Imaginary Cloud

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of an education platform that enables tuition between qualified tutors and students across the UK. I am the founder and principle web developer of the platform

For what projects/services did your company hire Imaginary Cloud, and what were your goals?

Tuition can be in-person or online. We needed to integrate video conferencing for online lessons. This was for safety reasons - recording sessions to ensure student wellbeing and uphold teaching standards - and to guarantee tutors were not taking students privately via Zoom, Skype or similar. We also wanted to use video conferencing to offer free consultations with tutors and the possibility of providing group tuition when student demand increases.

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

I searched through Clutch and contacted the best reviewed companies in web development. ImaginaryCloud were the quickest in getting back to me, looking to get things started, understand the size of my business, and trying to find a way to realise the project. In short, they put in the most effort by far.

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

We had a meeting where the web developer Ricardo provided a breakdown of the best video conference software to choose from. The site uses Wordpress and predominantly uses PHP and JavaScript. We decided to use Twilio and he then spent the first few weeks understanding the API and creating a test version of my platform. Ricardo then moved towards integrating it to the site when the conferencing system was in a finished state. The integration took a while as I have a complex platform and Ricardo was able to add further functionality e.g. when the tutor ends the meeting, they will be prompted to invoice for the lesson, which fits in to the existing billing system.

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

We worked with a web developer daily during the project. ImaginaryCloud recommended using a project manager but agreed that we could remove the additional cost provided we were willing to work directly with the developer every day. This worked very well as I have developed my platform so it was beneficial of both sides me being more involved.

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

The project has just been finished so it's too early to answer this question. However, the key reason for adding it to the platform now is to have the platform ready for students when the company is more visible in search results, which we expect by year end. Essentially, this was the final piece towards realising the platform.

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

We had daily meetings with the web developer, where he filled us in on the progress and asked myself technical questions about the platform. We used Slack through the project duration to keep in touch and report progress during the day.

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

The web developer delivered a really high quality video conferencing system within a very short period of time. As a developer myself, I was really impressed with how quickly he managed to create the system and how effectively everyone was in communicating with me. I also can't stress how pleased I was when we were allowed to go forward with the project without having a project coordinator - it made a huge difference to cost.

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

I would query having to pay when there was a bank holiday, which meant no work took place. I understand this is normal in other countries but as a self-employed individual in the UK, I wouldn't expect to be paid when I don't work. It seems you need to be lucky when you start the project regarding how many bank holidays may fall within the project duration (we had 3 days).

Please describe your company and your position there.

The platform is a digital, personalised, family health platform to help them care for themselves and their loved ones by placing them at the centre of their own Circle of Care. My duty as product manager was the management of the health platform. • Elicitation and analysis of their requirements; • Management of feature’s life; • Features specification and testing; • Management of the daily stand-up meetings and feature development according Agile principles.

For what projects/services did your company hire Imaginary Cloud?

Develop the platform.

What were your goals for this project?

Launch the platform in Ireland.

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with Imaginary Cloud and they delivered high quality software.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They worked in the back-end and front-end to launch jinga life platform, from the infrastructure to the production deployment. They designed, developed and configured all the platform according the specified requirements.

What was the team composition?

3 Developers 1 UX/UI Designer

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

Despite the short development time, they delivered a high quality product on time to the launch.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They demonstrated good communication skills to understand the requirements and adapt the work as needed. We worked in a 2 week sprint system and met daily to discuss the work done and next the requirements to develop.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The agile skills and ability to adapt to a new condition or requirement were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. They are an excellent team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an industrial software company operating in heavy industries such as oil, gas, and refining. In addition to providing environmental compliance software and services, we perform laser scanning and mapping to solve industry challenges.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

We engaged Imaginary Cloud to develop a web application based on an MVP. We wanted to render detailed, 3D industrial maps in a web browser using an open source framework. Since we saw traction with the market with our demo, we brought on Imaginary Cloud to turn the prototype into a completed solution. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

While I provided the initial code, they optimized the solution by rewriting all of it. They performed front-and-backend design and development.

They were able to render the multi-terabyte point clouds in a web browser, integrating the solution with Google Maps and a Global Information System for geo-spacial views. They’re layering detailed information on top of the maps to support AR applications. They’ve even built advanced data structures so users can filter what they wish to see.

Technologies used include a Node.js server and a React frontend framework. We use Postscript for a database hosted on Google App Engine. Point clouds are rendered using WebGL, and we use a Google Maps API to access a map view of the model.

What is the team composition?

We work with two developers full time, while design and UX personnel provide support as needed.

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

We researched vendors online, including looking at reviews on Clutch.co. We talked with a dozen different companies, but I couldn’t find one that matched what I was looking for. A vendor I contacted recommended that I speak with Imaginary Cloud and connected me with the CEO.

Imaginary Cloud produced an excellent code review and they were willing to act as an extension of my staff, using our project management tools for regular communication. As a technical stakeholder, I was looking for a team that would involve me throughout the entire process, and Imaginary Cloud offered that. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August 2018 and the partnership is ongoing.

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

Customers have been blown away by what they’ve seen. They’ve delivered a quality solution using cutting-edge technology. 

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job defining the coding standards and all the design elements up front. Since then, we’ve only needed to check in. They’ve got a good process and system established where I never feel burdened by additional costs for regular check-ins or advanced expertise. 

As they all work in the same office, they easily collaborate with eachother. Whenever I ask questions, they answer quickly and provide solutions accordingly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team has advanced expertise, and they were willing to dig into complex, emerging technologies and successfully use it in the solution. 

It’s clear that the staff is well supported by professional development workshops, performance reviews, and benefits. The team’s positive internal culture has supported a personable business relationship. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything I wish they were doing better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve had a good experience because I started out with a good, high-level understanding of what the product should be. At the same time, I’ve learned that trusting their expertise is often the right decision, even if it contrasts with my initial thoughts. 

Could you start by describing your organization and position, please?

My organization is part of the Ministry of Education, more specifically the General Directorate of Education. This Directorate has several departments and I am integrated at the School Sports Department.

I am part of the DE Coordination and for that reason we requested the V / Services for a Site / Portal in this area, that is, the DE. In terms In terms of size, the DE is the largest national club, covering a percentage of significant number of students who are integrated into mainstream education in Portugal.

What platform / project did you develop together or for which were you hired and what were some of the business objectives with this company?

The project to be carried out was to develop a School Sports Portal / Site correspond to the needs of the development of this educational aspect, being A portal is necessary, as the basic platform for an information and communication system. communication between its internal stakeholders / stakeholders (structure of the School Sports:

National Coordination / CNDE, five Regional / CRDE and 23 Local Coordination / CLDE as well as students participating in the DE and their parents.

Allowing, on the one hand, the presentation appropriate messages to these audiences, effectively articulating with different social media supports and, on the other hand, access a platform to have access to a set of information management modules (databases of: plan / report of School School Sports / School Group, CLDE, CRDE and CNDE; frames competitive; training of teachers and supporting students; event management; etc.).

How did you get involved and what were some of the technologies you used in this project? Any specific technology that you would like to highlight or emphasize?

After we agreed on a contract with Imaginary cloud, we proceeded to carry out of a methodology: Briefing; Personas; User Journey; Decision Matrix; Wireframes; Style Guide; Grafphic User Interface; High-level prototype and architecture.

What were the dynamics of the team and how many developers did you assign to This project? How many people from this company work with you on this project?

Mainly 2 people were the main interlocutors, but were also other actors from the National Coordination and the National Coordination Regional.

How did you find it in the beginning and why did you decide to work with them? Because they were the best option for you?

We first made a selection of companies that seemed credible to us, and the from there we asked for the respective budgets. Of the 3 that were selected, the Imaginary Cloud presented the best quality / price profile.

How much did they invest in this collaboration or how much did the project cost (only one track would be good to have an idea only)?

For this project that essentially contemplated the realization of Design, the project cost us 7,400 euros without VAT.

When did the project start and when was it completed? Is it an ongoing collaboration? The Project started in September and ended in February.

What were some of the results of this project? Some general feedback from your company or platform users? What was the impact of your company?

The project had wide participation and was concluded with great success.

How did you act from the point of view of project management? You have some comment on your communications or skills to meet the deadlines of the project?

The Project was carried out with our availability and always with a lot of cordiality on both sides. Sometimes there were adjustments that were always well received by those in charge of Imaginary Cloud.

Was there a strong lead during the collaboration or a strong lead? Something they did very well or in which they stood out?

From my point of view, what they did very well beyond the design of the Project, was the successive changes that occurred in the course of the project due to requests from other DGE stakeholders who were asked to give their opinion.

Some area of ​​improvement or something that they could improve on future projects to offer a better service?

None

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of an organization that wanted to reuse AI and cognitive modeling to support strategic business decisions.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

At that point in time, I was responsible for global services and strategic pricing. I required a significant number of data points to make pricing decisions. We cramped the data into an Excel spreadsheet.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imaginary Cloud supported with frontend and backend development, helping us to put our data together in a way that worked. We provided them with mockups. They built the frontend as a way to check the data consistency with each input. Their team helped us with processing activities and sure that the data quality and consistency were good.

What is the team composition?

We had a main point of content. I also kept in close contact with the project manager and the CEO of Imaginary Cloud.

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

I got to know Imaginary Cloud through a colleague because Lisbon, Portugal is a small, big city. I spoke with the CEO many times and saw their previous work. They were reliable and cost-effective, so I tried them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $200,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project around 2014. Their work continues, but I left the function.

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

The feedback was positive. We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish with the difficulties of organizational transformation at that point in time. Their team was trustworthy.

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

We used a tool to keep up with the project, which was completed on time. We had delays on our side, so we were happy to have them keeping the drum beating. We didn’t exceed the budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s impressive how they’ve been able to grow but also keep close to their customers. They grew and remained agile.

Imaginary Cloud focuses on the customer experience side of products. UX design is their key value proposition. UX design and development are part of their culture.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not in a position to say what they could change.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise them to say what they need and what they want. Imaginary Cloud will tell you if they can or cannot complete the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of Topgim, Lda, an online sports equipment retailer.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

We had a paper catalog and it was essential to have a web presence. We needed someone to develop our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imaginary Cloud designed and developed our e-commerce website. They did the front- and backend work.

What is the team composition?

I am in contact with Tiago (CEO) and João (Full Stack Developer).

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

Someone recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2010, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

The website is very easy to use, and we receive a lot of partners from it. We don’t have to spend money on marketing. They made some new implementations but the design is still the same from 2010.

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is good, and they communicate well. The team always meets deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Imaginary Cloud has a strong ability to solve problems, and they present a solution in a short timeframe. They have an excellent team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Share your idea with them and they will have the knowledge to help. I have full confidence in their capabilities.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Globsurveys. We sell SaaS products.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

We wanted to create a platform for banks to gather customer feedback through. In several countries, banks seek insight through phone calls and email, which result in minimal content. To help us develop a solution to this problem, we hired Imaginary Cloud.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imaginary Cloud developed our app. Their team worked on the front- and backend, including building the dashboard and providing technical support. They created the platform to function as a digital feedback assessment form.

What is the team composition?

The CEO is my main point of contact. They also provide a UX specialist, 1–2 engineers, and other teammates dedicated to visual work.

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

I followed a recommendation and chose Imaginary Cloud.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around €150,000 (approximately $168,994 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017, and the project is ongoing.

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

Since beginning the project with Imaginary Clouds, we’ve gained potential clients worldwide. We’ve been able to establish contact with several banks and start the sales cycle. Currently, we’re moving forward to the next phases of marketing and improving the platform. Without their team, we couldn’t have made any of this progress.

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

I speak with the CEO weekly, and the meetings consist of the entire team plus my clients, if necessary. They pay close attention to the details and have a rigorous approach. They’re professional and always hit deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team, deliverables, and overall experience have all been fantastic— I couldn’t ask for anything more. They are always available for questions and fulfill all of our needs. Everything is done very well, and I’m not looking for a different provider.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this point in the project, everything has been great. I can’t think of anything for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring them a good idea and Imaginary Cloud will help you find success. They’re willing to invest their time in companies with solid concepts.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I owned a design agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

They were a development partner for a website we were working on for a client.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I debriefed them on what the client wants and they came up with a solution that met their requirements. Basically, they developed the front- and backend stuff for the websites. Sometimes the do the UI part as well.  

At the beginning of our engagement, we designed everything, but our partnership grew. We would connect them with clients and they took on more of the design aspect.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about five people, and I always talked to the owner of the company. He delegated everything else.

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

I heard of them from a friend of mine. I was searching for a small company, and we were one of their first clients.

They’re very solution-driven, they’re trustworthy, and they always understand what the client wants. They’re very focused on delivery and they plan every step of the journey. For me, I find that very helpful. They take care of everything. I know they’ll deliver good work on time.

How much have you invested with them?

Over our entire engagement, we spent between $250,000–$300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2013 and wrapped up in December 2019.

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

We received some feedback from the client a few months later. They were satisfied with the work. Whenever there’s a detail that wasn’t quite right, Imaginary Cloud was quick to resolve it.

We have a lot of confidence in them and they knew the project very well. They were able to develop everything very quickly. They had the skills to develop everything we couldn’t at the time. It made things easier all around.

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

They accomplished all the deadlines on time. They planned and carried out every step of the project roadmap. They also explained everything to us in a simple way, which made it easy to communicate with clients.

When I worked with them, we used phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very trustworthy. That’s so important when working with someone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go ahead and trust them because they will deliver exactly what you ask doe. They’re deliberate and solution-driven. Their skills will improve their work and their relations with the client.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a social platform for fitness based in Los Angeles. I’m the co-founder and CEO of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

We needed to increase our development capacity.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired one frontend developer from Imaginary Cloud who works in React Native. Primarily, he works on the mobile platform but also our mobile-optimized web app to an extent. The developer’s part of our team but is based in Portugal.

What is the team composition?

We work with one developer but the CEO of Imaginary Cloud’s our account manager.

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

A colleague recommended Imaginary Cloud.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2019 and the work’s ongoing.

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

We’ve worked with a number of different developers over the years. The developer provided by Imaginary Cloud has definitely been one of the best that we've engaged. He’s a skilled programmer and a great member of the team. He’s committed, motivated, and easy to work with. 

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

We use JIRA and follow an Agile methodology. We use a range of remote working tools such as Slack and Google Hangouts. The estimates that were provided by the developer were accurate.

The developer has great communication skills and is available despite the time zone difference. He came to Los Angeles to meet our team. Imaginary Cloud was supportive of that trip and covered some of the costs associated with the travel to California.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Imaginary Cloud has a good understanding of business realities. We haven’t had problems when we needed to reduce hours or pause a project for a while. That’s a big difference compared to other companies that are more rigid with the terms of a contract.

Imaginary Cloud’s forthcoming and understanding, making them a good partner. They’re a premium agency in terms of outsourced services, but you get the quality that you pay for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our platform’s developed for Android and iOS devices. It’s possible but we could've provided those devices. It’s a minor issue, but it would’ve been nice for the agency to provide a developer with testing devices for both iOS and Android.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Rely on their expertise. Be open-minded and establish a good relationship with the company.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CTO of an e-learning platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginary Cloud?

We needed frontend development and design services for our platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team from Imaginary Cloud was responsible for both frontend development and design. They collaborated with the internal team as well as our outsourced backend developers. The frontend language was JavaScript, and I believe they used Vue.js as well.

What is the team composition?

We started with two frontend developers and two designers. At some point, we also had a technical manager for the whole team.

How did you come to work with Imaginary Cloud?

I knew someone who used to work at Imaginary Cloud, so I knew of their business. We were shopping around for other providers, but when we contacted them and found out they could handle our project, we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere around the low $100,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2018–May 2019.

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

The end product works really well. They were very adaptive and always willing to make changes, which were taking place every week based on feedback from clients and our CEO. They responded well to the frequent changes in scope. 

How did Imaginary Cloud perform from a project management standpoint?

The team participated in all of our daily meetings and was very organized. Imaginary Cloud communicated well with us throughout scope changes and never complained. Everything was very smooth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a small software house, and it’s clear they want to create a good working environment. They helped us grow professionally — it was very positive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good conversation with them about what their capabilities are and what you want to build, so that there’s a common understanding of what can be done. Imaginary Cloud is a very serious software agency with a positive attitude and good skill set.