3 SIDED CUBE

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the communications officer of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

3 SIDED CUBE helped us develop our website and mobile app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE designed and developed our website in WordPress, along with a corresponding cross-platform mobile app. Their team held several focus groups with our users to see what needed improvement and what functionalities needed to remain. Then, they put together the website specs for us to check. After the specs were approved, 3 SIDED CUBE came back to us with a final design that follows our branding guide. 

The website has two parts: information and engagement sections. The user journey leads users through the information section, where they can get information about our Ocean Decade initiative and events, into the engagement section. From there, users can sign up for our Global Stakeholder Forum. That forum is a networking platform created using HiveBrite, an off-the-shelf solution that 3 SIDED CUBE customizes for us. 

Now, 3 SIDED CUBE is providing cybersecurity and maintenance services for our website, networking platform, and mobile app. 

What is the team composition?

There is a core team of five teammates led by two project managers. Additionally, we work with a commercial director and an SEO teammate. 

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We conducted a formal United Nations procurement process. We put out a job notice on the UN Global Marketplace, and 3 SIDED CUBE answered it. They came in pretty late, but when we talked, we really aligned. 3 SIDED CUBE put in their offer, and a few months later, they were selected to work with us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested $177,000 with 3 SIDED CUBE. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our two-year contract with 3 SIDED CUBE began in March 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Most of our work with 3 SIDED CUBE is done: the Global Stakeholder Forum and WordPress website just went live. Within two weeks of the launch, 1,500 users joined our Global Stakeholder Forum — we now have over 2,500 users on the platform.

I am 90% satisfied with their work — they've exceeded expectations. Now, my team is putting together the last few pieces of the mobile app process; we're accumulating the information we need to launch the app on the Apple App and Google Play Stores.

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

3 SIDED CUBE has great project management — they fit our work style well. The project manager I usually interact with at 3 SIDED CUBE facilitates communication through BaseCamp and Google Meet. Depending on the phase of the project, we have weekly or biweekly meetings. 

They are strict about their schedule but are flexible and understanding when we can't deliver within set timelines — usually, they reassign tasks and teammates to give us a few extra days to deliver. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

3 SIDED CUBE is committed to the idea behind our project, and that commitment comes across strongly in their deliverables — we noticed it when they first sent in their application. They care about what their clients are doing and vet them accordingly. 3 SIDED CUBE supports sustainable ideas that move the world forward to a better place. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is always room for improvement; I think the APT connectivity between the HiveBrite platform and the website could've been better. However, I'm not sure that was entirely their fault; there were some issues with the third-party provider of the HiveBrite platform. Overall, there could've been more clarity on project costs during the development process. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go for it and hire them! However, clients also need to be aware that they need to take the time to complete the defining and discovery phase of the project. It's also important to pay attention to the technical spec documents — that is what I spent the most time on with them to help control the quality of their deliverables. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Uplevyl, a technology company focused on the advancement of women across the personal, professional, and financial dimensions of life. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We wanted to build a tech platform that could help us scale our efforts globally. That way, we could reach more women across the globe. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE started working with us by doing workshops to identify the key features we wanted on the platform. We decided to build the mobile platform first, engaging extensively with their whole UI/UX design team to build its frontend. On the backend, we built technologies around creating videos, audio, and articles. We used Contentful as our CMS. 

Since we offered hyper-personalized resources to our members, we also needed a strong AI platform. The engine we used for that was Recombee. Moreover, 3 SIDED CUBE developed the data architecture that underpinned the platform both from a static and dynamic perspective. 

So far, 3 SIDED CUBE has helped us submit the app to the App Store. Apart from that, they’ve helped build the backend of our website. While the site has been designed by a different company, 3 SIDED CUBE has worked to connect it to the platform’s database. 

In terms of core functionality, the platform gives women the ability to identify milestones they want to achieve. Based on that, the platform provides them with resources and content related to the milestones they’ve selected. The resources come in a form that users love to consume, such as videos, audio, or podcasts. Moreover, the platform allows end users to connect with each other through its chat functionality.  They can also have webinars through the platform’s Living Room functionality. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 3 SIDED CUBE'S whole team, which consists of designers, front- and backend developers, data scientists, data architects, AI engineers, and machine learning specialists. 

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

A friend recommended 3 SIDED CUBE to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $250,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2021, and the partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Our organic growth has been phenomenal. We haven’t finished the whole campaign, but women are already telling others to join the platform. Moreover, though we’ve started with a small beta group, we now have hundreds of users in just a few weeks. 

Likewise, the anecdotal feedback we’ve received has been great. Users say the platform is beautiful, sensible, and clean. On top of that, its system is robust. It doesn’t crash; it simply works. 

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

Our communication with 3 SIDED CUBE has been great. We have a Slack channel, and our team has weekly meetings with their resources. We review and prioritize our tickets while constantly communicating with each other as we resolve issues that come up. In terms of timelines, we’ve hit our launch and App Store target dates. For tools, we’ve used a document to keep track of our priorities and issues. After the launch, we’ve used Asana to keep track of tickets. 

Further, while we’re a for-profit organization, our company has a strong mission statement. As a result, we need a partner that truly believes in our mission — 3 SIDED CUBE effectively serves that role. Other companies are simply transactional: they do things and then we write them a check. They don’t care about the purpose of the project. 

By contrast, 3 SIDED CUBE interviews us as much as we interview them, and they believe in the project. As a result, the team is passionate about what they’re building, and they think three steps ahead of us. Moreover, their co-founder is a woman, which is unusual in the tech world. Given the nature of the platform that we’re building, having a female executive in our partner organization is truly a gift. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

3 SIDED CUBE only works with organizations with strong mission statements. This inspires their people to work with passion. As a result, the whole team buys into the project. On top of that, we’ve experienced no turnover from their team; the same people have worked with us since day one. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve encountered challenges in terms of time zone differences. I happen to be an early morning person, so I can get up early and connect with them. However, by 11 o’clock in the morning here, their day is over. That feels limiting. 

Having said that, they do respond to us after 11 a.m. depending on the severity of the issues we have. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

3 SIDED CUBE’s secret sauce to success is their way of inspiring their team using your company’s mission. As a result, it’s important for you to understand who will be working for you. Make sure that they’re truly inspired by what you’re doing — that’s what matters in the end. The actual work is done by the developers and designers, and they must believe in what you’re doing if you want them to do a phenomenal job. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there?

I’m the founder of Playful Solutions. We're a game designing agency that helps our clients find the right resources to support their development efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We needed their team to develop a mobile application for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially engaged 3 SIDED CUBE to seek assistance in developing a use case for our platform. We wanted to determine the right technical approach based on thorough market and creative research. Upon finalizing the data we collated, 3 SIDED CUBE proceeded with building our prototype. We conducted data analysis on the prototype to evaluate our application, which is a video and gaming platform with user-specific features, content, and controls.

3 SIDED CUBE is currently in the process of developing our iOS- and Android-friendly app. They're using our research findings and the approved technical prototype to implement different development and design solutions.

What is the team composition?

We currently work with six resources from 3 SIDED CUBE, but we've interacted with at least ten of their members over the course of our engagement. These different resources include a project manager, a product owner, programmers, designers, and testers.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We searched online for potential agencies to onboard for this project and reached out to our company's previous partners. After careful evaluation, we decided to choose 3 SIDED CUBE because their detailed proposal impressed us the most.

How much have you invested with them?
 
We've spent $200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2020, and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We've assigned an external provider to examine the impact of our prototype, and their feedback on 3 SIDED CUBE has been entirely positive — both quality- and quantity-wise.

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via Slack and Google Meet. 3 SIDED CUBE is a professional and organized team — they understand our requirements and the solutions needed to address those. Overall, they're a very responsive and transparent partner that's keen on exceeding our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They truly care about our product and the impact it can potentially bring to the market — this dedication is highly apparent in the quality of their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We can benefit from more frequent budget updates as they sometimes deliver those longer than expected.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust their team to deliver the results you need. 3 SIDED CUBE are experts at what they do, and they have processes that work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an entertainment company primarily producing live events and TV shows. We’re building out technology to support one of our live events in 2021, which is a global concert series in aid of climate change. I’m the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

The event series we’re running is ultimately a fourth installment of Live Aid, with the original Live Aid team. Live Earth, which was the 2007 series we produced, was effectively a fundraiser. It was a TV event, and people donated. In 2021, we find ourselves in a more challenging climate crisis. More people are attuned to what needs to be done, and many aren’t resonating with the principle of throwing money at the problem.

We assembled a thought leadership council of experts around the world. It was clear that behavioral change was a big part of what needed to be done, and that became the call to action for the Earth Aid Live concert series. Through a series of conversations and iterations, the project formed itself into a mobile app that could track the impact we’re having on the planet and the quality of our choices.

Our timeline was very short, so we had to work with an agency rather than create an internal tech team. Because we’re an environmentally-focused business, we needed to work with an agency that shared our values. They had to have experience in launching and managing global tech as well as an understanding of social behaviors and how communities work within a social goods environment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a discovery and definition phase, as most agencies would. 3 SIDED CUBE gave us end-to-end technical production offerings. We had a rough idea for our interface, user experience, and functionality. 

We had around 10 creative sessions when we could still meet in person prior to the pandemic. We put together a number of testing groups alongside 3 SIDED CUBE, covering various demographics and psychographics, both of which are important in this conversation.

They managed the process entirely, putting all project management elements into place. They were sorting out the questions and building out the prototype we’d be testing with our audiences.

They used that to validate what the app should do and what features were overloaded or unnecessary, which helped us reach an MVP to fund.

The next phases will be the design and development, and 3 SIDED CUBE will also manage the global rollout of the app. We’ll build the app for Android and iOS.

What is the team composition? 

We’ve worked closely with three project leads, depending on the needs of the project. There are around 10 people from 3 SIDED CUBE on the project, but they’re not all working on our account at the same time. 

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

Their sister agency was listed on a top 10 list of UK builders on Clutch. I spoke with their founder and CEO, and he told us that our project would work best with 3 SIDED CUBE.

We spoke with around 12 agencies in the UK. Some were the large, leading tech agencies and others were more boutique firms, such as 3 SIDED CUBE. Their approach was head and shoulders above other vendors.

Some of the other agencies told us that they had other proposals in the works and would get back to us in a couple of weeks. 3 SIDED CUBE made sure to get back to us within five days. It was a very fast turnaround.

Their portfolio spoke volumes. The fact that they’d worked with technologies in the disaster relief space was impressive. That meant that they were used to sitting around servers around the clock, making sure that nothing fell down.

From our global broadcast partners, we knew that we were going to have millions onboarded overnight, and server steadiness and stability were key focal points for us.

Our final reasons for selecting them were 3 SIDED CUBE’s ethical alignment with our mission and experience working with communities in this line of conversation, along with their technical strengths.

How much have you invested with them?

The budget for the MVP is £360,000 (approximately $494,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged 3 SIDED CUBE in September 2020, and we started the work officially in October of that year. The work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I’ve been impressed with the quality of ideas 3 SIDED CUBE brought to the table. They got under the hood of the complexities of this app and understood that it wasn’t just a consumer product. There needs to be meaningful action at the core of the product.

The app is basically a social media network and a habit tracker. Everyone we’d spoken to prior to the engagement thought that the habit tracker had to be front and center. Through working with 3 SIDED CUBE, we learned that the audience we were going after, which is the middle market of people who are aware of climate change but aren’t really active about it, would rather engage socially. They wanted to see what other people are doing about climate change and discover the habits they could adopt.

A lot of agencies were telling us how they’d do it, indicating that we would be learning from them and her experiences. 3 SIDED CUBE was very different. They aimed to give us the best product possible and set out to determine how to go about it, pretending to know nothing. They came to us with some great ideas based on their experience, but at the same time, they listened to what we wanted to achieve.

They had a level of collaboration with our team that made them feel like an extension of ours. I know that this statement can be thrown about quite easily, but it really is the case with 3 SIDED CUBE. I’ve built apps before and had different experiences.

They’re willing to move mountains to make sure they deliver our product within our timeframe. Again, in my experience, this doesn’t happen with every development company.

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been one of the most stress-relieving experiences I’ve had. It was immediately obvious that we were in safe hands and that 3 SIDED CUBE knew exactly what they were talking about. Beyond having a pragmatic approach, they felt like an extension of our team. That sentiment echoed when they were introducing the audience to our app.

3 SIDED CUBE was forthcoming and moved their existing projects around to accommodate ours because we had tight deadlines. They obviously felt that our project was important, rather than something that would look good in their portfolio.

They get into granular technical details while making sure the development experience is fun. We’ve had team-building games and exercises to break the ice. They often make an effort to create a friendly experience, and it didn’t feel gimmicky at any point.

They’ve been spot on in terms of project management. We got everything we needed to take back to our investors, and 3 SIDED CUBE did it ahead of schedule. They’ve sat on investment calls with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their commitment to our cause stood out from the start. 3 SIDED CUBE is a tech-for-good agency, and they don’t take on work that isn’t aligned with that principle. That doesn’t mean that they’re a charity, but their causes, beliefs, and efforts determine the direction their company takes. When something resonates with them, they’ll go above and beyond to make sure that they can bring it into existence.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There probably is something they could improve upon, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. I’ve had a really good experience with them so far. I’m blown away by how amazing they’ve been.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The client should have a very clear idea of what they want to achieve and what’s driving them toward their goals. When we came to them, we had a UI drawn up and knew exactly what the purpose of our product was. That was the main reason the collaboration has been so smooth from the start. A lot of people just have a napkin idea and expect the agency to have all the answers, but that’s not always the case.

The key to getting the most out of 3 SIDED CUBE is to ask questions, learn from their experience, and evolve the product together. The team should be given the space to bring to the table what the client is inviting them to bring. Don’t stand in your own way, and have as much of an idea as you can!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Technical lead at Cudo Ventures, a blockchain and cryptocurrency company. Cudo utilises unused computer power on existing systems to allow users to earn cryptocurrency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chelsea Apps, and what were your goals?

Software, mobile, and web app development. To prove that we could monetise unused computer power and grow a user-base.

SOLUTION

How did you select Chelsea Apps and what were the deciding factors?

We heard good reviews from prior clients that Chelsea App’s service and products delivered excellent results and value, on-time.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The project began with a discovery phase, where we were working on the target user, target market, and the varying sectors. Chelsea Apps then began working on a prototype design, testing out what worked and what we needed to develop further. Chelsea Apps then developed a technical prototype, which allowed us to test the validation of returns and real-world usage.

This then led to multiple approaches and application focuses: Cudo Compute, Cudo Gamer, Cudo Donate, and Cudo Miner. Chelsea Apps then developed the cryptocurrency coin itself, CUDOS.

Chelsea Apps also helped to build up an audience in the gaming market, creating a website and marketing push around the gaming audience for Cudo Gamer. This allowed for gamers to earn and then pay for games using the CUDOS coin. Chelsea Apps also then helped to launch our Miner, Donate and Compute applications.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The team we were working with was composed of a project manager, 2 designers, and 5 developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The Chelsea Apps process allowed us to validate what would work and where there was user demand. We were able to test out different markets quickly, understanding what we should be building, which proved to be invaluable.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

The workflow was seamless. Chelsea Apps helped us with a 2-week build sprint process and worked on the backlog, setting goals to get us in a great flow for building software.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their ability to deliver on time and their strategic thinking. They really helped us bring the product to life and perfect the finishing touches.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No, the process went smoothly and was highly effective.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and co-founder of a start-up which has built two blockchain-based mobile applications for the purpose of providing patients better access to their medical records and the ability to share their records more securely with third parties such as doctors.

As the CEO and co-founder, I am the project lead, manage the team and lead the vision.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 3 SIDED CUBE?

After receiving EU grant funding we need to update our app with new features and improve the overall user experience. We employed 3 SIDED CUBE to revamp the current user experience and interface as well as designing new features.

What were your goals for this project?

3SidedCube redesigned our current app flow providing us with revised wireflows and they updated the UI of our app with more engaging designs.

SOLUTION

How did you select 3 SIDED CUBE?

We originally used Clutch to identify possible app development companies and then we contacted about 10 companies and had meetings and quotes from about 5.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected 3SidedCube we first had a discovery meeting to discuss what we wanted to achieve through the changes to the app UX/UI. They had already provided us with a free UX/UI audit so we also discussed those findings and how to incorporate them.

After this meeting, 3SidedCube set specific deliverables, timeframes and pre-scheduled meetings for reviews and handovers of the deliverables. The project was split into two phases - the wireflows and the design phrase.

For the wireflows, they started off with our current app and suggested changes - drawing these out, and for the UI, we provided our brand guidelines, the current app and overall feeling we wanted to achieve and they did the design with little other assistance except where we gave additional direction after they provided us with their drafts.

What was the team composition?

Four main team members were involved from 3SidedCube's side - a Project Manager, Client Strategist, UX designer and UI designer. They were consistent throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The new design has made the app must easier to navigate and bought out our core message in a much clear way. They have added some highly valuable features and made the design align with accessibility standards. As this was a design-only project, we are now implementing the changes and will then see tangible results and external feedback.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. The team were very clear in their communication and very up-front about how every step would work. We used the communications platform Baseline, and the results were provided to us via Zeplin which allowed us to keep up to date with the changes.

We had pre-planned meetings to review their work and provide feedback and then a final handover session for each phase.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

3SidedCube focuses on Tech4Good and you really feel that every member of the team believes in this and hence has a passion for the projects they are involved in. I didn't feel like just another client on their books. But like they really supported what we are creating and genuinely cared.

While being authentic and passionate, they were exceptionally professional, always setting out clearly what we should expect in how we would work together and the end result to be provided.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We specialize in helping large, multinational organizations with transformations. My role is director of digital content, so I focus on anything that needs to be done from a creative, design, or production standpoint. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

The founder of our organization developed a framework for effective transformations. When that took shape, we wanted to bring it to life through a digital product. We hired them to develop a digital survey that creates a diagnostic report about how coherent a company is for a sizable transformation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with an immersion session for the discovery and design phase. There, we defined all technical specifications, user stories, and other criteria. We spent a whole day determining our situation and what we should be trying to accomplish. In that process, they also conducted interviews with some of our major stakeholders. At that point, they gave us the option to continue with their services. 

It ended up being a no-brainer to do the development with them. During this phase, they were responsible for wireframes and UX design. This was a very iterative project, and they designed the app to align with our established brand. After the design phase, they handled front- and backend development as well as QA testing. The app is now live. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with eight primary teammates. That included a project manager, a testing lead, the head of production, and two lead developers. 

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

we built a proof of concept through another company. The project did not go well and we received negative feedback on their work. At that point, I did some research for on-shore development companies that were known for creating high-quality UX products. 

There were a few options, but 3 SIDED CUBE’s mission of doing good through technology resonated with us. They felt passionate about what we were trying to achieve, and the quality of work was evidenced through their impressive portfolio.

How much have you invested with them?

We ended up spending about £250,000 (approximately $332,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ll see more results from our clients in the coming weeks, but our facilitators are grateful to have a tool that they feel confident about using with clients. Our team praised the user-friendly quality and robustness of the solution. It helped us get around some major technical hurdles. This was encouraging because our team became passionate advocates for the platform very early on.

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

Everyone had an area of expertise, and I felt that I was open to engaging with everyone over Slack. Not only was communication clear and transparent, but our project manager developed a close relationship with us. They also delivered everything on time and within our budget by sticking to milestones. Our project manager was fantastic. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was clear from the beginning that they wanted to fully commit to our mission and go the extra mile. Even after launch, the team was checking in on the product and making helpful adjustments without needing to be prompted by our team. We’re very happy with the product and their service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

During the COVID-19 lockdown, we had to work out some of the logistics behind information sharing. However, that’s totally fair. They were great to work with. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them and go into the relationship with an open mind. They are so good at what they do, so it helps to take a collaborative approach to solve problems. Their insights really opened up avenues for our solution that we wouldn’t have now without their help.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the platform manager at World Resources Institute. We are a global environmental nonprofit organization with offices around the world. I work in our forestry department, and more specifically, within that, on issues of forest and landscape restoration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We needed someone to help us with app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prior to working with 3 SIDED CUBE, we spent about nine months building out a prototype for our app with another firm. When we put out our RFP to which 3 SIDED CUBE replied and ended up winning, we were starting already with a pretty solid concept and some general designs already. 

A lot of that changed quite a bit by working with them and flushing this out a little bit more. We developed the concept and built the app with 3 SIDED CUBE. They used React Native and built one source code that works for both iOS and Android. It was also made for the web.

It’s an app that is sort of like a dating site for reforestation. It allows those folks doing the reforestations to match with those organizations and companies that are looking to fund that kind of work.

One of the functionalities we have is a standardized form that both funders — groups looking to fund or invest in these projects — and project developers — who are the folks who implement it — have to fill out with different pieces of information. 

This is standardized so that every project developer is filling out the same information which makes it easy to compare projects to each other. The app as it stands now for the MVP that we just built, is really just focused on the matchmaking.

Throughout the course of development and in conversations, we are seeing that there is a lot of demand and potential to build this out to match other types of units of value, not just money for projects. 

The site is free but it’s not publicly available. All the functionalities are behind a registration wall, so we are vetting all of the groups that register on the site. The idea here is that by doing this vetting, we can make sure that the groups that are on there are real organizations and are really involved and invested in the reforestation space. 

A great feature is that instead of just allowing folks to put in their information and then going and searching, and putting on different filters, we use a little pretty simple matching algorithm between those so if someone is a funder and they put in, what we call a funding offer, they can put in a bunch of different factors. 

So, instead of having to go to the project page and seeing all the different filters and seeing what pops up, they can put in projects that match a certain funding offer so it will automatically apply all those filters and show the projects that have the best match. It allows funders to manage their type of portfolio.

What is the team composition?

It has been really great working with them. The specific team that we work with consists of Annette (Senior Project Manager) who I remain in contact with on a daily basis as well as a UX team member. 

We’ve also worked with one or two people from their design team. I’m not sure exactly how many because they were bringing on resources as needed, but there were a number of different people and one to two main leads for both the front- and backend development.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

Within our forest department, there is another team that focuses primarily on the deforestation side of things and how to monitor the loss of forests. That team had already been working on a platform for about a year and a half, and they were working with 3 SIDED CUBE. 

Theirs was completely mobile so when they did their RFP they were looking for mobile-only developers who were very strong in the mobile space, and they landed on 3 SIDED CUBE. When we began our search, we went around to get a sense from the different teams of who they were working with, depending on the developer’s skill set and what we were trying to do, and 3 SIDED CUBE was one of those. 

It wasn’t a completely public RFP but we did invite six or seven organizations that either other teams within the company were already working with or just through some contacts that were recommended or found through a Google search. 3 SIDED CUBE was one of them, and, because one of our teams had already been working with them, we had a little bit of background on how it had gone.

How much have you invested in them?

So far, it’s pretty close to about $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed our contract with them in April 2019. The app, which is called TerraMatch, was launched in June 2020. Our main development contract with them has expired and we are now waiting for additional funding for continuous improvement, but we are still partnering with them for ongoing bug fixes and maintenance of the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It has been a little over a month since launch. We really had no idea how much interest there would be in the site. We were anticipating maybe in the first month to get 50 or so users. We have about 250 users registered on the site now.

There has been a huge interest and influx from the ground, and we have about 30 or so different projects from those users that have come on. We haven’t had any matches yet and that is going to be our measure of success, but it’s still fairly new.

Another measure of success was when we built this, we understood the fragmentation in the space, but also we knew that there were hundreds or thousands of groups around the world doing this reforestation work, but they were so local and don’t have a big reputation. 

We built it with that in mind and of the 250 users that have signed up, I would say the majority of them are groups we have never heard of before; they are hyper-local. We essentially have reached the groups that we were hoping to be able to raise their voices and bring to the fore. On one aspect, that is a pretty good success metric.

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication with them is great. Our standard line of communication has been Slack, and we are on there all the time. They are based in the UK, so there is a bit of a time difference, but they are usually pretty responsive even in their evening when it is our afternoon. 

We have been able to really keep track of conversations through Slack and have a really good response and feedback that way. In terms of project management, Annette has been amazing. She is really organized, knows which folks on the team to pull in, and is knowledgeable enough about the technical aspects to be able to walk us through some them but also pull in the experts when needed. 

We have really enjoyed working with her. 3 SIDED CUBE was able to stay on the timeline or let us know enough in advance that there were delays and explain what the delays were and how they would impact our project timelines. 

They would then work with us to work around it if we had a specific deadline. The team went out of their way to build either a one-off view or different ways for us to be able to use it for our purposes while the site was being finalized. I have really positive feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

3 SIDED CUBE was really helpful in the early stages when it came to thinking through how to make some of the features that we really wanted to have on there as useful and intuitive to the user as possible. When we were doing the RFP, one of the things that made them stand out was that we had already developed our prototype, but when we did the RFP we actually didn’t share any of the prototype materials we had. 

We gave a written description of how we wanted the site to work. It was very detailed, but it was all just a narrative of how we wanted the site to work. Of all the responses we got from the different organizations and the different mock-ups of how this might look, 3 SIDED CUBE really got it. 

The folks on the team really understood what we were trying to do. They came back to us with a mock-up and even added some additional features in there that we hadn’t even thought of but have now been integrated into the final platform. We were just really impressed with their response to the RFP and they really seemed to understand what we were hoping to achieve with this.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I am a little newer to the arena of the product management and I don’t have a lot of experience to pull from in terms of what to expect for cost, but I think for us, a little bit better understanding of the cost for the ongoing maintenance of the site would be helpful. 

When we got to that point and we were going through it, I think the breakdown of what the cost would be per month was an estimate based on what they expected the use to be, and to us, it felt a little bit higher. We had a little bit of a negotiation and there is an opportunity to renegotiate that price once we have had a couple of months of maintenance to see what the demand is. 

It wasn’t very clear upfront about how that would work. Besides that, I’ve been extremely happy with it. 3 SIDED CUBE has gone above and beyond, sometimes doing more than what we paid them to do because they really want to help us. Overall, we are really satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an environmental platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We needed an organization to help us build a mobile-based app. We brought them on board for their developers to get the job done.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE provided the resources to deliver our mobile app following our vision. At our request, they built an MVP for iOS. It’s an environmental platform that helps people to reduce their carbon footprints.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a full-time project manager and two full-time developers. We probably collaborated with 4–5 people in total.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We wanted to work with a partner that understood the environmental space. We initially searched under the banner of Tech for Good. 3 SIDED CUBE drives most of their marketing through that ethos. We brought them in for an initial discussion and liked their team. On the basis of that discussion, we asked them to provide a pitch. There wasn’t a problem with their pitch, it just wasn’t the product that we wanted at that point. We decided to take them on not for their idea but for their people.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $500,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The development occurred between October–December 2019. We retained the contractors that 3 SIDED CUBE brought on board for this project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Their team focused on delivering our vision. They worked at a quick pace to produce MVP. Since launching the app, we’ve had success with the platform.

How did 3 SIDED CUBE perform from a project management standpoint?

3 SIDED CUBE used JIRA to manage their work. They focused on the activity and organized their resources well, which kept the project on track. Their team followed an Agile methodology, helping us to deliver against our objectives. They responded to our feedback well. When we started, I didn’t bank on them being good project managers, so that was a bonus.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have talented, pragmatic people on their team. As friendly individuals, they fit into our team well. Their team was quite relaxed, so we could have conversions with them. They understood our position and helped us where we needed them to help.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They had a strong idea of what they wanted to deliver, which wasn’t always what we wanted to deliver. At some point, we put our foot down. To their credit, they took that on board and ran with it.

On occasion, 3 SIDED CUBE tried to push additional resources on us that we didn’t necessarily need. We had a particular desire to work with an agency to design the UX/UI, but they wanted to do that themselves.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define their responsibilities clearly. Don’t let scope creep happen. For instance, we wanted them for development, not design. You can trust them and let them run with the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of Digital Excellence for ISupplyEnergy, a UK consumer energy supplier, owned by Vattenfall.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 3 SIDED CUBE?

To design a prototype for a mobile app.

What were your goals for this project?

To reduce cost to serve through improved self-serve functionality and to reduce churn through increased customer engagement.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched for app developers in the local area and further afield within the UK and invited our top choices to tender.

Describe the project in detail.

We began with initial discovery sessions, involving a range of stakeholders. User journeys were then identified and mapped out, along with a deep technical dive to facilitate a feasible prototype.

What was the team composition?

Project manager, front-end developers, back end developers, strategic and account relationship support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The prototype was successfully delivered within agreed timelines, meeting and surpassing internal expectations, allowing us sign-off to proceed with the build phase.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow and communication between the teams was excellent and personally I always had access and time to discuss anything I required with any of the team members, who were always open and enthusiastic, demonstrating a high level of domain knowledge.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have enthusiasm, deliver at a steady pace, and are an all-around great team of people to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I experienced.