Esfera

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Director of Glui

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We create high impact engageable formats for digital advertsiing. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• Get UX/UI mockups for our developers
• Get marketing material
• Help with proof of concept designs

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

upwork

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Dashboard mockups for our client portal. Ad templates for our creative tool. Marketing material for our decks and website. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our developers could build the first version of our client portal. The mockups helped us make better decisions on the direction of the company. Our sales team used content for our presentations to clients and we could improve our website.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Esfera provides daily updates on what they are working on in Slack, these updates usually include videos where they explain the deliverbale. We meet with them about once a week to discuss priorities. We have beeen very impressed with their turnaround time and responsiveness. 

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They turnaround work quicly and are understanding of our needs and requirements. The team is always very friendly and receptive. Its nice not having to explain things in great detail because they just get it.

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

The subscription pricing works well for the type of work they do but it led to some confusion with our exec team who werent used to that type of pricing. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CTO of an information technology company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We build, buy, and operate niche b2b SaaS companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• To design an end-to-end UI/UX for our startup's MVP.

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

• Online Search
• Upwork

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Experience working with early stage SaaS companies

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Prior to signing a contract with Esfera, they offered a 7 day free trial in which they completed the designs for our onboarding flow (1 flow) in Figma. This allowed us to get started with development and do additional user testing. Then, once we had validated our idea (on our own) and decided to move forward with building it out, we contracted Esfera for one month of full time work with a design team. 
This was enough to build out the flows we had identified in both desktop and mobile for our MVP. The team delivered on all of the items that we had agreed upon up front. Furthermore, our project spanned the holiday season, and they allowed us to pause work midway without losing any of the time we paid for. Ownership of the projects in Figma was transferred upon conclusion of the work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our product manager communicated with us daily, providing updates on what had been completed that day. We also had access to the Figma they were working on, and we were encouraged to leave as many comments as possible. In this way we were able to see progress in real time. At the end, we were able to see all of the flows we discussed detailed in high fidelity, complete with animations and simple interactions. Many of these flows went through many iterations, to which they always adjusted according our new requirements.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Among the best experiences I've had working with a vendor. They delivered on time due to constant communication and high quality of work. I enjoyed all of our meetings because we were able to relate on more than just work: because of their structure of a one week trial, pause, and then the month of work, it feels like we've been working together for much longer than the total (1 month plus 1 week). They weren't pushy after the trial was completed but respectfully checked in, confident that their work would lead to us coming back as paying customers - and it did.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

More than just a design shop. We were looking for experience on how to design interactions, not just someone who can make something look pretty based on the customer's requirements. They really understood our users, and we were able to come up with novel but proven interactions for much of what we needed our users to do.

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

No complaints. I'd recommend them highly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Sales Funnel Professor

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sales Funnel Professor fixes and builds sales funnels globally and teaches clients how results were achieved.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• UX/UI Overhaul
• Freemium SaaS Optimization

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

Referral

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We hired Esfera to assist us doing a better job of introducing clients to our SaaS platform form for artists which included:

• Streamlining and modernizing the sign up process
• Redesigning critical pages
• Reworking the navigation
• Introducing the difference between the free and paid versions in a palatable way

They delivered their recommendations in the form of Figma designs and recorded calls talking us through any questions we had.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our application is delivered on a freemium basis. We have no expectations that our entire user base should upgrade to the paid version (we have beginner artists all over the world as users).

But we did feel we weren't doing a good job of communicating the value of the paid version within the app/onboarding experience to those users to whom it would be extremely ROI-positive to take the upgrade.

Post deployment of Esfera's recommendations, our sign-up-to-activation rate and free-to-paid-upgrade rate jumped significantly.

That was the goal and they achieved it for us.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The whole team are a rare blend of:

• Intellectually curious
• High-peforming
• Business-oriented
• Aeshetically creative

So yes they were always on time and drove the project to success.

More importantly, they were able to understand my 10,000-foot goals and what the product actually does and put together a plan and manage execution.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I've worked with UX/UI designers for >20 years. I'm not sure I've ever encountered a firm/executive that has the best of all worlds:

• Design that is elegant, modern, and yet completely understandable to even non-internet natives
• A clear ability to translate business/revenue goals into how the design comes together
• Timely and responsive
• On-time
• Able to translate business speak into what their team needed to do the more granular aspects of this project

Fundamentally, they're clearly A players across all applicable scores and that's the only type of firm I want on my projects or those of my clients.

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

No, they rocked it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Intelligent Wellness Solutions

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

AI-powered clinical workflows

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• UI / UX Design
• Workflow Optimization

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

• Online Search
• Upwork

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We engaged Esfera to design the user interface and user experience for our AI-native decision support platform for healthcare practitioners. The scope of work includes developing a comprehensive and scalable design system that aligns with our clinical workflows, enhances provider efficiency, and integrates AI-powered tools seamlessly into the practitioner experience.

Key deliverables so far include:

1. Low-Fidelity Wireframes & UX Validation – Esfera rapidly developed an initial prototype, leveraging low-fidelity mockups to validate core workflows, including pre-visit, visit, and post-visit phases.
2. Iterative UI/UX Enhancements – Through ongoing collaboration, Esfera has been refining the design, optimizing screen real estate, navigation, and usability while maintaining workflow continuity across different clinical tasks.
3. AI Assistant & Workflow Integration – A critical focus has been designing an intuitive AI assistant interface that supports real-time and asynchronous provider interactions, ensuring seamless access to AI-powered insights.
4. Customizable & Scalable UI Elements – The team is incorporating modular design principles, allowing providers to personalize their interface, prioritize information, and optimize task management.
5. Treatment Plan & Documentation Enhancements – Esfera is refining features for AI-assisted note-taking, checklist customization, treatment plan generation, and post-visit workflows to enhance clinical efficiency.
6. High-Fidelity UI Concepts – As part of the design evolution, Esfera has been developing polished, high-fidelity screens to demonstrate the platform's premium, user-friendly design and ensure alignment with modern healthcare UX standards.

Esfera’s design expertise, collaborative approach, and iterative execution have made them an invaluable partner in our long-term vision. While we are still in the early stages of development, their contributions have laid a strong foundation, and we look forward to continuing to build upon this work together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

While the project is still in progress, we have already seen significant measurable outcomes that demonstrate Esfera’s impact:

1. Rapid Prototyping & Iteration – Within the first 40-hour design sprint, Esfera delivered a functional prototype that effectively captured our core workflows, allowing us to validate key design concepts early on.
2. User Experience Improvements – Through ongoing iterations, Esfera has refined navigation, screen real estate optimization, and workflow continuity, leading to a more intuitive and user-friendly design.
3. AI Integration & Workflow Alignment – The team successfully designed an AI assistant interface that integrates seamlessly into clinical workflows, ensuring providers can easily access AI-driven insights in real time.
4. Scalability & Customization – The adoption of modular design principles has enabled us to create a UI framework that is both scalable and customizable to different provider preferences and clinical use cases.
5. Stakeholder Engagement & Positive Feedback – Internal stakeholders, including clinicians and technical team members, have provided positive feedback on Esfera’s approach, particularly their ability to iterate quickly based on feedback and align with our long-term vision.

These outcomes reflect Esfera’s ability to execute efficiently and collaboratively, helping us lay a strong foundation for continued development. While we have many phases ahead, their work has already positioned us for long-term success.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Esfera’s project management has been outstanding, exceeding our expectations in both execution and collaboration. Our project manager, in particular, has been phenomenal—he feels like an internal member of our team rather than an external vendor. His proactive approach and deep engagement have made a huge difference in our experience.

• Daily Updates & Transparency – Every day, we receive a detailed update with a Loom video, walking us through progress, key design decisions, and next steps. This level of transparency keeps us aligned and ensures there are no surprises.
• Timely Delivery & Agile Execution – Despite the complexity of our requirements, Esfera has consistently delivered design iterations on time. Their ability to iterate quickly and efficiently based on feedback has been crucial to our progress.
• Highly Responsive & Collaborative – Our project manager and the entire Esfera team actively listen to our needs, ask thoughtful questions, and incorporate feedback with precision. Their flexibility and willingness to adapt have made collaboration seamless.
• Problem-Solving & Strategic Thinking – Beyond just executing tasks, Esfera takes a strategic approach to UI/UX, proactively identifying challenges and proposing solutions that enhance our platform’s usability and scalability.
  Overall, Esfera’s project management has been nothing short of exceptional. Their structured yet flexible approach, combined with an unmatched level of responsiveness and ownership, has made them an invaluable partner in our ongoing development.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stands out most about Esfera is their deep sense of ownership and commitment to our success. They operate not as an external vendor, but as a true extension of our team. Their level of engagement, attention to detail, and proactive approach have been exceptional.

• Exceptional Project Management & Communication – The daily updates, including detailed Loom videos, ensure total transparency and keep us aligned at all times. Their responsiveness and structured workflow make collaboration seamless.
• Despite being based in Brazil, their English proficiency is excellent, making communication effortless.
• Super Creative & Innovative Thinking – Esfera doesn’t just follow instructions; they bring fresh, creative, and highly innovative ideas to the table. Their design concepts are forward-thinking, ensuring that our platform stands out as modern, intuitive, and user-friendly.
• Ability to Quickly Understand Complex Workflows – Our platform involves intricate clinical workflows and AI-powered decision support, yet Esfera was able to grasp these complexities remarkably fast. They not only translate our vision into an intuitive design but also offer valuable insights to enhance the user experience.
• Iterative & Agile Design Process – Their ability to rapidly iterate based on feedback while maintaining high-quality execution is impressive. They embrace a collaborative, user-centered approach that ensures the designs evolve in a meaningful way.
• Problem-Solving & Strategic Thinking – Esfera doesn’t just execute tasks—they think critically about our goals, identify challenges, and proactively propose solutions. Their team brings creative problem-solving skills that add real value beyond just design.

Ultimately, Esfera combines strategic thinking, exceptional execution, seamless communication, and a strong creative edge, making them an invaluable partner. Their ability to blend technical precision with innovation sets them apart, and we look forward to continuing to work with them.

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

Overall, our experience with Esfera has been overwhelmingly positive. Their dedication, creativity, and responsiveness have been exceptional.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive of intalent.ai

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

B2B SaaS AI Copilot for Talent Management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• Develop workflows for a great user experience
• Design the entire UI of the product
• Design prototypes and mock-ups to envision product and aid in sales

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

Online Search

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• High ratings
• Quality of work

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Design all the screens and UI for various features and functionalities
• Design the workflows for a range of processes 
• Research on great user experience and bring that to life for our product 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Speed of delivery
• Quality of designs 
• Ability to understand requirements 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team at Esfera Design has been a game-changer for us to build a world-class Vertical AI SaaS product for our global customers! Their design aesthetic, ability to understand requirements in great details, and speed of execution has been pivotal for us to launch new features and capabilities in record time! 

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We simply love their flexibility and can do attitude and they operate very much like your own in-house team by taking full accountability for the results and delivering to your urgent priorities as if it’s their own. Ricardo is a superb leader and Lucas and Mataeus have been great in supporting us. We highly recommend Esfera Design for complex global product development assignments. 

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

Continue to bring more insights on great UI and UX design.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a software technology services company that produces an online decision-intelligence platform for individuals and enterprises

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• Redesign the existing app
• Update the pitch deck

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

Referral

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me
• Had a good intro call with them that indicated that we aligned well with their team

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The main project involved a redesign of the existing app/site. The remit was to create a more professional, cleaner UI that would faciliate a more seamless UX. The designs would form the basis of a refactor of the app/site. Further, the designs would be utilized as a demo to present to customer prospects. As such, the design had to be made to be interactive to highlight key features and functionality of the app/site.

There is a desktop as well as mobile version of the app/site. 

There were several rather involved screens that required representing data in an easily-digestible manner. Moreover, 'layers' of data needed to be accessed (easily) if desired. There was also an integration of 'AI' functionality that had to be represented in the re-designs.

We expected there to be some back and forth iterations with Esfera's team before getting to the desired result.

We also requested Esfera to redesign our pitch deck. The remit was to make it look clean and professional, given this is the design ethos of the business and of the core product.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The team made and assessment of the work, that it met our objectives for (1) a professional look and feel; (2) clean UI/UX with clear visuals; (3) usefil interactive elements that showcased the features and functionality of the app; (4) design consistent with our brand

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team was highly responsive and collaborative. The project leader was not only responsive but proactive, which kept the project moving and progressing towards our goals and needs. We communicated via messaging app but also arranged several as-needed video 'huddles' to go over the work and to discuss refinements. The Esfera team took direction very well. For example, some areas of the design we wanted done a specific way, while in others we suggested they take creative license. In some instances they pushed back on our suggestions, highlighting key design principles; their suggestions not only had merit but resulted in a better end-result.

The team did keep to their suggested timelines, with only a minimum of slippage; there were no egregious overruns. Moreover, the team constantly provided updates and constant communication as to expected time required for each deliverable.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team was really passionate about their work and took pride in their efforts. It was not just a job but a project, working together (with their client) to produce an outstanding result. It did feel as if we were their top priority, which is a testament to how they are organized and how well their team works together. The project leader on their side did much to facilitate this outcome.

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

There were no obvious or glaring deficiencies. We intend to use Esfera's design services in the future. In fact, after the design work was completed - which was an involved undertaking - we asked that Esfera redesign our pitch deck. They produced an excellent result in that instance as well.

One minor aspect is language - since English is not the team's native language the language representations in the work (text) did need to be corrected from time to time. This is a minor aspect, given that the team is all fluent in English. There were no issues at all in communicating effectively with the team. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO & Co-founder of an education company. 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We help people sell online courses, e-books, and coaching services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• Re design our website

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

Do not recall

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• agency offering was very in line with what we need

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We partnered with Esfera to re-design our website, which had long needed a refresh to match the growth and new features of our product. While we had clear ideas for some sections, other parts needed more exploration and collaboration. The scope of work included: 

• Website Redesign: Esfera handled the entire layout and concept. For most of the site, we had clear instructions, and they executed everything perfectly. However, in some areas, we only had a general idea of what we wanted, and Esfera worked with us, providing live design, to find solutions.
• Graphic Illustrations: A standout part of the process was their live design sessions for illustrations. They not only created the visuals but also helped us brainstorm concepts in real time, ensuring that the final designs aligned with our vision.
• Display New Features: They also designed sections to display our newly added product features seamlessly on the website, making sure the user experience was intuitive and clear.

The key deliverable was a comprehensive Figma file, ready for our development team to implement. Esfera did an excellent job of bringing our ideas to life and updating our website to better reflect our product.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have not yet launched the updated website, so measurable results from this partnership are still forthcoming. However, during testing and interviews, our team, partners, and customers have responded positively to the new design.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Esfera consistently delivered all project components on schedule and demonstrated remarkable flexibility, allowing us to have productive virtual meetings despite significant timezone differences. They onboarded multiple designers and project managers to our project, ensuring that there was always someone available to address our questions. 

Additionally, they facilitated live design sessions, providing us with the opportunity to explore creative ideas and collaboratively find solutions for sections where our vision was still developing.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Esfera Design has a large team of highly skilled designers and product experts. They excel in both UX/UI design and creative design, making them a good choice for any project. I also believe their concept of "Get your dream UI/UX design team literally tomorrow" is brilliant. It perfectly aligns with our needs as a startup, allowing us to access top talent quickly.

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

Nothing I can think of at this time. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CTO of a software company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A centralized data management SaaS product for facilities and vendor teams, focusing on the relationships among users, assets, and workflows.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• Redesign of our SaaS product

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

Referral

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Based off of our existing version of the tool, we need to redesign the entire UI to meet existing parity, with future build out in mind of new tooling and workflows. Key deliverables are the figma designs, web components, consistent and extendable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Multiple figma designs delivered each week.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We have bi-weekly meetings and almost daily conversations and deliverables on Slack. When we needed sales videos for an upcoming conference, they pulled in additional help and quickly delivered.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They are extremely flexible and deliver quality work. Their work culture is amazing.

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

Knowing the level of UX vs UI design being offered, or where their speciality lies.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Founder of a software company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Software platform for performing arts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Esfera Design to accomplish?

• Design the product

SOLUTION

How did you find Esfera Design?

Referral

Why did you select Esfera Design over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Esfera Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

From concept to full design ready for dev of the entire product across all form factors from native mobile app to desktop web.  Also supporting the dev team with anythign they need to complete the implementation of the designs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Final design delivery of modules and screens by certain agreed upon timelines.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Daily deliveries showing progress and allowing me to comment.  They are always super fast to respond to anything I need.

What was your primary form of communication with Esfera Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Fun to work with and good at what they do!

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

I always want things to move faster than they do.  Quality takes time and I know that, but I am just impatient and want to move faster :)