Eleken

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a social consumer app in the App Store. We allow people to create short, micro-podcasts to share with their network.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Eleken?

We had contacted them before and we exploring a separate storytelling app. Our team needed upwards of 75 templates to be designed to make our product competitive. We hired them to get those templates done.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project needed templates that were outside the scope of traditional app design. For instance, they needed to have detailed, beautiful backgrounds with patterns and gradients. The idea was to beautify the templates similar to how one would present themself on a visual social media platform. While my co-founder and I have experience designing app components, we have less expertise in the more artistic realm of design. 

They took our artistic design needs and formatting requirements and designed the templates for them. We started with a general outline, and they took the project from there. The final app is for iOS. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with a manager, a lead designer, and an additional contributing designer.

How did you come to work with Eleken?

We found them on a web platform while searching for design help for an initial version of our MVP. Ever since we’ve kept up a working relationship with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2020 and wrapped up in a few weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In our most recent project, we’re still in the testing phase and haven’t launched yet. Qualitatively, those who have seen the templates have really enjoyed them. 

How did Eleken perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been responsive over Slack, email, and Zoom calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s hard to beat the quality they offer for the price that they charge. They can create strong work at half the cost of similar design firms. For that reason, they’re great for startups that are on a tight budget.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love for them to think about our projects with the entire scope in mind, not only for longer-term collaborations but for short-terms ones too.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and founder at Venue Genie. My job was to create a team to help me build an easy to use platform for event planners to find venues to plan their events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

I had the idea in my mind to create the Airbnb of Event Space. I was looking for an agency that can help me create the perfect UX/UI for my clients.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a website design that was easy to use and also beautifully designed, which can be scaled easily. Event Planning is a very sensitive industry and finding the right partnership was very important.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched online within different platforms such as upwork, behance, and dribbble. We narrowed down our candidates to the top 10 UI/UX from all 3 platforms. We then interviewed them all until we were left with the top 3. The top 3 was very hard to decide on, but the customer service, attention to detail and the personal care Eleken's team had after our first interview we knew it was the best agency to work with.

Describe the project in detail.

There were a few stages in the project.

1 - branding the website

2 - the user experience

3 - designing the website in a way we can add different services easily as we grow.

From one meeting to the next the Elken team understood more and more my vision and with their experience and expertise was able to create what our team at Venue Genie call the perfect platform.

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of myself, users to give feedback of their user experience and a consultant that made sure we are heading in the right direction. On my end it was me, on their end they had 1 project manager, 1 senior designer and also 1 senior illustrator designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The UI/UX work was so amazing that we found it very easy to sign up and add venues to our website. Users came in and used the website much quicker than anticipated. Most of the time when a design is done a lot of changes are made during and after the launch. As you can tell on our website nothing has changed.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Since using this agency was one of the first things on my to-do list when building this start-up, I found it super easy to communicate and didn't have to worry once on any missed information. We used communication tools such as slack, skype and invision. It was perfectly executed. Thank you Ilya.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I loved how experienced the team was and also how fast they worked. We had amazing chemistry that we would go back and forth very smoothly and the talent in that agency is absolutely amazing wow! In my entire start-up process, I think I enjoyed working with them the most.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The answer is no. Why do I say that because the Eleken team have studied very well what clients look for in order to make sure the client is always happy and make sure the client aims for success.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a marketing entrepreneur, but I often work on self-initiated side projects like the one I hired Eleken for.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

Eleken was hired to design my Habit app. It's a simple mobile application that helps people set daily goals, track their habits and have healthier lifestyles.

What were your goals for this project?

I needed to create a great user experience so people using the app would feel motivated to complete their goals and achieve positive outcomes. This is why I created the app in the first place.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with Eleken before, we collaborated on another project. I like their work style, their deep expertise in design, and their commitment to achieving excellence in everything they do.

Describe the project in detail.

I shared my rough wireframes with them to show what I wanted the app to be like. They gave some great feedback on the screen layout and user flow, and we started the project. They had a very productive research phase during which they discovered what my audience would like to have in the app and how my competitors implemented similar ideas. They did a few iterations on the wireframes and created a nice interactive prototype. I tested it with a few people I know and got great feedback! Now the app is still in the development phase, but we're looking forward to releasing it soon.

What was the team composition?

I worked with one designer from Eleken.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They have done incredibly high-quality work so far. The app's design looks great and inspiring - just like I wanted it to be. I learned a lot while collaborating with Eleken. They bring a valuable product design experience to the table. So far everybody who tried using the prototype is happy with it and wants to use it when we release the app.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicated on Slack every other day and had regular calls with design updates. The workflow was pretty smooth, we worked iteration by iteration in a rhythmic manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a very deep and profound understanding of user experience and a great sense of beauty and taste. Every design argument they make is based on science. I am really impressed by their quality of work and their design leadership.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CMO of a digital marketing company. We collaborate with other companies and guide them with all aspects related to SEO, growth, and content marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

TextMagic is a business SMS company that has been providing services globally since 2001. We want to launch a new product line that will also change the architecture of the site. The challenge was to refresh a stale design, make it look more modern, while keeping the identity of the old site, its navigational structure, and its current SERP rankings. Furthermore, the new design had to feel familiar for returning customers, but also attractive enough for new clients.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to find the best way to integrate the new tools into the site's current architecture and refresh the design, without making major changes that would negatively impact our users, conversion rates, and SEO.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

From previous projects and through recommendations.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected this vendor, we had a few calls regarding our project. We discussed the current website, its products, and architecture. We also discussed the new tools that are being made and how they would be implemented on the current website. I shared a sitemap, research, landing page content, and several mockups with the Eleken team. After that, we began the ideation and wire framing phase. In total, we created two design versions for the website: one that is extremely close to the current design in terms of colors, typography, and icons. For this we created multiple pages. We also created a more modern and updated design for the website that included all the design blocks we would need.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a designer and a project manager. I only discussed with the designer, who was extremely responsive and receptive to my feedback.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Both design versions were well received by our team. We have not implemented them on the live site yet, but the design version that is closer to our current design was also delivered with a "style guide." Although the changes aren't major, we consider that as a huge plus because we can make site-wide adjustments to the design without having to manually update every type of page and without negatively impacting our current SEO performance and conversion rates. Furthermore, both designs that were submitted were designed in the same design style as our tools, so they will provide a cohesive experience to our users.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The designer assigned to this project was easy to communicate with and extremely effective. We scheduled calls easily, the designer had a very good understanding of the project, and provided updates extremely fast.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge of our company and their ability to adapt to our requirements.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is always room for improvement, so I would add that, in my opinion, the best companies do nothing at random when it comes to design and branding. Every design choice has a purpose and no shape is randomly added.

Since I am not a designer, I cannot envision some elements, and I would have loved to understand the reason behind some of the design choices. That being said, we are very satisfied with the final result.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Co-Founder and CTO of a Telecommunications company. We offer a PaaS Cloud Communications platform to Service Providers and IT Distributors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

Eleken has been acting as our go-to 3rd party Design Studio for the UI/UX of our product from the start of our company, they have been responsible for all aspects of our product from Web Application Interfaces to Mobile Apps.

What were your goals for this project?

The B2B PBX market has been plagued by interfaces with poor user experience, our task for Eleken was to help us revolutionize the way SMBs manage their communications. Our product needed to be extremely easy to use, to allow the customer to manage its own reachability instead of relying on system administrators or third party support.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched dribbble and Behance for designers that fit our style. Eleken sprung out because of their previous works and strong visions.

Describe the project in detail.

As this was an ongoing project, with continuous work on improvements, features and new products, Eleken was seamlessly included in our own project management processes. We would provide them with the details needed for discovery upon which they would come with a first mockup.

After several revisions they would provide us with the final designs and guidelines. During the implementation of the UIs we would keep them actively involved to verify if the implementation was according to design and discuss any changes that may have been required.

What was the team composition?

When we started out Eleken was just a one-man-show, and we've seen them grow year after year. The founder has always remained our main point of contact, whilst a group of designers did the work behind the screens.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our product has grown to one of the main players in our home market, as well as showing good growth abroad. The feedback on the ease of use of our interfaces is always positive, and to this day remains one of our main selling points.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We were always able to easily communicate over Skype and Slack. To dive deep into discovery we were also able to frequently have in-person meetings at our own R&D offices in Kyiv. We were being kept up to date on time estimations and project planning to make sure our schedules aligned.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Eleken never ceased to impress us with their amazing designs and nifty solutions to make a complex task easy for the user.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Over years of working together some minor issues can always prop up, but those issues were always resolved quickly. I see no major areas of improvements.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder of Perfocal. Perfocal.com is the UK's first on-demand photography platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

Branding consulting, including logo, typeface, visual identity etc.

What were your goals for this project?

To get a brand uplift for our product

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Eleken on Dribbble and was impressed by the style of work. We had an initial chat with its founder and decided to give it a go!

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Logo, typeface, colour palette, web page mock ups

What was the team composition?

Worked directly with the founder who was also the project lead, but we believe they have a team of experienced designers and developers in-house.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The turnover was very fast, and the design work looks clean and minimal, exactly what we were seeking after.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Quite efficient, although working remotely we had no problem working together seamlessly through video calls

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their speed, creativity, and high aesthetic standards set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

would be great if we can meet f2f more frequently

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Gamaya is a player on AgTech market to help farmers improve working with their land

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

New user interface for our online platform

What were your goals for this project?

Re-design user interface and address some of the UX/UI issues we had

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One team member was working with Eleken before, however our decision was to have an RFP. Several vendors participated and 3 providers were chosen for the last step, where the interview and a proof-of-concept was provided. Eleken was chosen as the result.

Describe the project in detail.

I was managing the project. The goal of the project was to have a new updated UX/UI screens for all our platform screens so that it's easy to implement for our developers.

What was the team composition?

Initially, we worked with 3 designers for 3 weeks, then we continued with single designer for the rest of the project

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were happy with the results as the delivered designs satisfied our needs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It took some time in the beginning to align our expectations and explain our vision, however in the end it went well and we setup a good progress. The designers were very responsive to changes and communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They create nice designs with amazing responsiveness and eagerness to improve.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Better understand/clarify the client needs in the beginning to have less back-and-force for requirements

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an all-inclusive business text messaging service. I work as a product manager. We are an online B2B business and offer solutions for improving business communication via text messaging.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

Our company has ambitious plans for expanding the business. We are planning to launch new products and apps. This is why we needed Eleken's help with designing new products.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to create clickable prototypes of a chat app along with contacts and user management using Figma. Ideally, to get an idea of how the new app will look like and what user flows there would be.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched along many vendors online and liked the reviews of Eleken, so we decided to give it a try.

Describe the project in detail.

We have arranged several remote meetings and discussions with Eleken's designers to agree on the steps, wireframes and user flows. After some period we had the next call, where the designers presented the results. We made our comments and decided upon the next sprint.

What was the team composition?

We had 3 full-time designers and a project manager from Eleken's side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We received what we were looking for. Some good UI ideas and solutions. Our prototypes were not yet sent into development, however, we will reuse them in-house to produce more pages.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Eleken company always adheres to deadlines and is never late for meetings. They are polite and acknowledge the requirements very well. We mainly used Slack and Figma for co-operation.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were able to dive into our product/styles/logic very quickly. Their ability to produce good and easy-to-use UI solutions is very strong.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot think of any areas for improvement.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by the client company on June 22, 2020. The content is below.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a telecommunication platform offering a wide range of services. My position is product manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

We have hired Eleken to create UI/UX design of our platform since we plan to expand.

What were your goals for this project?

There are 2 main goals: to re-design the old UI and to create new UI for new functionality

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We liked the portfolio and existing reviews of Eleken and their initial communication style appealed to us.

Describe the project in detail.

We started our work with sharing the overall vision of the project. The design team performed a research on the described ideas and suggested their implementation vision. Since the project is quite large, we have regular discussions on every new screen/feature, the designers usually come up with several versions and we collaborate on further iterations.

What was the team composition?

We are working with three full-time designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The designers are very creative, they never run out of ideas and we always find a proper solution for our UI despite the complexity. Their working discipline allows us keeping on track with the project plans.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective. We are always in touch during the working day and can discuss any peculiarities on the go and apply new ideas straight away. They are always there to answer any questions or brain storm another complex solution.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their professional approach to the design creation. They are not waiting to be told how to design something, they perform their own research of the topic and dive into the matter completely which results into great outcomes.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is nothing I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the lead experience designer at a UX design firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Eleken?

We were looking for help with the UI of our company website

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Eleken provided UI designs for our brand new site. We had written the content ourselves and done the UX work. After providing them with wireframes and a number of sites that we liked the look and feel of, they ran with it and came up with some concepts for us. We chose the one we liked the best and worked with them to refine it. Eventually, they delivered the final designs to us for implementation. They have recently done a few minor refinements or updates that we’ve asked for.

What is the team composition?

Initially, we had one point of contact in the form of our project manager, but as the project went on, we began working directly with the designer. That process worked well for us because we understood what was required for the design phase.

How did you come to work with Eleken?

We were referred to Eleken from an acquaintance of ours that had worked with them in the past after putting out feelers to various people we trust. Once we reviewed their site and had an introductory phone call with them, we determined they would be the best partner for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from June–August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While the site has not yet launched, it was a pleasure to work with Eleken. They were very responsive and extremely adept at UI design. Their team can take a concept and really run with it. 

How did Eleken perform from a project management standpoint?

Eleken was great at meeting deadlines. Our ultimate deadline was a bit loose, but they communicated with us on a daily basis. If there was gonna be a two or three-day lag because they needed some time to work on a task, they were very clear about that. Our teams communicated over Trello and through comments and Sigma to refine the design.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Eleken has an understanding of modern design aesthetic and they tailor that to a client’s needs. If the client wants something more basic and less experimental, they can do that, but they can also do edgy designs as well. They are also very thoughtful about the mobile experience first, which is crucial for a lot of businesses.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I would suggest is that they involve the client in their internal review process It’d be interesting to see them sort of experience with that. I don’t know if they’re doing that internally, but it wasn’t shown to us. They may have been doing it, but we would have liked to see it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The thing that worked best for us is that we were explicit with handing over wireframes. We already knew what we wanted and were very particular about the design direction they should go. Providing them with guidance helps the design team give you the best results possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and CTO of an internet startup based in San Francisco. We are developing the mobile app Wavechat that lets you create micro podcasts and share them with your friends.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eleken?

Marketing materials including an animation for our product launch.

What were your goals for this project?

We quickly needed a few banners and other design elements showcasing our app's features.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We previously worked with Eleken before and were happy with their design work. They helped us designing the UI for our app.

Describe the project in detail.

Eleken provided us with banners and an animation for our logo. We needed these assets for a marketing launch of our mobile app.

What was the team composition?

We directly worked with the designer that was associated to us and we already knew from our last engagement with Eleken.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

This is the second time we are using Eleken for helping us with design work. As always, they delivered in time and we are happy with the results and their pricing. Thank you very much again Eleken!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Since we are working directly with their designers and invited them into our Slack environment, the workflow is very effective and transparent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their quality of work and ability to understand our needs sets them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, everything was fine.