Mobile App Hero

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of a nonpartisan nonprofit civic engagement organization called New Georgia Project. We’re best known for our voter registration, election protection, and civil rights activism.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mobile App Hero?

Although we’ve registered about 300,000 Georgians to date, we noticed that only 40% of new people actually voted. We surveyed those who registered but didn’t vote and found that people often refrained from voting because they lacked quality information on each candidate. As a result, we tasked Mobile App Hero with developing an Android/iOS app that would make it easier for users to participate during Election Day.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mobile App Hero developed a mobile voting app by integrating our internal database with an existing API. They provided full-cycle development, including coding, UI design, and production.

The app is a centralized platform that allows users to see report cards on each candidate, including their stance on key topics. Users could then see a sample ballot to familiarize themselves with the voting process.

One of the core features is a GPS-based reporting feed that logs voter issues in real time (e.g., excessive lines, unjust obstruction of rights, harassment). By monitoring the feed, we’re able to dispatch personnel to resolve the issue, from voting rights attorneys and media reporters to organizers who could bring refreshments. The reports also served as a means to log detailed complaints, which we could then present to the Secretary of State.

What is the team composition?

We primarily interacted with a project manager and a secondary point of contact. The latter was particularly helpful in responding to our questions.

How did you come to work with Mobile App Hero?

We were looking for a firm that was not only technically skilled but also knowledgeable about our work. After searching online, we explored the local tech-for-good ecosystem and found Mobile App Hero by word-of-mouth. They had a great reputation working with nonprofits, so we felt comfortable moving forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from July–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mobile App Hero served as a technology partner that helped us find innovative ways to support our cause. Thanks to their GPS-based features, we were able to address people’s voting issues in real time. In some locations, people had to wait in line for upwards of five hours, so we had volunteers bring snacks and distribute ponchos to weather the rain.

This feature also enabled us to become better voter rights advocates because we had more detailed complaints to present to authorities. Typically, people can report general complaints about why they had difficulties at a poll. However, we now had GPS-coded time-stamped reports logging every challenge that communities faced during the voting process.

How did Mobile App Hero perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive to our needs and helped us further our cause. The team was also able to translate technical terms to community organizers, so it was easy to work with them. In terms of timelines, they ensured that the app would go live in both the App Store and Google Play before Election Day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated that they took the time to understand our audience so that they could accurately translate important voter information in an accessible way. For new voters and citizens with limited English proficiency, it’s particularly helpful to break down and consolidate convoluted policies. Mobile App Hero helped us build people’s confidence by arming the community with information that they might not have had otherwise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I found out about Mobile App Hero through word-of-mouth, but more people should know about their services. It would be beneficial if they invested in their outreach and visibility.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of GoBlu Technology. We provide businesses with an IoT tile for built-in mobile device charging.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mobile App Hero?

We wanted to create a customer-facing app that would allow users to see which businesses use our tile, access the charging service, and also create a community around the product. We engaged Mobile App Hero to build the app and help us form a proof of concept for investors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mobile App Hero led the app development from start to finish. After some discovery exercises, the team designed the app. They coordinated with a third-party team of engineers to integrate the software and hardware components. Due to unforeseen difficulties, we replaced those engineers with a different group. Mobile App Hero accommodated the new team and their proposed changes to the software and framework.

Shawn (App Hero, Mobile App Hero) also raised valuable points about our back-office messaging systems. He provided insights about the viability of certain features and the differences between iOS and Android programs.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Shawn, who led a team of project managers and developers.

How did you come to work with Mobile App Hero?

We're a startup, so we talked to other entrepreneurs to find out who they were using for mobile app development. Mobile App Hero came highly recommended. We met with several vendors and were impressed by Shawn's willingness to work with us. We also found his rates reasonable and his approach highly professional.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2017–August 2018. Any delays came from our hardware development, not from Mobile App Hero.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still pre-sale, but we’ve received favorable feedback from funders and the entrepreneurial community. While it’s anecdotal data, people really understand what we’re trying to accomplish when we show them the app. Mobile App Hero was highly responsive to all maintenance issues. If any bugs emerged, Shawn and his team addressed them within 24 hours.

How did Mobile App Hero perform from a project management standpoint?

Shawn was highly responsive and easy to contact. He had tenacious follow-through and spot-on documentation. He willingly accommodated our unique project requirements, which was helpful. We appreciated the team's professionalism throughout the entire project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Shawn’s communication and documentation were excellent. If we ever needed anything or an issue arose, we could call at all hours and Shawn would be there.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because the project involved a different team for the hardware component, some delays were unavoidable. While Shawn was incredibly patient, we should have either addressed this initially or had more open conversations when it became an issue.

Any advice for potential customers?

Shawn knows what he’s doing. With his proven project management set-up, he's able to create high-functioning custom apps as if he were using a template.