Outsourced Development

Overview

Alcuda is a UK based provider of online business solutions and outsourced project development services.

We employ over 140 people operating out of offices in Edinburgh, London and the Ukraine.

Our developments cover applications used in Recruitment, Finance, Mobile and PDA’s, dating, web analytics, DVD rental, social networking, retail, price comparison and online publications.

Development Centre

Although we provide client support from our offices in the UK, the majority of alcuda’s development work is done in the Ukraine. The people we employ have advanced skill sets in web based programming, project management and online marketing. These individuals work from two offices. The first is Zaporizhia where many of our online and mobile expertise is housed and Dinpropetrovsk, our centre of development excellence and home to our ‘state of the art’ offices.

The Office Tower Block where we house our online development personnel

Our main development centre is custom designed to accommodate both small and large teams of software developers, each one dedicated to a particular customer’s project.

We have an ‘Open House’ policy for clients where a representative can visit their team of developers, discuss ideas and monitor progress.

The primary purpose of having an office in the centre of Dinpropetrovsk is access to the Ukraine’s Top University graduates. The city was once the home to the Soviet Union’s nuclear development program and the centre for excellence and intelligence. We have formed strong links with the local Universities and hire only the very best individuals to work on our client’s projects.

Project Development

Alcuda has extensive experience of designing complex online business solutions and use a tried and tested methodology for specifying, designing, implementing and supporting all the software solutions we deliver.

Each person assigned to a project undergoes a continual program of personal development and training to ensure that they are kept up to date with the latest advances in technology.

It is the responsibility of the System Architect or Lead Programmer to take a project brief or specification and discuss the development possibilities with their software engineers.

This information is feedback to the client and upon agreement; a final software specification is produced which will be used as the basis for program development.
It is also our policy to develop wire frame models of our software projects using Axure. This powerful software tool allows us to build a working model of the proposed project and to demonstrate the functionality and navigation to the client before proceeding with the actual programming.

A project estimate is provided showing a complete breakdown of all the project tasks as well as the production of a Project Management document showing envisaged timescales and responsibilities. These documents form the basis for the development and licence agreement between the parties involved and once agreed and signed, the project can begin.

Depending on the project and timescales, alcuda will allocate or hire the necessary developers for the project. These individuals will be responsible to an experienced Team Leader whose job is to make sure that the software is developed in accordance with the specification and that all stages are properly documented.

A Project Manager oversees the entire operation, making sure the developers are meeting the projected timescales and keeping the client adequately informed of project progress. It is also the responsibility of the Project Manager to liase with the client and provide the necessary feedback on all aspects of the project.

Alcuda operate an ‘open’ policy for software development and endorse onsite client involvement or the allocation of a member of their own staff to be resident at our development centre to oversee the project.

Project development timescales can vary but using our Community Platform it is possible to develop and deliver a complex project in approximately 3 to 6 months.

Alcuda Development Teams working on client projects

Project Management

Alcuda have implemented and support many projects for a diverse range of clients. We have installations Worldwide all of which have to be managed effectively and efficiently. To handle this task we use a set of online communication tools, backed up by our UK management and support function. These tools also offer real time tracking of project tasks that can be used by the client to monitor progress and become actively involved in managing the project development.

At predefined periods, we provide project updates showing the hours worked for the period and tasks completed, started or awaiting action.

Project Delivery

It is essential that the project be delivered on time and within budget. This includes the final testing and hand over of the project to the client.

Before project delivery begins, the final ‘User Authorised Testing’ is agreed in advance between alcuda and the client. Although we have a procedure for final testing it is equally as important that the client is involved in the process to ensure that the delivery criteria are met. This may involve special requests or company procedures before software can be released for commercial use.

Again, each stage of the delivery process is conveyed to the client and a project management schedule produced and agreed. Very often, project delivery requires the active involvement of third parties and this is defined in the final testing procedure and allocation of responsibilities.

Each project undergoes rigours testing and complex permutations of usability and logic flow to guarantee that on commercial release, the system is stable and operable.
Once the client is satisfied that the delivery criteria have been met, the project is then signed off and handed to the client.

Project Support

To ensure that the project continues to perform to the agreed parameters, alcuda offer a comprehensive support service. One or more of the original programmers are retained for a period of time to provide knowledgeable support during the initial launch period.

The majority of support calls are handled in the UK where each support ticket is logged and actioned in accordance with the agreed procedures defined in the support contract.

Customers & Applications

Alcuda have been developing a wide range of innovative online business solutions for over 6 years and in that time have worked with many companies looking to outsource their development work.

We have always believed in looking at any development opportunity as a challenge waiting to be solved. This has led to our involvement in developing many diverse online business applications for a variety of small and large organisations across the globe.

       

       

       

       

The above customers are representative of the types of companies we work with and currently we have clients in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Asia, Far East and the UK.

Alcuda have developed applications for:

• Recruitment and Staffing
• DVD Rental
• Mobile Applications
• Online Publishing
• Social Networking
• Web Analytics
• Dating
• Retail
• Finance
• Legal
• Price Comparison

Innovative technologies are our hallmark and alcuda are in the process of developing and delivering revolutionary applications for online marketing using social networking techniques to reach a new and receptive audience.