Program-Ace

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Bigpoint is a gaming company based in Hamburg, Germany, and we mostly do browser games. I’m the frontend lead developer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

We were short on developers and needed our game to be transferred from Flash to Unity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We already had a live working game that we gave to them as a blueprint for how it should look. They developed it in Unity, which is a technology and game engine. We also had them write C# code, then take our existing ActionScript code and rewrite it in Unity.

They're now helping out with new features for the game.

What is the team composition?

We had one senior developer and two associate developers working on the core features. Once the core features were completed, we scaled it down to two developers. There’s also a project manager.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

Our CTO knew them and gave their contact to me. We looked at other companies, but they seemed like a serious business. We interviewed some of their programmers to make sure they knew what they were doing and found them to be competent. Their prices are industry average and they deliver good quality.

How much have you invested with them?

110,000 euros [$136,000 USD].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m satisfied with them and the quality. Everything works well.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

Having a developer of theirs onsite for two weeks to train really helped establish a good working relationship. We have direct contact with the developers and if there are any problems, they have a project manager who is very helpful and responds very quickly. We use Kanban to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They adopted the game’s features so they better fit the Unity technology. That was great because it gives better performance.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everything is okay.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

For us, it was really helpful to have someone on site to get the product started. Once they were trained, they could instruct the other programmers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder and CEO of FashionTek, a service offering a 3-D virtual dressing room for online e-commerce retailers. Our technology allows people to essentially try on clothing virtually before purchasing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program Ace?

We were looking for an app developer that could help us build a prototype that demonstrated our vision.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Program Ace created the tech specifications and wireframe for our app based on our ideas, using Unity. They provided four iterations and made the app available for iOS, as well as on an online platform. The app includes a manikin feature that can be swiveled around 360 degrees.

What is the team composition?

I mainly interact with our account manager and a few project managers.

How did you come to work with Program Ace?

Our internal 3-D tech lead has some experience working with developers, so he helped us find Program Ace. He'd worked with them in the past and was happy with their work. Other colleagues of his also reported positive feedback from their experiences with their team. For our budget, we were most impressed by Program Ace. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $45,000 or more.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed a contract with Program Ace in December 2017 and the product is expected to be completed shortly [in April 2018].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've received tremendously positive feedback from the few people I've shared some of the results with. After showing the app to an important potential partner, he was sold on the product immediately.

The prototype exceeds our expectations, especially considering the relatively small investment and quick turnaround. We can only imagine what more time and money will allow us to accomplish when we're ready.

How did Program Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

Program Ace has overdelivered on their promises and has been very proactive throughout the engagement. Any time we suggested changes, their team has been professional, receptive, and quick to turn them around, communicating to us mostly through email, Skype, and Trello.

They're responsive and don't hesitate to ask us any questions when they need more information. We're so impressed by their work that we might actually be building another project with them in the near future.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate the level of creative agency they've taken with us, suggesting several elements we didn't specifically ask for but are glad they've incorporated. They really brought our product to life and used their own ingenuity to make it a better product than what we were expecting.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They've surpassed our expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared with as detailed of a plan and vision as possible to make the discovery and design phase easier.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the senior producer at Hopster. The company provides a video streaming, on-demand app for preschool kids to watch their favorite shows and play some educational games.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

We needed mobile development experts who could deliver a new game for our mobile app. We already had a variety of games that we had built ourselves internally. We wanted to outsource so that our internal team could focus their efforts on specific features.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did the majority of the artwork for the whole game, including animations. We would go back and forth, giving feedback on prototypes that they shared. We had strict guidelines that they followed. They got the feel of what we were looking for quite quickly. At times, they came up with great designs for different screens with little guidance.

We started with Android but moved quickly to iOS as we needed to release the game on both simultaneously. We tried to keep them moving in tandem during development. It was a challenge to meet the standards on both.

What is the team composition?

I had a project manager who was my primary contact. We also worked with a lead developer.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

We were searching for a vendor that understood our brand and messaging, and had potentially worked on kids’ games before. This was the first time I was finding my own team. I scanned globally online and via personal contacts in the industry. I had a list of 20 vendors.

We had initial conversations with Program-Ace to talk about the kind of team I needed, the kinds of technology they use and, eventually, the costs. Our app has a high-quality bar so quality was our first criteria, with cost second.

They suggested the people that we'd be working with and sent sample designs and code. We assessed these against our own standards.

What is the status of this engagement?

They worked with us from July to September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The game has gone live. We were very impressed by the quality of their artwork. In terms of code, the game is small in that there aren’t many screens, but the screens are packed with images. They really blew us away with the quality of their art and animation. The games are limited in their number of megatypes and the animations have to fit into the game. They managed to do it and came up with some really wacky animations that made us laugh in the office. It was all very well done. We’re hoping to work with them again in the future.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

They stayed on time and on budget. Those were possible because we checked in very regularly. We had a fortnightly video call with the team. It was helpful to associate faces with those working on the project.

They collaborated closely with us. I use an agile framework with two-week sprints. I would determine with the Program-Ace project manager what we needed to deliver at the end of each sprint. The lead developer was always open to questions. Our design team was also available to them. I made sure that our creative director and lead designer provided feedback and sign-off on art and design.

We communicated via Slack most of the time. We also used Jira for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Really good communication skills. It's never easy to work externally and it doesn't work for everybody. But they were willing communicators. They were always online first thing in the morning and available the whole day. You can't build anything, especially a game, if you don't communicate properly. Their communication is the reason it went so well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they had spent more time studying our guidelines, we may have been
able to speed things up. For example, we have a distinct color palette which needs to come from our guides; you can’t find it online and match it. I would suggest that they align more closely to the design principles of the company their working with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Digimation offers defense training and simulation. We’ve been in business for 25 years. I’m the owner. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

The reason we first reached out to Program-Ace was because of a bandwidth issue. We have resources internally that do similar work, but when they get too busy, we augment our team with outside contractors. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Program-Ace helps us with programming and generic 3D modeling and animation. On the programming side, the projects they’ve done revolve around the Unity game engine. They have created projects for us that have been desktop and iPad training apps. For example, if you’re a worker and go out in the field and a pump is broken down, you can bring an iPad and find that pump. The app will tell you everything you need to know in full 3D to help you fix it.

We’ve done numerous projects with them on the 3D side, and generally these revolve around defense. Maybe we’re showing how the latest plane radar works, a battlefield scenario, or something else in 3D. They work with our 3D artists to create the models and animation that go into these presentations. The end products are generally Unity 3D, which is a game engine with C+ or C# code writing. They have not provided any strategy or marketing.

If it’s a small project, we communicate with the resource who is doing the work. If it’s a larger project, Program-Ace assigns a program manager who we communicate with. We’re working with Denis [Director of Cross-Platform Development at Program-Ace] right now; he’s really good. We communicate through email and Skype. On the Skype calls, it’s not unusual to have the program manager and one of the developers. We give Program-Ace written specs of what we need, and they assign the right resources to the project. They’ve hired resources outside of their own company if we need someone with a specialized skill set. I leave those decisions up to them.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

We started working with them about 15 years ago. I think I found them through my own research. We work with a lot of overseas companies, so I had a good idea of who the good players were. Over the course of time, we’ve dropped the other teams we were using in favor of Program-Ace, which gives you an idea of what we think about them.

How much have you invested with Program-Ace?

If we’re doing a programming job, the programmers might be $28 an hour, whereas the people who test the code might be $20 an hour. In general, we’re paying less than $30 per hour, if you take an average of everything together.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around 2002, and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Our claim to fame is that the stuff that we do is higher-end. We started our business writing software for movie effects and game companies, so it’s a higher-end type of graphics and development. We have high expectations of the partners we work with. That’s why a few of the companies that we’ve worked with have fallen off the radar because they couldn’t keep up with the quality demands we have. Program-Ace has been able to keep up. A lot of companies offer programming and 3D services; some of them are really talented, and some are just mediocre. I find these guys to be really talented. They keep up with the quality of work we demand.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had some hiccups over time in project management primarily. I find this is true for all international companies that we work with. Many of the firms’ project management skills are not always the best. In the early years, we had some issues with Program-Ace not being able to manage the project effectively. We told them we needed it to be better. They worked with us and didn’t get defensive. They said they can do better, implemented plans, and have done better. They have also written their own backend for tracking communications and issues. Whenever we need to transfer files, pose questions, or discuss bugs, we log on to their system, and it’s all tracked very nicely. They’ve probably grown as we have, and they’ve probably learned some things about project management. I was telling them today that the project we’re working on now is going really smoothly, and we’re really happy with it.

What did you find most impressive about Program-Ace?

We’re really into 3D design, so not everyone does the type of programming we do. For example, we work with the Unity 3D engine. Not every programming house has Unity experience or experience with creating games. Program-Ace has actually created games, which isn’t a completely unique ability. There are a number of game developers out there, but the gaming background sets Program-Ace apart.

Are there any areas Program-Ace could improve?

Now that we’ve got a closer relationship, it would be good if when they looked at our program specs they would talk about it with their team to possibly make things better. Most companies will create what we want based on the specs. Sometimes, we make a mistake or suggest doing something a certain way when another way might be better. Program-Ace hasn’t been able to do this in the past, but I’ve been encouraging them to try. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of a startup in the HR field, and we’ve constructed a psychometric tool that measures soft skills. This psychometric tool takes the form of a video game. Corporations can use this tool to attract, identify and select the best available talent for hire, so it’s effectively a recruitment tool that screens Millennial employees for entry- and mid-level positions. Our purpose is to help companies make better, faster and more informed hiring decisions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program Ace?

We were looking for a studio that could create and deliver all the creative assets required for us to visualize a game we had in mind.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handled all of the creative parts in conceptualizing and developing the creative material that we’re using in the game; all the visual aspects of the tool were essentially created through their assets. They did all the design work, illustrations, and animation. They would also do some mock-ups as to how things would look if we wanted to add a button or something, but it was always tied in with the visual side. We came to them with the logic and methodology already completed beforehand, in-house. In other words, we already had what was basically the questions and answers of a traditional assessment tool and Program Ace was to convert that into a fictional setting in which the game takes place. They brought life to our methodology. They may have used a third party, but they also helped us out with the audio multimedia in the game.

It’s hard to tell how many people were on their team, but I think there were about four or five illustrators working on this project. There was also a project leader and occasionally we would interact with other folks for financial or accounting issues as needed.

How did you come to work with Program Ace?

We found them through a referral. We had a game designer create the game design documents that we based the development of our game on, and I asked him if he could recommend a few people to help with the illustrations. One of them was Program Ace. I reached out to them and got a cost indication based on some very loosely defined terms. They sent us a proposal, which I shamefully never got around to replying to, and then a few months later they reached out to me again. It was perfect timing: I had done some more market research and I realized they were the best value for money. So we got started. We were likely to have come back to them, but they beat us to it.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around June 2016. In essence, our engagement is concluded. They delivered the last of the assets in February 2017 and we’re just closing the remaining payments at this point.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

It’s hard to get a good sense of their impact because it’s all tied up in our digital campaigns and marketing and stuff like that, but from the moment that we launched on November 1, we’ve had approximately 700 subscriptions into the game. We’ve received very good feedback on the style, illustrations, and design.

How did Program Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

They did onboard me to this platform they use for project management, but I didn’t really use it. In addition to that, the project leader would send me an Excel file, a time planning worksheet so I could have a sense of where everything is. So they did incorporate me into their project management side of things, but I preferred to work through the Excel sheet they provided. We also used Dropbox and Skype for more immediate communication.

What did you find most impressive about Program Ace?

One of their main competitive advantages is the cost of development. They’re certainly a lot more affordable than some other studios and they do have a good number of big brands in their portfolio. The value for money is a huge boon to them.

Are there any areas Program Ace could improve?

This is partly on me, and that’s outlining what you really need. This was the first time that we’d undertaken a project of this scale in this field. We would tell them that we needed XYZ assets in whatever manner, and they’d ask for more details for a cost estimation. But their ballpark figures were not very close. We did keep adding additional assets, so it’s very reasonable for that cost to increase. It’s also on us, though. We didn’t really know how to describe things so they’d know exactly what we wanted. Another area for improvement is their internal resourcing. There were two occasions where I needed something, once from their accounting person and once from the project manager, and in both cases they were sick. I’d send an email and they would reply that they were out sick. I asked if there was anyone else I could speak to and they told me no. They said they had to get better and then they’d send me the files when they were able.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Program Ace?

Be prepared to adapt your communication style. Their English isn’t always the best and we had a little communication issue in the beginning. But we did overcome the language barrier and we got better at describing what needed, and it was smooth sailing from there. It didn’t cause delays or anything like that. I’d be really descriptive or wordy and it wouldn’t click, so I learned to be more abrupt and straightforward and communication improved dramatically. This was only an issue when an actual problem arose. For instance, when it came up that their cost estimation was way off from the actual cost, we had a back and forth where we weren’t really understanding each other. That would have been expedited if someone on the team had a better proficiency in English, but it wasn’t a make-or-break deal for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a startup company building a software-as-a-service ERP [enterprise resource planning] platform. The software has invoicing and other accounting functionalities, with a focus on small businesses and individual accountants. Our solution is similar to QuickBooks, which we view as a competitor. We are based in Bordeaux, France.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

I am an accountant, not a developer, so I needed to find a partner who could work based off of my specifications. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first project with Program-Ace consisted of a social network for learning new languages. It was built using a single developer initially, but we increased the team size based on our budget.

Program-Ace is currently developing our ERP platform. We didn't intend to continue developing it past completion, but we identified new market trends and have been working on it continually.

We are currently working with four developers and a tester from Program-Ace.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

I had had some bad experiences using freelancers from India, as well as a Vietnamese company. A friend was running his own startup and had used Program-Ace. He was satisfied with the work and introduced me to the company. I was also satisfied with the collaboration and continued it until the present.

How much have you invested with Program-Ace?

The cost of Program-Ace's work has been above $500,000 overall.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Program-Ace in 2010. The development for our language learning platform has been stopped, but we have ongoing work in developing our ERP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We are only operating in France at present because the platform must comply with country-specific accountancy rules. In January 2017, there were 600 small companies registered to use the software, and have seen a 20% increase every month. The app is in an accelerated growth period. 

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

My aim was to free myself as much as possible from development tasks, and I've been able to send requirements to Program-Ace's team through Dropbox, have them do the work, and check the results.

Program-Ace uses an internal task management tool which is used mainly by their team. I only use it for urgent matters like bug fixes or other changes. It also has a chat feature, but I've preferred using Skype. We have discussions once a week, during which we discuss specific tasks and the general progression.

What did you find most impressive about Program-Ace?

I haven't seen a lot of feedback on the tasks I assign, so Program-Ace has a relatively good understanding of my descriptions. It's very clear that they take their time and devote considerable effort to each and every task. This has been a very time-saving aspect of the relationship for me. 

Are there any areas Program-Ace could improve?

The task management tool used by Program-Ace is relatively old. The information entered through its form is difficult to classify or update. They could replace it with something more modern, which could serve as a centralizing platform.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

‎IC3D Media is involved in various projects, mainly ones focusing on gamifying learning tools— such as real-world simulations for training—and gamified applications that help organizations get a message across. We also focus on creating interactive virtualizations, which can take all shapes and forms.

I am an innovation consultant, or concept developer, for the company. My task is to go into conversations with potential clients about any problems or innovations that they want to develop for the company. Based on these conversations, I create specification documents for our internal development team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

We were working on an interactive ship configurator for shipyards, allowing service employees to quickly build a vessel by immediately visualizing it in 3D. The software would allow sales people to create quick configurations for client review, making the approval process more efficient. We are a long time into development, having started it 4 years previously. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We are in charge of all technical specifications and graphic design, while all development for this project has been done by Program-Ace, including frontend and backside work. Everything has been done using the Unity game engine, with C++ as the preferred language.

We have our own development team for all of the products we create, but we have to handle rapid prototyping from time to time. That’s when we use Program-Ace. They work based on our technical specifications, giving us something to look at. Also, if a client needs a particular feature implemented in their systems, we can create its specifications and assign the work to Program-Ace. They're an extra workforce that we can leverage and add to our team when needed.

I am in touch with the person in charge of resource assignment who makes a decision based on our requirements. We rarely work with the same developers, but they fit nicely within our scope of work. For the most intensive areas, Program-Ace has used 1 lead front-end programmer who has been assisted by his colleagues on occasion. Program-Ace has different people for server and web work. We have been in contact with 1 project manager from Program-Ace, but they've also assigned a second manager as well as a quality assurance person.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

Program-Ace was already in contact with my employer when I started working for the company. I assume that they were found through the Internet or via a referral.

How much have you invested with Program-Ace?

The cost of Program-Ace's services has been between 50,000 and 100,000 euros.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Program-Ace around 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Software development using overseas parties can be a headache. It can work well, but it can also screw up an entire project, given the language barriers and other limitations. In all honesty, I've not had this negativity surrounding Program-Ace. The company is able to have prompt communication. They work within tight timelines and connect with us as well as with the end client. In the case of the maritime company, this was particularly important.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

Program-Ace has provided us with their own Gannt charts consisting of specific task lists for the work. Whenever I asked for proposals for specific features, they were made to the point and followed our descriptions. We use Trello for specifications while the actual project management is done through Skype. We use Slack for normal day-to-day communication. We also use Lean Testing for bug management.

What did you find most impressive about Program-Ace?

Program-Ace has many skill sets under one roof. If something comes up, I can always contact them and there's a 90% chance they'll have what we need. If someone asked me for a company which could create amazing visuals for a low price and within a tight timeframe, I would definitely recommend Program-Ace. I would also recommend them to someone looking to build a front-end CMS.

Are there any areas Program-Ace could improve?

The language barrier is always a consideration. Even though Program-Ace's team has English skills, there are cultural differences and remote communication is always difficult. I'm not sure that this is something that Program-Ace can improve. It's simply the nature of working with an overseas company. I've had many conversations with Program-Ace's programmers and project managers, and I've seen the same issues occur with our own team. They can also take a specifications document and use it as a checklist without considering how a client would perceive specific features.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Program-Ace?

It took some discussions with Program-Ace in order to obtain this, but we eventually decided that simply working with programmers wasn't enough. We also needed a project manager who could solve many communication issues. We also discovered that we needed someone to take care of testing and quality assurance, who could check if our software worked on all devices and web browsers. That person then creates a bug report and passes it to Program-Ace's developers. My tip for other buyers is to not go for the cheap and dirty option of only hiring a development force. They should take advantage of the project management and quality assurance that Program-Ace can deliver. From my perspective, having this assistance made a big difference.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a startup company taking 2D photos and rendering 3D objects based on them for the recreational fishing market. We bring 2D memories to life.

What is your position?

I’m the founder and CEO [chief executive officer].

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

I needed a solution for manipulating artwork in a 3D virtual space for print. Program-Ace seemed to be the most competent company I could find that had a great group of 3D artists.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

They've developed the software part of our solution, based on our requirements. The software was based on 3D modeling programs. I communicate primarily with their project manager.

Program-Ace has turned around multiple projects for us within one to two weeks. They're very fast.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

I found them through Google. I was looking for a company that would respond to communication quickly, have competency, and be able to deliver a product fast. Program-Ace had all three qualities, so I took a chance.

I am extremely happy with my choice. They are extremely fast: whenever I wanted something changed, it was done within a day. They're responsive to criticism and making themselves better. Every project we've done has been better than the last.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We've spent around $2,500 in total so far for development. Our projects are mainly fixed-price.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together six months ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We haven't yet launched our website but have released samples of the platform's capability. People have been interested and excited about the launch based on the small amount that we have released so far. 

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been great in this respect. There have been no language barrier issues, they respond to emails as quickly as anyone else I've worked with, and have been extremely helpful with any questions or requirements I've had. Our relationship is still very young, but the last 4-6 months have been very positive. We communicate exclusively through email.

What distinguishes Program-Ace from other providers?

They aim to be the best at what they do. They provide great customer service and are very responsive and helpful. They keep projects running smoothly and provide a great product. Program-Ace has a great brand behind their name. I'm looking forward to continuing our partnership.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a digital agency founded in Cairo and now operating across the region and in Europe. We're the merger of five different companies working in complementary fields and coming together to form a one-stop, full-service shop for our clients.

What is your position?

I am the creative and innovation director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

There were multiple challenges. First of all, we are creating products that require thorough research. That was one aspect of the challenge for this project. The second challenge was that the timeframe was quite tight for both projects we worked together on. These are the main reasons we relied on them.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

For one project we produced together, we created an augmented reality application, but that's been sold at the World Expo in Milan. On that application, we worked together to come up with the concept, the storyboards, we created all the 3-D models, and they handled the programming part of the application. It was quite a successful.

The other project was for what we believe to be the first Oculus activation taking place in Egypt. We were the first ones to use that, and again it was a very tight timeframe. We came up with the concept, the storyboards, and Program-Ace helped us with the presentation of the project and the delivery at the end.

We are primarily in contact with the project manager at Program-Ace. Unity 3D was the main development platform for both products. 3D Max was used in the animation and graphics for both projects.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

We identified them online.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We're talking about $10,000 to $15,000 for each project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The most recent project that we completed with them was the one at the World Expo. We delivered that at the beginning of May [2015], and the Expo is still running until the end of October, so that's actually a live project as we speak.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

There were no specific benchmarks. Our benchmark at the end of the day is the satisfaction of our clients, the level of engagement of the user, and how happy they are. The clients were very happy. People are actually enjoying the application. One of the criteria for success is if somebody gets his mobile phone out and starts taking pictures of someone using the application.

We haven't had any issues with pieces of defective work delivered to us or periods of unresponsiveness. Program-Ace is always very responsive and prompt when it comes to the feedback.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a project management tool in place, but communicating via Skype was easier. They were quite responsive to all of our requests, and that was much easier than having to rely on the project management tool that they're using.

What distinguishes Program-Ace from other providers?

I have to say they met tight deadlines. Most of the time with third-party suppliers, we'd spend a lot of time until we came to an agreement, and then it's too late to deliver the project. That was not the case with Program-Ace. With the help of the project manager, all our projects were delivered successfully and on time.

Is there anything Program-Ace could have improved or done differently?

I can't think of anything. In our case, they gave us a successful delivery, so I can't think of things they could improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I've actually worked with them at two different companies. The previous was DarkVeil Games, and I had contracted them to build a game for Steam. I'm currently engaged with them in another company, Axon Spark Interactive, to create an educational gaming platform.

What is your position?

I am the founder of Axon Spark Interactive.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

We had originally built a game using outsourcing before, and we hadn't had a good experience with it. We used a company in New Zealand and had problems with the time zone, and with nonfunctional builds coming in to our QA [quality assurance] department. When we would go through the build, we weren't able to contact them because of the time difference, so we'd lose a whole day on QA. We just had a bad experience. On the next game that we worked on, I wanted to find somebody local, in the same time zone as us. We were on the West Coast at that time.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They've been primarily using the Unity 3D game engine. They have a 3-D art department that helped me with some 3-D models. They've built games for PC and for mobile as well. The one we're working on right now is for iOS and Android.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

I interviewed a lot of studios, and I couldn't find anyone that I felt comfortable with passing my technical interviews. Someone from Program-Ace had reached out to me on LinkedIn, so I gave them a try. Their tech lead did the best out of everybody on my technical interview. He was able to answer all my questions, and I felt really comfortable that they had a good knowledge of what they were doing. We went ahead and gave them a try, and I had a really good experience with them.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The game that we made with them last year was between $50,000 and $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them a little more than a year ago with the previous company. We worked for about six months with them. I've just started a new project with them this last month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The quality has been very good. It was exactly what we were looking for and what we wanted. I'm really happy with the results.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

We used the scrum methodology, so we had two-week sprints. In general, they were always on time. They'd make their estimates of what they can complete during the sprint, and they were generally right on with what they were needing. Sometimes, like late on a Friday, I would need a build or need something special done. They would even come in on the weekend and make sure I got what I needed.

I got really good customer service, but it was the developers doing it. They just really wanted to make me happy, which is little bit unique for programmers and developers. If I was a little upset about something, they would be all over me asking how they can fix it and make it right. It was a good experience working with them.

What distinguishes Program-Ace from other providers?

The developers at Program-Ace are really looking out to make us happy and make sure our experience with them is a good one. I think that's unique compared to the programmer mentality that's usually out there. I would say that their technical ability is also a strong point. As I was describing earlier, I interviewed quite a few outsourcing companies who just really fell short on the technical ability of their staff.

Is there anything Program-Ace could have improved or done differently?

They have a sophisticated billing structures, but I've worked with them on projects before so it's not an issue.