TTT Studios

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Nurdture Creative Solutions, a small educational technology company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Two Tall Totems?

I needed a vendor to develop the iOS and Android apps for Equate Formula Solver.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted them to build the iOS app before starting the Android version.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The founders were great. They were dedicated to every client, regardless of size.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

In 2014, they designed and developed the Equate Formula Solver app for iOS 7. The team then updated it for iOS 10 and completed the Android app.

What was the team composition?

The team started small, but grew in size as the project evolved.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team successfully brought my vision to life. The app’s design makes it stand out.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The composition changed as Two Tall Totems grew over the four years I worked with them. Project management was impressive at first, but became less so over time. However, they were still excellent in many respects by the end of the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their excellent customer service made me feel important at every step of the project.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They need to hire excellent project managers because the founders can’t be involved in every detail of ongoing projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at the company that builds custom-fit earphones.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Two Tall Totems?

We wanted to create an app that would allow customers to go through the process of customizing earphones, ensuring a satisfactory level of user experience, so we were looking for a company to help us with that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us build an app for iOS and Android. The primary feature of the app is a customization process where users will follow the guidelines of the app to open up the physical packaging of the earphones and go through all the steps to choose the size that fits them best. Our guidelines are unique – at first, they're easy and then they get harder. The point is to go from an ordinary fit to the one that is customized for a particular user in the exact shape of their ear. The app will allow them to put the earphones in their ears and get to a point where they're satisfied with the fit. They can also click on a button and communicate with the earphones wirelessly, which triggers a harder process. The app has many components, such a Bluetooth component, a user experience component, and more. 

What is the team composition? 

Initially, we worked with two founders, one of whom was our senior point of contact. We also had a project manager and worked closely with other members of their team. 

How did you come to work with them?

We reached out to 7–10 different app firms, stating the criteria we were looking for: we wanted to find people with experience in consumer hardware, capable of delivering a professional product in a short time. Ideally, we wanted to work with a Canadian company (there is a tax credit if you work with Canadians on a Research and Development project). That left us with 2–3 names. We visited their office in Vancouver (we're based in Montreal) and were impressed with their team and their culture – they seemed to be a perfect fit for us.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in August 2016 and the bulk of the project was completed in September 2017. They're still providing maintenance and work on a few minor things.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We tested the app on users and we'll be releasing it soon. With every new round of testing, we noted how much time users spent going through the customization process – if it took them less time and they succeeded at it more often, that was a success.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint? 

We've been happy with them from the beginning. As a start-up, we're making changes all the time, but they've been very versatile and flexible. They're fast, organized, and efficient. Their team is amazing and if there was a delay, it was caused by us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've never met a team that's so happy and open. It feels like one big family. Those are the people we want to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The QA [Quality Assurance] is something they can improve (this observation is not coming from me but from some people on our team). When we worked with them, they didn't have an internal team that was responsible for QA. Since the product is going out into the market and will be used by different devices, QA is important. They're aware of that and they're currently bringing on internal and external resources to help with that. But it wasn't available to us throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of development at Sengled Canada. Our company offers smart lighting solutions for security and entertainment purposes. We develop devices that combine LED light bulbs with Bluetooth cameras and speakers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Two Tall Totems?

Our remote app team lacked the necessary resources and personnel to tackle all of our design needs. We hired Two Tall Totems, a renowned local agency, for external support with the initial design stages, as well as app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our initial project involved designing the UX and UI for one of our products’ mobile apps. The snap security camera is a smart light that can be installed on front doors to monitor visitors. It sends alerts about suspicious activity. We’d found that a significant number of product returns resulted from users’ inability to set up the device. Two Tall Totems has spearheaded the design for device onboarding and registration, making it notably more streamlined. They studied the product, did extensive UX redesign, and supported our UI design efforts.

Later on, they improved our website, which was primarily a design task. The web portal was a relatively smaller undertaking compared to the UX and UI work. They helped us implement most of the sprints they designed. Currently, we're working on a new app that integrates all of our devices, including other Bluetooth-controlled smart bulbs. Both apps they’ve developed are for iOS and Android.

What is the team dynamic?

The three- or four-person UX/UI team for our initial engagement included Jatin Jia, the lead designer, as well as a project manager and two other designers. Later on, we worked with a different design and development team.

How did you come to work with Two Tall Totems?

We found them via a reference from one of my coworkers, who had worked with them previously. Initial trials went well, and they offered competitive rates, so we went forward with the engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent $CAD 70,000 ($54,829). Our yearly costs should average between $CAD 80,000-90,000 ($63,088-$70,974).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2017, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before their involvement, we had a very high rate of returns, around 30%. The biggest contributor to that return rate was the difficulty users experienced with set up. After Two Tall Totems improved the onboarding process, that rate dropped to around 20%. This reduction is the most obvious and significant measurement of their contributions. Although we haven’t gotten specific feedback from users, our internal app team has praised the detailed and modern design.

How did Two Tall Totems perform from a project management standpoint?

We exclusively contacted the senior designer and the project manager, and usually communicate through Slack. We have a specific channel where we can post comments and feedback. In addition, our weekly meeting via phone call helps us follow up on issues and keep track of tasks that are in progress. They also share documents detailing how long they've spent on each project and estimated timelines. We have mostly soft deadlines at this point. They’ve adhered to our budget and occasionally have kept below it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the great things about Two Tall Totems is their full range of abilities. We found this preferable to working with several agencies that specialized in different tasks. As a sizable agency, their service offerings include graphic design, app design, UI/UX, website design, and development.

Their capacity to meet all of our needs was an important factor in our hiring decision. Their work is high quality, compared to their competitors. We recently replaced a different agency that had worked on our commercial website with an in-house designer, for example.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The main issue we faced was the need for several iterations of work to render a good design. After they provided proofs in the initial phase, we would select the one that worked best and give them our feedback. This process often took longer than we expected. Putting more effort into improving the quality of initial work could prove more efficient.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a project manager at a web development company. The project I'm working on is a marketplace for experts in outdoor activities to take guests along on adventures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Two Tall Totems?

We needed an iOS developer who could both build an application and understand the marketplace.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting from an initial document of our requirements for how the app would function in the marketplace, Two Tall Totems developed UX, UI, and the backend structure for the iOS app, with bug identification and feedback processes throughout. They also created an InVision mockup that we could use to demonstrate the idea to clients and customers. The minimum viable product created functions as a marketplace where guests can search for outdoor activities with experts, pay for the experiences, and write reviews.

What is the team dynamic?

Their team in total is about 35 people and growing, and they had at least five people representing the various sides of our project in meetings.

How did you come to work with Two Tall Totems?

We reviewed about 15 companies, narrowed our selection to two here in Vancouver, and eventually selected Two Tall Totems because they had the expertise and knowledge base to accomplish our goals.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent in the range of $250,000 to $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in March 2017 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is smooth, easy to use, and functions as expected. There have been some really good reviews from those who have seen it, although it hasn't yet launched. Two Tall Totems delivered on time and on budget.

How did Two Tall Totems perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager we have interacted with has done a decent job. We hold meetings once or twice each week, communicate frequently over email, and use Jira and Slack for project management purposes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to manage the project as it grows in scope is impressive. I was nervous about using a small team because I expected our work to balloon quickly, but they have had the resources to accommodate us while catering to their other clients as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Communication is very important to us, and I have been working with them on ways they can improve in that area.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We were very prepared compared to other clients they had worked with, which made things flow smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

shoes.com is an online shoe retailer in North America. I am the Technical Experience Director of the company. I handle the customer-facing technology. I was involved in this project together with our Director of Innovation and Chief Information Officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Two Tall Totems?

We needed to build a native application for the Canadian part of our business, shoes.ca. It was meant to extend the customer experience beyond the desktop PC.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Two Tall Totems was involved in developing our iOS application. This was our only project with them. We did the UI/UX [user interface/user experience] design in-house, but Two Tall Totems provided some wireframing.

How did you come to work with Two Tall Totems?

We weren't looking for a large shop, but rather a mid-tier one with a good reputation. Two Tall Totems was recommended by our Director of Software Development, who had done some work with Two Tall Totems in the past. We considered a few other options.

How much have you invested with Two Tall Totems?

The total cost of Two Tall Totems' services was between $25,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Two Tall Totems at the beginning of 2015. We still work together on-and-off, on a support capacity for our application.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Upon delivery, Two Tall Totems did a full code handover. We reviewed all of the Objective-C code and were pretty happy with how everything was architected. Two Tall Totems worked consistently with our side in order to make sure that we were all on the same page. What's missing, on our end, is how to market the app correctly, which doesn't speak to the quality of Two Tall Totems' work.

How did Two Tall Totems perform from a project management standpoint?

I can't speak very much to that because the main person overseeing the project is no longer with our company. To my understanding, it all moved forward pretty well, and we were happy with the timelines.

What did you find most impressive about Two Tall Totems?

I appreciated Two Tall Totems' agility. With any development project, there will be several roadblocks to overcome, but Two Tall Totems did a good job of finding different solutions. They usually offered more than one approach for any major hurdle that we came across.

Are there any areas Two Tall Totems could improve?

Two Tall Totems could improve their design capabilities. The strategy side was pretty solid, and they are more of a development shop than a design one.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Operations Manager of Van Valve Service Centre and Sales

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sales and repair of industrial valves and fittings

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire TTT Studios to accomplish?

• web application for client access and offline technician data entry

SOLUTION

How did you find TTT Studios?

• Online Search

Why did you select TTT Studios over others?

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

How many teammates from TTT Studios were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Create a progressive web app

• Online/offline capability
• Client portal access
• Create/search/categorize reports
• optimize for desktop PC and table uses existing data and must not interfere with existing systems edit/add/remove lookup values

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Fully function reporting system that works offline and will sync to online data when internet access is available for both staff and clients

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

Exceptional communication. All items delivered ahead of our internal schedule. Any questions, concerns, or pivots handled quickly and efficiently.

What was your primary form of communication with TTT Studios?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to immediately visualize our needs and suggest solutions and ideas we didnt even consider. Also their ability to quickly and accurately complete tasks was impressive.

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

None come to mind