Merkur Design

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Versus Arts

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Versus Arts is a contemporary art platform and framing studio based in Hackney, London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Design a clean, user-friendly e-commerce interface that reflects our artistic identity,
• Improve the overall shopping experience through intuitive navigation and clear visual hierarchy
• And develop a fully functional online store that supports our sales goals and enhances customer engagement.

SOLUTION

How did you find Merkur Design?

Referral

Why did you select Merkur Design over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

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

2-5 Employees

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

Scope of Work:
Merkur Design was tasked with refreshing the brand identity of Versus Arts to better connect with London’s art community. The project covered visual identity, website UX/UI design, e-commerce integration, and digital assets — all aligned with a modern, artistic vision.

Key Deliverables:

Brand Identity: New logo, colour palette, and typography with a contemporary, creative feel.

UX/UI Design: Clean, intuitive website reflecting the brand’s aesthetic and values.

E-commerce Setup: Integrated online shop with a visually cohesive user journey.

Social Media Assets: Branded templates and visuals for consistent online presence.

SEO Foundations: SEO-ready structure and content for improved visibility.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increased Brand Recognition: The refreshed visual identity led to stronger audience engagement and positive feedback from the art community.

Improved Website Performance: Website bounce rate decreased, and average session duration increased, indicating better user experience.

Higher Conversion Rates: The new e-commerce functionality contributed to a noticeable rise in online enquiries and sales.

Stronger Online Presence: SEO improvements resulted in higher visibility in search engine results and increased organic traffic.

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

Merkur Design’s project management was highly organised and responsive. They delivered all key milestones on time and maintained clear communication throughout the process. Any feedback or requests were addressed promptly and thoughtfully, ensuring the project stayed on track and aligned with our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Merkur Design?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed us most about Merkur Design was their ability to combine creativity with strategic thinking. They not only delivered a visually striking design, but also ensured that every element served a clear purpose in the user journey. Their understanding of both aesthetics and functionality made the collaboration truly stand out.

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

There’s nothing we would have changed. Merkur Design approached every stage of the project with professionalism and creativity, delivering results that fully met our expectations. We were highly satisfied with both the collaboration and the outcome.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

PanoramicWeb specializes in 360° panoramic shooting, VR solutions, and photogrammetric imaging systems. The company offers custom hardware, software, and promotional services for institutions and municipalities to enhance virtual experiences and showcase their assets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merkur Design?

We needed to design a VR-compatible, user-friendly dashboard that enhanced usability and accessibility across all user levels. The goal was to translate complex workflows into clear, interactive interfaces.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Merkur Design was responsible for the full UX/UI process of a VR-compatible dashboard tailored for PanoramicWeb. The scope included user research, definition of user types and interaction needs specific to VR, wireframing, information architecture focused on 3D clarity and navigation, high-fidelity interactive prototypes (Figma), development of dynamic, VR-optimized UI components and data visualizations, and iterative usability testing with real users. Deliverables included detailed user research findings, scalable wireframes, interactive Figma prototypes, a library of responsive VR UI components, usability test reports, and project management tracking in ClickUp for transparent workflow and feedback integration.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two teammates from Merkur Design.

How did you come to work with Merkur Design?

We found Merkur Design through a referral. We chose them over other options because they were a great culture fit and offered good value for the cost. Additionally, their company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–December 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project’s primary challenges included translating complex, technical workflows into simple, intuitive VR interfaces, ensuring accessibility for users with varying technical backgrounds, and optimizing the dashboard for both desktop and VR environments. Merkur Design addressed these by conducting thorough user research to identify key pain points, iteratively prototyping and testing interfaces with real users, and refining components based on direct feedback. Responsive design principles and VR-specific usability guidelines were applied to ensure consistent performance and clarity across all platforms.

We saw improved accessibility with reduced onboarding time for users of all technical backgrounds. The enhanced VR interaction was evident through dynamic, intuitive dashboard components. Task completion was faster due to streamlined workflows. We also experienced quicker iteration cycles, as Figma prototypes accelerated feedback and revision. Overall, the efficient collaboration and on-time delivery were enabled by clear workflow management.

Specifically, the onboarding time for new users was reduced by approximately 40%. The average task completion speed within the dashboard increased by 30%. User error rates during initial usage decreased by 25% following usability iterations. Finally, feedback response and revision cycle times were shortened by 35% due to interactive prototyping.

How did Merkur Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Merkur Design’s project management was effective and organized. They consistently delivered milestones on time and responded promptly to all requirements, feedback, and support requests. Communication and collaboration were efficient and transparent. Regular meetings and ongoing feedback cycles facilitated alignment between teams. Workflow tools such as ClickUp and Figma ensured clear task management, progress tracking, and version control. Issues were addressed promptly, and all feedback was integrated systematically into each project phase.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Merkur Design’s ability to translate complex technical requirements into intuitive, user-friendly VR interfaces was impressive. Additionally, their commitment to iterative testing and refinement based on real user feedback stood out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. All objectives and expectations were fully met.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Netsmart Security B.V. provides advanced cybersecurity solutions and consulting for Dutch businesses. We offer integrated protection for networks, infrastructure, and data, and deploy tailored security projects with over 40 technology partners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merkur Design?

The objective was to elevate Netsmart’s digital presence, with a strong focus on LinkedIn. Our main goals were to align content with our brand identity, enhance engagement with our target audience, and increase brand visibility to support sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Merkur Design manages our social media content and maintains a consistent posting schedule. They have also designed our website and managed the SEO optimization, including keyword research, content alignment, and backlink building to improve our search rankings.

What is the team composition?

We work with two people from the management team and two from the creative team.

How did you come to work with Merkur Design?

We found Merkur Design through a referral. We chose them over other options because of their like-minded management, a young and enthusiastic team, and a good sales pitch.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2024, and our collaboration continues on an annual contract basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been satisfied with the quality of Merkur Design’s work. Everything — from the visuals to the messaging — feels well thought out and aligned with our brand. They pay attention to detail and bring a creative and strategic approach.

We’ve seen clear improvements in our digital presence. Engagement on LinkedIn has increased noticeably, and our content has started reaching a more relevant audience. We’re still trying to understand and measure the outcome of the SEO, though.

How did Merkur Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Merkur Design usually delivers on time and is quick to respond whenever we need changes. At the beginning, coordinating timelines across multiple deliverables was a bit challenging. However, they quickly adapted by introducing a more structured workflow and shared content calendar, which improved visibility and helped us stay on track.

We have smooth online communication with Merkur Design. They’re responsive, keep us updated regularly, and are quick to adapt when we need changes. They listen, ask the right questions, and ensure we’re aligned.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness and collaborative approach are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, we’re very satisfied. If anything, a more structured reporting format for performance metrics would have been helpful. That said, they’ve always been open to feedback and quick to adapt.