FastForward

Salem, Massachusetts, is the base for FastForward, a software design and development studio whose work runs from web front ends and native apps through to physical and digital installations in museums and at trade fairs.

Native apps and wearable projects

The studio builds applications for the major native platforms, including iOS, Android and Windows, and works with the Xamarin framework for shared code across them. It says it was an early pioneer of wearable-first practices, and its device work extends to the Internet of Things, augmented reality and beacon-based products.

Web interfaces built to respond

On the web side, the team designs complicated user experiences and builds them with HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript, using preprocessed stylesheets and front-end frameworks such as Angular and Backbone. Its interfaces are built to adapt to different screen sizes, and it creates animation and dynamic data visualizations with the D3 library.

Physical and virtual installations

The installation work bridges physical and virtual experiences. FastForward lists games and interactive installations for museums, exhibitions and outdoor campaigns, built with Unity3D, OpenFrameworks, Arduino and motion sensors such as Kinect and Leap Motion. It also builds for virtual and augmented reality headsets.

Services across the project lifecycle

Alongside building, the studio offers digital strategy and consulting, UX and UI design, two-dimensional and three-dimensional animation, and augmented and virtual reality development. Ongoing support after launch keeps a product working once it is in use, and the studio says it covers every stage from planning to support.

Recent projects

The examples it names include a portable tool for exploring products, built for a laboratory equipment maker, a visitor experience at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and an online course registration system for Northeastern University's graduate studies. Each shows the studio improving an existing experience, whether a museum visit or a registration process.

The studio's stated approach is to pay close attention to the end user's experience, and to combine careful planning with a process that stays with the product after it ships.