Raccoopack Media

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Biologist of Alberta Conservation Association

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Alberta Conservation Association conserves, protects, and enhances fish and wildlife populations and their habitats for Albertans to enjoy, value, and use.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Raccoopack Media to accomplish?

• analyze the user experience of a wildlife observation app feature
• suggestion ways to improve recruitment and retention of users for our app

SOLUTION

How did you find Raccoopack Media?

Online Search

Why did you select Raccoopack Media over others?

• High ratings
• informative website and very responsive to our inquiry

How many teammates from Raccoopack Media were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Raccoopack conducted a user experience analysis for an app feature that collects wildlife observations. They explored potential user barriers to participation and retention, and suggested potential app modifications, helpful metrics to track, and further user research explorations. They also provided a detailed user research plan and budget.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Raccoopack provided us with a well-organized and thorough user analysis document that outlined potential app modifications, helpful metrics to track, and further user research explorations (with detailed budget). This translated into an action plan for our project team. 

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

Raccoopack was very timely on responding to our emails, and it was easy to schedule meetings with them. We had a very short timeline and they met it.  

What was your primary form of communication with Raccoopack Media?

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

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

Raccoopack Media was able to immerse themselves and understand a unique and specific type of app user base and provide helpful suggestions to improve the user experience and tapp into their motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic). 

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

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Manager, Post-Secondary Education of Métis Nation of Ontario

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Métis Nation of Ontario is the government of Métis people and communities in Ontario, and it provides citizens with support programs and services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Raccoopack Media to accomplish?

• To build an app for the MNO's Education & Training branch that provides improved support for citizens, students and educators

SOLUTION

How did you find Raccoopack Media?

Request for proposal

Why did you select Raccoopack Media over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

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

In working with Racoopack, the MNO sought to create an education app with the following features:

• centralized hub: direct and organized access to various MNO resources (e.g. financial assistance programs)
• esource consolidation: simplified navigation for student resources like existing programs and services, student events, cultural activities, etc.
• real-time data collection: analytics feature for MNO staff to pull data from the app to better understand userbase and usage of MNO programs and services 
• safe and moderated discussion space: providing students and educators with a virtual social space where they can reach out for support or communicate with one another and share stories, knowledge, etc.
• app should be scalable: although the app is currently a collaboration with the Post-Secondary Education and Early Learning & Child Care teams, the app should be designed in a way where future MNO teams can join the app and have their own dedicated spaces built in
• push notifications: ability to send users reminders about upcoming program deadlines and changes to events
• security and privacy: app should have robust security measures to protect user data and comply with relevant privacy regulations and new trends of data sovereignty. Data residency, ensuring sensitive documents are stored on Canadian servers, is a requirement
• the app should be available on both iOS and Android to ensure accessibility across devices

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• the app functions as requested with very little bugs or issues
• safety and moderation measures adequately built into "Discussions" space
• in 2 weeks, app features several hundred users who have signed up
• app's visual direction closely aligns with MNO's branding guide
• app has been promoted by Ontario's Ministry of Colleges and Universities, indicating it is a valuable tool for students

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

Racoopack clearly outlined to us what work would be completed from week to week, and what could be expected to be done by each meeting. They demonstrated progress on the app by presenting visual mockups and "Figma" boards, allowing us to easily understand their work and provide input on the provided directions and designs.

In turn, this also meant that we could be more specific in our requests, since we had an intimate understanding of exactly where we were in the project's progress. One Racoopack member, Nobel, was exceptional at responding to our inquiries every day through email, outside of our scheduled meetings. 

What was your primary form of communication with Raccoopack Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Racoopack's most impressive quality during this project was their organization during our scheduled meetings--it was very clear what was required of us to move forward each meeting and what our options were with each decision.

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

Although Racoopack delivered a very exceptional product, the project's release was delayed by several months. It is important for us to take our time to ensure a better product so we were more than happy to ensure Racoopack had the space and time to deliver on our requests, but updated and more clear time estimates could have been provided earlier in the development process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Curran's Karate

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Martial Arts classes for children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Raccoopack Media to accomplish?

• To develop a kids martial arts themed game, that links with their parents for assigning chores, and their karate instructor for attending classes.

SOLUTION

How did you find Raccoopack Media?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Raccoopack Media over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Raccoopack Media’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

To create three apps that all worked together for a martial arts school:

• Parent app - parents have access to a dashboard that keeps them up-to-date on their child's progress in class, attendance, and rank. You can also issue chores and challenges to your child, both on a one-time or recurring basis, making it easier to incentivize good behaviour and practice.
• Instructor app - offers the fastest attendance and rank management system, which can be customized to fit any program or style. As a teacher, you'll be able to see when your students have met milestones in their chores and challenges, giving you the chance to reward and praise them in front of their peers.
• Student game app - One of the most exciting features is that students can build, design, and decorate their own dojo, where they can train their students and send them on adventures. This creates an engaging and immersive experience that brings the values of martial arts to the modern era.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Bi-weekly zoom meeting where updates, revisions, and questions were asked by the team to ensure we were moving in the correct direction (we always were). On the non-zoom meeting weeks the project manager would send me an email update of what has been worked on/completed. Zoom calls were always available to me if I had an urgent issue.

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

Amazing team. I have never worked with a group of people that were so good and asking questions to ensure that they understood what I wanted. Then they were able to take massive brain dump creative rants from myself and actually organize it (usually better than I could have hoped). They exceeded my expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Raccoopack Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

The consistency of the company culture. Super professional and so effective and processing information from myself and organizing it. Working with them on this project has been top three most enjoyable aspects of my professional/work life.

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

No because they were always checking in throughout the process to make sure they were on track, so the project never had the opportunity to go too far off course.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the factory service manager at Kekuli Bay Cabinetry, a custom cabinet supplier.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Raccoopack Media?

We needed their team’s app development expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Raccoopack Media has built different applications to optimize our shop’s processes. We’ve initially met with their team to define our requirements and provide any necessary documentation — they’ve then taken it from there and kicked off the development process.

We’ve asked them to develop a mobile app for our customers, and a desktop version of that app for our staff. Additionally, Raccoopack has designed and integrated a scanning feature into the platforms, which allows us to process QR codes to get the information we need and generate service orders.

We’re nearing the end of the development phase, and we plan to have their team manage and maintain our apps once the go-live takes place.

What is the team composition?

We work with around five resources from their team.

How did you come to work with Raccoopack Media?

I wasn’t involved in the onboarding process — that was mainly handled by my boss.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $18,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Raccoopack Media kicked off in May 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can’t share any quantitative data yet as we haven’t reached the go-live phase. However, we’ve conducted app testings, and Raccoopack Media has been quick to apply any necessary changes to improve the quality of our platforms. They’ve met our needs by delivering straightforward apps, which are also easy to use.

How did Raccoopack Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate via email and Google Meets. Raccoopack Media has a thorough and feedback-oriented approach — they strive to deliver the best solutions at the fastest rate possible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stands out about their team is their great attention to detail and commitment to delivering precise solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Absolutely none — I can’t think of anything they could’ve done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them take the lead because they’re experts at what they do. You only need to trust Raccoopack Media to make great things happen for your business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Program Coordinator at the Invasive Species Council of BC

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Raccoopack Media?

For the development of an online youth game for kids aged 8 - 10

What were your goals for this project?

To get youth educated on invasive species including how to prevent them from spreading.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

From a referral from another staff member.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The services provided included web development, graphic design, and some consulting regarding web services.

What was the team composition?

About 5-6 staff members were on the team included graphic designers, web developers and team leaders. There was one team change over time (team leader).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This game not only represents the values of our brand, but also serves to educated a demographic that we don't always have the opportunity to impact.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was arranged by the following:

• Setting up of a shared excel file in order to manage project items (such as content, images, game flow, etc.)
• Organizing of bi-weekly virtual meetings (sometimes set up by us, other times set up by Raccoopack) to preview demo’s and discuss next steps
• Setting up of a shared feedback form which was used to communicate any requested changes to demos

Project management was sometimes ineffective for the following reasons:

• Lack of communication on deadlines
• lack of set deadlines for providing feedback for inclusion in the next demo sometimes led to delayed progress and tight timelines.
• Too many points of contact
• Providing details to only one Raccoopack team member sometimes resulted in confusion, most likely because it had not being shared amongst others on the team.
• Inefficient feedback form = the feedback form (excel doc) that was provided had potential for lots of human error. There was an inability to smoothly include screenshots and had an unclear way of notifying either parties on when feedback had been added.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

A few highlights about working with this company included:

1. Design skills: Raccoopack Media excels at artwork and animation.
2. Team Flexibility: The Raccoopack team is very flexible regarding the scheduling of meetings and jumping on quick calls last minute here and there.

Are there any areas for improvement?

• Attention to detail on content (i.e. catching mistakes such as grammar and other consistencies throughout the game)
• Attending to project management inefficiencies (see previous comments):
• Lack of communication on deadlines - there was no set deadline for providing feedback by a certain date in order to have it included in the next demo. This led to delayed progress and tighter timelines.
• Multiple points of contact - by providing details to a single staff member on the Raccoopack team sometimes resulted in confusion, most likely because it had not being shared amongst others on the team.
• Inefficient feedback form - the feedback form (Excel doc) provided had potential for lots of human error, had inability to smoothly include screenshots and had an unclear way of notifying either parties on when feedback had been included.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a game development studio. I'm one of the lead directors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Raccoopack Media?

We needed support developing the Android version of our app, a children's e-learning tool.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Raccoopack Media’s team was brought on specifically to develop our product for Android, based on what we’d already built for iOS. 

The game is designed and developed within Unity3d in C#. We provide Raccoopack Media with access to our repository and guidelines, and one of their team members works on the project directly as if he were a member of our own team. 

One of the key challenges was building a membership capability on Android and integrating it with the existing one on iOS. The task involved building out a server of our own to capture subscription information, parse it, and be able to connect it to the user account.

When the app was in beta testing, there was one particular, long-running task that required monitoring of a backend feature. Raccoopack Media was able to deliver us long-term support for that, despite the bulk of the project having already been completed. The team remains available for open-ended support. 

What is the team composition?

There was one developer assigned to our project.

How did you come to work with Raccoopack Media?

We were working in a shared office space with about 50 other companies, which is where we met them. When we realized our need for support, we reached out to Raccoopack Media, who was interested in joining the project. 

Also, we were appreciative of the fact that they were in the same building as us, so we could easily communicate throughout the engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $5,000-$10,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working with Raccoopack Media in November 2019, and they provide ongoing support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been extremely happy with the quality of work they’ve provided. Our developer instantly understood all of the requirements and modifications to build out the Android platform. He was extremely adaptable to any of the changes we made throughout the process. 

How did Raccoopack Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly kept in touch via instant messaging, but we also had the added benefit of sharing an office space with them to communicate in person. 

We had weekly reports, meeting with the developer and going over the log of tasks he’d kept. I was also able to monitor in person, which was helpful. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were most impressed by our developer’s ability to integrate the subscription service. The process was extremely complex, but he figured out a plan and built the entire system within a very reasonable amount of time. We were blown away.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they could’ve provided more time to our project, but that’s because we were pleased with their services, not disappointed. Everything went really well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We really benefitted from being in close proximity to Raccoopack Media, as we didn’t have any communication issues throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

SafeCare BC is an industry-funded, non-profit association working to ensure injury-free, safe working conditions for continuing care workers in BC. We strive to be the industry leader in advancing injury prevention and safety training for long-term care and home support workers. We are committed to improving health and safety within the workplace and responding to the needs and priorities of our members. As the Learning & Development Advisor, I am responsible for building, evaluating, and continuously improving Safe Care BC’s educational programming.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Raccoopack Media?

SafeCare BC wanted to develop a mobile game as a way to deliver educational content in a new and innovative format that would engage our audience.

What were your goals for this project?

Psychological health, resiliency, and stress management is an important topic in the continuing care sector. SafeCare BC's goal was to develop a mobile game that would allow the player to explore common work and home scenarios using different stress management techniques.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We chose to work with RaccooPack because of their experience developing a healthcare-themed game with Vancouver Coastal Health.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Raccoopack handled the entire mobile game development including: research and design, focus group meetings, animation and graphics, UI and UX design, leaderboard development, and testing/bug fixes.

What was the team composition?

Our two main contacts were George Padua (Pack Leader/President) and Jay Friso (Director of Games), and they worked with us throughout the project. They were very responsive, consistent, and helpful. There were several other RaccooPack specialists that contributed at various stages of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched the product to our audience yet, so we can’t speak about its impact. But we’re excited to provide our members—many of whom, for various reasons, cannot access our in-person training—with a mobile game that’s both engaging and educational.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

George and Jay were consistently on top of deadlines and were exceptional at managing and meeting expectations throughout the project. We communicated via email, shared documents via dropbox, and collaborated on content via Google Docs and LucidCharts - all of which were very effective for our project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Although the product created was exceptional, their real strength lies in their client relations. George and Jay were very responsive, flexible, professional, approachable, and were always very clear about what was in and out of scope and what could be done in a given amount of time. This skill is vital to ensuring that a project is completed as expected and on time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only area that we would recommend some improvements is on text editing. The beta version delivered to us had many spelling and grammar issues that distracted from evaluating the gameplay experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CMO of a gaming company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Skill Based Real Money Mobile Games

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Raccoopack Media to accomplish?

• Outsourced game development for a new mobile game

SOLUTION

How did you find Raccoopack Media?

Online Search

Why did you select Raccoopack Media over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Raccoopack Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop a mobile game in Unity for integration into our main iOS app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

a bug free deliverable that we were able to integrate into our app. Clear communication throughout the process and check-in meetings where we reviewed progress and clarified any potentially ambiguous areas

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

All deliverables were done in time or early. Project was clearly communicated and updates were reviewed regularly

What was your primary form of communication with Raccoopack Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Great attitude. They were eager to accommodate any changes or curve balls that came up along the way. Good quality work with a great team

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

None. We actually started a 2nd project with them as we were so happy with the initial one.

BACKGROUND

What challenge were you trying to address with Raccoopack Media?

We needed a company that could help us develop a client portal where our clients could interact with us, follow up on their orders, and submit work orders online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Raccoopack Media to develop a client-facing web app using Next.js, Node.js, MongoDB, Docker, and Firebase. They will be responsible for the system’s maintenance as well as the development of the system’s second version.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with six people from Raccoopack Media, including two developers, one frontend designer, a business developer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Raccoopack Media?

We found Raccoopack Media through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $200,000 CAD (Approximately $150,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

SOLUTION

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

Raccoopack Media has successfully developed the backlog list of features on time. There were some numbers that we wanted to reach before the end of the year — we wanted to have at least 75% client uptake and 100% internal user uptake. Raccoopack Media has helped us reach those numbers and meet our requirements.

How did Raccoopack Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Raccoopack Media has performed well in terms of project management. They played a major role in the information-gathering phase of the project. They helped with our documentation and mapping everything in a very organized way to ensure a seamless process.

We use Asana, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Project for communication and project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Raccoopack Media has been excellent at translating the manual work we already have into an organized process map, which has made the entire process a lot more efficient and productive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if they could allocate more resources to our project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to manage your part of the project well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had some KPIs we wanted to reach before the end of the year, and we achieved 100% user uptake and attitude training. There were some change requests that we requested during the development, so we add them to the school. From the features they delivered to us, the general feedback has been very positive. Both the user and attitude trainings have been really successful

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

We work in an organized way, and they have played a very major role in project management. For some of our projects, we use Microsoft Teams and Asana.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stands out the most about their team is their dedication to meeting our needs and bringing innovative solutions to the table.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were great to work with.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The only thing I can think of is that they should allocate more resources to the project so that they can continue to solve problems on their own.