile app

SOLUTION

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

Extensive vetting with vendoors.

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

Mobile app development for our telehealth product

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

4

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Deployed an excellent app!

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

Incredibly on top of tasks!

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

They were outstanding, incredibly professional, innovative, and super thoughtful!

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

None :)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder and CEO of a healthcare app that connects users with physical therapists. Our focus is on hospitality.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code District?

We approached them to update and enhance our app’s front- and backend.

What were your goals for this project?

Our objective was to stabilize our existing product and maximize its performance.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I chose them after an interview.

Describe the project in detail.

They updated our mobile app’s code and functionality so that we could launch it into market.

What was the team composition?

They assigned a lead developer and multiple engineers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product works great.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their communication.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not at this time.