Wondour Inc.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My name is James Hsu and I’m the CEO and Executive Producer of VRLU–an innovative streaming platform that provides educational, entertaining personal development content utilizing booming, VR-360-technology. The cutting-edge platform provides innovative virtual reality content that promotes self-growth, education, and positivity through various entertainment forms: video games, cartoons, digital content, and, most importantly, the VRLU Master Academy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wondour Inc., and what were your goals?

Two years ago, our company wanted to launch a virtual reality platform that would be the first of its kind. We wanted to build an industry-shifting VR/Metaverse education platform called VRLU. Our application uses virtual reality hardware to immerse learners in 360° 3D video experiences and more. Our goal was to give life-long learners a sense of deep presence with masters of various disciplines from around the world. We wanted to make learners feel like they’re there with the master and allow them to learn more efficiently, while at their own pace, using a variety of industry-leading e-learning practices. 

With the help of Wondour, VRLU was brought to life.  The team hired Wondour to help oversee, manage, ideate, prototype, design, build, optimize & analyze performance, iterate, & ultimately scale VRLU’s custom software experiences across a range of devices and project types which included: virtual reality apps for Oculus, Pico, and TCL’s adaptive mobile HMD experience the Moled G. The project also called for native mobile apps for iOS and Android, VRLU’s website, web-based operational portals, and a variety of 3rd party-integrations which included log-ins and various other necessary partner system integrations.

They helped consult on best practices for VR video capture during the early stages of video production, provided fundraising guidance, attended and profoundly contributed to strategy meetings, and provided essential general technology business advisory.  Without them, VRLU wouldn't exist. Further, Wondour helped lead to VRLU becoming the world's largest education repository of virtual reality content in the world.

SOLUTION

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

We were looking for a team who was capable of helping us not only refine our concepts but manage, develop, and launch multiple virtual reality apps, multiple mobile apps, and web and portal applications simultaneously while maintaining a world-class quality level and tight timelines. It was critical to our team that the team we hired was easy to communicate with and transparent about the processes and risks to appropriately plan and make high-quality decisions with so many moving pieces. It was also vital that they were professional and friendly to work with and could integrate well with our in-house team. It was clear very quickly that they were the right team with their knowledge, experience, and innovation. They checked all of our criteria and became an asset to VRLU's overall success. 

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

The scope is too large to include in detail here, but we worked with Wondour in 2-week sprints for 2+ years. Before each sprint started, we worked with their team to iron out the ideal scope and deliverables for the sprint. Then at the end of each sprint, they delivered everything they worked on to us in a secure data-room, and we did a thorough review and walkthrough of the deliverables, progress, key challenges, risk factors, and next steps.

They also pushed new and regular builds for testing and production every two weeks as our smaller goals & more significant milestones were accomplished and brought online. Happy to say they always delivered on time or very close to on time when complications or challenges came up. They were also very flexible mid-sprint when we needed to quickly change priorities because our partners or a business opportunity immediately necessitated a new and unexpected feature. 

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

Throughout the entire VRLU project, our team worked with 13 individuals from Wondour’s team, including the managing partners Dylan and Taylor. The titles for the individuals are as follows:  

• Project Manager 
• Backend Engineer 
• Front-End Engineer iOS 
• Front-End Engineer Android 
• Front-End Engineer for Oculus, Pico Virtual Reality, TCL MOLED G 
• Front-End Web Developer 
• Quality Assurance Engineer 
• Mobile Interaction Design Specialist(User Interface & User Experience for iOS and Android) 
• Virtual Reality Interaction Design Specialist (user-Interface & User Experience for Oculus, Pico, and TCL Moled G, and mobile-based virtual reality) 
• 3D Environment artist
• IT Consultant

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Wondour guided VRLU from a simple idea–a vague concept–to a multi-platform technology company. VRLU now houses the most extensive library of VR personal-development content globally, putting us in the top one percent of VR creators. We’ve recently been recognized at Top Tech Awards, highlighted at significant conventions across the country, and featured in outlets worldwide.  None of VRLU's success would be possible without Wondour, and the hard work of their team. 

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

The whole team was incredibly communicative and transparent. That project management style was imperative as we explored new concepts, launched multiple apps, and set future strategies. We used various communication methods, including text, calls, zoom meetings, emails, in-person meetings, and transparent project management tools that included us on where we could see things as they got checked off the to-do list. They were always a call away and very easy to reach, which was comforting with so many moving pieces. 

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

The Wondour Team is absolutely incredible–I can’t recommend them enough. They are easily one of the most innovative and driven teams I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Their vast knowledge of tech and expert strategy is unparalleled to the many development teams we’ve worked with in the past. I’ve never been in a meeting with Wondour where I didn’t take away an idea to execute or, at the very least, learn something new.

They bring an unbelievable amount of skills and resources to the table–even those that seem near impossible to obtain. They also truly became part of VRLU and our team - indistinguishable from any employee. They share ideas freely, are deeply invested in our success, and helped carry the weight of scaling our company. Wondour will always be a part of the VRLU family because of it.  

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

Be prepared to make decisions very quickly–Wondour can go faster than you might be ready for!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Chief Commercial Officer at GPS and one of my core responsibilities is advancing our technology tools for ourselves and our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Wondour for our website design and for a custom cloud based software program. Our goals for the website were to promote our brand and drive leads for our sales team. Our cloud based program called "Passport" was designed to syndicate all of our product information into a digestible form for our clients to view and our sales team to create product presentations.

SOLUTION

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

I found Wondour via their website and after our first phone call I knew that by working with them anything was possible. Numerous other vendors told me that some things couldn't be done, but Wondour came up with solutions instead of telling me their roadblocks.

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

As a small business my time is split across a lot of different projects, so we relied on Wondour to provide us with ideas and details that I would have otherwise overlooked. Since this was a completely new idea that had never been done the scope of work seems to be constantly moving (my fault). The project involved creating a database structure and user interface that is aimed at the casino gifting industry.

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

There were five people on Wondour's team that we worked with. The team included a project manager, two designers, a developer and what I would call a translator. Taylor (the translator) is a co-founder of Wondour and was able to continually translate my ideas and concepts into actionable items for the development team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

By implementing this new technology solution our company was able to reduce our time to market by 75%. We spent the majority of our day looking for information and creating PowerPoint templates, but now we can locate and export our sales materials in no time.

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

Jeremy (project manager) kept everyone in sync and moving along. He was always courteous about time and clearly communicated timelines to us and the rest of the Wondour team.

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

I spent a lot of time with Dylan, and I was astounded at the breadth and depth of his design knowledge. His influence shows up across every part of the project as he was constantly refining the overall user interface and design language. I am leaving this project significantly happier and more educated than I could have imagined.

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

This is hard thing to criticize, but as we moved through the project the always had new ideas that I wish I had heard about earlier in the process. It's not really a criticism though because we pretty much implemented all of them eventually.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a piano service business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

As a new company we needed a quality website and the accompanying software tools to effectively manage client records and appointments.

SOLUTION

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

After a research period we reached out to several companies for estimates. Wondour was by far the most professional and responsive of the bunch. Pricing was fair and approx. deadlines for project milestones were included in the estimate.

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

I met with a representative of the team over Zoom and had an initial planning meeting. Website was deployed on time with minimal iterations and the custom web-based CRM tools followed a couple months later within the timeline.

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

I worked primarily with the company’s project manager and their head designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was extremely pleased with the visual quality of the webpage and web tools. Top notch. I receive approx. 60% of my new leads through the website and use the CRM tools to manage my entire client base.

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

The team was available to chat via text or email whenever necessary. It was never a chore to get in touch to discuss details or ask questions. All concerns were addressed in a timely matter and deadlines were met with little issue.

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

Aside from the high quality work that was delivered, it was a pleasure working with Taylor and Dylan. They were professional, friendly, and willing to listen and has implemented my ideas and requests. Very happy with my experience.

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

No critical feedback from me on this project. It was smooth sailing throughout.