YML

BACKGROUND

A good way to start is if you could give a little bit of background information on your company and your role there.

We run what started off as a food blog. It’s a website called Nom Nom Paleo. We’ve run it since 2010. It focuses on the Paleo lifestyle and recipes. Through the years, it’s branched out to include the cookbook and the iPad app that we hired Y Media Labs to help us create. We’ve been pretty fortunate to see a lot of success through the app, which recently won a Webby Award, and then the cookbook, which became a New York Times Bestseller.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge you were trying to address when you hired Y Media Labs?

We didn’t have the technical chops to put the app together. We did work very closely with the design team there to create the UI/UX [user interface/user experience]. Even though we didn’t have the coding chops, that’s really what we were looking for Y Media to provide, given our passion for and real interest in design and layout. That was our piece to it. Obviously, the app was a combination of their technical abilities, which we certainly could not have done ourselves, and our recipes, photographs, and design input.

As people who were not used to anything technical like coding, we told them the features we wanted, and they were able to give it to us, which I thought was pretty amazing. We didn’t know what the actual technical limitations would be. There were requirements we put in front of them that were actually more demanding than we thought they were, but they were able to hit the ball out of the park with all of them. 

SOLUTION

How long did the project take?

From start to finish, about six months for the first version. We spent some time after that refining it and putting out enhanced versions. The first version was launched in April of 2012.

Is this an ongoing relationship?

Yes, it is.

Can you give a sense of the size of the project in either a cost range or a personnel work-hour figure?

I know that the cost in terms of hours was much higher than we ultimately paid because Y Media Labs accepted the project at that time as sort of portfolio project. Given that we’re a mom and pop shop, they cut us a deal. It was in the $50,000 to $200,000 range. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, are there any other metrics or user feedback that you can share that indicates the effectiveness of their work?

We have an average five-star rating in the App Store. We have more than 1,000 reviews. We have great ratings and reviews, and it’s consistently in the top-three paid iPad food and drink apps. It’s remained there ever since we launched it, for about two years now.

How would you describe their performance?

It’s been good. We put a lot of requirements in front of them, not knowing that they were a little beyond what was typical or reasonable, and they were able to really do a ton with it and deliver a great product.

I think when they took us on as a client, they were still in the beginner stages [of building the company]. They had some really big projects, but they were still really lean when we hopped on. Since then, I know that they’ve grown and expanded.

When working with Y Media Labs, was there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies that you may have worked with in the past?

This is our first app. We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into when we approached them. Unlike a bunch of other development companies, when we approached them with our idea, they didn’t blow us off or send us a standard form letter just giving the rate sheet and basically telling us that it would be out of price range. They were willing to negotiate with us. We went them because we could see the same drive in them that we have. We were really lucky. I think it was a really good partnership.

We haven’t had a major update in about a year in a half. We’re working on one now. I think that speaks to the quality of the app and the content and the technical expertise with which Y Media works. I think people really enjoy the user experience a lot.

Looking back, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you would do differently?

It was a great experience. We were willing to be open to whatever happened and just tried to put out the best product that we could.

BACKGROUND

Can you briefly describe your company?

We work to raise public awareness about the Montessori education style. We are based out of South Dakota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What were your goals going into the project?

Our goal has always been to bring a new-found awareness to the Montessori approach to education. We needed to find a high-quality development partner who can help us achieve our mission.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the project?

The concept and design was conducted by Montessorium, and development was executed by the great team at Y Media Labs.

How did Y Media Labs become part of the project?

We’ve had the good fortune of working with Y Media :abs on two exciting iPad projects. The first is based on the famous Montessori Moveable Alphabet, and helps children practice their writing and reading skills, providing an opportunity for storytelling and self expression. The second helps children learn the shapes, names, flags, and geographical locations of the countries in North America through puzzles, challenges, and drawing exercise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Was anything unique about working with Y Media Labs?

Y Media Labs has an incredible sense of intuition. They are a pleasure to work with. Y Media Labs knows how to get things done, effectively and intuitively, which is a powerful combination.

Are there any areas that Y Media Labs could improve?

We’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Y Media Labs. They’re top notch.

Would you recommend Y Media Labs?

Absolutely. We are extremely satisfied with Y Media Labs, and have returned to them for multiple development projects. Y Media produces great looking and functioning apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Was there any certain criteria when you were interviewing certain companies that made Y Media Lab stand out?

I didn’t know how to go about it initially. You're always kind of afraid that you have this great idea, and then somebody runs with it and tells you, "I'm sorry, we can't build that application." But, initially, it was just whether they'd be able to do it. I felt not knowing the business that well that the app would seem difficult to me because it's based on the wait time of every ride and every restaurant at the theme parks. So, you need a GPS point for every ride and every restaurant, then all the information that goes with every restaurant and every ride. So, I want to make sure I have somebody that had that kind of ability to do it with maps as you walk around, not just a cheap little Apple type of an app that a lot of the young guys seem to make. I want to make sure that the company will have the ability to do an app like that.

SOLUTION

Just to be clear, the app allows patrons to be able to walk around the theme park, and then buy a ticket for certain attractions and shows.

We have an icon there if you need tickets. It brings you to the website, and you can buy the tickets cheaper than you buy them at any of the parks. Then, you'd also have a map on there. So, as you walk around, a little blue dot shows up, and you can see exactly where you are on the map. Then, every ride is also on the map, every restaurant is on the map, and then have that little circle that might say 20 being in 20 minutes. It shows you the wait time for every ride and every restaurant.

So, as you're walking around on the map, you go on a ride. This one says it's only a 20-minute wait. Oh, this restaurant here has only a 40-minute wait. If you'd find out that the wait time is slightly off, maybe it's a 30-minute wait, you switch the little wheel to 30 minutes and pushing that wait time and then you would, as the consumer, change it to the most accurate wait time. If you're not there, so you're sitting at your home and you're doing like some kid and go, "Hey, let's screw up this app today. Let's make them all say five minutes," it won't change unless you're by that ride, it can tell if you're by that ride with the GPS, find the ride or restaurant in GPS in your phone. Then, a pop-up would come up and say, "Sorry, you're not by this ride. You can't submit a wait time."

Is the app available for IOS and Android?

Just the IOS. We're working on the android now. We have seven apps. It would be a total of 28 IOS apps and 28 android apps. Eleven will be the California theme parks, 17 are the Orlando theme parks, and then you double that for Android. That's how you come up with 56.

And Y Media is developing all of these?

Yes.

What is a general cost range for this project?

Well, all 56 apps when complete will be less than $200,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Is there anything special or unique when working with Y Media Labs that stands out compared to other developers you might have worked with?

Well, initially, the reason why I chose them, is that they actually call you back. They actually send you what they tell you they're going to send you. Whether it's the quote for the job, a change order, or something like that. they actually do it on the same day. Probably three-fourths of other companies didn’t even get back with you for awhile. Right away to them was three or four weeks. Then, all of a sudden, they call, "Well, I tried calling you" or what have you. You know they didn’t. The biggest problem for many companies is just being professional. Starting off on the right foot with you right off the bat. That determines how well you're going to like them, and you got to figure you're going to have a lot of phone calls, and a lot of going back and forth with them, whether it's my app or anybody else. There really has to be people-people, and that's what I felt I had somebody that I could work with the first initial calls. I want to be able to say I want to change this to that, and not have an argument.

Do you think there's anything maybe they could improve slightly or do a bit better in?

It’s probably a problem for everybody because it's hard to judge whether you're a contractor or an app developer of when exactly the time project could be finished. I feel some jobs always seem to run over whether I had a pool built in my house or a remodeling job, they always seem to run over most of the time, so you just need to figure that in your head.

It's always a larger problem with software where you're dealing with something abstract, rather than physical. So, I don't really don't entirely blame them, and a lot of that was maybe because as you see the project getting built. I feel that's probably everybody that's contracted somebody else for an app. As you see it getting built, so then you go, “Oh, it won't work good this way. It should really be this way.” Whether that’s on paper or in your head, you don't see it until it's pretty much done. Then you go, “Well, the purple doesn’t look good as a background with white letters and you can't see the white letters.” So, you might have told them to make it purple and white. But once it's built, you'd realize you can't see the letters. So things like that have to be changed. They didn’t make one dime for these types of changes, either.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder and CEO of Sortly, an easy-to-use, mobile-first inventory and asset tracking solution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Y Media Labs?

Y Media Labs has helped us with design and Android development.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had a prior relationship.

Describe the project in detail.

They've created a UI/UX for our new web and iOS app. They have also developed an Android app based on the existing iOS app. 

What was the team composition?

The team consists of five people: a project manager, two UI/UX designers, and five Android engineers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sortly Pro is the fastest growing inventory solution on the market. We sustain 20% month-over-month growth. I attribute much of this success to their UI/UX design.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It's been good. They use Basecamp to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have impressive designers and great engineers.