Weekly news

Today we congratulate one of our Project Managers on his 5th anniversary with the company and want to celebrate a truly remarkable journey of development, growth and leadership.

Five years ago, our project manager set out on this journey as a developer interested in new knowledge, experience and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Over time, he was tasked with leading a dynamic team of people to work on an interesting but challenging project. Today, our project manager not only successfully manages projects, but also serves as an inspiration to his team. And only have they honed their communication and planning skills, but they have also created an environment in which their team members can grow and thrive. Their projects with the guys are a testament to their exceptional teamwork, which has led to numerous successes.

So, let us extend our warmest congratulations to our Project Manager and our gratitude for his unwavering dedication to our organization every day. Well, as a present from the company, our PM received a nice gift: Sony WH-1000XM5. Let his “ears” be pleased with a pleasant sound, the noise reduction will allow him to concentrate on work, but do not forget that he is a PM - we wish him Growth and further development!!!

NEW K5! We're thrilled to announce the arrival of our latest office location in Kyiv – K5! Situated at Slavutich metro station, this spacious office is primed to accommodate up to 45 team members and is divided into three distinctive sections. Currently, we're hard at work on the K5_3 section, tailored for 15 team members.

K5 embodies our signature corporate style, featuring:
- Loft Aesthetic: The industrial charm of concrete and glass creates a unique and inspiring atmosphere.
Improved Climate Control: Our upgraded air conditioning and ventilation systems ensure year-round comfort.
- Fully-Equipped Kitchen: Enjoy the convenience of a well-stocked kitchen equipped with a coffee machine, water filter, 10-liter kettle, refrigerator, microwave, and ample storage.
- Social Hub: Connect with colleagues at our stylish bar counter with seating for six. Additionally, we've included recreational amenities like a horizontal bar, table football, and cozy seating areas for relaxation.
- Enhanced Security: We prioritize your safety with an electronic pass system.
- All the Bells and Whistles: Expect the same perks and surprises you love from our other offices, including Ajax security system and various other delightful features.

Stay tuned as we continue to make progress at our NEW K5 office! We'll be sharing regular updates and more details about this exciting space.

Once again we have a reason to congratulate our incredible team members. But today we are happy to congratulate not one or two, but six guys who, together with us, have reached the first and important stage in their career - the first year of work in the company!

The past year has been a year of growth, transformation and achievement for these six amazing employees. They joined us as interns eager to learn and contribute, and today they are full members of our company.
During this time, they have not only embraced the values and culture of our company, but also acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their fields. What sets these employees apart is their commitment to continuous learning and improvement. With individual development plans tailored to their needs and demands, they are steadily progressing along their chosen career path. This commitment to personal growth not only benefits them, but also uplifts the entire team, creating an atmosphere of innovation and progress.

We believe that our people are our greatest asset, and the growth of these six employees is a testament to that belief. We congratulate them once again and wish them further development, achievement of the desired results and maximum satisfaction from their work!

Today we are happy to share a sweet moment that highlights the care and unity that define our team.

Our new merch-branded umbrellas with the company logo are a small element of caring for employees in anticipation of the coming autumn. These umbrellas are more than just practical accessories, they symbolize each other's support and our commitment to solving any problems that come our way, both individually and as a company.

Like the strong and reliable shelter that an umbrella provides, our team members are the backbone that keeps the Company on top. Diligence, dedication and commitment of the team is a solid basis for the development of the company day by day.
So, whether it's protecting you from a sudden downpour or tackling tough challenges, these umbrellas remind us that together we can overcome anything.

We are very proud to congratulate our QA specialist on achieving a significant milestone in 4 years of work in our company!

It is always a pleasure to watch the professional and personal growth of a person, and the ability to turn difficulties into opportunities is always a very good incentive and example for the rest of the guys in the team. And since, in addition to professional achievements during this time, our employee bought a car for herself and is a real car enthusiast from the company, she was presented with a nice gift: a set of front brake discs with perforation and PowerStop notches, along with PowerStop carbon-ceramic pads. Let them please you and ensure safety on the road. Of course we wish you further improving your skills and development as a QA specialist.

May the next chapter of your career be filled with exciting opportunities, constant learning and new horizons. Keep taking on challenges because they are the path to growth.

This year there were around 5000 attendees at the iForum 2023 conference (Kyiv, August 10). It's been a long time, a very long time, since such events were held in Ukraine. Honestly, at times, we even lacked such conferences in peaceful and healthy times. You come and see that your company is not alone in the IT field. You witness and hear how many companies and their employees face everyday challenges. At iForum, everyone shares their experiences in solving various work challenges. Such emotions help propel us forward.

Usually, I'd like to talk about the presentations and the major global companies that were represented. But this time, I just want to say a huge thank you for the event itself. For the opportunity to feel alive at a large-scale offline gathering. It doesn't matter at all what the presentations and topics were. What matters is that people came and held this wonderful event in the current times.

Of course, we heard many interesting insights that can be applied to work and self-development in the IT field. We are truly thankful to everyone who organized this event and to abz.agency for providing the opportunity to attend and enjoy the atmosphere.

Rarely do you receive such uplifting words from employees. These words serve as motivation to persevere through all the challenges: losses, expenses, difficulties, and fatigue. Despite the adversities, we continue to move forward, drawing strength from every step. This journey offers opportunities for growth, learning, and improvement. Our progress is fueled by the dedication of our team, who work on themselves, demonstrating what's achievable under strong leadership, discipline, and adherence to regulations. Brick by brick, line by line, project by project, we march ahead with willpower, energy, and enthusiasm.

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“This month I celebrated my anniversary with the company. And for a whole month, I thought about what to write. I decided to focus on personal growth. During this time, I became a completely different person, a better version of myself. I became stronger, tougher, more resilient.

I revised my values and found new ones. I clearly understand what I want from life. For the first time, I want to brag about my work to friends, although not everyone will understand why it's so cool. It was an interesting and complex transformation.

I would like to thank you for seeing how you can conduct your business, what real development is. I definitely feel that my ambitions have also grown and the maximum that I can achieve has become much greater, it is worth a lot. I saved, well, 5 years in the context of understanding how the world works.

Well, I would also like to emphasize that my life has become much more comfortable and interesting. Before I started working at abz.agency, it was a problem for me to get a subscription somewhere, buy a book, or some kind of course, all this is money. My workplace was not the best and most comfortable.

Now I live a completely different life with a lot of opportunities. I don't want to stop there, it will only get better, but I know how to appreciate what I have and know how to be grateful for it, so thank you for your contribution to my life.”

Let's brighten up your working days with bright colors!

Today we want to share a small, but pleasant rule, that we have in our company's regulations. As a token of appreciation for the outstanding work of our female team members, we are offering them the opportunity to enjoy a manicure featuring our company logo—all expenses covered by the company!

This wonderful perk not only allows our girls to proudly represent our company at the office but also wherever they go. It's a fantastic way to showcase our company's spirit and the incredible team that drives its success.
At our company, we believe that the little things can make a big difference. We want to show our gratitude and pamper our female employees who play an essential role in making our workplace so special.

Let's continue to remember that our company's success is the result of our collective efforts, and each one of you plays a critical role in making it all happen. So, let's wear our logo proudly and continue building an inspiring and dynamic workplace together.

We're excited to share that those who've been following our page already know about our beloved pet cat, Gadget Hackwrench, who has made one of our Kyiv offices her cozy home. All the guys love and take care of her, and the cat is also a bit of a “rescue ranger”, bringing heaps of joy and positivity to our work environment just like the spirited heroine from "Chip and Dale".

Recently, our creative designer had an absolutely delightful idea to inject some extra fun into our corporate merch. The result? Adorable and hilarious Gadget Hackwrench stickers that perfectly capture her wide range of emotions and antics as a "real employee"!

We've distributed these stickers to all the members of our team. It's heartwarming to see everyone decorating their work gadgets with these cute stickers, spreading smiles wherever they go!

In today's fast-paced business world, where technological advances and market dynamics are constantly evolving, it is essential for employees to constantly improve their skills and stay ahead of the curve. There are many ways to grow professionally, one of the best and most effective ways is to read books. Working with literature not only expands knowledge, but also develops the necessary business skills that can help employees reach new heights.

Therefore, our company has its own library, which for several years has collected a large number of books for the professional and personal development of employees. Upon joining our team, an employee is required to read several books, and they also have the freedom to choose the ones that are most relevant to their needs. We read books thoroughly, conducting detailed analysis and evaluation. Each person then writes a report summarizing their reading and provides ideas on how the concepts and insights from the books can be applied in practice. This process provides a highly valuable and practical experience for our employees.

Thanks to reading and discussing books, employees' horizons expand, communication skills increase, critical thinking develops, and emotional intelligence improves. Cultivating a habit of reading enables employees to navigate change, identify more opportunities, and maintain relevance and expertise in their respective industries.

We invite those who think in a similar direction to our team. You can find out all the details by writing to us by email: hr@abz.agency

Let's start the new week with positive news!

For all the guys in our company, we made a purchase that will help relax and relieve stress during the working day. Our first stress ball batch is in the photo! 🌟

You may ask why exactly anti-stress balls? These little toys are designed to relieve tension and reduce stress, making them the perfect addition to our workplace. When you feel the pressure build up, or you need a little break to refocus, simply reach out to one of these colorful balls and squeeze it lightly. You will be amazed at how they can relieve stress and provide instant relief!

We are confident that these anti-stress balls will have a positive impact on our work environment, promoting relaxation, creativity and a healthier work-life balance. This is a small investment that will bring significant benefits to the well-being of our employees and overall job satisfaction.

Remember that happier employees lead to a more harmonious and successful workplace!

Today's post is dedicated to the technical topic of UX design. We have a team of 5 talented and professional designers, led by our experienced lead designer with 13 years of experience. Our focus is on delivering top-notch UX solutions that drive high conversion rates and increase project profitability, which our clients greatly appreciate.

User experience (UX) is a crucial factor in project success, and we prioritize customer satisfaction with our UX solutions. We understand that a user-friendly and intuitive interface is key to capturing users' attention, encouraging engagement, and fostering customer loyalty.

Our designers not only create visually stunning interfaces but also possess deep knowledge of user behavior and psychology. They stay updated with the latest design trends and industry best practices, allowing them to create solutions that resonate with our clients' target audience.

While we can't disclose specific details due to NDA agreements, our clients' projects typically involve high traffic, ranging from 5-10 million users per month, with peak loads of up to 65K users per second. These projects often require well thought out localization and consideration of cultural differences, as well as robust control systems for large teams. Furthermore, we develop iOS and Android apps, along with browser extensions.

In summary, we take great pride in our designers' expertise and the impact they have on our clients' businesses. Their experience and dedication set us apart in the industry, and we eagerly anticipate future exciting projects and successes.

We are always expanding the assortment of the merch for the team to keep it fresh.

This time we decided to complement our merch with stylish and functional notebooks. High-quality and made of thick paper with a durable binding, the notebook will last a long time and will be useful for both designers for sketches and developers to take notes and draw up a task management plan. Also, guys can choose the A4 or A5 notepad format that is convenient for them. A personal branded notebook will always be an opportunity to be proud and emphasize the uniform style and culture of our company:)

As always, we continue to work and grow further according to the planned course and invite new people to our team, contact us: info@abz.agency

In the previous post, we talked about our unique work model and approach - Dedicated Team (DT). And now let's take a closer look at a number of advantages that distinguish the DT format from freelance or outstaff:

- High performance. DT works closely, smoothly and coherently, which ensures the effective allocation of team resources and the best time management option.

- Effective project management. The DT is always led by an experienced Project Manager who oversees the progress of the project, ensures efficient allocation of resources, manages risks and liaises with all stakeholders. Their experience in project management ensures effective coordination, mitigates problems, and keeps the project on track.

- High-quality communication and Efficiency. You always have high-quality communication channels with PM, developers, and other team members. PM, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of teammates competently build a project management strategy. And The rapid exchange of ideas contributes to the rapid adoption of effective decisions for your product.

- Collective knowledge. Members of DT already have joint experience of working on several projects, which contributes to more effective cooperation and exchange of expertise. Collective experience and common knowledge helps to find innovative solutions.

- Improved quality control. DT provides a higher level of accountability and responsibility through company regulations. Each team member takes responsibility for their tasks and deliverables, ensuring a more stringent quality control process.

Thus, a dedicated team guarantees Continuity and long-term commitment. A dedicated team ensures continuity throughout the life cycle of the project. Unlike a temporary team assembled to complete a specific project, a dedicated team remains committed to the project from start to finish. This continuity contributes to a deeper understanding of the goals and requirements of the project, contributing to better decision making and smoother project execution. experience, focus, collaboration and efficiency. And collective knowledge, specific skills and shared commitment contribute to better results, quality and productivity.

And we are ready to reveal this topic even more, write to us by mail: info@abz.agency

Today, we are thrilled to share insights about our highly successful collaboration approach known as the Dedicated Team (DT). Let's delve into the key aspects of this unique working model.

When you choose a Dedicated Team, you gain access to a fully-fledged IT department comprising diverse specialists committed exclusively to your long-term project. Right from the outset, we determine the number of team members, their skill levels, and other factors to tailor the team to your convenience. We establish multiple direct communication channels, connecting you with the project manager, developers, and our CEO, CTO, and CFO.

Team members work in the company's office, observing all company rules and regulations. You can rest easy because the guys work in the company's office under the supervision of a project manager (there are also cameras and electronic passes in the office). The guys are always in touch during business hours (Monday - Friday 8:00 - 17:00 GMT+3), but we also have the practice of Turbo mode in the case of ASAP or on the eve of the deployment for production. You do not need to deal with organizational tasks and project management.

We do not provide outstaffing services, we are a full cycle outsourcing company. We are proud that we can guarantee the quality, timing and stability of work for many years.

So if you are interested in additional information about our work write to us by mail: info@abz.agency

Some news from our Estonian office in Tallinn. Recently, new employees have been added to our team in Estonia. Now, there are more guys, that means it's time to update and improve the workspace a little to increase comfort and a positive attitude to work.

There is very little time left before the hot summer days and we are actively preparing to meet the heat. To maintain a comfortable climate and balance the temperature in the office, it is planned to install air conditioners. Same as in other offices of our company, the library is regularly replenished with new books and we also regularly buy powerful MacBooks and other gadgets for our fleet of equipment.

By the way, our office in Tallinn is ready to open its doors to new employees. So if you are interested in vacancies and you live or plan to move to Tallinn, write to us by mail: hr@abz.agency

Today we congratulate our colleague Full-stack developer on his 2 years of work in the company. We must admit that for us it is a very pleasant and important indicator when the guys stay in our team for years, making a choice in favor of development, organization and hard work. And we would like to wish our team member the same purposefulness to continue moving towards the set goals, improve their professionalism and receive moral and financial satisfaction from work.

Never stop there and successfully conquer new heights!

We are actively preparing for the opening of a new office in Kyiv - K5, that will open the doors for our employees in some time. As well as all offices of the company, K5 will be completed and decorated in a single corporate style. Closed, cozy, comfortable for work and leisure, the office will have a separate kitchen, hot lunch delivery, comfortable workplaces and a relaxation area, comfy meeting room for calls and online meetings.
We will soon show you our new space, but in the meantime, while it is preparing for the opening we are buying equipment, new Macbooks, monitors and all the necessary additional devices to organize a comfortable workplace for our guys.

And if you want to become part of our team, contact us at: hr@abz.agency

Let's start a new labor month and celebrate "International Labor Day" with an important announcement.
In connection with the expansion and development of our company, we invite specialists from several areas at once to be a part of our team in Ukraine and in our Estonian office in Tallinn.

Below is a list of our priority vacancies and the number of places for each of them:

• 1. QA specialist - 3 open positions (Tallinn and Kyiv location)
• 2. C++ - 2 open positions (Tallinn and Kyiv location)
• 3. Sales manager - 2 open positions (remote)
• 4. PM Assistant - 1 open positions (Kyiv location)
• 5. PM - 1 open position (Kyiv location)
• 6. Finance operationist - 1 open position (Kyiv location)
• 7. Node js - 1 open position (Tallinn and Kyiv location)
• 8. Backend Developer (PHP) - 2 places open positions (Tallinn and Kyiv location)
• 9. Front-end Developer - 2 open position (Tallinn and Kyiv location)

Do not miss your chance to get a great job in the near future and write to us by mail: hr@abz.agency

Today we will share with you a small update in our offices. We recently decided to liven up office life a bit and now we have a small corner of the "underwater world" - an aquarium.

Everyone knows that according to psychologists, watching marine life is a great way to relax, relieve tension and emotional exhaustion. However, it turned out that it is also a very useful “tool” for health. The aquarium is an excellent natural air humidifier and it reduces the number of allergens in the room. Scientific research that observing marine life for 15 minutes helps to restore the visual muscles and removes the negative impact of monitors and gadgets on our vision.

So we hope that our new inhabitants will feel good and comfortable with us and we will have a long and mutually beneficial cooperation)

Well, we also invite you to join our team of developers in various areas. To find out more about our vacancies, please email us: hr@abz.agency

This week we congratulate one of our PMs on the 4th anniversary of his work in the company!

We can say with confidence that for our Team Lead it was an active 4 years of gaining experience, working with various projects and organizing the work of guys in teams, promptly searching for the best solutions in various situations and of course achieving high results.

We wish our colleague not to lose responsibility and diligence in the future, to increase his efficiency and expertise, and let his everyday work be dynamic, interesting and fruitful for him.

And of course we wish him to have enough time and opportunity for rest, has time for family and friends and realization of all the cherished desires and plans.

Some new and very curent merch for our guys - Company branded insulated cups.

We are always all looking forward to spring and good weather, when we can spend more time outdoors and go for walks. And what could be better on a cool morning than fresh and bracing coffee "to go" on the way to work or hot and aromatic tea during an evening walk? In general, we decided that such a device will definitely appeal to anyone and will be useful to everyone and made no mistake. The guys have already appreciated the new souvenirs from the company and are actively using them.

Well, for those who would like to become part of our team, we remind you that you can write to email: hr@abz.agency

Happy Easter to all those who are celebrating this weekend! We hope you have a fantastic time filled with joy and unforgettable moments.

As nature blooms this spring, may your kind and ambitious endeavors also flourish and grow magnificently. We extend our warmest wishes for happiness and peace, not only during this Easter season but always!

One of our team members has welcomed a new addition to their family, a beautiful baby! (We usually jokingly believe that when babies grow up, they will join the ranks of our team.) We extend our warmest wishes for the baby's health and happiness, as well as a bright and exciting childhood filled with laughter and joy under a peaceful sky.

And also we wish parents as many joyful and happy moments together as possible. Let this happy event be another reason for growth, motivation and personal development together to be a worthy example for your child!

We are always happy to share good news, and today is the day to do it! We have opened a new office in Kyiv - K4.

K4 is situated on the left bank area of Kyiv, making it exceptionally convenient for employees residing on this side of Dnipro or utilizing the corresponding metro line. Moreover, the office boasts a favorable location in proximity to the metro station and other transportation options, ensuring comfortable commuting for its staff.
Before starting work, the office was freshly renovated, everything necessary for the comfort and efficient work of the team was purchased.

Heating system is autonomous at K4, ensuring a consistent temperature and comfortable microclimate within the premises. To further enhance the reliability of operations, a generator and Starlink were also installed, offering uninterrupted connectivity and power supply during blackouts. As a result, all employees can work with maximum stability and efficiency.

So, K4 is already actively working, and we are moving on to our next plans to expand even more. If you want to join our team, please email: hr@abz.agency

13! This time 13 is a lucky number. And that's all because we congratulate our lead designer on the 13th anniversary of his work in our company. So we really want this year with such a mystical figure to be successful for one of our oldest employees and bring only good things to him.

Our Lead designer has grown up with the company, his expertise, experience and professionalism grew and improved before our eyes. And today we proudly look at the achievements of one of our company members.

First of all, we of course wish him health, energy, creative inspiration, a sense of interest in new projects and cases. Let the work bring moral satisfaction and a decent financial result. Let the desire to remain part of our team and be a good example for new guys does not leave for many years to come!
Move forward!

And if you are interested in joining our company, please email: hr@abz.agency

Today we will continue the story of our new K3 office, which opened on February 13 and has been fully operational for some time now. The team has settled into their new working and creative space, adding their own unique atmosphere while maintaining our unified corporate style.

K3 employees have already the positive aspects and advantages of the new location:

• - good location and convinient transport interchange
• - developed infrastructure and a stable situation with electricity in the district
• - comfortable conditions inside the office and new renovation

During the renovation and equipping of K3, our goal was to create a comfortable, cozy, and productive environment for the entire team. We believe that we have achieved this and plan to continue improving our facilities. In the near future, we will be searching for a new space for our next office in a new location.

There are still free places in K3 for new employees. We invite all willing and interested candidates.
Contact us: hr@abz.agency

Recently, our company had another pleasant occasion for celebration. We congratulate one of our PMs with 2 years of work in our team.

Looking back, it was a really active and fruitful period for him. Adaptation in the team and tacking new knowledge, skills and experience. Various projects, communication with new clients, organizing the work of his team, of course growing responsibility and a whole range of unforeseen circumstances for all of us. And we are very pleased to state that by the end of 2 years our employee has grown significantly and succeeded in all areas of work.

Of course, we wish him new achievements, interesting projects, well-coordinated work in the team and personal satisfaction from the work and its results.

And we also want to wish ourselves such hardworking and motivated guys who are also ready to learn and develop.

By the way, we are open to recruiting new employees to our team.

Send your questions and suggestions by email: hr@abz.agency

Today we will show you a little backstage from our new office (K3 - our third office in Kyiv), which is almost ready for launch and starts working from February 13th. We tried to take every possible detail into consideration to make it fit our standards.

K3 is a 7-minute walk from the Taras Shevchenko metro station and is located in a brand new Business Center (it was built in 2019). Given the realities of today and the difficult situation with power supply the location has an advantage of stable power supply, autonomous boiler room, elevators and a 24-hour security post.

Interior of the office is decorated in a common corporate loft style, like other offices of the company.
The office has done the following:

• - Loft style walls and ceiling (exposed concrete)
• - Kitchen (new Krups coffee machine, 10l kettle, 7-stage cleaning filter, refrigerator, microwave are waiting for our employees)
• - Bar counter for 6 persons
• - Toilet and shower (This is a bonus for those who like to ride a bike to work for example)
• - Ventilation (exhaust) of all rooms
• - Preparation for future supply ventilation
• - Meeting room for 3 and 6 people
• - Redundant wiring for PPS EcoFlow
• - Individual lighting of workplaces (as in all offices)
• - Casers, Ajax alarm and electronic lock

The first 4 employees will already enter the office on the 13th to launch the office. But in our new space there are still free equipped places.

To join our team, please contact hr@abz.agency

Happy Valentine's Day ❤️❤️❤️

Despite the fact that it is still winter around, this day can be called one of the brightest and warmest days of the year, as it is the “international day of love”

Love is that huge force that can overcome any difficulties, give you super power and great strength, inspire you to wonderful and ambitious achievements, and present you with feelings of happiness and flight. May your beloved and dear person always be with you next to whom your world will be brighter, more colorful and happy.

We wish you to be surrounded with love in all spheres of your life, and let it always be a place and time for real romance of course!

Just one glance of our cat says “A cat in gloves catches no mice”. And we completely agree with him. So we are ready to work as hard as possible despite the surrounding circumstances. Of course, we keep the brand, continue working to improve the quality of our product, raise the common spirit and motivate the team. Everyone knows to get a good work result, you need the best, high-quality, progressive and reliable tools.

Therefore, in January we slightly supplemented and updated the office hardware, so we bought:

• - 7pcs Apple MacBook PRO 14 based on M1 PRO (Late 2022)
• - 12pcs monitors 4K LG 27UL850
• - Test devices Apple iPhones, Apple iPads, Android phones and tablets
• - All extras needed for +7 fully equipped new workspaces.

But that's not all! Furthermore, in February, a new K4 office will be opened (it's our 4th office in Kyiv).

And we invite new guys to join our team.
Send your applications to hr@abz.agency

Today we will share with you the news and atmosphere from our office in Tallinn. Despite the common perception of Estonia as a calm and steady place, which is associated with calmness, regularity and even some unhurriedness, in our company the team works in “Fast and furious” mode (as evidenced by the office's racing car in the photo).

We are ready to expand our "abz working family" in Estonia and welcome new employees. So, we invite:

• - Web Designer
• - QA engineer
• - Front-end developer

All interested can contact hr@abz.agency to find out all the details.

It's hard to believe that two years have already passed since our colleagues joined our team at abz.agency. To celebrate this milestone, we decided to congratulate both individuals on the same day.

We wanted to make sure that each of them received a special gift that they had been wanting. One received a pair of Xbox wireless headphones and the other received a Krups capsule coffee machine with a capsule test kit. We are thrilled to have them on our team and look forward to many more years of working together. Congratulations to both of you!

At abz.agency, we place a high value on our team members and strive to cultivate lasting relationships, both within our organization and with our clients. We are always looking for talented individuals to join our team, if you are interested contact us on hr@abz.agency

We are excited to announce a new fluffy addition to our team! Although he may still be a junior member, he is already making his presence known with his diligent attendance of all meetings and stand-ups. He can often be found purring approvingly as he lounges beside the speaker. So, everyone is happy to share all their knowledge.

Our office manager found him on a cold winter day warming up under her car in the parking lot outside the office and with the approval of management, we were able to welcome him into our office. We quickly provided all the necessary supplies and our team members even brought in some fun toys for him to play with. We're excited to have him as part of our team from now on!

We gave him a nostalgic name which means a small piece of charcoal which is the same as the name of the Donetsk-Kyiv passenger train which is symbolic of connection to our roots.

Presents are always nice to receive and it is even more pleasant to receive them from our clients. We would like to thank the client "Invest" (project under NDA) for a nice gift and attention during these holidays.

We are always pleased to collaborate with you! I would especially like to thank you for staying with us during these difficult times for our country. We, in turn, do our best to always ensure stable and high-quality work!

We are continuing to invest in the capacity of our backup power supply to ensure that our offices remain well-equipped and comfortable for our employees regardless of rolling blackouts. Some of the updates we have made include:

• - Installing a PPS EcoFlow Delta MAX 2000 in office K1
• - Adding a gasoline generator for 8 kW in office K1
• - Implementing dedicated backup office wiring for PPS in both office K1 and K2
• - Adding a PPS EcoFlow Delta in office K2
• - Installing StarLink backup connection in office K2

We are dedicated to maintaining a warm, well-lit, and internet-connected workspace for our team and the benefit of our clients. If you are interested in joining our team, please reach out to hr@abz.agency.

As the holiday season approaches, our team at abz.agency would like to extend our warmest wishes to all of our valued clients. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with you throughout the year, and appreciate the trust you have placed in us.

This year brought us a lot of challenges, but we are grateful for the opportunity to work with such dedicated and supportive clients. Your collaboration and understanding has helped us overcome these challenges and continue to deliver high-quality web development services.

As we look ahead to the new year, we are excited to continue partnering with you to bring your web development projects to life. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and we wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

We hope that the holiday season brings you joy, peace, and plenty of time to relax and recharge. We look forward to continuing to work with you and helping you achieve your goals in the new year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at abz.agency!

Congratulations to one of our PMs on their 3 year anniversary with abz.agency! We are grateful to have such a dedicated and hardworking team member as part of our organization.

Thank you for your contributions to our team and for your ability to navigate complex tasks and turn client's thoughts into clear and concise project requirements. Here's to many more years of success and achievement of all set goals. As a token of our appreciation, we gifted you with a pair of AirPods Pro 2. Wishing you continued good health and prosperity.

We are looking for strong middle and senior node.js developers specifically for a cool and challenging, but stable long term project running for over 3 years since 2019. You will be working with huge traffic volumes and vast amounts of data. This project would be your prime opportunity to develop unique skills adjacent to data processing and analytics. Be ready to brainstorm and solve challenging issues in a dynamic environment with a team of like minded people.

We will gladly welcome both Kyiv as well as Tallinn based developers into our comfortable and well placed offices. We arrange everything necessary so you can focus on the project without any disruptions from all necessary hardware, facilities, snacks to batteries, generators and reserve connection as needed.

Sounds great? Contact hr@abz.agency to join us!

Our K3 Office (3rd office in Kyiv) has started planned renovations this week which should be complete by Christmas. We will be maintaining the same Loft style that we use in all our offices. Location is within a comfortable 7 minute walk distance from the metro station Tarasa Shevchenko in a warm and cozy business center (2019 construction). Magnetic passes at the entrance with security, multiple elevators and big windows.

Do you want to work with us in a fresh office? Then send us a letter at hr@abz.agency right away. We will be happy to see you!

Last week, we bought a gasoline generator for our K1 office (Kyiv) to ensure steady operation regardless of circumstance. Our foreman invited electricians and they rewired our electrical panel to include an automatic generator/city switch for electricity.

Now we have a specific algorithm for blackouts:

• - When there is no electricity for a relatively short time, first we use EcoFlow battery and a dedicated optic cable internet provider which works during most outages.
• - If there is no electricity for more than 4 hours, we connect the generator and StarLink as a reserve option.

  We have all bases covered, so we can work without any disruptions both during scheduled 2-4 hour rolling blackouts or autonomously by alternating between using EcoFlow battery and a generator to power the office and charge the EcoFlow battery.

  There are no emergencies for us, just organizational issues to solve so we can continue our work on schedule.

This week, we were celebrating the 3 year anniversary of joining abz.agency for one of our backend developers. He received gifts which will enhance his comfort at home: Apple Home Pod and ergonomic office chair.

Thank you for being a great part of our team! We wish you joy in both personal and work life! We join all the wishes from colleagues and hope that they will all come true in the near future and we will see it happening!

With each week we are more prepared to rolling blackouts which became a part of routine for us. This week we’ve added even more hardware updates which help mitigate impacts on our productivity.

Today we equipped our K1 office with:

• - EcoFlow PRO high capacity batteries
• - Wired fiber optic provider internet provider which works even when there is no electricity
• - Starlink as a reserve option to ensure our 100% availability
• - Master electricians installed electrical wiring for lighting and sockets directly from EcoFlow batteries
• - On Friday, the same will be done for K2 office

On 8th of November we will be celebrating the 17th anniversary of our founding! 🔥 🎁 🎂 We remember Financial crisis of 2008, War in Donbass of 2014, War in Ukraine of 2022 but we continued to work and provide quality services no matter the situation. We pay stable and predictable pay for our team and do everything to develop them both professionally and personally. We do all of this and more for our clients!

With us you can always count on stability and quality! Come and see for yourself 😀

We wish everyone a happy halloween 🎃🎃🎃! We already thematically decorated our offices for an extra spooky atmosphere. Frequent rolling blackouts this week also helped to add spookiness, but we fight darkness with organization.

Our clients ask us how we deal with blackouts and other unpredictable situations in a way that they feel no difference at all while working with us. The answer is simple, but challenging for many companies:  preparation and reinvestment in all necessary hardware. We work only on MacBook PRO, their battery is enough for 6-10 hours, we also distribute LTE via mobile hotspots in an organized manner, so the only inconvenience is that the guys do not have an opportunity to make coffee : )

USPS has the motto: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” our version for this year would sound like this “Neither financial crisis, nor threat of war or total blackouts will prevent us from delivering your project on time and with the required quality.”

If you want a stable outsourcing partner who you can always rely on, just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to walk you through all the steps to start.

Solid foundation is necessary if you want to build any complex structure, for our team company regulations are that foundation upon which we stand. For all the time that we were working with our clients we constantly improved our regulations to always fit the changing environment and incorporate the whole sum of company experience which constantly grows.

Last iteration of our organizational regulations was introduced this September and now we are actively working on updating our technical regulations and internship plans. If you want to feel our structuring Influence on your project we are waiting for your ideas at info@abz.agency

Yesterday, at our weekly meeting with PMs and the company management, it was announced that our Kyiv offices had physically run out of space for new employees. So, the management plans to open a 3rd office in Kyiv and considering the location of the other two offices, it would be convenient to cover the 3rd part of Kyiv.

Previously, offices in Kyiv were opened on the left and right banks of the Dnieper. Office 3 will be on the right bank of the Dnieper, but will be geographically shifted further from another one to make it more convenient for some of the guys. Kyiv is a big city and if you can reduce the daily commute from 1-1.5 hours to 15-30 minutes for employees, this is a huge bonus.

We still have spots open in Tallinn, so the HR department won't have an opportunity to rest yet ;)

Would you like to work with TOP technical stack? Would you like to learn from colleagues with broad expertise? Do you want to get off the treadmill and develop your skills? So, complete the test task, pass a couple of interviews then go through a month traineeship period and you’ll open the door to new opportunities. It is not going to be easy, we require employees to work hard and develop their skills at a fast pace.

According to our recruitment plan for October we are looking to hire:

• - Backend developer (PHP Laravel) - 2 opening
• - Front-end developer (React, Vue) - 2 openings
• - Backend developer (Node.js) - 1 opening
• - QA engineer - 2 opening
• - PM - 1 opening

We are waiting for you hr@abz.agency

This week we implemented sweeping changes to the organizational structure of our company by overhauling and streamlining internal company regulation documents and introducing the Lead PM positions. These changes are focused on building more adaptable structures which we can scale further while growing and hiring new people.

Our main principle and core objective stays the same: to deliver projects on time and with the required quality. In addition to that new changes focus on client’s comfort while working with us and proper crisis management in unpredictable situations.

You can be sure that if any external problem arises our team will do everything possible to solve the problem and keep you updated until it's resolved. If you want to be always confident that your project is in safe hands, just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to help you get started.

In the past we have had successful iOS and Android app development branches, but due to drop in wider demand for app development we ultimately decided to close them down. However, some of our dedicated long term clients wanted to keep all of their development efforts with us and needed to spread their offering both to Android Play Store and iOS App store.

After research we found that React Native fits best for this task: it allows us to develop native apps for both iOS and Android based on a single JavaScript codebase (we can even reuse some parts of the code from the front-end part of the website). This allowed us to quickly close this gap in projects where it was necessary while being lean and flexible as a company.

Currently we are actively expanding our React Native development capabilities by improving our frontend developers skill sets. We’ve developed a set of individual tasks within our PDP (Personal Development Plan) program. Developer, who completes all tasks, acquires all necessary skills to bridge the differences between working with React.js for web development and React Native development.

If you have a multiplatform idea we will be glad to help you bring it to life, just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to help you get started.

This week in our T1 (Tallinn) office we celebrated the 4th anniversary of our Lead PM joining our company. He received a small but very fun gift of a DJI Mini 2 quad copter.

We are truly grateful for all your work! There were many difficulties on your way, but a smile, enthusiasm and perseverance allowed you to find the strength in yourself, while remaining a gentle and pleasant person. We wish you less ASAP moments in your work and personal life ;)

Last Saturday, we all met at the K1 office which is our left bank Kyiv office. Everyone arrived at an agreed time by 11 a.m. and the office manager quickly distributed tasks among the team. Everyone received a pair of gloves, a rag, detergent and a respirator. We turned on the music and got into cleaning.

Walls were wiped from the dust that had accumulated over time. All surfaces were dusted: cabinets, shelves, tables, appliances, etc. Other guys were painting the walls to freshen up the white paint. Then the team split up. Some of the guys went to wash the huge panoramic windows, but don't worry the office is on the first floor. The second team started cleaning the floor. We all took a break together and shared hot pizza! Around 6 pm, the work was done. Thanks to all the guys who came to help with the office voluntarily and build stronger bonds. The office shines more than ever!

At the end I heard a reply from one of the girls on our team: "You are welcome, but we did it for ourselves." These are the best words that summarize an idea of subbotnik which is a tradition of voluntary work for yourself and community. Our CEO believes that there is no better team building than working together with everyone. We do everything with utmost attention to quality, even washing the floor ;)

As per our recruitment plan for September we are looking to hire:

• - Data analyst - 1 opening
• - Front-end developer (React, Vue) - 3-5 openings
• - QA engineer - 1 opening
• - PM - 1 opening
• - Backend PHP - 2 opening
• - Sales manager - 1 opening

Join us and work with a cutting edge top tech stack and learn from colleagues with years of broad expertise. We provide every employee with their own personalized IDP (Individual Development Plan) so they can grow and develop alongside the company. All you need to do is complete the test task, pass a couple of interviews and complete a month of intensive paid internship. It won’t be easy but at the end of internship you will surely feel like you’ve reached a new level.

If you are up to the task you can find more information here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/

Even more upgrades arrived this week! We bought a brand new batch of 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pro on the M1 Pro platform. We do our best to ensure the best equipment and conditions are available to our team so they can reach the highest efficiency without being limited by hardware.

Our approach to development and all processes around is to maximize efficiency without compromising quality by streamlining every possible step and detail. You can benefit from this efficiency by working with us, just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to help you get started.

Our K1 office is already a year old, it’s time to shake things up and make some changes! We broke down a wall and transformed our CEO’s personal office into additional open space for our ever growing team.

We’ve set up five new comfortable workplaces:

• - MacBook Pro (M1, 16Gb)
• - 4K professional displays
• - Ergonomic chairs
• - All necessary peripherals
• - Panoramic view over city skyline

Our company grows with each coming day and you have the opportunity to scale your development efforts with us. Just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to consult you.

Today, on behalf of the company and entire team congratulated one of our QA specialists on the 3 year anniversary of working in the company. She received a small but nice Apple Watch SE gift.

I would like to join everything that has been said by colleagues and wish for good health, professional development and interesting projects!

We treasure our team members and build long lasting relationships both internally and externally. If you are looking for a long term outsourcing partner you can find out more about the agency and contact us on our website https://abz.agency

One of our Kyiv offices had two simple glass meeting rooms. This week our brand pattern and logo accentuated the loft style of the office. Now everything is complete exactly like we planned in our 3D model.

As with any project, the details are everything. Our task is to create a PRD (Product Requirements Document) that describes the project down to the smallest detail and takes into consideration all features and specifics.

We focus on developing complete projects exactly according to PRD and mockups from start to finish. More details here https://abz.agency/product-requirement-document/

Today our HR department received a new talent recruitment plan for August and September. The company is actively improving and expanding its talent reserve. Even more vacancies are now open in Kyiv (Ukraine) and Tallinn (Estonia) offices.

Open positions for August

• - Frontend developer (3-5 positions)
• - QA specialist (1 position)
• - Data Analyst (1position)

Preliminary open positions for September

• - Frontend developer (3 positions)
• - QA specialist (1 position)
• - Project Manager (1position)

Join us and let’s grow together! More details here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/

It’s nice when the upper management works closely with the team to solve any ongoing issues. Let me tell you a short story.

A year has passed since we moved to a large and beautiful loft-style office on the left bank of the Dnieper in Kyiv. At that time our CEO has designed and implemented his own office in a spacious room, with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows.

Now two offices in Kyiv have run out of space to accommodate our constantly growing team. Today we had a meeting discussing how we can solve this. Our CEO gathered all the project managers and the office manager to show a solution: an updated 3D model of his personal office with 6 comfortable workplaces. In the meantime he will move to work in a small, modest warehouse.

This is how management should always act:

• - Be with the team.
• - Work directly with guys.
• - Always be one message away from clients.

Interested in trying to work with us?  Just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to consult you.

Tallinn. Office started.

How can we become closer to the EU? Working directly in the EU is the answer :)

We are pleased to announce that our first office is already up and running and today is the third workday in it for 5 of our employees that are trailblazing a new location.

We are actively expanding our team both in Tallinn as well as Kyiv to accommodate ever growing demand from our clients who need more resources for their groundbreaking projects.

More information here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/

abz.agency® is steadily growing and welcoming new people into our ranks. While we are busy with our current projects we never stop thinking how we can further sustain and accelerate this growth. Which is why we pay close attention to our sales, client onboarding and promotion.

Our approach in this direction is built on the same approach that drives our development: exhaustive instructions and guidelines for our sales managers to follow to ensure quality and consistency. We believe in being completely honest and transparent from the first contact and for all years of cooperation to follow, so we are very direct and do everything possible to avoid giving any false expectations going into the project. Every client has a right to make informed decisions without being misled with overly optimistic promises.

We are expanding sales department and looking for new sales and lead generation specialists, contact our HR to discuss available openings here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/

Tallinn, Estonia. Our new office “T1”. Located downtown, in the business center. Soon it will be ready to accommodate 12 comfortable workspaces with 2 additional rooms for meetings and recreation. It has a big kitchen and a bar counter that can be used for relaxation, meetings, lunches or by its primary purpose : )

We just received the keys to the office. The team works on necessary supplies, contracts and other things while our CEO as always works on the interior design and 3D modeling. We are all full of anticipation and busy with the whole process of opening a new office. When everything is ready, we will share a photo of the new office.

We had been preparing for a long time to implement internal training presentations in our company to give everyone a format to share their expertise. For the 3rd month now, we arrange mini presentations every Tuesday at lunchtime. Some of the guys are preparing presentations on brand new technologies that we have not adopted yet while others use this opportunity to further explore current already implemented technologies, patterns and approaches.

This allows all the guys that focus on specific areas to learn something new outside of it within our company. As people say they need to “just reach out their hand” and knowledge is already there. Our guys have a lot of expertise in the company and are always happy to share with colleagues.

Based on the results of 3 months of presentations, we have implemented quite a lot of changes in our current projects. Additionally, this allows the speaker to influence others and contribute to the training of colleagues. Make a contribution to the company and projects that are currently under development.

We are growing fast! There are only four workplaces left across two Kyiv offices, no more room to fit any more people for now. But not for long, we plan to recruit new guys to fill these spots and expand even further by opening a 3rd office in Kyiv or in western Ukraine.

Join us and work with a cutting edge top tech stack. We provide every employee with their own personalized IDP (Individual Development Plan) so they can grow and develop alongside the company.

You can find more information here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/

Our clients often have reservations about jumping into Dedicated Team format before they know us well and fully understand the value that we can bring to their business. This is completely normal and we always encourage well thought out and informed decision making, because it builds a stable foundation for long term cooperation.

In this case our clients start from a smaller scale (120-320 hours) self-contained tasks like a landing page or specific module development on WPE basis to get a feel for working with our team and then transition to a full dedicated team with weekly output equal or exceeding the total scope of the initial trial project.

If you have any questions about working with us just send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to help you. More info you can get here https://abz.agency/dedicated-team/

Dedicated team format fits best for your new business, startup or alr active project that needs to be redesigned. Just choose a pace at which you want to move in the development within a range of 120 to 480 hours per week and we are ready to go. We will ensure the stability and predictability of the development speed chosen by you throughout the entire time of cooperation (often from 1 to 5 or even up to 7+ years).

Get your own fully staffed IT department and move confidently at your chosen development speed. More details here: https://abz.agency/dedicated-team/

No matter what anyone says, it’s still nice to get together in the meeting room and discuss a project. Of course, not everyone can fit in the same room or even in the same office, the guys are spread across 3 offices. But the face to face joint work creates a certain mood, one can say a state of mind - which drives to create. This energy unites and inspires. It gives you a feeling of belonging, that you are not alone.

The company is growing and developing. Join us and let’s grow together https://abz.agency/team-and-careers

The main news for today is that we opened both offices in Kyiv and everyone started this work week already at the office (except for 4 people who will arrive a bit later by May 23). Office is buzzing with activity and energy. It's so motivating to get back to work at your favorite workplace and to a normal life at home 🙂

We are always welcome to new people who are interested in joining our team, take a look at available openings here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers

On May 16th we are planning to reopen both offices in Kyiv (on the left and right Dnipro bank) and go back to our usual workflow.

The nature of Ukrainian Carpathians is very beautiful, but I still long for the big city atmosphere. Can’t wait to resume an active schedule of a city dweller. Work during the day, self development and rest in the evening. The weekend is also always full of things to do.

Nothing is better than a trusted team and comfortable workplace, even our office walls help. Everyone anticipates seeing colleagues again to share achievements and results of work.

We are also always welcome to new people who are interested in joining our team, take a look at available openings here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers

Our company is getting closer to the European Union. As a first step in April we opened an LLC in the EU. In May we plan to open an office and start hiring staff for the European branch.

As usual, we will continue to grow and develop our internal regulations, best practices and experience which are the foundation of our approach. In the meantime we plan to expand the company and focus more on the dedicated team format https://abz.agency/dedicated-team/. However, this does not mean that we stop working in WPE format https://abz.agency/wpe/, on the contrary, it is one of the most common stepping stones to a dedicated team and is absolutely invaluable for our clients. If you have any questions, send an email to info@abz.agency and our client managers will be happy to consult you.

Time passes and clouds give way to the sun. Our beautiful land wakes up in spring and along with it everyone gets a boost to their energy. The work is moving faster and faster every day. In May, we plan to resume work in both of our Kyiv offices. Guys want to get back to their usual lives which includes working from an office.

The company also does not stand still and moves forward at a growing pace. At the moment, 8 new guys are undergoing an active internship. By developing our company we contribute to developing the country.

Happy Catholic Easter! In Ukraine we just celebrated Palm Sunday, which is a holiday before the Orthodox Easter that will be next Sunday.

Let these holidays unite us all in yearning for peace and prosperity for people all over the world, so that everyone can safely work to improve the lives of everyone and enjoy the fruits of this labor.

Life in Kyiv is starting to get back on track. Our office downtown is already working for the third week straight and we plan to restart the second office on the left bank of Dnipro in a couple weeks. Some of our guys are already actively planning their trips back to Kyiv.

At the moment you have a great opportunity to join our team, we currently only have 3 vacancies left: a frontend developer (React / Vue) and 2 openings for a Node.js (NestJS / ExpressJS) backend developer.

More details here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/. If you want to join our team, contact us at hr@abz.agency

We are looking for frontend React/Vue developers and backend Node.js developers to join our team. You will work on interesting and challenging projects from all over the world in a great team of 40+ talented people together with other frontend and backend developers, project managers, lead devs, designers, QA specialists. We deeply believe in personal development and actively invest our resources so everyone has ample opportunity to grow.

More details here: https://abz.agency/team-and-careers/. If you want to join our team, contact us at hr@abz.agency

With every day of the war Ukrainian people are becoming stronger. Guys are spending more and more time at work, one of them has even already returned to work in the office. I miss the office too.

Now our company is actively looking for new talented people. Many people have lost their jobs and we have a job to offer them. But the same high standards apply, first new guys still have to go through a 2-month internship, study the company's regulations, learn how to work in a team and, of course, study technologies.

If you want to join our team, contact us at hr@abz.agency

One of the best ways to fight stress and cope with harsh reality is to keep yourself busy. Many guys now voluntarily propose to work on weekends to distract themselves from thinking about what is happening around. Some dedicate this time to helping family, friends and people around. Others just rest and continue on Monday refreshed. Everyone is unique and we do our best to understand each other during these hard times.

In the meantime, our HR, CTO and CEO is as busy as always doing interviews to hire new guys. Many have lost their jobs due to other companies and agencies closing, so we feel that we can step up and provide jobs.

Loving your country is not just words! These are actions, do what you can do best for the country. We know how to work hard and we will work.

© photo our CEO took while traveling around the country of Ukraine 🇺🇦 in 2019

We continue to work in Ukraine. All our guys are now working remotely from safe locations. Some of the guys stayed in Kyiv, some went to other cities of western Ukraine (Rivne, Lviv, Chernivtsi, Ternopil). But we continue to work.

We receive a lot of words of support and desire to help us and our country. You can help us continue our work. Guys, when they are busy with work, can think positively, stay calm and instill confidence in their families. Work allows our company to continue paying wages, taxes in Ukraine and remain solvent citizens of our country.

Support Ukraine not with words, but with deeds. Let’s work together on new projects. Give us this opportunity. This will be the best and real help for us.

Work for us today is a guarantee of stability for tomorrow.

We are working! And we have always worked no matter the situation in 2014 and now. Our team works remotely to stay safe and continue developing our projects. Thank you to all the clients who work with us!

We remain a reliable outsourcing partner. We do our best.

Recently we officially registered our own trademark and received a certificate! Now, each of our logos will show off the ® mark.

Everything is calm and usual in Ukraine. There is no war. Kyiv lives its usual life. Construction of high-rise buildings continues as scheduled, the roads are full of cars and planes are still in the sky. People discuss how they spent their St. Valentine's Day with their loved ones and the sun shines brightly as usual.

When the big guys play their geopolitical games, we just have to wait until they play enough. The media is escalating the situation, but at this time we continue to work as always. If you want to get information about a real situation in Ukraine, ask locals.

We continue to do our best for our clients ;)

We think you may find this interesting. If you have any questions just send us an email to info@abz.agency.

Welcome! We hope you’ll enjoy your brief stay.

We decided to tour you around our brand new Kyiv office and make the video in retro style 📽

Also, twice a day, we use UV lamps to sterilize all premises (including a warehouse and a toilet) for 15 minutes during the day and 30 minutes at night.

Our company cares about its people and in return they take care of our customer’s projects.

Is PRD necessary or not?

Let's take a step back and look at our own example outside web development. As you know, our employees work in 3 offices across two cities in Ukraine. Recently we greatly expanded our team and needed more space to fit everyone in, so in early January we found a new bigger office space which needed a renovation. As everyone in a similar situation we encountered questions of the deadline and estimate for the repairs. You can’t just show the foreman and office manager the premises, tell them what you want and expect to receive a deadline and estimate right away.

Therefore we extended the same principles that we apply to every project and took it upon ourselves to develop a detailed 3D model of the new office in SketchUp. We thought of every little thing up to every lightswitch, camera, even all the posters on the wall and their prints. Then we prepared a complete and detailed document where we described all the work that needs to be done, provided the screenshots with precise technical measurements of what and where should be installed. We also made a list of all furniture, equipment and materials necessary for the new office. Painstakingly described every small detail like wall color, furniture color, location of cameras, lighting fixtures, antibacterial lamps, alarms, electronic locks, etc. Once we made sure that we covered everything we sent all the information for estimation. And when we met with the foreman and furniture maker in the premises, they provided us with a full estimate, a repair plan and a deadline in a couple of days. They guaranteed an accuracy within +/-10-30% which is not far from our own WPE.

As the real practice of successful projects shows, everything should start with PRD and the same principles apply to any project regardless of area.

New Year's eve is a time for presents 🎁

Each year we give all employees a paid week off for the New Year's holidays. During this time, the entire company is closed, the offices are quiet and all work chats freeze. Guys have an opportunity to relax and reset, so we can return fresh in a new year.

And also as a New Year's gift we will buy neck massagers to all of the offices, so that everyone can stretch their neck for 5-7 minutes during the day. Improved blood flow and relaxation will help guys to focus on the task even more and improve efficiency once they return to the workplace.

2021 was end, so we want to look back and reflect on the results. This year there have been many different events, both good and bad. We will forget the bad ones, but the lessons that we have learned from them will stay in our company's regulations (both organizational and technical) as always. We and our clients will remember everything that was good with a smile and joy in our eyes. Let’s also look into the future and set our plans for the new 2022.

Happy New Year, everyone!

This week we had an office shoot for a new short promotional video about our company. It was a fun and refreshing experience for everyone involved. The videographer came with a camera and we helped him choose the best angles and scenes which will better represent us. It was an unusual change of pace to think about the best way to film everything.

The videographer spent most of the day in the office with us, but it was not disruptive and guys were continuing their work on the projects as usual. Please look forward to seeing the result in the future!

This week the guys got together to play volleyball again. It is always helpful to unload after work and be active to keep yourself in top condition. As always we were fully engrossed in the game thinking about serves, passes and game dynamics. The guys were very competitive as always and fully embraced the spirit of competition.

After that, the guys laid out hot pizza boxes right on benches in the gym. Next day, everyone actively shared their impressions at work during the break.

We are active at work the same as we are active afterwards. We look forward to sharing some of our energy, so do not hesitate to contact us if you want to work with us and see for yourself.

Our team is constantly expanding and welcoming new faces. The company arranges 2 months of intense internship for every new employee, teaching them the most advanced technologies and approaches.

An internship is a very important stage in the employee’s growth. At this stage newcomers learn to be an integral part of the team and part of the company. Learn to communicate correctly and constantly acquire new knowledge from books. Also during this stage every employee starts their advanced English language course with our professional teacher.

Each week, management receives a report from the team about the trainee's development success to adjust the internship plan.

After the internship, each employee continues growth according to their Individual Development Plan, we always keep improving and never let complacency set in.

Contact hr@abz.agency to join us!

Guys from the Kyiv office decided to shoot some paint at each other after work. We chose to capture the flag as our “game mode” to make things interesting and sent 8000 paintballs at each other. It was fun as always! The only issue was that it got dark too quickly. We just stopped seeing where to shoot and decided to wrap up.

The next day, all the guys were as always in the office at 8 am on schedule and got on to work with refreshed motivation. We need to do our best for our clients, projects will not develop themselves. Therefore, our guys make sure to always be fresh and full of energy.

Do you want to see for yourself? If you have an interesting web project, just contact us and we will make it on time and with the required quality.

We bought another batch of MacBooks Pro on the Apple M1 platform, because the guys liked the performance. These MacBooks will be directed to primarily upgrade the hardware of dedicated teams.

In addition to teams working on an hourly basis, we have several dedicated teams (4-8 guys in each) who work full-time on specific projects as a direct extension of the client's team. At the same time, all the principles and regulations of our company are applied equally to all employees and clients of our company.

By extending our principles and regulations equally to all of our projects we ensure that we consistently provide quality outsourcing services for custom web solutions, browser extensions and web site development.

On November 8, our company will be 16 years old!!! We are as always hard focused on our main goal: to provide web development outsourcing services on time and with the required quality. During this time, we have successfully developed hundreds of projects for our clients who have been working with us for 3, 6 or even 10 years continuously!

We have our great team of 40 employees who work in our offices across two cities in Ukraine. The company strives all the time to be on the bleeding edge of advanced technologies and raise the expertise of the guys. 75% of all guys are involved in projects constantly and work full time in dedicated teams. The rest are working on new hourly projects. We will continue to further develop our client’s projects, improve the quality of our services and provide better working conditions for the team.

Last week our guys decided to warm up a little after work. We rented a gym and organised a friendly volleyball match. Everyone had a blast, even the photographer who was hit by a stray ball several times 🙂

Lead dev took an initiative and acted as the organiser of this event, which once again confirmed that the leader should always remain the leader both in the office and outside of it.

Our guys always approach things seriously, be it creating a PRD, developing a project or a volleyball match.

This week we welcome a new resident in our office, a 3D-printer. Everyone wanted to see how it’ll work so we decided to try it out right away and print our logo. Please join us and take a look at the result.

We are always fascinated by new technology and never miss an opportunity to build our own understanding and have hands-on experience with it, so when it's time to implement new ideas into our projects we are already one step ahead.

As our CEO says: “Team building does not take place at corporate parties or other events, team building takes place while working on a project in the workplace.” We have the same goal and always watch each other’s backs on the way to the finish line.

Our clients surely notice positive results of this mindset and we are always glad to receive feedback like this: “We're very happy with the work of the team. Yes, they've been really super reactive during our rush to launch our newest version on 1st of October and during Project Manager’s absence on top of it the dev were very communicative; so that was really cool. And I'm very happy that the Project Manager is back, personally I didn't enjoy filling his shoes too much and definitely appreciate what he does.”

We always wanted a huge logo across the wall and now it came true 🙂

But in all seriousness, recently we successfully finished training 6 out of 8 interns from our biggest expansion ever. We feel that we're just getting started, so we are open to new faces.

We need experienced:

• - Back-end developers (PHP Laravel, Node.js);
• - Front-end developers (React.js, Vue.js, React Native);
• - QA specialists (manual and automation testing).

If you are interested in joining our team please contact our hr@abz.agency.

When it comes to starting the development of a website, browser extension or mobile app you are looking for a “first step” to get the project going and commonly the first thing that comes to mind is a visual design. So naturally you find a designer who diligently translates all of your ideas, examples and suggestions to mockups and on the first glance designs look great, but when the time comes to apply them in practice everything falls apart. What went wrong?

You can compare this situation to building a house - you won’t be able to start construction based on a drawing of a house exterior. It takes into account only how it looks from the outside without considering its internal structure and supporting infrastructure and most importantly the drawing does not need to take into consideration any limitations like laws of physics.

The same is true for mockups which were developed without proper planning and comprehensive Discovery Phase which takes both the visual and technical side of the project into consideration to achieve the desired result while keeping all the limitations in mind.

If you are feeling lost you can always consult our articles to get a better understanding of a journey to bringing your idea to life

After working with the guys from the second office in Kyiv, we found time to drop by for the presentation of the new E-tron series from Audi and see for ourselves what future brings us in the automotive industry.

While we are on the crest of the wave of web technology innovation all the time, we do not want to also lag behind in other areas of innovation in everyday life. After all, we develop custom solutions for our clients from all the industries and must keep up with all new developments.

One of two Kyiv offices has recently moved into a new larger space. The guys were long waiting for the renovation to complete so they could move and enjoy the new loft style office.

The 3D model of the office, interior design and furniture were personally designed by our CEO in a SketchUp in literally 3 days. Then we began the renovation process which we completed with great success. The result speaks for itself: panoramic windows, two large open work spaces, central HVAC, two bathrooms, a large kitchen, two meeting rooms, a recreation room and other facilities.

In the near future we plan to take more photos and even possibly make a video tour. In the meantime, the guys settle in the new office and find their favourite places. It's easy to get used to good things, it feels like everyone was working here all along. We are very pleased with the new office and are happy to share it with you!

The third quarter of this year showed us that it is possible to grow even quicker. We have an unprecedented 8 internships running in parallel including front-end, back-end and QA specialists. To achieve this feat and successfully onboard new members, we had to revise not only the internship plan and update the tasks, but also reconsider the very approach to the internship.

In September and October, interns will complete a 2 month internship (which is mandatory regardless of the previous experience). Once the internship is completed, we will prepare to introduce the guys into real projects and get our output even higher.

Today we mark the seventh anniversary of one of our invaluable team members joining our company. We mark this occasion with gifting an iPad PRO together with our heartfelt gratitude and some words of choice:

• - Thank you for being part of our team for the last 7 years!
• - Please accept our gratitude for all your hard work and your contribution to our success.
• - You grew up together with the company and the company grew up with you, let’s keep pushing and reach new horizons together!

Long term bonds strengthen our company and each day bring us closer to our goals. We continue moving forward as one.

We never stop keeping up with modern technology and updating the hardware in the company. This time we expanded our arsenal with 4 MacBooks Pro 16 (Intel Core i7, 16GB DDR4) and 2 MacBook Pro 13 (Apple M1, 16 GB DDR4) for comparison. Let's see how the new Apple M1 stacks up against Intel under real load on heavy projects.

We also bought a lot of peripherals for 4K monitors, apple mice and keyboards, monitor stands, adapters, and more. We provide everything that is necessary for the team to have every available tool to maximise their productivity and bring even more value to our clients.

Today I’d like to discuss one of the pain points - how you (our clients) sometimes increase the duration and cost of the development. In particular, let’s take the example of the Discovery Phase. Let me remind you that during the Discovery Phase we develop a PRD (Product Requirements Document) in close cooperation with you.

Here are several examples of reasons why you (as our client) increase the duration of the Discovery Phase with your own actions:

1. Discovery Phase is a stage where we build a PRD. It is not just answering the first 20-30 questions, but a full scale development of Project Documentation (Project Structure) and Visual representation (high fidelity wireframes). Many clients are initially confused about this which causes misunderstandings.

2. Clients often get distracted from the main goal of the project and begin wandering in discussions of future versions of the project, potential project’s or company’s success. Unfortunately this takes up the team's time while bringing no result in achieving goals of the current Discovery Phase. Modern custom solutions are built in a way that they can be easily modified according to your future needs, so you need to focus on the present.

3. All UI/UX decisions must be locked in during the wireframing stage and not later when working on mockups! Wireframing stage is specifically dedicated to going through each and every UI/UX question because it reduces the development costs tenfold and saves a lot of development time. It also allows us to give a precise WPE (Work Plan-Estimate) within +/- 20% for the whole project.

4. Project Structure is the most important part of the PRD. It describes each and every feature, from pressing one button to all the validation checks and integrity checks, especially all the negative cases. You need to pay full attention to this part of the PRD and be very prudent, because here you will find everything that will be executed on the server and in the background while being hidden from the eye. In the end, WPE will contain precisely what was described in the Project Structure up to a smallest detail.

There are a lot more reasons to cover and we will likely write a detailed article on this topic in future.

In this crazy hot summer when temperatures climb up to 38 ℃ (100°F) everyone wants to go on a fast ride and feel the fresh air! To get a shot of adrenaline from drifting on a parking lot making crazy exhaust noise while drowning in clouds of tire smoke! And all of this during the lunch break, a pure pleasure to be a part of this team.

We really adhere to the saying “work hard, play hard” and our guys did really well last month!

Sometimes we receive suggestions from our potential clients to quickly build an MVP using no-code app development tools or templates. Let’s discuss this topic and share some information for you to consider when choosing to pursue this option.

No-code tools sacrifice a lot of freedom and features to be as simple as they are, also while being promoted as a new solution for your business they share the same problems with any low level solution like CMS or template.

You will be limited by available templates and building blocks which will little by little skew the MVP away from your initial idea and influence the user feedback that you receive. Essentially you will receive feedback for the template and not your actual idea. The website will look and feel generic which will erode the trust of potential users and as a result negatively impact MVP’s ability to attract potential customers which is absolutely important at this stage.

All these factors may cause significant underperformance of your MVP which may lead to wrong conclusions which will kill otherwise promising ideas. This is why we always advise our clients that MVP that seeks to get user feedback must be custom built with an intent to provide service as intended from the get go, albeit with a limited feature set.

When starting a new project it can be tempting to save costs by combining multiple development roles into a single freelancer. You can even try to justify this approach by saying that it cuts down time on communication within the team and onboarding.

However, as everyone knows jack of all trades is master of none. At best, you receive a mediocre result in all parts of your project and at worst you get a lot of critical oversights which could have been easily prevented. You are essentially stacking all potential points of failure in a single person which is never a good idea regardless of their experience or skills.

This is exactly why we as an agency ensure that every specialist has deep expertise in their field and focuses specifically on their tasks while having solid knowledge of other areas to see a bigger picture. Specialisation and distribution of tasks are the main drivers of progress in all areas since the industrial revolution and web development is certainly not different.

This week our sales team had a great opportunity to hear from our CEO firsthand how our development team manages to operate in a way that delivers value every single day.

Our whole operation as a company is built upon principles borrowed from industrial manufacturing - all the processes are organised similarly to a conveyer belt that never stops. Everything happens in a very specific rhythm and everyone operates according to their written regulations to consistently deliver the product on time and up to spec. When we say that you receive tangible results every day we mean it literally and our clients are always pleasantly surprised when they realise it once the project starts.

Sometimes it is difficult to give our potential clients a proper taste of this approach beforehand, so we set a goal to work on a content which allows anyone who is interested to get a better understanding before diving in. Please look forward to this content in the future!

On this summer Friday evening guys from the our office got together to spend several happy hours on a karting track together. The fastest ones got to the finish line and everyone else got a truckload of adrenaline and positive emotions.

When everyone has had a good rest, they will tackle the challenges twice as hard next week.

Yes, while hosting an offline IT conference iForum 2021 in Kyiv (Ukraine) may still sound outlandish considering the pandemic all the necessary precautions were taken. The event was limited to 5,000 participants (previously in 2019 there were almost 15,000 participants) and was held in the vast open space of the NSC "Olimpiyskiy" stadium.

If you ask us to share our opinion on the event, we can say that this event was great. While there were moments that we might not have liked, but you forgive everything when you are hungry for interaction and you can see people face to face again to feel their passion for the industry directly.

Most of the hot discussed topics were aound startups. The quarantine allowed everyone to reset and think again about fundamental things which lerd to resurgence of topics connected to the real sector such as product delivery, logistics, medicine and smart devices. Of course, there was also a lot of attention to the trending topics of blockchain, NFT and gaming.

We are waiting for new big events to visit and participate!

This summer is as hot as ever, so we decided to improve the office climate with additional AC units with diffusers and we haven’t missed an opportunity to brand them with our signature pattern.

Now when everyone is cool and comfortable, we can focus on our tasks. Feeling of comfort is an absolutely crucial element to achieving the state of flow and maintaining it for maximum productivity.

Our ranks are expanded with a new generation. The whole team congratulates a new dad on the birth of his beautiful girl! A special gift from the company is a diaper cake, a day off and of course, a special merch from the company. We wish her to grow up as a healthy, smart and beautiful girl.

What could be better for guys than to play with a powerful toy during a lunch break and drift in circles on a parking lot. This beauty accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 sec (310 hp) and it's also convertible which makes for a breezy experience in summer. As Jeremy Clarkson says: “This is what makes me smile.”

The guys enjoyed it a lot. We were charged with positive energy and adrenaline before getting back to our tasks while the car went to another office to amuse the guys there.

In our agency we pay special attention to the security of our clients. Here are some of main best practices that we maintain:

• ✅ We configure AWS and Digital Ocean VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) according to all the industry best practices and recommendations.
• ✅ We always use LTS (Long Term Support) versions of all the frameworks which ensures at least 3 years of continuous security updates.
• ✅ Security is one of the main reasons why we avoid widely used CMS (Content Management Systems) like Wordpress or Magento. It is common for them to encounter security breaches almost every day between the CMS itself and numerous plugins which need to be constantly patched to achieve any semblance of protection.
• ✅ We follow detailed internal regulations among our employees to minimise risks of unintentional information leaks and social engineering attacks.
• ✅ Internally we utilise only MacOS devices with encrypted hard drives and manage unique passwords for each service using Bitwarden in conjunction with enabling 2 factor authentication whenever it is available.

This month we’ve made a commitment to host meetups on technology topics. Our CTO was first to open the conversation from an introductory overview of all technologies that we utilise in our work during his speech and encouraged everyone to participate in future meetups and make their voices heard.

We concluded that we should host these meetings semimonthly with participation of all developers and project managers. If someone misses the meeting or wants a refresher a full recording will be always available in company G Suite cloud storage.

Strong communication and exchange of ideas is absolutely crucial for steady development of our collective expertise and boosts individual progress of each participant. This is exactly why we also roll our similar initiatives on a smaller scale on other parts of our company like the sales department.

Our client managers will be glad to share our thoughts with you too and discuss your ideas if you contact us via email info@abz.agency.

We always make sure that our offices are stocked with everything necessary for the team to stay on target while taking their coffee or tea breaks to refresh and supply their brains with fuel.

Each of us has a favourite coffee brew or tea variety in the office. Recently we ordered our own branded disposable cups, so now everyone can take their favourite tea or coffee from the office to drink conveniently on the way home.

Everyone is welcome to grab a cup!

The spring has brought sunny weather to Kyiv and one of our offices got together on an off road adventure. The stars of the show are SHERPs - Ukrainian amphibian cars that can ride anywhere and where they can’t ride they will swim.

Everyone got their dose of adrenaline and impressions. Now we are waiting for what ideas will come up in other offices!

We have implemented a policy of keeping all client interactions in text more than 8 years ago and have never looked back. While it can cause some friction in the initial stages of our negotiation, this approach certainly proves itself invaluable for clarity, efficiency and transparency of our communication with our clients.

Recently we were pleased to notice that our approach becomes a very common piece of advice among authors of business and productivity literature. We completely agree with and support this cultural shift which came as a result of a full year of global transition to remote work. More people notice that a lot more work can be done in the same amount of time when you are not bogged down in endless video conference calls or arguing over details that were discussed without being written down.

Work with us and you will pick up a lot more small details which we implemented into our day-to-day operation from our rich experience of working remotely and be ahead of the curve!

One of our main goals is to build mutually beneficial long term relationships with our clients. In practice this means that for many clients we encounter situations where it is not sustainable either for us or for a client to move forward with the project and this is completely normal.

Not starting the project too hastily before reiterating all the key points that were initially discussed while making sure that there’s no misunderstandings and wrong expectations ensures that client will be satisfied with further collaboration even if we may seem overly cautious. The truth is that the human mind has a tendency to simplify and gloss over very important details which later come as surprise and create unnecessary friction.

Our strategy is to be as forward and transparent as possible precisely for the reasons outlined above, but others may not have the same views. We advise you to be cautious and level headed when discussing your potential partnership with any agency and If you are interested in working with us we will be happy to address any of your questions and concerns to make sure that you have a clear understanding of the situation before making a decision.

Maintaining balance in life is always important, so we bought an Ex-Board for each office. Testing how long you can stand on it is a good and healthy way to briefly break up a work session to get the blood flowing. Besides that it’s always fun to see someone make a surprised face when losing balance and try it for yourself 🙂

While everything is closed due to a lockdown, our office is always a welcoming place to come and spend time with colleagues even after hours, so we do our best to maintain a friendly atmosphere. Our goal is to make it a place that guys are glad to visit every day.

Everyone at least once in their life has this moment when you need something done yesterday, but you turn around and nothing is done. There’s a lot of reasons (and everyone has their own reasons) why this may happen in regards to developing a website or browser extension, but I want to warn you against making hasty decisions.

Saying “Slow and steady wins the race” is especially true in case of web development, moving too fast without enough planning and deliberation will only cause a lot of costly problems down the line which will take more time to solve than you initially saved. Both time and money are two main resources that need to be carefully budgeted if you want to achieve the desirable result, so when the question is “How can I deliver it within a week/month?” the right question to ask is “How many resources (both in terms of time and money) are required to achieve my goal and what is available to me currently?”. Based on the answers to these questions you will be able to plan how to either reduce requirements or extend resources which is usually a balancing act.

We will be always happy to help you plan out your project in detail, you can contact us via email info@abz.agency and our client manager will get back to you.

Like kids we are always joyful when getting new hardware toys, especially when they are numerous and powerful. A few MacBooks PRO 16 and new 4K monitors have been purchased in March, so that guys can now work faster and feel more comfortable.

We do our best to minimize development time, even if it looks miniscule, it always has its effect on a bigger scale.

Bad news for clients who want to replicate Amazon or Facebook bearing in mind their brilliant success - Rome wasn't built in a day. The same is true of web-development.

People often set out to create the product that will make them the next Jeff Bezos following the common misconception. The truth is that the long-standing tech giants reached heady success with help of a constant growth and innumerable improvements. For this reason, the desire to reach the same with the flip of a switch, only helps to lose sight of the original product goal, procrastinate away release dates and waste time on expensive bug fixes.

Based on our experience, it is always better in the long run to begin such projects with defining the key scope of features for the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and not make reckless decisions. This approach allows to attract early-adopter customers and validate a product idea early in the product development cycle. Moreover, starting with an MVP will allow you to launch your product ASAP with the fixed set of 'killer features', and of course the possibility to add more functions later, as soon as you get your idea validated.

Our company joins all the congratulations to the beautiful half of humanity on the spring holiday of International Women's Day! We wish you great health and a strong immune system. Live a fulfilled life full of love and positive emotions, blossom and enjoy every bit of it - it's worth it. And you deserve it!

While the common knowledge is that “Client is always right!”, in web-development strictly following this saying usually goes against the best interests of the clients themselves. Consulting is one of the most significant parts of collaboration with our clients and which often involves fixing misconceptions and educating our clients on best and most efficient practices.

Quite commonly this involves acknowledging that the client is not always right and doing our best to steer them in the correct direction even if we encounter friction from their side. We strongly believe in delivering a quality product and value to our customers even if it means sometimes clashing with them over project matters until we find common ground.

Currently there’s a rising opinion among management scientists and psychologists that productive conflict (as opposed to unproductive) is healthy and important for communication. Completely avoiding conflict may cause as much damage as bickering over each and every matter. Honest, straightforward dialogue is the key to most problems in any group effort. In great teams conflict becomes productive.

Continuing the topic of collaboration, let's talk about fixed price. Potential clients quite often come to us asking for fixed price offering and it is easy to understand their rationale - you minimise your risks by setting a predefined number before even starting the project.

However judging from our experience of working with clients who come to us after unsuccessful fixed price projects, in reality everything is not so simple. Every developer worth their salt knows that accurate estimation is not possible without perfect information about project requirements.

Any number given without a deep analysis of client’s needs and goals may be very misleading in the long run, usually this is a cause of many problems like realising that you went over budget when significant financial commitment was already made or encountering unforeseen issues due to the lack of planning.

Companies and freelancers offering fixed prices usually avoid these obstacles by either padding their fixed price with a significant buffer or exclusively working on repetitive unoriginal projects which provide sub par generic results. As you may understand both options are not really great for both sides and still do not guarantee avoiding all possible issues.

Time is universal currency and the most precious resource. In previous posts we talked a lot about the Discovery Phase, but we put a lot of attention to our side of the equation without talking about effort and diligence that our clients show when bringing their ideas to life.

Project's progress heavily depends on the client's participation and input. No one knows their project better than our clients, so usually they spend 1-2 hours during the day in active collaboration with our team during the Discovery phase. While it may be hard to fit such a commitment into your daily timetable this is definitely worth it to be so close to your own product and ensure that it comes out exactly as imagined.

If you are not afraid of the challenge and have an Idea in mind you can contact us via email info@abz.agency and tell us more about your idea.

Also you can read our cycle of articles dedicated to the full lifecycle of the project from an idea to a finished product here.

As the saying goes, one who can not rest, can not work well either. Our team knows how to work, which means they know how to rest well.

Today we had a Pizza day in our team! Why not? The calendar shows mid-February, it is -12 degrees celsius (10 F for our overseas friends) on the street, and outside looks like stills from the film “The Day After Tomorrow”. This winter surely decided to show itself in all its glory and strength, but we know how to raise the mood and boost the dopamine levels in the team.

The recipe is simple. We take the whole Kyiv team (we all get together in one of the two offices), order a lot of our favorite pizza, dust off the air hockey, plug in Nitdendo and…. Go! A lot of drive, competition, excitement, emotions and live communication! That’s always a breath of fresh air.

Time flew by and we are already hurrying home in a great mood! Let me share some of the atmosphere with this photo.

We are actively celebrating the coming of February with the team by hitting a couple of strikes in the bowling alley! As we often say here in Ukraine “There's time for business and hour for fun”.

Time sure flies fast! I can't believe that the second month of the year has already begun, it seems just recently New Year's fireworks and "home" corporate parties have just died down. However we think we know why time flies so quickly. It's simple: January was very active! The teams were running on full steam and there was almost no bench time (despite the fact that usually January and February is a low season), let’s knock on wood so everything can continue going smoothly.

But the best out of all of this is that our clients are happy and ready to take on new heights in their ambitions! We plan to continue working under a heavy load of 110-120% going into February while our HR is working on expanding our roster to meet a high demand from our clients.

As the saying goes “Better late than never”. Giving gifts is as much fun as receiving them or even more fun depending on who you ask. Recently a New Year's gift from the guys arrived at one of our offices and everyone was pleased to see a new addition of a table football.

Table football is a great opportunity to relax, but only after work day is over. This is especially relevant during the lockdown period when everything is closed and there is nowhere to go to spend time with the peers after work. This is a gift that everyone can partake in, which means that you can consider it as a gift from everyone to everyone in the office. You may even say that this is a great example of how “win-win philosophy” is a part of our internal culture.

Hard work always pays off. We always do our best to keep our guys motivated and focused on improving by helping them find their long term goals but also giving them something to look forward to in the short term. We have KPI and a quarterly bonus system in place, but when our guys go above and beyond for our clients we can’t just leave it unnoticed.

Recently two of our guys received their brand new iPhones as a surprise quarterly bonus of appreciation for their efforts which was a very pleasant surprise for them.

Guys received a new boost in motivation and are ready to achieve even better results in the future!

Our traditional paid holiday break is over, the entire company was closed from December 26th to January 3rd. It is always great to get the full 3rd week off on New Year’s eve. Guys used this opportunity to spend time with their families, friends and went as far away from city as possible to relax in the countryside or abroad (as far as the lockdown allows).

On the 4th of January, everyone was in their place and ready to pick up where we left off. There’s a lot of work to do, but all the guys are well rested and ready to reach new heights of productivity. In any case, we will continue to strive for the success of our beloved clients' projects as usual.

Santa always comes to those who worked hard all year long 🙂

Recently, a courier arrived at the office with a huge box and a greeting card. You have no idea how nice it is to receive gifts from clients! All the guys immediately ran to check out what’s inside and we quickly got the tree from the warehouse to properly put all the gifts under.

One of the boxes which stayed closed was keeping a great surprise for us! When we opened it up inside was an HDMI Super Nintendo Classic edition with 20+1 golden age 16 bit games. You should have seen the joy on the guys' faces when they found it! They Immediately checked what games were included and how to set it up. Naturally, a test run was scheduled after work 🙂

It does not matter how good a developer you are or what are your skills and how old you are. When Christmas comes everyone is a child deep inside, and all kids love presents!

Thank you so much Jean. We will continue doing our best!