Engagement Models
These days, with globalization and diversification, the needs of businesses become ever more complex. We understand that every client is different and offer flexible engagement models to enable us to cater for these specific needs

Project Based

A project based relationship is best suited for those whose project needs are clear and where the functional aspect of the project and deliverables are clearly defined.

This is a low risk model and is ideal for smaller projects where post-project support is minimal. With well-defined parameters in terms of time, budget and deliverables, we work towards a quick turnaround. The price can be either fixed cost or resource based.

Retainer Based

A retainer based model is more appropriate when on-going development needs are longer term and less predictable, or when there are dynamic requirements which require regular development work or support. If, for example, you have a software product that requires enhancement, upgrading or maintenance, this is the best model to choose.

This model allows you to have resources allocated exclusively for your project on a long-term basis. Your IP rights will be protected and the price unaffected by market changes once resource costs have been agreed for fixed period.

We would recommend the "retainer based" model of engagement if you want to set up an extended offshore facility with a set of resources working exclusively on your project.

Joint Venture

Joint venture is for those who are prepared to take risks but looking for reward. These days business is rife with uncertainty. Challenges are great but opportunities exist. If you have a product development idea, are looking to diversify, are considering setting up an offshore development center, we can join forces to help you succeed. Both companies will work out their individual contribution in terms of investment or value addition through infrastructure, resources, technology, expertise etc.

Strategic Fit

The strategic fit model is for those who set their sights high. Many businesses are now expanding geographically to benefit from economies of scale, market penetration, global branding etc. The easiest way to enter the global arena is through a strategic tie-up. X-mx Solutions has both a sound track record and strong vision of future growth. Equity participation allows entry into an expanding market without the usual insecurities and unknowns.

Price Models
X-mx Solutions Provides flexible pricing models that are designed to meet varied project requirements from stumpy effort ones, medium effort based to large project running for years engaging many resources. Whereas our price models provide our clients complete liberty to decide the best one suiting their specific project, X-mx ensure every model work cost effectively and our client gain mostly.

Fix cost based

Once the project requirement is clearly distinct in the start and client has limit on investment, fixed cost makes the best choice. This model not only ensures the project delivered on decided time with intermediary landmarks related to payment schedules, but also limits the budget. The key benefit with this model is lucid progress visibility at every phases of development and ensures no surprises cost escalation.

  • Tiny projects with quantifiable user defined features and deliverables
  • Windows/Web application development with lucid functionalities
  • Contained features limited by fixed budget and time frame

Resource based

When the project is difficult in nature with no specific requirement specified in the beginning, development engagement should be lithe enough to adapt midstream change demand to development and design. Ideally, this kind of project development desires is directly connected to total resources deployed and time spent throughout the engagement. This model is best suited for

  • Maintenance and support requirements
  • Application development as well product development
  • Research and Development based projects

Offshore team based – Dedicated team

This model imitates your local development team to offshore but still giving the advantage of your own development resources functioning at offshore development facility. They will work as your extended team facilitating you to set your multi location blueprint of development facilities and the best benefit of extenuating the increased cost of development locally.

  • Absolute flexibility to scale up/down
  • Access to most excellent resources and skill sets
  • Full- control over development and growth visibility
  • lower cost
  • company continuity with time benefit, enabling company follow the sun

Built-Operate-Maintain (BOM)

X-mx obtain end-to-end responsibility to setup clients dedicated Offshore Development Center (ODC) which is produce from the scrape, operated and maintained by us as per equally designed service level concord.

Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)

X-mx obtain end-to-end responsibility to setup clients dedicated Offshore Development Center (ODC) which is produce from the scrap, operated and afterward transferred to client as per mutually designed service level concord.

Project Execution
The developments processes have been arrived at from X-mx Solutions own experience as well as from various international standards like SEI – CMM, ISO, IEEE etc. All these are finally crystallized in the form X-mx – Quality Management System, covering all aspects of the project management and software engineering. For each project, the basic project specific execution, engineering and management processes are taken from X-mx Quality Management System and above that, there is an approved deviation process to ensure flexibility and innovation for projects to happen on a specific need and customer requirement. These processes are applied in all kinds of relationships and basic project execution and delivery process are the same in various kinds of engagements.

The following elements are usually included into standard outsourcing project execution process.

Kick-off meeting

A good practice is to say "JSK" at the start of each project. We establish kick-off meeting at the project beginning when each party can present themselves. Additionally some initial questions may be coordinated, like reporting terms, required formats etc.

Project requirements clarification

You can be sure that project is already 50% successful if an offshore team understands your requirements correctly. That's why our analysts are always in close interaction with customer representatives. Of course it is impossible to define all the nuances of the project on its first phase, so the process of requirements detailing is built iteratively.

Clients provide us with business needs or ideas and our specialists transform them into formal Software Requirements Specifications and Use Cases. Also, it is important to create GUI prototype (markup) to be able to see what the system will look like - usually it helps to make requirements more clear.

Technical & Functional prototyping / Architectural design

It is always essential to see how the system you've planned to get will look like. Usually in X-mx we create different prototypes for such demonstrations and requirements aligning. It can be technical prototypes with demonstration of some custom controls or some technology usage, functional prototypes with demonstration of some scope of functionality and so on. In majority of cases we also create Software Architectural Document which describes general solution structure and describes used approaches and technical decisions.

Implement & Test the solution

This stage is a stage of transferring project requirements into a working system.

The best practice here is to deliver regular versions of product, so Client could see the progress in real time, and also to continuously improve the product quality. Implementation and testing go together and establish a development cycle until the scope is ready and the quality is accepted.

Acceptance testing on customer side

In X-mx we use comprehensive set of tests and quality control methodologies to guarantee final product quality. Nevertheless, your acceptance of provided results is a crucial point in the project.

Support phase

After the project is completed we enter the support phase. Its duration should be defined in the Teaming Agreement. Usually it means that during the support phase all arising problems will be fixed for free.

Planning & Risks management

Preliminary project plan and risks list should be created during project estimation phase. However it is impossible for foresee all possible risks as well as it is quite difficult to create a well-detailed plan before project is up and running. These activities are rather continuous. In project due course project manager regularly reviews list of risks, defines new risks and sort out existing ones, updates project plan with actual work, modifies list of tasks in accordance to made decisions and established priorities, and so on.

Reporting

In X-mx we have standard set of reports we usually use to update client about project progress, problems that need resolution, available defects etc. By default, the following reports are used:

  • Weekly project status report
  • Report on project plan / Updated project plan
  • Report on project plan / Updated project plan
  • Other

Quality Assurance
X-mx Solutions firmly believes that Quality Analysis is an ongoing process that has no ends. Quality Assurance at X-mx Solutions is a part and parcel of any software development life cycle because we try to ensure that the client gets a high quality and reliable software solutions without failing to fulfill any of the standard protocols that have been chalked out earlier. Technological expertise would fall flat without robust processes at the back end. That's why we have honed our internal processes as much as we have built up our industry knowledge and technical capabilities.

We Follow Quality Assurance process approach

  • Various core/critical processes and their interactions affecting quality of our product and service offerings have been identified. These include processes for management activities; provision of resources; product realization; and measurement, analysis, and improvement.
  • Criteria and methods required to ensure operation and control of these processes have been determined.
  • Core/Critical Processes have also been documented and distributed to all concerned across the Company.
  • Information necessary to support the operation and monitoring of these processes is made available to the concerned professionals.
  • System to monitor, measure and analyze these processes and to implement preventive and corrective actions to achieve planned results and continual improvement has been established.

X-mx Solutions uses the latest testing tools to make sure that the quality of your delivery is not compromised other than focusing only on the short completion time. Our software testing tools are custom made to maintain top quality software that is high on performance, user friendliness and stability.

The dedicated QA team constantly keeps track of the latest coding standards, best coding practice, documentation standards and quality assurance to give you quality software for your business requirements without failing to meet deadlines. We use the following QA testing services to guarantee high quality product delivery to our clients;

  • Software testing
  • Functional testing
  • User interface testing
  • Regression testing
  • Bottlenecks analysis
  • Performance testing
  • Test results reporting

Delivery Models
X-mx Solutions can meet every client’s needs. Our delivery models cater for different scenarios and are designed to deliver tangible results that reduce costs, improve system performance, give return on investment and mitigate risk whether development is onsite or offshore.

Pure Offshore Development

When projects are well defined in the scope document, with clear project goals and deliverables, pure offshore development is an appropriate delivery model. This model removes both the pain related to hiring resources and long-term risk. We shoulder complete responsibility for managing the project from start to finish, and can also offer post-development support.

Under the tight control of a project manager, a project will progress with seamless coordination and effective communication. Complete visibility at all stages of development is ensured. The client will appreciate benefits in terms of cost, time and quality.

Pure Onsite Development

This model involves the deployment of resources at the client’s location. Ideally, when the project requires highly skilled resources, a good grasp of the client’s business domain, and when there are restrictions on the movement of data, we augment the client’s own resources onsite. This can be for short or long duration.

Hybrid development

This model combines the advantages of both onsite and offshore models to ensure optimal cost effectiveness and higher efficiency. Essentially, where complex business processes and challenges require qualified resources to be onsite, this will be organized. They can then conduct detailed requirement audits, consult the client’s user team etc. The complete project requirement will be framed in stages before development begins offshore.

This is the ideal model when the client’s resources are stretched or do not have the competencies required for the project. The model works either through two different teams working exclusively onsite & offshore or an initial team visiting the client’s site to conduct a requirement study/consultation returning for development of the project offshore.

Advantages

The advantage of this approach is faster development and implementation. The model is receptive to dynamic changes, making the system highly scalable and offering operational benefits.

IRA & NDA
X-mx Solutions calibrates its actions with great respect to client’s information and intellectual property rights. We restrict non-usage of information for other purposes, restriction on subcontracting and disclosure on a need to know basis. Before the start of negotiations, X-mx Solutions signs with every client a Non-Circumvention Non-Disclosure and Working Agreement (NCND) provided by the International Chamber of Commerce.

X-mx Solutions also enforces this similar agreement with all its employees, directors and third parties such as vendors, partners, legal and other consultants. This ensures for complete protection of client’s information.

Confidentiality Obligations and Commitments

  • We do not disclose, sell or transfer your information to any third party whatever the circumstances are. All information remains strictly confidential and is stored encrypted in our main office data storage.
  • Confidentiality of information is legally secured by signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This is a mandatory part of our project approach. Furthermore, NDA may be specifically re-designed to suite your particular needs.
  • Each employee must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and is asked to review and acknowledge this agreement annually. Also we screen all employees for criminal background, civil action, any discrepancy in resume, experience, education, references and interviews.
  • Our clients' identities and privacy are known only to the authorized persons as designated by the client.
  • We deal only with approved reputable suppliers, vendors and service providers.

Business Ethics

  • We do not use knowingly any software that is obtained either illegally or unethically.
  • We do not use client information for personal, financial, or other profit. We do use the property of a client only in ways properly authorized, and with the client's knowledge and consent.
  • We will identify, document, and report to the client promptly if, in our opinion, a project is likely to fail, to prove too expensive, to violate intellectual property law, or otherwise to be problematic.
  • We work to follow professional standards, when available, that are most appropriate for the task at hand, departing from these only when ethically or technically justified.
  • We ensure realistic quantitative estimates of cost, scheduling, personnel, quality and outcomes on any project on which we work or propose to work and provide an uncertainty assessment of these estimates. Also we ensure adequate testing, debugging, and review of software and related documents on which we work.
  • We ensure good management for any project on which we work, including effective procedures for promotion of quality and reduction of risk.
  • We keep our technical skills, knowledge, and competencies up to date, and will work to improve any flaws before they can affect the quality of the services that we provide to our clients.