Designli

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an educational app that provides social and emotional development tools for neurodivergent children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We had a therapeutic method with in-person tools that we were trying to translate into a mobile app that provided content asynchronously.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli is our partner for mobile app design and development. We’ve been through different project stages, and they’ve broken up each phase into clear deliverables. Each deliverable has to be approved before moving on to the next step.

The app has interactive video content that kids can watch with their parents; their choices determine which educational content they’ll be served. Designli has used Flutter and React to make the app cross-platform.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked consistently with 3–5 people. We were initially in touch with the co-founder and a project manager. Then, they handed us to a project manager, software engineers, and a designer.

How did you come to work with Designli?

I found them through Clutch. I listed 15 firms that I liked and called all of them. I tried to get a vast network of people, but we ultimately chose Designli.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $45,000–$50,000 so far. In total, the entire project will be around $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2022, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We look at the development process instead of KPIs. Designli has been great at helping us solve problems. Moreover, they’ve delivered and communicated well throughout each project step.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Basecamp, emails, and texts to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their strengths are communication, product quality, and price. They deliver high-quality products and are great to work with. Moreover, the team is transparent, and we get value from their developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly don’t know if they could improve something; I have nothing but good things to say about them. If anything, we could be better clients.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront, transparent, and clear to save time. Trust is always a component when you work with firms. You might want to avoid giving them too much information because you’re afraid they’ll take advantage of you. However, we actually felt that disclosing our budget and what we wanted to do helped us get the most out of the engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an administrator at Behind The Knife, a surgical education platform company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We wanted to create a log-in feature for our website and also build Android and iOS apps where our users could consume our products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli is building custom e-learning web and mobile platforms for us, which are focused on advanced education. We're currently finishing the project's discovery, design, and prototype stages, and we're about to start the development phase. In terms of functionalities, we've asked them for individualized log-in features for the website and the app, along with the integration of our premium products, like video, audio, text, and image files. It's important for us that our users can see our products on a user-friendly platform that looks cool and doesn't feel like they're just taking a class.

So far, they've created a clickable prototype for us, which is nice because we can play with it and see what we like and can change.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with around six members of their team, including a project manager, a developer, a designer, Keith (CEO), and Joshua (COO).

How did you come to work with Designli?

I found them through Clutch. We did have other potential partners, but Designli were quick to respond in our initial meetings, and they also had good reviews on Clutch, so they seemed legit.

How much money have you invested in this partnership?

So far, we've spent $650,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. We're about to enter into a year-long commitment with them with three full-time developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Designli has exceeded our expectations; our project is complex, and we came to them with a lot of ideas, but they’ve been able to understand our needs and are building a fantastic design with an organized and user-friendly interface.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

We do project management through Basecamp, and it’s fantastic in terms of meeting deadlines, staying within budget, and communicating. Their team sends frequent updates on the process and lets us know how many hours they’ve been working on us, so we’re always aware of every step. Moreover, their ability to schedule meetings is impressive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is knowledgeable, friendly, easy to communicate with, responsive, and dedicated to every step of the process. Moreover, they commit to learning and understanding our business to provide professional suggestions, showing that they care about us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an individual with an idea for a mobile application and the owner of this soon-to-be product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

I hired Designli to vet, design, and develop my mobile application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli is developing a mobile application for me. Initially, I had a complicated idea that wasn't doable with iOS. Designli broke down the idea into what I was trying to accomplish and its benefits. Together, we've developed a simplified approach that works across Android and iOS. The team has designed a logo and prototype using Figma and done some work on the app's first page. Although I have an estimate on when they're taking the prototype to full development, I haven't taken that step yet.

The app is a photo organization platform for professional work and special interest photos. Users will be able to keep images separate from their phone gallery when trying to take or share them within a professional context. This solution will keep work-related photos from clogging up users' galleries and getting lost or untagged. 

What is the team composition?

For the initial meetings and brainstorming, I worked with three teammates from Designli. Once we decided to move forward, I started working with a fourth contact. I've also worked with an individual overseas that I believe Designli contracted to do some of the grunt work in the prototype design. 

How did you come to work with Designli?

When looking for providers, I didn't really know where to go with what I was trying to do, and I had a couple of appointments with people who couldn't do this for me. Although it took me a little time to hunt around and find someone, eventually, a friend recommended Designli — that's how I got in touch with them.

How much have you invested in them?

I've spent about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them in January 2022, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Designli has helped me figure out the right direction for my app. Since the product isn’t live yet, I don’t have any quantitative metrics.  

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed very well in terms of project management. The team is very good at following up and being thorough when answering my questions, and they reply to them within the same day. Moreover, each and every member of their team is pleasant to engage with.

We use Google Meet for our video conferences and Basecamp for project management. Additionally, the app’s prototype is available through Figma.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Designli is an excellent team that’s young, professional, and knowledgeable. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re doing very well. If I had any complaint, it would be that they’re a little expensive. However, there isn’t an easy way to shop for this type of service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If anyone is looking for this type of service, Designli is on point.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Earth Technology Integration, LLC. We’re a software and tech services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We were working with a development company but weren’t satisfied with their work, so we wanted to bring in a different team to help us develop and design our existing sites and add additional features.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Deisgnli has been doing software and web development and design for us. We started by having an introductory call with them about our previous work and what we were looking for specifically. The product is a software site that would help manage firefighting mobilization personnel.

They created the platform from scratch using React and TypeScript, including the mock-ups, review implementation, design, and development according to our requirements.

In terms of functionalities, the site helps us reach and manage other firefighting personnel in neighboring counties for extra resources and equipment. It also sends email notifications to fire chiefs across the state that contains a link with a response form to tender their offers if they can. On the firefighter coordinator side, it has an interface to review those offers, partially or fully accept them, or decline the offer.

Currently, we now have two engineers from their team working full-time on our projects.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working with Josh (COO), Katie (Business Analyst), a UI designer, and a couple of software developers.

How did you come to work with Designli?

We were doing research and found multiple companies. We chose Designli because they were local and thought it’d be an interesting option. Also, we like what we saw on their site.

How much money have you invested in this partnership?

So far, we’ve spent around $70,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re pleased with their work and want to expand the work with them because they’ve done such a great job. Overall, everything’s top-notch because their team quickly reacts to our concerns in a collaborative approach.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done a great job with project management — they come in with conservative deadlines and budgets. Communication is great; we have webinars two times a week, and they call me periodically to ensure everything’s going well. This is very refreshing and distinguishes them from other providers. 

Regarding tools, we use Basecamp to post messages and questions to each other.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our team is impressed with the coding organization and readability. Also, their technology is spot-on, and they’ve ramped up our existing projects — it’s been nice to work with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure to communicate your needs upfront; they’re meticulous in their details, so the more information you give them, the easier it will be for them to deliver a quality product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a startup medical company providing a device that helps with nasal congestion.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We were considering adding a mobile app for our device.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli has helped us design the software architecture needed for our app, as well as its components and functionality. After engaging with them, We had an online meeting to gather information, during which they walked us through the early steps of the project. Then, we had an in-person brainstorming session to discuss the functionality, cost, and next steps.

Initially, we didn’t know what we wanted, but they helped us identify education materials, gaming dynamics, and other functionalities that we could incorporate into the app.

We already have the design, but we haven’t developed the app. This design work includes images, color schemes, and the UI.

How did you come to work with Designli?

Before hiring Designli, we looked around at multiple firms.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had our introductory call in November 2021. We’re still in communication with Designli’s team, but our collaboration isn’t active. The next step for us would be starting the development work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our stakeholders have been very impressed with the work that Designli has done. Some of those stakeholders have had previous experiences with mobile app development projects, and they’re still impressed with what we now have. Overall, Designli has delivered more than we initially expected — they’ve overperformed.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had really good communication with their team. From the start, they established an excellent flow in the process, guiding us to where we’re now; everything has been really well done. We’ve used Basecamp to manage the project and Google Meet to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

My experience working with Designli has been fantastic. They excel at listening to our feedback and providing quality responses to that feedback. Whenever we’ve requested changes, they’ve come back with well-thought-out solutions and ideas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything has gone better than expected.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to work with a very open and communicative team to review a mobile app project you have in mind, I would highly recommend Designli.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Senior Marketing Manager at an entertainment company. I am responsible for creating and developing new and innovative tools used by our employees and partners. I work closely with our graphic design team to create a variety of marketing material used across many platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Designli, and what were your goals?

Accel Entertainment hired Designli to create an mobile app that will be used by our dart players who participate and play in our remote dart leagues. The goal of this app is to provide a better platform for our players to connect with each other, view their stats, create teams, and overall increase the player experience. Also with this app, our goal is to increase the amount of players playing in our remote dart leagues by making the process of joining much easier for a player to use and understand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Our team selected Designli after an extensive search for app developers. Designli's website was something that stood out to us as they have a lot of great information that helped us understand the process before getting started. The "Success Stories" section on their website also stood out to me as I was able to see real examples of work they had done in the past for other companies.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The scope of this work includes the following:

1. Kick-off Meeting | This is where we got to meet the Designli team virtually to determine if this was a good fit for us and to explain high-level what we were trying to accomplish
2. SoultionLab | This step included a lengthy video call with several members from our team as well as Designli's team. During this call we got into the specifics and details of everything that we were looking for. During this process Designli really took the time to understand our company and how things current run when it comes to dart leagues. Together during this phase we came up with solutions on how this app with increase the experience of our dart players
3. UX Document Review | After SolutionLab, Designli's team put together a detailed and thorough document that outlined exactly how this app will work. The document included all features available on the player/dart side, along with information and details on how the platform will work on the backend with our employees and dart coordinators. During this process, our team would review the document, add comments and feedback and Designli would make revisions to the document. After several revisions on our end, we finalized the document and moved onto the graphic design and prototype phase
4. Graphic Design & Prototype | In this phase, Designli sent the finalized UX Document to their team of very talented designers who brought the app to life using a prototyping platform. This platform allowed us to see exactly how the app was laid out and we were able to add comments and feedback directly to this platform that were sent to the design team. Once this phase was complete, we took this prototype and began testing it with our players and employees to get their feedback.
5. Development & Testing | Once the graphic design and testing phases are complete, we will move into the development phase of this process where the Designli team will begin creating the app.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

As of right now, we've worked with 5 Designli team members. Keith and Josh worked us in the early stages of the process helping us outline the scope of this project. During the early stages, we also worked with Katie, who created the master UX document and handled all of the feedback and edits.

When we moved to the graphic design phase, I began to work with Taylor and Daniel. Taylor is our project coordinator and is great! She sends the team weekly updates and keeps everyone in the loop and up to speed. Daniel is Designli's designer and is VERY talented. He was able to capture the look and feel of the app by using only the UX Document.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Although we are still in the prototype/testing phase, we have received great feedback so far from our employees and dart players that have seen the prototype. Everyone is very excited to begin using this app.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

During this process, Designli uses Basecamp to communicate updates to everyone involved in the process. Taylor does a great job keeping everyone updated and on the same page. The Basecamp platform makes communicating simple and easy.

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

Overall the Designli team as a whole stands out to us. The team meshes very well together and working with them has been very easy. Everyone on the team takes pride in their work and is great at what they do. I would also say that Desgnli's designer Daniel is definitely a great asset the the Designli team. During the graphic design phase, he was able to visualize everything that we were wanting in an app and has helped make the platform user friendly and easy to use.

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

Up to this point, I can honestly say that there is nothing that I would recommend be done differently. Our experience with Designli has been very positive so far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and developer of the content for a leadership development program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Designli, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop an app to deliver the leadership development program so it could be easily accessible to any user. We also wanted to develop a web platform for organizations to be able to access their data and insights from the individuals within their organization using the app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We initially chose to work with Designli by searching online based on their prior work.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

1. We began with a few meetings to examine whether Designli would be a good fit.
2. We did their SolutionLab phase to work through what the user story and key features of the app would be. Designli provided a final SolutionLab set of deliverables including the final user story, overview of application, various user card personas, user flow diagram, development and budgeting, and next steps.
3. Once established, we moved into the Graphic Design and prototyping. Their team was phenomenal at continually assessing our needs, particularly with budget and timelines, to make sure the design and prototyping fit our needs.
4. Currently in development stages right now. Throughout each of these steps, we set consistent meetings which were upheld and we consistently received updates including reviews, timelines, budgets, and what to expect next.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager was assigned to our team who does a phenomenally well at staying in close contact when needed, providing reviews, updates, etc. We continually work closely with one of their leads who was present at each of our meetings with their design lead, and now continuing to meet with a core group of developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We are in the development stage right now so we don't have measurable outcomes related to the final product. However, Designli has always delivered on the expectations provided and continues to exceed expectations as they are consistently proactive about anticipating our needs, especially with timelines and budgets, by providing alternative solutions.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Designli has been a pleasure to communicate with. Everyone we have worked with has been responsive and we receive consistent reviews and updates. Once again, they anticipate our needs by proactively providing alternatives before we reach out to them with questions. Most of our communication has been through video calls or through email.

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

Everyone we have worked with has been patient, open-minded, and optimistic about what could be done with this project, supported by various individuals who provide their own unique skill to the project. We value how different individuals are assigned for various aspects of the project, such as setting up the user story, to design, to prototyping, and development. And perhaps most important, they have met our expectations for timelines and continue to deliver on those timelines while delivering great work.

They are transparent with us and proactively provide alternatives, which is greatly appreciated.

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

Nothing up until this point.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Congregations For Kids, a nonprofit organization that works in the child welfare and foster care space. We look to provide support systems to foster parents, social workers, guardians ad litem, and other adults involved.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We needed help to develop a web platform for one of our programs. We already had a WordPress website for that program, but our goal was to eventually market our solution as a SaaS product to other nonprofit organizations. Thus, we hired Designli to help us move away from WordPress.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli has helped us develop a web platform for our program called Care Now, allowing us to move away from WordPress. On it, social workers can request emergency tangible items like a car seat, diapers, or a crib. Then, we connect those social workers with our donor base to provide them with the items they requested. This platform helps fill the gap whenever government funding takes a little too long to fill the social worker needs.

Apart from helping us with the transition, Designli has added new features to our platform to make it more functional, including backend features like a dashboard.

What is the team composition?

Initially, when we started discussing and scoping the project, we worked with Keith (Co-Founder & CEO) and two other people from his team. Since then, we’ve been working with the COO and a technical team of five people.

How did you come to work with Designli?

The person who developed our WordPress site referred us to Designli. We initially wanted to work with him due to our previous experience, but he was moving onto a different chapter of his career. However, he helped us research development companies because we trusted his expertise. When he recommended them, we trusted that they would be a good fit for us, and they turned out to be a perfect fit.

How much have you invested with them?

As a nonprofit organization, our projects rely on grants. Designli understood that perfectly and broke down the project into phases based on when we would get our funding. The first phase cost $65,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together during the third quarter of 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Different nonprofits like us around the country have been interested in our solution, which eventually will help us create a bonus revenue stream for our organization. However, we first need to package and license it to market it.

In general terms, Designli has been great to work with; they’re very helpful. They’ve been great at translating technical terms into layman’s terms, showing us our different options, and providing us with a robust yet easy-to-understand proposal. From the start, it was easy for us to know where our money would be most effectively spent. Overall, their work is very transparent, so having a trustworthy partner has been very important for us.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

Designli has been great at project management. They’re very responsive, and they hit every deadline. Additionally, they’ve been great at setting expectations, and they’ve delivered what they promised when they promised it.

Designli has also kept us updated throughout the project. We meet weekly, but they’re always available to answer questions. If we have any concerns, they get back to us within one business day, and if we find any issues or bugs, they respond within minutes and fix them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Desingli’s most impressive asset is their ability to convey what clients can do with their budget. Initially, they were great at guiding us through our options, explaining the reasoning behind them, and helping us find the best solution to make our vision a reality based on our budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re very pleased with their services, and they’ve gone above and beyond.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t hesitate to call Designli. They’re very engaging from the beginning, so don’t let the experience of reaching a development company be intimidating for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We were founded to develop a marketing application to help service clubs, churches, and organizations of that type keep track of their members and services they perform. Our way would be easier for the average person to do than was currently available in the market.

My main position is with another company, but my employer is a part of this LLC. I’m helping them out with Designli because of my web design and development experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We hired them to help create our website and mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve done graphic design and prototyping for our web app and mobile app.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with their CEO, their CFO, and a design resource. Taylor (Project Coordinator) and one other resource are also on the team. Taylor was added to facilitate direct communication.

How did you come to work with Designli?

We were trying to decide how best to vet design companies. I wanted to stay away from freelancer platforms because of the size of investment necessary for this project.

We’d requested references from some people, but those were more for larger corporations. My employer stumbled upon Designli, and I enjoyed both their nearby location one state over and their mid-size approach.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since April 2021. The work is paused now at the end of the prototyping phase, and we’ll most likely be bringing on another partner to produce the full applications.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provided design links for how people will interact with the app and website. This is what got us in the door with the company we’re considering for the full development. They can click around in the prototype to get a feel for the solution.

If we had questions about how to use the prototype, Designli responded immediately. They were very responsive and flexible. The process would have gone faster if not for extensive discussions on our side, too.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

They use Basecamp to communicate, along with weekly summary messages and as needed communications if there are any action items. Designli's team was flexible with our preferred live methods of communication, like phone calls or Zoom calls. They were always very attentive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their willingness to work with a wide variety of people and skill levels with technology stands out. This includes investors who don’t have a strong understanding of Basecamp. Designli was open to talking to those people over the phone. I don’t find this flexibility everywhere in the the tech industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Anything that needed to be changed was handled quickly. They didn’t leave us hanging.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have people with different technological familiarities, make sure that the people in direct communication with Designli are able to ask them questions to clarify anything that is confusing, rather than dumping anything they don’t understand down on the next person down the line.