Plank

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of integrated marketing for Claremont Graduate University. I oversee our website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Plank?

We needed support with website design and development. For context, our team had a big gap in website and UX design capabilities. Our designers weren’t actual UX designers; they didn’t create wireframes — they were print designers for a higher-education institution. 

Moreover, we had one web developer, but he was focused on maintaining the website rather than working on holistic improvements. As a result, we wanted an agency to serve as a partner and advisor to us. We wanted to bring ideas to one another and discuss how we could improve the site. We also didn’t want to scrap our website and rebuild a new one because that would upset stakeholders.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When Plank started working on it, our website looked horrible. Our program features and admission sections looked different, and its backend was convoluted. When we kicked off the engagement, we had a long discovery period, during which they worked on understanding the website and the brand's ins and outs. 

The team interviewed the stakeholders, including students, faculty members, and other staff. For context, we had seven schools plus an overarching brand. Because of that, we had many stakeholders to get feedback from and listen to. We had to reflect their programs as accurately as possible. From there, they summarized their findings in a succinct manner and provided actionable takeaways with qualitative evidence. We aimed to show stakeholders that the changes we were making weren’t only based on our preferences.

At present, Plank has expanded their scope of work. We’ve used them to add sections to our website, and they’re building out our centennial website this year. We purchase buckets of hours every month from them and allocate those hours to the projects we need them to work on. 

What is the team composition?

We work with Kay and Megan, along with a technical lead, three UX designers, and a senior content strategist. Megan bridges the design and technical aspects of the job. 

How did you come to work with Plank?

Our AVP had previously worked with Plank. We also interviewed quite a few agencies, but when we asked Plank to pitch, they truly dove into our pain points. The way they presented solutions to us aligned with our expectations. Whenever we asked questions, they were attentive and answered well. Because of that, we decided to go with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $250,000–$300,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in March 2023, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Qualitatively, we’ve seen brand alignment, and the website has improved the prospective student experience. As a result, we’ve seen an increase in overall inquiries. Manual backend processes have also been reduced. For context, we’ve synced our request information forms and CRM, which is quite different from our manual process before. This has saved us roughly five hours per week. 

How did Plank perform from a project management standpoint?

Plank keeps us on track. If something isn’t delivered on time, it’s generally due to scope creep, not Plank’s delays. If they do have slight delays, they communicate with us, and their communication is on point. They also help set expectations for us. 

We use Wrike as a project management tool and have biweekly calls on Microsoft Teams. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re truly attentive and answer our questions well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Clients always want suggestions and solutions. If they notice something that doesn’t align with our prospective student experience target, it would be great if they could propose a solution. However, this isn’t necessarily part of their tasks since they’re tied up in all the projects we’ve given them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sort your requirements as clearly as possible before the project starts. It’s always easier to have all requirements and goals prepared instead of changing things halfway. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Coordinator of Canadian National Exhibition

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The CNE provides end of summer entertainment for Toronto and the GTA area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Plank to accomplish?

• Build and optimize our primary websites
• Build unique and special functionality on the web

SOLUTION

How did you find Plank?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Plank over others?

• Pricing fits our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Plank were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Plank was tasked with redesigning our primary website as well as three microsites. A dynamic user experience was required as well as a schedule feature, video capability, integrating forms, a ticketing page, and an e-commerce page.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• The measurable outcome were to increase brand awareness, increase traffic to the main website and optimize the user experience.

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

The first half of the contract was mainly weekly status meetings and the second half of the contract the PM provided a status document with details about project completion. Some pieces of the project were delivered on time and others were late due to not enough hours being allocated to the completion.

What was your primary form of communication with Plank?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We found their scope of work to be extensive and well-rounded. Their design style seemed to be dynamic and their team also seemed eager to work on our brand.

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

More consistent communication would be appreciated for future projects. Some requests fell through the crack and we had to remind them that these items needed to be completed. Time management of the projects as well so that they would be completed on time and within the scope that was allocated and agreed upon.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of public programming for a nonprofit in Toronto. We focus on telling the stories of the people and places in our city, past and present.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Plank?

I’d say that it was a business opportunity rather than a challenge. They approached us several years ago to collaborate on a grant issued by a Canadian museum to develop an interactive digital exhibit focusing on the music history of our city.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Plank was our digital development partner on the project. My organization collaborated with Plank to write the grant proposal, which was our original documentation for the project. Once it was approved, we entered into a three-party agreement between ourselves, the grant issuer, and Plank. The agreement outlined various expectations and responsibilities for each partner, and it was the foundational document illustrating what Plank's responsibilities would be throughout the course of developing a website.

Plank was in charge of designing and developing the website. They built the framework and got it live, responding to the requirements of our grant provider. As the curators and historians, my organization was responsible for content creation. We worked on the stories we wanted to tell and the images that came with those.

What is the team composition?

It was a long-term project of multiple years, and we had working relationships with a number of people in their organization, which shifted across the duration.

Warren (Founder & President) spearheaded the grant writing and negotiation, and he was responsible for project management. He delegated most of the digital development to a 2–3-person team led by Jason (Senior Project Manager).

How did you come to work with Plank?

It was a bit of a perfect opportunity. They came to us with the idea of submitting a grant application. They had experience with other grant programs and navigating the approval process under this Canadian museum, and it seemed that they would bring that experience to the table. They’d developed websites for musical acts and bands, so they checked a lot of boxes for our specific area, music history.

How much have you invested with them?

The grant we jointly applied for was for $250,000 CAD (approximately $198,000 USD). It was divided up between the amount of money we invested in research and curatorial development. At least $125,000 (approximately $99,000 USD) went to Plank.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project formally began in July 2018. It was limited in scope to the development of the exhibit, and it was completed in February 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website speaks for itself and is the best measurement of our success.

How did Plank perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams communicated via email, and Plank used Trello internally. We also shared materials through Google Drive. We eventually both worked through the website’s CMS.

Warren was fantastic as a project manager. He always made sure that deadlines were met, and he let us know when something wasn’t right. He was flexible about the different directions taken by the project over a very long gestation.

We did the bulk of the work around the onset of COVID-19. Even though it was a virtual project, it affected everyone. Warren was fantastic at rallying and pivoting with us. They worked with some adjusted timelines and expectations and still delivered a high-quality product.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was their flexibility and ability to pivot. They had to work with changing expectations and timelines, and with different people joining and leaving the project at the onset of a global pandemic. Plank was willing to roll with those changes and adapt quickly to them. That was something that continually stood out to me as noteworthy about their service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having a more formal project management system would’ve been helpful. Doing things through email and not using Gannt charts or other tools through which we could both see what the expectations, deadlines, and progress were sometimes made it difficult to collaborate effectively. Bringing on a project management tool for both Plank’s team and the client would contribute to working successfully.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I recommend setting firm and detailed expectations for what the responsibilities of each side are. Timelines are also a great thing to set out. Clients should have a clear understanding of what will be provided by the developer, and of what additional software or technologies will fall on the client’s shoulders. 

This was our first experience developing something of this scale, and we occasionally felt a bit out of our depths. We had to learn what technologies we had to source to support the website. Having that information will be helpful if we do a project of this kind again. Coming from the heritage field, we were oftentimes not speaking the same language as Plank. We needed to have a meeting in the middle of the project in terms of expectations and requirements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is Nazareth Community. We are a residence with three locations, two for men and one for women. Our residents, who are over the age of 18 and live here permanently, struggle with mental health issues, addiction, and homelessness. We provide psychological support, meals, doctor appointments, medication, and anything else they need. We try to reintegrate them back into society, with our ultimate goal being for them to move on to autonomous living. I have multiple roles here; I’m the volunteer coordinator and a support worker. I also handle social media and work in administration. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Plank?

When I started here, the website had already been built. Not only was the site poorly made, but it was also really difficult to change anything because the backend wasn’t user-friendly. I wasn’t familiar with WordPress, and no one really knew how to improve the site. We wanted to make it more engaging so that it could help us increase our donations and things like that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The executive director of Nazareth Community applied for the annual Plank Gives Back initiative, and we were selected. Plank completely revamped our website. They did both development and design and rebuilt our WordPress site from scratch, including the backend. They also gave us a lot of advice on social media and advertising in order to increase our donations and volunteers.

What is the team composition?

My main contacts were Kayla (Project Manager) and Tarah (Director of Marketing & Communications).  

How did you come to work with Plank?

We were looking for someone who specialized in design. We saw that Plank was very familiar with WordPress. They were also a Montreal-based company and loved working with nonprofits and helping in the community. We always look for people who are eager to help out nonprofits. They seemed eager and excited about it. 

How much have you invested with them?

Nothing.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in November 2019. The official site launch was at the end of February 2020. That was technically the end of their work for us, but they still, to this day, stay open to communications and any questions or concerns we have. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m the one who updates the website, and I’ve noticed a substantial increase in ease-of-use and accessibility. The website is much more user-friendly, so I can get in and change anything easily. The board of directors and pretty much anyone who has seen the website before-and-after has said that it’s much better now.

How did Plank perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of communication, they’ve been amazing. We’ve been emailing back and forth since November, and they send us constant updates and answer our emails and concerns very quickly. They’ve also been very involved in the activities that we do here at the shelters; we had an inauguration for a shelter that we just opened in November, and they attended. They came in multiple times and tried their best to learn as much as they could about our community. They’re hands-on, open, and easy to talk to. They seemed to really enjoy the work that they did for us, which was nice.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think the fact that they took the time to come out and learn about our community separates them. They took a tour and attended the shelter inauguration, as well as pretty much any big activities that were going on. I wasn’t expecting them to do that, especially since it was free work that they were doing. I think that was taking an extra step that they really didn’t need to do. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really have nothing negative to say about them. They did everything perfectly.

Any advice for potential customers?

I didn’t really need to do much. They’re very good with their communication, and they love working with people. It’s very easy; as soon as you communicate with Plank, they’ll do everything else for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital media manager at Centaur Theatre Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Plank?

We were faced with an opportunity to rebrand in a short amount of time. We needed somebody to help us with the rebrand and create a new website from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They met with our artistic director to get a better sense of our company and to plan the project. They also met with us to discuss what we wanted to see on our website, including calls to action (CTAs), ticket purchasing features, and a way for people to get to know us and what we do. 

They then designed and developed a website that would be user-friendly to our audience, especially because a large portion of them are in their 60s and up. Additionally, Plank helped us to connect our ticketing system to our website. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 people regularly who help us address our needs and organize the rest of the team. There are also other teammates we haven’t met who work behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Plank?

We heard about Plank through word of mouth. After meeting with them and reviewing their portfolio, we were pleased with what we saw and knew they would be a match.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2019. The team is still helping us with maintenance and growth and they’re implementing any changes we want to see.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work and the relationship we’ve built with them have been excellent and they are always available to help us iron out any urgent issues. Plank has gone above and beyond to listen to us and make sure that we are satisfied and have our needs met. 

How did Plank perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very organized. We have a direct line of communication with a few of them and then they have their own project manager who oversees the behind-the-scenes team. They present themselves professionally and communicate well using Trello. They’ve also been able to follow through on the timelines they set.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very patient and give us lots of room to explore how we want to be represented, since building a website is an important part of brand identity. They have guided us through every step.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because there was a lot of pressure to produce something quickly, there were a few misunderstandings because we didn’t have enough information. Since we’re not web development experts, we needed more explanation of some of the repercussions of making certain decisions about the initial design. Although we backtracked a few times, we ended up surpassing those hurdles.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s a good idea to have somebody in your company who is the most knowledgeable about web design communicate with Plank. Their team is patient, welcoming, and understanding so they will take you through the steps.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the senior manager of marketing and communications at Cineflix, and we are a content creation company. We produce and distribute creative products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Plank?

We wanted to revamp our corporate website, which was completely outdated.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The completely transformed our website, from planning and design the wireframes to actual development and then launching and establishing hosting for the site. They built the site on a WordPress template and then customized pages from there. It was really an A-Z service.

We started out with an initial kickoff meeting where we brainstormed just to get the ball rolling and for everyone to get a sense of who we are and fostering great interpersonal relationships moving forward from there. They took our ideas and drafted up wireframes, staying very in tune with our changes and providing their own feedback as well, expediting whatever we needed to be completed most urgently to keep the project moving.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with their project lead. Whenever necessary, he would bring in the backend and frontend coders and designers as well, but channeling the majority of the communication through him was a very efficient way to keep things organized.

How did you come to work with Plank?

Our former website developers weren’t doing new development anymore, so they suggested Plank as a potential replacement. Their portfolio spoke for themselves and we liked that they were local, so we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a little over $50,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The actual development of the site lasted from September 2018–October 2019. We had to change the direction of the website a little bit which caused the project to take longer than it would have otherwise, but that had nothing to do with how efficient they were.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t run any analytics yet, but I can say that we have a site that we’re proud of and looks amazing. On top of that, it’s really easy to manipulate and update, which is a huge improvement for us. Our team couldn’t be more satisfied with the aesthetics and the control that we have now.

How did Plank perform from a project management standpoint?

Plank did an excellent job of keeping us on track at all times They were always available to communicate or hold meetings if we needed to, and they always met our development deadlines. They used Envision internally to keep track of our progress, and we all used Trello to communicate as a team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really felt that they listened to what we wanted and tried their best to deliver what we wanted. If they couldn’t, they would always find another option for us. Plank are incredible problem solvers at their core, and they have a wonderful client-first attitude. It was an extremely positive experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really don’t think there’s anything they could have done differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I really do think that having our first kickoff meeting face-to-face was a huge benefit to the entire process because it set the whole thing off on the right foot. I can’t stress the importance of having everyone getting along and understanding each other enough.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Repercussion Theatre is a professional theatre company best known for our annual Shakespeare-in-the-Park tour. I am the Artistic and Executive Director of the company (since 2015).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Plank?

We originally worked with Plank when they launched their 2016 "Plank Hacks Culture" project. We described our situation: we're an anglo company that wants to be able to have our shows be accessible to francophone audiences.

They proposed creating a web app that would allow an audience member to follow along with the French translation fo the play in real time. They worked no a prototype, and we decided to move ahead for that summer. The project worked really well, and we have been updating and expanding the web app each summer since then.

What were your goals for this project?

To reach francophone audiences and make it easier for those who speak French to access our shows.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found out about Plank because of their "Plank Hacks Culture" callout. We submitted our proposal and they chose us. But the experience of working with them and the work they did was so positive that we have kept working with them ever since.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

In the first stage, Plank​ ​developed​ ​a​ ​demo​ ​app​ ​that​ ​allowed​ ​Francophone​ ​audience​ ​members​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​Shakespeare’s​ ​text in​ ​French,​ ​with​ ​prompts​ ​pushed​ ​from​ ​the​ ​stage​ ​manager​ ​to​ ​alert​ ​them​ ​to​ ​the​ ​current​ ​scene​ ​being performed.​

The Plank team used colour schemes and visuals from our production design to create a look that was show-specific.​ ​The​ ​prototype​ ​was​ run that first summer with the goal of gauging audience interest and it was then ​further​ ​developed​ ​for​ ​our ​summer​ ​2017​ ​season.

In 2018 we added a page with the list of characters, including avatars for each character. This summer, more functions were added, including the original English text, the show program, shareable quotes from the play, and a page with post-show discussion questions.

What was the team composition?

We generally worked with Warren and one or two other people from Plank. On our end, we had 2-3 people providing content and feedback.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The web app has been used by around 5% of our audience during the shows, and also gets used by a few hundred people over the course of the year. The fact that we have this option has gained a lot of media attention, and has certainly brought more people to the shows to check it out.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management is worked out each year, depending on what our goals are and who is available on each side (Plank's and Repercussion's). We streamlined communication and content sharing by using Slack this year, which was helpful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Plank team is super creative and collaborative. They always try to create something that will truly serve our goals as a company. It always really feels like a collaboration and it's really just a joy to work with them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an educational technology and SaaS platform. I'm the director of sales and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Plank?

We hired them to help with a WordPress redesign project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted a cleaner site that was easier to navigate. We hoped to differentiate our products to improve our targeted messaging for our audience segments. After we determined what we wanted for the structure and provided them with a sitemap, they did all the wireframes and mockups. They did work on both the front- and backend, and we created all the content on our side.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a fantastic project manager, and we recently transitioned to another contact who promises to be as helpful. There is also a designer and a backend team.

How did you come to work with Plank?

Our founder used them on other projects and liked the people there. They had a good approach, and he felt they would be a good fit for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in December 2018. We took a pause during the holidays, and the project wrapped up around February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The things we asked them to address are fairly subjective, so we don't have a lot of metrics to share. Now, when prospects contact us, we have better conversations with them, as those clients have more knowledge about our products. We have better leads, and the sales timeline is significantly condensed.

How did Plank perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great project managers, and they did a lot within a very short timeline. We had tight parameters on our side, and they worked quickly to get us what we needed. They used Trello for task tracking, and we also used Slack and Google Docs. We also had regular calls with their team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We had a great relationship with them. They are very well-organized, and they take direction well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they should improve. We're very happy with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Community Foundations of Canada was founded in 1992 to support and connect community foundations working across Canada. Collectively our network stewards combined assets of more than $5.8 billion and we’ve put hundreds of millions back into communities. We champion the issues that matter to Canadians. As a national leadership organization, we also act as a convenor, thought leader and partner to help make our communities stronger, more resilient and sustainable. I'm the director of communications. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Plank?

We retained Plank to help us implement our digital strategy and redevelop and relaunch CFC's corporate website.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a more modern, streamlined website that served various audience needs while also adopting UX best practices. Also, helping CFC take an important step forward with a more streamlined approach to content management.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We reached out to a number of service providers and chose Plank based on its sector expertise, capacity to quickly and beautifully come up to speed on our community's and audience's needs, and agility and flexibility to collaborate and make informed recommendations around UX, design, development and digital best practices when questions arose.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Wireframe, Design, Development, QA. 

What was the team composition?

PM backend developers, frontend developers. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

It has significantly elevated and modernized our brand and helped us showcase our work—as well as that of community foundations across Canada—more clearly and effectively.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We were very impressed by the quality of work completed by Plank, including project management. Weekly update reports, combined with regular meetings and open and transparent communications with our PM, were delivered and attended to consistently throughout the entire project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Plank's responsiveness and collaborative, solution-oriented approach were a great fit for our organization. We trusted Plank's expertise and recommendations, and they were able to bring their knowledge to the table and combine it with our needs and interests in really great ways.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing really comes to mind.