Honesty, integrity, team, quality, and success are a few words that resonate loudly when engaging with Zoocha. In the dynamic world of web development, Zoocha stands out as a beacon of innovation and excellence, particularly in the Drupal community. 

Founded in 2009, Zoocha has since cemented its position as a leading Drupal Development Agency, underpinned by its commitment to people, innovation, and open-source technology. The DropTimes delves into the intricate world of Zoocha, bringing to light the company's journey, strategies, and outlook through an exclusive Conversation with Alka Elizabeth, a Sub-editor at The DropTimes.

You May Like

Interview

Navigating the Currents of Change: The Multidimensional Journey of Preston So

Interview

Navigating the Currents of Change: The Multidimensional Journey of Preston So

"To be an inspirational team of brilliant, creative digital experts solving complex problems and delivering innovative solutions that transform digital experiences."

is the proud mission of Zoocha.

Zoocha was co-founded by Will Huggins and David Pratt, who continue to actively lead the company, serving as CEO and CTO, respectively.

"From day 1, they have put people at the heart of the Zoocha culture and our team has gone from strength to strength, now consisting of over 80 individuals across our three global offices,"

notes the Zoocha team.

The team at Zoocha is committed to using an agile project management approach. They primarily employ the Scrum methodology, which emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement throughout the development process. This approach ensures that projects are completed efficiently while meeting the high standards and specific needs of their clients.

Zoocha prides itself on the small steps that have contributed to the milestones that have resulted in what it is today. This includes opening the Zoocha Brazil and Zoocha Spain offices over five years ago and in 2018, acquiring a smaller agency, and taking the existing clients under its wing. The company's portfolio showcases a wide range of projects, demonstrating its capability to handle complex web solutions and digital strategies. Their commitment to delivering value and success is reflected in their long-standing client relationships and positive feedback from the organizations they serve.

Additionally, Zoocha's success with the G-Cloud framework over the years has been a pivotal element of its ability to grow its presence in the public sector.

"One memorable milestone is our first ‘ZoochaCon’ held in 2022, bringing together the whole team for a week of celebration and team building here in the UK at our head office in Hertford."

Zoocha's commitment to quality is underpinned by its certifications and partnerships. They are ISO 27001 certified, demonstrating their commitment to information security management, and are a recognized Google Partner, which underscores their expertise in digital marketing and analytics. Furthermore, as a Drupal Association member, Zoocha actively contributes to the Drupal community, helping to advance the platform and support its growth.

As a Drupal Association Gold Certified Partner, Zoocha is committed to open-source. They continue to be regular organizers, attendees, and presenters at DrupalCon Europe every year and the smaller DrupalCamps in Spain and the UK. Alongside this, Zoocha's evolution within the Drupal community and its journey toward becoming an integral part of this vibrant free and open-source software (FOSS) ecosystem involves its team getting into code contributions throughout the year,

"last year this attitude even extended to a contribution made to PHP itself."

Zoocha distinguishes itself in the field of Drupal development through its unparalleled commitment to investing in people. This dedication has cultivated an exceptional in-house team, evidenced by their holding more Acquia Certified Developer and Triple Expert Certifications than any other UK-based Drupal agency. This level of expertise underscores the quality and proficiency that Zoocha brings to every project.

Noteworthy examples of their complex Drupal undertakings include creating seamless checkout flows for e-commerce platforms and developing dynamic front-end experiences.

"A core success factor in our ability to deliver enterprise-level Drupal platforms has been our focus on establishing trust from the offset of all client relationships, leading to genuine partnerships that have stood the test of time."

notes Will Higgins, CEO, Zoocha

Zoocha integrates the latest technologies and best practices into its Drupal projects, distinguishing itself with innovative approaches. They enhance development efficiency and speed by leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub CoPilot, complementing their team's technical skills. With a strong commitment to Drupal best practices, Zoocha ensures excellence through a strict code review process. They also advance the editor experience, enabling greater client control over platforms by incorporating AI-driven features for improved search, flexibility, and personalization. This approach underlines Zoocha's dedication to delivering top-tier Drupal solutions with cutting-edge technology.

Amidst the perception that migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 is a challenging and costly process, framing it as a significant transformation rather than a mere upgrade, Zoocha addresses it,

"The scale of the project is representative of the scale of improvements that are achievable in Drupal 10. By sticking with Drupal, users can retain the core foundations of Drupal that they know and love whilst benefiting from an ever-growing feature set and ecosystem of contributed modules, as well as a smoother content migration process."

Maintaining a modern website that meets user expectations is crucial. Drupal’s flexibility and headless capabilities provide a solid foundation, ensuring businesses can keep pace with technological advancements and future demands. Drupal can be the perfect solution for several sectors, as demonstrated by its popularity in higher education, e-commerce, the public sector, and beyond. 

"We’re always keen to promote that Drupal adapts to the needs of your users, not the other way around,"

adds Will.

Zoocha combats the challenge of finding proficient Drupal resources by focusing on in-house training and the continuous upskilling of their team. 

"Many individuals who joined our team as graduates with next to no experience in Drupal are now Acquia Certified Drupal Triple Experts, contributing to and growing the Drupal ecosystem."

Furthermore, it also encourages team members to engage with the wider tech community, advocating for Drupal while exploring new and emerging technologies. To attract younger tech enthusiasts, Zoocha highlights Drupal’s compatibility with advanced tools such as JavaScript frameworks, artificial intelligence, and cloud services, demonstrating how it can contribute to innovative solutions across different sectors.

"Zoocha focuses on showcasing Drupal as a force for good, through our work with clients like the United Nations and Oxfam. We hope this approach resonates with individuals passionate about using their skills to contribute to meaningful projects and positive change."

Zoocha works with a diverse range of high-profile clients such as the United Nations, Ofsted, Westminster City Council, Alzheimer's Society, Financial Conduct Authority, University College London, Royal Marsden NHS Trust, University of Portsmouth, Topdeck Travel, Professional Darts Corporation and Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust, including government agencies, NGOs, and renowned corporations. The organization differentiates its services by customizing Drupal solutions to align with its diverse client base's unique needs and objectives. Zoocha delves into each client's specific challenges and goals by emphasising the critical Onboarding and Discovery phases. This thorough understanding enables crafting innovative, tailored solutions, ensuring effectiveness and future-proofing platforms across different sectors and industries. 

"Accessibility and security are top priorities for us in all our projects, and this is only made more evident in our work with public sector bodies that need to conform to government standards."

Through initiatives like LocalGov Drupal, Zoocha has driven efficiency in design and development for local councils across the UK. LocalGov Drupal offers an excellent foundation for any local council platform, featuring user-friendly editor controls and built-in accessibility standards.

Zoocha stands out in the digital agency space with its specialized focus on Drupal, commitment to agile methodologies, and dedication to security, quality, and client success. Their holistic approach to web development, combined with their expertise and certifications, makes them a trusted partner for businesses looking to enhance their online presence.

Ensuring ongoing compliance with Cyber Essentials Plus and (our UKAS-rated) ISO 27001:2022 standard is a multi-faceted process that involves continuous improvement, rigorous testing, and a culture of security awareness throughout Zoocha. Its approach includes but is not limited to:

● Regular External Audits and Assessments
● Employee Training and Awareness
● Continuous Monitoring and Threat Detection
● Incident Response Planning & Testing
● Technology and Infrastructure Upgrades & Updates
● Vendor, Supplier and Partner Management
● Feedback and Continuous Improvement Loop

Zoocha is also actively working towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2025, demonstrating a firm commitment to sustainability in all aspects of its business. This endeavour involves a holistic review of their operations, from the digital products they create to the physical office spaces they inhabit. They have engaged their team in understanding the importance of carbon neutrality and have implemented environmentally focused incentives. Additionally, Zoocha promotes carbon offsetting schemes related to transportation and has made significant changes to its office environments to minimize its ecological footprint.