Minor Vices

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of technology for City Brew Coffee. We’re a midsized coffee chain from Montana. We have 28 locations across Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Minor Vices?

We wanted to modernize our technology such as implement new POS and accounting systems. In this process, we also realized it was time to build a mobile app. We needed a design team as our development team didn’t have one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them ideas for basic features and examples of apps for us to draw inspiration from. We also gave them our brand guidelines to help their team understand our identity. That actually morphed, and their team helped us clarify our brand identity throughout the design process. For example, our primary color was retail green. They pushed us more towards forest green, which fits more with the feel we want to achieve. Their team created a mobile app design including wireframes and a component library.

What is the team composition?

In the beginning, we worked with two people from Minor Vices. Then, we collaborated with another team member who helped us define our brand guidelines. Another team member actually worked on the design.

How did you come to work with Minor Vices?

We partnered with a development team and reached out to them for a design team recommendation. They suggested Minor Vices and two other design companies. We called all three and looked at their portfolios. All three companies would’ve done a great job. However, we especially liked Minor Vices’ work and friendliness.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $20,000, but that’s just an estimate.

What is the status of this engagement?

We reached out to them in July, and their team essentially finished the project in August 2020. We’re building the product now, but questions inevitably will arise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They produced a great design. I had an idea for how I wanted the platform to look but didn’t express my idea because I didn’t want to constrain Minor Vices. After our first meeting, their team created a design that impressed me. While it wasn’t what I expected, I loved it more than my own vision.

As the project closed, we had a lot of back and forth to nail down the design. It was a lot, but it was also good.  Overall, Minor Vices did great work.

How did Minor Vices perform from a project management standpoint?

They were on top of the project. We essentially gave them the task of designing our product with our help. As they had a strong command of the steps that we needed to take to achieve our goals, their team guided the process. When they gave a deadline, it was always met.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team creates clean and creative designs. Our app functions super well and doesn’t feel like a clone of an international chain’s platform. It doesn’t feel like we copied and pasted our own logo onto an existing product. They’re really good at what they do.

Minor Vices also understood how designs relate to the actual code better than other design agencies that I previously hired. Their team clearly put thought into how features would actually be developed. They also balanced a creative vision with our constraints. For example, our brand wasn’t fully specified. Their team played in the box but also pushed the boundaries closer to where we wanted to be.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their team did a good job. However, it felt that enthusiasm for the project waned, which might have been a result of us nearing the deadline.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them be creative with the project. I found that when we told them exactly what we wanted, they came back with it. At that point, you’re paying a lot of money for someone else to use the tools. Give the project direction but let them bring their experience into the conversation to help. Trust them.