Studio Graphene

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and creative director of Xelba. We have worked on a couple of different startups, products, and ideas in the past; this particular project that I’m speaking to was for one of our companies called Hawk Safety.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Graphene?

We had an idea for our Hawk startup but needed to take it to the next level. Our target was to create a user onboarding system that easily, effectively and efficiently integrated and simplified difficult details and massive amounts of data. For example, one of our clients deals with a plethora of products, employees, and tasks that have needed to be organized in a more succinct fashion.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

On this project—which has run similar to others we’ve done with Studio Graphene—we took our ideas and requirements to them so that they could scope out the initial work. After this phase, we met again to discuss improvements and feedback before continuing once more. They provided software development on a web level, simplifying and integrating loads of data, all at once, while also making this data easily understandable and accessible to users.

What is the team composition?

I have worked directly with three project managers.

How did you come to work with Studio Graphene?

We discovered them via a web search and also know people who have worked with them. They were a good fit for us when compared to other options. We weren’t looking for full time or contract work, which would have been both costly and time-consuming. At the time, we knew that they were a startup studio with a track record of transforming ideas to proof of concept and then to prototype and then to working, sellable product—affordably and in a short span of time—and thus chose to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together on Hawk in 2016. They finished development work for Hawk and have now been helping us on a new venture called Xelda.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product Studio Graphene helped us create is a big feature that is part of a very big system; therefore, we don’t receive any direct feedback about the developments themselves. However, I think a lot of people love it. Internally, we have many people who praise how much time it saves from having to manually enter in data for all of our clients; for some, it saves probably 100 hours per month. The product has allowed us to secure work with some large companies in the U.S.

How did Studio Graphene perform from a project management standpoint?

Their approachable and relatable attitude makes it feel like we’re working with a coworker, not a contracted agency. They are quite relatable communicators; they establish personal milestones and always inform us of progress. We communicate in person, on the phone, via email and on Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with many different agencies in the past. Studio Graphene has a much stronger approach to how they work. They are flexible in terms of their contracts and payments; I can pay by project, by hour, by day, or even by week. This is not only great for us but also for their company attracting a diverse group of clients. Most importantly, they treat their clients well. They are friendly and know us here for who we are; at a bigger agency, I may feel like I’m just being treated as a number.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You’ve got to be open minded about your project and products. If you have an idea, remember that these people have more experience than you do with making products because they make them all day, everyday. Listen to the team who is making your product and consider their criticism and feedback; they have the most valuable input.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Managing Director of a software company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Design ESG and social impact software

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Graphene to accomplish?

• Design user flows and personas
• Design user interface
• Test UX/UI

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Graphene?

Referral

Why did you select Studio Graphene over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Studio Graphene were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• User Research
• User Personas
• User Flows
• Wireframes
• Logo and Branding
• UX/UI Testing for the MVP of a diversity data software platform

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We successfully built and tested an MVP based on their user research and wireframes

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

We had a dedicated project manager. They were always responsive and on time. They were clear about what what is in scope and in budget.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Graphene?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team at Studio Graphene are consummate professionals. They bring together top-notch design and technical capabilities. Other industry professionals are impressed by their work when I share it. It was a pleasure to work with them.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Consultant of an arts, entertainment & music company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Global marketplace for art works of world renowned artists.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Graphene to accomplish?

• seamless user experience
• stunning visuals
• optimized for performance

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Graphene?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Studio Graphene over others?

• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

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

We approached Studio Graphene to re-design and re-build our existing website with enhanced functionality, whilst ensuring that users can easily find relevant artists and artwork. We wanted to retain our brand, but completely transform the visual look and feel of our web presence.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We wanted to ensure that the transition from our existing web presence to the new site was seamless and that users could find artists and relevant artworks. Whilst we didn't define specific metrics, we were hopeful that our new website would lead to an increased number of inbound enquiries.

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

The project management was seamless and all deliverables were completed on time. One of the elements that required quite a bit of back and forth was the migration of the existing images and data, this was organised particularly well.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Graphene?

Email or Messaging App

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

If I had to pick two things, I'd say their ability to adapt and the quality of the UI/UX are impressive

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

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at an information technology company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company is a pioneering tech startup dedicated to promoting informed civic engagement by simplifying complex political, social, and economic issues through an interactive app that features engaging polls, unbiased and well-sourced content, and intuitive data visualizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Graphene to accomplish?

• Produce an MVP with professionalism
• Future estimates

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Graphene?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Studio Graphene over others?

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

How many teammates from Studio Graphene were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

deliverables to you over the course of the project. SG also workshopped through useful exercises, like the Business Model Canvas and the Customer Journey Map which will help identify value and go-to-market-strategy: 

• Workshops 
• User Story Maps 
• User Flows (admin + mobile) 
• Wire Frame Design 
• High-Fidelity Design

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

we are yet to see

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

The project managment was great, very professional, although communication could be improved

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Graphene?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

nothing unique really, we appreciated the professionalism that the team demonstrated

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

comunication with clients, specialy when the client have professionals that can help create the best product

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Medpac, a range of practical medicine storage bags that store prescription medication and include photo ID.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Studio Graphene?

We were looking to work with a partner for our digital marketing campaigns, that had a knowledge and understanding of all digital platforms.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to raise brand awareness for a product that nobody knew existed and through a multi faceted approach, eventually increase sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Basically it comes down to people, effectively the team at Studio Graphene are an extension of my team. We clicked from the start, we communicate well and this leads to results.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Together we have continued to develop the website, created e-marketing campaigns, tackled social media and implemented influencer marketing.

What was the team composition?

I have worked with the entire digital marketing team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We continue to see growth month on month.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication has always been good with regular calls scheduled and monthly reports showing results.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Good breadth of knowledge that we can tap into cost effectively, great team to work with as they continue to be inspired by the products.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Would be great to meet face to face more often, but I am not based in London so this makes it a challenge.