Escola

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director for Asplan Viak Internet. It’s a company focusing on mapping solutions for web and apps. We have about 20 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Qunabu Interactive: Escola S.A.?

We needed additional resources to do some mobile development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped develop a mobile app related to a solution for marine waste. It was built for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of roughly seven people. 

How did you come to work with Qunabu Interactive: Escola S.A.?

They were initially recommended to us. Prior to this project, we had worked with them on another project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested €130,000 (approximately $148,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2019 – May 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re in the final testing period with a plan for our client to launch the product in July 2020. It looks good, and we are happy with the work they did. It was a complex project. We used Scrum methodology. 

How did Qunabu Interactive: Escola S.A. perform from a project management standpoint?

They did pretty well. They had an allocated coordinator/Scrum Master on their side. Our Scrum Master did daily follow-up meetings with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were engaged and committed to the project and the purpose of the client’s perspective. They didn’t just identify issues but were proactive in solving them. They also challenged us to consider why some of our ideas might not work. We would like to work with them again in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Perhaps they could identify when some of their resources aren’t performing optimally. There was a need for additional resources, and it took some time to get them into place. They did identify and fix, the problem.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage them early in the planning of a project so they can bring their approach and best ideas into it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The University of Business in Wroclaw is a non-public university with a business-oriented programme. I'm Marketing Manager at the University.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Qunabu Interactive?

We were not satisfied with our previous website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the new website to allow for a better presentation of the university's offer. We also wanted it to be adapted to better Google positioning.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The company was recommended to us by the partner university.

Describe the project in detail.

At the beginning we had a Skype meeting, during which we met the Leader of our project. We presented our needs. We also presented a preliminary concept of how we would like our website to look like. Then, during our visit to the company headquarters, we agreed on a common concept based on our needs.

The website was created on the basis of materials that we sent to the company. The company reacted to our needs and suggestions on an ongoing basis.

What was the team composition?

At the beginning we met the leader of the project and the graphic designer. The following developer was also assigned to the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are currently in the process of completing the content on the website. The website has not yet been published on the server. From the administrator's point of view it' s much more friendly than the previous one. What's more, we can still count on the help and support of the company in implementing changes and improvements.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The cooperation with the team was very good. They responded quickly to our requests.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Flexibility I guess.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The company also cooperated with a company that positions our website in the Google network. They received SEO optimization recommendations, but unfortunately not all of them were implemented. Nevertheless, we are currently working on this together.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My companies own 5 gastronomy venues in Wroclaw. While our business is growing, we got the requirement of website. Since we've met Escola company, all we had was facebook pages. I am board member in those companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Qunabu Interactive/ Escola S.A.?

they built a website for us. What's more, we thought that our business doesn't need a www. We operate locally and communicate with our clients via other sources than website. Only because our path crossed with Escola, we got this opportunity to understand that their product can help us to grow.

What were your goals for this project?

to create a useful website

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Via my entrepreneur colleague who used to work with Escola.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

First of all they educate us about obligation of website possession. After first contact we had a meeting with very professional gentleman who describe him self as project leader. Since then he was the only person we were contacting with. Together we created blueprint. Afterwards we were asked to send some materials which finally Escola placed on our www.

What was the team composition?

Project was not very demanding, however they approached to it as it was at least 100.000 $ job.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

It's kind of a new project, however I've already noticed it's impact on my business. Our contractors are easier to convince to our rights and it's way faster to introduce our self. We got a contact form which got us some valuable leads. Actually one of it will bring us another venue as investors :)

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

As I mentioned before we worked with one guy only and it was completely enough. PM was very straight, easy going and professional. We met him on the very beginning, later on skype and face to face at the end of the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Flexibility I guess. And really great contact

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can not think of any area I wasn't super happy about.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

i-pools is a software business that delivers fun to play social prediction games, both free to play and real money betting, based on sports and other live events. I am the Chief Operating Office of i-pools and manage all software development and implementation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Qunabu Interactive?

We brought qunabu into our development team to help us fine tune and modernise our front end development as well as to design and deliver a mobile app solution.

What were your goals for this project?

Our project is ongoing, but our goals are - to finalise our existing front end design; - to modernise our codebase for more efficient development in the future; - to design an implement a mobile app solution.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with qunabu before this project as a consultant to help us with smaller one off software changes. They did an excellent job so we asked them to take on a wider role for us.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project is in a number of parts: - implementing designs of wireframe designs for existing and new interactive HTML pages - reviewing and improving code structure and planning for future development plans - designing and implementing Mobile App strategy

What was the team composition?

The qunabu team consisted of a project manager/coordinator, two part-time developers who overlapped to provide seamless development feedback

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Our project is ongoing so the impact on our business is yet to be fulfilled. But having qunabu as part of our development team has allowed us to focus on product design and business development without having to worry about our front end development. As a small team, this has been great for us. They are always engaged and very responsive and are effectively part of our in-house team.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management has been seamless from the beginning of our relationship. This is because qunabu's approach to project management does not get in the way of direct communication with the developers. There is no "additional layer" of communication. This has been excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Qunabu Interactive team is always friendly and approachable. They are esponsive. This makes such a big difference for a small team such as ours.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only area I can add to this section would be to ask qunabu to provide more advice and feedback about our own ideas on our development plans. When we do ask for advice, it is always well received (even if we don't always follow it!). Their team always have good ideas which are well thought through and are always welcome.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Vice President of a consulting and technology company based in Poland, focusing on the higher education market. Locally we hire 100 people and serve ca. 60 higher education clients from Poland and abroad. We are a part of a 0,5 B USD global consulting company from Boston, Massachusetts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Escola?

We hired Escola to develop a single app that would serve diverfsified needs of our 60 higher education clients. We wanted to create a multi-platform solution that would be closely aligned with our web-based platform for students and teachers.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to keep the development and maintenance costs under control, by developing a single app that would satisfy diversified needs of multiple customers and limit the number of customizations. We also wanted a product that would be visually compelling to our end-users - students and teachers, and therefore stimulate their engagement with the universities they attend.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our CTO did the analysis of the options available on the Polish and European market. We were looking for a vendor that is reliable, affordable and that would add value to our internal conversations regarding the best business model for the app in the higher education context. We were encouraged by ESCOLA's previous experiences with the HE market, and by the fact that the CEO of ESCOLA - Krzysztof is an academician himself, and has a very good understanding of how universities work.

Describe the project in detail.

The project started by developing a fully functional specification of the mobile app for students and for teachers. The document included detailed visual mockups and bulleted description of functionalities in each screen. Next, during a relatively short time span we developed a fully functional back-end component of the system. In the final stage we developed the front-end and plugged in the analytics module.

What was the team composition?

There was a project manager on our end and on ESCOLA's end. The two were my only points of contact. I understand that there were at least 2 frontend developers, 3 backend developers, and QA resources working on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Customers adopted the solution developed by ESCOLA without any major concerns. We were able to satisfy the needs of 10 institutions with a single solution.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We felt well-informed about the project status throughout the project's duration.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

1. Superb customer service.
2. Value-added and consultancy around business modelling in the mobile app world.
3. Flexibility.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are very satisified with ESCOLA's service in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the sales and project manager for a software development company.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Escola?

We hired them to develop Mubazar, a dual-platform mobile app for a nonprofit music organization that supports musicians and connects them with events from all around the globe.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to increase app engagement and double the download numbers by the end of the year. We also wanted the platform to be simple, user-friendly, and easy for us to update. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My team searched online for local app developers and compiled a list of five based on the case studies on their respective websites. After contacting each company for an initial pitch, we narrowed the list to two. In addition to an excellent final proposal and a very fair price point, Escola was also willing to train our team on the app post-launch. 

Describe the project in detail.

We held a series of discovery meetings to discuss our goals and objectives. Within the first two weeks, we received mockups as well as three initial designs for the iOS and Android apps. After a few iterations and discussions with our marketing team, we finalized the design and provided feedback.

Escola then came back to us with wireframes and concepts for the other sections in the app. The development and testing progressed smoothly and we conducted a several feedback sessions until the project was completed. 

What was the team composition?

Though I spoke only with our project manager, who was assigned as our primary point of contact, there were additionally two frontend developers, two backend developers, and a QA resource working behind the scenes. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Three months after the launch, we saw significant growth in downloads and garnered 4-star ratings or higher in both app stores. We continued to hear positive feedback on the usability, flow, and look of the app from both current and potential users.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication with our project manager went smoothly, with at least weekly phone calls, frequent updates, and regular interaction via Slack. Delivery was timely, and on the one occasion a deadline was missed—through no fault of their own—we received ample early warning. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The knowledge Escola possesses about mobile app development, UX, and optimization was astonishing. We learned much more than we thought possible, and we appreciated their patience and thoughtfulness while we tried to catch up.

We have worked with other agencies in different areas of our company, but this was a particularly collaborative and positive experience. I will certainly engage Escola again for any mobile app needs we may face in the future..

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything can always be done more quickly, but we were very satisfied with their work every step of the way. Ultimately, quality is more important than speed, and we ended up with a beautiful product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a day coordinator for a large NGO in Warsaw. My project is a map-based road repair system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Escola?

We needed a company to help us build a new website. Another company worked with us previously, but we wanted a new provider that was more helpful.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The site is well-incorporated with our company. Whenever I reach out to them, they're responsive, and they understand our budgetary constraints. Together, we created a progressive web application, which is quite popular on both iOS and Android. Everything they do supports the versions of our application.

In their first task, they completely changed our website and made it more mobile responsive. We use maps, so it was important to have a smoother mobile interface. The new site is completely different, and all our key functionality works perfectly on mobile devices.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is available to answer all our questions, but I also speak occasionally with an IT specialist for quick troubleshooting. I don't interact with the whole team, which is probably about four people at the largest.

How did you come to work with Escola?

I joined the company two years ago, shortly after they signed a contract with us. I'm not sure what the hiring process was.

How much have you invested with them?

I estimate we've spent $15,000-$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The agreement started in 2017 and is ongoing. We're about to renew the contract with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impacts of the project are very visible. We collaborate with local governments in Poland, and the new website has attracted ten new clients. We had 18 clients last year, and now we have 28.

How did Escola perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive. Whenever we have a problem, they repair issues quickly, and they're very helpful with all our needs. We're looking forward to signing a new deal with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

NGOs can be difficult to work with, but they understand the specifics of our work. They're always available when we need them, and the new page looks wonderful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We faced a couple of delays with the UX when we switched to the new website, but that's quite common. I like working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I visited them at their office when we started working together. That helped us create a high level of cooperation. Meeting with them in person will give you a better impression of the individuals on their team and how they work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Avista Consulting & Management. We primarily serve universities with EU-funded projects, helping them with restructuring and abroad-student recruitment.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Escola?

We hired Escola to provide IT development support on several of our projects with universities.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Escola provides IT support for a range of projects for our clients. Whenever we receive work, we communicate with their team and delegate the assigned tasks amongst their project managers. They propose tailor-made ideas and make audits for several clients. Ultimately, their team helps improve IT infrastructures and find solutions for their technical issues.

What is the team composition?

Escola provides a team of resources for various projects.

How did you come to work with Escola?

When I worked at a private university, I’d heard of Escola and received proposals from them to develop our website. After needing IT support, I reached out to Escola and now use them for several of our clients.  

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $150,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

For this engagement, we first started working together in 2017 and the work is ongoing.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are delighted with the work from Escola. We continually receive positive feedback on the work they produce. Important members of the universities we work with have been highly impressed with the creative ideas and strong solutions produced for them. Several of our clients have said they’d use Escola in the future, which is a great seal of approval for us.

How did Escola perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is almost perfect in terms of planning, identifying risks, creating solutions, and implementing changes. From beginning to end, the work is handled properly and professionally. I’m able to communicate with their team whenever necessary. We primarily communicate through email, and they’re responsive. The work is delivered quickly and up to our standards.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They customize their approach for every project and propose creative solutions each time. Nothing they produce is off-the-shelf or unoriginal. They can identify the missing puzzle piece for every business and find a custom-made solution.  

Additionally, they’re very collaborative. I always have great discussions with their team about the market and any insight they give is great. I’m more knowledgeable about the industry and higher-education sector because of my engagement with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’d be helpful if they had 1–2 more teammates involved in the client management process. Instead of only the president meeting with clients, they’d be able to win more projects if more people were involved in the process. Other than this, I don’t have any ideas for improvement.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CTO of Format, an online platform for creative professionals. Our customers can use templating technology to customize the design of their hosted websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Qunabu Interactive?

We needed new options for template design, as well as maintenance and improvement for or large codebase of existing templates. We sought a partner to handle this work with a quick turnaround.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the implementations to match the intent and visuals of the design provided by our in-house team. We also wanted a solution that would adhere to the best web practices.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We put out an RFP and considered 5-10 respondents before we decided on Qunabu. They offered the best combination of cost, expertise, availability, and process.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They onboarded onto our platform and our custom technology stack to provide on-demand development services. They understood our business logic and customer needs and developed new themes based on our designs, using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as the Liquid templating language. Their iterations on QA cycles helped to find and resolve issues, and they also iterated on features and UX.

What was the team composition?

We worked with various frontend developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Qunabu’s support enabled us to scale up our offerings for template work according to demand.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They were responsive in working with our in-house project management and product management. We maintained contact through Asana and Slack, and they worked with our in-house development toolset for building themes as they worked through a backlog of existing issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’ve proven themselves to be trustworthy and reliable. They always work to meet their commitments.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Work-Life, an app that gives you more time when you work by providing things like cleaning services, car wash, and research. It’s like an assistant.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Qunabu Interactive?

We wanted to build a platform that would enable us to perform tasks, and we needed to make it repeatable and scalable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our web application, with a responsive web design that can be used on every type of mobile device. They’re also developing our Android and iOS mobile app, which is a dynamic calendar. To input a service, the user simply clicks on the date and chooses from the services, then books it.

Qunabu built a system that divides our services into different providers. Every provider has their own profile, which they manage, while every service has a separate profile. We have an admin file, a service provider profile, a client profile, a coordinator, and an HR assistance. They also built a payment system.

What is the team composition?

Mateusz (Founder/CTO/CEO, Qunabu Interactive) is in charge of the tech and programming, doing all the technical details with his team. Monika (Co-Owner/Project Manager, Qunabu Interactive) takes control of the design and UX. It’s good to have two people with different skillsets. There are also graphic designers, navigation designers, testers, and programmers.

How did you come to work with Qunabu Interactive?

I researched a couple of companies, then a friend referred Qunabu to me.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2017–August 2018. They’re still working on minor changes based on the results of the testing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I like the way they built the whole system, as it’s very intuitive and easy to follow. Testing it wasn’t a problem and I could easily find what I was looking for. We can see their UX experience in the end product, which is an area we weren’t specialized in.

We’re now adding features or simplifying things based on feedback from users, who generally say it looks nice and it’s working. There are some minor issues we need to resolve to make it even better, but overall, most of the people are happy with how it looks and runs.

How did Qunabu Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication was really good, and we kept in touch on Slack, while also using Redmine and email. Any questions raised are quickly answered and issues are resolved very quickly. I was happy with their responsiveness; the project was done on time and as we planned.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They treat clients very personally, which differentiates them from others. They answer my calls and queries all the time and that’s something I really like; it makes me feel like an important client. Even though we’re not big, they treat us as worthy to acknowledge. I’m very pleased that we chose them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think through and prepare as much material, mockups, designs, and functionality as you can because then it makes things easier for them. I wasn’t as well prepared as I thought at the beginning. When designing processes, it’s better to start later and be better prepared in order to save time.