Sketch Development

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the SharePoint Business Analyst of Georgia System Operations Corporation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Georgia System Operations Corporation is a not-for-profit corporation that operates on a cooperative basis, managing and monitoring the electric generation and transmission for 38 of Georgia’s electric membership corporations, which light up half the households in Georgia and cover two-thirds of the state.  We’re member-owned and member-directed. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Deeper understanding and usability for Jira and understanding of overall Agile Methodologies

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Unsure

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

Unsure

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Under a recent change in management direction, the Shared Service IT Department has been charged with adopting Agile methodologies and implementing Jira as a standardized tool for managing and supporting departmental workloads. 
We were looking for consultants to provide hands-on guidance, coaching, and instruction to department staff on Agile principles, roles, ceremonies, and practices, as well as practical training on how to use Jira within an Agile framework. The objective was to enable the department to sustainably adopt Agile ways of working.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Agile knowledge and adoption within the department and subteams, including an increased agile literacy and standardization of terminology and practices.  Does the team understand the overall concepts of Agile methodologies.
2. Jira tool adoptions:  Use of Jira to manage workload within the department.
3. Improved visibility and transparency:  Do we know what each other is doing?  Does the company have a better understanding of current workload and prioritization?
4. Better workload management and work intake management

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

Overall, Sketch performed exceptionally well in delivering the project deliverables and exceeded expectations in both expertise and execution. Elizabeth provided outstanding insight into the effective use of Jira, offering practical, real-world guidance that helped translate the tool from a concept into a meaningful and usable workload management solution for our department.

Coming from a professional training background and having attended numerous training programs over the years, I am highly critical of both trainers and training content. Based on this experience, I can confidently state that James is, by far, the best trainer I have ever had the privilege of learning from. 
His instruction was engaging, thought-provoking, and highly insightful, consistently encouraging active participation and deeper understanding. Rather than feeling like time away from daily responsibilities, his training left participants energized and eager to apply what they had learned.

The impact of James’s training has been long-lasting. I continue to use the foundational tools and concepts he taught and frequently reference guidance and examples he shared during the week-long training session. The value of the training extended beyond the initial engagement, as James later conducted a follow-up session tailored specifically for our smaller department. 
This additional training proved equally beneficial, allowing us to further refine our understanding and explore additional ways to apply Agile methodologies to better manage our work.

Overall, the company demonstrated a high level of professionalism, subject matter expertise, and commitment to client success. Their ability to deliver both strategic insight and practical, actionable training played a critical role in the successful adoption of Agile practices and Jira within our department.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

The most impressive and unique aspect of this company is the exceptional quality of its training, particularly James’s ability as an instructor. He combines deep subject matter expertise with an engaging, thoughtful, and highly effective training manner that is both approachable and impactful. As someone with an extensive background in training, 
I can confidently say his ability to connect Agile concepts to real-world application and tailor his delivery to the audience is rare. The training was not only engaging in the moment but left a lasting impact, with practical tools and insights that continue to be used long after the sessions concluded—clearly distinguishing this company from others.

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

No.  I'm hoping htey will return for additional follow up training in the future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Manager, Data & Evaluation of Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility | MOBC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Empowering and educating families through coaching to move off public benefits and in to long-term self-sufficiency. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Update Transitional Benefit Calculator
• Update UI/UX of Calculator Website
• Create a way for regular updates without relying on someone with R code knowledge

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We (Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility) hired Sketch to update our Transitional Benefit Calculator (which required extensive R code knowledge) and the website it's hosted on. This included in-depth research on the Policy Rules Database & Advancing Careers Initiative as well as the historical changes to the previous site. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Functioning Transitional Benefit Calculator:

-Enable administrators to upload updated policy rules via the website, streamlining the

process and eliminating the need for developer involvement when changes are required.

-Incorporating SSI and SSDI (with a child support calculator) into the benefits modeling.

-Update both the web interface and generated PDFs to display not only the benefits cliff

graph but also a clear, tabular listing of the specific data points where cliffs occur.

-Ensure all numeric data points are included in the PDF export for comprehensive

documentation.

-AWS Environment Setup & Hosting: Configure and deploy a secure AWS environment for

the application, including migration of the current solution, initial infrastructure setup, and

coordination with our cloud specialist. This environment will be established to provide a

stable foundation for ongoing use.

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

The team working on our project was incredible. They consistently delivered top-notch changes/updates either on time or early; if there was ever a time where something was behind schedule, it was on our own end and not Sketch's. 

Additionally, all members associated with our project were easy to get in touch with and provided quick responses to questions. Outside of the team doing the work, it has also been easy to get in touch with other Sketch employees for things like invoicing, contract updates, etc.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I'm not sure I can pinpoint a single impressive thing from Sketch, because everything they delivered was beyond our hopes and expectations. 

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner/Founder of Jobsprk

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Jobsprk is an AI-powered resume generation platform designed to help job seekers create high-quality, ATS-friendly resumes in minutes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Create a low friction and functional AI resume generation site.

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Developing Jobsprk required a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary effort spanning product design, AI integration, user experience optimization, and go-to-market strategy. From the ground up, Jobsprk built an intuitive platform capable of generating ATS-friendly resumes using advanced natural language processing, while ensuring accessibility for users with varying levels of tech experience. The project included branding and positioning, UI/UX development, testing, and continuous iteration based on user feedback. The result is a powerful yet affordable resume-building tool designed to level the playing field for job seekers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Launched MVP in under six weeks, from concept to functional web platform.
Trained and refined AI output using real-world resume samples to ensure relevance and clarity.
Completed countless rounds of usability testing to streamline the user flow and ensure correct output.
Developed 5 customizable resume templates, optimized for ATS systems.
Implemented secure, scalable infrastructure with 99.9% uptime and full user data protection

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

The project management of the Jobsprk development process was executed with exceptional clarity, coordination, and efficiency. From the initial planning phase through to final launch, they maintained a strong focus on timelines, deliverables, and user-centered design. Milestones were clearly defined, communication channels remained open and effective, and potential roadblocks were proactively addressed before impacting the timeline. Agile methodology was leveraged to allow for continuous iteration and rapid improvement based on real-time feedback. The result was a smooth and timely rollout of a high-quality product that met both performance expectations and user needs. Overall, the project was a model of great planning, responsive leadership, and execution excellence.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

Virtual Meeting

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

The project management behind the development of Jobsprk was nothing short of outstanding. From start to finish, the process was marked by high-touch collaboration, consistent communication, and a shared commitment to excellence. I came into the project with a clear vision and what impressed me most, was how the project manager didn’t just execute on that vision, but actively helped elevate it. I had what felt like an endless stream of questions throughout the process, and every single one was met with patience, thoughtful explanations, and a willingness to walk me through the “why” behind key decisions. That level of transparency and partnership gave me total confidence in the direction we were headed. Beyond technical execution, the project manager brought creative insight and strategic foresight that helped shape Jobsprk into something even better than I initially imagined. Their ability to translate ideas into a polished, user-friendly, and scalable platform was a testament to both their technical expertise and collaborative spirit. It truly felt like we were building something together and the result speaks for itself.

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

No. I can not wait to get stated on part 2. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the VP of Operations of an insurance company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company is an commercial insurance brokerage that assists medium-to-large enterprises in finding insurance to suite their specific needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Create a web-based data analysis and workflow portal for insurance brokers
• Extend access to the portal to the company'a clients in a secure manner

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Referral

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• On-Shore

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The Sketch team was tasked with creating a greenfield, completely custom application for a commercial insurance brokerage. The application has been live for over 4 years. It's currently our most used application by user count, outside of Microsoft O365 and our HR system. Additionally, we extended access to the app to our clients, delivering a unique digital experience that is a differentiator for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Monthly user count
• Number of clients onboarded
• Data accuracy metrics

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

The Sketch Development team has been very flexible and accommodating to our needs. Not only is the development productivity execellent, they take the time to understand the business needs and use that insight to develop user-friendly analysis of complicated data.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

Virtual Meeting

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

The developers at Sketch take the time to understand what we are trying to accomplish and is reactive to the ever-changing needs of the insurance industry.

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

N/A - We are quite happy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director, Product Management of Nestle' Purina Petcare Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We make the world's best petfood.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Create a New Agile Operating Model for our Data & Analytics COE

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Referral

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

In 2021, Nestle' Purina Petcare Company established a new centralized Data & Analytics hub to meet the growing demand for enterprise-level, reusable data products. A new department was created using a variety of talent across the company but required a new operating model to be successful with product delivery. 

Enter Sketch: through our partnership, we crafted a comprehensive roles and responsibilities document to assist with driving clarity and accountability across the new team. Sketch also assisted in restructuring the department into distince product teams aligned to key business functions. And finally, Sketch introduced us to Agile training and conducted several bootcamps with the newly formed product teams and our stakeholders which became our standard operating model.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Adoption of agile has provided greater transparency ot our stakeholders on when products would be delivered leading to fewer emails, teams chats, etc for status updates.
2. Faster delivery of data products through the adoption of 2 week sprint cycles.
3. Lower voluntary turnover as the team had clear direction on their role, responsibilities and decision space.

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

Sketch delivered in a shorter time frame than anticipated; we had estimated a full-year for the team transformation and agile adoption but completed this two months early.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

In-Person Meeting

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

Sketch has an amazing ability to co-design a boutique solution that was unique to us. Rather than attempting to fit an off-the-shelf operating model that other consulting firms sell in, they listened to our department challenges and delivered the right approach for us.

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

Stronger facilitiation skills for large groups that might not align to the same vision - being able to navigate conflicting opinions in a room with clients to get to an aligned outcome is a true gift.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director, Valuation Operations of Reinsurance Group of America

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Global life reinsurance organization specializing in risk management, research and analyics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Business Architecture Training

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Referral

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We are seeking someone who can facilitate business architecture training, fundamentals and core competencies for our specific area in Global Valuation Operations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still determining what our success criteria should be, but I think having a common theme or thread that runs through the team to say what we do, how we do it and why it adds value to the organization.

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

Sketch meets agreed upon timelines.  They enthusiastically participate in discussions to determine our needs and desired outcomes.  Very responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

What I like about Sketch is that they have a broad mindset with a local attitude.  They don't attempt to mimic other large consulting companies.  Sketch has an internally developed brand that has broad appeal and actions match their word.    

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

I can't think of anything specific that I would recommend as an improvement.  I'm certain they debate this internally quite a bit to be a best-in-class service provider.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Leading Edge Safety

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Leading Edge Safety provides innovative fall protection solutions for construction and industrial worksites, specializing in permanent and temporary guardrail systems and mobile fall protection systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• To build an self driven online application for customers to create a comprehensive guardrail estimate.

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Referral

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The SOW was to create an online application for customers to create instant guardrail quotes. The following lays out the scope of the project. 

1. Project Input & Site Selection:

• Users input project details such as area dimensions, guardrail type (temporary or permanent), and compliance needs (e.g., OSHA).
• Google Earth Integration: 
  • Users can map out their guardrail requirements using Google Earth to get precise site measurements.
  • This feature allows for a visual representation of the project, ensuring more accurate planning, especially for rooftop, perimeter, and large-scale safety projects.

2. Automated Guardrail Design & Material Calculation:

• The system automatically generates a guardrail layout based on the user’s inputs or mapped-out site.
• It calculates all required components, including rails, base plates, brackets, and fasteners, ensuring proper material allocation while reducing waste.
• The estimator provides real-time adjustments, allowing users to customize: 
  • Guardrail height
  • Section lengths
  • Number of posts
  • Specific coatings/finishes

3. Instant Cost Estimation:

• The platform provides a detailed breakdown of: 
  • Material Costs – Optimized for budget efficiency
  • Freight Estimates – Based on location and order size
  • Labor Considerations – If applicable
• Changes to the design instantly update the estimate, allowing for quick adjustments.

4. Customer Account & Estimate Tracking:

• Users can create an account to: 
  • Save and revisit estimates for different projects.
  • Compare pricing and configurations over time.
  • Export quotes as PDFs or spreadsheets for budgeting and proposals.
  • Place orders directly when ready.
• Having an account ensures that all project details are stored for easy reference and modification.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Improved customer experience.

24/7 estimates

Reduction of time for in house estimators 

Easier project tracking

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

Their project management was impressive and customer friendly. Projects were broken into smaller parts and delivered in a timely fashion.  

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

Virtual Meeting

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

Taking the time to learn about our industry and working closely with us to provide the best customer experience possible. They were very knowledgeable and regularly made suggestions we had not thought of that improved the overall project. 

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

none I can think of. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Director of a healthcare company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The company combines predictive analytics and advanced digital experience technology to deliver business efficiencies and more equitable health outcomes at scale.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Redesign a tableau report/tool for a better UI on a webpage

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

ChatGPT

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great Rapport

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

We had them rebuild a custom, complex tableau report so it was within our website on a webpage and mobile friendly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Functionality was the same or better than our original report, mobile rendering of the webpage was optimal, data was pulling accurately, page was visually appealing

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

We met daily with larger demo syncs every two weeks. Their great cadence allowed things to run smoothly and the project to be completed quickly. They had great response times and great talent.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

Virtual Meeting

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

The stand out part was that they took the time to suggest improvements and ideas vs just doing exactly what we asked - that was much appreciated and made the final project better.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Southern Bank of Tennessee

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Community Bank in the Nasvhille MSA. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Create an AI Underwriting Tool
• Create a Loan Policy Assistant

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Referral

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

The scope of the work was to develop a loan underwriting tool to generate loan narratives for loan approvals with the help of AI. Additionally, we designed a loan policy assistant tool that allowed us to query loan policy questions and get answers. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We set goals weekly to ensure we could get the tool built to where we needed in order to provide value to our employees. 

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

Absolutely. They met every delivery time and set a clear expectation on what we could get out of it. 

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

Virtual Meeting

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

They were quick to move and adjust the goal as the project kept being built. Great communication weekly on what they accomplished and what the next step was. Great team to work with. 

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

No. They did a great job overall. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the IT of Budnick Converting, Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Convert adhesive tape

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Sketch Development to accomplish?

• Develop sales front end site integration with erp

SOLUTION

How did you find Sketch Development?

Referral

Why did you select Sketch Development over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Sketch Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop front site for sales to interface with erp and inside sales support. Enterprise/Contact/Opportunity/Reporting interface

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Different bi-weekly delivervarbles based on the sprint objectives. Updated infrastructure on AWS, Updated Sales Mapping solution, Integration to Marketing Campaign Management, ERP Opportunity integration

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

No issues with PM. They're very organized, transparent, and agile. Very responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Sketch Development?

Virtual Meeting

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

Communication and method of managing the project. Additional time goes into planning, documenting, and managing the project but the organization and transparancy of the project show its value.

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

Not necessarily