4Experience

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive of Systems Technology

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Create realistic piloted vehicle simulators to assess skills competence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4Experience to accomplish?

• Rebuild the simulation engine from the ground up
• Create clinically usable scenarios

SOLUTION

How did you find 4Experience?

Clutch Site

Why did you select 4Experience over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• domain experise

How many teammates from 4Experience were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Project was a ground up rewrite of an immersive vehicle simulation engine and a framework for orchestrating a series of driving scenarios. Key deliverables were: 

1. Simulation engine including driver metrics system 
2. Scenario maps including art assets and level design 
3. Scenarios within the maps

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Delivery of functional software per the product requirements document 
2. Application performance at a sufficient level to be useful for clinical use cases 
3. Tooling and infrastructure to enable future feature development

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

The project was primarily managed by a dedicated project manager using Jira/Confluence as the management tool.For the initial 6-9 months of the project, the team also adhered to a rigorous agile methodology with 2 week sprints. This worked well for the core deliverables from the technical (software) team. 

Once the project got into asset creation and integration, there were communication challenges that were hard to resolve using this methodology. This was a contributor to cost overruns on the project. Eventually, the project was split so that 4Experience was only responsible for technical deliverables and another vendor was used for art/assets to finish the project.

What was your primary form of communication with 4Experience?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

4 Experience's technical team is extremely well run and has good process discipline. Early in the project the architecture was carefully thought through and articulated for review. This documentation has been well maintained throughout using a mix of Confluence and draw.io. This is possible because 4Experience has some really great engineers who work in a disciplined and thoughtful way.

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4Experience could have done differently?

Generally, the art/asset and level design components of the project were not sufficient for the product look and feel that was desired. This resulted in a lot of iteration that was likely unnecessary in retrospect. The delivered scenes had generally poor framerate performance that could only by addressed by having an external engineer and art vendor work through optimization. Once this was done, performance was outstanding and is a testament to the underlying engine code quality.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of the company. 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We make VR training footage and products for people who train in combat sports.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4Experience to accomplish?

• I needed to develop a web-based VR video player that would work with my customers' Google Cardboard style headsets.

SOLUTION

How did you find 4Experience?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select 4Experience over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from 4Experience were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

I needed a web-based VR video player so our customers could play our 360-degree training footage on their smartphones. The VR video player needed to have several key features, including: 

• being able to request and use motion and orientation permissions so the user could "look around" the footage by moving their phones; 
• have additional features like playback speed control, zoom control, and more; 
• And most importantly, be able to split the video into two screens, one for each lens of a Google Cardboard-style headset I gave my customers. This was the main purpose of developing the app - so my customers could play our videos on the headsets we gave them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• the app needed to be able to play any of the videos I provided smoothly without lags or bugs
• the app should produce a clear image when the video is placed in the headset - the app should be entirely adjustable from HTML declarations

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

4experience's project management was impressive. They are very professional and did deliver items on time. The scope of the project ended up growing much bigger than initially anticipated so there were a lot of additional requests that needed to be made, but they were very professional and responsive in the way they handled it. Ultimately, we agreed to certain increases in the scope to deliver the final project I am happy with.

What was your primary form of communication with 4Experience?

Email or Messaging App

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

Their professionalism was very impressive and appreciated. Every step of the way, I was engaged so I knew exactly what was going on.

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4Experience could have done differently?

I think for people like me who are not as experienced with developing software, just make sure that every aspect of the project requirements are understood from the start of the project. The big one I did not anticipate was important was very clearly establishing what the performance standards of the app should be. Ultimately, we were able to make it work though.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Associate Professor of Wayne State University

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

It is a public University

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire 4Experience to accomplish?

• Design VR environment to mimic bicycling
• Make environment customizable for individual fitness levels

SOLUTION

How did you find 4Experience?

Online Search

Why did you select 4Experience over others?

• Pricing first our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

What was the size of 4Experience’s team?

6-10 Employees

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

The gameplay consists of a 20-minute VR bike ride through the city. There are two types of gameplay:

• Passive. Users put on VR goggles and use controllers to drive. They must rhythmically tap both pads' trigger buttons to maintain their speed.
• Active. Users put on VR goggles and use a stationary bike.

While cycling, they also ride in the app. They can also change gears to adjust the resistance at their discretion. There was also a desktop facilitator mode to manage the sessions. The app was designed to be used on Meta Quest 2. The leading technologies were VR and 3D modeling.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Delivery of VR environment
• Addition of customizable features for each user

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

The project development was based on two weeks sprints. We were communicating on Google Meet and Discord. Discord was something new to us, but it worked great. There was a change in the Project Manager position over time, but the communication was flawless. The new Project Manager took over the tasks smoothly and without any additional delays associated with his joining our project. He was informed earlier at what stage the activities are, and we have not felt any adverse effects of this change.

What was your primary form of communication with 4Experience?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

There are two things that I’m most impressed with. Firstly, they finished the project even earlier than expected. Secondly, we were a bit worried when there was a change in the Project Manager position during the development process, but it was perfectly organized and so smooth that we didn’t even feel the difference. Overall they did a great job, and we will be happy to work with them in the future as we plan to develop this software further.

Are there any areas for improvement or something 4Experience could have done differently?

None noted

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a neurologist at a nonprofit academic hospital.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 4Experience?

We needed to develop a VR application that could autonomously test the neurological functions of patients. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

4Experience developed a VR application. We had several planning meetings with 4Experience to discuss the vision I had for the app. I shared videos and resources to explain my job and what I wanted to accomplish with this project. After these brainstorming sessions, 4Experience developed a game script, troubleshoot the possible issues, and designed the project’s workflow. 

After the planning phase, 4Experience started the app’s development, which they divided into sprints. Each time they completed a sprint, we had a meeting to provide feedback, and 4Experience adjusted the app as needed. They developed the app using UNITY and Apple Developer Tools for the associated iPad program. 4Experience also used Figma for design and PICO headsets for testing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people. During the introductory meetings with 4Experience, I met with several of their developers. However, for most of the project, my main points of contact were four teammates from 4Experience, including Robert (Sr. Project Manager & Scrum Master). 

How did you come to work with 4Experience?

I approached several VR development companies through a Google search and referrals. I found 4Experience online and chose them because they were responsive and enthusiastic about our project. Their business proposal fit into our budget, and they were the first ones to send us a project timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $110,000 with 4Experience. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with 4Experience from May 2022–February 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was an academic research project, we haven’t finished the testing phase, so we don't have quantitative metrics yet. However, 4Experience achieved what I asked them to, which was to develop an easy-to-use, automated, and accurate platform.

Each time 4Experience finished a sprint, they tested the software, and I was pleased with the app’s functionality. When something didn’t work the way I wanted it to, I just asked 4Experience to change it. 

How did 4Experience perform from a project management standpoint?

I was pleased with 4Experience’s project management. They were extremely open, professional, and responsive. Robert was organized and diligent. We used Jira and Confluence as project management tools. To communicate with 4Experience, we used Google Meet and Discord. 

The project ended up being longer than expected, but that was partly my fault because I asked for many changes during the development process. Since I didn’t have a specific deadline for the project, 4Experience reassigned some of their developers to other projects, but they were upfront about that. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by 4Experience’s design skills. They created a functional product based on my idea and were able to recognize issues early on and design around them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any negative feedback. 4Experience’s job was great. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you scope the project effectively and are clear about your goals with 4Experience, they’ll deliver what they promised. They’re good at understanding the project’s scope and objectives — you just have to be clear with them. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As a Partner and Consultant at 4Results, I am responsible for client and business development. My area of expertise lies in sales management, key client management, and personal development, particularly emotional intelligence and mindfulness.

With over a decade of experience in the training and consulting industry, I have successfully delivered several HR consulting projects such as HR audits, assessment centers, competence assessment, employee surveys, and performance evaluations.

Additionally, I have also conducted numerous employee development projects such as talent programs, leadership academies, sales force development programs, facilitation support, e-learning implementations, among others.

In addition to my role at 4Results, I am also a founder of a company that focuses on the development of cutting-edge technologies for education and training. Through this partnership, we have successfully developed a project that uses virtual reality (VR) to enhance training programs for organizations.

Our VR-based training program provides an immersive and interactive learning experience that engages learners and enables them to apply their skills in a simulated environment.

The program is tailored to meet the specific needs of each organization, and we work closely with our clients to ensure that the training is effective and aligned with their goals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4Experience, and what were your goals?

Because our company was created to offer effective communication & leadership training based on virtual reality, we needed an all-inclusive development studio to make it happen. 4Experience was who we chose for the assignment of turning our ideas into reality.

SOLUTION

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

4Experience was recommended to us by another company. We checked their offer, talked to their consultants & experts and decided that they had everything we needed. An important deciding factor was their rich portfolio, especially when it comes to XR training solutions.

Moreover they were very helpful during the collaboration process and shared with us recommendations and insights to make our project better.

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

After initial talks and coming up with the elementary training design, we talked about the technical details. 4Experience works with the Unity engine, which is a great choice when it comes to virtual reality.

The graphic design and models were created by their art team and are impressive, given the technical limitations of the Quest 2. Optimization was perfect, so there are virtually no frame drops despite taking the hardware to its limits.

We have to give credit to the developers for clear and neat code as well as good documentation. And the QA team did a great job at thoroughly testing the application.

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

We had a full team of developers, artists, designers and testers at our disposal. The size of the team changed at each step of the project. Everything was supervised efficiently by a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project ended with us receiving a complete VR application. All mechanics work flawlessly, everything is well-optimized and looks really good. Especially elements of the interface.

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

We talked on Discord and met during regular video calls. As with every software project, challenges did occur, but they were all resolved appropriately. Agile techniques were used for project management. Overall their management skills were decent.

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

They have a great culture of work and a customer-oriented approach. We were amazed by their understanding of the business side of the project. Their knowledge and experience in the field of XR projects really helped us minimalize the risk of investment and bring us a valuable project that is already paying back.

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

We didn’t notice any areas that inevitably needed improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the product manager in tech company. We deliver tools for training and consulting companies in the area of learning and development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4Experience, and what were your goals?

Our main goal was to develop a VR soft skills training platform. We wanted it to effectively use gamification techniques to educate leaders and improve the cooperation of teams. The platform would work as a tool to supplement our training offer. We hired 4Experience to comprehensively develop the whole application from creating 3D assets and UI elements, through coding and programming, all the way to testing and performance tweaking.

SOLUTION

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

After researching VR development companies online and comparing their offers, we decided that 4Experience would be the best choice for us. They had a versatile team and experience in VR training applications. We felt like they understood our needs and requirements and knew how to properly meet them.

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

First, we presented the main concept and mechanics as we were responsible for their design. After analyzing our input, the team at 4Experience went on to choose the software and hardware that would work best for our project. We agreed on Unity, C# and Photon and the Meta Quest 2 headset as our target device. Next, 4Experience began creating the 3D models, scenes and interface elements as well as programming the application itself.

We met biweekly to review the progress. The training platform was also extensively tested by their QA team and us. As the project was coming to an end, we decided to make a version for the Pico Neo 3 headset too. Fortunately, this was something 4Experience had no trouble with.

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

The core team consisted of a project manager, four Unity developers, three 3D artists, a UI designer and one main QA tester. Additional staff members were co-opted according to the needs of each stage of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All assets and elements of the application were of high quality, both in terms of graphic design and functionality. All in all, we received a complete and working product that we were satisfied with. The end users are impressed with the training platform too. They value its intuitive UI, engaging nature and effectiveness.

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

4Experience uses agile programming methodologies. We met for review and planning biweekly via Google Meet. Additionally, 4Experience kept us updated on their Discord channel. Any issues that arose during development were addressed quickly and appropriately.

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

Their team was highly dedicated and engaged, we got the impression that they really wanted to help us and deliver a valuable product. All the necessary specialists were in-house employees and you could really feel that they had a lot of experience with VR applications. Their coding skills were top notch – the code was clean and clear.

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

No, I don’t think so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Head of Delivery at a software product company specialized in creating educational Virtual Reality Simulations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4Experience, and what were your goals?

We wanted to create a series of VR Simulations that will help our clients go through different real-life experience cases in the field they're planning to work on. Through a series of Simulations the students will interact with different tools, challenges and mentorships on how and what they can expect at their future workplace. For this, we hired an external VR development vendor team which we integrate with our existing teams.

SOLUTION

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

We have several rounds of technical and process interviews. The deciding factor was the experience they showed in the field.

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

They created an Oculus VR application as the third and final phase of the process. Our internal teams provided the Design and Content, and the vendor provided the software development part of it. They developed everything using Unity and our internal framework designed for our educational Simulations.

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

A project manager and 3 Unity developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new Simulation was part of a whole learning experience and is being used in educational programs as a real-life experience example on the future job.

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

During development, we had several weekly syncs with the vendor. We also had weekly reviews with demonstrations on how the Simulation is advancing. They are proactive in communication and have everything under control. They've met the timeline they anticipated.

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

Their quality of work is impressive, and their price is fair compared to other companies in the field. The skillset of their developers was amazing, and they always achieved everything in the given timelines.

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

We had some challenges with developer schedules, but that was resolved immediately.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

AR4vision is a product company and was created to develop the augmented reality application. Our team provides a wide range of services, from data presentation and visualization of 3D objects, optimization, training in augmented reality technology, to integration with other systems and data (IoT). I am the AR4Vision board member.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4Experience, and what were your goals?

AR4vision remote assist is an application for mobile devices with the system Android or IOS. One of the users during an audio-video call shares its image as seen by the phone or tablet camera. We hired 4Experience to create wider functionalities for the customers.

Both users have at their disposal tools in the form of holograms and they can make selections on the transmitted image. Moreover, the possibility to “freeze” the video in the field of view of the user’s glasses was required.

SOLUTION

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

We knew 4Experience as a market leader and watched their portfolio. The decisive factor was the positive feedback from other customers.

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

We set up 2 milestones including the main project steps. The first milestone was dedicated to the communication process (implemented Agora setup). The second was AR foundation solutions for usability app.

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

The main person was a Project Manager and two developers. There was also a QA Tester who was available to us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The AR4Vision product is actually completed and sellable to customers. The 4Experience’s work they delivered fit our needs and business requirements.

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

We planned the activities from scratch together with the Project Manager and developers as one team. We met twice a month, also outside working hours thanks to the team’s flexibility. We used communication channels like Discord, Google Meet, and working-time planning tools like Everhour.

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

The most unique about the cooperation was the feeling that we work as one team. 4Experience developers are not afraid to face challenges. We can count on their advice and expertise, moreover, they often suggest possible solutions and share their technical knowledge.

The greatest impression was made by the high level of communication skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

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

Nothing comes to my mind, the application is fully scalable.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Bad Bones is a team of ambitious people with experience in the broadly understood game dev industry. We are the developers of computer games as well as traditional games, we have been operating since 2017. At Bad Bones, I am the VR Implementation Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4Experience, and what were your goals?

We hired 4Experience to create 7 characters for a VR game. Our goal was to perfectly reproduce human body movements and facial expressions. It was a challenge to fine-tune the light and shadow. The characters had to be perfect for the VR multiplayer game to best reflect reality to give our users an immersive experience. We preferred to focus on creating the game environment, scenes and levels, and outsource the creation of characters to an experienced company.

SOLUTION

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

We have heard about 4Experience from our business partners. They were very pleased with the level of cooperation and communication. Recommendation and good feedback from other customers were decisive factors.

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

4Experience has developed 7 game characters for HTC Vive, according to our specification. First, they prepared the character base. Then the characters were refined. The requirement on our part was that each character undergoes changes and gets new powers depending on the level of the game. That is why we worked on the project from the basic functions to the development of behavior and appearance. The graphic designer and animator used Unity assets, because it is in this game engine that we create our environment for users. Efficient communication and availability were very important, and the 4Experience team showed us that they can work at a really high level.

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

The main communication was with the Project Manager. There was also a graphic designer and 3D animator in the team, who were also available to us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The game is under development (until October). However, the effects delivered by 4Experience promise a truly realistic experience.

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

First, we planned most of the activities together with the Project Manager. Then, we met weekly, but when we had to contact also outside working hours, it was not a problem for them. We used different communication channels that suited us and the team immediately adapted.

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

Their ability to work effectively was impressive. We finished the project faster than we initially thought. Thanks to efficient communication, they introduced changes on an ongoing basis, they were also able to advise perfectly.

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

When it comes to areas for improvement, nothing comes to my mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I direct media developments and user experiences related to software, media and mixed-reality. Our VR business, DreamTrace, offers next-generation VR visualization services and entertainment experiences.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 4Experience, and what were your goals?

We wanted to create a multi-user, warehouse scale VR solution for both architectural walkthroughs and entertainment experiences. We have worked with 4Experience to create this solution from the ground-up, allowing us to custom-tailor both the backend and frontend experiences around our needs and the needs of our clients.

SOLUTION

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

We searched Clutch and shortlisted 5 potential VR development studios. After interviewing each studio and speaking with references we decided on 4Experience largely for two reasons: first, communication was key.

We were able to speak directly with the CEO, his co-founding partner and several key members of the development team prior to signing a contract. Secondly, we felt encouraged by 4Experience's focus on AR/VR development — they did not sell themselves as a one-stop shop for everything. A specialized focus on VR engineering and development solutions is what we were looking for.

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

4Experience reversed engineered our plan for offering two unique business solutions: architectural walkthroughs and entertainment experiences and were able to craft a plan for creating a "controller" that could handle both the backend and frontend experience via Unity.

This controller allows us to stage architectural walkthroughs of designs built in popular CAD software solutions and also allows us to create and launch multiplayer game experiences at our location-based VR facility.

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

We have worked with a Project Manager, two full-time developers, and a designer from the beginning. This group, in turn, is also supported internally by QA and their CTO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our controller development with 4Experience has allowed us to fully launch a 2500 sq. ft. location-based VR stage near downtown Minneapolis, MN. We currently use this establishment for by-appointment architectural visualization walkthroughs. We feel that the execution of deliverables has consistently met or exceeded our expectations throughout the development process.

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

Project management has been handled with a combination of tools like Clubhouse, Discord and weekly Google meet conferences. Communication has been efficient, enjoyable and positive throughout the process.

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

High-level Unity development at affordable pricing, with a highly skilled, motivated and affable team. We were most impressed with the availability and flexibility of the team to support us while separated by different continents and time zones.

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

Introduction of QA earlier in the process could have potentially freed up more time for the developers, allowing them to spend more time creating new content and less time testing their own work.