TrueNode

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at an asset management company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TrueNode?

We needed help with the brand design of our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TrueNode built our brand from scratch. Initially, they helped us create a brand questionnaire and conduct workshops to define our brand identity. From there, they proceeded with the work, creating various brand assets, including our company logo and font, mission and vision statement, and presentation templates.

What is the team composition?

We currently have two developers and a project manager. We’ve also worked with a designator and a copywriter.

How did you come to work with TrueNode?

We found them through a recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent €20,000 (approximately $21,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from April–May 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were really happy with the results of the project. TrueNode was very helpful in terms of guiding us throughout the process and turning our ideas into reality.

How did TrueNode perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered ahead of our deadline — we gave them six weeks to complete the project, but they did it in four. In terms of communication, they were very responsive. We interacted via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their process; it was very good, coherent, and well-structured.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that TrueNode could’ve improved on. I was happy with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

DAC.digital is a software engineering company. We provide consulting services in product development, creating software and hardware solutions, and product design. Since 2009, we’ve completed more than 400 projects and have currently 150+ employees on board. My role in the company is Head of Growth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

TrueNode was our technology partner in a project where the end customer wanted to build a dedicated freelancer job marketplace. We hired TrueNode because of their competences and experience in product design and product development and also a culture fit that was needed for this particular project.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We did several other projects with TrueNode before and we've known the founder and had very positive previous experience in building digital products so when we had a chance to work on this one - we knew it would be a good choice!

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

As we were responsible for delivering frontend, backend and architecture parts, TrueNode's role was to work closely with the end customer and act as Product Management and Consultancy and translate business requirements into detailed project backlog items, coordinate the work with our delivery team and keep the communication tight so we deliver on time and in budget. TrueNode team did a lot of work regarding product design, UX/UI and guiding the client through the ideation process.

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

There were several people on TrueNode side, including:

• product manager
• product owner
• project manager
• UX and UI experts

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most important measurable outcome is that the project finished exactly on time, we delivered all required items and the client's budget was not changed. As this was a fixed time/price/scope project, it was crucial to us that TrueNode acts as a project-keeper and mitigates risks that may be coming from such a method of project delivery.

Also, the end customer's feedback was more than positive, and there were more than happy about the culture fit (including having a Spanish - speaking product owner on TrueNode side).

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

We used slack as the main daily project communication tool. There was a schedule of regular video calls and the team followed SCRUM as a method of delivering the project. The communication was spot-on, and all questions or doubts were addressed immediately.

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

Their approach to product design and guiding the customer through the ideation process was brilliant.

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

None. We were very happy with the outcomes!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Maddox AI is a start up based in Tübingen that offers an easy to use end-to-end system to automate visual quality controls. Our mission is to enable customers without any technical background to develop and maintain reliable and highly accurate AI models.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TrueNode?

Maddox AI is founded in Tübingen in 2018 – at that time still operating as Layer7 AI, mainly focusing on consulting projects. Due to the immense demand from clients, automating visual quality controls quickly emerged as our main challenge. Thus, in 2020 we started developing Maddox AI - our AI-based visual quality control solution. As our main focus changed from a consulting firm to developing customized AI solutions, we wanted to make this clear by rebranding our company and redesigning + updating our website. Since we did not have enough resources internally for the redesign, we looked for a professional and experienced agency to help us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We talked to several agencies and got different proposals, but Truenode had clearly convinced us in all points, from the offer price to the experience to the sympathy of the team.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We started with a design kick-off and worked together to clarify our website goals, user personas, style and approach, as well as many other details. Through regular meetings we were always up to date and knew exactly what the status of our project was. In addition, we had insight into the designs at any time via Figma and could directly add wishes and comments. The planned duration of the project was successfully adhered to and the handover to our developer also went smoothly.

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

In total, we worked with 3 people, including a designer, head of solution delivery and head of product.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our expectations of the design were clearly exceeded. The feedback from our users is very positive and the identification of our employees with our new brand and the new design has also increased. Our developer was able to work very well with the submitted design and thus realize the development without any problems.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We knew at every stage of the project what the current status was and had a constant exchange with the project team.

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

Especially the experience, the price-performance ratio as well as the nice and open way of the team convinced us. Even before we commissioned Truenode, they provided us with great ideas and suggestions, which we were able to follow up on directly.

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

No, we are very happy with how the project went.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of corporate development at Jebsen & Jessen Hamburg Group, a globally active trading company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TrueNode?

The trading market was completely analog, and we wanted to digitize the whole supply chain process and build a platform. We needed someone to do a small due diligence project on this overall process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TrueNode did software development and UI/UX design for us. We had several stages, and in all of them, they were highly involved in UX/UI, trying to see that the software and the program solved solutions for the customers. Secondly, they looked into IT and coding to see if everything was built on the current structures and architecture. They also tried to validate the aspects of solutions the software attempted to solve with our customers and the key markets like Latin America. It was figuring out what the software solves, what IT is needed, what status quo is currently in this project, and if everything we explained about our product was relevant for customers.

Overall, they mostly did the UI/UX of the software; they helped with some of the development phases. One platform feature includes a document exchange functionality where users can upload, discuss, change, import, and export documents. There’s also the possibility of communicating around several trades and not just overall messaging like email or WhatsApp. Then there was a transparency solution inside where users could track a container from China to a destination of their choice.

What is the team composition?

There were five people involved in the project, including a managing director.

How did you come to work with TrueNode?

They were referred to us, and I also have a personal contact within their company. We chose them because I always understood them to be customer-centric, which they proved.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000–$20,000 with them on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November–December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within a month, they could find a relevant aspect and come up with something that helped our needs. I asked them, in the beginning, to tell me exactly when we reached a point at which they'd say stopping the project makes sense even though it's not good for their revenue, and they were reliable and responsive in that regard.

Overall, everything was perfect; they stopped the project due to honest feedback, which has helped us internally. Also, they added value by sharing how they see the market and product development.

How did TrueNode perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered within budget and had weekly check-ins to get everyone on board to see how they would plan the week and how it went. We also used a presentation to document key deliverables and discuss upcoming goals or steps in the project, which was perfect for understanding exactly what we needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're able to emphasize how the organization works here and have a personal understanding of what we think and need, marking them as professional and personal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve on; it all went well, and if we have another project, we'll reach out to them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be 100% open in what you want because they will give you 100% honest feedback and the best solution.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Product of a B2B platform for ship financing based in Hamburg / Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TrueNode?

After going live with the first version of our platform and receiving initial feedback, we wanted to take our UX/UI to a new level with the help of TrueNode.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We spoke to several companies and then decided on TrueNode. We were particularly attracted by the very open and solution-oriented communication and the broad experience of the team.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

TrueNode worked very intensively with us from the beginning. They gained an initial understanding through a workshop and were thus able to quickly draft their first ideas. We worked on and finalised these in smaller groups. TrueNode was always in the lead of the process and ensured at all times that we could exert influence at the relevant points in time. Collecting further feedback was also part of the overall process.

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

My team worked directly with the UX/UI designer and one of the founders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are very happy with the outcome of the work with TrueNode and continue to benefit from it. After the implementation of the developed topics, we received a lot of positive feedback.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The cooperation was simple, efficient, and always to the point.

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

TrueNode is very good at what they do and always looking for the best solution. They were able to change perspectives (user, customer, company, etc.) in a short time and identify and solve problems based on that efficiently. At the same time, they gave their young employees the chance to gain experience early on, which will benefit them even more in the future.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

W11 Network is a Berlin bases venture and design studio. I am Head of Operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Webshop Development on Wordpress & WooCommerce

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Truenode was chosen based on recommendation and track record

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

• Kick-Off Meeting with the client and Truenode
• Webshop development based on our designs
• Wordpress & WooCommerce

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

Project manager and full stack developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were very happy with the results and the overall handling of the project.

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

Communication was very open and timelines were reasonable. All timelines were met.

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

The selection of suitable developers was on point and there were no tasks they couldn't handle.

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

I can't think of anything they need to improve on.