Ptype UX & Product Design Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a luxury artisan skin care company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since we don’t have a brick and mortar store, we operate our company digitally. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ptype UX & Product Design Agency?

I knew we needed a new website, but I was looking for a company that could take the lead as far as showing us options of what would work best for our customer experience. Instead of working with a vendor that would say they could build anything, I wanted a partner whom I could trust with our site to explain the “why’s.”

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to increase our website retention and sales and also make the site on brand with our niche.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was on a mastermind conference call, was very frustrated with my website, and didn’t know where to turn to for honest advice. There are so many website designers out there to choose from. 

One of the mastermind members had recently had her website redesigned from Ptype UX & Product Design Agency and raved about them, so I gave them a call. Within a few days, I was on a Skype call with the owner, and she explained everything to me in plain English (I’m not a tech person at all). Her confidence and expertise made it easy to make the decision to hire them.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They redesigned our existing website from the ground up. We have a niche brand that caters to a specific audience, so the designer really gave us beautiful design elements to separate us from the crowd. 

What was the team composition?

Our project team consisted of a project manager, a designer, and a developer. Once the design was approved, we mainly dealt with the developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Imagine you've been driving Fred Flinstone's car. It's not fancy, but it gets you where you need to go. Is it embarrassing to pull up in? Yes. Now imagine you got Marty Mcfly's Delorean. Do you think it would impress people when you showed up driving that? Yes, it would. 

That's exactly the reaction we wanted, and it's exactly the reaction we received. Being non-technical, I just wanted our customers to be wowed with the entire experience, which would ultimately make them return more often and recommend us to their friends. I feel more confident now to reach out to collaborators knowing our website is worthy of our products.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We were on opposite sides of the globe, but that actually was a benefit because there was progress happening while we slept. The team was extremely easy to work with, and every detail was attended to in a very timely manner. No request was deemed too small or too big to handle. We used the company's own messaging board to communicate with each other, which made it easy to follow conversations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As a small company, I was a bit concerned they wouldn't take us as seriously as a Fortune 500 company (which has happened in the past). But they made us feel right at home. What stood apart for me was their experience, maturity, and communication style. 

I never thought I would say this about a website relaunch, but the entire experience was fun, and I actually learned a lot from the process. I appreciated being told why they were doing things a certain way.

Sometimes people are afraid to say no to CEOs, or won’t tell you that your idea isn't the best. But they took the time to explain why some of my ideas wouldn't work with the new site and made alternative suggestions. That, to me, says they have enough experience to know what does and doesn't work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, nothing they could have done differently would have improved my experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work in the marketing division of a large technology company. I bring UX to their marketing and focus on the public presence of their website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ptype UX & Product Design Agency?

We needed a tool to do wireframing and to communicate requirements that could be used across our team. We wanted to get everybody within the immediate UX team on the same platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ptype trained 3–4 of us on Axure along with 4–5 people from a consulting company we work with. They did this twice because of changes made to Axure and some of our team wasn’t available the first time. There were eight training sessions, each 2­–3 hours long. Ptype wanted to make sure we really understood the tool and knew how it operated.

After the training, Ptype began to create a component library and move our workflow into a smoother process.

How did you come to work with Ptype UX & Product Design Agency?

I wasn’t part of the selection process.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from 2015–2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their training was excellent. I was able to apply of a lot of what they taught.

How did Ptype UX & Product Design Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They had no issues with project management—our side had the problem. Ptype was flexible and patient, though.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ptype was willing to reanswer as many questions as we had, which we appreciated. They explained Axure well and walked us through its components until we understood. They even stayed with us until we had our own program up and running.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior lead user interaction designer at a financial institution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ptype UX & Product Design Agency?

We needed someone to build a quick and complex prototype with Axure. We didn’t have enough resources to do it ourselves.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ptype built a prototype for a new feature that we were creating for a service and portal. It was a web application like an authenticated space. I had the design done, and they built the designs into a prototype.

What is the team composition?

There was one designer who worked both remotely and in-person.

How did you come to work with Ptype UX & Product Design Agency?

Ptype was highly recommended by a few members of our team who had previously worked with them. We needed someone knowledgeable and able to build quickly.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2015–August 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had quite a few requirements, and Ptype knew what they were doing and exactly what we needed. If I ever have to use them again, I would.

How did Ptype UX & Product Design Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We met a few times in-person, so I could walk them through everything. We also talked over the phone and in virtual meetings. We never had communication issues. I sometimes reached out to them after hours, and they responded quickly. They delivered everything I asked for on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re professional and easy to work with. There was no conflict.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything negative to say about them. They’re great to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of ScrubzBody Skin Care Products. We make and sell natural skin care products (wholesale and retail) online and at our location in Farmingdale, NY.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ptype UX & Product Design Agency?

My website had been totally underperforming, despite everyone telling me how "pretty" it was. I’d read a few articles about incorporating UX design instead of just using a new theme or new website designer. As a result, I wanted to rely less on beauty and more on efficiency and ease of use.

What were your goals for this project?

I needed to create a different UX for my customers as they navigate our products and offerings. By implementing better visuals and a more concise shopping flow, I’m hoping to reduce friction for customers between landing on my site and making a purchase.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I met Debbie (UX Designer & Strategist, Ptype UX & Product Design Agency) in my business group. I was immediately drawn to her knowledge of UX and how much she was willing to share with all of us. Soon, I realized she’d be the perfect resource for improving my website.

Describe the project in detail.

Ptype is improving my site’s information architecture (IA) with a better structure, redesigned UX, and stronger business ideas. I can't wait to see the finished product.

What was the team composition?

I communicate primarily with Debbie, but the other members of the design and structure team are always included when necessary. I love being able to perform some of the work to keep my budget in check. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We will be launching the finished website really soon, but even the small differences that have already been completed are incredible.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They’re completely transparent. We use a Teamwork projects forum to list all of the tasks, record our email correspondence, and keep a file log.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re smart, efficient, and easy to work with, plus they deliver great results. I couldn’t ask for anything better.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t think of any issues.