Android App development:

BACKGROUND:

Please describe your company.

I work for the Public Register. The Public Register is the biggest source for investors to access annual reports from publicly traded companies online. We currently circulate our annual reports in hard copy form or PDFs.

What is your role?

I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY/ CHALLENGE:

What was your goal for the work with Mobisoft Infotech?

We needed to update our brand and modernize our communications. Our business needed to go mobile so we wouldn't be left behind by modern technology. We wanted to communicate with our readers through mobile phones and tablets. The main goal was to connect with investors in a modern and dynamic way.

SOLUTION:

Can you talk about the scope of the project?

Mobisoft Infotech handled pretty much the entire project from end to end. They took care of the design and development. They really listened to us and asked us which features we needed. We had meetings to make sure they included necessary functions into the applications.

Why did you choose to develop the app on iPhone, iPad, Android, Android tablet, and Kindle?

We just wanted to make sure that we covered every common device. Our investor users use many different devices so we wanted to cover all of our bases. I am happy that we decided to develop on many platforms.

What was your process for selecting Mobisoft Infotech?

I started with some basic Internet research. Mobisoft Infotech was mentioned on many different sites as a top firm. They were included in our initial shortlist of 10 companies. We began to narrow down firms after phone call interviews.

After we did some phone interviews, Mobisoft Infotech was selected to the final two firms. We eventually selected them because their technical skill and pricing was the best fit. The thing that really put them on top was their questioning. They asked us innovative questions that other developers weren't asking.

Can you provide a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or personnel work hours?

This work is unique because we are working together as partners. This was not the typical vendor-company relationship. They will work with us on an ongoing basis, and will grow with us as we onboard more clients. I couldn't put a traditional price tag on this work.

When was the project completed?

The project is ongoing. The app has been completed but is still in demo mode. It isn't available for download yet. We could still make changes. We will have them do more work in 2014 as more clients come on board. If we are successful, Mobisoft Infotech will also be successful as our partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK:

What were the results of the project?

Their attention to us as the customer is excellent. They really care about our business and listen to our needs well. They are excellent with scheduling. They met all deadlines. If we had a meeting scheduled, it would start right on time. I am really satisfied with their work ethic and technical skill.

When working with Mobisoft Infotech, what is unique or special about them compared to other IT firms?

They really ask the correct questions. They understand us better than any other developers that we interviewed could. They asked innovative and interesting questions about our operations that provided great value.

I liked what I heard during our meetings and am convinced they will be a great long-term partner rather than vendor.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that you think Mobisoft Infotech could improve upon, or something you would do differently?

Honestly, I cannot think of anything.

We ask you to rate Mobisoft Infotech for a few factors on a scale of one to five, with five being the best score. What would you give them out of five for the quality of their work?

Five.

For schedule, as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Five. Definitely one of their strengths.

For cost, as in value for your money and sticking with the original estimates?

Five.

For the overall score?

Five.

How likely are you to recommend them to a colleague out of five?

Five.

BACKGROUND:

Please describe your company.

Rice University is a private university in Houston, Texas. It is part of the Texas Medical Center. Mobisoft is also located in Houston. Rice has a tradition of a strength in science and engineering, and it is also the home of the discovery of nanotechnology. As such, it's ideally positioned to interact with the world's largest medical center, which is Texas Medical Center. I was in Austin for 20 years, prior to moving to Houston, which I did to be part of this Mecca of clinical initiatives.

What is your role and responsibilities?

My name is John T. McDevitt, and I'm the Brown-Wiess professor of bioengineering and chemistry at Rice University.

OPPORTUNITY/ CHALLENGE:

What was your goal for working with Mobisoft Infotech?

We are working with Mobisoft Infotech on multiple projects, but it began with a single project. We entered into a co-development effort with them to build what we describe as a cardiac scorecard. This particular scorecard has the goal of taking the information that is derived from our chip-based sensor, which we describe as a programmable bio-nano chip. It works with a drop of blood and pulls out a series of biomarkers that create a fingerprint for cardiovascular health. Ultimately, there is a major problem in this particular space because we don’t have the equivalent of a thermometer for someone's heart to measure its health. Instead, for one in three people, the first symptom of a cardiac problem is they die. This is the number one killer in the United States, and actually on a global basis.

We don’t have a good way to profile and tell people about their health. We're running a large clinical trial with Baylor College of Medicine with Deacon-Boschert and Christie Ballentyne, the two lead cardiologists there. From that thousand-patient trial, we pulled out the signatures, and were beginning to understand the different factors related to cardiovascular health by looking at protein biomarkers.

SOLUTION:

Please describe the scope of their work?

It was a partnership for the design of the application. They have an extremely clever marketing and user interface capability. Number one, they’re affordable, and number two, we went in with a crude idea of what the intuitive interface would be. They had strong and interesting recommendations for moving away from the "blood and guts" perspective that might typically come out of a medical device. Our intuitive interface doesn’t have opthosclerotic plaque or a heart shriveling to show what happens as people age, or they develop cardiovascular disease. But it's based on the concept of having a maple leaf change colors as it would happen during fall foliage.

We’ve talked to some behavioral psychologists since we’ve begun to develop this concept, and we’ve received very good feedback about this notion of how to communicate this complicated process into something that is visual and quick. I believe this is a particularly strong capability that Mobisoft, being able to do something other than just code. But, code in context can make the user interface something that is usable, attractive, and informative to consumers that would use this type of product going forward.

What was your process for selecting Mobisoft Infotech?

We initially connected with the CEO of Mobisoft, Shaile, in an exploratory way. Mobisoft Infotech is rated in the top three or four app developers in the United States. They have a very good reputation. We found them in our backyard, and we began a dialogue as to what it would involve to create a mobile health app that could provide an intuitive interface that would inform healthcare consumers about their cardiovascular health. That’s how it began initially; initially, we thought we would include our understanding of this clinical trial. I had spent a week in UCLA at a mobile health conference, where I lectured on technology but began to learn more about mobile health earlier this year. I got a sense that it would be exciting to put together an intuitive interface.

We wanted to move above and beyond the limits that exist within a university. We wanted to create something that could impact clinical care. We wanted it to help the average person on the street who doesn’t understand biomarkers, and who doesn’t have all the lessons learned from cardiology how to interpret that and deliver an intuitive and could happen on a cell phone.

The interactions that evolved from Mobisoft happened during three to four weeks. We did planning and built up this project. We had been selected to participate in an X-Prize competition in Santa Clara, Calif. This project created an excuse for us to pull all the pieces together, to build an instrument to build software. We were hoping to build a mobile health app that ended up evolving through the interactions with Mobisoft. That interaction evolved, and we launched the project.

We got a quote from them, and they were on target. Within one to two months, we had an app that was uploaded to the Apple App Store, and the equivalent capability for Android-based systems. We were able to go to Silicon Valley for the X-Prize competition and demonstrated it live there. It was a very exciting interaction, and has opened our minds with respect to what is possible. We were able to move above and beyond the confines of writing something up in a paper that is nice for the authors and stuffing the resume, but not necessarily having the clinical impact that could be put in places outside the confines of our labs.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Our situation was not typical. We used Mobisoft and four other commercial partners that came into an ecosystem to contribute to our X-Prize. They saw value with respect to the publicity that came from that, as well as in-kind support. We basically collaborated instead of simply purchased a service. My cost estimate may be misleading.

When was the latest milestone completed for that work?

At this stage, I want to emphasize that we're not done. We're still doing our clinical trial. We're working with these apps and refining as we go the calculators, and the mathematical basis for what feeds the intuitive interfaces that are still in a state of evolution. It's given us a vehicle to begin to communicate the vision of what is possible. We're running six major trials now, involving 10 clinical sites and more than 5,000 patients. We've just begun a dialogue with Mobisoft to do trial number two. We're looking at a pipeline of new, intuitive interfaces. We're talking to Mobisoft about a third application as well. A number of things are evolving based on a nice outcome from the first interactions with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK:

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. I’m very happy with the interactions and with them. They helped not only with this project, but they also had good suggestions about building a product video, which we put together on a shoestring budget. We ended up with good quality based on some of their recommendations. They were good partners and went above and beyond where we initially started. We had a very clever user interface. They were on budget and on time. Their project management and communications skills are good. They use Basecamp as a tool. That’s a product that I looked at maybe six years ago and started using. We brought it back into play, and I’m using it for about 10 of my projects.

They’ve opened up some doors for us here. Overall, I’m very pleased with the interaction. What they delivered works, and it looks very professional. That’s evident if you go to their website and look at some of the example products that they created. They’re high quality, and it makes sense that they’ve won some awards based on the quality of the interactions. I think they will be moving more into the medical area in time. We're pleased to play a catalytic role in helping them open up the door for some of their initial medical products. I expect their mobile health capabilities to grow going forward.

We ask you to rate Mobisoft Infotech on a scale of one to five, with five being the top score. What would you give them out of five for the quality of their work?

Five.

For schedule, as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Five.

For cost, as in value for your money and sticking with the original estimates?

Six.

For the overall score?

Fifteen or sixteen. Five.

How likely are you to recommend Mobisoft Infotech to a colleague, out of five?

Five.

BACKGROUND:

Please describe your company.

We have created a simple to use and easy technology geared toward seniors using tablet devices. We have built an operating system to run with Android devices to help seniors use the device easily in a simple manner. We are a small startup that is going to launch our product in 2014.

OPPORTUNITY/ CHALLENGE:

What was your goal for the work with Mobisoft Infotech?

I needed a team that could handle the backend work for Android, and supply quality coding. I also wanted a group that understood my market. Mobisoft understands the senior market, and how to improve usability for this segment.

SOLUTION:

What was the scope of work that Mobisoft Infotech did for you?

They were responsible for all of the coding and backend work. They dealt with the APIs for Android devices. They are also doing some testing with prototypes. They will help me launch the system next summer.

Why did you select Android as the platform?

I like Android because it is easier to work with than Apple. You can code and design a system much more easily with Android. It is almost as popular as Apple, so we decided it wouldn't constrain our work as much as iOS.

What was your process for selecting Mobisoft Infotech to work with?

I talked to six or seven different firms about the project. It was clear that Mobisoft Infotech was the best equipped to handle the work. They are really dedicated to their projects and understand my market much better than other developers I spoke with.

Can you provide a sense of the size of the initiative with a general cost range?

The cost for the project will be between $600,000 and $800,000.

When will the project be completed?

I think we will launch in the summer of 2014. That is a tentative date, though.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK:

How has Mobisoft Infotech performed so far?

I think they have been great so far. They have a lot of staff in India. The time change and cultural differences have not been issues at all. The whole team has worked very hard, and been accessible when needed. I was worried that this would be an issue, but it really isn't. I am very pleased with their work overall.

The real challenge comes next year when we launch. I might have different feedback at that time, but I am comfortable that it will go well. They seem to be on top of everything and have experience with the whole process.

What is unique or special about Mobisoft Infotech compared to some other IT firms?

Their work ethic and dedication to the project is unique. They really take the work personally. If things don't work, they try hard to fix it. I like that they have become my partner. I bring them to meetings a lot to explain the technical aspects of the system. They have done great.

Looking back on the project, is there anything that you think they could improve upon or something you would do differently?

I can't think of anything. Things have went really well. I have no complaints besides minor communication issues in the initial stages that were quickly resolved.

We ask you to rate Mobisoft Infotech on a scale of one to five for a few factors, with five being the top score. What would you give them out of five for the quality of their work?

Five.

For schedule, as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Five.

For cost, as in value for your money and sticking with the original estimates?

Five.

For the overall score?

Five.

How likely are you to recommend Mobisoft Infotech to a colleague out of five?

Five.

Can you give a brief overview of what your company does?

Our company makes cloud software and applications for anything that can be Internet-enabled. We give the end user really nice, beautiful apps to monitor their energy consumption, and this is just a start. We are expanding into other fields as well. The whole idea is to give a beautiful end-user experience for their data so that they can monitor it remotely from anywhere.

What was your original goal or objective for working with Mobisoft?

Well, we are a start-up, so we wanted something done very quickly that could also be cost effective to get some prototypes done. That’s why we chose Mobisoft, and gave them the chance to build the prototype.

What was your process originally for selecting Mobisoft?

We tried to get information about mobile app development companies through our connections, friends, and colleagues who had experience with it. When we started, mobile development was a new area as compared to traditional things, so it made sense to get some references. We chose Mobisoft through all the references we had.

Can you tell me about the scope of the project?

The project was a cloud-driven app with maybe 10 to 15 different kind of screens that were iPad and Android based. It had a lot of visual complexes in the form of graphs and animated dials that actually formed the main aspect for showing some data. However, all the data was public from the cloud to APIs, and the static stuff was really the graphics.

How long ago was the project completed?

We started with them in 2009. Since then, we have done a lot of different projects. Typically, a project takes about three to four months, depending on the app.

Can you give a general cost estimate for the project?

I believe that for one standalone app, which is fully functional and with cloud-driven data, it’s about $200,000.

Looking back on the project, how happy are you with the results?

Pretty happy. Mobisoft has some really talented iPhone developers and Android developers. I’m very happy.

When working with Mobisoft, is there anything you noticed about them that is special or unique when compared to other vendors that you’ve worked with in the past?

I think they go beyond their regular working hours to get things done. Once there is a commitment made by the team to deliver something, they really do their best to put 100 percent of their effort to get things done, unlike other vendors who just go by what is convenient for them. When I ask them to do something, I can be pretty confident that it’ll get done. I have a great deal of confidence in the team.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that you think Mobisoft could improve or that you would do differently a second time around?

A couple of things. Typically, the design is done by us, and then Mobisoft implements it. However, there are certain designs that are very hard to implement or that could be implemented in a different, much easier way. Sometimes, the engineers know those alternatives. It would have been nice if those engineers had recommended some changes.

Before the development started?

Yes. It would have been better if they had chipped in with their alternate solutions when they knew there would be a different way to do it, instead of just implementing what we asked them to do. So, some sort of collaborative effort would have been better.

To sum up, here are five questions, and each question asks you to rate Mobisoft on a scale of one to five, five being the best. For the first question, what would you give them out of five for the quality of their work?

I would say four.

How about for schedule, as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Four.

How about for cost, as in the value for your money and sticking with the original estimates?

Pretty good. Four.

For professionalism, like responsiveness, flexibility, and communication?

Very flexible. Four. I would give them a little bit more on the quality, sometimes, but responsiveness, very good.

Overall?

A four as well.

Would you recommend Mobisoft to other people?

Yes. Definitely.

Can you briefly describe your company?

We are a publisher of educational software to improve student's learning experience. We are based out of Houston, Texas.

What were your goals before starting the project?

After seeing how many schools were buying iPads for their students, we wished to provide a way for them to be able to collaborate in real time using the devices. The students should be able to study with each other whether they are on a desktop or mobile device.

How did you discover Mobisoft Infotech?

We placed bids out to a few service providers. Mobisoft Infotech offered the same quality as another leading provider at half the cost.

What was the scope of the project?

Our company planned out the concept and implementation. We developed the Web portion of the application, as well as part of the server. Mobisoft Infotech was responsible for developing the mobile application, part of the real-time technology for the server, and our website.

What technologies were used in the project?

The application was developed for iPad, iPhone, Android, Web, and as a Facebook application.

What was unique about Mobisoft Infotech?

Mobisoft Infotech has incredible communication and manages the project extremely well. While some outsourcers don't allow access to their offshore team, Mobisoft Infotech encouraged us to freely contact their offshore team for instant updates. Mobisoft Infotech also uses solid project management software to keep everything organized.

To sum up, here are five questions. For each question, rate Mobisoft Infotech on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. For the first one, what would you give them for the quality of their work?

Four.

How about for schedule as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Five.

How about for cost as in value for your money but also sticking with the original estimates?

Five.

How about for professionalism as in responding to emails, communication, and flexibility?

Five.

Overall?

Five.

Would you recommend Mobisoft Infotech to others?

I have already recommended Mobisoft Infotech to two other colleagues, and would work with them again in the future.

Can you briefly describe your company?

We are a pair of entrepreneurs based out of Texas.

What were your goals going into the project?

We had developed an idea for a cross-platform application that we needed to have developed. The mobile application would act as an on-the-go reference guide for legal professionals. All of the local, state, and federal laws would be available in a matter of seconds.

How did you discover Mobisoft Infotech?

We initially approached a local mobile development company in our area. Their rates were too high, but they referred us to Mobisoft Infotech. We were impressed with the value that Mobisoft Infotech offered and decided to work with them.

What was the scope of the project?

Once we had fully mapped out the concept, we approached Mobisoft Infotech to begin the project. Mobisoft Infotech was responsible for the user interface design. Once the user interface was complete, we hired an outside graphic design firm to create the visual design. Finally, Mobisoft Infotech completed the coding, testing, and deployment of the application. The entire development process took about one and a half years, including a six-month beta test.

What platforms was the application developed for?

The application was developed for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry.

How did the project turn out?

We are extremely pleased with the work that Mobisoft Infotech has done for us. We constantly receive positive feedback from our users.

What is unique about Mobisoft Infotech?

The founder is almost always available. Multiple times, he was willing to meet in person about a problem with as little as 30 minutes notice.

To sum up, here are five questions. For each question, rate Mobisoft Infotech on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. For the first one, what would you give them for the quality of their work?

Five.

How about for schedule as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Five.

How about for cost as in value for your money but also sticking with the original estimates?

Five.

How about for professionalism as in responding to emails, communication, and flexibility?

Five.

Overall?

Five.

Would you recommend Mobisoft Infotech?

I have already recommended Mobisoft Infotech, and am currently working with them to create the second version of our application.