Bit Space Development Ltd.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a food education, production, and training company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

We needed help creating an AR/VR environment for one of our clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bit Space leads our AR/VR development efforts, utilizing Unity as their main platform to build a head goggles software solution.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with a project manager, a developer, and a graphic designer.

How did you come to work with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

Winnipeg has a small community of developers, so we know them as being part of our network.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested about $150,000 CAD (approximately $110,300 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in October 2021.

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

We’re still in the middle of the development process, but the team has been able to help us accurately reflect the environment that people will be training and working in, which is good.

How did Bit Space Development Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

The team performs well from a project and management perspective, consistently adhering to the budget and timelines. We typically use Slack to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with the depth of understanding of the hardware and industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they need to improve on at the moment and if I did, I would let them know.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise you to understand the visual assets you’re going to invest and implement and the value you want out of the project. I’d also recommend being clear about what parts of the assets are worth transitioning into.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Georgian College is an Academic Institution. We provide post-secondary education to students from all over the world. My position is Coordinator/Faculty in the Indigenous Studies department.

For what projects/services did your company hire Bit Space Development Ltd., and what were your goals?

We hired Bit Space Development Ltd. to create 4 Indigenous virtual worlds. The worlds were based upon our Anishnaabemowin and Program Development program (Ojibwe language) 4 courses. Language in the Home, Workplace, Community and Natural Environment. The virtual worlds were created to simulate real-life experiences for the students to learn Anishnaabemowin. Assets hold recordings in Anishnaabemowin. The goal was to teach, preserve and revitalize Anishnaabemowin to a new generation of learners.

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

We were referred to Bit Space by Rob T., our Manager of Immersive Learning.

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

They began with our Language in the Home world. We would come up with a list of assets to go in the environment, we would have to translate them to Anishnaabemowin, and at times we would send picture of specific images for the assets, if Indigenous.

Bit Space developers were awesome in coming up with the landscape, sending it to us for approval, then we would send back until we were comfortable. Dan, Jennifer and the team of Co-op students have been amazing in listening to our needs, creating assets and environments that we are very happy with.

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

We worked with Dan B. from the beginning and then Jennifer C., I know there was Co-op students and others, but do not know how many.

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

The experiences for the students and others have been incredible. Have virtual environments to learn and experience over the pandemic was life changing. Not only did the students get to meet up with their classmates in seconds, but it was a safe place and mentally was stimulating through the COVID period. We met our outcomes and will continue to do so as new students come into the program in the fall.

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

We met with Dan every 2 weeks in the beginning, which assisted a lot in understanding, needs and to cover timelines. The communication has been excellent. Dan and his team listened to our needs and delivered. They have been respectful, understanding, open to learning about Indigenous ways of being.

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

The Bit Space Team is wonderful, an experience I would repeat again. One of the nicest teams I have worked with. For us we were learning something new - VR/XR, they never made us feel not knowledgeable. We are learning a lot of lingo and terminologies from them which makes us feel comfortable in moving forward.

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

No, I see no areas of improvement.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a provincial crown corporation focused on economic development for northern Manitoba.

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

We were trying to help local employers adapt to different technology available for training, while supporting a Manitoba business. One of the local mines we were discussing training options with required a VR training program with VR headsets.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bit Space helped us with our strategy and plan, interviewing both us and our stakeholders to learn what would be good to work on in development. They then created a custom training module for the VR headset.

They took footage right from the minds, via a local photographer who went through them. There’s tour in their; there are a lot of applications for the program, including on-site management and community engagement, and trade shows.

What is the team composition?

I don’t know how many people were behind the scenes, but we worked with Dan (CEO) right from billing, as well as Erin (Finance Manager & Human Resources), a project lead, and a project manager.

I’ve been through their office and talked to a lot of them; we deal with a number of individuals over there, and they’re all good.

How did you come to work with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

They were recommended to our sector council. After meeting with them, we could tell that they were excited about the project and expanding into northern Manitoba, which is not standard, as that area is remote and difficult to access. There aren’t many resources there, but they were excited — and a strong partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2020–February 2021. COVID held up the project, as we needed to access the mine, but we were able to finish on time and on budget.

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

The mine that we developed this training program for is located in Northern Manitoba, but they’re owned by a Brazilian company. The CEO of the firm came up from Brazil to inspect the mine, but, due to time constraints they could only see parts of the mine, so they saw the rest through our headset. They were very happy about it.

We’ve gotten good feedback on the module itself, and the process we went through with Bit Space. It really speaks to the value of the work that we can use it for non-intended purposes.

How did Bit Space Development Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re strong project managers, and we communicate over email and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re in a location that most of our competitors aren’t interested in working around, and Bit Space sees it as a priority to work with us. This speaks to their focus on inclusion and diversity.

Again, they were very excited about the project and were able to customize it to meet our needs. They didn’t give us a pre-made template or canned product. They were interested in making something that stood out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project went on for a long time, but that’s not fair to put on them, as we started during COVID. I don’t have any feedback on this.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take time upfront to discuss the scope of the project and explain what your needs really are. This is going to make the rest of the project much easier, as you’ll identify the gaps that exist and find solutions to close them. Some people assume that they’re going to get a template product and don’t think this time is necessary, but you’re getting a custom solution.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a company that focuses on nonlethal weapon innovation. We try to improve upon the weapons police officers use.

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

I needed someone to audit the code of specific software and processes.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I needed Bit Space to take our existing code, decipher it, and reorganize it to make it user-friendly. Unfortunately, the code was built by an engineering firm that we hired to develop software for us, and they didn’t do a good job.

What is the team composition?

I work with three high-end engineers.

How did you come to work with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

I submitted an RFP for a different project, interviewed about 14 companies, and Bit Space came out at the top. Through that project, I gained an understanding of their technical prowess, and I was impressed, so I hired them for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent $190,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in November 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

Considering the project and the scope of the work, Bit Space has done an incredibly impressive job.

How did Bit Space Development Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management has been spot on. We utilize Slack and Asana to communicate, and it’s been super easy to work with them. The engineering team also works directly with my engineering team — we don’t need a middleman, which is a very good thing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with their flexibility. We have a statement of work that we initially defined, but there have been inevitable changes to the scope. The Bit Space team has adapted and made adjustments in real-time, which is super beneficial. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints about the team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring them a clear project that they’d want to do.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an 115-year-old construction company called PCL Construction, and we operate throughout North America. I lead a division called Special Projects. In the last 14 months, I've also headed the development of new sanitization products called PCL Pure Products. I serve as the operation lead and quasi-inventor for everything that sanitizes things.

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit Space Development Ltd?

We had a couple of different challenges. For example, I normally fly to all of our offices and help our folks there. This also holds true for how we do our business development and define our work. I needed Bit Space Development to create a virtual environment for me, in which I could walk clients around the things that they're looking to build or the services they're looking to buy. 

The other challenge we wanted to address with them was to develop all of the sanitization equipment, whether it's for retail, airports, or hospitals. We have to apply a prescription to everything we're trying to sanitize to make sure it does what it’s supposed to do. We needed a smart way to make what we do adaptable.  

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bit Space Development has sourced various parts of hardware, covering the gamut of putting controllability into the things that we build. We go through various testing stages with them for different pieces of hardware to figure out the best and most cost-effective way to do something. Then, the team develops intuitive ways to market those products using the virtual world. They help us go from building products to taking them to market.

They’ve also tested out a wide variety of different sensors and the ability to control, monitor, and send that information. They’ve helped me take the laboratory testing data that we've produced — testing all the different pathogens that concern people, from COVID-19 to salmonella — and program, run, and monitor the lights that we use to do the sanitation. Bit Space Development has helped us adapt what we do using sensors and also connect and control them in different ways. They pull data from usage as well. 

They’ve helped with the development of online platforms and their integration into devices that we deploy. The team has also done general prototype development for software, hardware, and firmware. Bit Space Development has built a virtual environment to omit the need for travel, which has been tough these days.

Overall, they’ve contributed to the whole integration piece of making something smart. They’ve been able to make it super smart, easy, and adaptable to different use cases, which has been very helpful.

What is the team composition?

The team has been growing steadily. Having started with 1–2 people, we’re now working with 7–10, depending on what we need at any given time. Right now, they're building a bunch of units that we've finalized. An electrical engineer is looking at building some other prototypes.

How did you come to work with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

I initially met Dan (CEO & Founder) 4–5 years ago. He was heavily into construction, safety, technology, and VR training. We were both looking for a better way to provide interactive environments for clients in the market. We started developing something together, and Bit Space Development was always working in a different, creative, and innovative way. We were collaborating on different aspects of different parts of the market when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. 

I needed some out-of-the-box thinking. I knew that Dan liked to do things that have never been done before, so I posed the question and Bit Space Development jumped right in. They offered advice and ideas right away. 

The biggest piece I’ve appreciated is the speed at which the team can learn, pivot, and change; that's what has made it successful. Sometimes, something works until you get it out into the public's hands, and then changes must be done quickly. David has been able to mobilize himself and his team to make really interesting results happen in a hurry.

What is the status of this engagement?

For this project, we had a quick discussion in May 2020, and we started working on it in June 2020. We have a deal in place, where we just keep working together and try to figure out how to help people on whatever scale they need. We’re in a continuous development phase, so I don’t think that we’ll ever wrap this collaboration up.

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

In general, once we have something implemented and set up the key understanding of how the end user wants to do it, the equipment that we deploy just runs without failure. We deployed one unit in November and, after a week or two of figuring out the best way to use it, it ran smoothly. Bit Space Development makes you not have to think about it, which is great when you sell a product and want to get everything done. 

I can’t get into this project’s details, since we have some trade secrets on what we do and how we develop. However, the way we've controlled how we sanitize things and being able to validate that we're doing what we say we're going to do has been a key feature. That makes our product different from everybody else's.

For another project, for example, we put one of our devices in a well-known grocery chain’s 13 locations. They’ve had a lot of good things to say. Through Bit Space Development helped us develop the technology in the way that we run and support it, and it's simple to use. It’s interesting that we can gather the statistics on our machine’s usage to know how many times it’s been used in real-time, and it’s doing what it’s supposed to. We also track the analytics of the products we sell to customers and provide them with a dashboard to review those analytics. 

How did Bit Space Development Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

Most of my communication goes directly through Dan. When we have something specific or we encounter a challenge, he brings on the specific team member who is leading it. For example, for the application development for our customer’s integration, he’ll bring on his lead. Then, the lead takes charge and explains, in terms that I can understand, the things we can do and develop. That lead also helps me integrate with the client.

When I have a hardware problem, he brings somebody else on, and we talk and troubleshoot. Overall, Dan understands my problems and brings the appropriate members to work toward the solution, implement it, and move on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are able to do far more work with far fewer resources in a shorter period of time at a better cost. With Bit Space Development, you get a better deal and a better product in the end. Dan is willing to stand behind what he does and put his own skin in the game up front to see if he can solve the problem. 

Furthermore, I don’t have to pay the bill right away. Bit Space Development is willing to explore upfront to see if they can add the value that I need; that means a lot. Some people just want us to pay them first before working with them. I’ve built up a lot of trust with the company, particularly Dan, and I know he’s only going to do what he thinks he can do. So far, I haven’t found his limits for that yet.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I’d say they could improve is the supply chain management. I say that with a caveat that everybody in the industry is having supply chain issues right now; there are not enough pieces to go around for everybody to build. Bit Space Development is doing a pretty reasonable job with it, but there’s probably a more organized way to work with it. However, it’s pretty minor — I get what I need, when I need it.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be really clear on the problems that you want to solve, and they’ll let you know where they think they can fit in, or if there are different approaches. 

Before you start working with them, understand what your problems are so that you utilize their time better. Sometimes, the problems are better stated as an outcome, such as ‘I want to make this happen, but I don't know how to do it.’ That gives them the leeway to think any way they need to in order to make it happen.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President of North Forge Technology Exchange. We are a hybrid incubator, accelerator. and the innovation partner for the Province of Maniobta. We have Canada's largest publicly accessible fabrication lab in North America.

For what projects/services did your company hire Bit Space Development Ltd., and what were your goals?

Development of a VRSafety Orientation Experience at our Fabrication Lab. Our goal was to develop a course that would provide an understanding of the potential hazards associated with the use of high risk equipment as well as the safety precautions required to prevent those hazards from occurring.

How did you select Bit Space Development Ltd. and what were the deciding factors?

Using VR Safety software, Bit Space Development captured the equipment rooms and high-priority equipment in the Fabrication Lab and augment it with information about the machines and safe work procedures that are required for working in the shop. We will have interactive safety hotspots that members can click on that will load further safety information.

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

During the project Bit Space Development worked towards the development of VR focused training resources specifically designed to enhance the safe work practices for manufacturing and fabrication lab spaces. During this project they developed and streamlined a process for creating this content, adapted our web-based SaaS tooling to deliver the content, and created a scalable and sharable set of course content which will be used in the North Forge Fabrication Lab. A summary of technical activities: Content planning – the initial course planning using the XR content builder process - Content shooting – onsite content capture. - Hotspot creation – initial work produced by the XR team to translate the starter content provided by the working group. - Content support – Working with the working group to insert hotspot and embedded content into the XR learning environments. - Development of review builds 1 & 2. - Pilot and deployment of course content delivered by our VRSafety tool. - The procurement and set up of Pico VR hardware at North Forge. - The deployment and optimization of the VRSafety Pico application for deployment to the lobby.In addition to these items the technical team advised North Forge on sanitization and safe operation practices for the XR equipment via the UV cleaning systems deployed to the space. This will allow for the sanitization of the head mounted display between users in the physical space.Along side the VR based training we have also deployed a web VR based training experience which uses the same content and is considered an accessible alternativefor users who can not use the VRSafety VR headsets. This can be used via the iPads already present in the space

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

Dan Blair, CEO Bit Space Development Kevin Carbotte, Marketing Director, Bit Space Development Gabriel Lascano, CTO, Bit Space Development

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

Bit Space Development finished the project for us on time and within budget. And this will all completed during a pandemic and we were very fortunate that the team adapted so well to working virtually.

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

Bit Space Development utilized microsoft project for the work plan and timelines, ASANA Project Management and SLACK for contact communication.

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

They always found solutions to our business problems. The are a very knowledgeable team.

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

Nothing to add here.

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time that I was working with Dan and BitSpace Development, I was the Executive Director of the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM). CSAM is a non-profit organization run by and for the building construction industry in Manitoba, with governance provided by the Winnipeg Construction Association’s Board of Directors and the CSAM Advisory Committee. Established in 1989, CSAM has earned the reputation as a leader in the safety landscape of Manitoba, as well as within the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations.

For what projects/services did your company hire Bit Space Development Ltd.?

CSAM was involved in a two-year research project with the Institute of Work and Health surveying construction companies on the subject of Leading Indicators used in the Safety and Health program. The challenge was how to display the results of the research project and to provide a platform for the survey and benchmarking reports to live on past the research phase to ensure that companies could measure and react to progress in years to come.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to build a platform that would allow companies to take the survey, benchmark the results against anonymized aggregate data to show where the company stood against other construction companies in Manitoba The baseline data provides participating firms with an opportunity to benchmark their safety performance against other companies within their trade and region of Manitoba’s construction industry in areas such as safety culture, employee engagement, hazard identification, and ergonomics. The Dashboard, INDICATOR then provides links to resources to help improve scores for each of the survey measures. The intention is to move the needle on an organization’s average score for each measure and raise the standard of safety in Manitoba.

How did you select this vendor?

Having worked with BSD as a Project Advisory Committee member on multiple previous projects, Dan Blair and BitSpace Developments were well known to me. I had engaged with two other companies within Canada but Dan’s approach to his business stood out from the rest. During the initial concept meetings, BSD asked lots of questions and demonstrated a desire to fully understand the requirements of the project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

In phase one of the work BSD developed a dashboard to display the results of the research project which included secure login for companies, tabular and graphic representation of the data and the ability for companies to retake the survey with an algorithm to produce benchmarking reports that compare to the original research project reports. In phase two links were developed to resources that were designed to help to improve scores for each of the survey categories.

What was the team composition?

CSAM Representatives – ED, Training and Communications Manager, Operations Manager. BSD Representatives – Dan Blair CEO/Founder, Chief Technology Officer, Design and Developers.

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

The successful completion of the project has provided Construction companies in Manitoba the opportunity to measure the effectiveness of their safety and health program and safety culture. By being able to compare against the mean results of other companies within their trade and region of Manitoba’s construction industry in areas such as safety culture, employee engagement, hazard identification, and ergonomics. It will give firms a wholistic perspective on their safety efforts where they can compare their results year on year to see improvement. With links to resources the Indicator dashboard not only tells companies where you need to improve, but it also shows them how.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Communication lines were set up between CSAM staff and BSD with regular meetings to discuss progress and look forward to the next stages. Dan was also involved in meetings with the IWH research team. His input was instrumental to how the dashboard developed which ultimately ended up with a very useful and functional product.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dan is creative, flexible and has a very can do/will do attitude. This attitude is contagious which is evident when working with the BSD team. Dan immerses himself into everything that he does, on a previous project involving working at heights, Dan took a full fall protection course and spent time on job sites to fully understand the issues. Dan was always available for discussion and problem solving which kept the project on track and within budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I have been working with BSD since the very beginning and have seen this start-up grow from humble beginnings. The growth does not seem to have affected the quality and efficiency of projects, I am convinced that under Dan’s leadership BSD has a very bright future.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the training director of Piping Industry Technical College. We’re the training arm of UA Local 254 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union. I run the day-to-day dealings and training. That includes training premises as well as training contracts with indigenous groups and everything from military to hospital to service workers. We do all kinds of work beyond our membership as well.

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

We work with electricians as subject matter experts. In this engagement, we were creating a VR program funded through workers’ compensation. It was a grant proposal written by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and we came in because of our expertise.

What was the scope of their involvement?

BSD provided VR development services. Although it was through IBEW, they built a version of the program for our use. We use it for our pre-apprentice students and at trade shows. The solution allows high school students to get an idea of what the job site looks like. Upon initiation, BSD came to all of our job sites to record site issues and show what an actual one looks like. The VR solution lets students walk around and through a 360° view of a typical job site.

The VR program is an application we run through a series of phones we have here. We put the phones into Google Cardboard headsets. We use the program in our classes and for additional trainings beyond that. It’s not necessarily intended for the program but gives us more resources and avenues for other courses.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Dan (CEO & Founder) for 99% of the engagement. There was another man who came with him to record the job sites, but I didn’t interact with any other individuals besides that.

How did you come to work with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

We came to work with them through IBEW. They had bid on other projects that BSD was already involved in so that’s how they met. I personally met Dan year ago on a welding project I was a subject matter expert for.

How much have you invested with them?

I wasn’t part of the financial part, but I’m pretty sure it was between $50,000–$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from October 2016–June 2017.

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

The application has been a handy tool in our trainings and trade shows. Showing students our job sites and capabilities has been effective. Also, the app has been good in terms of pulling up bits and pieces of it for unforeseen opportunities. However, it’s difficult to quantify how its grown our business, but it’s definitely had a positive impact. It’s been a helpful tool to have, and we use it anytime we get a chance to.

How did Bit Space Development Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job with project management. I’d send an email, and they’d respond within 10–15 minutes. Their responsiveness is top-notch. BSD is one of the fastest companies in terms of communication, and I’ve dealt with a lot of IT companies.

They provided monthly reports and emails throughout the engagement to update us on project status. That was more than we needed for the size of the project, so it was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The high quality of their work is their most impressive trait. They did an excellent job with the application, and we’re very satisfied.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. We’d been talking about starting other projects with them. It just depends on funding, because it’s not something we fund ourselves. I’d definitely work with them again.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your expectations and what you want. Understand that BSD is not of your business. They’re here to augment your business. So, your job is to be clear in order to get the results you need. They’re good at what they do, but if they don’t understand it may be because you didn’t tell them exactly what you need.

Please describe your company and your position there.

MITT is a post-secondary institution that provides training in Health Care, Human Services, Business and IT and Skilled Trades. I work as the Coordinator of Student Recruitment and Pathways, managing our domestic outreach strategies in Manitoba.

For what projects/services did your company hire Bit Space Development Ltd.?

We hired Bit Space Development to create a custom welding VR simulator.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for the project were to provide an safe and efficient means for prospective students to try welding and expose more students to careers in skilled trades.

How did you select this vendor?

We chose Bit Space Development based on an evaluation of the local marketplace and through a number of discovery sessions with Bit Space.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Bit Space Development designed a custom VR welding simulator for the college, including technical support and after sales service.

What was the team composition?

The team comprised of MITT's Student Recruitment and Career Services teams and sales, developers and technical teams from Bit Space Development.

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

The welding simulator has proven to be a huge draw at career fairs and off campus events, allowing students the opportunity to explore this career in a safe and impactful way. This is contributing to more interest in skilled trade careers and a more economical means of career exploration for the college.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The projected was managed through an initial consultation to discuss our objectives, with meetings at regular intervals to discuss revisions and upgrades to enhance the user experience. At every turn, they provided exceptional client support and went the extra mile to create an outstanding finished product.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dan and his team are extremely easy and fun to work with, and provided exceptional service and customer support at every turn. They were very attentive to our needs and goals for this project and stayed within the confines of a very tight budget. Furthermore, they're passionate about what they do and that translated to a finished product that exceeded our expectations and is vitally important to our department.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't have much to offer in terms of improvements, other than on one occasion the simulator was glitchy. They were very quick to offer solutions, and even went so far as to offer personalized support at the event. Thank you!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of apprenticeship and training for the Manitoba and Nunavut region of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. We are a union organization that also provides for the educational needs of our electricians. We have our own school, which I am also the director of.

What challenge were you trying to address with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

In Canada, our northern regions are incredibly remote and rural, so we can't provide the same services that we do in city centers. 

Manitoban laws stipulate that for every apprentice electrician on a job site, there must be a journeyman on the site. This makes required site visits difficult and close to impossible in the North.

We went to Bit Space Development Ltd. to figure out how we could recreate a job site virtually to provide our training, without actually having to take students to the job site. 

What was the scope of their involvement? 

We wanted to use AR and VR technology to bring the job site back to the classroom, instead of taking the classroom to the job site. We engaged with Bit Space Development Ltd. on a project that would move the required safety training for electricians in remote regions to a VR platform.

Their role was figuring out what form this project should take. As the experts in this space, they worked with us on how to make the courses and learning modules. Like with cell-phones, VR and AR technology changes all the time. Bit Space Development Ltd. helped us pick which AR and VR platforms we should use and buy.

Once we decided on a plan, they developed the program for us.

What is the team composition? 

I worked exclusively with Dan (Owner and CEO, Bit Space Development Ltd.). I believe he had quite a large team behind him, as well. We also had a hired project manager to help oversee this project.

How did you come to work with Bit Space Development Ltd.?

We reached out to several companies, got quotes, and met with their teams. Based on those interviews and our assessments of their cost-effectivenesses, we went with Bit Space Development Ltd.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $100,000 CAD (approximately $76,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began work in February 2017, and the project was finished in April 2018.

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

The technology is working well for us. Every school struggles to recreate the real world within the lab setting. With regard to the content and the makeup of the program, what we created with Bit Space Development Ltd. has worked wonders for us.

Having said that, there are some hurdles associated with VR and AR. For instance, some people can’t wear VR goggles for long. Regardless of those challenges, we’re very happy with the content and Bit Space Development Ltd.

How did Bit Space Development Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

We had zero issues with our timeline. The project finished ahead of schedule, and there was little frustration. They bent over backward to meet our needs and then went above and beyond with support throughout the whole process. 

We primarily worked in-person with them. Their office was a 10-minute drive from my office, which made communication very easy. If there was a step that required me to put the goggles on and start working with the software, it wasn’t a hassle.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dan and his team were very proactive and reactive, and they were great to work with. Whenever there were any bumps in the road or if something didn't work, they were very quick to find a solution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One constructive piece of feedback I could give is that they occasionally forget that you’re not in the VR/AR industry. They get so excited and will occasionally start throwing around acronyms and industry terms. I'll have to slow them down and ask for an explanation in English. But, this was also a testament to their passion and work-ethic; when they get on a roll, they just don’t stop.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you work with them to explain your industry. If you put in the time to explain what you want, it will be much easier for them to deliver it.