Program-Ace

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

‎IC3D Media is involved in various projects, mainly ones focusing on gamifying learning tools— such as real-world simulations for training—and gamified applications that help organizations get a message across. We also focus on creating interactive virtualizations, which can take all shapes and forms.

I am an innovation consultant, or concept developer, for the company. My task is to go into conversations with potential clients about any problems or innovations that they want to develop for the company. Based on these conversations, I create specification documents for our internal development team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Program-Ace?

We were working on an interactive ship configurator for shipyards, allowing service employees to quickly build a vessel by immediately visualizing it in 3D. The software would allow sales people to create quick configurations for client review, making the approval process more efficient. We are a long time into development, having started it 4 years previously. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We are in charge of all technical specifications and graphic design, while all development for this project has been done by Program-Ace, including frontend and backside work. Everything has been done using the Unity game engine, with C++ as the preferred language.

We have our own development team for all of the products we create, but we have to handle rapid prototyping from time to time. That’s when we use Program-Ace. They work based on our technical specifications, giving us something to look at. Also, if a client needs a particular feature implemented in their systems, we can create its specifications and assign the work to Program-Ace. They're an extra workforce that we can leverage and add to our team when needed.

I am in touch with the person in charge of resource assignment who makes a decision based on our requirements. We rarely work with the same developers, but they fit nicely within our scope of work. For the most intensive areas, Program-Ace has used 1 lead front-end programmer who has been assisted by his colleagues on occasion. Program-Ace has different people for server and web work. We have been in contact with 1 project manager from Program-Ace, but they've also assigned a second manager as well as a quality assurance person.

How did you come to work with Program-Ace?

Program-Ace was already in contact with my employer when I started working for the company. I assume that they were found through the Internet or via a referral.

How much have you invested with Program-Ace?

The cost of Program-Ace's services has been between 50,000 and 100,000 euros.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Program-Ace around 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Software development using overseas parties can be a headache. It can work well, but it can also screw up an entire project, given the language barriers and other limitations. In all honesty, I've not had this negativity surrounding Program-Ace. The company is able to have prompt communication. They work within tight timelines and connect with us as well as with the end client. In the case of the maritime company, this was particularly important.

How did Program-Ace perform from a project management standpoint?

Program-Ace has provided us with their own Gannt charts consisting of specific task lists for the work. Whenever I asked for proposals for specific features, they were made to the point and followed our descriptions. We use Trello for specifications while the actual project management is done through Skype. We use Slack for normal day-to-day communication. We also use Lean Testing for bug management.

What did you find most impressive about Program-Ace?

Program-Ace has many skill sets under one roof. If something comes up, I can always contact them and there's a 90% chance they'll have what we need. If someone asked me for a company which could create amazing visuals for a low price and within a tight timeframe, I would definitely recommend Program-Ace. I would also recommend them to someone looking to build a front-end CMS.

Are there any areas Program-Ace could improve?

The language barrier is always a consideration. Even though Program-Ace's team has English skills, there are cultural differences and remote communication is always difficult. I'm not sure that this is something that Program-Ace can improve. It's simply the nature of working with an overseas company. I've had many conversations with Program-Ace's programmers and project managers, and I've seen the same issues occur with our own team. They can also take a specifications document and use it as a checklist without considering how a client would perceive specific features.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Program-Ace?

It took some discussions with Program-Ace in order to obtain this, but we eventually decided that simply working with programmers wasn't enough. We also needed a project manager who could solve many communication issues. We also discovered that we needed someone to take care of testing and quality assurance, who could check if our software worked on all devices and web browsers. That person then creates a bug report and passes it to Program-Ace's developers. My tip for other buyers is to not go for the cheap and dirty option of only hiring a development force. They should take advantage of the project management and quality assurance that Program-Ace can deliver. From my perspective, having this assistance made a big difference.