TeamStation AI
Home / Case Studies / Atticus

From Broken POC to App Store MVP in <3 Months | Atticus Case Study

Hero image for Atticus case study

Executive Summary

Atticus set an ambitious goal: deliver a production‑ready probate and estate‑settlement experience on web and iOS under a tight budget and a three‑month MVP deadline. TeamStation AI assembled a right‑sized LATAM squad (Senior Frontend & Backend Engineers, Product Manager, and supporting specialists) and shipped an MVP in under 3 months, followed by a complete system in under 6 months. The iOS app was approved by Apple and released to market.

Business Impact

  • $550,000 estimated development cost savings versus typical alternatives
  • 750 lifetime downloads and ~$100K estimated lifetime revenue
  • Ongoing enhancements and support as Atticus builds its customer base

The Challenge

  • Time & budget constraints: Ship a fully functional system on a lean budget with an MVP in ~90 days.
  • Inheritance of a broken start: The team inherited a non‑functional monolithic proof of concept.
  • Stack transition: Migrate a partially built Python/Django/GraphQL API to a stack aligned with team skills, budget, and time‑to‑market: PHP/Laravel, Vue.js, MySQL, with Swift for iOS.
  • Regulatory tone & data sensitivity: Estate workflows involve personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive inventories—security and auditability were table stakes.

Why TeamStation AI

  • Precision team assembly: AI‑assisted talent alignment to source senior engineers with prior fintech/legaltech exposure and iOS delivery history.
  • Speed without chaos: Structured discovery, rapid work‑plan generation, and validated estimates to make the 3‑ and 6‑month gates achievable.
  • Nearshore cadence: Same‑time‑zone collaboration with U.S. stakeholders shortened feedback loops.
  • Built‑in governance: MDM‑managed devices, MFA/SSO, least‑privilege access, and pen‑test cycles consistent with SOC 2/ISO‑aligned practices.
  • Product management backbone: A Product Manager embedded to translate regulatory constraints into shippable scope and prioritize an iPhone‑first path.

Objectives

Create a web‑based and iPhone‑only estate‑settlement application that:

  • Guides users through probate administration end‑to-end.
  • Allows registration and capture of assets, assignment to beneficiaries, and final report generation.
  • Supports paid access with clear value realization and simple pricing.

Solution & Delivery

Team Composition

  • Senior Backend (PHP/Laravel) — domain modeling, API design, auth, billing.
  • Senior Frontend (Vue.js) — responsive UI, state management, accessibility.
  • iOS (Swift) — capture flows, offline considerations, camera/photo library.
  • Product Manager — scope control, regulatory mapping, release planning.
  • QA/TestOps (as‑needed) — CI gating, smoke suites, App Store readiness.

Architecture Decisions

  • Shift from the incomplete Python/Django/GraphQL codebase to Laravel 5.6 with a modular MVC structure for faster iteration and simpler hiring pipelines.
  • Vue.js front end for a compact, reactive UI and maintainable component library.
  • MySQL for transactional integrity and straightforward reporting.
  • Swift (iOS) app dedicated to high‑fidelity asset capture and inventory management.

Process Highlights

  • Discovery & risk framing (Week 0–2): Map probate workflows, define PII data handling, and lock the MVP scope.
  • MVP sprint train (Week 2–12): API foundations, core user journeys, iOS capture, and report generation.
  • Hardening & scale‑up (Month 4–6): Payment flows, error handling, test coverage, and App Store submission.
  • App Store approval & release: iOS app approved and published to the market.

Technology Stack

  • Backend: PHP, Laravel 5.6
  • Frontend: Vue.js
  • Mobile: Swift (iOS)
  • Database: MySQL
  • Tooling: Git‑based CI, unit/integration tests, App Store Connect workflows

Security & Compliance Posture

  • Identity & access: MFA/SSO and role‑based access controls; least‑privilege data access for sensitive inventories.
  • Device governance: MDM‑enforced laptops, patch compliance, and remote‑wipe capability.
  • Data handling: Encryption in transit, hashed credentials, and environment‑variable secrets management.
  • Auditability: Change history, release notes, and incident response playbooks consistent with SOC 2/ISO‑aligned practices.

Outcomes

  • MVP delivered in <3 months, complete system in <6 months.
  • Apple App Store approval and market release.
  • Cost efficiency: ~$550K in development cost savings versus common alternatives.
  • Traction: ~750 lifetime downloads and ~$100K projected lifetime revenue (to date).
  • Continuity: Ongoing enhancements and production support.

Product Insights (What made it work)

  1. iPhone‑first was a feature, not a compromise. Narrowing the initial device surface cut QA complexity and accelerated App Store learning loops.
  2. Pragmatic stack shift. Laravel/Vue allowed rapid staffing and velocity; it traded GraphQL’s flexibility for faster delivery and easier onboarding for new engineers.
  3. Model the paperwork, then the pixels. Probate has crisp, document‑driven artifacts; encoding those first clarified UX and reporting.
  4. “Thin slice” billing. Users realize value when a usable inventory is produced—align pricing and trial triggers to that moment.
  5. Security from day zero. Handling PII meant establishing least‑privilege roles and MDM before writing complex features.