DevTalents

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of mobile e-learning game called Lib4Kid. It’s a digital library with animated stories for kids.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

We had an idea of what we wanted but needed a company with expertise in app development to build it. I was looking for a team that could put this app together within a reasonable timeframe and budget.

What were your goals for this project?

The biggest challenge was the target group; although we're designing a digital product for kids, it’s the parents who decide if the app is appropriate to download. The ultimate goal was to provide the app to parents who will, in turn, allow their kids to play with it and learn at the same time. We focused on simplicity, intuitiveness, and aesthetics.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’d already worked with them while at a previous company and had a great experience. Once I had the idea for my current project in mind, I reached out to them. They'd already done a couple of mobile games before, so it made the choice even easier.

Describe the project in detail.

They helped us design and build a user-friendly application for iOS and Android. Using our brief, they put together a proposal. There was a lot missing, so they filled in the pieces and did most of the design work. Then, they did all of the functional and development work, from getting things started to pushing the app out live. Key features included a payment system, a multilingual system, a media library, and animations. During development, they used React Native to reduce costs.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with Lukasz (CEO, United Ideas), so there was no need to touch a base with the rest of the team on daily basis. He assigned a designer to craft high-quality illustrations for each story. There were also Android and iOS developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We created five mini-series of the game. Unfortunately, despite thousands of downloads, the app didn’t generate the expected revenue, so we still have to decide if we want to continue or kill the project. Naturally, I can’t blame United Ideas for such circumstances. If we decide to continue development they will be first to know it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Although we used them as a partner, they took total responsibility for everything, including project management. They were pretty good and on top of things. We only spent a relatively small sum to complete the app—however, most of the time I felt like their biggest client because I was working directly with their founder. That goes to show the level of customer experience they provide.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re invested in their clients and work; it goes beyond just a paycheck. For example, their business understanding helped save a lot of money and time. In order to reduce our risks, Lukasz took advantage of every technical option to test our idea at a very early stage.

Likewise, the whole team worked hard to provide a high-quality product. I couldn’t have appreciated this more; if they hadn't, we would've spent far more resources to get the same level of work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We ran into some issues with the quality of the audio originally, but the team worked diligently to resolve that. There were also a couple of little things that were slightly cumbersome, but this is to be expected when working with any agency that isn't just down the street from you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the marketing coordinator at the largest producer and exporter of roof windows in Poland. It's essential that we develop innovative technological solutions. Our brand is one of the strongest in the construction industry, and has actively promoted modern, energy-saving construction for many years. I value flexibility and agility, and expect third-party providers to meet deadlines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

We do not have a physical sales force. We only sell our products through an extensive network of distributors. This is a massive challenge since it limits our control over sales results. We're always looking to capitalize on our established brand and facilitate purchases. We needed to develop a web application for our distributors, since our prior tool didn't meet our expectations. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a web application that allowed customers to find a nearby distributor and view an accurate inventory. The application offers a map with all our recommended distributors. Each one has a business card with information about their in-store inventory and hours.

We focused on UX design because the one we had at the time was very unintuitive and outdated. We also wanted to have a very extensive administrative panel that would allow us to make changes daily and adapted to the specifics of our industry.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I got an email from the CEO of United Ideas, who offered programming support and consultancy. Their timing was great, since we weren't completely satisfied with our prior IT provider.  We met to learn about their approach and develop a vision; then they prepared preliminary mockups and a cost estimate. The price was more competitive than our previous partner, but their work approach and the impression they left were the main factors in our cooperation. Their biggest advantage was that they were a local partner with a strong IT background.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

United Ideas provided everything, from consultancy, to design and development, to support after publication. They prepared a user-friendly, useful tool that contained all the options we wanted. They also designed modern graphics that matched our standards. During development, they showed us how to operate the admin panel. They still implement changes, handle specific functions, and spend a lot of time improving our application.

What was the team composition?

They created a dedicated team for us. We met each member in person. We had a UX designer, a developer, a project manager, and a QA analyst.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new application allowed us to manage our distribution network more efficiently. Thanks to its scoring algorithm, we can actively distinguish the most involved distributors and influence the underperformers. The application gives value to distributors by creating an environment where partners compete to rank higher. Thanks to the filtering feature, they can also attract customers interested in particular inventory. This results in high-quality customers visiting our offline stores. It's so beneficial that distributors can actively promote our products and increase our sales.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We've been satisfied with their project management at every stage. We like their professionalism and initiative. They don't react impulsively to our proposals, but keep us informed of their progress and actively present ideas based on our experience. United Ideas organized the project well, created graphics quickly, and began programming just as promptly. When we call or write, we get prompt answers. We're delighted with their communication, their commitment, and the availability of our project manager. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

United Ideas stayed engaged into the last days of the project. Even after delivering the final product, they implemented our minor requests for many weeks. We appreciated working with the same people, even though they already had another project. I’m happy to say that we will extend our cooperation and start another project soon.

They try to be as accessible, helpful, and involved as possible. They act as consultants who aren't afraid to disagree with us, suggest a better solution, or challenge our ideas with their experience. They're actively interested in whether everything works as it should, whether we have questions, or whether we want to work on other functionalities. We like this approach very much. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

United Ideas has a startup spirit that is great for their industry. They are funny, flexible, and informal. However, companies like us follow specific, complicated corporate procedures that lengthen the decision processes. To cooperate with enterprises like ours, they should approach conversations, meetings, and presentations formally. I enjoy this cooperation and strongly recommend that they maintain a high level of customer service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Ubrania do oddania, a venture capital-backed fundraising platform that connects charity organizations with people willing to help. We allow ordinary people to donate clothing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

We needed a technology provider to develop our idea into a web platform. Design was one of our main requirements.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to develop an MVP as soon as possible to validate our idea and have a POC to show investors.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Initially, I hired a digital agency that subcontracted to United Ideas to deliver the platform in a couple of months. After that first version was done, I decided to continue cooperating directly with United Ideas. They already knew our technology stack and had an agile team in place. After meeting with them, we decided to give it a shot.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

United Ideas continued handling the full scope of the project. They’re currently developing and designing the whole platform. This entails working with admin panels, servers, data science, analytics, email automation, and 3rd-party integrations. They built our backend with Ruby on Rails.

What was the team composition?

We’re working with a team made up of a designer, two Ruby on Rails developers, a project manager, and another developer. I mostly interact with the project manager, but I’m free to contact the developers directly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received the first version after a few months and quickly saw users and revenue start coming in. After receiving promising feedback from the community, we decided to continue developing the platform. As of today, we’ve collected almost 50 tons of clothing. Throughout 2018, we established countless partnerships with other charity organizations and ran nearly 200 separate fundraising campaigns. The market has reacted tremendously. We’re now focused on scaling our system and database and improving our UX.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I’m in constant contact with the project manager, who handles any problems, submits deliverables, and answers questions. We schedule our work in a series of two-weeks sprints. After each one, we conduct a meeting to trade feedback. Other than that, we’ve conducted a lot of ad-hoc communication regarding ongoing needs or requests. On the few occasions things slipped away or deadlines had to be moved, they kept me informed and did their best to make up lost time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to deliver sprints stands out. Their developers worked through the night several times, and I appreciate that commitment. 2018 was an eventful year, but we built a solid partnership. I would recommend them to anyone considering a similar project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Some code needs to be optimized in parts of the admin panel because reports can experience long loading times. There’ve also been a few crashes, which need to be fixed before we grow our user base. Otherwise, we’ll be incapable of managing our processes effectively.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I worked as a consultant for the strategy and operations team at PwC. We worked with financial sector firms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

We conducted a feasibility study for a major consumer finance bank, and they wanted to know how a mobile app would affect sales for their leasing and car loan service program. We contracted with United Ideas for outside expertise.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a prototype solution for car dealers that would allow their clients to apply for a car loan with a real-time credit decision.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The head of our department chose them, I believe following an introduction by a former employee of United Ideas who had come to work for PwC.

Describe the project in detail.

They studied qualitative user research, then delivered an app prototype with recommendations on technical requirements, infrastructure, app specification, and UX design.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Lukasz (CEO, United Ideas), a product designer, a project manager, and the developer team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their successful prototype worked as intended and met all requirements. Our client was pleased, and I believe they implemented their solution based on the research and prototypes that United Ideas provided.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They acted as a research team and aligned well with our project management principles and tools.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re the most proactive provider we’ve engaged with for this work. We invited them to meet with our client, and they proved their worth, providing valuable insights and technical expertise.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re completely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Entropy, a UK based software and app development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with United Ideas?

We hired United Ideas because we needed a creative and technical development team outside of the UK.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with United Ideas for several years as a development partner to help deliver many solutions for our clients. Their team assisted with a number of new application projects for our clients. They’ve created mobile applications and some web development projects.

When we had a business development opportunity, their team aided with pitching, creating demos and background information to help us win accounts.

With one project for a major UK client, they developed a variety of Android and iOS applications and integrated them with our CMS.

What is the team composition?

We had a dedicated project manager for each project, along with an iOS developer and Android developer.

How did you come to work with United Ideas?

Three or four years ago, I went to Poland to meet with potential partners. We had a lengthy selection process, and United Ideas came out on top. After meeting with Lukasz (CEO, United Ideas) and his team, I was impressed with their capabilities and portfolio.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent €50,000 (approximately $56,761 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with United Ideas from June 2015–December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m pleased with United Ideas’ work. Their team delivered creative and high-quality solutions for clients rapidly and on time. Their code quality was exceptional, and there were minimal bug issues and rewrites needed. We plan on working with United Ideas in the future.

How did United Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with United Ideas was easy. They always provided a dedicated project manager that communicated clearly. We were updated regularly on the progress of any active projects. We used Jira and Basecamp and had weekly meetings. Their team was extremely responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with United Ideas’ quality of work and communication.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was happy with United Ideas.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise having your own project manager, along with their assigned one, to coordinate with their development team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I founded Aviso, a law firm that focuses on B2B clients in the real estate industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

United Ideas needed to redesign our website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our previous site didn’t convert traffic into sales. We wanted to increase conversions and create a CMS that would build clients’ trust in our site’s valuable information.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I met their CEO during a marketing conference. An acquaintance then recommended United Ideas for their quality service and offerings. We hired them because they could deliver the site within budget and in a matter of weeks.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They prepared low-fi mock-ups and designed the final version. The team then implemented the overhaul. The site enables users to prepare a brief and request contact.

What was the team composition?

I interacted with the project manager daily. They had two developers working behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

More new customers have contacted us as a result of the website’s modern look. Users can learn about our services online with ease.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had weekly video conferences to discuss progress and results. The team shared updates via Trello.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team explained each step of the project and executed it with a high level of discipline and professionalism. They provided full documentation, so we know what we paid for. The team also provided post-launch support, which extended the initial scope.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We have no issues with the team’s performance or deliverables.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the head of growth at a company that enables users to share images and files. Most of our B2B clients are customer support departments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

The app was written four years ago and the outdated technology was the main barrier to further development. Eventually, we had to rewrite the entire code. That process would have been messy and difficult to scale, while simultaneously reacting to user feedback. We needed to simplify the solution to streamline operations for how we captured user data. Consequently, we hired United Ideas to improve the design and optimize the code.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted United Ideas to rewrite the app from scratch—for desktop, mobile, and web platforms—within six months. We needed the team to handle the process because we didn’t have the in-house resources for support and maintaining the user experience.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We needed to find a team who could understand our products, audience, security needs, and had experience in product design and UX. One of our investors recommended United Ideas. We spoke with the CEO and the team provided an initial cost estimate immediately. We then ran a couple of calls with the team to make sure both sides were on the same page. We spent long hours discussing optimal solutions. They made a good impression, and we started working together.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They prepared wireframes and consulted our ideas for the technology stack. The team created the product design and then supported the implementation. They were responsible for rebranding and ensuring the customer journey ran smoothly. During the implementation phase, they onboarded three full-time developers to support our in-house team with rewriting the code.

What was the team composition?

We interacted with the designer on a daily basis. They were an intermediary between our team and the developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are nearly finished, and won’t see results for another few months. We have received enthusiastic feedback from the group of control users. Based on work completed, we expect a positive difference in the customer user journey.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We primarily handled project management, as well as the design side. We used a scrum master and worked in sprints. The time difference did not cause any problems. During the project’s later phases, we used United Ideas as an extension of our team; they felt like part of the company as a result. We communicated via Jira, Slack, and Confluence.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

A prior bad experience with outsourcing made us skeptical about hiring United Ideas. However, their valuable guidance, dedication, and cooperative approach made us satisfied with our choice to hire them. They were invested in our vision and understood our team’s limitations; United Ideas was also disciplined, delivering everything on time and within budget. The quality of their work was excellent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

During the early stages, we had a few issues with one of their developers. We reported our concerns to the account manager and they replaced the resource in no time. We appreciated their flexibility in such a situation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the former deputy creative director of DDB Warsaw, a global marketing agency branch based in Poland.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

We engaged United Ideas as a partner for a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project. We wanted to develop a mobile application that helps visually-impaired and partially-sighted people watch movies.

What were your goals for this project?

The mobile app had to work in conjunction with a hardware piece to allow users to experience a movie. We had high standards for its quality and accessibility.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One of our creative directors worked with them on another app for a major fast food restaurant chain and had a great experience. We ruled out other local firms in favor of United Ideas because they worked with hardware products—a rarity among IT companies—and offered an excellent team.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project had advanced technology requirements from start to finish. Our teams first took the time to complete extensive research. We used algorithms to learn and listen to movies. We developed ways to identify individual movie fragments and to synchronize a soundtrack with the action happening on screen. We also had to create dedicated hardware that would allow the audio description tool to work without Internet or phone access.

United Ideas then designed and developed the iOS and Android customer-facing apps from scratch. They proposed detailed development strategies that included explanations of the processes they would use. Once we acquired the estimate for the scope of work planned, their design team delivered wireframes within a week. We gave them our approval, and the designers and developers produced the apps.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a scrum master, a data scientist, a Python developer, a few iOS and Android developers, a hardware designer, and QA testers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

United Ideas delivered an MVP of our product, allowing us to start marketing and crowdfunding campaigns. They implemented every requirement in our scope, including a few unique features. The critical development phase is complete, but additional funding will help us improve the app further. We look forward to launching the app to market soon.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

United Ideas provided me with a project manager who kept me informed about each process and explained technical language in layperson terms. We communicated via Zoom, chat, and email. The United Ideas team completed work in Agile using two-week SCRUM sprints. They met nearly every deadline and always gave advanced notice when an issue arose that would cause delays.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team dedicated themselves to producing the best possible app despite tight deadlines and tremendous pressure. At every stage of the project, they provided fact-based and structured updates written in layperson terms that I could understand. United Ideas also did an excellent job delivering on large-scale R&D requirements.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we were highly satisfied with their work and engaged them for more projects after this app was completed. United Ideas tackled nearly every project we could throw at them. They were also upfront about anticipated costs and potential challenges and issues that might arise in the project, which I appreciated.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Huta 19, a full-service branding and marketing agency offering a range of advertising, marketing, and consultancy solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

We had a vision for a mobile game app and needed developers to turn it into a reality.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to build a mobile application dedicated to children as part of an offline loyalty program. Our goals were to prevent users from rapidly uninstalling the app after downloading it and drive engagement with our client’s brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our client was working on a tight deadline, so we had to act quickly. I was already familiar with United Ideas, so they were the obvious choice among the other vendors we considered. We had a quick brainstorming session regarding ideas for each mobile game and came to an agreement by the end of the day.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed and built iOS and Android apps from scratch (on Unity) and delivered everything within our specified timeframe and budget. We put together wireframes and part of the design during our brainstorming, which allowed us to move forward quickly. Both apps are now live.

What was the team composition?

Lukasz (CEO, United Ideas) was our main point of contact, but 2–3 Unity engineers and a designer were also involved.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched the apps two months ago and have received great feedback, in addition to nearly 300,000 downloads. Unity Ideas enriched our value proposition and made this the biggest project in our history.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had some communication issues initially that could have been solved by increased face time or phone communication with a dedicated account manager, but those were ironed out. We got the end result we wanted, but we could have saved ourselves some stress. Timely updates are essential to project success.

While they were quick to fix issues when we brought them up, I believe they could have found more of them themselves with improved QA. Everything wrapped up well, however, so they can only get better and better.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They excel at sticking to timelines and budgets. We ran a fast-moving process, and their relatively small team of developers got our apps done quickly. The talent in their development department is amazing. No technical challenge was too much for them, not even when we requested changes beyond our scope.

Are there any areas for improvement?

In the interest of improving client experience, they could have improved their communication surrounding QA at the start of the project. Additionally, we had to step in a few times in the later stages because their visual design wasn’t quite hitting the mark. All this should be taken as friendly advice rather than complaints.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a co-founder of a mobile and desktop application. In 2015 we built a public script that allowed users to add Spotify playlists to iTunes. It went viral. Now STAMP moves music across Apple Music, Spotify, Google Music and other services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire United Ideas?

Our validated MVP needed intensive improvements to its UX and design. I wanted to build a mobile application for iOS and Android.

What were your goals for this project?

After we realized that our MVP was hot, we decided to develop the product. Since our competitors were already catching up, and time was running out, it was a winner-takes-all contest. We had to quickly react to market demand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were considering external development help when they sent us an email. We met, shared our vision, and almost immediately started working together. We talked to more than five companies, but United Ideas was the best. They wanted to understand our needs and offer advice.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

We received a full spectrum of digital services. United Ideas created an application that enabled us to generate new leads. They also offered design, project management, and implementation. STAMP lets users check whether their MP3 library can migrate to the cloud. The application checks the availability of each song against multiple streaming services. 

What was the team composition?

Since we pushed to start work as soon as possible, they had to pull some strings to assemble a team. Everything went smoothly and we gained a talented team with a Scrum master, programmers, and testers. Depending on the time, their available resources, and our needs, we had between two and five developers. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A few lines of code became something magnificent. We still face many challenges, but have already achieved more than we imagined. The app has over 570,000 downloads and has migrated nearly 1 billion tracks. These results generated a stable revenue stream that enabled us to quit our full-time jobs and focus on development. As our business grew, we started another software project.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

United Ideas was flexible about our policies. They started work before we even signed the papers and used an effective, iterative scrum methodology. They divided tasks into two-week sprints, followed by a functionality demo.

We became members of the team from the beginning, sharing their chats, work, and task management software. We talked to them, asked them questions, and tossed them ideas every day. Our cooperation was active. We liked staying up-to-date with our project and feeling like members of their team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They stayed engaged until the end, which is rare. Both companies and developers tend to jump into the next contract and leave you with problems. I’ve heard stories about messy code, unfixed bugs, and unfinished sprints. That fortunately wasn’t the case for us.  

I also liked their time-tracking tool. The availability to check timesheets, reports, and real-time screen previews helps you relax and ensure you're going in the right direction. That's just one example of their transparent delivery. 

They know what they’re doing and ask if they don't, which let us address issues early and solve them quickly. We recently decided to use United Ideas as software development support for another project; we're pleased to work with them again.