DreamWalk App Development

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founded in 2000, Easy Weddings is the No.1 wedding directory in Australia and is used by more than 80% of all couples who are planning a wedding. We also operate a wedding venue directory Venued.co.uk and the Easy Weddings marketplace in the UK. I am a product manager and lead new/existing product design & development.

For what projects/services did your company hire DreamWalk?

We approached Dreamwalk to redesign/rebuild our existing planning apps across iOS and Android.

What were your goals for this project?

We hoped to drive more downloads/more engaged usage and higher retention of couples planning their weddings from engagement through to their big day.

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking to change vendors after previous engagements were not delivering the results we were after. After looking at possible partners - DreamWalk came up again and again with great feedback and recommendations. Their previous work also was impressive from both a quality point of view and reach of audience.

Describe the project in detail.

DreamWalk took us from the ground up to delivery. From initial independent research, competitor analysis and facilitating initial ideation workshops with our team - they ensured both parties knew exactly what we were going to build before any design/development work commenced.

From there we proceeded to wireframes, Hi-fidelity UI/UX and then development on both iOS/Android. Finally they took through testing and release into the app stores.

What was the team composition?

We worked (and continue to work) closely with multiple stakeholders as needed for each part of the project's lifecycle.

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

We released our first versions of the ground up rebuilt apps in Feb 2019. We've since done almost a dozen updates and have achieved all our initial objectives. Our app reviews have also dramatically improved and continue to do so, with usage and downloads also up.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great team work has been essential to our success with developers having to work closely together from both parties. After some initial teething issues we found the happy balance of tools/applications to ensure visibility/transparency/communication between teams and ensure a great collaborative experience.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge, skill, and experience in creating great apps with a focus on the end-user set them apart. They're clearly passionate about what they do and excel at delivering a quality product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall we've been very pleased. Any issues we've had are quickly addressed, discussed and resolved.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Snackr, which provides food and beverage delivery for spectators at stadiums. At the moment, we’re a small team based in Perth, Australia.

What challenge were you trying to address with DreamWalk?

We engaged DreamWalk to help us develop our MVP. We needed software that would allow us to deliver to stadiums, including client-facing functionalities as well as a backend enabling vendor input.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a workshop where we shared some wireframes, which they took to develop user stories.

DreamWalk developed a consumer-facing application where users can order food and drinks from vendors. They integrating supporting applications—in the form of progressive web apps (PWAs)—to allow vendors and deliverers to offer their services.

These are for the App Store as well as Google Play. The progressive web app can be used on any off-the-shelf Android device, and the mobile is for both iOS and Android. The backend is written in Elixir, and the frontend for the consumer app relied on React Native.

The progressive web apps are in Node.js. We’re using Stripe for payment progressing, and Firebase Crashlytics, Tulio, and Forest Admin were the other technologies we used.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a project manager, but their whole team consisted of around six people.

How did you come to work with DreamWalk?

We created a list of potential developers and went through an interview process to shortlist 3­ that were based in Melbourne (which is a 5-hour flight away from Perth). We went through a series of meetings, and DreamWalk presented the best pitch. They understood the project’s potential challenges better than others, who glossed over the complexities of our goals.

How much have you invested with them?

Our initial budget was around $90,000, but scope-creep brought the final investment to be around $105,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started engaging DreamWalk in May of 2019. The actual development ran between August 2019–February 2020.

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

We’re only just launching the product now, so it’s a little early to tell. The product has been accepted by the Apple Store, and we’ve used the app to land our first customer. These are the best success metrics we can point to.

How did DreamWalk perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a mixed bag—they were very good at keeping in touch and keeping us updated on project progress. Having said that, they could have provided us with a more accurate understanding of the hours they allocated to different parts of the project. I understand that that can be difficult to do, especially when you’re operating in sprints.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design is outstanding. I think their real strength is in their ability to focus on UX/UI to deliver clean, effective designs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Earlier communication about the potential increase in work hours would’ve been appreciated. It would’ve also been great to see their team integrate better with our own developers, even despite the different areas of expertise.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Even though they offer project management, I encourage you to rely on your own PM resources. That’ll help you stay on top of how time is being allocated. In addition to that, you should definitely partake in the workshop that they hold at the start of the engagement.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of design at Planet Innovation, a global product development company that designs and commercializes products and services for companies in the medical space. 

What challenge were you trying to address with DreamWalk?

Although we have an in-house development team, we needed additional support when we had an opportunity to develop an app since most of our developers were already working on other projects.

What was the scope of their involvement?

DreamWalk developed a native mobile app for both Android and iOS platforms, using designs we provided through Sigma Software. They also guided us through the launch process within the respective app stores, setting up the privacy policy in the process.

What is the team composition? 

We mostly worked with the director, a project manager, the creative director, and a lead developer.

How did you come to work with DreamWalk?

I researched vendors online and came across good reviews from previous clients of theirs. We also liked that they were local and, after speaking with Karl (Director, DreamWalk), I felt like he did a good job of outlining some of our needs and presenting their capabilities.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $74,000 Australian Dollars (about $52,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2018–March 2019.

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

The quality of their output was great overall. Our working relationship was also fluid and seamless. From the start, they understood the project very well and put us at ease.

How did DreamWalk perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well, planning the project thoroughly from start to finish and creating the necessary requirements. There weren't any surprises; they were able to keep to the schedule and provided a lot of transparency throughout the engagement. They used Workplace by Facebook and Slack, which made it very easy to collaborate and reach them immediately. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their client-centric approach sets them apart. They made themselves very accessible and used project management tools that allowed us to reach them almost instantly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could've done a better job of anticipating some features outside of the scope of work they created, so we weren't spending too much time discussing them during sprints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be openminded and collaborative, because many of the user experience and layout decisions will require input from both ends. Fortunately, they offer a lot of creative solutions and solid design options.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am owner and founder of 2 companies: Energetic Education and Bottoms Up Fitness. I run professional development for teachers and personal trainers.

What challenge were you trying to address with DreamWalk?

I needed help creating my first educational app for primary and high school teachers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

DreamWalk took my ideas and turned them into 2 amazing apps. They did everything, from concept and design to development.

One of the apps, ClassBreak, is a one-stop shop for resources, ideas, and games in the classroom. It is available for iOS and Android devices. I did the marketing myself.

How did you come to work with DreamWalk?

I found them through a Google search. I chose them because I found them helpful, friendly, and easy to deal with.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent less than $50,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together 5 years ago. The project took about 4 months from start to finish.

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

They made my ideas come to life. ClassBreak has been ranked number 1 on the Australian education App Store 3 times. It has also received a number of 5-star reviews.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They were fantastic. They did everything they said they would do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was happy with the service, the price, and the end result. They were amazing. I’ve dealt with overseas developers before, and this was the best experience I’ve had creating mobile applications or websites. I am extremely grateful for the professional help that they provided me. Not only did they make my dream come true, but they were also really fun to deal with. I did a lot of research, and DreamWalk didn’t let me down.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was extremely happy with them and what they were able to provide.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a mobile app called Bridget, which provides beauty-on-demand services. It connects professionals from the beauty and health industry with customers in an Uber-like fashion.

What challenge were you trying to address with DreamWalk?

A business opportunity was clearly identified in the beauty and health industry, so my business partner and I decided to fill the gap. We needed to find the right developer for the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

DreamWalk built my app for iOS and Android. There is a web backend through which we can access and modify all app data, including how much we are earning. We can add or block providers, check customers, and so on.

My business partner is a designer, so he handled that part. DreamWalk corrected it for the implementation.

There are 2 types of users on the app: providers or professionals (hairdressers, masseurs, or stylists) and customers. As a customer, I can find a provider within my location, select the type of service required, and see a list of options with distances. Clicking on a name will access a provider’s portfolio, history, availability, price, and reviews. Bookings and payments are done through the app; we are using Stripe for payments, and take a percentage of each transaction.

DreamWalk also provided consultation on how to advertise the app through social media. We were aware of this area, but they helped as well.

How did you come to work with DreamWalk?

A friend recommended them to me. I asked for a screen design sample and received an answer straight away.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took 8 months to be completed. We’re still working with DreamWalk on a new version of the app which will be released in 2–3 weeks.

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

We have around 200 users and 20 providers on the platform. At the moment, we are still recruiting professionals, and customers are aware that there isn’t a big enough pool at the moment. We want to reach between 35–50 providers in order to properly launch the app.

How did DreamWalk perform from a project management standpoint?

It was easy to communicate with them and they were responsive. There was nothing particular about the project management. The delivery was a bit late, but the quality was there.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sam Russell, their CEO, is really impressive. He's knowledgeable of new technologies and of how to develop apps. We’re using a new technology called the Phoenix Framework, which can speed up the app and allow us to have more users.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No; they performed well. We’re adding more features, and, like any app, there will be some bugs, but we had relatively few.

Please describe your organization.

I work in the travel division of a publishing house. My division publishes travel guides and travel memoirs. We also run a travel website and publish travel apps.

What is your position and responsibilities?

I am an editor in this division. I manage projects for books, apps, and website productions.

What business challenge were you trying to address with DreamWalk?

We were trying to turn one of our most successful print products into an app. We were trying to convert what is a highly successful and expensive guide into a simplified app that would do well in a marketplace, where you can't charge people as much. It was quite an interesting challenge.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We approached DreamWalk with a comprehensive brief, so we had the concept for the iOS app that we wanted to develop. They took those concepts to design the app. They created all the wireframes necessary and build the app from end-to-end. They managed the construction of the app itself, and then we took over once it launched.

How did you come to work with DreamWalk?

They were recommended to us. We approached them with our concept, and DreamWalk seemed to be a good fit.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The cost of the project was $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The app was launched in September 2013. Our collaboration with DreamWalk is ongoing. They host our app on their servers. They also do some maintenance work on the app as necessary.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We ran a quite successful marketing campaign in the first month of launch. Within the first couple of weeks of the app being on the market, it was downloaded 8,000 times, which we were very happy with, and it was in the top 10 on the Australian iTunes App Store. We had a few initial problems with the app but, in terms of downloads, it has been very successful.

How did DreamWalk perform from a project management standpoint?

DreamWalk did a very good job of hitting deadlines. That was excellent. As a whole, we were very satisfied with the product that they came back with, and the fact that it came actually ahead of schedule. It was also done pretty much to our budget, so that was all a success.

What distinguishes DreamWalk from other providers?

The best part of working with DreamWalk is that they are quite a small team. They were very accessible, and they didn't try to hide anything from us. If we wanted to talk with a developer or sit with the team and actually know what they were working on, they were open about allowing us access to that process. That was great to see. They were an incredibly friendly team to work with. We are very happy with them.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

I think there could have been a better communication in terms of the process of the app going forward. Because this was our first big app as a publishing company, we didn't really anticipate that it would be a continual upgrading process. We didn't really understand that there would always be iOS upgrades that we would continually have to work on with the app. We didn't really anticipate that it would be such a continual maintenance issue. I think it would have been better if that had been conveyed more openly in the process. However, in terms of the actual project itself, everything ran super smoothly. It's more the future proofing of the app that I think we both could have done better.

Please describe your organization.

Our organization is the State Library Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. We keep a documentary heritage collection of Victoria.

What is your position?

I am the digital initiative manager. I am the technology lead of the library.

What business challenge were you trying to address with DreamWalk?

We wanted to create a platform that would catalog and map our content and pictures onto the street grid of Melbourne so that people could actually walk around Melbourne and view the historical content on their phones. We contracted DreamWalk to develop a mobile application for us. We've just done a second app, which is a copy of the first one with different content.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

DreamWalk developed two app for us. We came to them with the initial concept of the first app, and we asked the DreamWalk team to think it over and let us know their ideas. They came up with the full design of the app and developed it from there. We worked with them just in review and maintaining our style guidelines. The content was all developed at the state library, but they helped us transfer it to the software. They also helped train our administrative on how to use the app. The DreamWalk team did some testing on their end, and we did intensive testing on our end. There was a good feedback mechanism and review processes to make sure that it was meeting our requirements. They later built a second app for us, using the same concept, but different content.

How did you come to work with DreamWalk?

The decision was based on the success that DreamWalk had in terms of app development. An app that they had developed had been trending at the time we were looking for a developer. They were very qualified for the project. That's why we partnered with DreamWalk.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The cost of first app was $50,000. The cost of the second one was $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

It's ongoing. We will plan to do more as our funding increases. We're very happy with what they've done.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The first app had slightly less than 6,000 downloads. That's very high for a cultural institution. It's very successful. The second one isn't live yet.

What distinguishes DreamWalk from other providers?

We were satisfied, and we'll work with DreamWalk again. DreamWalk is very innovative, creative, and pragmatic in terms of making sure our requirements are met.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It's best to have a face-to-face meeting with them. They're lovely guys. It's worth the face-to-face to make sure you've got the same things in mind. You don't need to do that all the time – just as a kickoff.

Are there areas in which they could improve?

I really can't think of anything. They run things informally. I'm used to formal structures, but it didn't present any problems. When we signed up with them, we had an extensive agreement. They were good at following up with it. It is a great partnership.

Please describe your organization.

Our organization is Holmesglen. We are a vocational and higher education provider in Australia. We deliver short courses, certificates, and diplomas across Australia.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I look after the marketing and business development of the short courses department.

What was your goal for working with DreamWalk?

We noticed that a lot of our website traffic was coming from mobile devices, and our website was not designed for mobile devices at the time. We wanted to explore the option of developing a native application that allows students to enroll to our courses. There weren't any apps that I was aware of at the time that would allow students to search for courses through mobile. There seemed to be a big difference between us and other providers, and we wanted to service those customers through mobile.

Please describe the scope of their work.

DreamWalk was in charge of developing an iOS app for us. We gave them a very rough architecture of what we wanted the app to achieve from the welcome screen to the last point of payment. They tried to improve on the process. They gave us concept boards on how the app would look. They took care of the development, hosting, testing, preflight releases, and the submission and approval in the app store. They were very good at trying to customize what we wanted.

What was your process for selecting DreamWalk?

We went out to see different providers. DreamWalk came in to discuss the idea with us in our offices. They presented a general concept on how it would work. They sold the idea to other senior managers. The education space is tricky to work in. It's not as open to change. DreamWalk was able to work with our constraints. Nobody else came out and did the things that DreamWalk did, so we decided to partner with DreamWalk.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative?

The cost of the project is confidential.

When was the work completed?

We had one app to set up to pull information from a database that we had that was then replaced. We had to get the app reconfigured to pull information from another database. We had to develop two apps. The second app launched in January 2015.

Do you have any statistics or metrics on the project?

The results from the first app DreamWalk developed were very good. We had higher-than-expected downloads. We were making money on the revenue generated from the app. People were happy using the app. We had good feedback, and we could see the app generating business.

What differentiates DreamWalk from other partners?

They were quite small in the beginning. It was two brothers that started it, and they had a small design team. It felt like their attention to detail was a little better then. Now, they blend in with other developers. Everybody does the same thing, so it's hard to find someone who can do really exceptional work. If I were going to engage now I probably wouldn't engage with DreamWalk. I probably would go with somebody that was more responsive.

Is there any area upon which you think they could improve?

I suppose the designs they put forward—as good as they were—didn't have many variations. They submitted one design and stuck to it. They what we asked and didn't suggest anything. It would have been nice to have the UI [user interface] guys suggest improvements. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Impactr, a startup with a vision to shift the entire worlds spending to trusted sustainable impact.

For what projects/services did your company hire DreamWalk?

I engaged Dreamwalk to complete the full App design of our product to move it to be ready to build.

What were your goals for this project?

Complete App design and clickable prototype end-to-end, ready to build.

How did you select this vendor?

I observed that Dreamwalk is a leading agency in Australia with an Ethical development charter, and having a proven track record with App Store #1s and Features.

Describe the project in detail.

I had initially prepared a mockup mapping key parts of the app and some designs, and provided this to Dreamwalk to base the new design on.

What was the team composition?

The Founder & Creative Director personally designed the App himself.

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

Since producing the design & clickable prototype, we have had exceptional feedback and a lot of excitement around the product. It has breathed life into the concept and it smartly integrates all the many key functions in a smooth way that is not overwhelming or complicated.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective because we understood each other and had a structured way of sharing feedback via email and where needed on video calls.

Dreamwalk established a very good understanding of the App in the first place which allowed them to take more time to work alone and produce a good result after some time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dreamwalk's app design capability is world-class, and their experience shines through in the kind of attention to detail and polish that only comes with masterful design and a genuine understanding of the objectives of your product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I was very happy with the outputs and Dreamwalk have the experience to trust they will meet the client´s satisfaction first time around.

However there is no wiggle room for changes after a progress delivery unless extra hours are charged as client revisions, which would have made it difficult to stay on budget if initial design outputs were not already "on point" and awesome the first time. So lucky for me they were great!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the COO of a development consultancy that researches and develops new ideas for startup nonprofit organizations.

For what projects/services did your company hire DreamWalk?

We needed to develop a web app that allows consumers to make procurement choices based on the social profile of their service providers.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the platform to be responsive and capable of providing a smooth consumer experience.

How did you select this vendor?

We’d been in contact with one of the founders for several years. They were able to provide a much better value for money than our other options, as well as accommodate our needs in terms of timing and functionality.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They were responsible for building the front- and backend of the web app. We provided the UX and UI, and they made design decisions where necessary. They developed the front- and backend of the platform so it can be integrated with our website. They coded the platform in React, which will allow us to quickly scale to a native app when we receive additional funding.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and several developers.

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

They were able to get the platform working in time for us to present it at a global conference. It worked perfectly, and we received much needed attention for the product. They also stayed within our budget.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They managed the project on Facebook workspace, which works well for us. They provide high-quality customer service and excellent communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They show great patience and incredible flexibility working with inexperienced entrepreneurs like us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None, they were great.