Specno

BACKGROUND

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

• We hired Specno to understand our business goals and conceptualize and design a system that achieves our goals as well as ultimately develop the system comprising of a mobile app as well as a desktop portal.

SOLUTION

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Company values aligned

• Requirements gathering, research, analysis, and conceptualization Phase: Exploration, analysis, and ideation to conceptualize our new system, depicted via user flows and activity diagrams and written explanations within a formal report. Specno went the extra mile in gathering information from us and other sources to ensure the user journeys were accurately depicted. 
• Wireframe Phase: Designing the page structure, layout, user flows, and functionality of the system without color, graphics, and styles. This was completed within Figma. There are numerous feedback and review sessions during this phase. The systems analyst really took the time to understand the process which we wish to facilitate with the system and ensured that it would be able to effectively do so. 
• Design Phase: Specno provided a style test that mocks various different styles, colors, and other design elements so that we could choose the style that best suits their taste and goals. Each mockup within the style test is very aesthetically pleasing. It is actually quite difficult to choose an option. Once a style is chosen the rest of the system screens are designed and the designs are either packaged as a downloadable deliverable from Figma, or prepared for development by Specno. In this case, the designs will be organized within Figma to prepare for the development of the system. 
• Technical Assessment & Development Roadmap Phase: The Technical Assessment is an estimate of the amount of time and resources that will be required to develop the proposed system. For the IQ system we committed to a design for development contract and thus the technical assessment happened in parallel to the design phase. The development roadmap was accurately established to account for the MVP features within the agreed upon time frame. The advice received and formulated approach has greatly reduced the estimated time to market for the system. 
• Development: Using the designs as blueprint for the development project, two and later four developers collaborated to deliver the first phase of the project using an agile delivery strategy. These developers accurately delivered features according to the project priorities as directed by the product owner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of EasyLaw. We provide legal services on an online platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Specno?

Specno developed our website. There were a lot of complications with the way our website was designed, so we needed a professional to understand that. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Specno started off with the website’s design and did the development phase separately. The team initially researched our competitors. They benchmarked those competitors to ensure that my website looked better than theirs and checked what competing businesses were doing. Then, they started working on the website’s design. 

They provided advice on how I could generate more income through my website and what add-ons I could use. From there, they started working on the development phase. The key technologies that we used included Figma and PHP. 

For features and functionality, the website could design contracts for the end users. It also contained a library with information and publications. The team assisted me with organizing this library. 

What is the team composition?

Tristan (Product Owner) worked with me throughout the entire process. However, different individuals were also involved in the design and development phases. These included two designers and one developer. 

How did you come to work with Specno?

I found Specno on Google. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $40,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted January 2022–May 2023. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The design process went well. The Specno team was hands-on and provided excellent services. Overall, they definitely met my expectations. 

How did Specno perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management and communication skills were excellent. In terms of budget, they were off in the beginning, but they were willing to compromise for a discount — I was grateful for that. They also delivered the project on time. To communicate, we used WhatsApp and email. They had their own project management tool. 

Meanwhile, Tristan was always available whenever I needed him. He went above and beyond to ensure my questions were answered by carrying out research and things like that. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Specno was great at working with us as a startup. They stepped into the startup mind and assisted us by looking holistically at everything surrounding the business plan. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a little misunderstanding because of our location differences, but that was so minor that it didn’t affect the project at all. I was still happy with the outcome. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate your needs with Specno. Always note your needs via email so you can remind them down the line because they might forget. One of the things I did in our engagement was to consistently remind them about tasks that we might have spoken about a month or two before.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Black Anchor Property

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company is developing an App to connect business people in public spaces

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specno to accomplish?

• Undertake a Concept Validation exercise
• Design the App with UI/UX
• Provide Build requirements

SOLUTION

How did you find Specno?

Online Search

Why did you select Specno over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Impressive CEO

How many teammates from Specno were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The scope of work included: 

• Ideation
• Concept validation 
• Customer surveys 
• Strategy development 
• Wire diagrams 
• Logo and CI development 
• UI/UX development 

Key deliverables: 

• Prove concept by testing assumptions 
• Provide wire framework 
• Provide design from scratch
• Provide UI/UX Design 
• Provide scope of build required.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• To prove or disprove assumptions to test viability of the app 
• Design and scope a useable app design

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They delivered everything ahead of time, mostly! Their response times were immediate and yet well thought out and thorough.

What was your primary form of communication with Specno?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

• The level of service 
• The quality of each team member 
• The patience and understanding 
• The friendly atmosphere 
• The knowledge base
• The driving team members

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

I can't think of anything more they could have done

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Problem Solver of Inala

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Inala (Abundance) is an internal record database management system particularly focused on Education and Training programmes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specno to accomplish?

• Product Design
• Product Development

SOLUTION

How did you find Specno?

Online Search

Why did you select Specno over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Specno were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Design the product MVP from Scratch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Design our MVP that solves the critical business problems we had found through customer feedback and research. The outcome was having a clickable prototype that we could use to start presenting to possible clients.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The beginning of the project took us a while to find our feet working together. However, as the project progressed they stuck to their promises and timelines. They were agile and allowed us to move in different directions pretty quickly depending on new customer feedback received.

What was your primary form of communication with Specno?

Virtual Meeting

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

The problems are quite complex problems to solve through a system. It took us a while to even wrap our heads around them. However, the design team are experts at this and quickly simplified these and translated them into a user friendly system. They are also flexible and accommodating.

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

I think communication could see a slight improvement, its always best to over communicate rather. Other than that their work produced is exceptional.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of Zaf App

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Marketplace App

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specno to accomplish?

• Mobile App Design
• UI Design
• Development Roadmap

SOLUTION

How did you find Specno?

Online Search

Why did you select Specno over others?

High ratings, Close to my geographic location, Company values aligned

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Requirements gathering, research, analysis, and conceptualization Phase: Exploration, analysis, and ideation to conceptualize our new system, depicted via user flows. Specno went the extra mile in gathering information from us and other sources to ensure the user journeys were accurately depicted.

Wireframe Phase: Designing the page structure, layout, user flows, and functionality of the system without color, graphics, and styles. This was completed within Figma. There are numerous feedback and review sessions during this phase. The systems analyst really took the time to understand the process which we wish to facilitate with the system and ensured that it would be able to effectively do so.

Design Phase: Specno provided a style test that mocks various different styles, colours, and other design elements so that we could choose the style that best suits their taste and goals. Each mockup within the style test is very aesthetically pleasing. It is actually quite difficult to choose an option.

Once a style is chosen the rest of the system screens are designed and the designs are either packaged as a downloadable deliverable from Figma, or prepared for development by Specno. In this case, the designs will be organised within Figma to prepare for the development of the system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Scope of work
• Deliverables
• Resource Capacity

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The design team were easy to communicate with and provided frequent updates on the status of the project. We communicated using Slack, Google Meet/ Zoom, phone calls, and email. Each deliverable was communicated and executed well.

What was your primary form of communication with Specno?

In-Person Meeting, Virtual Meeting

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

Working alongside Specno, we were greatly impressed by their professionalism and they were able to deliver exceptional service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Web Project Manager of PEP

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

PEP Sells Clothing, Footwear, Homeware and Cell across South Africa and BLNS. PAXI is a affordable parcel service available in every PEP store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specno to accomplish?

• We hired Specno to audit our existing website in alignment with our business goals and user’s goals, in order to identify necessary improvements, to increase SEO and user conversion rates. They then used their discoveries to redesign the website accordingly.

SOLUTION

How did you find Specno?

Referral

Why did you select Specno over others?

High ratings, Great culture fit

What was the size of Specno’s team?

2-5 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Specno?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Requirements gathering, alignment, research, audit, and conceptualization phase: Discussions to identify and understand Paxi’s business goals, user types, and the goals of each user type. Competitor analysis and an audit of the existing Paxi website.

This was documented through audit tables, psych framework evaluation, user journey maps, and a consolidation of information gathered in the form of a presentation. Wireframe Phase: Designing the page structure, layout, user flows, and functionality of the system without color, graphics, and styles.

This was completed within Figma. There are numerous feedback and review sessions during this phase. The designers really took the time to understand the process which we wish to facilitate with the system and ensured that it would be able to effectively do so.

Design Phase: Specno provided a style test that provided new and timeless styles, colors, and other UI elements. The decisions they made were balanced between adhering to the aspects of our corporate identity / branding that are already well established, as well as introducing new aspects that were more aligned with our user types and their goals.

Each section within the style test is very aesthetically pleasing, and we could truly see the value in the direction Specno decided to take. Once the go-ahead on this style is given, the rest of the system screens are designed and the designs are either packaged as a downloadable deliverable from Figma, or prepared for development by Specno.

In this case, the designs will be organised within Figma to prepare for the development of the system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Specno surprised me with their eagerness to fully understand the Paxi goals and vision in order to ensure complete alignment. They were able to give us clear guidance and direction, and did so with speed and passion.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The design team were easy to communicate with and provided frequent updates on the status of the project. We communicated using Whatsapp, phone calls, and email. Each deliverable was communicated and executed well.

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

Each and every team member I worked with at Specno is organised, knowledgeable, efficient and amazing at their job! They are always willing to go the extra mile to get the job done even if it means working after hours.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

Nothing I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive of Jiver Jinx

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Jiver Jinx provides a platform to support students who are struggling with mental health and bullying.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specno to accomplish?

• To launch a mobile app for our business

SOLUTION

How did you find Specno?

Online Search

Why did you select Specno over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit

What was the size of Specno’s team?

±50

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We did a Concept Validation phase to finalise our product's mission, vision and features and a Product Design phase to design the product.

Concept Validation:

• Conducting User Interviews
• Honing In on MVP Features
• Starting building blocks of a business

Design:

• Mobile App Screens
• Web Portal Screens
• Social Media Assets

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• The Delieverables

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our product owner is incredible. Organised, knowledgeable and efficient. They understand the company's vision and strive to achieve it. They responded well to our needs and went above and beyond to help us. The whole team works timely and collaboratively with us.

What was your primary form of communication with Specno?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Each and every team member at Specno is amazing at their job, everyone holds incredible talent. The culture of the office is unique, young-spirited and lively.

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

While the work is excellent, the prices are also quite high. This price however,is justified by the level of excellence in their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Delivery Manager of Copious on behalf of Jiver Jinx

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Copious provides services through talents which drive continuous innovation and operational excellence. Tech leader in South Africa providing solutions with Consulting, Data Engineering, Cloud Engineering, Product Implementation & Professional Services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Specno to accomplish?

• Jiver Jinx Market Validation
• Jiver Jinx Proof of Concept
• UX Design and Screen Layouts
• Product Owner

SOLUTION

How did you find Specno?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Specno over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Specno’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Specno was given tasks for the below deliverables:

• Market Validation
• Proof of Concept
• User Journey
• UX Design
• Screen Layouts

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Deliverables Against Timelines
• Quality of deliverables
• Engaged and Focussed Speco Team

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• Awesome time-bound delivery
• Dedicated and Highly focussed team
• They've followed agile project management and adapted well to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Specno?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

• Quality of resources
• Dedication and Focus
• Availability and communication
• Great culture fit
• Knowledge of market related tools andtechnology

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

As an customer , there will always be comparison with similar vendor in terms of pricing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the customer insight manager at Wellness Warehouse, a wellness services company. We’re a niche house retailer in South Africa, and we’re currently developing a loyalty application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Specno?

We needed help with the frontend design of our loyalty app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Specno has helped us with frontend design for our loyalty app. Initially, we had a briefing phase before going into the actual design process. During this phase, we provided them with an outline of how our loyalty program works so that they could tailor its designs and create an app-based solution for that program.

After the briefing process, Specno designed our app from scratch using Figma. We had various review sessions during the design phase before reaching a final design. Now, another company is developing our app based on those designs.

As for its main features, the app can identify whether a customer is an existing or a new one. Based on that information, it sends them through different customer journeys. Once logged into our app, users can see their status in our loyalty program and their cashback balance. Additionally, we’re able to communicate personalized offers to specific customer groups.

What is the team composition?

We work mainly with a frontend designer and a product manager from Specno, although another person is involved every now and then.

How did you come to work with Specno?

A colleague recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app hasn’t gone live yet, so we don’t have any metrics. However, working with Specno has been a very positive experience. They’ve brought a lot of knowledge to the table regarding frontend design and best practices, and they’ve been very collaborative. Their team clearly understood our brief from the start, and they delivered upon our specifications, designing the features and user journey we wanted.

How did Specno perform from a project management standpoint?

Specno’s project management is very good. They’re always in communication with us, and they’ve always stuck to timelines. If things need to be changed quickly, they make a plan to do it for us. We use Figma to collaborate and Microsoft Teams to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Specno’s expertise and experience are excellent. They deliver high-quality work, so I would recommend them to anyone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if Specno encouraged us to think about how our app would work in different scenarios to ensure we’re considering all other channels that will plug into this app. This would allow us to look at it from an omnichannel perspective rather than an isolated app.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with Specno; it’s money well spent. Additionally, have a clear understanding of your product needs and customer journeys before entering the design process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Incyte, a digital networking platform. We cater to events to enable seamless networking.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Specno?

We needed help with mobile application development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Specno built our app from scratch and helped with marketing and customer discovery. We had a designer on the side, but we leaned on their team’s design expertise. They made suggestions, and we went with their designs.

For marketing, we had two customer segments; we wanted to target event coordinators and social media influencers. Specno came up with two marketing campaigns to attack both market segments simultaneously while being as cost-effective as possible.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Jacques (Co-Founder & Director), a software engineering manager, three software engineers, a designer, two scrum masters, a project manager, and a product manager.

How did you come to work with Specno?

A friend referred them. We reached out and went through the preliminary introductions. Afterward, we realized that we wanted to work with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $150,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2021. We worked together for about a year and then took a small break to raise money. At the beginning of 2022, we engaged Specno again and worked with them until November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We soft-launched less than a week ago, so we don’t have metrics. We’ll have our hard launch in January. Currently, we’re just on the App Store; we don’t have many users or ratings. We’re also waiting to launch our marketing campaign when the next college semester starts in the US.

Moreover, they were great, well-rounded professionals that understood their craft. They were passionate about the project, and we enjoyed working with them.

How did Specno perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was fantastic. We worked well together, and the communication was seamless. We used Slack and Google Meet to keep in touch; we had recurring meetings with the director and project and product managers. If we needed to talk about something pertinent, we did a Slack huddle. Additionally, they used Jira as a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were personable, professional, and highly skilled. We were impressed by their effective communication. As a data scientist and programmer, I’m not the best communicator, so I lean heavily on my product and project managers to communicate with the stakeholders. However, Specno’s engineers were great at answering questions and walking us through their work. We could go straight to them instead of talking with the product or project managers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although I never want to give a perfect review, I don’t have anything negative to say about them. We can’t wait to work with them again.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to let them do their jobs. They worked effectively for us because we allowed them to spread their wings. We didn’t micromanage them or tell them how to do their job. We just shared what we wanted to build and let Specno do it the best way possible. Overall, they do their best work when they can use their creativity to solve the problem.