The Gradient

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at a boutique bank that’s publicly traded on NASDAQ. We serve the legal industry but provide our services online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

We were looking for an organization to partner with that would help build a UI design on a Salesforce CRM system we were making. We wanted to maximize usability, so we needed a team to come and look at the system with fresh eyes and effectively design a UI for our product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Gradient became an ongoing resource to my project team. They provided analysis resources to figure out what the requirements were. Their team produced wireframes and mockups to show their thought process in terms of what the UI would look like and then actively worked with my development team that would develop the design. They also created a video, built email templates, and designed a landing page.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around five or six people at different points, depending on the projects. There is a dedicated point of contact.

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

The Gradient was referred to me. After the referral, I went for a site visit where I met their team, and everything looked good.

How much have you invested with them?

We will spend around $80,000–$90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All senior stakeholders are impressed with The Gradient’s output.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style is excellent. They always keep us informed. I run my project team using Jira, and we work in sprints & releases. Their team is involved in that process. Some of project management tools we use are Notion, Skype, Zoom, and Figma.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Gradient is on top of it. They’re extremely switched on. While they’re not native English speakers, there isn’t an issue at all. Their team is hardworking, always completing tasks based on the given timeline.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I wouldn’t hesitate to refer them. They’re an excellent company. I would suggest including The Gradient in early-stage discussions around budgets, planning, and road maps. This would help the engagement. They’re a great strategic partner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the head of product at a technology solutions firm. We focus on building products and teams that transform industries and push boundaries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Gradient?

We were looking to create a world-class retail e-commerce application with high-quality product design and UX.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to design the UI/UX of a consumer retail ecosystem that will work in-store and on e-commerce and personalized promotions platforms.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We contacted 25 different companies from Clutch and asked each of them to create a proposal idea for how they would design our product. We compared all of their work and eventually chose The Gradient.

Describe the project in detail.

After selecting The Gradient, we started the project with discovery workshops so that their team could understand our idea. They delivered a basic prototype within two weeks.

They’ve taken complete control of managing the product, and their team is responsible for delivering end-to-end UI/UX services.

What was the team composition?

We have a team manager, two UI/UX designers, and a business analyst.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched a pilot version two months ago, and it has received positive feedback. The Gradient is still working with us on a long-term basis and will be responsible for delivering all future versions of the ecosystem.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We meet with their team almost daily, and they’ve been proactive in delivering results. They were quick to grasp our initial requirements and now have a comprehensive understanding of our goals for the product.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their team has a deep knowledge of technology and is willing to challenge us in constructive ways. Also, their attention to detail and ability to provide innovative solutions to problems stand out.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Yes, there is room for improvement within the business analyst role.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CPO of Sentryc in Berlin, Germany. Our brand-new company is launching in March 2019. We’re giving business control back over their brand and products and increasing transparency through an innovative image search and marketplace monitoring.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Gradient?

We worked with The Gradient on the design for our MVP.

What were your goals for this project?

Our objective was to implement the workflow we had in mind in the form of a beautiful design.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A different company put us in contact with The Gradient.

Describe the project in detail.

When we began, we held one kick-off meeting. We worked in one-week sprints that included regular feedback. Our two parties were in constant contact through Slack and email.

What was the team composition?

The team included one project manager and two dedicated designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Gradient delivered the final designs within the agreed-upon time frame. Now that the design phase is complete, the developers will start implementing it. I count hitting the deadline as a success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our two teams was very effective thanks to The Gradient’s very transparent work method and quick responses.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Commitment and responsiveness are The Gradient’s greatest strengths. They also have one of the coolest offices I’ve ever seen. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

They didn’t follow some basic UX design principles like using fewer than four fonts in the UI, but those were marginal concerns.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CTO and co-founder of a company that makes products that tie in with banks for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We give clients a holistic view of how their business is performing across all their cloud platforms. Instead of having multiple isolated silos, we aggregate all the data and put it into a singular dashboard to show how the elements interact. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

We reached out to The Gradient to design our app. Based on the quality of their past work, it seemed like they could help us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we first made contact, The Gradient requested more information about the background of our product. After reviewing those details, we started putting a scope together of all the necessary requirements to work through the entire project. We held quite a few meetings initially to give the team the right idea.

From there on out, they've independently completed the majority of the work. We give them feedback either daily or every other day. The technologies they used to design the app include Figma and Notion.

What is the team composition? 

The Gradient assigned us an account manager and marketing lead. She oversees two designers who do the implementation. In total, we work with three people on a daily basis. 

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

While I was visiting Ukraine in search of developers, I decided to look for designers as well. I found The Gradient's work online. Many developers I talked to from companies in Ukraine recommended them. I met them somewhat by chance, but have been very impressed with their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2018. Since phase one of the UX/UI has been completed, we’ve moved on to different aspects of the product. The Gradient provides ongoing services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any measurable outcomes or results at this point because we haven't released the product yet. Concerning anecdotal data, all the feedback we've heard from our beta testers has been extremely positive. In fact, most of it has been outstanding. 

We've received extensive input from the banks we partner with, as well. Everyone who has seen the beta version of our app so far has loved the design and the workflows.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

The Gradient has definitely excelled from a project management standpoint. They've kept the project from stalling. Instead of letting us get stuck in the design loop, they move us on to the next stage we need to go. The amazing way they manage pacing has been greatly beneficial for us. 

We use Slack as a tool to communicate and leave comments for them to respond to in Figma. They accommodate our time zone differences. We're based in New Zealand, and they're located in Ukraine.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Gradient is extremely helpful, and I can't say enough positive things about them. They've done an outstanding job with organizing the project and getting everything how it needs to be. 

I've worked with quite a few different designers on other projects. The Gradient is very thorough, and their superb documentation is the best I've seen from any agency. I never have to think twice when I give it to my frontend developers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I suggest having everything organized the way you'd like to present the product. Going in with a clear idea will make things easier. Let The Gradient figure out the flow and the design, which is what they're great at. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of WeMeet, a company that provides a platform for businesses to rent spaces for seminars, course, workshops, or other sessions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

We needed a team to support us in defining our requirements, screens, designs, workflows, and other elements related to developing our platform. Our goal was to showcase our company’s purpose with a quick layout that could enter the market quickly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They began by helping us create an MVP version of our platform that reflects our goals. We workshopped for one week to identify the look and feel of our vision. After narrowing in on our target users and understanding the problems we needed to solve, they helped us define our current and future business requirements. They developed the MVP with consideration for new versions so that it can evolve easily. Their team helped with product design, built every screen, and implemented UI features on the front- and backend.

Additionally, they created a landing page for us, aided in brand focus, and provided materials for future marketing presentations. Their team implemented features that allow users to use filters, define their space selections, etc. They also created a video to showcase the product on our homepage.

What is the team composition?

The Gradient provided one founder as a project coordinator for every step of the project. We also worked with a project manager, designer, marketing personnel, and a business analyst. They replaced team leaders depending on the main focus during the current stage.

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

I discussed the project with 10-12 companies and told them our specific expectations and requirements. One of the companies we spoke to referred us to The Gradient after hearing our needs. We had a Skype call with their team and met them in Ukraine. It was after this meeting that my team decided we wanted to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $30,000-$40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together for four months and have recently wrapped up the current project of developing a prototype. We are now talking to investors, and once our team completes that, we will be working with The Gradient again, hopefully around November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received positive internal feedback on the MVP’s design. The materials The Gradient produced for us have been helpful in making various processes smoother. Additionally, we are now able to reach out to potential investors because of the product they created.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team performed extraordinarily well; they were able to shift gears like a well-oiled machine. They were attentive and proactive, always ready to begin planning the next step. They never missed any details and gave quick, constructive feedback. They used Confluence to keep track of changes in the project and RealtimeBoard for project documentation and references. They defined every step in Confluence, showing us every perspective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Gradient is different from other agencies in how they truly help the client define their product from all possible angles and challenge them to see different perspectives. We valued the space they gave us as creators, yet they knew when their role was needed. They are a very diverse team that became a part of our company to deliver the best product.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s essential for clients to become involved with the team and meet them face-to-face, if possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the product owner of the website for a company that sells hearing aids. We’re different from traditional clinics because we sell hearing aids through our website and call center, and not physical shops.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

We needed help redesigning the website to make it look more trustworthy and modern.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Gradient did their own research. We also shared with them our knowledge of the market. While our old website served as a rough wireframe, they took a new approach. They came up with their own wireframe and design process. They also changed the blue in our brand color palette to be more appropriate for a medical device.

They designed the site using Sketch, then used both Zeplin and Notion for sharing the designs. They used InVision to make clickable and interactive models to give us an idea of what the final design would look like.

What is the team composition?

Our main contact was the project lead. The owner of the company takes care of contracts and invoices, and we also worked with a designer.

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

We vetted several design agencies on Dribbble and Clutch. After calling different agencies, The Gradient checked all the boxes in regards to the web design process and being cost effective.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement took place between July–September 2018. They finished the design last week, and now we're working on the web implementation. We're doing it ourselves with our developers, but they're available if we have questions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We need to get the new site implemented before I can talk results. What's most important at this point is we’re very happy with the redesign. My developers are pleased with how it looks.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

There wasn’t any scope creep, or discussions of parts of the project being out of scope. The project manager was very organized, and available whenever we had any questions. We used Jira and Slack to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I particularly liked that they were thinking about the project alongside us. They also came up with their own suggestions, which I thought was important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only negative aspect was that it felt a bit rushed at the end when they were trying to complete the design. Everything got done, but it would’ve been a better experience if the ending hadn’t felt so hurried.

Any advice for potential customers?

Not really. We did a good thing by having a reasonably well-defined project at the start. That was made easier by the project’s focus on rebuilding an existing site.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business development manager at an IT firm that provides solutions based on blockchain. We mostly focus on financial institutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

We needed someone to help us with a quick prototype design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We asked Denys (CEO & Co-Founder, The Gradient) and his team to develop our prototype, which is a work-based application. It can be used as a demo to demonstrate or display how the prototype works to our clients.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with five or six people. Our main point of contact is Denys. I also spoke with Kateryna (Business Analyst, The Gradient) and Oleg (Founding Partner & Design Director, The Gradient).

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

Our past colleagues recommended we try out their service.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July to August 2018. The project took two to three weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They got the first demo done within five days, which was impressive and left us with a great impression. They always had regular meetings with us to get our suggestions and make sure their understanding was correct.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with them has been a really great experience. There’s a time zone difference between Ukraine and Hong Kong, but we still managed. They’re very responsive and would respond even during their evenings. They were responsible and provided a lot of value. They’d ask us about the workflow or product features, as well as the idea or the whole logic behind it. That meant they could help build a great prototype that our clients are satisfied with.

Most of our conversations were either through WhatsApp or video web conferencing. Every two to three days, they provided us with a demo or a fast prototype after making revisions. We had very effective communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m very satisfied with their performance and what we pay. It’s great to find a partner that’s responsive and responsible for their work. I have no complaints or anything that they can improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t expect them to be like a robot. They’ll question you on your idea, so be well prepared. They’re very professional. You also need to be professional to work with them. Having good communication on both sides is important.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of 4for4 Fantasy Football. Along with my core role, I also manage some of the development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

Our primary objective was to increase our conversion rates by improving our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our substantially large project started off with a focus on UX. We defined all the user paths and roles on our site. Once those were complete, we moved on to UI and graphic design. The Gradient gave us lots of helpful tips throughout both processes.

After several months of assessing each tool we use, the team recommended ways to make the navigation more intuitive.  We considered better ways to arrange elements within each tool to enhance usability and better fulfill user needs.
 
For the first three months, we targeted our existing website. It had been in place for 20 years across various iterations. The Gradient also supported the beginning phases of the brand-new iOS app we’re currently building. They designed the UX and screens based on our concepts for the look and feel. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve mostly worked with Oleg (Founding Partner and Design Director, The Gradient) and Roman (Product Manager, The Gradient). 

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

We work with another development company that’s also done some design work for us in the past. A designer from that group started working with The Gradient and recommended we use them.
 
How much have you invested with them?

The total cost has been about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with The Gradient in January 2018 and finished in May, just a few weeks ago. The project is mostly complete, but they’re still providing support for our developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Gradient has sent us the completed designs along with other deliverables. We’ve also received the documentation, which is very helpful. Since we haven’t implemented these products yet, there are no measurable results to share at this time. We passed the design around to show our team. Everyone, including the developers, liked what they saw. We’re excited to get it launched.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

The Gradient has done a great job overall. They’re on track with their competitors. It seemed like they underestimated the scope a bit, but I expected that to happen. I’ve worked in web development for a long time, so I know this was par for the course. 

We had videoconferences 1–3 times per week. I’m not sure how they delegated work, but it always seemed like a team effort. When the project dragged on slightly towards the end, they worked hard to wrap it up within a reasonable timeframe.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Gradient has gone more in-depth into usability, user roles, and UX than any other design firm I know. They produced high-quality designs, and we’re happy with their work. They helped us achieve goals. Unlike a prior firm we’d used that focused exclusively on graphic design, their work encapsulated the entire UX. The Gradient accounted for the overall experience from a user perspective.
 
I’ve worked with several other teams based in Ukraine, The Gradient’s communication skills are on the high end of that spectrum. This is an important consideration when outsourcing work offshores. They’re a professional, thorough team with a great sense of design. We ultimately received a better deliverable because they understood our product end-to-end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Forming and understanding a full scope of the project from the beginning would have been useful. This was a discovery we didn’t make until later.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have a clear vision in-house going into the project. We should have had a better package to deliver to The Gradient that indicated what we wanted to do. Instead, we let them thoroughly guide the project. Had we been a bit more on top of things internally, things could have gone a bit smoother. It was a good experience overall

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm a co-founder of a British startup. We have a beta application in the marketplace and are working on a full commercial app for an end-of-the-year launch. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient? 

We needed outstanding UX/UI design for our startup. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

We extended our brief to make the engagement ongoing. They are helping us with UX/UI design, marketing architecture, and creating marketing assets. We are coding in React Native, first for a mobile app, and then for a web app that touches across different sectors and verticals without conforming to B2B or B2C. 

What is the team composition?

We interact with the founder, his UX/UI design team, and the co-founding partner, who coordinates with the marketing team. 

How did you come to work with The Gradient? 

We researched vendors using a number of criteria via references, Clutch ratings, and Google searches. The Gradient's website appealed to us as we assessed prospective firms. We also had a competitive tender process that went out to more than 12 international firms. For the tender, our team provided the beta product's functionalities, our objectives for the commercial platform, and our plans for the platform. The vendors then had to produce an artistic vision for our app from a UX/UI design perspective. 

The Gradient's pitch impressed us because they produced it within five days and managed to stand out from the competition. Their proposal contained stupendous UX/UI elements while being relevant, funky, and commercially-attuned to our needs. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in March 2018 and the partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They understand the commercial element while being very creative within the bounds of execution. The team pays a high level of attention to detail to different iterations of functionalities; they also ensure the app design loops. Our team and stakeholders love The Gradient's work. 

Although the app isn't live, we've previewed it; the app received positive feedback for its ease, simplicity, originality, and elegance of design. The app is far from completion, but we've already expanded our portfolio of business because we were so impressed with The Gradient's progress. 

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint? 

They are more efficient than other agencies we've worked with; the team is outcome-focused and will not waste the client's time. When we request them to input functionalities, The Gradient always asks critical and practical questions about that data. Overall, the team asks great questions to safeguard performance, such as for closing loops for specific UX/UI journeys. They are not just disciplined themselves, but also ensure that our team is disciplined as well. The teams use Slack for daily communication, Jira for project management, Zoom for conference calls, and email for organizational matters. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They are simply outstanding & we believe they are at Top 1% agency- their future is very bright. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

The Gradient has honestly stated that they prefer to partner with local marketing content specialists for specific geographies and segments in order to properly execute social media and content strategies- a very mature approach. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Prospective customers would need to drop any pre-conceived notions about offshoring. The Gradient is a first-rate team that beats the competition. Clients should give them a try- they will not be disappointed (unless this review goes to their heads).

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder and CEO of an e-commerce platform that provides healthier daily consumables for the Asian market. Our content-based resources help users understand what it means to live a healthier life. As an e-commerce firm, we sell products that match those values. When we first launched, our product had a strong emphasis on products for young parents and their kids in Hong Kong. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Gradient?

I needed a team to support the UX/UI design for our e-commerce platform. Our engagement with a previous vendor had not worked out. They left midway through the project and a major piece of the homepage was completely untouched. We hired The Gradient to help us deliver the best possible online shopping experience for our customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

During our first call, we discussed the UX for the home page. The Gradient created an entire UI kit that would skin up the whole product. We gave them basic wireframes to work from for some specific sections of the site. They had smart suggestions for other sections of the product. They designed the home page section from scratch along with 70% of the entire site’s UX, and close to 90% of the UI.  

They did such great work that we expanded our engagement. Even for other pages that were mostly complete, we had to tweak details so the entire app looked congruent. Adding new pages and updates impacted the rest of the platform. As part of our requirements, they designed wireframes each time they reworked existing elements.

What is the team composition?

Olena (Founding Partner, The Gradient) served as our project manager. I really enjoyed working with our UX lead, Dima. He expanded our perspective and generated amazing new ideas.

We worked extensively with Simon (Product Designer, The Gradient) who was introduced as our UI designer. The Gradient’s designers must be able to work on both aspects, so he contributed to the UX work. One of my colleagues collaborated with a business marketing- oriented professional.

During the fast-paced development phase, two of our in-house team members worked with four resources. As we moved into the UI stage, we scaled our team down to two once we agreed on the kit and general look and feel.

How did you come to work with The Gradient?

We limited our search to third-party contractors only. A good friend of mine recommended using them. He liked them so much he actually reviewed them here on Clutch.co. Since I really trust him as a reference, I started this project without too much hesitation. Notably, The Gradient was extremely responsive. They scheduled our initial call just 15 minutes after my reference sent the intro email.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent close to $20,000- $30,000 if not more.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since October 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Gradient built our entire platform. Prior to working with them, we didn't have a live product. Overall, we got feedback that their designs and overall site UX are quite an upgrade compared to local e-commerce sites by agencies in Hong Kong. Accomplishing such good feedback is both a testament to what The Gradient has done and a critical reason why we launched our business.

How did The Gradient perform from a project management standpoint?

Whenever The Gradient knew we had a tight deadline, they worked diligently to quickly deliver great work. They took their responsibilities seriously. During our initial intense design sprint cycles, we worked with a large team. We held 1-3 videoconferences on Zoom daily. We only worked with one designer during the UI-focused stage, so the pace slowed naturally due to resource allocation and the nature of work.

It’s easy to collaborate over shared Slack channels for daily tasks. We both understand the time differences, and they only use emails for invoices. We've been working with a smaller team on more of a project basis since the app launched because we haven't started major upgrades yet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Of all the agencies I’ve worked with, they have the most focused UX expertise. The Gradient can help your business ideas mature, which makes them a great partner for startups. They really understand the startup world and how to work with clients who have fewer resources and experience. Even when things change, they'll discuss the best path forward and support you every step of the way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The Gradient is a stronger team in terms of UX than UI. They could benefit greatly from the client perspective if they kept UX and UI separate. Those are two very different profiles of designers. Having one person do both may help with resource allocation, but it sends a different message in terms of professionalism.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have less experienced working with agencies, make as tight a brief as possible. At the same time, The Gradient won’t make you less of a priority if you don't have the scope fully planned out.