your software, your way.
Black Pepper is a leading technology and engineering consultancy specialising in research-led, human centred custom software development.
For the past 21 years Black Pepper has built world class software for world leading organisations. During which time the team has delivered 735 projects to 162 different clients across the UK.
The Black Pepper team is not only award winning but trusted and recommended by world leading organisations like Legal & General, Jaguar Land Rover, TUI, Warwick University, Specsavers, Engie, EDF Energy and British Gymnastics
If you are looking to improve how your teams deliver software, require some additional resource to help you remove bottlenecks, or have a project in mind that your team don’t have the time or skills to deliver, either now or in the future, we should speak!
headquarters
Focus
Portfolio
“We’re a curious bunch. It’s this curiosity we apply to any business problem to make life easier for our clients. We work collaboratively to create not just the best software, but the right software. Think of it as a truly bespoke offering, supported by a down-to-earth team of experts (who happen to love what they do). It’s the reason market leaders like Legal & General, Jaguar Land Rover, EDF Energy, Engie, Specsavers, Moneycorp, Unity Trust Bank (and many more we're not at liberty to disclose) enjoy working with us"
A commitment to a low-carbon future
Black Pepper engaged with the UK's largest producer of low-carbon electricity, to create a responsive web app that helps to explain the very complex domain of energy production of the future.
The UK's energy comes from both renewable (wind, solar) and non-renewable (coal, gas) sources, as well as nuclear and storage. However, this is all due to change in 2050, when the UK has committed to becoming a 'net-zero' emitter. Read more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/a-commitment-to-a-low-carbon-future
Developed an improved platform for stoking and stock forecasting
"We are extremely pleased with the progress Black Pepper and Catton have made with the Par-q software, and look forward to expanding the platform in the future. Black Pepper has been instrumental in delivering the software efficiently and their focus on solving business challenges, not just complex technical problems, has been invaluable. Having Par-q integrate with the tills will be a big step for the software and the industry as a whole. Uniting all the software under one system will be hugely beneficial for all levels in the industry, and will reduce problems and increase overall efficiency within hospitality." Phil Lunn - Director, Catton Hospitality Read more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/catton-hospitality
The smart railway; a new kind of user journey
In 2016, Resonate commissioned a new and revolutionary digital platform, 'Luminate'. The Luminate suite of products would provide real-time route control, using advanced planning models and predictive analytics, with the overall aim of introducing operational efficiencies, reducing costs and improving the performance of the rail network.
Resonate rapidly scaled up its internal software development team to meet the demands of a large scale project and engaged Black Pepper to provide UX expertise, specifically user-centred research and design. Discover more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/resonate
LMAX Exchange
Black Pepper built a software able to successfully handle 6 million transactions per second on a single thread, and hundreds of thousands of transactions with less than 1ms latency. Read more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/financial-services-application
British Gymnastics
"Black Pepper has been brilliant to work with. The whole team have brought value to the project. Brilliant account and project managers plus impressive expertise from technical to UX to agile mentoring and training. We are now working on our next project with the team and I have already recommended them to fellow colleagues.
Read more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/british-gymnastics
World Map Pledge
Black Pepper worked with Response Multimedia to develop a new application which could be accessed by attendees via iPads located on the client’s stands. The application allowed attendees to select their country of choice and then commit to supporting the client’s new skincare therapy. On pledging, a map of the world, presented on a 10ft LED screen would be updated in real-time. A counter pinned to each continent would increase if the attendee had a selected a country situated within the continent. Furthermore, their country of choice would be listed against the continent in a top ten list. Concurrently to this, an animation would also display the flag of the attendee’s chosen country. Read more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/world-map-pledge
Legal & General Investment Management
LGIM needed to engage with a company that specialised in building bespoke software using AWS technologies and DevOps/agile delivery methodologies. They were also looking to plug the gaps in their existing team by adding skills and resource that they didn’t have: Architects, Tech Leads and DevOps Engineers. Discover more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/lgim
Black Pepper Works with Bravissimo to Deliver its Next Generation Website
"The Black Pepper team are conscientious, professional and clearly know technology. They are not just code monkeys, they are true technologists. Teaching our internal team how to use an agile test based software development approach added real value to us internally. We have already begun planning our next project with Black Pepper and would happily recommend them to other high street retailers."
Mike Tremellen, Director, Bravissimo
Read the case study here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/projects/bravissimo
Black Pepper Software Innovative Environment
Black Pepper Software collaborate with you to create not just the best software, but the right software. With Black Pepper Software it’s your software, your way.
UX: What is it and why does it matter?
The term "UX" or User Experience is a commonly misunderstood and misused phrase. It also gets confused with "UI" or User Interface, and although the two are related, there are very distinct differences.
For simplicity, UX encompasses how a user interacts with your website or application, and UI is how it looks, feels and behaves. The user interface is just part of the overall user experience.
But it's not that simple.
Read more here: https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/blog/ux-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter
WEBINAR: UX: Success starts with Empathy. The power of human-centred design.
UX, or to be more precise, a user's experience, is an outcome which we, as designers, cannot guarantee. However, by employing empathy in everything that we do, we can influence user behaviour and achieve desired outcomes that generate significant business benefits. https://www.blackpepper.co.uk/events/webinars
Reviews
the project
Risk Software Implementation for Asset Management Company
"They’ve been professional and focused on a successful outcome."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the head of analytics for an asset management company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software?
We wanted to migrate from doing development internally to externally.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper Software helped implement third-party risk software. They did hard development, wrote scripts, input data from our company, synced the calculation results back into our company, and made it available to end-users.
The team built a utility layer around the software to make it look more user-friendly. They were heavily involved in optimizing the design we presented to them. There were several technologies involved.
What is the team composition?
We work with eleven teammates including a scrum master, a project manager, a product owner, UX developers, and several developers that specialize in various technologies.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software?
They had done a project with our company in the past. I liked that they were already familiar with us and the outcome had been positive in the previous engagement, so I felt confident in their abilities.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent £700,000 (approximately $922,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together around October 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The project wouldn’t be where it is without their assistance. They’ve been professional and focused on a successful outcome. They quickly grasped our vision, always going the extra mile for us. We’ve been satisfied with their deliverables.
How did Black Pepper Software perform from a project management standpoint?
The project manager is knowledgeable and efficient. Black Pepper Software has handled any delays well, even when it wasn’t their fault. They work hard to get tasks finished.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They are very collaborative. They quickly identify and understand the business implications of the deliverable and are able to approach decisions and tasks with a business perspective.
Are there any areas they could improve?
A small criticism would be that the project manager is too nice at times, perhaps not tough enough with the team to ensure on-time delivery, for example.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure you fully explain the business objectives you want to achieve.
the project
Custom Software Dev for Nonprofit-Focused Bank
"We wouldn’t have been able to achieve the success we did without Black Pepper."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the head of IT change at a small, non-profit focused bank. We’re highly interested in the social impact of banking.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
As a bank, we’re in a regulated industry. We’d had some changes in regulations as it relates to security enforcement. We needed to add additional security for integration with third parties. We also were mandated to introduce two-factor authentication on all transactional activities.
We didn’t have those controls in place, so we needed to build out our development platform with external developers.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper supplied us with a developer who was used to supplement our own resources. They came on-site and worked with us in a collaborative, agile approach within our own change and development team. They built and integrated external services into our core banking platform to provide two-factor authentication.
They used Python for our proxy servers and application services they built. They also worked with a gRPC converter written in Java.
After that, we asked Black Pepper to do some consultancy-based assessments on some performance testing. The team looked at our performance testing results and helped us debug any issues and suggest improvements.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two people. I also worked with their relationship managers and delivery resource managers, but on a day to day basis, it was two resources.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
We did a proof of concept, and we were exploring options for delivery of the two-factor authentication. We considered a mobile banking application and reached out to Black Pepper based on a recommendation.
We interviewed them, and they provided a really interesting and dynamic presentation that we really liked. While we didn’t end up pursuing that project with Black Pepper, that was our introduction to the quality of their work, so we reached out to them for this project.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent £60,000 (approximately $78,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from September–December 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Their skills were great, and they helped us achieve a successful outcome, which was compliant with the regulations and on time. That was key for us. We wouldn’t have been able to achieve the success we did without Black Pepper.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
They performed very well. They were completely embedded into our team, so they were able to work with us completely. Black Pepper works in an agile way, and they responded to our project management processes.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their professionalism and the quality of their work set them apart. Their software engineers, so they not only deliver in a technical capacity, but they have the ability to advise. Our senior software engineer acted as a tech lead, and was able to translate business requirements and initiatives very easily. We were very impressed with Black Pepper.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They’re very busy, so their developers are always getting dispatched to different projects. We’re about to start another contract with them, and it would be useful to know in advance which developers are going where and at what time. I understand that’s very difficult, so it’s not a fault against them.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Take ownership of the developer and embed them within your own team, work, and practices. That’s how we got the most out of Black Pepper. Also, make sure you’re in continuous communication with them so you can plan in advance.
the project
Discovery Phase & Wireframes for Energy Company
"They were absolutely fantastic."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m an IT business partner at Engie, a global energy and facilities management company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software?
We hadn't done a lot of investment in IT with our resident liaison officers who were working on a manual paper-based process. That takes a lot of time and effort to manage because the propensity for error is very high and they have to deal with people with different language needs.
We needed to do something about it to improve productivity and to make sure that we were delivering the best service to our clients.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper Software worked through a discovery phase and provided consulting. They then delivered wireframes and documentation around user stories. Everything they did was system-agnostic. They also educated my team in the agile methodology.
What is the team composition?
We worked with six teammates
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software?
I did research on Google. I was looking for a partner with a good reputation, who was security-conscious, and who had worked for financial institutions. I looked at three companies, and Black Pepper Software was everything we wanted in terms of their client base and their previous experience.
They also communicated well and were accommodating. The team got us thinking straight away, and they ask good questions. That gave us a lot of confidence. Additionally, their agile method of working showed us that they would look after our teams.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent abut £40,000 (approximately $51,600 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working with them 18 months ago, and the project lasted 6–7 months, which was due to our procrastination. We keep in touch with Black Pepper Software if needed. They’re my go-to people if I need a third-party for anything.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They were absolutely fantastic. They provided us with a solid foundation in terms of understanding our requirements for user journeys.
Because the assets were system agnostic, we were able to bring them in-house to develop them. The team delivered a very comprehensive set of information, and the wireframes have been very useful.
How did Black Pepper Software perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management was brilliant. We worked with them in an agile methodology. The team was interactive with our business users. It was a collaborative process and they were friendly.
They looked at everything from all angles. Black Pepper Software’s communication couldn’t be faulted, and they delivered on time and within the budget. I’m a 40-year veteran of project management, and I was very impressed.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The team’s approach and flexibility set them apart. They were flexible and willing to work with us as a team, instead of imposing the work on us, as bigger companies do. They were also upfront, positive, and dynamic, we absolutely loved working with them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, nothing comes to mind right away. If anything, from a business perspective, the cost was high for the full solution they wanted to deliver. For what they did for us, it was worth every penny.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be open and transparent about what you need, and be willing to take on a positive journey.
the project
Web App Dev for PhD Research Program
"They were good at problem-solving."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a PhD student in my first year at King’s College London.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper?
My project involves looking at mental health outcomes and brain development in children that were born preterm. We wanted to look at children’s social networks for one aspect of the study, and one way we wanted to capture that was through an app that was engaging for children.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper developed a child-friendly web app survey for children between 8–9 years old. The team made it clear and user-friendly. They used a purple color and added pictures of dogs to make it more friendly.
There’s a unique ID for each child who participates and they made it completely anonymous. Sam (Software Developer) and his team made it such that the child puts in five of their friends’ names and then we ask four follow-up questions. At the end of the survey, the names of the friends are automatically removed.
What is the team composition?
I submitted my project to Jas (Client Engagement Manager), and at the hackathon, I met everyone on the team. Sam, Mark (Software Engineer), Theo (UX Developer), and Rhys (Software Consultant) worked on the app.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper?
We were invited to pitch ideas for a hackathon centered on mental health that Black Pepper was holding. The team would then spend 24 hours developing the idea for those who entered. My supervisor and I thought it was the perfect opportunity for our study.
How much have you invested with them?
The project was free of charge because their hackathon was meant to help someone. The value was probably in the hundreds of pounds.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with them from June–September 2020.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Black Pepper’s work was great, and they managed to get it done quickly. The majority of the work was done in the 24 hour period of the hackathon. The app is nothing that I could’ve done on my own.
I haven’t implemented it into my project because I’m waiting to get the go-ahead from the ethics board, but it works really well.
How did Black Pepper perform from a project management standpoint?
When I needed things changed, Sam stepped in. All the developers and Jas were really great to communicate with. Any obstacles that came up were dealt with right away. The project seemed well-structured.
Every time something came up, I would relay it to Jas and she would relay it to the team. The communication was good, and I had a pleasant experience with them even though we weren’t paying them.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Black Pepper listens to what the client imagines and would like to have, and they try to take it into account. The team really tries to find solutions to anything that makes it more difficult to achieve the goals.
They were good at problem-solving and coming up with creative ideas to tackle any problems along the way. Additionally, they were very friendly.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, not that I can think of.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Let Black Pepper know what you want out of the product and what’s important to you. Discuss that with the team as they go along because they value what you’re trying to do.
the project
Web App Development for Nonprofit
"Their team cares about our project's outcome."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a manager of a local charity called the Helping Hands Community Project.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
Their team initially created a web application for us. We highlighted a couple of issues while using it during the COVID-19 outbreak. We’re delivering parcels to vulnerable individuals during the pandemic. We have too many volunteers sign up and had to have an administrator step in to tell people to stand down.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper Software originally built a volunteer web application for us, which allows our volunteers to sign up. Most recently, they resolved the issues with the platform.
What is the team composition?
We worked with three people from Black Pepper Software. We had a main point of contact.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd?
They approached us last year during a hackathon. Their team gifted a set number of corporate social responsibility hours. They asked if we had any challenges that we’d like them to address. Their team built the web app for us, so when we needed changes, we approached them again.
How much have you invested with them?
Their team gifted their time to us as part of their corporate social responsibility program.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started this project in May 2020 and it’s ongoing. We have to pilot and test the platform.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Once we launch the platform, it will be an absolute game-changer. It will reduce administrative work. The platform's going to save a significant amount of time in terms of contacting our volunteers about what is and isn’t required.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management’s absolutely exceptional. They held regular check-in calls while building the app. They asked all the clarifying questions that needed to be asked. They pulled one of their software developers who built the original product onto this project, making allowances to bring him in. We’re grateful that they worked around our needs. They were flexible with their deadlines to meet ours.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Black Pepper Software cared about understanding our needs. Their team cares about our project's outcome. While this is a charitable project, they’re putting just as much care into it as they would with any other business. Their team's working on this project out of goodwill. We’re grateful for that. Their level of professionalism has been amazing. They put our business first to get the project sorted quickly.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I can’t think of anything.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Just go with them and trust the fact that they’ll look after you.
the project
Microsite Web App Dev for European Energy Company
“They have a good process and provide great creative input.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the head of investor relations for a large European energy company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
More recently, we’ve been focused on how we engage with different stakeholders and investors and how we can explain the complexities of achieving decarbonization targets in the UK. We hoped to create an engaging UX-led app to engage these parties and help them to understand, through a simple format, the challenges involved in decarbonizing energy systems and removing oil and gas out of the possible fuels from the production of electricity. We wanted to do so through an engaging app in which users could set their electricity mix and see what the outputs would be in different scenarios.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper Software Ltd. developed a microsite web app that works on iOS phones and tablets. It’s more of a mini-website than an app. Their team did both the design and development. Phase one and two are now complete, and we haven’t yet started on phase three.
What is the team composition?
There’s a project manager, an account manager, a UX designer, and a couple of developers.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
We looked at different companies, and Black Pepper Software Ltd. had the best pitch. We hired them because of their reputation for being a very UX-focused design agency. They had worked with clients similar to us, and they best understood our design briefs. The things that swayed me were that they agreed to the timeframes that we set, they were flexible, and they had competitive prices. They were also willing to adjust their workflow to our budget and working style.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in August 2019, and it’s ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
I’ve had a really good experience working with Black Pepper Software Ltd. They have impressive outputs. Overall, my feedback is very positive.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
We’ve had two different people responsible for project management. The first person was not as good as the second, but they were okay. The second person has been excellent and provides an above-average experience overall. They would like to use project management tools with us, but our company systems are outdated.
They have been very flexible and helpful in adjusting their standard ways of working around our processes. They’re understanding when it takes time for me to get contracts signed or approved. Their processes are very good. They keep us updated. The times it worked less well was when they were working part-time, or there were a few pieces to pick up toward the end of a phase. That was less effective, but when I gave them feedback, they reengaged the team and got the work done. The team responds very well to constructive feedback.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re willing to be flexible to work within the parameters I set. They have a good process and provide great creative input. They’re a nice, friendly team.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I was a little disappointed toward the end of the project when they moved onto some bigger projects. We were a small chunk of their workload, and things were getting missed and dropped; it wasn’t a smooth process anymore. Once I shared that, they went back to having weekly calls to make sure those things were being picked up. We did much better with our second project manager.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
You get out what you put in. Have daily standup calls and make sure you have the right people able to sign off on the right processes. Delays on our end caused some of the problems we had. Make sure you’re able to provide all of the information that they need so you’re not delaying development. Also, ensure that they properly complete and finish all of the tasks and fully tie the knot.
the project
Mobile Dev Support for Software Company
"With the help of Black Pepper Software Ltd., we’ve managed to build a continuously-deployable application."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a development manager for i-nexus. We provide a strategy execution software that’s used by strategy practitioners in the market.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
We previously had a complicated application. While the practitioners know the methodology, it’s harder for the daily end user. We wanted a more straightforward solution for the regular users that log in periodically. We also wanted it to be used on their phones. The past 10–12 years, it was a web-based desktop app, so we were moving on. Since we had no experience with building a mobile application, we decided to use Black Pepper Software Ltd.
What was the scope of their involvement?
At the start, Black Pepper Software Ltd. acted as consultants. They helped us look at the pros and cons of a mobile application. We also wanted to look into the best practices and estimations to ensure we were in the right direction and that we would go the market at the right time.
i-nexus is based on Java, and the mobile app we were trying to build would be in React. The team at Black Pepper Software Ltd. trained our team in React. We needed someone with the right experience that would teach our team the best practices.
Because we had a UX designer make all of the designs and mockups, their team wasn’t involved in the design process. After their team got us up to speed, our developers began building the first React application.
For the second project, we wanted to build another application for C-level executives. The app, called Advisor, would allow users to look at graphs and charts, and let them see how well their companies were doing in terms of meeting objectives and goals. Because we’d already used Black Pepper Software Ltd.’s expertise for the first app, they came aboard to assist with this iPad-based application.
With Advisor, the biggest challenge was the timeline. We had three months to build and release it to the market for initial feedback.
What is the team composition?
For the Advisor app, we had two consultants come in. One was experienced in React, and the other has experience with all aspects of backend development. They’re knowledgeable in the building of the pipeline, structuring unit tests, and identifying the best practices.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
About four or five months ago, I picked up the role as development manager. Black Pepper Software Ltd. was chosen by my predecessor and the executive VP for product. I believe it was through recommendation. They also knew someone from their team and had experience with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
Development on the first application started in April or May 2019. For the second application, we began in June and finished at the end of September.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Black Pepper Software Ltd. brought everyone up to speed with React very quickly. It would’ve taken us 2–3 months, but their team managed to take two weeks. We saved a lot of time by tapping into Black Pepper Software Ltd.’s expertise.
We managed to release both products on time. We had strict deadlines for both applications and having Black Pepper Software Ltd. prioritize the right technologies helped us. Their team identified future problems and how we could resolve them without having too many technical risks and debt.
With the help of Black Pepper Software Ltd., we’ve managed to build a continuously-deployable application. This means we can create a feature today and release it with the click of a button. In terms of the release cycle, it’s different than what we’re used to. For i-nexus, the release cycle is six weeks, but we now have the capability of releasing it as we have a new feature.
The two people that came in had different expertise, but both helped us get everything up to speed and build the right foundation. Both served as advisors for the deployable applications.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
I was the project lead, and we worked in an agile methodology. We had product owners with a clear background of stories that we maintained in Jira.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I thought it was amazing that we could go back to Black Pepper Software Ltd. and find someone with expertise in a specific area. We would’ve struggled with finding experts, but they seemed to have highly-talent consultants for various areas, which has been useful.
For one week in November, we used them for “shared authentication,” which involves having a single login for multiple apps. Since this was new to us, we needed someone with experience in that. Anything we ask for, Black Pepper Software Ltd. has the right person for the job.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, they were professional and always on time. They gave me updates on what they did, and if they saw something wasn’t right, or it could cause a problem in the future, they’d raise the flag straight away. I appreciated that approach. Black Pepper Software Ltd.’s team was professional, letting us know how a short-term win would impact us in the long run.
the project
Development Support for Video Surveillance Equipment Company
"Their team brought a broader experience into the business from an IT perspective."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the software application development manager at a company that provides display products that drive large video walls at extremely high resolution and quality.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
The team at Black Pepper Software Ltd. provides development support for our business.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Their team supports us in any avenues we need help with. We hired them to move faster on immediate project needs and bring in skills we don’t have in-house.
What is the team composition?
We work with two software developers and one UX specialist. There is also a dedicated project manager.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
I had worked with their team at a previous business and knew that their skills could be used in this role.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve invested between £150,000– £160,000 (approximately $193,000–$205,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We started engaging with them in September 2019. The first group started working in October.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They’ve massively moved our business along in terms of UX because we didn’t have that skill inhouse. The UX specialist has been here for only three or four weeks now but has already achieved more than what we’ve achieved in a year. He’s hit the ground running, accelerating the workflow.
The developers have also helped to move the projects along. They know precisely what they’re building, what it needs to look like, and how it needs to feel. Their team brought a broader experience into the business from an IT perspective. They’ve used tools available out in the marketplace and brought them into our business. The team at Black Pepper Software Ltd. has definitely moved us along in terms of the architecture we’re now using.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
The project manager makes sure the right people are in the right place at the right time through the project delivery plan. Everything remains on track. We’re getting the value out of what we wanted and expected.
Because we have internal development teams, we’ve blended them onto our team and process here. We work in Scrum. The UX specialist works across different groups and products but is managed separately by me. They work on what I believe is the next priority, but that ends up getting feed into the scrum process.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their team wants to learn about their clients and goals. There is no hidden agenda with them. They’re excellent at listening to what a business is trying to achieve. If they feel like they haven’t done enough, they insist on not charging for that work.
The process is incredibly switched on. They’ll help get businesses moving in the right direction, becoming part of the team quickly. They’re a knowledgeable group that’s nice to work with.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Not really. I’d struggle to find something.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Tell their team everything that you know. The more you tell them, the better the resource they can be to solve your problems. Relay what they need to know in the long term about what everything means and how it fits together. Give them the right context to help you out. Things start happening quicker that way.
the project
Framework Dev for Trade Show Company
"Having now worked with Black Pepper Software Ltd. on numerous projects, we love the way they work."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the senior project manager at a UK-based company that builds technical infrastructures for exhibitions and tradeshows all over the world.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
We tasked Black Pepper Software Ltd. with creating an app for an international pharmaceutical company for use globally at multiple trade shows across the world.
The proposed app was to display current running clinical trials used by medical representatives to aid them in communicating medical trial status for various oncological conditions to suitable prescribers.
One of the biggest challenges with a global app of this nature is the differing regulations around the world, meaning the content and wording may be invalid in other regions.
We needed iOS, Android, and Windows kiosk versions of the apps that all shared the exact same dataset. We also required offline data caching functionality so that the app would continue to work when used in places without internet connection
What was the scope of their involvement?
Our team ascertained our clients’ goals and relayed these to Black Pepper Software Ltd. They initiated a strategy to survey the intended users of the app to determine the information that should be included, its importance, and intended use.
Black Pepper Software Ltd. designed the UX and a custom framework to allow the Windows exhibition app and the internal iOS to be enterally in sync. This also collected real-time data from official sources of the status and location of any trial and place them on a world map.
What is the team composition?
We have several account mangers looking after our clients’ needs and translating them into feasible requests. We had our in-house developer assuming the role of 'project owner.'
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
They were recommended to us by colleagues in the industry.
How much have you invested in them?
We’ve spent over £100,000 (approximately $128,000 USD) with them so far on numerous apps, and there are many future projects in the pipeline.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working with them in March 2019. The engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
On the second update of the aforementioned app, we asked Black Pepper Software Ltd. to add in a content management system that allowed us to make changes live. This has been successfully used on several occasions, allowing live updating of the app. It is incredibly important to achieve this rapidly due to the everchanging regulations, as one incorrect statement could render the app ‘illegal’ and unusable.
They also have built a streamlined solution to allow screenshots of the app to be generated (which is a requirement for medical archiving). This creates a 550+ page PDF file and has saved the team vast amounts of time.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
They're superb! The team use Slack to communicate, and we are kept up to date daily with a short ‘stand up’ meeting. They also use other project management tools, which we were invited to use but have never had the need.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their estimation of project timing has been exceptional. So far, we've been ahead of schedule on every project, we've been able to use gained time to further enhance the final product beyond that of what we had promised our client.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Having now worked with Black Pepper Software Ltd. on numerous projects, we love the way they work. Everything has always been done as expected, and no budget has overrun. We can learn from them!
the project
Membership Renewal Platform for Gymnastics Nonprofit
“They helped us translate the complexity of the project into something that works for our users.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the head of IT operations at a non-profit organization.
What challenge were you trying to address with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
We currently have over 400,000 members. We needed to renew our membership platform and make it scalable, so that it could cope with high volumes of traffic. We were looking for a vendor to help us.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Black Pepper Software Ltd. worked collaboratively with our in-house developers to renew our membership platform. They managed both design and development. The platform uses a new technology that Black Pepper Software Ltd. helped us get comfortable with. They used tester-driven development, which worked out very well.
What is the team composition?
We worked with a project manager, a frontend developer, a backend developer, and a UX designer.
How did you come to work with Black Pepper Software Ltd.?
We found them through a Google search. We wanted to work with a local company that would become a partner to us, and Black Pepper Software Ltd. is only two hours away from us.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with them between May–September 2018.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The system went live in the timeframe that we needed, and now our members can renew their membership through their own portal. Membership is a massive part of our business, so it was a high-stakes project. Another big impact that Black Pepper Software Ltd. made on our business was helping us embed new tools and methodologies into our IT department. We now continue to use many of the tools that they've set up for us.
How did Black Pepper Software Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?
They use agile methodology, and it was useful for us to embed their practices into our business. We mostly used Jira and Slack for day-to-day communication. In addition, they sent us regular reports with all the updates.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They're very rigorous and can handle difficult projects. They helped us translate the complexity of the project into something that works for our users.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything. We were happy with both design and development.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Stay engaged and make sure you understand the agile methodology–it took us 12 months to get our heads around that.
Black Pepper Software has played a crucial role in the project's current success, thanks to their professionalism and ability to understand the internal vision. They are a diligent, skilled, and cooperative partner with a knack for approaching tasks from a business point of view.