Fingent

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of digital experience at a tourist-centric consulting and execution company based in Saudi Arabia. We provide consulting, recommendations, and strategies that fall under digital experience technology, including websites, products, and digital solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

We handle digital experience solutions and products, including websites, apps, and assessments. We needed a development partner for our digital products, including websites and applications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fingent has worked closely with us on product development, particularly on a couple of website and application development projects. We usually develop or design the UX/UI, and Fingent helps us with the development, testing, QA, and deployment. We’re currently working with them on maintenance and service-level agreements.

Fingent has also provided consulting services, suggesting features and strategies we should consider. The websites have been built from scratch on WordPress. We have two real estate websites: one for the holding company and another for the destination.

On the second site, the main challenge has been to build an immersive experience. We’ve tried to embed an experience where users can zoom in and out and go into different doors. Although we don't have a 3D AR/VR experience, we want users to feel like they’re in the property itself.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a WordPress development lead, a sales lead, and a director.

How did you come to work with Fingent?

We worked with Fingent before on an application. Our company recommended them to the client. I don’t know how our company found Fingent, but they were working with them, so I took over and continued the relationship.

Our company chose them because Fingent’s portfolio is good and oriented toward real estate. Back then, we had the application for tenants, so we wanted a development agency familiar with real estate and tenants. Fingent’s portfolio was more about real estate; they have different branches and have worked in the US, so we picked them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $15,000 on one of our projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2021, and our relationship is ongoing. For example, we collaborated on that first project until 2022, and then we worked together again in 2023. The current project started in September 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client loves the website. Fingent is very helpful, supportive, and educational. They educate us on why things happen and are ready to go with us step by step. They’re open to any discussion, which makes them very patient. 

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very proactive, fast, and responsive. They meet deadlines and stay on budget. They even work on weekends. We use OpenProject for project management. We communicate via email, Zoom, or WhatsApp, depending on the urgency of the situation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fingent is a good analyst. They question us strategically and think with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could hire more people to be more tech-oriented and not focus on one aspect of a technology stack.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with Fingent’s salesperson; he’s amazing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a musician.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

I needed help with the development of a mobile application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fingent helped me with the design of mock-up screens and the architectural development layout. Fingent and I discussed the scope and price, and exchanged non-disclosure agreements. We had a little back and forth, and then we had an analysis phase to sort of map out what I wanted. Fingent gave me a quote and timeline.

The team also told me what needs connections to what, what API integrations we would use, and how everything could be connected to get the result I wanted.

What is the team composition?

I was in constant communication with three primary people, but I worked with a UX designer, a project manager, a scope of work manager, and a person who did some of the legal work. There were also 2–3 other teammates working on research and integration stuff.

How did you come to work with Fingent?

I found them through a Google search. I looked up a few options, and Fingent was listed a few different times as a good option. I contacted several companies, and Fingent was the first to communicate. We set up a call, and they walked me through what they could offer.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost $12,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July to September 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Fingent helped me visualize what the app could become. We did a lot of groundwork. We don't have an MVP yet, but the team offered an idea of the build cost, and I have mock-up screens for a demo. Fingent's work met my expectations.

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

Fingent was a pleasure to work with. They communicated clearly and were very organized. The team was also responsive and flexible with what we focused on. We used OpenProject for project management and Zoom and email for communication. Fingent also used Figma to create and annotate the mock-ups.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fingent seemed genuinely invested in helping me figure out what I needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren't any. I'm new at this, but Fingent did a good job. I wasn't sure to move forward because of my lack of experience, but the team was upfront and helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want to include in the scope. Fingent's structure is that you pay by timeline, not by scope. Some people don't like to do that, and I was hesitant because sometimes the scope of work can go longer and cost more. However, for this analysis phase, it was a good idea.

Additionally, be clear about how you want to communicate and exchange information. We were clear about how often I should get back to the team and how quickly Fingent should respond, and it went well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & AI Consultant of Mosora Consulting

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mosora Consulting builds AI-powered business solutions that automate operations, enhance customer engagement, and accelerate digital growth for companies across industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Fingent to accomplish?

• To design the technical architecture and workflow for insurance quoting platform.
• To conduct in-depth market research and competitive analysis to validate product-market fit
• To develop a go-to-market and financial strategy outlining revenue models and growth projections.
• To prepare investor-ready materials and documentation to support fundraising and partnership efforts.

SOLUTION

How did you find Fingent?

Online Search

Why did you select Fingent over others?

• High ratings
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Fingent were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

The scope of work with Fingent covers a comprehensive Discovery and Design (D&D) phase aimed at transforming Mosora’s concept for an insurance quote estimate app into a fully defined, investor-ready product plan. Scope Overview:

Fingent collaborated with Mosora to research, design, and document all technical, business, and operational aspects of the app. 

The engagement includes understanding user journeys, mapping data flows, defining system architecture, and establishing the foundation for development and deployment. 

Key Deliverables: 

Product Discovery & Requirement Documentation: Detailed understanding of business goals, user personas, data sources, and compliance needs.

System Architecture & Technical Blueprint: End-to-end architecture design covering APIs, integrations, AI/ML components, data management, and security framework.

UI/UX Wireframes & Prototype: Interactive prototype and visual flow representing user experience and the quote automation process.

Market Research & Competitive Analysis Report: Insights into the market landscape, trends, competitors, and opportunities for differentiation.

Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy & Financial Model: Clear roadmap for launch, pricing, customer acquisition, and financial projections

.Investor Readiness Package: Pitch deck, executive summary, and supporting documents showcasing business potential and scalability.

Final Discovery Report & Phase 1 

Implementation Plan: Consolidated documentation of findings, recommendations, timelines, and proposed next steps for full-scale development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project resulted in a detailed Discovery and Design report, an interactive prototype of the insurance quote app, and validated technical and financial feasibility. It also produced a market research and go-to-market strategy, along with investor-ready materials to support funding and partnership opportunities.

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

Fingent demonstrated strong project management throughout the engagement. They maintained clear communication, provided regular progress updates, and adhered closely to agreed timelines for deliverables. Their team was responsive to our feedback and quickly adapted to evolving requirements, ensuring that all materials were delivered on time and aligned with our goals.

What was your primary form of communication with Fingent?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They didn’t just focus on software design; they deeply understood our vision, asked the right questions, and delivered solutions that strike a balance between innovation, scalability, and market readiness. Their structured approach, transparency, and commitment to long-term partnership made them truly impressive to work with.

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

Fingent could improve by taking a more proactive role in contributing new ideas and visionary concepts beyond the defined scope. While their execution and responsiveness were strong, offering more creative input and strategic foresight, especially around innovative product features or future scalability, would have added even greater value to the collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a nonprofit organization that services immigrants and refugees in the US. Our biggest goal is to ensure that immigrants from all locations, regardless of legality, can lead a more dignified life in the US.

I am the program manager for the unaccompanied children's resource center. Unaccompanied children are children who come into the US without a legal guardian. They're apprehended by Border Patrol and handed over to a refugee resettlement shelter within 72 hours. At that point, those youth are in the shelter and given access to medical care, education, and whatever they need. They're also trying to find a sponsor to care for the US youth.

The idea is to find a sponsor to take care of the youth in the US and to be able to release those youth to a sponsor who's going to take care of them until they have their court date to decide whether or not they're allowed to get legal relief in the US or whether they have to go back to their home country.

Our organization runs a website called the unaccompanied children's resource center. It contains resources for youth, their sponsors, and providers who work with them. The goal is to provide guidance on best practices for accessing education, healthcare, legal information, and several other topics. I maintain the website and coordinate with others to ensure we provide these resources to families and providers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

Part of the UC Resource Center website is a community resource directory that we started last year. It’s a directory of resources across the US. We’re trying to identify resources in every county that are low-cost or free for youth and sponsors to access for help. Our organization has caseworkers who work with these families and create resource lists of helpful resources in their communities. Each caseworker originally did this independently, so we decided we wanted to centralize this.  We had a template of our existing website that was slow and had a lot of issues.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fingent designed and developed our website. They created a directory website compatible with mobile devices. We provided our template to understand the functionality we were looking for, and they built it based on what we told them we were looking for. They created mock-ups to show us what was possible regarding revamping the directory. They put together a blueprint for it. They used PHP, AngularJS, and JavaScript.

We were negotiating maintenance, but it would’ve been an additional cost. Hosting was on us. Unfortunately, we couldn't finish the project, so we had to walk away about halfway through because we didn't have the funds from the federal government.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Stephen, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing; Ravi, VP of Business Development, Sales, and Marketing; Meera, Business Analyst; Kiran, Associate Project Manager; and Bimal, Project Coordinator and Analyst.

How did you come to work with Fingent?

We found them through a Google search. My web developer provided a list of possible vendors, and Fingent was on that list. The biggest reason to go with them is their outstanding communication. They seemed on point, and there weren't any issues in terms of actually getting it done.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $46,200.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2024–February 2025. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any metrics because we couldn’t complete the project. 

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was 10/10. We used OpenProject to maintain the project. We had two weekly working meetings through Zoom and used email in between. They were completely outstanding in every aspect, including communication and even cost. They helped to ensure that it was affordable for us.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to give a shout-out to three teammates: Meera was outstanding in communicating with us during our meetings. Kiran and Stephen were excellent at explaining the project to us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their resourcefulness was impressive. They did an outstanding job taking our requests as a nonprofit with a limited budget and finding ways to make them work. They sent proposals to us saying we could try this, and it would be cheaper. Overall, their project management and professionalism were outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to have a vision for what you’re looking for and share it with them upfront; even if it's absurd or crazy, they will try to find a way to make it work. Don’t limit your dreams when you’re trying to create something with them as a partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of digital transformation at a company that manufactures rubber belts and oil seals. The rubber belts are used predominantly in the automotive industry in transmissions and also have other industrial uses. Our oil seals are used in automotors and manufacture. We have five plants across India and cater to the Indian, the US, and European markets. My primary responsibility is to drive digital transformation across the enterprise. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

We previously worked with multiple service providers. As part of our digital transformation process, we found that we needed to work with a partner who could understand our business and the B2B commerce side that we were implementing. We also needed support to integrate a real-time tracking system for our e-commerce orders.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I have business experience and have supported Fingent in defining our requirements and expectations and how we needed to do the project from an integration standpoint. Fingent provides solutions and consulting services, supporting our continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) cycle. 

Fingent's primary responsibility is to integrate the backend systems so that orders are appropriately captured, and stocks are visible to dealers and customers. As soon as the shipment happens, the third-party logistics provider and customers have visibility. When the dispatch and invoice happen, we make them available for the commerce portal. Our project's backend work has around 35 integration points critical for our e-commerce portal, which is available on web and mobile versions. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly interact with three teammates, including Sijoy (Systems Applications & Products Project Manager) and Ashok (VP, Enterprise Consulting), with whom we interact daily. We bring any escalations to Sijoy, and the overall team is integrated by 4–5 teammates.

How did you come to work with Fingent?

While searching for service providers, I came across a particular website and found Fingent. We evaluated four IT vendors and shortlisted Fingent. I explained our requirements to all the companies I contacted, and based on that, I expected solutions to come forth and explained to my team. Fingent scored very well in terms of business understanding and technical expertise. The team presented their services and provided credentials. 
How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Fingent at the end of 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's critical for us to ensure there aren't business stoppages and that our orders flow continuously from our customers to the backend, and Fingent ensures that. 
I've never asked them to redo work. 

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

Initially, we had weekly calls with Fingent, but eventually, our process got streamlined, and we changed to biweekly calls. The team is meticulous in the work they commit, and their project management has been very good. We've had a particular challenge with one integration point. We ran into technical difficulties because we needed to include third-party providers, which delayed the delivery by two weeks and exceeded the budget. However, none of the other integrations overran our budget.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Sijoy is brilliant and understands our business. He understands my requirements and leads the team effectively. Sijoy has technical knowledge and can provide solutions within the timeline he commits to. He's available to address escalations and resolve issues in a timely manner. 

On the other hand, Ashok is available for calls within the shortest duration for any situation. He's available to support any fallback mechanism and connects with us frequently. Ashok provides the support that is required for the team. He's available for monthly operations meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fingent always asks if we're missing something and has good top leadership that supports us in challenges. The team proactively provides solutions. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't see anything Fingent can improve in my line of work. I've never had bad experiences working with Fingent and haven't found them wanting on any particular front.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest having a good plan in place when engaging with Fingent to achieve a good work pace. Be clear in your requirements and desired solution. The team is phenomenal in brainstorming sessions. Initially, the team had a lot of questions for a project of this scale, and once they understood our project, I'd recommend that anyone hire Fingent for the same kind of work I did. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of projects for Techtel Pty, a broadcast system integrator. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

One of our broadcasters had a piece of custom software that needed to be rebuilt, so we hired Fingent for software development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fingent’s primary role has been to rebuild our software with all the latest components and to ensure that Active Directory is integrated. The software Fingent is building is designed to load news and populate the text for news tickers and graphics at the bottom of the screen. Fingent is also adding features to PC-based software. 

What is the team composition?

We work with about six people, including Sarika (Senior Program Manager). 

How did you come to work with Fingent?

I’m not sure about that because I wasn’t involved in that project stage. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $50,000 AUD (approximately $33,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve completed everything we’ve asked for, and they deliver on time. We’ve been very happy with their work and documentation. 

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been working on a very tight schedule, and any delays haven’t been their fault. We communicate via email and use OpenProject. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

We’d like to shout out Sarika; she is very helpful and thorough and provided good documentation. We’d also like to shout out Sanal (Senior Software Engineer); he is an excellent collaborator and very patient. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The original scope was to add the Active Directory integration, but as the project went on, we noticed other issues popping up. Fingent has been fixing those for us even though they weren’t in the original scope. We’ve also appreciated how thorough they are in their approach. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a bit of an issue with the budget at the beginning of the engagement, but we’ve been able to sort that out. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure you have a clear scope at the beginning of the project so everyone is aligned on what is required. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a software innovation specialist at GSMA, a nonprofit organization. We create new assets and bring technologies into the market for mobile network operators. This helps them provide more development services particularly in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

We wanted to do a project that would highlight the importance of biometrics in low-tech environments. We’re using voice, face, and fingerprint verification and authentication, but we're considering it for feature phones and phones with low camera resolution. We were not considering its use in high-tech smartphones, so we hired Fingent to help us address this weak point in the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As a foundation, we enable operators to bring new technologies into the market to help people by providing more financial, digital, and social inclusion. The purpose of the biometrics project was to showcase the mobile network operators that they could use biometrics certification to increase the security of their assets. We don’t have a team of developers in-house, but we do have a tech team of four that are involved in the development of new assets. However, there are not enough people to develop an entire application. 

Fingent helped us develop the app that would showcase the mobile biometrics solution. The project ended in March 2021 but it took time for the app stores to approve the application. Fingent kindly waited with us to ensure the application’s approval before closing the project.

What is the team composition?

There was one person responsible for the iOS and Android app development team. I’d estimate that there were a total of 12–13 people working on the project.

How did you come to work with Fingent?

I believe we found them online. When we contacted them to see if they were interested in receiving the request for a quote, they mentioned that they had worked with our company before, but with a different department. We ended up going with them,

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $35,000–$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between November 2020–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s difficult to measure success, since we had just launched the app last week. However, there are a number of people who have contacted us and were interested in having a meeting to know more. In that respect, we’ve achieved our main goal of calling the attention of mobile network operators and mobile money providers. We’ve accomplished the level of success that we targeted for initially. Everyone was congratulating us for the UI/UX of the app and nobody came to us with any problems, which is a very good metric.

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was really good from my perspective. I’m really happy with how they worked with us. Every time I sent an email or a message in Slack, they were available to answer. They accomplished all the tasks on time. 

We had at least one sprint meeting per week. Fingent had a platform where we could see each stage of each activity. Everything was very organized.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What I liked most is their flexibility. I only began working at this company recently and had moved in from another country, so the English language is a barrier. The Fingent team was very supportive and keen to help me by talking slowly or repeating themselves. I’m really grateful to them for that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Since we don’t have a development team in the company, we tried to create a tech environment where they could work with us internally. We created premises and repositories on our servers where they could put all the assets, code, and documentation that they created.

At the beginning of the process, however, they began creating on their side and were uploading their output to our site. It wasn’t really bad, but I would have liked for them to work in our environment all the time. This would’ve made it easier for us to understand the processes and the problems ahead of time, allowing us control of the code as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They are keen to finish and accomplish all that has been planned at the beginning. Not all companies are like this, so I would recommend working with Fingent. They are committed to delivering your product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a small nonprofit. We work with a marine sanctuary to ensure its conservation mission.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent?

We’re part of a network of organizations that hired Fingent to do database work. We needed a data management system that was user-friendly for sixth graders and up. 

We also wanted it to be able to display data trends and allow for the exporting and entering of citizen science data. We take students out to ecosystems on the coast and give them hands-on experiences.

They count and measure organisms, and they enter that data into an online database. We then analyze and report the data. We had an antiquated data management system that had some limitations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I wasn’t a part of this process, but from what I’ve learned, our goal was to have a more userfriendly interface. We shared our old system with Fingent and they maintained all of the functionalities of that old system while incorporating new features. 

They added functionality that allows students to enter, visualize, and export their data into a format that can be used by other external programs for graphing and data analysis, such as a CFC file.

What is the team composition?

We’re on the third team with them since I was brought onto the project in August 2018. Stephen (SVP Sales & Marketing) manages the teams.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent approximately between $20,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in about September 2016, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had increased functionality, which is great. We can export files and play around with them like we wanted to, and students can enter data. We have the ability to track a lot more information than before.

There have been some bugs and issues that we’re still trying to fix in order to maintain the functionalities that we had with our old database. With such a complex database, it’s hard to locate all of the issues that are created when a new development project ends.

How did Fingent perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been a learning process for both of us, especially working with different teams. With the turnover of the teams, it’s been difficult because we didn’t realize how much investment we would need to put in to get teammates up to speed.

This has often led to the user-testing being longer than expected. It’s hard when we find elements that are broken that weren’t broken before every time we go through development projects. However, Fingent is responsive when we bring up issues, and they’re willing to work on them. 

There’s been a lot of improvement in terms of project management. We started working on OpenProject where we upload information and track conversations and feedback.

This will also be helpful when team turnover because they will have all the information in one place. Receiving access to that and being able to provide Fingent with that information has already been useful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness and interest in helping us are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While they’re very responsive and they want to get going with projects, sometimes we get meeting invites less than 24 hours before the meeting or on weekends. This has improved recently, however more lead time before scheduling meetings would be helpful. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Use a lot of visuals and provide them with mockups and detailed visual explanations on how to recreate issues. This is important in order to get the results you want and reduce the back and forth explanations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of a firm that provides localized safety metrics for travelers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fingent?

We originally needed a native Android app based on our existing iOS app, with a focus on UX development. We also wanted help with digital marketing.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted an Android app that could handle data processing and configuring that data onto a map. We hoped to improve our consumer outreach with marketing assistance.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We have continued to work with them based on the quality of previous engagements.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They incorporated Google Maps into our Android app and helped us solve data processing issues. Following app development, they did digital marketing. They contacted bloggers and other websites where links to the app could be listed.

What was the team composition?

We worked with their CEO and head of strategy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Several industry bloggers have reviewed or published links to the app on their blogs, which has driven web traffic and increased the number of downloads.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We found their project management solid.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were highly responsive to our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am an associate tenure professor at the University of Toronto, in the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. I teach undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as advise theses and conduct research on ecotourism in arid landscapes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fingent Corp?

For the first time in the stream of research I’d been doing in the past 10 years, we decided, along with the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, the sponsor of the program, to publish the outcome of the work through a mobile app. We needed an expert partner who could handle the technical aspects. More importantly, since it was our first time publishing research in this format, we needed someone who could help us design the user interface and advise on the best way to present and showcase the research on mobile phones. I knew what our goals were, but didn’t know how to achieve them; this is where Fingent was helpful.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fingent was understanding in finding a way to work with our limited budget. We made preliminary storyboards. We are architects and knew how to use the design tools, but the process with Fingent was collaborative from the initial brainstorming about our goals and app design.

We spent a month fine-tuning the first storyboard, after which Fingent made a full redesign. We were not specialists, and realized that our version was not at all user-friendly.

We developed a series of tours for a relatively unknown area in Morocco, and needed a mapping of all the different tourism attractions and existing infrastructure in the area. The app needed to work without internet access, since this is an issue in that part of the world. It displays the nearby attractions available within a given circuit, along with all local crafts cooperatives, hotels, restaurants, and projects being planned for the future, for the development of the region’s ecotourism.

We had all the GPS locations of the attractions, but didn’t know how to use the Google technology for actually creating the circuits. Fingent helped us better set our goals and build the correct user interface, so that the app could be accessible to not just people in academia or architecture students, but to any single person travelling to Morocco who wanted to discover the area. There are no guidebooks at all for this area, so our project was a first.

The app was only developed for iOS, but we are signing a sponsorship contract with the Ministry of Tourism for an Android version, as well as for French and Chinese translations of the app.

What is the team dynamic?

Stephen Cummings [Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Fingent] was our team leader. We also worked with the head of their development team in India, and with 2 other people. We used OpenProject, and had weekly meetings during which we discussed different points and shared wireframes. We could either approve the work or make comments on it.

How did you come to work with Fingent Corp?

I shopped around online and found their group to be the most responsive. Stephen Cummings and I are Harvard undergrads, and I looked through the alumni network. I contacted 2 other freelancers, and the big difference was that Stephen was on-point during meetings and extremely generous with his time, even before signing a contract. I wasn’t sure if they could actually build our app for the cost, so it was important to figure out how they could work with our limited budget.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work was around $12,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

I first contacted Fingent in May 2017, and the project officially started in June. I spent several hours with Stephen in the beginning, brainstorming how we could make it happen within budget, and what the best approach was. The project was supposed to finish at the end of August, but we extended it until the 15th of October, simply because it was the first time we’d built an app. We didn’t realize the amount of extra work necessary for every single GPS coordinate. The territory we had to cover is a third the size of New York State.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Ministry was happy with our work, and will probably commission us to start on a new region on Morocco. This shows that our relationship with Fingent went well. We’re extremely pleased with the work and are looking forward to a new collaboration. This was the first time our school published work in the format of an app.

I have very high expectations of myself, my students, and the people I work with. Fingent has exceeded them, and we’ve struck a very strong working relationship. I respect them as professionals, and feel I’ve learned a lot from the team.

So far, we’ve done 2 improvement runs, following the testing phase. The app is functioning fine. Someone in Morocco will test it on-site within the next 2 weeks, to see how it can perform without an internet connection. It uses the Google Maps technology, so there shouldn’t be any issues, but it’s the only item we haven’t tested. Everything else we requested has functioned like Fingent told us it would.

How did Fingent Corp perform from a project management standpoint?

I highly enjoyed using OpenProject for the collaboration, and plan to use it for my own work. We communicated weekly, and any question I had was answered within 24 hours. Fingent’s management and dedication was incredible.

GPS data needed to be formatted into Excel, for them to enter, and we completely misjudged the time it would take to do. Fingent was very patient with us, which I can appreciate. They understood that it was a novel project for us, and we had a small budget. The project has made me realize how much work an app is.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated the care with which they listened to our needs, and their ability to find the most user-friendly and appealing approach. Fingent knew that this project was important to us, and that we needed to succeed, since it was the first app of its kind in Morocco. In the end, they gave us more than we expected, which I find incredible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They handle the data part of app projects as well, but, in our case, because we didn’t have enough money or experience, it took more time for us to gather the data ourselves. I wish they would have told us in advance, but it probably wasn’t something Fingent could have assessed. A future improvement would be planning for more time during projects with inexperienced customers. Fingent has been accommodating and understanding. No other firm would have accepted letting us take on that responsibility.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

For clients like myself, developing an app for the first time and without a huge budget, especially in academia, I would highly recommend working with Fingent. They taught us how to provide raw data, but planning for an extended schedule on a first-time project is recommended.