# Despark Despark Reviews (13), Pricing, Services & Verified Ratings - 4.7 out of 5 average review rating - 0 connections joined Despark's Network [Visit Website](https://despark.com/) [Get a Custom Proposal](https://clutch.co/profile/despark) **We create human-first digital products** **We design, build and launch bespoke digital products which guide global change. From startups and SMBs to enterprises, Despark partners with clients to create meaningful impact and compelling human-centric experiences that deliver results.** We’ve spent the last 15 years building digital products. We believe that ideas need validation, nurturing and strategy and the best way to help our clients is to share our experience. With every project we deep-dive into your business and ambitions to consider different creative approaches. We achieve this through workshops, research, design and real-world testing. We believe collaboration brings the best in all of us. Transparency is at the heart of everything we do and every challenge we face is an opportunity to learn and make an impact, together. We’ve built and nurtured a team of some of the most talented minds in the industry and together we can help you with: **► Consulting** - UX/UI audit - Technical architecture audit - Ideation - Prototyping **►** **Discovery & Design** Research - Industry research (competitive benchmarking) - Product research - User research Ideate - UX and UI design - Design system development - Technical architecture design Design - UX and UI design - Project documentation Validate - Key stakeholders validation - User testing **►** **Web and Mobile app development** - Web development - Mobile development - Back-end development - DevOps - Manual and automated testing - Monitoring & maintenance **Got a product idea or looking for innovation? Get in touch.** ## Company Information - Minimum project size: $25,000+ - Hourly rate: $100 - $149 - Number of employees: 10 - 49 - 2 Locations: - London, England (Headquarters) - Sofia, Bulgaria - Founded in 2007 ## Services, Focus Areas, Industries, and Clients ### Service Lines - 30% UX/UI Design - 25% Mobile App Development - 25% Web Development - 15% Product Design - 5% Branding ### Focus Areas - Mobile Focus: - 100% Health & Wellness Mobile App Development - Mobile Platforms: - 100% Hybrid & cross platform apps - Application Platforms: - 50% Amazon Application Development Framework - 25% Azure Platform - 25% Google app engine - Programming & Scripting: - 50% JavaScript - 50% PHP - Frameworks and CMS: - 50% React - 50% React Native ### Industries - 10% Other industries - 5% Advertising & marketing - 20% Education - 20% Financial services - 45% Medical ### Clients - 40% Small Business (<$10M) - 60% Midmarket ($10M - $1B) ## Pricing Snapshot Average rating for cost based on this provider's reviews: 4.6 out of 5 **What Clients Have Said** *(This summary is based on verified Clutch reviews.)*: Despark's pricing varies, with projects costing from £10,400 ($14,200) to £100,000 ($130,000) annually. Clients commend the value for cost, citing effective communication and project management, although some noted higher costs compared to competitors. Overall, clients perceive high quality and responsiveness. **Most Common Project Size**: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 8 reviews *(Pricing information for this provider is based on reviews where the project size was available.)* ### Pricing by Service - Mobile App Development: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 3 reviews - Web Development: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 2 reviews - UX/UI Design: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 1 review - Custom Software Development: $200,000 to $999,999 based on 1 review - Web Design: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review ## Reviews Clutch investigates each reviewer's identity and work history. Every review goes through a rigorous, human-led verification process to confirm the reviewer's identity, and reviews that we verify are visibly marked as 'Verified' so you can trust that they come from a real client. [Learn More](https://help.clutch.co/en/knowledge/how-clutch-verifies-reviews) ### Despark Review Insights Overall Review Rating: 4.7 - Quality: 4.7 - Schedule: 4.6 - Cost: 4.6 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 ### Top Mentions - Great project management (5 mentions) - Flexible (4 mentions) - High-quality work (4 mentions) - Timely (3 mentions) - Understands their clients' needs (3 mentions) - Collaborative (2 mentions) - Communicative (2 mentions) - Honest (2 mentions) - Receptive (2 mentions) - Transparent (2 mentions) - Detail-oriented (1 mentions) - Easy to reach (1 mentions) - Easy to work with (1 mentions) - Establish clear expectations (1 mentions) - Exceptional performance (1 mentions) - Helpful (1 mentions) - Passionate about their work (1 mentions) - Professional (1 mentions) - Puts the customer first (1 mentions) - Reasonable pricing (1 mentions) ### Review Highlights **Effective Project Management** Several reviews praised Despark’s project management, highlighting their use of tools like Basecamp, Monday.com, and Jira for effective communication and progress tracking. Clients appreciated the transparency and regular updates. **App Development Success** Despark has a strong track record in app development, with successful projects in various industries including healthcare, insurance, and education. Clients highlighted the seamless release processes and high download rates. **Client Involvement Encouraged** Despark encourages clients to stay involved throughout the project. This transparency and access to project management tools helped clients provide timely feedback and stay aligned with the development process. **Proactive in Understanding Client Needs** Clients valued Despark’s proactive approach in understanding their business goals and needs. This was evident in their thorough discovery phases and ability to suggest improvements and solutions. **Effective Use of Discovery Phases** Despark’s thorough discovery phases were instrumental in understanding client needs and setting clear project goals. This upfront investment in planning ensured smoother execution and alignment. **Agile Workflow Implementation** Despark employs agile methodologies effectively, with iterative design and development processes that involve regular client feedback. This approach was appreciated for its flexibility and efficiency. **Occasional Communication Delays** A few clients experienced slower communication at times, particularly during busy project phases. However, this issue was generally resolved with regular meetings and improved communication strategies. **Strong Design and UX Expertise** Despark consistently receives high marks for their design and UX capabilities. Clients noted their ability to create professional and engaging interfaces, wireframes, and clickable prototypes, which were well-received by users and stakeholders. **High User Engagement** Despark’s projects often resulted in high user engagement and positive feedback. For example, an app developed for a social network grew significantly in user base and message exchanges within the first month of launch. **Challenges with Proactivity** Some clients noted that while Despark followed briefs well, they could benefit from being more proactive in suggesting new trends or improvements during the project. ### Despark Reviews #### Website Redesign for Insurance Company **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. - Aug. 2022 **Project Summary**: An insurance company hired Despark to help redesign its website and its UX. The project started with a discovery phase and after a couple of meetings and approvals, the team went ahead to implement the changes. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Digital & Strategic Transformation Director, UNIQA Bulgaria - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jun 14, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: Thanks to Despark good job scoping during the discovery phase, almost all designs were approved quickly. They were able to understand what the client want to achieve on their new site. Their workflow was effective and agile. The team was able to follow the brief throughout the project. ""Their communication is easy and things get done quickly and without much struggle/miscommunication."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. I am the strategic and digital transformation director at UNIQA Bulgaria (insurance). **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Despark? We wanted a complete redesign and UX design of our website. **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors? We had set concrete criteria such as level of UX/UI and design expertise, reputation, price and team related factors. Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project. We had a discovery phase during which we held business meetings and discussed the brief and criteria for all website sections, goals and KPIs. Despark then started on the design and after approval, on the development. How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions? The client facing team consisted of a project manager, UX expert and designers. The development team came at a later stage but we had one go-to PM for all questions. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? The design of the new website, as well as UX, were approved fairly quickly because the Despark team had done a good job scoping out the project during the discovery phase and understood well what we were hoping to achieve with the new website. How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? The workflow was very effective. We worked in an agile way. They would design a section of the website and we would evaluate and comment and make adjustments before they would start development. What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? Their communication is easy and things get done quickly and without much struggle/miscommunication. Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently? A bit more proactivity would be appreciated when it comes to suggesting new trends or ways of improving current processes. They pretty much followed the brief. --- #### Mobile App Dev for Training & Coaching Consultancy **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Jan. - July 2020 **Project Summary**: Despark was hired by a training and coaching consultancy to build and develop an iOS-based app. The team collaborated closely with the client in designing the features, wireframe, and UX.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Head of Innovation, CURV/Working Voices - Industry: Education - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Feb 17, 2021 **Feedback Summary**: Since launching on the App Store, the product has achieved a 36%+ click-to-install rate and has been downloaded more than 2000 times in the first month of release. External feedback has been generally positive, garnering a 97% approval rating. ""We're very impressed with their ability to understand the idea and make it better than when we arrived." " **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. CURV is an app that makes self-improvment an easy part of everyday, whoever you are, and whatever the goal. My role within that? The Product Manager and driving force behind the concept. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Despark? To develop an app from start to finish. We had an idea, and no more. What were your goals for this project? To desgin, develop and deliver an app on the App Store, from start to finish. **SOLUTION** How did you select Despark? We spoke to A LOT of agencies. Despark stood out a mile, thanks to their personnel, expeirence and preparation. Describe the project in detail. Together with Despark we built the wireframes & designs, brainstormed the features and UX, and developed an app with CMS, from scratch. They built something that was easily adaptable (we could change text, add content etc. at a click of a button) and managed the release onto the App Store seamlessly. And not only was the product full functioning, but it also looked GREAT as well. What was the team composition? I worked closely with a Product Manager who led a team consiting of designers & developers. It worked well. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? Download now and see for yourself - https://apple.co/2UUOCJ9 We achieved a 36+% click-to-install rate from the App Store (the avg. is. 5.6%) We got 2000 downloads in the first month with very limited marketing spend. The content on the app continues to receive a 97% positive feedback rate. How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? Very. We used Basecamp, for which I could send messages at any point and always received timely responses. What did you find most impressive about this company? We're very impressed with their ability to understand the idea and make it better than when we arrived. Are there any areas for improvement? Testing. I wish I did more testing and this was more ingrained in the process. --- #### Landing Page Dev. & Design for Physiotherapy Software Firm **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Sep. - Nov. 2020 **Project Summary**: Despark designed and developed a website from scratch, from designing the frontend to implementing the backend with a variety of technologies. They delivered animation for the frontpage. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** CTO, Physiotherapy Software Firm - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Dec 11, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: The client is pleased with the website's professionalism, as well as the critical product information that was included. Despark used a suite of management tools to foster cooperation and maintain communication. Future clients will encounter a technically competent partner that responds quickly. ""The project management was really well done. In particular, I felt I was kept in the loop very well." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CTO of a physiotherapy software firm. We’re a small startup. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? I had written a SaaS web app for physiotherapists that plugs into our mobile app. We wanted a company to create a marketing homepage for our site to show the product. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We had a very basic site that I had written as a temporary measure. Despark started from scratch and designed and developed our landing page. I gave them the logo and a design file with writing terms but they built several wireframing designs before development began. They also made the entire homepage of the website, which was about four pages. There was also the main page and one for each of the products, plus a contact us page. They designed the entire site from scratch. They also provided an illustration for the main site with a small repeating animation. We didn’t have the budget for professional voiceover videos, and we mainly used stock photos that I picked out and screenshots of our product mockups. They used React with Gatsby for the frontend, as well as CSS and JavaScript. They gave me the project and I uploaded it to Firebase for hosting. Finally, they added Google Analytics. What is the team composition? We worked with two project managers and a frontend developer. How did you come to work with Despark? My business partner chose Despark. He went with them because they had experience in the health sector. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent £10,400 pounds (approximately $14,200 USD). What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in September until November 2020. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Since this was an entire rewrite from scratch, there weren’t any quantitative success metrics. All we wanted was a product page that looked like it was professionally designed and featured some key elements of our products that weren’t obvious on our previous, basic website. I personally think they succeeded pretty well. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? Project management was great. They used Basecamp for all communication and Figma for the design mockups and wireframes and design comments. All the other comments and feedback, I sent through Basecamp. We had weekly calls once or twice a week, but they weren’t scheduled. What did you find most impressive about them? The project management was really well done. In particular, I felt I was kept in the loop very well. Every time I posted a message, they always got back to me within a day. Usually, it was on the same day. They provided details that I found to be very helpful. I could ask questions of a technical nature and one of the developers would get back to me with a more technical answer which was great. Are there any areas they could improve? There was a little hiccup in the design section and the project did go over time by one week. We took a look at the design with some fresh eyes before development started and realized it wasn’t as impressive as we would have liked. We got back to them and asked for changes. They were quite receptive. That’s the reason it went over budget by a few hundred pounds. Do you have any advice for potential customers? It seems to me it’s very much a waterfall model of software development. It very much goes through a wireframe design and development stage. Once you’ve completed a stage, it’s sort of difficult to go back. I wouldn’t have considered the way this project was developed as an agile design methodology. --- #### App Development and Design for Social Media Network **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Feb. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Despark built a social app for a startup. Using React Native, they made suggestions to expand existing wireframes, developed the app, and created a suite of user avatars. They also built the affiliated website. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, Pixelpal - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 28, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Within a month, the userbase grew by 3,500 active members with a high level of engagement. Despark was transparent and communicative throughout the process and was realistic with their estimates. They kept their promises and will join the project again shortly to facilitate new functionality. "“I’ve worked with other developers, but I’ve never worked with a firm that gave me so much access.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. One of my side projects is a company I created as a chat app for introverts. It’s a safer social network for people with anxiety. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? I went through two other companies as I tried to get the idea, wireframes, and a working MVP. The only company who succeeded was Despark. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? I brought the wireframes and ideas to them, and they helped me build and launch the MVP. When I went to them, there were things I had overlooked or underestimated. They adapted to this half-baked project and walked me through the process. This was my first app, and they helped me see the things that were missing and suggested improvements. The app was built using React Native and was immediately available for both iOS and Android. I asked them to do some illustration work, and they provided that for the app. A key element in the UX is avatar selection, and users can choose from 24 different characters that Despark provided. I gave them an initial brief, but it was rather vague. They delivered exactly what I wanted on the first try. They were almost able to read my mind. They also created the website, which created the right continuity between all the pieces. What is the team composition? I interacted with a project manager, an illustrator, and a frontend developer. They were involved on a daily basis. How did you come to work with Despark? I worked with them about ten years ago on a few small Facebook apps. I had a positive experience with them, so I reached out for their help for this project. We had a quick meeting, and the process was very straightforward right away. How much have you invested with them? The cost was around €30,000 (approximately $36,000 USD). What is the status of this engagement? We first discussed the possibility of working together in late 2018 and started the collaboration in February 2019, which is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Building a social network is difficult in 2019, and my expectations were low. Even though the app has no marketing behind it, it grows by 500-600 new users each week. Within a month, the userbase grew above 3,500. User engagement is very high, and about 120,000 messages passed between users in the first month. I’m about to invest more with them to add new features and increase the sophistication and complexity of the app. We’ll add better sharing and other options shortly. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? The whole process was very transparent. I had access to their task management tools, I could see which team member was responsible for what, and I knew which tasks relied on information from me. I’ve worked with other developers, but I’ve never worked with a firm that gave me so much access. We used their internal channels, Slack, and their bug reporting tools. We had a status call every Friday, and we met occasionally in person. What did you find most impressive about them? They guided me through the process, and they were very clear with the information I needed to give them so they could move forward. They gave me a very realistic idea of what was feasible and when pieces could be completed. There were no broken promises. Are there any areas they could improve? Overall, my experience with them is very positive. They did a really good job, and I can’t think of anything they should improve. Do you have any advice for potential customers? To get the most from them, participate in their process. They offer transparency and access, so keep up with them and monitor their work. I was often the bottleneck, but always knew when I needed to give feedback. --- #### Web Development for Mental Health Org. **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Apr. 2018 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Despark is developing the front- and backend for a bespoke web application from concept to final product via multiple iterations. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Product Manager, Mental Health Organization - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 2, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: The product’s first phase has been rolled out to positive feedback and high enthusiasm. Honest, friendly, and flexible, Despark focuses on solutions and is responsive to feedback. They’ve established a strong partnership with the client who views them as an in-house development team. "“They work very collaboratively with us—and we can tell that they want to make the product work as much as we do.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the product manager at a mental well-being organization. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We wanted to turn an existing mental well-being program into an online offering to be able to scale up from a few hundred people to a few thousand people. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Despark manages all the development for our bespoke web application. They were involved from the beginning. We had the initial idea which they helped us to scope out including user journeys and functionality requirements. They did all the wireframing. They’ve built the front- and backend, managed testing, and helped us deploy the product. We completed the first phase in six months and are now in the second phase. What is the team composition? I’m in constant contact with four people, and I know there’s a bigger team behind them. How did you come to work with Despark? I searched for the best development agencies in London where we're based, and they came up. Despark has an office here but is mostly based in Bulgaria. I sent a brief to them and a few other agencies. When they came to pitch, they were highly professional. They had a sound understanding of what we were trying to achieve. They were responsive to suggestions and had a “can-do” attitude with solutions to everything that we came up with. They always provide a little bit of extra value when they send over proposals or pitch something. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in April 2018, and it’s ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We’ve successfully rolled out the first phase of the product to 500 people. The feedback has been strongly positive. Everyone is very enthusiastic about the project. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? We Skype a couple of times a week and use Basecamp for day-to-day communication as well as email and phone when necessary. They've also been willing to travel to the UK so have met us and represented us in client meetings on a few occasions. They've been great. We use project management tools to collaborate. They provide regular status updates. They let us know promptly if anything it's not going to be on time. What did you find most impressive about them? They go above and beyond in terms of coming up with different solutions. They’re more than happy to make changes and work through several iterations. No task has seemed to bother them. They’re receptive to feedback and offer us their own honest opinions when they think a feature of functionality won’t work from the user experience or development perspective. They work very collaboratively with us—and we can tell that they want to make the product work as much as we do. They’re friendly, honest people to work with. Are there any areas they could improve? I don’t think so. Our product has changed rapidly, and they’ve responded well to that. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Invest in a thorough discovery process. They know what questions to ask, and they’re keen to understand your product entirely. The more clearly they understand your goals, the better the product you’ll get. --- #### Cross-Platform App Dev for Charity **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Nov. 2018 - Jan. 2019 **Project Summary**: Despark built an iOS and Android app, collaborating with internal teams. They conducted a discovery phase and did both design and development. They also maintained the app. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Associate Product Manager, Charity - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 1, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Despark had superior project management and excelled at tracking progress and holding regular meetings. The product received positive feedback, with users saying it was engaging and easy to navigate. A third-party partner tested the app and said it was high-quality code. "“They went above and beyond what was expected, and their communication was excellent.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m an associate program manager at a U.K. charity that helps young people get skills, training, and funding for businesses and employment opportunities. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We have a fundraising challenge for our corporate partners and their employees where they get sponsored to walk 10,000 steps every day in February. It was quite a manual process to track steps, record them, and manage our leader board, so we needed a partner to develop an app that would make it smoother and easier to do. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We put together a brief for Despark, which included existing pain points and participant journeys. They then did their own discovery work, fleshing out some of the information we provided. From there, they took existing brand assets and did design work and built wireframes for the new app. They worked on the project from inception to launch, collaborating with our internal teams on things like hosting and email integration. They built the app with React, and it’s for both iOS and Android. During the month of February, they supported and maintained the app, as well. What is the team composition?  Our main points of contact are two project managers: one for the design phase and one for the build phase. We also worked with a UX producer and some developers. How did you come to work with Despark? A colleague had worked with Despark before, but we also did some online research. We saw their profile on Clutch and were impressed.  What is the status of this engagement? The project lasted from November–January 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The initial feedback was highly positive. A lot of people who participated in the event last year and this year said it was much easier because of the app. They said it was engaging and fun to check their fundraising and step progress. We had a third-party partner test the app, and they said it was so well-made that we should continue to work with whoever built it. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? We wanted a quick turnaround time for a fairly complex app, but they did a great job delivering what we wanted. They used Monday.com and Jira to track project progress, and we had regular calls over Skype and Google Hangouts. What did you find most impressive about them? Before even getting the contract, they did exploratory work to better understand our goals and provide an effective solution. The CEO even came to the pitch. They went above and beyond what was expected, and their communication was excellent. Are there any areas they could improve? Things could’ve been more clearly outlined, but we had a short deadline, so it wasn’t really their fault. --- #### Web App Dev for Nurse Staffing Technology **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Mar. 2018 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: From wireframes to scope to deployment, Despark is developing and designing a custom web application for temporary nurse staffing. Key features include a compliance process and hospital integration. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-Founder, Altrix - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 13, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: The MVP, which is ready to launch, has received positive feedback from key stakeholders. Despark keeps the process moving and on budget while guiding the project through the entire development cycle. Communication can be stifled by distance, but efficiency and quality of work generally win the day. ""They've done a great job making the web app simple and easy to use." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a co-founder of Altrix, a web-based marketplace for temporary nurse staffing in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? A massive staffing challenge in the NHS has led them to spend £3.5 billion on temporary nurse recruitment in 2016–2017, of which £400 million was fees to recruiters. Our goal is to increase efficiency — and save the NHS money — by automating and digitizing the temporary staffing recruitment process. We needed a partner with the technology expertise and capability to help us build a web application. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Despark is designing and developing a recruitment web app that's scalable and optimized for mobile. It enables nurses to work through the compliance process with us and then they be listed as available to book shifts. Hospitals can also publish their staffing needs on the web app. They took our conceptual idea and translated it into documented user requirements. Leading the project through the development cycle, they provided the scope and wireframes, as well as developing an end-to-end solution. The minimum viable product (MVP) is complete, and ready to go live early next month with our first hospital. Then they will do enhancements based on any issues that come up from the go-live process. What is the team composition? We engage with three people on a day to day basis. There's another 4–5 people working on graphic design and customer engagement. How did you come to work with Despark? My co-founder met their CEO when we were looking to build this product. We looked at several other companies, and they came out on top. We thought they’d be a good fit because they could meet our timeline and work within our budget. We also looked at examples of their previous work and liked what they could deliver. What is the status of this engagement? The main scope of work began in March 2018 and the engagement is ongoing. They mocked up wireframes for us to take to potential investors in December 2017, but work on the MVP didn’t start until the spring. The web application is the first planned phase of the project. Once it’s launched, Despark will develop an iOS and Android mobile app. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The feedback has been very positive. They've done a great job making the web app simple and easy to use. We've tested it with nurses and hospitals, and they’re pleased with the platform. The real test will be when we go live in a couple of weeks. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? Their team is strong on project management. They really led the whole process. We had a lot to learn because we haven't built something like this before. We've gone over to Bulgaria twice, and we've had a handful of face-to-face meetings here in London. The bulk of our communication is Skype and phone calls. What did you find most impressive about them? They've really taken our team on a journey. We had an idea that we wanted to do, but no real way of knowing how to achieve it. They've helped us with all facets of the project from start to finish. It’s impressive to find a partner that can scope out what an idea might look like, as well as designing, building, and deploying the app. Are there any areas they could improve? Project elements can sometimes get over complicated working with the remote team. I'm old fashioned, and believe that face-to-face conversations can cut through those kinds of complexities quicker. It’s a tradeoff. We chose the low cost option based in Bulgaria as opposed to a London-based team. --- #### UX Design for Startup Bank **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Nov. 2017 - Jan. 2018 **Project Summary**: Despark designed wireframes and clickable prototypes of the UX for Android and iOS applications for a bank. They arranged testing with clients to refine the build and helped design the app’s features. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Insight & Strategy Director, GKBK - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 25, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Despark’s work garnered positive feedback from key constituents, particularly their clickable prototypes. Their work brought ideas to life and laid the groundwork for the future of the apps. They quickly understood the work at hand and delivered it swiftly and affordably. "“Their flexibility and willingness to do a great job made them stand out.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the insight and strategy director of GKBK, a startup bank which is looking to launch into the digital retail market. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We had a concept that aligned well with customer needs, and we wanted to make a first iteration of the user experience of the mobile app. We wanted to map out all the features of the user experience and also test it with customers in order to refine and shape it. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Despark brought our vision to life in terms of wireframes and UX. They produced clickable prototypes with the wireframes so we could test the product with our target audience. The UX work was done for both Android and iOS apps. They also worked on web journeys, but the focus was on the mobile app. We worked through every journey in the app. We designed a total of 150 screens, the vast majority of the app’s features and functionalities. This set the foundation for moving to the design phase. They worked collaboratively with our team to do user testing with the wireframes and clickable prototypes. We put those in front of target users and had them complete the key journeys. We also looked at some of the key features to understand what needed refining. They organized and led those research sessions with clients. I will use them again when we come to the UI and turn the UX into high-fidelity interfaces. What is the team composition? I’ve primarily worked with their CSO who acted as the liaison for the team. How did you come to work with Despark? I found a website that offered reviews for UX agencies and gave information on each one’s size and specialization. I spoke to a few people from different agencies, and Despark impressed me from the start. We asked them for a proposal and ended up selecting them for their UX expertise and specialist support on UX design. How much have you invested with them? The cost of their work was £35,000 ($46,475 USD), which was a great value for what we got. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Despark in November 2017 and finished in January 2018. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our team and board were very impressed with the wireframes, particularly with the clickable prototypes. Seeing those prototypes helped bring the proposition to life for the internal team. These wireframes and clickable prototypes are invaluable for moving forward. They started with a good understanding of our vision and translated it back to the team. They came up with wireframes and journeys that brought the product to life. They only needed to do one or two iterations before we got to the point of being happy with them. They were able to do a lot in a short time, which I was most impressed with. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? They were there when they said they would be, and took care of everything. They kept me well-informed of what would be happening and when, and things happened on time. It was a painless experience. Despark went above and beyond. We got more screens than initially discussed, and they were reasonable in this regard. Some of those screens were obviously simple repetitions with only minor tweaks. There was no debate or argument around this, just a common sense approach. They delivered everything effortlessly. We used a number of tools for communication including Basecamp, which they shared with us. We also used email and InVision, and a lot of the work was done face-to-face. Their CSO collocated with us for just over three weeks. What did you find most impressive about them? Their flexibility and willingness to do a great job made them stand out. Value for money and speed were also great. I will use them again. Are there any areas they could improve? I have PDF journeys of the outputs and user experience flows, but it would have been helpful to have them in a more easily exportable format. We have to use InVision to follow the user journey and pull out separate screens to create it ourselves. --- #### UX/UI for E-Learning Platform **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. - May 2017 **Project Summary**: Despark started by assisting in strategizing on the business model. Then, they designed and executed the UI/UX for an e-learning platform. They continue to refine the work. **Review Rating**: 4.0 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Almentor - Industry: Education - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 8, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Despark delivered the work as planned, but with an even nicer format. Although their rates are higher than their competitors, their high-quality work makes their rates worthwhile. They excel in project management, offering flexibility and professionalism with shifts in scope. "“We were wise to choose them.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CEO of Almentor.net, an online video marketplace for e-learning and development. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We had a new initiative to build a high-quality, video-based digital learning platform. The major challenge was to make sure that the user experience would not be overly sophisticated and that it would be easy to use. We needed to focus on promoting self-education. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The first six weeks were consumed with planning and discussing the business model. We approached the business model together, which was not very mature in our heads at the time. We started the project 16 months before our launch, so Despark helped us a lot in challenging our business model. Despark was in charge of the UI/UX design for our responsive web platform. The UX part was challenging in the beginning, but the UI work went flawlessly after that. We agreed on a color scheme of black, red, and white. We haven’t executed the mobile application yet. What is the team composition? I worked with five members of their team, mainly with the project manager and the COO of the company. How did you come to work with Despark? I received a referral from a good friend who’d had a good experience with Despark. We talked to several vendors and found a synergy and chemistry with Despark. How much have you invested with them? I don’t recall the exact cost. The cost was relatively high compared with the average prices in this part of the world. On the other hand, we were wise to choose them. We knew that the quality would be better, and this is what we received. It was a wise decision to choose Despark even though it cost 20–25% more than other vendors. What is the status of this engagement? We worked with Despark from January–May 2017. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our decision to go with them paid off. They delivered what they promised and what we thought would be best practices. They helped us create a nicer format than we’d imagined. We have changed 10–15% of the overall UX based on the feedback from a three-month beta phase. We have learned a lot about the learners in our market, and we continue to make changes and upgrade the experience. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? This is their area of strength and what I like about them. They use tools for project management and ad hoc requests. They provide periodic reports on a monthly and weekly basis for all levels, not only technical work. They provide reports for contractual and financial matters as well. We communicate via phone and email, and three of their members visited our office in Dubai. It was a push and pull process. We had ad hoc requests at times. We came up with ideas and had urgent meetings to discuss them. We changed our plan, and they showed a lot of flexibility in calculating the workload and listing extra costs. It was handled in a professional manner. What did you find most impressive about them? They’re all pleasant people. Are there any areas they could improve? They might need representation nearer to our location. --- #### App Dev for Mountain Resort Users **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Dec. 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Despark supports the development of a transactional platform for ski services, mapping the product and customer journey and creating a mobile interface and backend for iOS and Android.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, MYDAHU - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 4, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Through Despark’s systematic approach, the app has met technical and business objectives consistently. The team’s scalable structure, insightful direction, reasonable price point, and likable resources continue to add value.  ""Despark is flexible in helping us strategize."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the founder and lead shareholder of a company that provides an on-demand application for services in ski areas across Europe. The company is made up of myself, 2 investors, and a brand manager.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We were looking for a third-party to help us develop our transactional platform, including its mobile interface and backend.  **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Despark helped us map out our product and customer journey, from the user interface and backend to wireframing and functionality. Once this was completed, they also helped us develop our promotional website. We plan to use Despark to develop our entire system but haven’t started the process. They are developing our app for iOS and Android. It’s an on-demand services app, with features like creating profiles, transacting and creating bookings, and providing customer ratings and experience feedback. Most people will be interacting with the service through tablets or phones while on vacation. How did you come to work with Despark? I interviewed a bunch of developers in the U.K. Despark had a good full-service product, and I liked their team, so we started the collaboration. How much have you invested with them? It’s hard to comment without an end-product. Depending on the approach, we can have a wide range of prices, but the value-add is framing the concept and making sure that the solution makes sense. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Despark around December 2016. The project is ongoing.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? I can’t comment on the actual backend code, but Despark has a systematic approach to the work. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? They’re quite good in this respect. We are approaching the project from the business side, and don’t have a background in development. We know the industry and the business model but are not familiar with building the actual technology. Despark has been a great coach, discussing what was and wasn’t important at each stage. When developing something, we can do everything or only attempt a few things. Despark has been adept and helping us think through the process. We use Basecamp for managing the workspace. The team is comprised of 6–10 people. Different work streams are managed by the people responsible for them. I’ve generally worked with one member of Despark’s team on the marketing side, and another for UI or UX. They provide great senior level attention and are easy to work with.  What did you find most impressive about them? Despark has a U.K. presence, but they’re in Bulgaria, so the development costs are lower. They’re good at helping us think through our options for spending the budget. This is ultimately a CapEx investment. We know what the product needs to be, but there are obviously features we want and others we don’t want. Despark is flexible in helping us strategize. Are there any areas they could improve? I haven’t seen the end-product, but they’ve been a good partner thus far, and I don’t have anything negative to say about them.  --- #### iOS & Android Dev for Expectant Mother Health Info **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Dec. 2014 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Despark developed iOS and Android versions of a healthcare information app for parents. Several iterations incorporated user feedback, including developing of user avatars and refining the look of the app. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Deputy CEO, Best Beginnings - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 3, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Despark are flexible and strategic collaborators, providing clarity in their communication and taking responsive action to feedback. The award-winning app is now downloaded over 1000 times per week, and is well-received by its user base who praise its attractive design. "“Despark’s team is strategic, approachable, flexible, and responsive.”" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. We’re a UK-based charity focused on child health and equality that creates digital resources to support parents for better health outcomes.  I am the deputy CEO and oversee all our operations. I am the lead for our work with Despark on a day-to-day basis, managing the project along with their project manager. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We needed to create an app for public health information. It’s a guide for moms-to-be that tailors the information it provides for each user, depending on the stage they are at in their pregnancy. In the UK, those who are most at risk of poor maternity outcomes are the people who miss appointments and don’t have access to information. The app is built to help those people. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We worked with Despark to develop our iOS and Android apps. We had a spec, from which Despark created wireframes and we worked through multiple iterations. The app they created has several main features. Users register their information on the apps to help guide them through the antenatal and postnatal journey. It syncs with a user's calendar to include appointments. There are also features for users to log questions they need to remember to ask their doctor, and the option to ask the app the question and receive answers in text and video content.  After the apps’ first iteration, we had teenage moms review it. They wanted something more personal and attractive, so we came up with the idea of having an avatar. One of the beautiful things which Despark’s designers did was to create these personalized avatars.  How did you come to work with Despark? Previously, we created DVD film content, then we won grant money to create a maternity app. We put out a tender, which included a large, 100-page spec, and shortlisted 3 different companies. Out of those, Despark won. How much have you invested with them? Our current retainer with Despark is almost £100,000 [$130,000] per year. It was more when we were doing active development work, ranging in the hundreds of thousands. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Despark around 2012, and the app officially launched in November 2014.  We’re trying to get funding to develop the next version of the app. Despark has done some discovery work, but currently, we don’t have the finances to bring it to life. They know we're trying to find investment, and asked for a meeting to determine how they could help us win the tender and retain our users. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We keep track of our metrics through a training process and integration into care pathways and community networks. Currently, we have 1,200 to 1,300 downloads per week. We also receive user feedback on a weekly basis, through the built-in function. People have found the app easy to use and engaging. We received some comments that the functionalities need to increase. When the app was created three years ago we had different expectations than now, this is why we want to build the next version.  Generally speaking, however, the app was well-received. People love the avatars and the app’s look. It’s beautiful and engaging. Despark loved hearing about the impact we are having, and together we applied for industry awards, many of which we won. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? I meet Despark’s CEO every month in the UK. If he is unavailable, we will have a telephone or Skype conversation. We have weekly scrums between our project manager and theirs, in order to set the work program. We have a part-time project manager and a full-time backend developer on their team. On a personal level, I really enjoy working with them. Despark’s team is strategic, approachable, flexible, and responsive. We aren't always easy to work with, as we’ve gone through lots of changes, but Despark did incredibly well in helping us grow our vision into a reality.  Overall, Despark is wonderful to work with. I am a complete tech novice, and they’ve explained information in layman’s terms. In their communication with us, they have supported our ability to make good decisions. What did you find most impressive about them? Their discovery phase was reflective and user-focused. I haven’t worked with other developers, so I don’t know what other people do, but it was a collaborative process. Despark’s designers are incredible. I look at competitor apps regularly and haven’t seen anything that came close to ours, which has an elegance to it. Are there any areas they could improve? We had a bumpy patch, where communication was lacking on both sides. This improved and we adopted the system of regular conversations a year ago, when I came onboard. Despark were always willing to improve and were reflective of their practice. They're the kind of company which will work with the client to fix something that isn’t working --- #### Web Dev for Internet Job Site **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: June 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Despark created a new website from scratch by combining 2 career platforms into a diversity-focused bespoke solution. After designing UX personalization and branding elements, they now manage enhancements.  **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 3.5 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Vercida - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jul 31, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The freshly launched platform has boosted organic traffic and prompted users to spend 2 minutes longer browsing the site, on average. Despark’s humanitarian emphasis, fair pricing, and ability to handle a hefty scope continue to add value.   ""Despark did a good job, and I’m happy with the results."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the CEO of Vercida.com.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Despark? We were trying to combine 2 websites into 1—a careers website and a WordPress site, both of which had different functionalities. We needed to merge those sites into a bespoke solution that met our needs. The first site was DiversityJobs.co.uk, which is a job board, while TheBigIdea.co.uk is an employer value proposition and showcase site. They both had different functionalities; the showcase site was able to present companies as employers of choice, based on their diversity and equality information. In order to give users a much better experience and not make them traverse from 1 URL to another, we wanted to combine those 2 sites into a bespoke product. The challenge was that nobody had done this before in our industry, so the coding needed to be done from scratch, as we couldn’t go out and buy a white-label product.  **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The website was coded using several products and programming languages, without a ready-made CMS like WordPress. We wanted the website to present engaging content to users based on their reading habits. If, for example, a mother or father was returning to work after parental leave, once that person started reading articles based on interest around employers, the site would start presenting more relevant content to that individual. The site configures itself, personalizing each user’s experience. Another important feature was merging the diversity and equality needs of the employer into their resourcing or recruiting needs. In order to do this, we placed the diversity information at the center of job descriptions, so that users would consume that content when reading the descriptions. The content became personalized to that individual and changed their perception. Despark did this beautifully. We had already done research using our previous site, so we were clear in our brief. The UX was designed by Despark, who also worked on our branding and font. We knew what name we wanted and had some presentation ideas. They nailed it by giving us many different examples of how the site could look and letting us choose a design. We thought that Despark had bitten off more than they could chew with this project, but they’ve actually come up with the goods, even though the process took a bit longer than expected. What is the team dynamic? At its peak, 8–9 people were assigned to our team. How did you come to work with Despark? They were sharing an office in the U.K. with a company that we’d used to develop our previous site. That company explained that this project was too big for them, so they steered us towards Despark. How much have you invested with them? The final figures will be between $90,000 to $110,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Despark in June 2016. The site is a perpetual work in progress.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Although the site’s live, we’re trying to integrate with a few external providers, so we’re not going to start traffic-driving until next week, when DiversityJobs.co.uk will be switched off. In terms of the organic traffic finding its way to our site, users are spending 2 minutes longer on the new site than on the previous site. There is a lot more stickiness to this new product. How did Despark perform from a project management standpoint? The relationship was great to begin with, a bit muddled in the middle, and fantastic at the end. Despark visited our office, and we went to them a few times. We initially met in their Covent Garden office in London for the sales process. We have used everything from Skype to Basecamp and Google Hangouts to coordinate. What did you find most impressive about them? We noticed that the previous sites Despark had worked on were humanitarian-based, including an app for a company that helps women and babies. They had the right feel in terms of ethics, and we didn’t see Despark as a money-grabbing agency purely out for personal gain. They cared about what was going to be delivered to the world, which matched our own operation and goals. Are there any areas they could improve? This is a difficult question because we don’t have a means of comparison. Despark handled the work well, and their CEO is a fair negotiator. The time of build could have been estimated better at the beginning, but this ultimately cost them, not us. We worked on a fixed fee, and Despark delivered for that fee. Despark did a good job, and I’m happy with the results.  --- #### Mobile App for Health Company **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Aug. 2018 - Mar. 2019 **Project Summary**: Despark designed and developed an iOS and Android app in React Native for a health company.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Healthyco - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Oct 25, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Despark's efforts were met with a positive reception. Customers can expect a passionate team with a succinct attention to detail.  ""Our workflow was perfect." " **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. Healthyco is a mobile application which helps patients consult foreign physicians and get а second opinion about a health problem. Through the product you can find foreign physicians, schedule and pay for appointments and perform online video consultations with them in just a few taps. I am the co-founder and CEO of the company **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Despark? We hired Despark to develop our mobile app for iOS and Android using React Native. Following the wireframes and design created by another consultants with the help of our product team. What were your goals for this project? The main goal was to keep the delivery within the initially agreed budget and at the same time do not change the currently outlined and defined scope dramatically - keep the focus and key features of the product. Despark did great job with this following Scrum based approach with interactive daily stand-ups and productive sprint prioritisation and review meetings. **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor? We know Despark is a one of the leaders in the local market when it comes to delivering bespoke digital products. We also think that their experience in the health and startup space is very key when selecting a partner to spin-off the first version of a digital product. Describe the project in detail. We provided Despark with a full set of wireframes and design files which were created by our product team. The main challenge was to collaboratively work on adjusting the scope based on our set budget without loosing the product focus and goal. Despark were using React Native to deliver two mobile applications - iOS and Android, following a Scrum based approach. In the process we were doing daily stand-ups to dynamically adjust the product scope so that we keep the originally planned budget and timeline intact. What was the team composition? One senior Frontend React Native developer, one Full Stack Developer and a Project manager / Scrum master **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? We were able to deliver the initially agreed scope within the budget with a small additional fee which covered the unforeseen problems How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? Our workflow was perfect. What did you find most impressive about this company? The passion about technology, healthcare and attention to detail Are there any areas for improvement? The communication was sometimes a bit slow --- ## Portfolio & Awards ### How an improved UX delivers business gains The challenge The MedUNIQA app offered useful services but not many UNIQA policyholders were registered in the app, and often preferred to visit the UNIQA office instead. The UNIQA team focused on improving the MedUNIQA app in four key directions: Increase the number of new users. Increase the number of active users. Increase the number of online doctor consultations. Find additional revenue streams.   Our approach We conducted a UX/UI audit to find the issues that were preventing people from using the app and did user interviews with UNIQA employees and UNIQA clients. The audit led us to valuable insights:   Internal client registration was taking too long. There was limited background information about the doctors. There was no option to upsell additional health coverages in the app.   The solution Simplified the user registration form into a more seamless journey. Included ratings and user reviews for each doctor to help users make an informed decision. Refined the app’s visual identity into a warmer, friendly vision. Included additional space within the design for promoting related insurance products.   Results that speak volumes 57% Increase in monthly user registrations 15% Increase in doctor’s consultations bookings +200% Increase in users who booked online consultations   Users now enjoy a simplified registration process, a quick and easy way to book a medical appointment, improved navigation and a new look and feel of the app that’s more welcoming and comforting. ### Redesigning the biggest e-learning platform in BG Summary   Ucha.se is the biggest education platform in Bulgaria, with over 1 million users and numerous schools across the country. The platform includes short video lessons for K-12 learners that explain the school material in a simple and easy-to-understand language. After each lesson, children can check their knowledge with a test and revise what they learned through mind maps.   While students and teachers alike found the video lessons very valuable and engaging, Ucha.se noticed that some students didn’t renew their subscription during the summer vacation. This rate of ‘lost users’, also called churn rate meant the company had a good amount of active users but had a hard time growing the user base year on year.   Approach   The Ucha.se team wanted to tackle this issue by creating a mobile app that could make the whole experience much smoother and available on every device. Moreover, the app could help strengthen the connection with students, as they can receive news, new lessons uploads and reminders directly on their phone.    Despark’s mission was to support the already awesome video lessons in the platform with an equally strong UX and UI both in the web and mobile versions. To that end, we: Redesigned the platform so it looks modern, consistent and appealing for all user groups Made all platform features easily accessible and user-friendly Improved the functionality of the platform   The Result: A 100% increase in video lesson watch rates!   With the refreshed design and an improved UX/UI, Ucha.se learners can now benefit from a smoother experience and easier access to key features. A sleek new look and feel welcomes users from all ages and backgrounds - from the youngest learners, through teenagers, to teachers.   In the year after the redesign, daily website visits increased from 20 000+ to 30 000 and daily watched video lessons went up from 30 000+ to over 60 000 on average - a 100% increase in watch rates!  ### Building an accessible learning platform The Challenge   Help Me Thrive aims to enable all children, including the most disadvantaged, to access education and develop their full potential in an inclusive and protective society. Our job was to design and deliver the platform which would become the hub empowering learners, educators, parents and specialists to come together and help young people thrive. The platform would deliver video content tailored to the needs of children with disabilities and special needs, allowing better collaboration among families and professionals.    Approach   During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became even more pressing that groups of vulnerable children should not be excluded from remote learning. We interviewed over 20 specialists working with the families to get a better understanding of how the current programme works, and how it would translate to the new platform. We then created the design prototypes via wireframes, which we tested with groups of parents and specialists, including those with varying accessibility needs. We created the user interfaces based on feedback to be accessible to those with visual impairments, who need high contrast and high colour buttons, meeting complex accessibility standard (WCAG 2.1 AA).   Results   Launched in September 2021, the ‘Help Me Thrive’ platform gives children, their parents, and the specialists supporting them full access to a space where: Parents can apply and be approved for a support program for their child Parents can apply and be approved for a support program for their child Children can navigate through the different lessons in the platform thanks to highest accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA). All users are able to communicate and share files through the platform using a messaging tool.    At the end of the project, we also organised training sessions with specific guidelines for admins, specialists, teachers and families to ensure everyone can make the best use of the platform. ### Securely sharing medical records Summary Startup Tamedocs wanted to improve the way that medical records are shared between health insurance providers and GP practices, eliminating the frustrating bottlenecks that traditional methods of sharing create. We worked with them to build a digital platform that allows consent to be given and documents shared, stored and amended, allowing GPs, insurers and patients to access records and get claims processed more quickly. Achieving efficiency for health insurers was the main project goal, in order to improve the time consuming and admin-heavy way claims are traditionally processed. This normally involves a patient giving consent via GP visit for medical records to be shared, and lengthy back-and-forth communication. Tamedocs would also provide benefits for patients, allowing them to access their own medical records at any time without lodging a specific request.     Approach During discovery, we created detailed user flows to work out what else was needed in terms of functionalities and created some low-fidelity wireframes to demonstrate the missing screens and any amendments to the initial designs. The wireframes were shared with an external design agency, who created the updated and remaining designs.  Following this, the development team reviewed the screens in more detail and we went through a process of refining the flow and clarifying functionality in more detail. Development is carried out one user flow at a time, with additional clarifications answered as we develop the platform.    Results With the help Tamedocs, insurers can now speed up complex medical insurance underwriting with easy and fast access to patients’ relevant medical information & core data records in a structured format.  Patients, on the other hand, can save time from extra visits to the GP and get faster quotes from insurers by sharing their data securely, transparently and efficiently  through the Tamedocs platform. ### Healthyco Two entrepreneurs from Bulgaria with backgrounds in the digital and health industries wanted to empower patients in Eastern Europe to access foreign doctors via a new digital platform. By breaking down barriers such as location, language and payment, Healthyco was designed to meet the needs of digitally literate users who wanted to be able to consult specialists for a second opinion on health problems without leaving their home. The platform would give physicians from Western Europe the opportunity to reach a new patient base without the geographical limitations of traditional practice. ### Simplifying the nurse recruitment process Summary   The Altrix team set out to disrupt a £3.6bn market in the UK by delivering an Uber-like experience so hospitals could quickly and easily fill available shifts, saving the NHS up to 85% on fees traditionally spent on recruitment agencies. By providing a new hybrid model with fixed and transparent fees, built in compliance and no added recruitment burden for hospitals, Altrix would enable pre-approved nurses to directly accept suitable shifts from their smartphones.    Altrix approached us at a very early phase and went through the full product development cycle with Despark: ideation, discovery, design, development and release iterations.   Approach We used detailed discovery and design phases to define the general functionalities and layout, then entered a sprint-based development cycle. During discovery we held a number of workshops with the Altrix team and interviewed key industry stakeholders. This enabled us to properly outline the features of the product and identify which functionalities we needed to deliver during this stage in order to prove the concept and launch to deadline.   The flexible sprint-based delivery and the constant communication between the development team, design team and the client allowed us to make strategic decisions on the go, aligning priorities with progress. We also used longer development iterations for features which couldn’t be released incrementally, followed by a more scrum-oriented delivery in order to improve or enhance the features.   Results   • Product meets strict NHS app development and security standards   • Secured project funding within 3 months of the first version launch    • 98+% of NHS on-Framework compliance of the Altrix-provided nurses   • First hospital trust onboarded to the platform within 3 months   • 53 active compliant nurses onboarded for first hospital tests   • First shift booked within the first 3 days of hospital testing • Helped one NHS Trust save £30,000 in nursing agency fees in February ‘19 alone ### Kooth The problem we wanted to collaboratively solve with Kooth was to provide young people with an anonymous, safe and friendly way to talk to someone, anywhere. We began by reviewing all existing documentation and analysis, as well as holding stakeholder interviews to understand the real challenges being experienced with the current platform and service. We also covered some of the technical capacities and challenges. We used the results to define the end product, prioritise features and to develop user stories. Considering the audience and sensitive nature of the service, usability and consideration for the counselling experience were paramount to the product success. The user journey was designed to encourage users to seek support at any time so even when the online counselors are unavailable late at night, Kooth serves up advice and support for the user. Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/kooth-from-xenzone ### Redesigning an AI-powered borrower wellbeing app The Challenge   Founded in 2019, UK-based Ilumoni is a free to use, AI-driven app, which is designed to help its users understand and manage their borrowing. Ilumoni uses open banking, credit and market data to build a picture of the user’s debt and then provides insights to help them take targeted action, such as switching to different financial products. We were brought on board to redesign the Ilumoni app to provide an improved user experience with smooth flows and visually appealing data presentation.   Approach   Following an oversubscribed funding round, during which Ilumoni raised over a million pounds, we were brought in to redesign the app, improving user experience and flows and creating visually appealing data presentations to allow ilumoni to begin user testing. During this short project, our in-house designer worked intensively with the client to apply the new branding and creative to the app design. Using an Agile approach, we delivered crucial improvements in information presentation and consistency - typically difficult for debt and financial data - making the interface visually engaging, fun and easy to use. Our priority was to surface data to the user and present it visually to empower them, rather than hiding behind endless paragraphs of text. We used Figma for the UI design and Prototypes presentation, Cinema 4D for 3d modelling and rendering on some of the icons inside each of the bigger cards.   Results   We completed the redesign, which was enthusiastically approved by the client. We successfully found a way to communicate critical information without discouraging users or making them feel bad, and the new solution is elegant and engaging, presenting text-heavy information in an engaging way, with a ‘less-is-more’ approach. ### Baby Buddy More than 95,000 unique users have downloaded Baby Buddy and it has received endorsements from some of the largest healthcare organisations across the UK. Not to mention Alison Baum the founder and CEO has been awarded an OBE. Baby Buddy has also received health specific awards at the inaugural AXA PPP “Health Tech & You” and RCM Awards. “Best online resource for mums and mums to be”. Most recently Baby Buddy won the digital industry's prestigious BIMA award for the Well-Being & Health category and 'Digital & Technology' category at The Guardian's Public Awards. Surveys conducted found that Baby Buddy helped more than 80% of users learn more about pregnancy and almost a 100% of parents felt it helped them to look after their own health with a quarter reporting a significant health impact. Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/baby-buddy ### Giving gym members fitness tools in their handa Summary   UN1T is a franchise of gyms and fitness centres across the UK, Europe and the Middle East, specialising in group fitness classes. They wanted to provide members of franchisee gyms with a way to set and track fitness goals, book classes and monitor health and wellbeing metrics: a single source of truth across their large network which would build community and motivate members, instructors and gym owners.   Approach UN1T came to us with a detailed brief of their overall goal for the app and the features that they wanted to include.     Throughout this process we worked closely with the client to ensure our proposals fit their goals and that the scope was feasible in the initial timeline.  We then went through a process of digging deeper into the key features. Our product owner used user flows and wireframes to detail the specific functionalities for the key features Bookings, Nutrition and Performance Tracking, whilst our technical lead carried out Discovery on the APIs we would use to clarify what was possible.    Following that, a Project Architecture meeting was held where the Development stage processes were ironed out and scrum ceremonies were agreed on. We worked in 2 week sprints, each culminating in a  Sprint Review / Demo meeting to review progress and test out the ready screens. The project was delivered in 5 months by a team of five.  ### Taking an enterprise-class UI to the next level The Challenge   Thousands of companies use AlertBot to continuously monitor mission-critical websites and web applications for errors and performance, safeguarding both reputation and revenue. Our client InfoGenius tasked us with completely redesigning and reimplementing the current AlertBot user interface in order to greatly improve the user experience and performance, while keeping all the advanced functionality. We provided Discovery, design and development with a team of six, including a project manager, designer, QA, two developers and a developer/producer.   Approach   We kicked off our Discovery process with design sprints in which we mapped out user goals and how the new UI would improve the overall experience. In order to do that, we needed to dig deep into understanding how users think and what they need at every stage. We discussed each iteration of the design in great detail with the client, taking into account all the user feedback we received.   We used Whimsical to create wireframes and Sketch for the design. Once we had most of the design done we used Invision to create clickable prototypes for the test users. We then started work on Phase one - the implementation of the design system using React and TypeScript. Phase one was completed ahead of schedule and we are now entering the next phase, during which we’ll use React, TypeScript and GraphQL to implement the web application by utilising the components created in the previous phase. We follow Scrum and practice pair programming for non-trivial parts of both phases.   Results Phase one design system delivered ahead of schedule Test users gave very positive feedback on the UI & UX Successfully redesigned advanced features to be more intuitive Design keeps data backwards-compatible with current website Smoothly entering development phase with clear delivery milestones ### Creating a powerful wellness platform for Gen-Zs Overview CURV is an app that makes self-improvement an easy part of your everyday. How? By converting the best science, studies and ideas on human behaviour into simple, powerful actions.  The client, Working Voices, is a team of coaches and experts who provide online and classroom training in communication, behaviour change and soft skills to individuals and teams in various companies. We worked with them to create the brand new B2C CURV platform aimed at Generation Z: mainly ambitious under-30s.    To provide maximum value we needed to: Keep to the 2-month windows mapped out for each stage of the 6 month project Capture and translate the client’s vision and goals accurately during Discovery Explore the competitive landscape thoroughly Prioritise the crucial elements the first version of CURV would launch with Provide a secure and robust architecture which was able to scale   Approach The Discovery stage lasted two months. During this, we explored the client’s vision and goals, and undertook our own research into the competitive landscape. Our first deliverable was a high-level user flow with priority guides for information hierarchy. The next step was creating initial wireframe screens. We quickly switched to creating and demoing designed screens directly, given the dynamic, visual-led communication favoured by the client, who had also provided brand assets in advance.   The whole design process was quite agile, with a couple of pivots of the user flow after the first version. The client ran a few user validation sessions with the designed prototype in order to gather some additional target audience insights. The final stage was the development, QA and launch of the iOS product on the App Store.   Results Reached 1k downloads within 2 weeks Achieved a 35% tap-to-install conversion rate (the avg. is 5.9%) Had paying subscribers literally from day one ### Future Steps The Prince’s Trust is one of Britain’s best known charities, supporting thousands of young people every year to get their lives back on track. They came to us looking for expert help in transforming their successful Future Steps challenge into an app, allowing workplace teams to get fit and raise money for The Trust. The new app would need to streamline the process of signing up, raising money, tracking steps or other activity and sharing progress via social media, thus reducing the administrative burden on the Future Steps campaign team. The project also was on a tight schedule, needing to be ready for initial release in a narrow 10-week timeframe, so we hit the ground running. Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/future-steps ### Pixelpal Inspired by the penpals of his youth, Pixelpal’s founder wanted to create a modern equivalent: a platform for meaningful interaction where the focus is on the topic of conversation and shared interests rather than identity, social shares and popularity. We were tasked with taking on the development of the new app to minimum viable product (MVP) stage in order to test the concept of ‘an alternative social network with no trash.’ We used React Native and cutting edge GraphQL features, implementing real-time communication and several third party integrations. We also created onboarding and avatar illustrations to complement the existing visual identity. ### Helix The Insight Network is a well-established team of therapists running successful clinics in the UK. We’re helping them take their evidence-based resilience training to a much bigger audience, via a whole new digital platform which will enable them to massively leverage their expertise and change many more lives. The Optimal You Resilience Program, branded Helix, is a comprehensive, secure and fully customisable standalone platform for assessing, monitoring and improving health and wellbeing in the workplace and beyond. Through phases of measurement, upskilling and consolidation, resilience scores are established and users learn where and how they can improve. Companies or learning providers can adopt Helix for their employees, faculty or students at whatever level they want: it’s designed to be modular, with multiple possible journeys through the material and varying levels of one-to-one support. An important part of the platform is its focus on building community and networks. ### Dahu We walked hand in hand with the clients through the booking process to make sure that the user experience would be smooth, seamless and social, from real-time chats and recommendations to splitting the bill. Our in-house team created the appealing Dahu identity, launch site and promotional video. The whole process took place in an agile development environment, so we could test each functionality on the fly. Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/dahu ### GKBK GKBK is a fully digital banking service which provides its clients with investment opportunities and closes the business cycle through loans and payment services. They approached us with the task of defining and designing the core mobile product of the business. We were asked to challenge the current standard onboarding journeys and create an optimised digital interface to host the variety of services offered by the platform. ### Vercida As this project had great potential, we took the approach of delivering core and essential features first as an MVP that focused on a build-measure-learn feedback loop for future enhancements to the platform. Once the MVP was established, we gathered recommendations to roadmap all current features including enhancing usability, design, user experience, accessibility and convenience for all members. Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/vercida ### Almentor The Almentor platform is vast with many complex features and two very unique user groups. The focus of our work was to understand each user and define their user journeys within each part of the platform through workshops and research to ensure that all feature design had a purpose and ultimately would be useful to the end user. To demonstrate our findings and ideas, we created wireframes and clickable prototypes of the application. This allowed us to bring the platform to life and test our ideas from a user experience perspective. Working alongside Almentor, we then designed the Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the app as fully responsive desktop and mobile versions including versions for Android & iOS. Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/almentor ### StepJockey By exploring how the current users engaged with the app, and by running in-depth customer user testing interviews, we could redesign a more intuitive user experience and define a simpler navigation. Based on this feedback, we introduced some new features to push the app to the next level. This redesign led to a 97% uplift in stair usage.   Read the full case study at https://despark.com/work/stepjockey ### Project with Associated Press ### Project with Vodafone ### Project with King's College London ### Project with BNP Paribas ### Project with Best Beginnings ### Industry Recognitions - AXA PP Health Tech & You Awards, Baby Buddy - Forbes Evolution Awards - Best Web Agency - The Guardian - Digital & Technology, Baby Buddy - National Recruitment Awards-Best Special Job Board - The Drum - Recommended agency for digital services - BIMA Wellbeing and Health award for Baby Buddy ## Key Clients - UNIQA ## Packages ## Locations (2) ### London, England (Headquarters) - Park House, 16 Finsbury Circus - London EC2M 7EB - England - 2 - 5 employees - Phone: 00447776593338 ### Sofia, Bulgaria - 9 Aleksandar Dondukov Blvd - Sofia 1000 - Bulgaria - 31 - 40 employees ## Contact Despark [Send a message](https://clutch.co/profile/despark) ### Connect on Social - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/despark) - [X](https://twitter.com/despark)