3 SIDED CUBE

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of My Planet Alliance, a small nonprofit startup that tries to increase the general public’s ability to help with climate change and environmental protection.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed help with market research. We want to build a mobile app that would essentially be a marketplace around environment and climate projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE just finished the user journey and user market survey so we could have a budget and raise money to create the app, which we’ll develop with them.

They were in charge of the UX/UI design. We had some earlier wireframes, but they didn’t use them; they started from scratch.

What is the team composition?

About 6–8 people were in the team, including designers and a project manager.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We had an outrageously expensive previous experience — they weren’t responsive and didn’t provide us with the needed information. We went back to the drawing board and looked online at various reviews and ratings of app development and UX companies. We liked 3 SIDED CUBE’s reviews and the fact that their coders were good. They were motivated to do the right thing.

We contacted them and had a great experience with Sophia (Co-Founder). She addressed many of our concerns in the previous experience, so we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent bout $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from February–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did an excellent user market survey and got much more input than we’d been able to. They distilled that user market survey to demonstrate that there’s a market for the app.

They surveyed 100 people; they were great at answering technical questions. Moreover, their project managers, UX designers, and tech people were well integrated, so everybody understood what was happening at both ends. Overall, they were supportive regarding our questions and interacting with us. We’re excited to find more money and keep working with them.

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

They were excellent. In the beginning, they set the whole thing out on day one. They scoped it out from February to July and hit every deadline. We even threw them a few curveballs at the last minute, but they still hit all of them.

We used email and Basecamp. We could see everything they were doing and message them there. They had the Gantt chart all laid out for our review; everything was up so we could figure out when we needed to get our stuff to them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve worked with a few organizations, and 3 SIDED CUBE stood out from technical, design, and project management standpoints. All their team collaborated each week; we weren’t just dealing with a project manager without knowing who was behind the scenes. They didn’t relay questions; everyone was on the calls. We met them, and they were incredibly responsive.

Overall, they wanted to do a good job. 3 SIDED CUBE cared about the project. We always received answers; it was a great experience. With other companies, we didn’t have that vertical access all the time. Meanwhile, we had full access to 3 SIDED CUBE’s team anytime we wanted. They were all engaged together, so we had confidence that their work would make sense from every perspective and we could iron out everything.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I don’t have any suggestions. We were pleased across the board with the experience. They were good listeners and a dedicated team. When we asked questions or tried to pivot, they’d figure out what we really needed and how to design it. Overall, they were super responsive and friendly and wanted to give us the best product we could get.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open about everything and include them as much as possible in your process because they have great expertise. They can help you get to a better product than you can think of on your own.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing Manager at a children's charity - the Child Brain Injury trust. Supporting children with acquired brain injuries and their family.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 3 SIDED CUBE, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile app for families affected by childhood head injury, concussion, and brain injury. We know that there are many parents that take their children to A&E with a head injury, they then go home and have no support. Our goal was to provide a mobile platform for these families to access support and advice, directly at their fingertips. Our goal is not capture more families going through A&E who we would normally miss.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We looked online and created a shortlist to speak to. After speaking to 3-sided-cube we realised they just got it, they understood the charity and what we wanted to achieve. We felt that our values were well aligned, and they showed a huge passion to get this off the ground for us.

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

We had some initial meetings both internally and with 3-sided-cube to discuss our key objectives and goals for the mobile app. We formed a team to work on the project using members of our team from different departments. We also reached out to families and professionals to be involved in certain stages throughout the app development. We provided 3-sided-cube with our main ideas around the app, who the app was aimed at and the information we wanted them to get out of it.

They went away and put together wireflows for us to look at. After minor tweaking we agreed we were happy to proceed. 3-sided-cube developed the app and flows. As a charity we then entered the content on the app article pages and added any additional images that were needed. 3-sided-cube took all our feedback on board throughout this process to ensure that we were achieving what we wanted to through the app.

We then had a testing period – the testing was great and there were very few things that needed adjusting. 3-sided-cube submitted the app on both IOS and Android – these were submitted to the App Store and Google Play Store in early 2021. Before we launched we went through the app together, testing it. It was then launched In April 2021.

We are now in round 2 of developments to the app. We had a meeting with 3-sided-cube to discuss how we wanted to develop the app further. The created an Immersion Session and Workshop day for our team, in which we attended virtually. This allowed us to really think about what we wanted to achieve in the next stage of development.

The developers then took this information away and created some amazing wireflows which we were really happy with. They are currently in the process of making some minor tweaks…

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

We were assigned a project manager within the team at 3-sided-cube, but we were also able to attend regular calls with the some of the developers, IOS and Android team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the App was launched on the 19th April 2021, we have seen 947 new users. Existing families that we support at the charity have commented on how they wish the app was around when their child first sustained their brain injury, as they felt the app was so useful. 355 parents of children with a head injury have accessed the questions on the app.

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

The project managers have changed over the development but we've always felt that their communication has been good and easy. We have had regular meetings every 3 weeks so we can meet up virtually to discuss any concerns we may have. 3-sided-cube introduced us to a tool called BaseCamp. We have used to this to have conversations with their team and provide feedback. We have found this tool useful.

3-sided-cube have always delivered the project on time. In fact, they work at a very fast pace which is great for the project delivery. They understand that we cannot work at the same pace when our input is needed, so they have been very good at allowing us more time to provide feedback and discuss things.

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

Their attention to details is amazing, and their ability to really get on board with our concept. As a charity our values and the families we support are the key importance for us, 3-sided-cube just understood this for the get go. They wanted to understand our charity and who the app users would be so they could ensure that users got the most out of this as possible. They have understood that they need to be patient with us, we are a small team and have limited resource to delivery big projects, so they understand things may take us a bit longer.

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

In the initial stages we probably would have liked more time to assess the app and its features before launch. But as this is all very knew to the charity, we didn't know that at the time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Executive Director of Earth HQ

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Developing a interactive site integrating near real-time data and reporting on the challenges and solutions to the climate/nature crisis, designed for general public.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

3Sided Cube was recommended by another client and we interviewed them along with several other contenders. They understood the importance of our project immediately.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We created the Earth Dashboard as a "situation room” for the planet. Earth Dashboard combines the rigor of scientific data and engaging visualization techniques with the storytelling power of environmental news media to present a new way of understanding and confronting the accelerating planetary emergency. From wildfires to air pollution to coral reef bleaching, Earth Dashboard tracks the forces imperilling the natural systems that support life on earth, in near-real time, as they are happening. It presents a constant flow of reliable, accessible scientific data on what can and must be done to protect the global commons – our vital resources and ecosystems.

The Earth Dashboard is a joint project of the Global Commons Alliance, the largest coalition of scientific and conservation organizations, Resource Watch, an open source platform which compiles hundreds of visualized data sets from the world’s most reliable sources, and earth.nullschool.net, a visualization engine for near-real time global weather conditions, in partnership with popular environmental news site Mongabay, and leading digital news distributer NowThis Earth.

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

We worked with the design team, the UI/UX team, and the dev team at 3SC. At least 10 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched the site just before COP26, and continued working with 3SC to tweak and improve earthhq.org for several months. the site is still in beta but feedback from funders/stakeholders has been positive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

3 SIDED CUBE was a pleasure to work with — they worked fast, fluidly, and iteratively. They worked with multiple partners involved with integrating the data engine with the work of journalistic partners and science partners.

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

3SC grasped the importance of the work, was enthusiastic and proactive, contributed good ideas, worked quickly and on budget.

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

No real complaints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior campaign officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and we protect refugees, internally displaced peoples, and stateless persons. I work within the private sector partnerships service, and we strive to increase funding from the private sector for our work with refugees. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to connect individual donors directly with refugees, so the latter could understand the former’s life and know how their funds make a difference. We also wanted to boost refugees’ well-being through this program. We needed a way to facilitate this engagement safely and securely. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

3 SIDED CUBE has developed our mobile app that allows direct messaging between donors and refugees in Jordan. The platform facilitates the secure exchange of text and photo messages. It can also match donors and refugees based on their interests. At the end of the interaction, the app can highlight meaningful conversations between the participants. 

A different developer previously developed the app. We shared the previous iteration with 3 SIDED CUBE during the start of our engagement. They’ve worked with us in forming the app’s user journey, and they’ve created its new UI/UX. It’s available on iOS and Android. 

3 SIDED CUBE has conducted a lot of user testing to iron out bugs before going live. They’re currently working on the app’s new version. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 7–10 resources, including a project manager and developers.  

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

As a UN agency, we went through a rigorous procurement process and sought bids from various vendors. We also researched and looked for agencies that would fit this project. 

3 SIDED CUBE interested us due to their previous experience with humanitarian organizations. In the end, they won the bidding process based on their strong proposal. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve started working together in January 2021, and our relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

3 SIDED CUBE’s app has all the features we’ve been looking for. The agility of their work has been helpful for us — they’ve understood our problem and worked with us to find a solution. They have a multi-functional team and experts across all aspects of mobile development. They know their stuff.

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

3 SIDED CUBE’s project management efficiency is impressive. They’re very organized, and they quickly and effectively attend to our needs and concerns. They’re also responsive to our briefs. In terms of budget, they’ve been very understanding — they’ve reorganized their work to come up with a way to deliver within our budget. 

3 SIDED CUBE has a very transparent process. We have clear oversight of the timeline, and we understand the reason behind any delays. Additionally, they have a support function set up for bugs, and they’ve dealt with issues very promptly. We collaborate through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

3 SIDED CUBE is purpose-driven and has a “tech for good” mindset. They take on projects that will have a positive impact on the world. 

In addition, I like that 3 SIDED CUBE has a small team and that they’ve built an easy working relationship with us. They’re also outstanding in project management — it’s very clear where we’re going and what’s our timeline. They’re very efficient in the way they work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have some misunderstandings between change requests and bug fixes. Other than that, we’re generally happy with 3 SIDED CUBE. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make the most of their immersion sessions, which is one of the first meetings they set up as part of their schedule. Ensure that they have as much information about the problem you’re trying to solve so they can get their teeth into it. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there?

I’m the CEO & founder of a tech company, and we help hospitality and food beverage businesses to be more sustainable.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking to have a mobile app developed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed the project and created a plan. After that, 3 SIDED CUBE created wireframes and spearheaded the development of our iOS app. They were also in charge of UI/UX design. The app engages our clients and their suppliers to act more sustainably by quantifying their sustainable actions.

What is the team composition?

Emma (Client Strategist Lead) was the main point of contact, and she managed 8–9 people.

How did you come to work with 3 SIDED CUBE?

We found them on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent £78,000 (approximately $106,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The design they created was clear. 3 SIDED CUBE worked closely with our designers so that they could produce something that matches well with our logo and branding. They also handled the QA testing well. We didn’t have any metrics, but we were quite satisfied with the engagement.

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

They did a great job completing deliverables within timelines, and the slight shift we had during the engagement was only due to requirement changes. We used Basecamp for several tasks, including developing user stories and fonts. We communicated via WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was approachable and easy to work with. They were passionate about making a social impact and showed a drive for our business to succeed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve done more initial research before starting the project. Despite that, we reached our desired outcome.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Present a clear and precise brief. They have engagement down and know what works.

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.