At Sonin, we’ve worked with clients from many different industries, including finance, property, healthcare and fitness to name a few. Each industry has given us opportunities to work on a wide range of exciting and unique products and with a vast array of technologies!
We caught up with a few of our colleagues (below) to learn more about their favourite projects so far, what they enjoy about the projects they work on and what type of project they are excited to work on in the future.
Account Director
iOS Tech Lead
Android Developer
Web Tech Lead
Head of Product & Design
Q: So, what are your favourite projects?
“The Seemingly Impossible Ones”
Tim, Account Director: For me, my favourite projects are the hard ones – the ones that seem impossible. When a client comes to us with an idea that they don’t think is possible and ask us if we think we can do it, instantly something in me says “We’re going to do this!” Over the years, we’ve done a few of those.
Recently, one of our clients came to us with a seemingly impossible problem. At their events, official photos are taken by their photographers of the attendees. However, the attendees are often waiting for at least a day or two before they can view their photos. If they don’t like them, the opportunity has passed to have it redone. Since these are memorable occasions, our client wanted to make the photos available quickly, so the attendees have the option to have their photo retaken on the day.
The photo studio set up wasn’t able to be arranged in a way that allowed attendees to see the photographer’s screen. That’s when we needed to think of a solution where attendees could somehow, quickly and easily, receive their photo. We had already worked with this client to build an app that contained the event information so, we wondered if we could utilise this app to view the official photos the same day too. However, a big issue we ran into was that the signal where the photos are taken is often blocked and there is no Wi-Fi available…
“This was a standout project for me because we were given freedom to explore lots of different ideas and technologies to find a solution to this problem.”
Ben Frearson, iOS Tech Lead
Ben, iOS Tech Lead: Tim came to me and asked if there was any way we could solve this problem. This was a standout project for me because we were given freedom to explore lots of different ideas and technologies to find a solution to this problem. We needed to find a solution that would work across iOS, Android and Windows, with no Wi-Fi or data availability. It was challenging as well because Apple and Android allowed and restricted different things.
We discovered that there is a physical product available that we could integrate into the system through code, alongside a few special features that can connect the app with the photographer’s devices!
Aleksej, Android Developer: Having the opportunity to connect our software with a physical object was exciting. It really showed me that that there are so many possibilities out there! From a technical standpoint, implementing the solution in the app wasn’t overly complex at a high level, but it was an exceptionally clever solution.
Ben: At this point, we needed a proof of this concept. With the help of AI, we were able to put together a very rough product and… it worked! This is when our Web team stepped in and was able to build the robust, secure and scalable version for the client.
Tim: I’m such a fan of our developers and the ideas they produce because we found a way to do the impossible!
After we completed the project, I went to visit one of the events to see our app in action. People were having their photos taken and then instantly, the photos landed on their phone. We did it! And our client was extremely happy. We solved their problem by building the right product and as a result, we have improved their business.
I really enjoy working on cool projects that use forward thinking tech to increase the value of a business and make a meaningful impact on both the companies and the people we collaborate with.
Aleksej: I really enjoy working on projects like this one, where I get to see and be a part of the process from concept to completion. I enjoy a challenge, where the problem isn’t straightforward, you have to dig to find a solution. This project had it all! This was a difficult concept that we were able to build into reality. One of the joys of programming is seeing it work and another is solving problems.
“Having the opportunity to connect our software with a physical object was exciting.”
Aleksej Burakov, Android Developer
Ben: I agree, problem solving is one of the best bits of what we do! This was a unique problem with more scope. It was great because Tim had faith in us to go explore ideas and figure out how it could work. The freedom to look at weird and wonderful concepts was fun!
“Those that are used everyday”
Alex, Web Tech Lead: I’ve been at Sonin for just under a decade, one of the first projects I worked on here was The Pattern Cloud. They are a studio that sells textiles who, at the time they came time us, would visit their customers with physical samples.
The Pattern Cloud wanted to create a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) where customers could quickly and easily access patterns and textiles digitally and create pinboards with their favourite styles, as well as be able to pay for them too. They still work with us now and the product has developed so much over the years.
Now, it’s a major SaaS platform used globally with over 3.4 million monthly design views.I’ve witnessed its growth, the evolution of the technology from the initial product to its current state, and the roadmap for its future—its journey has left a lasting impression on me.
My favorite projects are those that are used every day. I’m passionate about creating impactful products and seeing them succeed, as it makes me feel connected to our clients’ success. With The Pattern Cloud, being involved from the beginning has given me a deep understanding of their needs and goals. This familiarity allows me to effectively translate their briefs into reality and pitch technical solutions that support their ideas.
“Those that combine my passions with my professional work”
Sarah, Head of Product & Design: One of my favourite projects is the Belle Hutt app. Belle, a personal trainer with a large online following, wanted to connect with her audience during the pandemic. We built an MVP app where she could deliver live workouts, allow users to filter classes to find the perfect exercise, and track their goals. Designing the Belle Hutt app was especially rewarding because it combined my passion for fitness and wellbeing with my professional work. It was fascinating to merge my interests and learn how others approach exercise. The project was also a great challenge, requiring scalability for future growth and global accessibility. Belle’s commitment to health and fitness aligned perfectly with my own, making this project particularly meaningful for me.
Q: What type of project would you be excited to work on in the future?
Sarah: I always enjoy tackling complex User Experience (UX) challenges—it’s really fun for me! For example, working with new technology presents a unique challenge: users often face an increased cognitive load when adapting to new tools. Our UX challenge is to design interfaces that are intuitive and easy to use, minimizing this effort. Another aspect is effectively displaying data, especially on small screens like smartphones, where fitting a lot of information can be tricky. I also love designing apps that make a difference, such as healthcare and fitness apps. These projects are particularly rewarding because they provide tangible benefits and support to users, allowing us to give back to the world.
Aleksej: The opportunity to problem solve on any project is something I enjoy. A future project that combines multiple devices, for example, working with Virtual Reality would be cool! I’ve started to look into AI chatbots to understand how they work and could be integrated. Augmented Reality is also really cool. There are so many possibilities to AI, VR and AR. I would love to work with any of them.
Tim: Projects where hardware is involved – working with a tangible thing alongside digital – I find that really interesting. Also, the ones that people think might not be possible. They are often the projects where we can have the greatest impact for our clients. I love working on projects that as soon as they go live, our clients earn or save money because what we’ve done. That makes me excited because we’ve really made an impact for them.
“I’m always exploring new technologies that can help our clients build the right product.”
Alex Pritchard, Web Tech Lead
Alex: From a technical perspective, I’m always exploring new technologies that can help our clients build the right product. This could involve using automation to accelerate time-to-market or researching the latest trends to see what’s effective and what’s not. I enjoy trialing new technology that benefits our clients, enhances our practice, and allows us to grow as professionals. In an agency setting, every project is unique, which keeps things exciting. Larger projects come with bigger challenges, which I particularly enjoy. I thrive on the opportunity to dissect a product or brief and rebuild it even better.
Ben: I like presenting to the client and being on the team of people that solve their problems. Projects with a unique problem or need are exciting projects because I can get my teeth into the problem and find interesting solutions.
I’m also excited about the Apple Vision Pro. I don’t know what the break-out commercial app will be for it that makes it widely used across businesses, but I’m intrigued to see where it could go! I think it could become a natural extension of the other Apples products. The technology to create an app on the Vision Pro isn’t dissimilar to the technology we use for iPhone and iPad apps. The difference is in utilising the 3D space and depth. There are definitely some exciting apps ahead!