Lollypop Design Studio - A Terralogic Company

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a one-year-old startup providing pricing software for the retail industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design?

We wanted to build an extremely sleek, intuitive and easy-to-use interface for our product. I had a good sense of what the product needed to do, but I didn’t have a UI/UX background, so I couldn’t be sure about which features would work well. We couldn’t hire designers in a short timeframe so we decided to outsource the work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lollypop came into our project as both a development and thought partner. They learned about our product and what we wanted to do with it; they provided extremely good advice on that basis. I presented a few thoughts and sketches about the design and they came back with wireframes of significantly higher quality. I gave them feedback on those and we continued to iterate on the design. The designs were delivered as PSD files, which were later converted to HTML. It was a collaborative and synergistic process.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one part-time project manager, and one full- and two part-time UX developers. We also had two full-time UI developers for part of the project.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design?

I reached out to a couple of agencies in the U.S. but the financials didn’t make sense for us. We decided to look on the Indian market. The first provider we discussed with fell through, after which I reached out to Lollypop.

How much have you invested with them?

We initially negotiated a full cost, but the current work is done on an hourly basis.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Lollypop in May 2017. The biggest chunk of work was completed by November of that year. Since then, we’ve continued to do incremental work based on user feedback.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can only speak to the skills of the designers I interacted with—whom I give high marks. The UI work was very good, a 9.5 out of 10. My technical colleague wasn’t entirely happy with the HTML conversions they did. But the majority of work was UI/UX and they were close to perfect on that.

How did Lollypop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were so fast that I feel like I didn’t really get a chance to test their skills in this area. Project management skills become relevant when deadlines start to slip. Having been a project manager in the past, I can say that the project management wasn’t exceptional, but it also wasn’t bad by any means. It simply wasn’t as good as the UI/UX work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was surprised by how good the ideas of their UX designers were. They hadn’t worked in this industry before but they picked things up fast. Lollypop not only took my requirements and created wireframes that made sense but also came up with ideas that challenged the status quo.

They also had reasonable prices for high-quality work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My CTO told me that Lollypop’s HTML conversion capabilities weren’t good. They were upfront about this weakness. Lollypop could also improve on project management in certain areas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a co-founder and the CTO of a cybersecurity product company. Our target customers are mid- to large-sized enterprises from multiple sectors, including, but not limited to, financial and government.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop?

Our company’s founders have technological backgrounds, and UI/UX has always been a core focus for us. We wanted a good partner for the initial phase of product development, one who could produce a good user experience for our target audience and a clean, simple, and attractive interface design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lollypop worked with us on the design of our B2B-driven Android and iOS app. Our target segment could include young cybersecurity graduates as well as 50–60-year-old executives. Lollypop performed research based on the preferences in our targeted geographical location.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, as well as two separate leads and two designers for the UI and UX portions.

How did you come to work with Lollypop?

Many of my friends suggested them as a good studio in the Bangalore area.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work was between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They were engaged with us almost from the 2015 inception of our company. The official collaboration lasted for a year-and-a-half, after which we did not need to make many changes. We have gone back to them on an as-needed basis, but most of the work has been on the app’s backend.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Most B2B products aren’t built with UI/UX design in mind, given that the design teams aren’t often able to put themselves in the shoes of those who will be using the product. Despite these technical gaps, Lollypop performed sufficient research and did a good job of coming up with a wide range of options.  

After seeing the work as part of an actual mobile app, we discovered some gaps. We expected to iterate on the design, given that it will always look better on a canvas than on actual phones, which have varying screen sizes and resolutions. This came with extra cost, which we wanted to avoid, but the overall feedback for the initial work was good regardless.

How did Lollypop perform from a project management standpoint?

I don’t remember having issues with communication. As a cybersecurity startup, we have an aggressive work and deliverable schedule, but Lollypop, being a design studio, have a different work culture, but overall Lollypop management made sure that our queries were responded to promptly.

They were always communicative, posted status updates, and adapted based on our feedback. Overall, I would rate them nearly perfect for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I interacted with their senior management for general brainstorming. In our case, we brought more domain-specific knowledge than what would be expected with a consumer app. The domain we operate in needed to be understood in order create workflows. Lollypop had a high bar to jump and they did a pretty good job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

RunAdam is a tech-based company that’s trying to jumpstart sports interest in India. We’ve brought 15 stakeholders into one platform to help athletes find coaches, get sponsorships, and go to competitions.

Our parent company is the tech division of RunAdam. The other side works on grassroot-level talent development. We go into different schools to search for talent and offer our knowledge about worldwide training methodologies. We get coaches from all over the world to help us develop sports in our country. I’m the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design Studio?

We built our platform, but it didn’t look or function the way we wanted it to. We needed help from a UX/UI company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve redesigned our website and produced wireframes which they’ve used for frontend coding. We’ve handled the backend work internally.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design Studio?

I shortlisted about 10 UX/UI companies based on their past work. I then narrowed it down to five and ended up choosing Lollypop because they understood what I wanted to achieve as well as our broader objectives.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in the beginning of October and are still engaged with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still iterating on the design, but the initial feedback has been good. I’ve been focused on our strategy for the market launch while Lollypop handles the design component.

How did Lollypop Design Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re accessible and easy to communicate with. They’ve also met all of our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand our objectives very well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s been a successful partnership thus far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a travel analytics company called NockNock Analytics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop?

I spent six months developing a software platform, but then realized I lacked the ability to bring it to completion. I needed a vendor to provide UI/UX development based on my initial work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided an outline of the steps involved and explained our expectations for the final product. They created presentations based on our goals before presenting scheduling and cost estimates.

They converted our ideas into a wireframe and then turned that wireframe into a complete, modern website design. All of the major functionalities were put in place and a separate company is currently developing the software. We’ve worked together intimately throughout the entire process.

How did you come to work with Lollypop?

I initially hired another vendor, but they were unable to work us into their schedule. Anxious to get started, I asked a friend for a recommendation. He referred me to Lollypop, stressing that they were a large organization and would be able to start our project on short notice. I reached out to them and received a reply the next day. After meeting, we really hit it off.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $30,000–$35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work has been very well accepted. We’ve shown the designs to a number of people, including prospective consumers and marketing specialists, and received positive feedback.

How did Lollypop perform from a project management standpoint?

They have an effective system. They assigned us a project manager in the beginning and she served as our primary contact to keep the project on task.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have intelligent designers who are willing to pushback if they disagree with an idea. They didn’t just follow rote instructions; they worked alongside us and offered significant contributions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could learn to be a little more patient with clients. They’re also growing rapidly. While they employed 25 people when we first started working together, they now have a staff of roughly 100. That’s an explosive expansion, and a challenge for them will be maintaining their level of quality.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to get the right people on your project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the senior marketing officer at IME Limited. Our company has a worldwide presence and is the leading money-transfer company in Nepal. My major responsibilities include building the company brand and maintaining uniformity in all of our branding and communication across all media channels. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what reason(s) did your company hire Lollypop Design Studio?

We recently ventured into digital financial services and plan to launch the IME pay wallet service under the guidance of the United Nations’ Capital Development Fund’s [UNCDF’s] Mobile Money for the Poor project. As a result, we needed a UI [user interface] design for the app that would make it easy to use for people in impoverished areas. We hired Lollypop to help us create a UX [user experience] that would look great and allow simple navigation for users with little technical exposure.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to come up with a UI/UX design with a proper color balance and a simple layout for people who may be illiterate. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched online for the top UI/UX companies in India and contacted 7 of them. Some were outrageously expensive for a firm like ours in Nepal. Lollypop was not the lowest bidder, but their sales team convinced us that they were the best choice for us despite the cost, which was higher than we had initially estimated. Their profile and previous work attracted our attention due to their subtle designs with no fancy additions. After a few days of negotiation, we were able to close the deal.

Describe the project in detail.

After we selected Lollypop and signed our initial contract, we spent the first 2 days refining our needs. We met various team members from Lollypop who took note of what we visualized, what features we needed, and which customer segments we were targeting, Then, the team came up with the app’s architecture, customer profiling, and wireframes. Through this process of getting to know each other and preparing wireframes, we created the perfect design that we’d hoped for. However, we missed the deadlines that Lollypop had set for approvals and finalization of their work. At first, I was afraid that this would affect the project deadline, but to my surprise, Lollypop still provided the design on time.

What was the team composition?

initially, we communicated with the sales team. After the contract was signed, we met the project manager and other team members involved in the UX and the UI. We brainstormed together for several weeks and came up with a collaborative output. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched our wallet on a commercial stage yet, but the pilot launch has already taken place. Our initial in-house UI design really wasn’t suitable for the app. Lollypop’s solution really changed the product, and now we’re able to retain customers. We’ve gotten better feedback with the newer version.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I was extremely impressed by Lollypop’s timeliness. We missed many of their deadlines for approvals, so they had very little time to deliver the designs to us. However, they delivered the design by the time they’d set during our discussion phase.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their amazing design skills and helpful project management. Their entire team was involved in the project. The project manager led his team internally and really grasped what we wanted.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I’ve learned a lot from them, which has been really valuable. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of a digital manufacturing company, and we help clients understand the value of their digital manufacturing transformation, create the roadmap, connect them with technology vendors, and help them go through the process to understand where the competition is and where they need to invest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design?

We were looking for a data-driven UI expert who could convert the enormous amount of intelligence that we’re gathering into a simple dashboard so our users could intuitively navigate it and we could get the best information out of it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lollypop built a web-based platform from scratch. Previously, we used an Excel file. We went through everything with Lollypop from the initial idea and concept to the layout, wireframes, and UI/UX. We did the coding.

We wanted to convey to our target audience, manufacturing people, the essence of the factory of the future that has been comprised of various technologies. At the same time, we wanted to provide the element of visibility and connectivity, which is going to be something we define generations to come when it comes to manufacturing. We needed all of these concepts to be embedded in the first touch everybody has with our platform. This was the key and the most challenging element that we needed to convey.

Our platform is an assessment platform, so we are gathering intelligence and then we have specific artificial intelligence elements that are creating recommendations for the clients. We’re acting as a smart adviser; we’re replacing the human. We needed to create four different business models into one unified interface, which was a very challenging task. Nobody has what we have. Our concept was difficult to understand, and it was difficult to convey the information in a way so that people who were new to it could put their hands on it and start using it right away.

What is the team dynamic?

Everyone at Lollypop is extremely collaborative, from the art designer to the UI/UX guys and the sales guys. They were responsive and flexible. We were meeting every two or three days to go through a different type of development. We’d touch base, they’d do the development, we’d give the feedback, and then we’d go again. The process went from concept to UI to UX, so I was working with three people from Lollypop. One was the director, who was helping us navigate and think through the concept, and then there were two guys doing the UI/UX interface.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design?

It’s difficult to find good data-driven, data analytics, data visualization design firms globally. It’s a developing field. I found some extremely expensive ones in Europe. My programming team is in India, and I asked them about design firms and they told me Lollypop was popular in India, which is one of the reasons we chose them. We gave them the brief, they came up with some ideas, and then the collaboration took off. They were far better than the rest of the companies we were considering. In all the criteria — design, collaboration, attitude, ideas, costs — they were by far the best.

How much have you invested with them?

So far we have invested around $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Lollypop in November 2016, and we’re still working together. I haven't talked to them in two or three months, but I will definitely use them for additional designs for this platform to enhance it more. I will always use them from now on.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everybody loves our tool. We got everything 100% in cost, time of delivery, quality of implementation, and the wow effect we were seeking. This has dramatically increased our reach. Our clients and stakeholders have commended its amazing design, simplicity, and intuitiveness. We’re very happy with the results. There is not a thought of changing anything, which is significant, especially in this tech-driven realm of high turnover of ideas and improvement.

How did Lollypop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

This is a sensitive point. In the beginning, it was good, because we sequenced the project with their capacity accordingly. There were times when we needed something faster, and we couldn't deliver it. But they would always find alternatives, and they had flexibility. Given my extreme requirements, they were quite responsive under pressure. They were also fair because there was an accounting mistake and they took on that cost. They took the blame and gave us back some free hours. Their customer service was great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their understanding of the requirements was high-level, and their execution ability was also good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I understand that flexibility comes at the price of capacity. For example, if I want something faster, they need to have more people to do the work, because they’re going to have other projects they are working on. Their flexibility is a key strength, and they need to invest even more in what they do but without jeopardizing quality. They could be better at project management overall. For example, the accounting error that happened could have been avoided.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a business that focuses on product innovation. We help our clients align their overall IT strategy, particularly around human-centered design. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design Studio?

We were looking for a partner who could help us with all our design process because we work with a lot of outlines. Our clients include everybody from Fortune 500 companies to Fortune 100. They have pretty large projects, so we needed a company that could work with us both on a partnership basis and occasionally long-term, as some of these projects take several years. Specifically, our projects are related to these organizations’ overall fire strategy and things like that. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We focus on aligning organizations and their business goals against the actual product that needs to be outlined. We give Lollypop the outcomes of our research, and they work with us in creating the wireframes and doing product ideation. Usually, they jump in for the ideation stage and assist with each step until the creation of the concept of the prototype.

They’ve helped us with 4 projects so far. For other projects, they’ve definitely supported our ideation of the concepts, even during the pre-proposal stage.

Our clients are in the retail, healthcare, and oil industries, among others. We work with multiple verticals. We’re working on automation software, an asset management system for oil and gas, and a healthcare innovation project for a leading medical center in Houston. I have an entire team of people here who focus on the research side. As part of the pre-proposal, we do a lot of ideation to show the clients how differently they need to think. We call ourselves an experienced design research company, and most of my team members here are university professors. My entire access team is made up of people have completed their PhDs in psychology and focus on human behaviors, human factors, and things like that. My background is in the same area.

Whether Lollypop interacts with a client depends on the client’s requirements. For a couple of bigger projects, they wanted to work directly with the client. For other projects like oil and gas rigs, we have stricter access because it takes 6 months to get a clearance before we can go on-site.

How many resources were assigned to your project?

I would say least 5–10 people have been involved in various phases. At a senior level, we’ve had the same people for each project. We try to keep the process easy because they already know the scope of the work. Most of our efforts are related to research, and I don’t believe in micromanaging how they work. I’d prefer to focus on having the results come out well. I don’t have the time to babysit them.

Outside of the project managers and senior designers, we’re never worried about who comes or goes on the team. But, we’ve never had a problem or felt a difference in terms of the quality.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design Studio?

They were recommended to me by Upstox, a top trading finance company in India. The owner is a good friend of mine. Since some of our clients are partly based in Asia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, we were looking for a way to have strategic members placed in key locations to ensure good outcomes. I already knew the CEO of Lollypop because we’d spent a couple of days at a workshop together going through iterations. We decided to give them a pilot project and expanded their involvement after that. They always have the capability to do what we need.

How much have you invested with Lollypop Design Studio?

We’ve spent between $50,000 and $200,000 over the course of our relationship. Some projects are billed monthly, and others have an upfront cost. Many of our projects are in different stages at the same time. Most last at least 6 months to a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2015, and the relationship is ongoing. We’re getting ready to start a huge project soon. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

One of the biggest reasons why I chose Lollypop is the quality of their design. As a company, we focus on simplicity. The products that we design and innovate are used, for example, by people who are in the middle of the ocean on an oil rig. These are hardcore labor workers, from people who work in the sun or on production lines. We’re trying to meet the needs of people who aren’t very tech savvy but have clear needs.

We have the same philosophy for health care: doctors are focused on doing their job rather than coming up with technology ideas. So, the team that we work with must anticipate the outcome of our research. We focus on understanding human behaviors, and Lollypop has really supported that. We cannot go back and forth over 10 rounds of design because once the product is deployed to the hospital or oil rig, they can’t test it or do a trial run. On rigs, the software actually tracks real-time drilling activity via sensors.

As a result, we think the simplicity of each product is critical. Regardless of their profile, people should be able to use the solution. I believe Lollypop was able to bring the right kind of productivity and innovation. We’ve never had a problem with the quality of their outcomes.

Our clients want to avoid going through rounds of iterations to design and redesign. We don’t have time to put all their people through training. Instead, our products need to be like an iPhone where you just pick it up and start using it. The design has become a critical element of our work, and Lollypop is able to deliver what we need, which helps us save money and time.

How did Lollypop Design Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Because of our requirements and client processes, we have several stipulations. If I just told a client that we do human-centered innovation, nobody would know what that means. We have to show them something to demonstrate exactly what we are trying to convey.

We have a mixed approach. For some projects, we directly work with the team, and the core team members and designers collaborate with us. For other projects, once we reach the execution phase, we directly interact with the project manager. We have varying styles of interaction, but Lollypop is quite flexible because of their size.

We have daily scrum meetings and standups to go over what’s happening that day and the next day. On Fridays or Mondays, we have a full delivery overview so that we can share the progress with our clients.

What did you find most impressive about Lollypop Design Studio?

They really understand design. Anil [Founder and Creative Director, Lollypop Design Studio] is hands-on and down-to-earth. He understands exactly where we come from; at the end of the day, I cannot afford to lose my clients, and he is in the same situation. The team also understands the importance of time-sensitive work. In some cases, they can afford to take extra time to give us the quality that we need. They listen well. Certain companies in India aren’t easy to communicate with. They may be good at what they do, but sometimes when communication fails, they don’t understand the expectations of the client. We’ve not had a problem like that with Lollypop, which we have really appreciated. The delivery and quality of outcomes have been great. We never had to do major redesigns or anything like that.

Are there any areas Lollypop Design Studio could improve?

Generally, we’ve had no problems so far. If we did, we would have flagged them, and my team would have informed me. We are quite satisfied and very comfortable with Lollypop. We trust them to do their job, and my team enjoys working with them. As long as my team is happy, I’m happy. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of a company called AlmaMater, an online retailer providing custom merchandise for students of schools and colleges across India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design Studio?

One challenge was to find a provider who could build a website with a great UI and UX for browsing and buying products, and to translate this ease-of-use on the mobile side. The existing website we had was not leading to enough conversions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We approached Lollypop for a complete redesign, from the ground-up. They were given a blank slate and needed to come up with new ideas on how the website should look in terms of UI and UX.

Our brief stated that we’re a custom merchandise company, and wanted people from schools and colleges to create custom items on our platform. Lollypop’s first step was to understand our brand better in terms of who our customers were, where they came from, what sort of platforms they used, what sorts of transactions they performed, and what the value of those transactions was. Lollypop asked us a number of questions in this direction, and, once they were able to figure out exactly what our brand stood for and who our customers were, Lollypop created a basic framework of how users would get to our site, choose products, and design them.

They came up with many pertinent ideas which we hadn’t thought of, including creating design groups for schools, where they could save their work as a bundle, and allow students to access those designs and build upon them. The second thing they did for us was build a very nice design around the merchandise platform, allowing users to add text and images. Such platforms already existed across the world, but Lollypop gave a it whole new look and made it simple to use. They even came up with a drawing option, with which users could take random t-shirts, draw whatever they liked on it, and have it printed by us.

Lollypop figured out how quickly a user could get to the checkout, after finishing the design and quoting part, and get their transaction completed. The old website had a 7-step process, which Lollypop brought down to 3 steps.

They handled the frontend part, but I don’t believe Lollypop offers backend development. They were extremely involved with the developers we used, and I know for a fact that Lollypop has partnered with a couple of companies on a regular basis. We brought in a separate developer whom we knew could handle the project.

Lollypop worked hand-in-hand with that team on solving queries and answering questions. They monitored the development on a constant basis in order to ensure that the design would come out exactly as planned.

There is a barrage of apps which have come out in India, and Lollypop determined that, even though an app is easy to make, the probability of someone downloading and using it on a frequent basis isn’t that great if they’re not providing an essential service. People only want to have a limited number of apps on their phone. The team suggested that, instead of making a regular native app, we should redesign our mobile web version to look and function just like an app, with the same user experience. The best part is that users don’t actually have to download anything, but they can visit the website whenever they want.

For our project, there were 5 people involved from Lollypop’s side, 2 for UX and 3 for UI design. Their CEO oversaw the entire process.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design Studio?

We made a Google search for UI/UX designers in Bangalore, and Lollypop was one of the first results. We met many other companies from the area, but none of them understood UX and UI quite as well. Lollypop’s client list also proved to us that they could handle a project like ours.

How much have you invested with Lollypop Design Studio?

We spent around $25,000 for the design of both the desktop and mobile versions, and not including development costs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the web project in 2013. It was done by the end of the year, but we still had a number of add-ons and follow-ups to make, continuing into 2014. The mobile project started in 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Post-Lollypop, our revenue grew threefold, and we also managed to raise funding as a result. We were awarded as the best website in the Indian customized space for the year 2015. Even now, we have one of the best-looking websites for designing your own merchandise in India.

How did Lollypop Design Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was managed well, with the only drawback I’d attribute to Lollypop being that they took a bit more time to complete, especially from our standpoint as a client. Their design process is very meticulous, so they do take more time to get things done.

In terms of process, Lollypop uses standard management software, but we also wanted to have more open conversations. Since our office is close to them, we would often visit them and talk over points face-to-face. Every time Lollypop completed an iteration or design, rather than reviewing it over email or phone, we preferred meeting them directly. I don’t know how they work with clients off-site, though.

What did you find most impressive about Lollypop Design Studio?

One of their core strengths is the UX bit. User interface design has become standardized, and everyone pretty much uses the same templates across the world, but Lollypop’s sense of UX allows them to take simple products and make them even simpler. They can come up with architectures that make clients want to come back to a platform.

Are there any areas Lollypop Design Studio could improve?

They could do things faster, but this is subjective. Our process was slowed down because we wanted multiple things. There is no specific weakness which stands out about Lollypop.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Vymo is a personal sales assistant app that helps salespeople do their daily tasks more easily. It automatically detects what the salespeople are doing and then, based on that, it learns and tries to provide the best possible actions for any sales. I’m the co-founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design Studio?

We needed to redesign our website and app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used Lollypop for a couple of things, one of which was the relaunch of our website. We had an initial version, but we were overhauling it to have much better content and layout. Our image evolved over time, so we just wanted to make sure that the message of the company and the primary features of the product were aligned. The previous version of the website didn’t really have too much information because it was just a bunch of pages. With the redesign, we were looking for a more seamless flow in regards to our vision, features, and client testimonials. We’re an enterprise company, and the audience primarily consists of executives of our customers instead of the users themselves. This required a certain flow in the way the information is delivered in terms of the product features, testimonials, and security features of the app. They helped with making the layout able to present information without overwhelming the user.

The other thing Lollypop did for us was the app redesign. The first version was pretty basic, but as we evolved as a company, we had different ways of presenting the information and the features improved. We wanted to make sure that all of that came out in the app design. They also redesigned the logo and some of the marketing collateral.

How many resources were assigned to your project?

We were working closely with a couple of designers on two phases of the project. One was primarily the UX design in terms of information flow. The final details of the design, like the colors and pixels, were not there in the first version. Once we broadly agreed on the flow and elements, one designer focused on pixel perfect designs, colors, fonts, and spacing in the second phase. There were two information flow designers in the beginning, one visual designer later, and a project manager throughout.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design Studio?

It was my co-founder who found them. I believe they were referred to us from somebody else. We worked with one other studio before, but Lollypop was a lot more product-centric and they had a combination of skills, including web and app design. We needed both of those in terms of analytics dashboards. The main thing that we liked about them is they did not just focus on either the app or the static web, but were able to combine both capabilities.

How much have you invested with Lollypop Design Studio?

We have spent 800,000 Indian Rupees ($12,530).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2015, and the relationship is ongoing. We have grown to the point that we need daily iteration, so we now have an in-house design team. Lollypop provides maintenance and is available in case we have questions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The second version of the app was received pretty well when we launched. Even today, it has more than four stars as an average rating. As we increased the number of customers both inside and outside of India, the visual redesign was much needed. We don’t look at version one of the app anymore, but once in a while for historical reasons, we refer to it. We are pretty happy with the results both on the website and the app.

How did Lollypop Design Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Our company is based out of Bangalore as well, so in terms of communication or language barriers, that wasn’t too much of an issue. Given that we’re a product based company, and much of the benefits of the design would come out once the designer had a really deep understanding of the product, it took a little bit of time for us to make sure that they understand our product, features, and customers. This took a little bit of time initially, but once it happened, the rest of it was seamless. We had virtual meetings and once in awhile our team would visit Lollypop’s offices as well. It’s a mixture of in-person communication and virtual communication through Skype and Hangouts.

What did you find most impressive about Lollypop Design Studio?

In terms of their understanding of the product, they knew what we expected pretty well. Ours is a little bit of a complex product because it has many dimensions to it. They were able to tie everything together, including the static website, web dashboards, and both the Android and iOS apps, and we are pretty happy with the results.  

Are there any areas Lollypop Design Studio could improve?

The iterations could have been a little bit faster. In the end, they delivered what they had promised. Maybe we could have involved engineers a little bit more as well. I couldn’t really put a finger on what could have improved it, but essentially the number of iterations it took for us to arrive at the end goal could have been a little bit better.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Lollypop Design Studio?

The most important thing is to make them completely understand what the product is about. This is a little bit more for product based companies as opposed to someone who’s just looking for a website redesign. I think it’s very important for everyone, especially the designers, to completely understand the user, customer, and features of the product.  It may feel like someone is spending a lot more time than needed on that front, but for long term, it’s really useful, especially when you’re trying to get Lollypop to do multiple things for your company. Their deep understanding is really good for long term.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Bonito Design is an interior design company based in Bangalore. The company was started around 2011 and has 100+ employees. We provide end-to-end interiors, from design to production and execution. I am one of the partners in the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lollypop Design?

We approached Lollypop for UI and UX design for our website revamp. The previous one needed to be reworked according to current user experience standards.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lollypop Design provided UI/UX design, as well as development, later on. We only have a web platform, but it is responsive. Although we had an existing website, Lollypop more or less started from scratch.

We went through their portfolio in order to understand their capabilities. There are many web development options, but we wanted one tailored to our requirements. Lollypop explained the step-by-step process, starting with user-requirements collection, interviewing our customers in order to understand their mindset. After the requirements collection, we came up with a couple of design options and had discussions around those. Lollypop was adaptable to our changes and used mood boards in order to help us understand how the final result was supposed to come out.

Once the design phase was completed, we approached Lollypop for development. The design process went smoothly, but the development was delayed a bit.

Our target customers are people looking for interior design services for apartments and houses. When they come to us, they need to see our portfolio and market expertise, as well as the types of services we provide. Overall, we worked with 7-8 people from Lollypop’s team, including 2 UI and 2 UX designers, and 2-3 developers.

How did you come to work with Lollypop Design?

We had gone ahead with another design studio for the website, but we were not happy with the output. Lollypop’s office is close to ours, so we approached them, looked through their portfolio, and gained enough confidence to go ahead with the engagement. They’re one of the top brands in the area, so it was easy to find them.

How much have you invested with Lollypop Design?

The cost of their work was around 7 Indian Lakhs, which converts to anywhere between $10,000 and $11,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Lollypop Design in October 2016. The design was completed in 4 months, and the development took another 3. The overall project was completed in March or April 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

As soon as we launched the Bonito.in the website, we saw an increase in the number of potential customers approaching us. We have been ranking higher in terms of SEO. The content is more structured and has had a number of improvements, compared to the previous page.

How did Lollypop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive. There was a delay in terms of timelines, but in terms of responsiveness and keeping us informed about the overall status, I would give Lollypop a 5/5. We used a Trello board to communicate requirements. The frequency of communication was between 3-7 days.

What did you find most impressive about Lollypop Design?

They have a talented design team, and are very responsive and adaptable, compared to the other design studio we’ve used.

Are there any areas Lollypop Design could improve?

Scheduling was a problem, but other than this, the collaboration was good. Lollypop exceeded our expectations in terms of designing a website.