Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the director & CEO of a mental health client engagement app.

For what projects/services did your company hire idea box, and what were your goals?

Mobile app development for iOS and Android & backend software to manage content in the mobile app.

How did you select idea box and what were the deciding factors?

We talked to several different agencies initially and one thing that stood out immediately was that idea box was an expert in tech. Many of the other agencies we met with gave the impression of being more like advertising agencies with limited expertise when it comes it building complicated software systems.

idea box on the other hand clearly displayed an extremely deep understanding of tech and software development and made us feel confident in their capacity to deliver on what was needed.

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

We came to idea box with wireframes and prototypes. idea box really took time to understand what we were trying to do with our app and software & took the UX/UI to the next level. After refreshing the prototype with update UX/UI, Adam (Director) and his team started building it from scratch.

They provided regular updates and were also flexible and agile when it came to iterating and improving on different aspects of the project as they arose. This project was quite complex but they developed a very intricate backend and frontend architecture to meet the needs that were required.

They also had no problem setting up a range of things like automated SMS, reminders, automated emails, server migration, & app store submissions. idea box's attention to detail was also excellent & if ever a bug was found they worked very quickly to rectify it.

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

Adam was our main point of contact throughout the project and he managed a team of about four developers who built the front- and backend. Early on when we were refreshing the UX/UI, one of Adam's UX/UI designers provided some really great input too.

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

We launched our product recently and the feedback and response so far have been excellent. Customers have been quick to use the product and extremely impressed with the overall look, feel, and operation of the app. I can definitely say that idea box delivered 110% on what we set out in the original scope of works.

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

Adam was really great to deal with. He always made you feel like he had time to talk and they did a great job of explaining complicated software development challenges in an easily digestible manner. We used Slack for most communication and Jira to track progress. Adam was also always accessible via phone and provided regular updates.

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

I think what is most impressive and unique about idea box is that Adam and his team are clearly very clever and highly skilled software developers who you can quickly tell actually get a real buzz and enjoyment out of developing and producing new software products.

Other agencies often gave the impression of being nice and 'shiny' but with little depth when it came to tech development. idea box on the other hand you tell from the start was all about producing great new software.

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

Not really. This was a circa $200k project and idea box really did a fantastic job. Of course, when developing new software bugs and glitches will inevitably arise but idea box was great at solving these extremely quickly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of a platform that connects people with curated home services in the Australia market.

What challenge were you trying to address with idea box?

We wanted to develop an MVP of our platform to provide our end users with our services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prior to the start of the development phase, we had an internal design sprint that idea box joined without an extra cost. After we finished the sprint, they understood the scope and our vision for the MVP. Adam (Managing Director) and I created the product specification documents to claim the scope of work. idea box then started to add resources that developed our iOS and Android application.

The product connects users with lifestyle packages. It provides a place where people browse listings. Based on their requirements, they can access curated financial packages or find cleaners through an admin panel.

What is the team composition?

Adam is our point of contact.

How did you come to work with idea box?

We conducted research into the best mobile app developer that could deliver our platform within a short time period. After our research, we chose idea box based their Clutch reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent more than $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between January–May 2020.

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

When we had the pilot launch, we showcased the app to our partners. Most of them were impressed by the product’s quality. Internally, everyone liked the product, which delivered what we wanted.

How did idea box perform from a project management standpoint?

They used Jira and Confluence. We had a weekly meeting, but I talked with Adam daily. When the workload was high, there was friction. However, at the end of the day, their team properly addressed their responsibilities. In terms of the development, I would rate idea box 9/10 for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by the enthusiasm idea box put into the project. They deeply understood our business model and shared insights into how we could improve as a business. We had chemistry and loved working together. Although their team was external, they felt like an internal third-party agency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their project management as their business model changes. It’s hard to fault them, but they could improve in that area.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand your business model and if there's a need to actually develop your product. At that point, you’ll be good to reach out to professional developers like idea box. Define a scope of work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Director of Phone A Vet Pty Ltd

For what projects/services did your company hire idea box?

Mobile App development for iOS and Android

What were your goals for this project?

Brand new mobile app for the veterinary and pet industry

How did you select this vendor?

Out of 5 developers, interviewed and sought proposals -

Describe the project in detail.

The Phone A Vet app is a convenient and affordable way that animal owners can get advice from Australian registered veterinarians. The video call functionality lets the veterinarian and the animal owner see and talk to each other, then switching to the rear camera lets the veterinarian see the animal and its environment. A session can take place anywhere as long as you’ve got mobile reception. This might be the backyard for pet owners, down the paddock for farmers, or the side of the road for wildlife rescuers.

Here’s how it works: Use your e-mail address and mobile phone number to register. Upload the details of your animal. Describe your problem. Upload any relevant photos or videos. • Confirm your session and pay by credit card entered directly into the app. • The next available veterinarian will accept your request and send you a notification (ensure your notifications for the app are enabled). You’ll be able to see their name, location, and area of expertise. • The veterinarian may ask for further information via chat before starting the video call. •

Once the video call has started you and the veterinarian can see and talk to each other and you can use the rear camera switch to show the animal and its environment.  When the video call is completed, the veterinarian will send closing notes via the chat function within the app. 

Finally, rate the session to help us improve the service. Phone A Vet veterinarians are registered in Australia meaning they are fully qualified to a standard where they can practice in Australia. There are veterinarians with expertise in farm animals, companion animals, wildlife, fish, exotic birds, reptiles and more.

What was the team composition?

Adam involved most of his team for this project

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

- Completed on time - Easy to communicate and good project management tools are in place - Their team members are technically competent.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Excellent

Are there any areas for improvement?

Continues improvement is necessary for any company

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the directors at a property management company.

What challenge were you trying to address with idea box?

Around three years ago, we built a platform to streamline and automate daily tasks and processes. Over the years, we’ve worked on refining the technology by making it more efficient and user-friendly. We engaged with Adam (Managing Director, idea box) and his team to get the platform where we need it to be.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team at idea box developed our iOS application from scratch, staying involved from ideation to maintenance support. The system integrates various platforms, including an accounting software and DocuSign for contracts. It also holds property data solutions that allow our clients to remain updated about their property.

What is the team composition?

In total, we’ve worked with three people.

How did you come to work with idea box?

I came across idea box from a Google search. I believe we met with three or four other developers. The team at idea box understood what we wanted to achieve. Other companies made us feel like just a number. One of the main reasons we hired idea box was because of their previous experience with other projects. They have a good synergy that aligned with what we wanted to do.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with idea box started in July 2016.

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

The work was well-received by our internal team. The only thing we struggled with was the timeline, taking into account how long it takes for the system to get operational. There were challenges along the way, but their team was great at dealing with them.

How did idea box perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, their team performed well. Adam was our project manager, focusing on face-to-face interactions with our team. We had meetings regarding design structure, architecture, and how we wanted everything to flow.

We also held progress meetings where we went over any changes. If there was a change, their team would go back to development and then meet back up with us. As a project manager, Adam was responsive. When we had issues, he was always on top of them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their company isn’t working on more than 20 projects at a time. They give their clients their full focus. We didn’t want to work with an agency where we would be one of a thousand. We took a lot of time and effort in selecting a company that would meet our goals in the first try, and idea box delivered on that promise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would’ve appreciated setting the expectations for big challenges in the beginning. There were several challenges during the engagement, which is no one’s fault. I think if the possibility would’ve been explained at the start, that might’ve made the journey a bit easier.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a wide variety of experience with a whole range of projects. Their team is able to bring different expectations for various industries. That was valuable to our team.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am one of the directors at a not-for-profit organization based in Australia. Our company aims to provide a platform that connects clients with disability needs with qualified caregivers, specifically after hours.

For what projects/services did your company hire idea box?

We engaged idea box to design and develop our mobile app, which would be the basis of our service offering. Given that this was our first time undertaking an app development project, we needed them to guide us through designing an accessible UI and process workflow.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to develop an app that was simple to use for end clients with various disabilities (e.g., vision, hearing). As such, all of the visualizations, fonts, and colors needed to meet web disability standards.

How did you select this vendor?

Not only did idea box stand out from other vendors based on their price point, but they also seemed willing to go above and beyond to deliver.

Describe the project in detail.

idea box designed and developed a user/caregiver app for iOS and Android. Initially, we had a number of meetings with them to scope out the technical specs. idea box provided the documentation, and we continued to review it over the next few weeks, making any necessary adjustments to suit our target end users. 

Because our end users had disabilities, it was important to create as accessible a design as possible. Their team was extremely helpful in providing UI examples that would best fit our users’ needs. We ended up going through about 30 versions during user acceptance testing (UAT), tweaking some of the cosmetic elements to arrive at the final outcome.

After completing UAT, idea box swiftly finalized the design and lodged the app for approval in Google Play and the App Store.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the lead developer, which simplified a lot of the communication and allowed us to complete the project within the expected timeframe and outcomes.
 

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

Our app is currently still at the launch stage due to organizational alignment and restructuring on our end. However, it’s still active, and we constantly use it for client demonstrations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The lead developer was easy to communicate with and made himself available all the time. We also had weekly meetings over Skype, which allowed us to conveniently discuss and align our teams while checking on the project’s status.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was blown away by the team’s knowledge and professionalism. They went above and beyond to assist us during development—even though we didn’t always have the necessary technical expertise—and were willing to support us. idea box did an outstanding job explaining all of the processes in an easy-to-understand manner, so it was a pleasure to work with them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything can always be done faster, but we were satisfied with their level of engagement and effort. In the end, we were happy with the final product that they delivered.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of MDI Global, a market research company that specializes in mobile market research.

What challenge were you trying to address with idea box? 

Our previous platform was past its prime. We wanted a new mobile platform where we could pre-program all the management tasks that the platform needs to take on the backend. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

idea box built an app as a way of deploying market research that links to a research management system. That enables us to set up programs, which are run by artificial intelligence. So when a user completes a task, they immediately get another task depending on their answer. The second task will be different than other users’ task if they've answered specific questions differently. 

Our previous platform had a similar consumer interface, but the backend was entirely manual. Therefore, there were significant delays in us being able to deploy different research elements. idea box created the frontend as completely white label so we can change the colors and the overall look of the interface quite quickly. 

What is the team composition? 

We primarily work with Adam (managing director, idea box). We’re also in regular phone communication with three members of his team. 

How did you come to work with idea box? 

They were recommended to us by a trusted adviser. We put several companies through a rigorous pitch process for a couple of months. idea box stood out ahead of the rest. We liked Adam’s passion and his ability to think things through. He can go away at the end of the day with a problem and come back the next morning with a solution.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $230,000 AUD (approximately $164,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project kicked off in October 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Phase one has been deployed. It's only been live for 12 months, and we’re already in six or seven countries. We run about seven apps on the platform, and it's responsible now for probably half of our business. We have much bigger expectations for it in the future. 

For us, success is where the platform doesn't break. Due to issues with our previous platform, we didn't do as much pre-testing as we would’ve liked. That was quite a risk. A few things didn't work because of the lack of testing. Now there’s a clear picture of what success looks like for the next phase. We'll continue to work with them over the coming months to make sure at least 95% of messaging gets through, as well as rectifying any other issues. 

How did idea box perform from a project management standpoint? 

Adam doesn't over commit himself, but he does sometimes overthink things, which can cause a delay. I’ve been upfront about how to manage that trait, and it’s seemed to work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I most appreciate their honesty and integrity. Also, they're true developers. I've been disappointed over the years with other firms that tell a wonderful story in the pitch process but can’t deliver on during development. Previous developers used third-party software, which meant the IP we own was limited since they used someone else's IP for the key elements. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their main weaknesses are in administration management. As a small business, I need them to invoice earlier in the process. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down and get agreement on all milestones. Have clear stage dates for each milestone. Make sure the payment terms are clear and tie payments to the milestones. Those are common issues when working with a small business. Overall, Adam is brilliant and passionate. His developers are head and shoulders above others.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a traffic software company that provides a non-payment prevention solution for petrol stations.

What challenge were you trying to address with idea box?

I had an idea but wasn’t sure how to execute it and put it together. idea box provided the actual know-how for breaking it down and making it into an actionable plan.

What was the scope of their involvement?

idea box created my website, an iPad app, and a backend system. Their team built the backend using Ruby on Rails. We have an open-source database. Every aspect of development was customized. I became more involved in the process when we started gaining users.

What is the team composition?

I’ve engaged with two members of their team.

How did you come to work with idea box?

Initially, I spoke to their competitors, and they sounded commercial. I don’t think they understood my idea. They also gave me unbelievable pricing quotes. Those were non-starters and resulted in no meetings. idea box closely listened to me, coming up with a reasonable plan. In terms of budgeting, it met my expectations.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000 AUD (approximately $36,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with idea box began in November 2015. I’m continuing to use their team to make enhancements regularly.

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

The frequency of usage is crucial to my application. We have a process called “lookups,” which ended up being a key feature in our program. I requested that we track those members from the beginning. The more lookups I have, the higher the frequency at which customers are using my product.

How did idea box perform from a project management standpoint?

Since I’m not from the IT industry and have no knowledge of its particulars, idea box was patient with me. Because of the suitability to the market, we had to go through several changes. It’s a unique product, and idea box responded to any change requests I had regarding the platform’s logic and backend analytics. They accommodated to those at a reasonable price.

Even though we had a finished product, it still needed to be marketable. Customers were pointing out issues I missed, so we had to go back and make those changes happen. There were some painful times, but idea box was able to listen and mitigate. Eventually, I was able to interact with their coders directly, which made the process more efficient. They’ve become my product support team that I can speak to at any time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

idea box listens to their clients. They’re keen to know what’s behind the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there are none that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should have a clear plan worked out. idea box has an analytical aspect, but the client should be clear on what product they want. Their team can enhance it further, but the clearer the original picture is, the better their output will be.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Buy/sell E-commerce platform

For what projects/services did your company hire idea box, and what were your goals?

Create new website, update iOS application & Android application

How did you select idea box and what were the deciding factors?

Good reviews from colleagues and attention to detail with prompt communication.

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

The scope of works including design/recoding existing web application, updating coding on both iOS and Android platforms.

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

We worked with two from the vendor's team, one being a coder and the other a designer.

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

Project was delivered on time with a professional/friendly interaction.

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

Management style was efficient, consisting of personal meeting, emails, phone calls and interactive program to assist with the project. Timeline was met.

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

Attention to detail, expertise in their field and friendly communication to help move the project to the best of its ability.

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

No, our expectations were met.