3 SIDED CUBE

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics is a global cosmetics retailer. My position focuses on technology research and development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired 3 SIDED CUBE for a series of smaller engagements on various mobile applications, rather than just one continuous project. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE builds all our products from scratch. They are involved all the way from design to build. All of our apps are native for both iOS and Android. They also support QA and the final delivery to the App Store and Google Play. 

One mobile app they developed for us was a media player called Lush Player, which offers customers a way to watch our video and audio content. Lush Lens is a camera application we built together. They've worked on other internal, conceptual projects that never actually made it to our customers.

In addition to development, they provide design and UX work. Our team mostly handles the backend development, but they've provided a small amount of support when needed. They also offer us general strategy advice. 

What is the team composition? 

The projects varied in size, but roughly five people worked with us each time we had an engagement. The roles typically included a project manager, an overall account lead, a designer, a QA tester, and a developer for iOS and Android.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

I've known the owner historically. 3 SIDED CUBE is a local agency for us in the U.K., so they were familiar to me. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent in the region of $50,000–$80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around September 2017. Our relationship is ongoing. We don't have any active work right now, but we use them whenever we need on an ad-hoc basis. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

3 SIDED CUBE has always been superb to work with due to their flexibility and enthusiasm.  They quickly react to our ever-changing needs. The team is dynamic, and we enjoy their fresh mindset and approach. From a personality perspective, we get along very well which is important to us. They thoroughly understand our business, and we've had a great experience with them.

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

They offer strong overall account and relationship management. From a project point of view, they have talented producers and managers on their team who communicate effectively. 3 SIDED CUBE can achieve challenges of any sort. The team always finishes tasks quickly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to other providers, they're small enough that we can engage with them quite quickly. They're reactive and take an agile, hands-on approach. Unlike dealing with a massive agency, it never takes a long time to start an engagement. They focus on rapid prototyping rather than using a lengthy design and specifications process before producing results.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their team could be stronger on the design front, perhaps. They're very skilled at development, but could always build out more design capability.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I suggest going into a partnership with 3 SIDED CUBE with an idea that you want to test quickly. They're a great agency to help you validate your concept and produce a prototype you can try out fast. If you want to make a product larger in scale, they're also a good choice to work with. Rapid prototyping is where they truly excel. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a research analyst for an environmental non-profit think tank. We focus on some of the major issues concerning our environment, such as the climate, forests, and water.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We offer an online tool that helps users in the field monitor deforestation and manage their lands. We wanted a mobile application for both iOS and Android that would allow users to use our data offline in the field. Our previous vendor lacked mobile development experience, so we brought in 3 SIDED CUBE to update our app with strong offline functionality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE cleaned up our original code, making necessary improvements and edits. They implemented offline functionality so that the app would work reliably in the field with minimal crashes.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager, two mobile developers, and several other team members as needed.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

I went through an extensive search process for a mobile app developer with in-depth expertise in offline functionality. We went outside of our network, looking at interesting tools that we wanted to mimic and then looking into their developers. We also used Clutch reviews to give us further insight into these developers. I sent inquiries to several vendors, received proposals from five or six, and then narrowed it down to three.

3 SIDED CUBE stood out from the competition because of their highly relevant experience. They’ve worked on the Red Cross mobile app, which requires an extremely reliable offline mode to work in disaster zones and emergencies. 3 SIDED CUBE also demonstrated strong project planning skills and innovative ideas to address our issues. We were deeply impressed with their proposal and interviews.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re about to release an app update to improve offline reliability. Our colleagues in Madagascar were able to test it in the field and are highly satisfied with the upgraded navigation. This initial contract was meant to get us more comfortable and confident about working with 3 SIDED CUBE for future development. Our teams are also planning a design and discover sprint in March where 3 SIDED CUBE will address more app features.

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

We’ve been amazed at their professionalism and efficiency. Holly (Junior Project Manager, 3 SIDED CUBE) does everything right; she’s timely, open with information, and organized. She keeps us in the loop on every task and deadline. They also provide explicit document sharing and organized processes for reviewing documents and information.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We value their professionalism and thorough project management approach. Compared to past vendors I’ve worked with, 3 SIDED CUBE is highly responsive and well-organized. The project has run smoothly since the beginning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of product marketing for Wonderbly. We make personalized children’s books that are primarily available through e-commerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website allows customers to see complete previews of our books for free. Having a mobile app with similar features would act as an additional way to influence potential clients. Therefore, we approached 3 SIDED CUBE to help translate our web platform’s technology into a mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our internal team handled a lot of the project’s UX design, so we came to 3 SIDED CUBE with a good understanding of what we wanted to build. Conducting the upfront research ourselves helped streamline the whole project. We held a formal kickoff conference where their team came to our office to meet with our key stakeholders. We worked with them to further refine our list of priorities and project requirements. Then, we used the finalized outline to create a project budget and schedule.

Considering the app would be an MVP for us, we wanted to build it as quickly and as economically as possible. After looking at our customer base, we choose to create the app solely for iOS. Therefore, it’s designed to operate on both iPhones and iPads. One of their most significant contributions involved integrating the app with our website’s book rendering API. That functionality is necessary for users to read their personalized books within the app. They managed to complete the platform using React Native.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with a project manager and two developers. Shortly after the app’s launch, they allocated a QA resource to address remaining issues. Now, there’s a customer service representative that acts as our way to get in touch with them.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We worked with a long-term contractor of ours to design the UX. He used to work for 3 SIDED CUBE, so his style happened to meld well with theirs. Once we started looking for development firms, 3 SIDED CUBE understood the design specs and could translate everything quickly. While other vendors wanted to reorganize our plan into a more grandiose undertaking, 3 SIDED CUBE wanted to deliver whatever product worked best for us. That made hiring them an easy decision.

What is the status of this engagement?

The app development process took place from August–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app’s purpose is to get customers who read our books to purchase physical copies. While improving our conversion rate is an ongoing process, we’re excited by how the app has performed thus far. 70% of users create a book within the app and read it to completion. That involves finding a story, inputting personalization data, selecting a character, and flipping through at least 22 pages. That level of user engagement is a testament to the platform’s functionality and design.

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

They worked under a super tight timeline and delivered the product ahead of schedule. The project consisted of two development sprints that took place nearly back-to-back. Their QA resources frequently released builds to show their progression and to receive relevant feedback. We also had daily meetings through Slack. Everyone would be online simultaneously and submit their updates. That enabled conversations to take place in real time. We scheduled a call once a week to recap anything that needed to be addressed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

3 SIDED CUBE communicated with us and managed our expectations masterfully. As a result, there were no surprises regarding the budget, scheduling, or the delivery of features. Our priority was to release the app in November, so we agreed to implement additional features later on. They were happy to address our needs without pressuring us into a larger project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Ideally, I would’ve had them allocate more time to QA. Overall, we’re happy with the experience they provided.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am head of communications at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals, an NHS [National Health Services] foundation trust. We’re a large hospital with a staff of 4,500, serving the year-round residents and summer visitors in and around the resort town of Bournemouth on the south coast of England.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We want to update our internal communications. Our diverse employees, including doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, pathologists, and delivery people, don’t always have easy access to computers as they do their work. We are considering the communications challenges, and want to work out solutions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

So far they’ve completed a large scoping exercise. They came in on a Monday to meet with 13 or 14 representative groups of staff. They asked questions about the unique challenges that faced each group and started mapping out the areas that needed improvement. They produced a report that showed their findings, with suggestions to solve some of those problems.

Like all NHS organizations, we have a 10% turnover rate each year. We haven’t developed anything with 3 SIDED CUBE yet, but one of their suggestions was a communications app. The app would include an orientation that could pair with our regular induction days. We want to build a sense of team identity for all our staff, regardless of background, and break the departmental feeling of working in a silo.

We’re meeting with them again shortly to discuss our options. Right now, we can either send an email or post fliers in nurses’ break areas. We hope to strike a balance between traditional and modern modes of reaching our staff.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

I presented the challenges facing the NHS for a group at Barclays Eagle Lab in Bournemouth. They were one of the companies I spoke with there. They were very enthusiastic and wanted to explore solutions with us.

How much have you invested with them?

We haven’t invested anything yet. If we decide to develop an app, we will discuss our options.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started speaking with them in August 2017, and are still in the early stages.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We dealt with several very good people. Puff [Sophia Story, Commercial Team Chief, 3 SIDED CUBE] was the senior member we interacted with, but everyone we met was impressive. They met with several groups of our staff on their own, and everyone responded positively to them. They came well informed, which our staff appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were proactive and keen to learn. They didn’t come into the project with any preconceptions, and actually listened to our needs and asked about the structures we already have. They looked at the challenges and are willing to tailor a solution to us. We don’t have a product yet, but they’ve impressed me so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was project manager for the innovation team at a financial institution, where I helped manage new digital projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 Sided Cube?

We wanted to test the functionality of an iWatch app that would allow users to pay bills and manage financial transactions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 Sided Cube sent two people to work onsite with us for a few weeks. They created a series of mock apps based on our specifications and tested these at tech events, among colleagues, and with ordinary people on the street. Based on the feedback, they put together a proposal on how a hypothetical app could function and created a prototype.

We ultimately decided not to move forward with development, but that was a business decision unrelated to 3 Sided Cube’s output.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked directly with Sophia [Story, Chief, 3 Sided Cube], who served as project manager.

How did you come to work with 3 Sided Cube?

We considered three or four companies, but they stood out because of their forward-thinking approach. They had a unique personality, and we decided it made sense to test these cutting-edge ideas with developers that provided a different spin on traditional companies.

How much have you invested with them?

Around $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2015 and completed the project by September 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any metrics available since we ended up not launching the app, but we were very pleased with the prototype. It had a slick design and they were very clever in how they built the mockups. It looked like a working app, which helped the testing move efficiently and cost-effectively.

How did 3 Sided Cube perform from a project management standpoint?

Some offsite agencies have communication issues that result in subpar products, but 3 Sided Cube was willing to work onsite each week, allowing us to keep track of their progress and stay within budget. They were transparent and immediately flagged any issues that came up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their out-of-the-box thinking, confidence, and willingness to put themselves on the line. Not many companies would take their design out into the streets to get real feedback, but 3 Sided Cube was always willing to get out from behind their computers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really enjoyed working with them.

Advice for potential customers?

Definitely give them a go. They'll provide a different approach to your business thinking.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a Trusts, Grants & Major Giving Manager for a large, local charity called Vista. We improve the lives of children and adults with sight loss in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The national health service doesn’t fund eye screening for young children in our area, so we wanted to develop a new and innovative mobile app that we could take into primary schools. We wanted it to match our children’s eye health education program, which educates children, their parents, and teachers about sight, using the national curriculum. The app needed to be mobile, remote, easy to use, and something we could use to screen children’s sight within minutes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our project had 4 phases: discovery, development, build and deliver. First, we had a brainstorming session with them about what we wanted and if an app would be the best solution (since it’s an expensive project and as a charity, we are very careful about how we spend our funds).

Once we determined to go ahead, they came back with a proposal, we accepted it, and we started the design and development phase, which took about six or seven weeks. We had them develop for Android because we use Android tablets, and it’s cheaper. The phone works as a remote control and it operates the eye screening test on the tablet.

Not only did 3 SIDED CUBE develop the entire app, but they adhered to optician standards. The app needed to produce results that were measurable and familiar to optometrists, so it actually includes the Snellen chart scale. It consists of four tests: acuity, blurred vision (astigmatism), color blindness, and duochrome (testing for long- or short-sightedness). The app is efficient and quick to use, produces effective results, and is child-friendly on screen (although we have an adult version, too). We can do all the tests in under four minutes, and the results for both the left and right eye show up at the end. 3 Sided designed certificates, too, that the children can take to their optician that show what tests they took and their results.

After we launched and tested the app, we discovered that one of the tests wasn’t working properly, so we went back to 3 SIDED CUBE to fix it. They’ve been open and willing to help us with those tweaks. Now that the app is finished, we’re interested in getting 3 SIDED CUBE’s support with analytics, so we’ve started talking with them about how much that would cost to build into the next version. They’re already doing research and development around a very unique and different test that's not been done before, and the next steps could take another six months.

What is the team dynamic?

We had a project manager, her supervisor, and three others who were involved in the development and build. The project manager was our main point of contact, and her supervisor made sure everything was running smoothly.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

I looked at development teams in our area, but I wasn’t happy with any of them, so I started looking online, especially at other corporate eye tests apps and who designed them. 3 SIDED CUBE came up at least twice so, after speaking with them and being confident they understood our project, they presented a proposal and we accepted.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around £25,000 [$33,186].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2017, and although they have delivered the app, we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early to have quantitative data, but we’ve tested the app already, and the feedback has been phenomenal. The quality, design, and appearance are all user-friendly; it’s very simple yet eloquent and appealing. The app is modern, up-to-date, fresh, and matches our brand well.

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

If I have a question, they get back to me within a day. They’re prompt and friendly; I can call and talk to anyone there, and they’ll do their best to help me on the spot. We mainly communicate via Basecamp, phone, and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood what we wanted and that we didn’t have a large budget. They listened to us, spent time with us, and showed a genuine interest in the purpose of the app. We’ve worked with other developers in the past, and we’ve had problems with the number of amends we could make, their workflow, the amount of contact we had, etc. 3 SIDED CUBE, on the other hand, was open to communication and emphasized that it was an ongoing process. We finished the project so quickly because of the great working relationship they fostered, and the fact that I was project manager from our end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they've done really well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Pixie is a company with a mobile app platform where you can discover, pay, and earn universal loyalty points from independent businesses such as retail or small businesses with less than 5 units. There are no chains or franchises involved. We provide the companies with the technology and marketing solutions that help them to compete and grow in a competitive world.

I’m founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to build a world-renowned app. We are a startup and our team is very small, so we don’t have developers in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted a company that was not only reactive but also proactive in terms of where technology and the app world is going. We found that React Native is a language of the future and 3 SIDED CUBE is pioneering the way in that language. They built both iOS and Android apps from scratch. We had an in-house backend team that was going to be embedded with them.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We had known them before and knew about their work because they are local. They have a global and ethical brand. They’re a forward-thinking company. We decided to use them based on their knowledge of React Native and the fact that we trusted them. They actually wanted to work with us, as opposed to other agencies where you feel like they want to get you in the door and put you out the other side. They were open to working with our backend team.

How much have you invested with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We’ve spent 50,000 to 100,000 pounds [approx. US$63,000 to 125,000] with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first phase of the app took 10 to 12 weeks, and we plan to continue using them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We’re going live with the product this week [January 2017]. We’ve made our first 100 live payments through the apps. The only issue has been on the server side, which has nothing to do with the front-end of the app and usability of it.

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

They achieved the project on time and with quality. The project managers work in an Agile way, which is in line with our own style. They’ve been very flexible in understanding our requirements. The developers have been able to give their input on the project as well. They pushed back if they thought they had a better solution.

What did you find most impressive about 3 SIDED CUBE?

The founder is an entrepreneur at heart, so he’s trying to create an Agile company which feeds through the company.

Are there any areas 3 SIDED CUBE could improve?

In the beginning, we could’ve slowed down the process of the prototype so it would increase the speed later on. I think it was because we had a unique user case where we’d had an app that we’d already done a lot of usability testing around.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I worked for a humanitarian aid organization based in the UK. I was the Digital Manager for 8 ½ years. I left 18 months ago.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 3 Sided Cube?

We worked closely with 3 Sided Cube to produce a series of mobile apps for Apple and Android devices.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

From our initial discussions with them, it was evident that they knew what they were talking about. At the time, they were a young, hungry and ambitious company. They ticked our boxes because they could deliver both iOS and Android apps as well as a design expertise. We knew that working with 3 Sided Cube; we would get a project that looked good and met our needs.

How did you come to work with 3 Sided Cube?

They met our requirements in the competitive pitch process and demonstrated their capabilities from the outset. They gave us a very good pitch and responded to our request to find a company that could help us produce these apps. It was very clear that they were keen to the business and perfectly capable of building what we wanted.

How much have you invested with 3 Sided Cube?

The project cost was between 50,000 to 200,000 pounds ($65,000-$250,000).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We were the fourth most downloaded free app at one point in the UK app store. It went on to be downloaded 800,000 - 900,000 times to date. It’s on a high number of devices worldwide.

What did you find most impressive about 3 Sided Cube?

One of their best qualities is their agility. They were very flexible to our changing requirements. They’re able to adapt and work with clients quickly. They’re very knowledgeable and often suggest additional functionality or features that you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. They’re one step ahead of the game.

Are there any areas 3 Sided Cube could improve?

When we worked with 3 Sided Cube, they were a small team. As a small company, it can be difficult to have the workforce to deliver what’s asked of them. However, that never impacted our deadlines from our perspective. They worked late and went beyond the call of duty to meet our requirements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

JustGiving.com is the world’s leading platform for online giving. We enable people around the world to fundraise or to give directly to charitable causes. To date, we’ve helped raise over $4 billion of donations to causes all around the world.

I’m the Senior Product Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

One of my roles has been to run our API program - the set of tools that we make available to developers and agencies who want to integrate the JustGiving platform. I’ve been running that since 2012. Late in 2014, we had a challenge where we were trying to help a particular charity develop a mobile app proposition. They had a project that they were trying to deliver and they were asking us for recommendations of agencies that played in that mobile space. Obviously, we’re not an agency. It’s not something that we would deliver but I had lots of conversations. I met various people, and along that path, we put it out to tender with the charity and the pitch that we were most impressed with was the pitch that came back from 3 SIDED CUBE.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our users are predominantly iOS. We have no control over that. It’s been really heartening that each time they [3 SIDED CUBE] present ideas and UX [user experience] design, they’re always considering both iOS and Android. Our default is to look at iOS only but they’ve always covered both sides, which is great. The other thing I like about them is their desire to rapidly prototype. They try to avoid spending a lot of the client’s time and money on long, drawn out type approaches to app design. I think a lot of the stuff that they build and they learn from, they apply to future work projects. So customers are always benefitting from the work that’s gone on before.

How much have you invested with 3 SIDED CUBE?

I don’t think I can put a number on it. What they’ve worked on have been projects that if you look at the value of the funds that get raised, then we’re talking about tens of hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for good causes. With these apps that they’re building, the value of donations that they generate are not insignificant.

What is the status of this engagement?

Most recently, the guys at 3 SIDED CUBE approached us with an idea of creating a product platform called Charity Kit, which would enable 3 SIDED CUBE to build a mobile app template for any charity that wanted to enter the mobile app space but didn’t know where to start or have the budget behind it. They wanted to integrate JustGiving. So I worked with them to develop a way in which they could connect with our service and then present that as being a sort of cookie-cutter app for anyone in the sector that wants to have a mobile app relatively cheap. We were delighted that 3 SIDED CUBE came up with the idea because it also validated our platform at the same time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Rather rapidly, through the month of December [2014], I worked with 3 SIDED CUBE to come up with some designs, a UX plan, and then finally execution for this mobile app. From ideation to execution, I think it got delivered in about two months which is pretty fast for an app. The app was delivered to the client in time for their major launch. As a result of that relationship, I got to know Duncan Cook [Managing Director, 3 SIDED CUBE] and the team at 3 SIDED CUBE very well. Since then, when I’ve been approached for other ideas involving apps in the charity sector, 3 SIDED CUBE has been the agency that I’ve been confident in recommending or collaborating with.

What did you find most impressive about 3 SIDED CUBE?

I’ve been to visit them a number of times. The thing that I always take away is that they’re relatively small but they’re very lean. I mean that in the product sense and also the size of the team. I think as a client, your money is not being wasted on unnecessary overheads. Duncan has a really lean team that has enthusiasm. They’re really hungry. They get behind local events. They’re often involved in hacks. Every time Apple launches a new iOS these guys run an event .They’re all over it. They’re testing and playing with it. As a result, they’re often ahead of the curve in terms of interactive design.

They spend a lot of time getting to know the client, which I think is really important particularly when the client is nervous because it might be the first foray into the app world. They take away a lot of that initial confusion and fear of the unknown.

Duncan is a fantastic face for the business. I’ve had the pleasure of doing some talks with him at conferences and he’s got a real passion for changing the sector. It’s one that changes slowly and I think he’s trying to bring a speed and velocity, which they’re not necessarily used to, but I think is really good for them. As a result, JustGiving has always been delighted to work alongside them. We reflect well upon each other.

Are there any areas 3 SIDED CUBE could improve?

On the Charity Kit platform, we’re still waiting for the first charities to come onboard. I think, often in the charity sector, the turnaround time is quite long. There’s a lot of decision making. Because it is people’s donations being spent, there’s a lot of justification that needs to be done. So I appreciate that the turnaround time in this sector is slow. What I’m looking forward to is the next proliferation of apps that come out of 3 SIDED CUBE. I’m looking forward to seeing those.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company I worked for at the time was RNLI which is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. It’s a large UK based charity that fundamentally helps to save lives at sea through a fleet of rescue boats and a team of people. They employ around 2,000 people. They have a volunteer network of around 45,000 people.

I was the Head of Digital Transformation. It was a two-year contractor role where I led an enterprise-wide transformation of everything digital. A lot of that was focused on mobile technology of which 3 SIDED CUBE helped in a number of ways.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

It was fundamentally to try and change some behaviors - try to drive cultural change and identify the right technology structure to help enable that change. They [RNLI] weren’t quite sure what they needed but they knew they needed something.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We approached with a scope for an idea which we wanted to achieve. We also used them 3 SIDED CUBE for disruptive agile workshops and things. We used them with an open approach to solution providing. They’re a very creative agency and I didn’t want to stifle their creativity. So our approach was more like, “These are the issues I have. How can we try to resolve them?” They helped us work on an Apple Watch app that RNLI produced. I think it was one of the first. We started working on that just as the Apple Watch was released. It was a precursor to the launch of the mobile app. They were a trusted development agency and were able to work on a few apps before the watch came out. We were able to hit the ground running and get ahead. There were Android versions in some of the applications we did as well. The beach finder application was Android as well.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

They were a local agency to RNLI. Local proximity to where I’m working is not one of the criteria that I use to select an agency. I spent 12 years in a digital agency, so I’m very particular when it comes to an agency and culture. Something I’m very big on is making sure there’s the right cultural fit and making sure the goals of the agency aren’t purely commercial. You have to do it for the love of what you do. The influx of the organization is very important to me. It doesn’t always go down well when you’re working with a procurement team to say “I don’t want an agency that’s all about the money. I want an agency that does it for the love of what they’re doing.” But it’s something that’s pretty high up on my criteria list. We review the agencies we work with on a project by project basis rather than having a set agency and having to go to them. It gives my team more freedom and a better chance of success if they have the ability to find the right agency for the right job. 3 SIDED CUBE is one of those boutique agencies that you wouldn’t want to put into a box. It really was a big cultural thing; the more they got to know us, the more creative and more beneficial they were as an organization. They really took time to figure out how best they could solve our issues. The honesty factor is a huge part. When they weren’t the right fit, they were very upfront, which is fantastic. Quite often, an agency will say yes to a job and outsource it or figure out how to solve it after they’ve taken your money. They’re very much more transparent in that respect.

How much have you invested with 3 SIDED CUBE?

It varied. A few projects were in the $10,000 to $50,000 and a few were in the $50,000 plus.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We got a huge amount of recognition for the Apple Watch app. Everything they had done was so well received, well regarded, and looked after by us as an organization that it really speaks volumes for the thought that’s gone into it. It’s very easy to let the technology die and not keep it up to date, keep it fed and watered, and get the right sort of buy-in from the organization. That was something that was pretty prevalent in everything they did.

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

One of the things they helped me do was look at rapid prototyping - coming in, hosting events with different teams, and being able to go away and then an hour later come back and show how they prototyped a certain piece of technology.

This was a few years ago when that kind of thing was not very mainstream - disruptive behavior and disruptive transformation. Everyone’s doing it now. It’s something they’ve been doing for quite a while and they really had it nailed. It had a huge impact culturally across RNLI when it came to trying to drive change and actually starting to accept prototypes. If you’re going to fail, fail fast and fail cheap. That was the mentality of trying something and then adapting rather than getting a proposal out there and planning and putting a huge piece of work around something that may fail.

What did you find most impressive about 3 SIDED CUBE?

One of the important things they did was that they really helped me show the business benefit of disrupted agile development and really super quick scoping and planning and getting as much planned as possible before you start something and then taking months and months to cultivate.

Is there anything 3 SIDED CUBE could have improved or done differently?

They are all very passionate about what they do but it feels like sometimes opportunities are missed because they maybe don’t have that really rigid commercial project management mentality. But from a client’s perspective, you benefit from it, which is fantastic because they’re always trying to offer great solutions. It’s not a fixed scope. Every time you try and change something, there isn’t a big change request you have to fill out and a huge impact on the timeline. From a client, that’s not a negative thing. If I had my agency hat on, I would be trying to get them to become a bit more rigid in their approach.