Tardigrada Design Studio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a communications officer for an advocacy group. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tardigrada Design Studio?

We initially hired them for graphic design, specifically character creation and poster design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project scope grew, and Tardigrada Design Studio helped design the board game and the artwork; they also worked on the models for the pieces, the dice, the FTL 3D files, animation for short videos, UX/UI design for our website, and other pieces of graphic design within the program. Tardigrada Design Studio created the artwork for our videos and put us in contact with an animator as well. 

As the program grew, we needed more functionality, so they built out the skeletal framework and provided various UX design elements. The designs for the website are created with Adobe Illustrator, and our characters are designed with Adobe Character Animator.

What is the team composition?

We work with Maria and Shan (Co-Founders & Designers). 

How did you come to work with Tardigrada Design Studio?

I worked with Maria before she even started Tardigrada Design Studio, and I continued to work with her when she started the company.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $10,000–$25,000 CAD (approximately $7,500–$18,800 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2021 when they first launched; the engagement is ongoing because we continue to work with them on different projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We think that the board game is awesome. It was used in a campaign across the province, and people were incredibly excited about it. We’ve also been able to change the audio and rework bits and pieces to use them again, which has been great. Tardigrada Design Studio has raised the quality and level of engagement that we have with the game. Overall the project has been very successful; they’re the first people we call when we outsource work. 

How did Tardigrada Design Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They have excellent project management, and they help to keep us on time. We use Zoom, phone calls, and emails for communication. They are always professional and on time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very good at active listening and taking notes, and are effective at incorporating our thoughts and ideas into the projects. They’re confident in their opinions and give us great guidance based on their experience. They are flexible, and it's a collaborative experience. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing we can come up with. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We would recommend anyone to work with Tardigrada Design Studio. They are easy to work with, and the work is top-notch.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own an interior design company. Kelly Deck Design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Tardigrada Design Studio, and what were your goals?

We hired TDS to create a brand for an off shoot company we were considering launching - SPADE & PLATE - it is a gardening/lifestyle ecom concept that we have

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We asked friends and colleagues who had recently worked with branding companies for references. Tardigrada showed the most artful and passionate approach.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Typeface (s) Logo business cards hang tags shipping label Illustration assets Colours Design/brand use guidelines Social media assets and guidelines

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

2 - Shan and Maria - owners and operators

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't yet launched this brand but our peer reviews have been met with great appreciation and success. Overall we were very inspired and excited the artful approach they took to creating our brand and we feel it is truly world class.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Their project management style was high communication and delivery upon deadline. Most correspondence were via email and then presentations via Zoom.

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

Their artful and thoughtful approach to the brand development. We wanted something that had an old world feel and they really took that to heart with hand drawn illustration and assets that really capture the arts and crafts inspiration that we were looking for.

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

As the owner of a design company myself I feel that they could refine the structure of their deliverables and submission process. It was reasonably organized and always very high quality on submission but I do think they could provide more visibility about the process and what to expect at each step. I think this would also help them capture added revisions and costs to their own benefit.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I m the Principal Architect of my firm Mawi Design and we carry out Architecture, Interior & Landscape Design Consultancy work

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Tardigrada Design Studio, and what were your goals?

We hired Tardigrada to do the Branding for the company based on the brief given to them. The goal was to arrive at logo, the visual language for the brand and branding collateral and Website

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We follow their works in social media and it resonated with our expectations.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

1.Brand Logo 2.Visual Language Package 3. Visiting Cards 4. Letter Heads 5. Sketch Pads 6.Website

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two people. Maria & Shanmugam both Co Founders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have understood the vision of the brand and designed the logo & website in an intuitive way which resonates the core intent .

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The communication, project milestones are clearly laid out and deliveries were on time. Its commendable.

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

They listen to us deeply and ask the right questions to evolve the outcome. They also present multiple options and guide us in carefully choosing the design.

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

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