hedgehog lab

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of Booost Education, which makes apps for students with learning disabilities in higher education. I also head up our design and development capabilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netsells Group?

We hired Netsells Group to work on the first product we wanted to take to market. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Netsells Group developed our mobile application and corresponding web app in Flutter with a PHP Laravel backend and various APIs. We had several scoping calls with their team so they could better understand our product. All of the design work was done by my team, but Netsells Group did write our user stories and requirements. Once the back- and frontend development was complete, they ran QC testing and deployed the product to app stores. After the app launched, Netsells Group began maintaining and updating the app, adding features and improvements.  

The app is primarily for students with learning disabilities in higher education, including students with everything from mental health issues to ADHD. Our goal with the app is to help those students organize their tasks and get support to help accomplish activities throughout their education.  

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Netsells Group’s account manager, project manager, scrum master, and a few of their developers. 

How did you come to work with Netsells Group?

We originally commissioned another agency to build our product but had a bad experience with them. After doing a Google search and finding Netsells Group on Clutch.co, we hired Netsells Group to take over development. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested £80,000 (approximately $105,000 USD) with Netsells Group. The initial project was £50,000 (approximately $66,000 USD), but we made additional payments to cover smaller projects and maintenance fees.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership with Netsells Group began in September 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Netsells Group turned around our project quickly despite a three-month delay from our previous partners — the app launched in October 2021. We’ve exceeded our projected sales metrics because of Netsells Group’s excellent work. 

We’re planning to launch new products over the next 12–18 months, and Netsells Group’s development approach will inform how we design our product. We plan to focus more on user stories to ensure our design process is as robust as Netsells Group’s development process.

How did Netsells Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Netsells Group works in development sprints and always meets our deliverable requirements. Their team uses Jira to manage the development and lifecycles, and our codebase is in a GitHub repository. We also use Trello to manage user stories, and that’s where I convey our support issues. We had weekly Google Meet calls at the beginning of the project, but now I’m in regular contact with the project manager and development team through a shared Slack channel. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Netsells Group has an extremely robust development process, so I know that by the time I receive the final deliverable, it’s been thoroughly tested and checked. Each deliverable from Netsells Group meets their high standards. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing for Netsells Group to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise future customers to utilize Netsells Group’s technical expertise and listen to their recommendations. It’s better to go to them with a problem for them to work out than a solution. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of global marketing for connectivity at Edwards Lifesciences, a life sciences company. We have multiple divisions, and we do heart valve replacements and critical care patient monitoring.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with hedgehog lab?

We wanted to create an app that can help us educate clinicians on specific clinical protocols. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The hedgehog lab team created a custom native web app that could also run on mobile devices. Their resources had plenty of back-and-forth interaction with clinicians to understand the value of what we were trying to do. They designed the app’s front- and backend architecture. From there, our teams underwent multiple rounds of integration testing to ensure all the features we needed were there. 

Speaking of features, the app was intended to address various challenges. For one, it had to distill clinical study data — which weren’t easily accessible for clinicians — into easily digestible tiles. It also had an interactive protocol guide that walked clinicians through the clinical experience depending on their patient’s status. We also wanted a decision tree feature that could help clinicians give better patient care. They could also use it as an educational tool throughout their service lines. With those things in mind, hedgehog lab had to make an easy-to-use and educational web app. It had to be available on a phone, laptop, or tablet — wherever and whenever the clinic would need it. 

At present, we’re wrapping up the work; we’re in the final stages of finishing everything. However, hedgehog lab continues to provide support services for us; the support will continue for at least another year. 

What is the team composition?

We work with Patrick (Managing Director for the Americas) and two UI/UX designers. Pavel (Senior Systems Architect) serves as the backend developer and database architect. One of my project managers and their intern also help manage the project. They’re the liaison between us and the hedgehog team. 

How did you come to work with hedgehog lab?

I’d heard of hedgehog lab before but didn’t talk to them at that time. When this project came about, I did a Google search and they were one of the firms that came out. I found their information and contacted them. We reviewed a few outside firms, too. However, we were impressed by the hedgehog team’s knowledge and openness right off the bat. They seemed to be a good fit for the project, so we engaged with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship started in February 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

For clarity, our vetting process started in December 2020, and we decided to go for hedgehog lab in January 2021. The development process then kicked off in February 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any statistics yet since we haven’t officially launched the product into the real world. That said, we’ve showcased it at one of our conferences and talked to a number of clinicians about it. We’ve shown it to them, and it’s been positively received. We’ve heard plenty of great feedback around how the app helps apply protocols and educate people about them. In fact, one of our bigger customers — a large hospital network — is interested in using the web app for education. 

That’s the preliminary feedback we’ve received, and we haven’t even done a full-force marketing campaign. As a result, we’re truly excited about what the app is going to bring to the market. 

How did hedgehog lab perform from a project management standpoint?

The hedgehog lab team is highly organized. We’ve had weekly calls with them, and we have back-and-forth communications through Slack. They use Monday as their project management tool for our scrum processes. 

Overall, everything has gone smoothly. If we have any feedback during our calls, they clarify everything and create action items to address the feedback in the next call. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The hedgehog lab resources immerse themselves in understanding our use cases and user preferences value creators before starting the development process. The fact that they want to understand the business first before jumping into the project is extremely helpful; the team has become knowledgeable about what we do and what our clinicians need, making the project move more quickly. 

On top of that, they’re highly responsive to change. Our team hasn’t been fully sure what we wanted to develop when we started. As a result, we’ve had many changes to the scope. Luckily, hedgehog lab is highly flexible and amenable to change; they respond quickly, which is highly impressive. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’d like to use hedgehog lab for our class-device medical development projects, which need to go under the FDA umbrella. To do that, the team also needs to be ISO-certified. It’s a gating factor for us to use them moving forward, and we want to make sure they comply with FDA and ISO standards. For clarity, the web app isn’t classified as a medical device, so we’ve been able to use their services on this project. 

That being said, they’re already working on getting those certifications, and it’s the direction they want to take from a business standpoint. If they can get the necessary approvals, we’d love to continue to use them for some of our future projects. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring in hedgehog lab early and immerse them into the project. That way, you’ll help them understand your market and goals. They’re eager to do that.

Moreover, don’t shortchange yourself by thinking you’re only going to use them as a technical service provider. They can do that, but you’ll benefit more from them if you treat the team as a partner on value creation and customer research.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal analyst of a security nonprofit and our organization has around 450 members. We produce information security materials for companies to use, such as risk assessment methodologies, standards of good practices, and benchmarking tools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with hedgehog lab?

We were looking for a vendor that could help us migrate our existing toolset into a series of web apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

hedgehog lab built a web app for us and a full software solution that initially included gathering requirements and elicitation. They provided us with design, development, and UI/UX research, and approached the project from a psychological perspective. This was something we didn’t have internally, and they came up with a solution that was going to work for us.

We currently have a support contract with them where they’ll continue to make changes with the app, and build three more — they will be our primary vendor moving forward.

What is the team composition?

We’re currently working with Ben (Interim Head of Product) as our main point of contact, three technical specialists, a dedicated lead designer, and several members of their support team. 

How did you come to work with hedgehog lab?

We did a lot of our initial research through Clutch to make our short list of candidates. We liked the idea of working with a vendor in the UK so we could see them, and that was one of the reasons why we hired hedgehog lab.

They’ve had big customers and were a bit more expensive than our previous vendor at first, but we’ve had an easier experience working with them, so the money is well spent now.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve roughly spent £150,000 (approximately $200,900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in May 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t released the app yet so I can’t really provide a figure at the moment. However, in terms of the budget, they were very spot on with the figure they gave. Some functionalities fell by the wayside, but they were always upfront when it comes to issues, and that’s something that’s really important to us. hedgehog lab is transparent and they allow us enough time to make good decisions based on all the knowledge they provide.

The app is good overall and functions as expected, so we have no concerns. We just recently finished a penetration test and there have been a couple of minor issues, but nothing really major.
 
How did hedgehog lab perform from a project management standpoint?

We haven’t had any concerns with their deadlines and they’ve hit all the major milestones that we set perfectly. They manage their projects through Basecamp, and we typically communicate over the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed by the fact that they consistently hit their deadlines, treat the project seriously, and are always upfront and transparent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t really think of anything because I don’t remember being disgruntled at any point in the relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The hedgehog lab team is very upfront and if you’re the same towards them, then they’ll come up with the best solutions for you as an organization. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of engineering at Neurable, a brain-computer interface research company. We’re currently building headphones for the consumer market. Our focus is on understanding and deciphering human brain activities and providing feedback to users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with hedgehog lab?

My internal team built algorithms to decipher EG signals and make sense out of them, but those algorithms don’t add any value on their own. We brought on hedgehog lab because we needed an app development partner to build applications that can demonstrate the capabilities of our algorithm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first project they worked on was the app development. It wasn’t easy because everything they worked on was completely new. On top of that, Brain-Computer interfaces (BCI) and neurotech is challenging.

They had to integrate the front- and backend in a simple and low-cost infrastructure, so they built a custom web app on React.js from scratch.  

First, they sat with us to understand the requirement. We had very few data points that we could share with them and didn’t have a product owner or a UX designer. They took over those responsibilities. We had several meetings so they could understand what our goal was and what we wanted to build.

Then they slowly started building the UI framework and ran through a few iterations before building a demo app. In this process, they also handled QA, staging, and the production environment. They set up the cloud infrastructure to support the demo.

Since they delivered the first iteration, they’ve continued to improve the platform by adding more functionality. Currently, we’re in the maintenance phase.

I’m currently working with them on the next phase of the project in which they will build a mobile app for Android and iOS. In this project, they’re working closely with the team again. So far, they’ve pulled together the UI framework in Figma.

Once that phase is done, they’ll work on the backend architecture. This is very complex because none of the architecture that’s available in the market can be reused. They’re building a totally unique platform given our use case and the amount of data that’s going to go back and forth between device and the cloud.

What is the team composition?

I have four weekly touchpoints which are the managing director, an architect, a UX lead, and an engineering project manager.

How did you come to work with hedgehog lab?

I reached out to a few connections and did a Google search for the top 10 partners in Boston. I shortlisted three companies including hedgehog lab. I ran them through a few interviews to see how they interact with small companies like us. hedgehog lab fared well in all the challenges that I threw at them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2021 and our partnership is ongoing.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered a fantastic demo app in a very short time frame. At the same time, they never sacrificed quality. They owned the project. As a result, I’ve never had a project run so smoothly. Throughout the engagement, I’ve never been concerned about the quality or support that they’ve provided. This is — by far — the best partnership I’ve had with another vendor.  

How did hedgehog lab perform from a project management standpoint?

I just gave them a PowerPoint of what I really needed and they broke it down into user stories. Once that was complete, they input the information onto monday.com so we know how they are executing.

The team has run weekly sprints. They’ve stayed on top of everything, and as a result, they delivered the first iteration in just six weeks — it was amazing.

They ask questions and challenge us to remain on top of things as well. The only touchpoint I have is a weekly 1-hour call. I don’t have to get on any other calls or respond to any emails from them. In addition to monday.com, we use Zoom and Slack to stay in touch.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The overall experience has been impressive. I don’t have to worry about anything. They take care of communication, delivery, and support. Every time I need new changes, I just ask them for it and they quickly put together a cost estimate.

They felt like an extension of our team. It didn’t feel like I was working with a vendor.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They handled everything well. We had the right level of communication and escalation. Everything felt right.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear and precise about the requirement and scope. Understand what you need. That helps them to stay focused on what is necessary and just get things done. If you don’t have any guidance, things can go back and forth and take longer.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Client Service at a company specialising in Digital Product Development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Netsells Group, and what were your goals?

We partnered with Netsells to work together on a bespoke fitness mobile app that allows users to track their fitness progress and set training goals. Together we worked on defining, validating and building the MVP to get the app to market as soon as possible.

SOLUTION

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

We initially first came across Netsells on Clutch during our research stage of the right company to work with. We wanted to make sure that we were working with a market leader who is highly skilled and trusted and saw the reviews on here. We spoke to their Lead Consultant who impressed us with the team’s experience and clear process for delivering MVPs. Getting the initial set of features tight, but also aligned with user expectations was really important and their understanding of this area was definitely a deciding factor.

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

The project consisted of an MVP version incorporating the basic features. The objective was to start with a small, limited-scope MVP version and then scale it up into a full-featured app. This started out with a pre-discovery workshop to align the teams on overall app goals. The next project step was a Problem Sprint which focused on user research and understanding the need behind the app and what user requirements, followed by a Solution sprint which focused on defining the scope of work and core features that would sit within the MVP.

Their UI/UX team provided wireframes and concept designs for review and validation. The actual build of the MVP was delivered through a “Implementation Sprints” which also incorporated a UAT process to catch any bugs before launch. Work is on-going post MVP to further build and refine the app’s feature set with a product roadmap that Netsells have assisted with. The app was built cross-platform in Flutter to get the solution to market quickly on iOS and Android.

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

We worked with Netsells’s Discovery team which consisted of Product Managers and UI/UX designers. We also had a dedicated Scrum Master who oversaw every sprint. On the development team there were two senior Flutter Developers and two QA engineers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far the app is in private beta and has had excellent feedback. It's extremely well designed and intuitive, but most importantly the majority of users say they will continue monitoring their fitness activities using the app once the full version is live.

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

We collaborated closely throughout the partnership, using a dedicated Slack channel, agile SCRUM ceremonies and weekly reporting to delivery high sprint velocity and a quality product.

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

Their honesty and transparency are extremely commendable, working as true partners at every stage of the process. They were equally as invested in the project’s success.

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

There’s nothing major that stands out. As with all projects there were occasional slips on timelines but these were dealt with in an extremely professional and open manner, we never felt like they were overpromising.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of an IT firm. I am responsible for managing project quality, resource sourcing, and aligning our stakeholders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Netsells Group, and what were your goals?

We required assistance rebuilding a web platform that allows users to book blocks of lessons with vetted tutors. We specifically required a partner to assist with re-building the front-end website along with an admin portal and instructor portal.

SOLUTION

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

You can probably guess it involved a lot of research. We were looking for a partner with significant Laravel and PHP experience and the number of agencies that could boast that were fairly slim. Nevertheless, we narrowed it down to three and then sat down with each company to discuss each of our concerns in detail.

These concerns were varied, but one of the main overarching questions we asked was how long they had been working with these frameworks and technologies. Netsells had a significant amount of experience and a large amount of successful case studies.

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

We started by working with Netsells' product managers team on a Discovery exercise to align on goals and expectations for the project. We agreed on the website and portal structures, required functionalities, integrations and technical architecture.

We moved onto the development phase which included a mix of front-end and back-end developers. Netsells also provided a QA team who tested the platform before it went live.

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

We initially worked closely with our scrum master, product owner and the UX team during the Discovery phase. The platform was developed by a mixture of PHP developers and front-end developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website and portal were delivered on budget and to an extremely high standard. The website has been a great success within the business, with the portal providing an important addition to how to manage the admin side of the platform. We have seen an increase in online leads via our website since the launch. Feedback has been very positive from users.

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

Communication was a big focus for us from the start and Netsells focused a lot of effort on collaborating effectively. We spoke through phone and email, but also had access to Slack and received weekly project updates on sprint velocity and progress from our dedicated point of contact.

Every morning at 9 am we attended the daily Scrum call to keep everyone on the same page, discuss any concerns or blockers. Employing all of these methods allowed us to efficiently communicate throughout the process and alleviate any blockers or roadblocks right from the start.

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

Netsells were amazing to work with. They took time to understand exactly what we wanted and worked as a part of the team to deliver something that fit our requirements.

Their willingness to quickly make changes and their attention to detail ensured that we got the result we were after. I’d definitely work with them again in future projects and would highly recommend it!

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

We had a really good experience with Netsells. They were open and honest about timescales during the project and we didn't feel like there were any areas for improvement, only that we weren't able to meet a deadline (not their fault!). The site is exactly as we wanted it and I would highly recommend working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal project manager for a utilities company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with hedgehog lab?

We were looking to build a mobile and a web application. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They made a foundation document that identified user stories and specific details on the app. After that, they provided wireframes to demonstrate the flow of the app and developed the native iOS app for iPhone and iPad.

The app allows users to access the field guide while performing inspections and walkthroughs. It also helps identify degradations in a power plant storing. It has the ability to take pictures, record notes via text or voice, and notify collaborators of something requiring their attention. The information is uploaded to Azure and a digital library is created of the walkthroughs performed by our users for future use and reference.

What is the team composition?

There was a scrum master, two technical people, and a manager of those two, as well as a development team of roughly nine people who worked on the various sprints in parallel.

How did you come to work with hedgehog lab?

A third-party provided us with a list of software application development teams to choose from. We narrowed it down to three teams for the bid evaluation process and ultimately chose hedgehog lab.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around May 2020 and our partnership is ongoing. The first step of the process was completed in October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are currently in beta and are preparing to develop the foundation of our MVP. The app improves the efficiency of recording walkthroughs, as well as the retrievability of records. There are some tweaks to be made, but there haven’t been any crashes to date. I’m extremely happy with the performance of the team and their ability to step up and help our in-house team where needed, to get things running on our Azure.

How did hedgehog lab perform from a project management standpoint?

They use a strong Agile approach with sprints. We had two weekly meetings, one to discuss progress, and one to discuss everything outside of development. The scrum master follows up regularly, keeps things moving, and ensures that issues are identified and addressed. They are transparent, using Monday to track sprints and statuses, which we could see at any time. We also had calls between meetings as needed to resolve issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

While their technical ability and communication skills are excellent, they go above and beyond to assist our IT team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn’t anything they need to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Follow their methodology, such as creating a foundation document. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Halo Solutions Ltd. We provide communications and instant management software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with hedgehog lab?

We wanted to scale our software so that it can be used globally.  We also wanted to add about 100 new features.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

hedgehog lab helps us navigate the problems relating to our software. They’ve given expert guidance and advice on different budgeting and framework options.

hedgehog lab offers full solutions for our database, web, iOS and Android design. They also provide wireframes, branding, and design. They’ve helped us completely redesign our database, taking us away from off-the-shelf products like SashiDo and taking us towards a bespoke build for AWS.

Now, they’re working with us to deliver version s4 and 5 of our software, which will have about 90 new features of the 100 that we want to build. It’s for mobile apps and websites.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Christian (Account Director) and the team includes Russell Head of Technology), George (Support Product Lead), and Lizzie (Product Manager). There are other people involved as the designer and someone else who works on other parts of the system.

How did you come to work with hedgehog lab?

We found them through a wildcard internet search. We wanted to leave our current agency and find a new agency that was bigger and better.

We settled on hedgehog lab because of their Clutch ratings where they were number one in several areas. They have a great attitude for helping, and they had really clear designs to help us; they had the same kind of mindset as us. Another main factor was their pedigree of existing brands.

How much have you invested in them?

When all is said and done, it will be close to £600,000 GBP (approximately $848,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership began in December 2020, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered on time and on budget 100% so far. In terms of customer service, their attitude is really friendly and they’re really good at understanding concepts.

The database redesign was a huge project because it carried a massive amount of risk. It was financially very large, and it was something that we had been worried about for a long time, but they have been able to completely sort it out. Now, we own all of the IP on our product, including the database, which is great for our business evaluation.

How did hedgehog lab perform from a project management standpoint?

They are always on time and always on a budget, which is good. We use Basecamp and Google Meets for project management. They have excellent communication and design skills. They’re the best we’ve ever worked with; they help us visualize solutions that we never thought possible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were really scared about moving from our developers to another one because we are not technically minded. We felt vulnerable, and we weren’t sure what was involved in switching providers. They made that switch so much less scary and so much more achievable, and we are really grateful for their guidance. I was really impressed with that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be nervous about your own lack of knowledge if you want to move from one supplier to another; hedgehog really helped us in our transition, and I’m sure they can help other people transition as well. They’ll give expert guidance and really put you in control to get rid of those fears.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the COO of Artists Ahead, a music-focussed fintech start up.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Netsells Group, and what were your goals?

We needed a bespoke software application to handle music royalty data, and the associated payments. The platform needed 2 core components: a customer portal (used by the customer to see their royalties and payments) and an administrator portal (used by Artists Ahead staff to onboard and administer customers data and payments).

SOLUTION

How did you select Netsells Group and what were the deciding factors?

We needed a supplier who was willing to take the time to understand our detailed requirements, and who had the combination of both front end and back end skills required to meet our requirements - a system that gives the end user a great experience, but also can handle the back end complexities.

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

1. Discovery Process during which we worked with Netsells to understand and document our requirements.
2. Design phase - used Invision to work up wireframes and process maps
3. Build phase (ongoing) to deliver a working MVP

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

4 in total - we kicked off the relationship working with their CEO and Head of Sales. Once the project commences we worked closely with their Head of Discovery and a senior Project Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a full set of requirements, in which we have identified the functionality we really need, along with simple and effective ways of delivering it. We also have a comprehensive set of system designs. The system build is now well underway and we've been kept up to date on progress, including regular reviews of system components as they are being built.

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

Very effective communication and regular updates and opportunities to give feedback (using InVision and Basecamp)

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

1 - They have a broad skill set which is really impressive: both back and front end skills. They've even built a nice-looking marketing website for us.

2 - Netsells' project management style has very effectively bridged the gap between Waterfall and Agile development methodology - giving us the fixed price we needed to build the MVP, but also plenty of opportunities to add finesse to the agreed requirements and the project moves along. Great work!!

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

Production of contracts right at the start of the project could have been a little smoother, but in the grand scheme of things this didn't really matter. The contracts we have signed are clearly worded and balanced.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former business transformation director for Bidvest Noonan. It was an organization that offered cleaning and security services for various facilities, whether it be hospitals, offices, shopping malls, or something else. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with hedgehog lab?

I worked with hedgehog lab to take Bidvest Noonan from a paper-based organization into the digital era.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

hedgehog lab helped formulate a proposal to digitally transform Bidvest Noonan. They suggested a multi-function software solution that would make our frontline staff’s lives easier. 

The main function was related to staffing. Beforehand, our frontline staff would roster their teams on Excel sheets, which were collated into a back-office database. We proposed building out a robust mobile solution that would allow staff to check their shift on their phone. This would be particularly useful around holiday scheduling. 

In addition, frontline staff would use the solution to document any potential risks when arriving at a facility. They would take photos on their phone and submit them to the proper department for a further risk assessment.

From a back-office perspective, the solution would streamline several manually-adjusted transactional processes such as expenses. Our previous backend ERP systems were broken, so hedgehog lab looked to see where automation could support a faster turnaround and eliminate manual handling from one department to another. 

We’ve completed the embryonic stages of the proposal, and hedgehog labs will continue to stay on as a development partner.

What is the team composition? 

My involvement was mostly in the early stages. I worked with a senior team from hedgehog lab’s side on the ideation process, pulling together the right end-to-end journey that would streamline our workflow.

How did you come to work with hedgehog lab?

They’d already done some small development work for us at the beginning of 2020. When I came in, I was responsible for assessing them to determine if they had the right capabilities for our project. I was more than pleased with their ability to support a broader, faster digital transformation as well as their proactiveness in being a true partner.

How much have you invested with them?

The contract is easily a few million British pounds.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial proposal development lasted from July 2020–February 2021. However, hedgehog lab has a substantial three-year delivery plan with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve just completed the embryonic stage of the transformation proposals, so I can only give anecdotal feedback at this point. Because we were moving very fast, they had to make several U-turns to meet our ever-changing business needs. COVID-19 and the national lockdown also presented us with more challenges.

Regardless, hedgehog lab was quick to put forward solutions that were sometimes cheaper or temporary but equally good. They made sure that their suggestions would help us meet our goal of making our frontline staff’s jobs a lot easier.

How did hedgehog lab perform from a project management standpoint?

hedgehog lab was a welcomed member to our leadership table. Initially, they were a bit reticent to communicate freely with us as a partner. Once we started to understand each other’s way of working, they became more forthcoming. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to adapt to changing, slightly stressful situations quickly and with a positive attitude was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I thought they were excellent as a partner.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Invite them under the premise of a true partnership rather than as just a delivery partner, and you will get the best, most-committed teamwork.