Mutually Human

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Become Unmistakable is a software and training firm that offers performance management software and training to support organizational leaders at all levels. I am the Director of uMap and oversee our software products and client services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mutually Human, and what were your goals?

We set out to create a custom software application to help organizations connect with their people on a deeper level. This software needed to create a great user experience from the signup process to the performance review experience for all the individuals in an organization.

SOLUTION

How did you select Mutually Human and what were the deciding factors?

Mutually Human was recommended us by another individual. We needed a partner that we could trust to guide the process, help prioritize feature development and provide assistance along the way. It was easy to see that Mutually Human was there to serve and make our dreams a reality.

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

We began with a discovery workshop to allow them to develop an understanding of what feature sets needed to be built out. We worked closely with Mark and Lori on design and functionality.

The scope of the project was provided with weekly feature releases scheduled. This allowed us to understand what deliverables we were to expect and the ability to test features before the entire application launched.

We also setup weekly check-in meetings so the team could show us the working parts of the application as it was being built.

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

We worked with Mark, president and founder of Mutually Human and Lori who is the software designer. Later in the development process, we worked with a 2 other software engineers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team at Mutually Human delivered the application in a timely manner and we were able to launch the sale of the product in a short time.

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

There was on-going communication on a few different platforms. We used Zoom and Trello.

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

We developed a great relationship so communication was open and honest. We always had fun working with them which really brought about the best ideas during our discover sessions. They really do put the human element into all their interactions.

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

The quality of work was fantastic, which meant that some timelines were extended.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Regional Emergency Services Director for the American Red Cross in West Michigan

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mutually Human, and what were your goals?

Traditional media coverage is an essential piece of organizational awareness for the Red Cross. It is one of the main tools we utilize to engage the public, drive donations and gain volunteers.

But, measuring media coverage and impact was nearly impossible. After sending out a press release, we really needed to know which radio, television, print, and online outlets picked it up, which reporters followed or wrote the story, and where it could still be accessible.

We needed a single tool for organizing, tracking, and storing data about media coverage. We needed it to be online so it could be accessed from anywhere, and we needed to be able to quickly input and review data.

SOLUTION

How did you select Mutually Human and what were the deciding factors?

We found Mutually Human through a weekend-long event that connected nonprofits with software companies to help solve problems.

Their team was incredible at listening to and understanding our issues. They asked really important questions that helped us define our needs with more clarity than we had beforehand. They not only laid out ideal solutions, they walked us through their rationale and helped make us more tech-savvy in the process.

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

They designed and deployed a Ruby on Rails website with a PostGreSQL database. We started with several discovery meetings to scope out our needs and set priorities for functionality. Once the framework was selected, Mutually Human led a 3-day intensive sprint towards a 90% solution. This 3-day sprint was part of the weekend-long event.

By the end of this event, we had a functional, branded site with all the basic features we needed, which included several intuitive forms for data entry, and reporting pages with robust filtering and search capabilities.

But Mutually Human didn't stop there. Even though the event was over, they held a meeting with us to discuss some of the functionality that didn't make the cut and offered to work with us on implementing them. They also hosted a wrap-up meeting where we could review the project and talk about the process and the final product.

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

We worked with a project manager who led the discovery phase and crafted the plan and timetable. We worked directly with front-end and back-end team members throughout the sprint to answer questions and learn about capabilities.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest outcome is productivity. A task that used to take hours spread among disparate systems is now unified into an easy to use interface. We saw a huge improvement in our traditional media engagement because we were able to track which outlets were most responsive to us, and which reporters we worked with. We were able to expand our media contacts and increase our community visibility.

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

The Mutually Human team used a storytelling approach to organize the information. All user needs and system requirements were recorded as stories, for e.g. "the user can add a link to the press release", or "the press release can be related to a reporter and an outlet".

During the project, the Mutually Human team used Slack and Trello to organize information and consolidate communication. They used both systems to great effect.

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

I was personally impressed by their commitment to detail. They were practically therapists with their probing questions about our requirements, ideals, and frustrations. Because they got to know our needs so well, they were able to identify and solve problems we hadn't even thought about.

Given that this project was related to a nonprofit event, it bears mentioning that their philanthropy and volunteer spirit is also key to their success. They build an integrated team culture that helps them maximize the potential of all their team members.

Mutually Human team members also see themselves as teachers. They didn't just hand us a solution they believe worked for us, they showed us how it works and what it's capable of. I was grateful to not only receive the final product but actually walk away with an understanding of how it worked.

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

Although I have limited experience working with software companies, I can't think of anything I would want them to have done differently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a co-founder, and VP for Research & Technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mutually Human, and what were your goals?

We had completed an external review with a security consulting firm that resulted in a report with several high-priority updates. We hired Mutually Human to work with our developer to complete the high priority items from the review, all of which were designed to increase the security and stability of our system.

SOLUTION

How did you select Mutually Human and what were the deciding factors?

I interviewed several colleagues of mine and Mutually Human was recommended as a good fit for the work we wanted to do. They also came highly recommended for their excellent communication skills.

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

The MH team analyzed 6 items from the security report and proposed solutions for each area. They all required large-scale fixes that touched multiple parts of our application and/or would affect most of our customers if there were a problem.

This made each item and its solution high-stakes. Over the course of 6 weeks, MH tackled each of the high-priority items with a two person team working on their side along with our own developer. They checked in regularly using an agile-like work routine that fit our company culture well.

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

Two people from MH worked on this project. One as a system analyst and developer, and the other as a developer implementing the proposed solutions. The changes included updates to our full LAMP stack. MH worked on the the application layer up through the browser.

Both MH folks - Mark and A.J. - worked with our own in-house developer who took care of most of the changes needed to the database and server environment.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes, this project had very clear outcomes because in the end, the security firm re-screened and certified that all the high-priority risks had been addressed. In addition, MH estimated time and budget very precisely, finished the project on time and met all of our technical requirements.

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

What made MH stand out to me is how well organized they were and how openly and clearly they communicated with us. We've worked with other vendors and MH is outstanding for its care and skill in this area. They are outstanding thinking partners in large part because they come to each project with a goal to achieve mutual understanding.

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

Communication and care. They chose their company name well! They also solved our technical problems with creativity and efficiency.

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

For this project, I think MH handled everything extremely well. We even worked over a holiday break and it went quite smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Grayce is an early-stage, venture-backed company focused on helping families support aging and vulnerable loved ones through expert support. I am the co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mutually Human, and what were your goals?

We hired Mutually Human to help us design and build our MVP.

SOLUTION

How did you select Mutually Human and what were the deciding factors?

After talking to some other firms, it was clear within minutes of connecting that Mutually Human was a perfect match for us. They asked the right questions, cared deeply about what we were trying to build, quickly understood the complexities and challenges, and are a lot of fun to work with.

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

We hired Mutually Human to help turn our initial product requirements into a functioning web application. We began with a kickoff session, where Mark and Lori asked probing questions to understand our goals, priorities, vision, and challenges. Then, through a collaborative and iterative design and product management process, we created an initial scope of work to lay the foundation of our MVP. A year later, we continue to work with the team to expand the initial product into a sophisticated client experience and operational workflow tool for our team of experts.

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

We have worked primarily with Mark on product support and Lori on design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone from clients to investors to experts LOVE the design of our product. With their immeasurable help, we have launched a product that is easy to use, intuitive, stable, and expandable as we evolve and learn.

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

We use Asana to manage our product/dev work, as well as Slack for communication. Mark and Lori as incredibly responsive, fast, flexible, congenial. True professionals but also a whole lot of fun to collaborate with.

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

I think they deliver world-class product and design support at a reasonable price. They contribute ideas, listen carefully to our priorities as founders, and have truly become part of our team.

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

Not a thing - just keep doing what they are doing! I couldn't recommend MH more highly.