Kooba

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Technology & Data Officer of Young Social Innovators

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Young Social Innovators (YSI) is a non-profit organisation that empowers young people to use their talents, insights, passion and creativity to come up with innovative solutions to social challenges. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Kooba to accomplish?

• Design & maintain public website front end
• Design & maintain private user dashboard & resource area
• Advice & strategy on new projects

SOLUTION

How did you find Kooba?

Referral

Why did you select Kooba over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Kooba were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Design and create YSI's public facing website, manage the Expression Engine CMS, member logins, and user dashboard area which links directly to YSI's cloud based database. Various micro site and project-specific sites developed over the years. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Profession user friendly site and dashbaord 

Easy to use CMS for internal YSI staff 

Highly functional member dashbaord area 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Excellent project management, supported by Basecamp as a communication and project planning tool. 

What was your primary form of communication with Kooba?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team really seeks to understand our unique needs and work with us to develop the best solutions. We have an ongoing relationship for over ten years, and Kooba have been with us as our project has changed and grown.  

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

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing & Communications Manager of The Killarney Park

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Killarney Park is a family-owned and operated luxury 5-star hotel in Killarney town centre. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Kooba to accomplish?

• Create a user experience that reflected the values of the hotel
• To drive and increase conversions from website viewers to hotel bookers
• Redefine the standards of what a hotel website could be

SOLUTION

How did you find Kooba?

Online Search

Why did you select Kooba over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Creativity

How many teammates from Kooba were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The objective was to create a seamless, innovative and bespoke design that is awe-inspiring, welcoming, disruptive to the current luxury hospitality digital space and feels like an extension of our hospitality online. 
 
We wanted a visit to our website to feel like an immersive experience at The Killarney Park and not just another tab on their browser. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The agreed measures of success included an increase in website conversions, growth in visitor traffic to secondary pages, and increased time spent by users engaging with and navigating content on those pages. In addition, qualitative assessment criteria were applied to evaluate the overall visual impact of the website and the quality of first impressions for users.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team at Kooba demonstrated excellent communication throughout the project. Communication across email, phone / Video calls, and the use of project management tools and Gantt charts ensured that progress, planning, and key milestones were clearly outlined and consistently communicated.

We worked with multiple subject-matter experts who demonstrated a strong understanding of our position as non-experts in certain areas. Technical concepts were explained clearly and in accessible language, allowing for informed decision-making throughout the project.

All contracts, agreements, and timelines were clearly documented and communicated from the outset, ensuring transparency and a shared understanding of scope and expectations.

Any challenges that arose on our side—particularly in relation to the delivery of materials or assets—were handled with flexibility and a solution-focused approach. Timelines were adjusted where required, and support was provided to help maintain momentum. The team adhered to all agreed deadlines on their side, and where delays occurred on our side, these were managed professionally and with understanding to ensure the overall project remained on track.

What was your primary form of communication with Kooba?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Kooba demonstrated a strong and insightful understanding of our consumer mindset throughout the project. The team clearly grasped what it means to be a guest engaging with our hotel and services, and this understanding was reflected in the visual design, structure, and overall user experience of the website.

They were also highly receptive to requests that fell outside standard scope, working collaboratively with us to develop solutions that respected the integrity of the original ideas while incorporating industry best practices. This balance between creativity and technical expertise was a key strength of the project.

Ultimately, the people involved made the entire process both productive and genuinely enjoyable. While communication was streamlined through one or two primary points of contact, we would like to acknowledge and thank the wider team who contributed to the success of the project, including: Conaill, Dmytro, Duncan, Ed, Elena, Emmet, Fahad, Josh, Keith, Ksenia, Margaret, Ross, Sadie, Saumya, Sean, Thomas, and Tom.

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

At this time, there are no specific areas for improvement identified. Our experience working with Kooba was extremely positive. Pricing, division of responsibilities, and client expectations were clearly outlined from the outset, and the project was delivered to a very high standard. Was not the cheapest solution on the market but we certainly got the quality of service and results that warranted the associated transparent pricing and outcomes aligned to investment.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Compliance Manager of an other industry company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Ensure producers importing electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and tyres comply with the European and National regulations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Kooba to accomplish?

• Create new moddern website
• Create functioning back end operation
• Ensure user friendly site and expression engine

SOLUTION

How did you find Kooba?

Referral

Why did you select Kooba over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Kooba were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Kooba did a complete relaunch of our website and our internal operations. Research Needs and Analysis were completed at the start fo the project. During the UX phase the wire frame design for the website was created with input from ourselves and KOOBA. 11 different appliation forms with multiple  complex requirements at lower levels were created and tested thoroughly. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Successful implementation of a brand new website and internal operating system that met the needs of our company along with a use friendly system that both the company and the clients could use. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

KOOBA delivered our various projects on time. If some deliverable was delayed we were informed and a new plan was agreed that suited our timelines. They responded to all our queries/ needs with great patience and understanding along with suggested improvements where necessary.  All projects were managed through an app so all parties were kept informed of changes, updates and challenges in a timely manner.

What was your primary form of communication with Kooba?

Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to take on board all our needs and requests and then turn it into a functioning wesbite and operating system. Kooba built a fantastic working relationship with our company from the very beginning and we continue to expand on this with every new project we tackle together.The respectful and dedicated approach was evident in every meeting or call and the support recevied whenever we felt like we were lsoing control was superb. We felt we could turn to them at any stage of the project with any one of our bizarre request. 

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of web and online engagement at South East Technological University (SETU). We deliver education, research, and innovation that supports students, communities, and enterprises across Ireland’s southeast.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kooba?

We needed support for the design and development of our new website as part of the creation of SETU.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kooba supported the design and development of our new website as part of the creation of SETU. This was a multi-year program of work spanning approximately three years, beginning with the development of an interim website to support the initial establishment of SETU, followed by the planning, design, and build of the fully merged institutional website.
The objective was to deliver a robust, scalable, and user-focused web platform that could support a newly formed university, unify legacy institutions, and meet accessibility, governance, and performance requirements. Kooba’s scope of work covered the end-to-end design and development of the SETU website across both the interim and final merged phases of the project. 
This included discovery and planning, information architecture, UX/UI design, technical architecture, and full website build and deployment. 
Key deliverables included the design and build of the interim SETU website to support the university at the formation stage; the subsequent design and development of the fully merged institutional website; implementation of a scalable CMS; development of reusable templates and components; migration and consolidation of content from legacy institutions; and support for accessibility, performance, and governance requirements.
Kooba also worked closely with the internal SETU web and marketing teams throughout the process to ensure the platform met user needs and could be effectively managed in-house post-launch. Kooba directly delivered the core website platform and foundational components for setu.ie. This included the overall information architecture, UX, and visual design system, front-end templates and layouts, and the build and configuration of the CMS.
They developed the main page templates, navigation structures, content types, and reusable components that underpin the site, along with accessibility-compliant layouts and responsive behavior across devices. Kooba also delivered the technical implementation required to launch both the interim and final merged SETU websites, including environment setup, deployment, and initial content migration support. 
These elements formed the core framework on which the internal SETU web team has continued to build, extend, and evolve the site post-launch.

How did you come to work with Kooba?

We found them via a tender application for a web project. Their pricing fit our budget, and they were a great culture fit. Kooba was appointed following a full tender process. They submitted a comprehensive written proposal and delivered a detailed presentation. Based on the published tender criteria, they were assessed as the strongest supplier for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2021–January 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Following the launch of the interim and subsequently the fully merged setu.ie site, the university saw strong growth in website traffic and sustained engagement as SETU became established as a new institution. Accessibility was a core requirement throughout the project, with the site designed and built to meet WCAG standards. 
This was reflected in improved accessibility audit outcomes and positive feedback from internal stakeholders responsible for accessibility, communications, and digital governance. Feedback from stakeholders across the university was consistently positive, particularly in relation to the clarity of structure, consistency of design, and the flexibility of the CMS, which enabled internal teams to manage and evolve content efficiently post-launch. 
Collectively, these indicators demonstrated that the project successfully delivered a stable, accessible, and scalable digital platform for a newly merged university.One of the clearest indicators of success was the level of confidence and buy-in from stakeholders across the university following the launch. There was particularly positive feedback around how effectively the site supported the identity of a newly merged university. 
Stakeholders noted that the platform helped present SETU as a single, coherent institution from day one, while still allowing flexibility to represent different campuses, disciplines, and audiences. Accessibility was also frequently referenced in feedback, with stakeholders acknowledging that the site raised the standard for inclusive digital design within the organis ation .
Collectively, this feedback reinforced that the project succeeded not just as a technical delivery but as a foundational piece of digital infrastructure that supported confidence, clarity, and cohesion across the university.

How did Kooba perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered on time and on budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stood out most about working with Kooba was their ability to operate as a true delivery partner rather than a purely external supplier. They demonstrated a strong understanding of the complexity and sensitivities involved in establishing a new university. Kooba was particularly effective at collaborating with the internal SETU web team, adapting to evolving requirements over a multi-year program, and translating high-level objectives into a clear, usable digital platform. 
Their openness, responsiveness, and willingness to engage constructively with feedback made the process collaborative and trust-based, which was critical to the success of a project of this scale and duration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Given the scale, duration, and evolving nature of the project, there were inevitably areas where approaches were refined as the work progressed. However, Kooba was responsive to feedback, adapted quickly to changing priorities, and worked constructively with the internal web team to address challenges as they arose. 
Overall, any learnings from the project were a function of its complexity rather than shortcomings in delivery, and Kooba’s flexibility and professionalism were key to navigating that successfully.