Truity

Mobile personality testing app

Overview

Truity is an American company specializing in personality tests. The company has been in search of a development partner proficient in Firebase & React Native to finalize the development of their mobile application. Because of the in-house expertise in product & design, the expected scope of the engagement was limited to the software development. The immediate goal of the Beta version was to gather feedback from the market, adjust the solution according to customer needs, and leverage the significant traffic potential on the website generated by existing clients. The positive feedback gathered during the initial phase of the project not only ensured the completion of the remaining 20% of the application but also extended our collaboration as we continued to enhance the application with additional functionalities.

Our Roles

Quality Assurance

Project Management

Software Development

About the Client

Truity is a California-based company that has helped millions of people to get to know themselves better. Established in 2012, Truity embarked on a mission to make high-quality personality tests more affordable and accessible, catering to both individuals and small businesses. Recognized for its rapid growth, the company secured a place on INC Magazine's prestigious Top 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Challenge

One of the biggest obstacles in growing the business was the fact that customers usually made a purchase only once. Truity was also looking for a way to leverage and potentially monetize a  funnel of website visitors. Truity has identified great potential for addressing this obstacle by building a mobile tool for customers. A mobile application, through which users can discover and develop their personality, could potentially retain their engagement over time and introduce another recurring revenue stream to the business. The plan for introducing subscription-based model was more predictable than a one-time purchase, and together with the service that could be automated, it provided ample room for increasing a customer’s LTV and overall profitability.

The mobile application was developed using across-platform framework (React Native). Firebase was used for the backend(database, APIs, and business logic), which was managed through an admin panel built with Retool.

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Technologies Used

React

Directus + Firebase

React Native

Google Cloud Platform

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Approach

About the App

Through Truity's extensive repository of personality test data from millions of users, the company has conducted thorough analyses on how personality factors correlate with various aspects of life, including income and parenting styles. The designed application was intended to support users in their daily activities, enabling mood assessment based on different criteria and tracking the dynamics of well-being throughout the day. The engaging feature of the app involves surveys aimed at determining users' personality predispositions, considering their core desires, fears, and drives. As users interact with the application, they unlock additional resources designed to characterize them in terms of various styles that manifest in different spheres of life (professional, personal, and social).Leveraging the obtained data, the product provides valuable insights and help users better understand their preferences, tendencies, and distinctive traits.

Cooperation

Our team developed products using the agile approach. It was an iterative process at its core, allowing us to focus ona smaller scope that could be delivered within weeks. The value of such an approach lies in shorter release cycles, enabling the business to push the product to the market as early as possible and adjust the course if needed.
We worked in 2-week sprints. Prior to the sprint start, all parties engaged in the development process participated in a Sprint Planning Meeting, allowing them to get on the same page in terms of business expectations and technical capabilities. The product team could articulate current priorities and goals, and based on that, the development team committed to deliver a certain scope within that sprint. The most crucial project information was sent via email, and Slack served as the primary communication channel.
Task planning was executed using the client's Jira platform. All product requirements were described in tasks that were then delegated to developers to work on. After completing the development, the task went through a quality assurance process, and only after passing manual tests was it scheduled for User Acceptance Tests (UAT), performed by the Client. Every sprint ended with a Demo Meeting,which was a summary of the last 2 weeks. The development team presented the outcome of their work, and all parties could discuss the product direction.

Team

The Brival team consisted of four members, including  project manager, quality assurance specialist, frontend developer, and backend developer. The dedicated Project Manager oversaw the process and ensured that the team followed the process,resolved potential bottlenecks and roadblocks, and maintained uninterrupted communication. The project manager was also the point of contact on the Brival side regarding all project- and process-related issues that might require solving.

Timeline

To meet the urgent need to complete Beta Version 1 and ensure a stable foundation for future development, we proposed a phased approach to our engagement. Initially, we suggested the implementation of Beta Version 1 as a fixed-price project with a well-defined scope, the product specifications of which were provided to us before the start of the development work. This approach established clear expectations and outcomes for both parties. Following the initially planned 6-week first phase, it quickly became apparent that the quality of work and the transparency of communication were of such high standards that the first phase seamlessly transitioned into the subsequent development phase, introducing new functionalities to the application.
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Project management

We believe that clear communication and transparency were key factors to a successful engagement. That's why we paid attention to reporting - we sent a plan in the beginning and a summary when the sprint ended. In addition, the client always had direct access to the project management software, which was a primary tool for the development team and contained all planned tasks and initiatives with the current status,assigned team members, logged time, etc. We also recommended that the entire team stay in direct contact with each other, i.e., via a shared Slack channel and everyone’s presence at recurring meetings. This gave everyone a better understanding of the expectations from the other side and built awareness of business goals behind the features. It also shortened the path of communication in the case of a roadblock.

Features

A thorough needs analysis conducted at the initial stage of our collaboration revealed that the current data model could pose a significant limitation when implementing various functions within the application. Considering that one of the key motivations for initiating the project was to harness the potential of multiple clients using their offerings,we proposed a solution aimed at maintaining the integrity of the application. Recognizing the need to address the existing backend limitations before introducing new functionalities, we suggested a transition from Firebase to a relational database (PostgreSQL) and the utilization of Directus as an administrative panel for managing both data and the database structure.  This approach significantly expedited operations, reduced unnecessary code, simplified (and often enabled) structural data changes, and organized the database to ensure that removed, empty, or incomplete data did not occupy valuable space. For Truity, this translated into a substantial increase in application efficiency.

Existing functionalities were organized systematically, allowing for greater control over system changes. The result was a significant reduction in the development time for future features. Moreover, the incorporation of Directus ensured a user-friendly administrative panel, thoughtfully designed to align with Truity's brand elements. This enhancement not only improved the overall performance of the application but also provided the client with a robust, branded, and efficient administrative interface for seamless management

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Testimonial

"They have a firm grasp on their trade and it shows in their work."

Brival continues to impress the stakeholders by overdelivering on their promises and for strictly adhering to their timeline. Their knowledge and experience allow them to adapt to the nature of the project. They regularly check in with clients and provide them with updates or address their concerns.

Aaron Gianni

Post Production Company

What's next?

The trust we have earned from the client hastranslated into a lasting partnership. For several months now, we've beenconsistently implementing new solutions that further enhance the application.The journey doesn't end here—our collaboration with Truity is marked by anexciting roadmap for the future of the application. Plans are in motion foradding features such as note-taking capabilities, establishing a subscriptionmodel, and integrating cutting-edge AI solutions.

Summary

In conclusion, our collaboration with Truity on the development of their mobile personality testing app was a journey marked by innovation, adaptability, and a shared commitment to delivering a high-quality product. The initial engagement, which focused on completing Beta Version 1, swiftly evolved into a broader development phase, characterized by seamless communication and the integration of additional functionalities. Truity's mission to make high-quality personality tests more accessible aligned with our goal of creating a user-friendly mobile application. The critical aspect of our collaboration was the innovative solution proposed to address the limitations in the data model.Transitioning from Firebase to a relational database (PostgreSQL) and incorporating Directus as an administrative panel streamlined operations,reduced code redundancy, and effectively organized the database. On the whole, our collaboration with Truity exemplifies the successful synergy between technology and psychology. Themobile personality testing app not only meets Truity's business objectives but also provides users with a valuable tool for self-discovery. As we continue to enhance the application and explore opportunities for growth, our partnership with Truity stands as a testament to the power of collaboration in delivering impactful and user-friendly solutions.

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