Ugly Duckling Consulting

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Product and Engineering of PostPilot, Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Direct mail solution for direct-to-consumer eCommerce brands

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ugly Duckling Consulting to accomplish?

• Unified Design System
• Audit Existing Product
• Quick Wins Before Q4 Holliday Selling Season
• Architect a revised UX and UI

SOLUTION

How did you find Ugly Duckling Consulting?

Referral

Why did you select Ugly Duckling Consulting over others?

• Great culture fit
• Outstanding skill

How many teammates from Ugly Duckling Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• New UI design system for software platform
• Revised UX on critical areas of software app
• End-to-end UX reconceptualization for a complex in-app process

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• User Journey, Mockups and Prototypes
• Account Manager Approval
• North-star design in place empowering future platform iteration/development
• Released new design system to public

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

Josh & his team consistently overcommunicated and provided regular, clear updates on progress.  They did a fantastic job being flexible with our needs and were able to accommodate many of our revisions to the plan and approach over the course of our engagement.

What was your primary form of communication with Ugly Duckling Consulting?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Josh grasped the nuance and complexity of our platform extremely quickly and very rapidly, guiding us in making very valuable adjustments to our approach. His background in data visualization and past engineering experience allowed our teams to work together unusually cross-disciplinaryly and collaboratively.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ugly Duckling Consulting could have done differently?

Really wouldn't suggest any changes - was a great engagment

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Operating Officer of Ramen Networks (www.rameninc.com)

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Ramen offers a new paradigm: Managed wireless networks delivered as a service that can be used to provide extremely reliable, high speed and secure wireless networks in environments where blue collar workers, robots and IoT devices are performing mission critical tasks in rugged work areas. The Ramen solution operates using unlicensed spectrum – initially using the CBRS and WiFi frequency bands in the US.

Private 5G offers significant benefits over the legacy carrier-centric approach where enterprises have no control over their destiny and wait for years for the carrier to deploy nationwide. It also brings all the benefits of modern cloud/edge computing to the non-carpeted enterprise putting it on the same footing as the carpeted enterprise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ugly Duckling Consulting to accomplish?

• Website design
• Website video
• Product UX design

SOLUTION

How did you find Ugly Duckling Consulting?

Executive worked with Ugly Ducking before

Why did you select Ugly Duckling Consulting over others?

High ratings

How many teammates from Ugly Duckling Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The work involved complete design of the UX for the product, branding, logo design and Rameb web page development

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Ramen logo and brand was created
2. Product UX is appreciated by our customers
3. Ramen Website design

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

Everything was delivered on time and they were very responsive

What was your primary form of communication with Ugly Duckling Consulting?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Very talented, very responsible and high quality product

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ugly Duckling Consulting could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of AI/ML of Mist Systems

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mist Systems, a subsidiary of Juniper Networks, specializes in AI-driven wireless networking solutions. Their platform leverages artificial intelligence to enhance network reliability and performance through features like anomaly detection and automated problem resolution, aiming to improve the user experience in wireless environments.

Mist Systems offers a range of services that include Wi-Fi assurance, wired assurance, and WAN assurance, all designed to optimize IT operations through proactive notifications, automated workflows, and insights driven by AI​.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ugly Duckling Consulting to accomplish?

• Release a Novel Networking Feature
• Design the UX/UI to Simplify Networking Operations for Enterprises
• Create an Eye-Catching Product Design

SOLUTION

How did you find Ugly Duckling Consulting?

Referral

Why did you select Ugly Duckling Consulting over others?

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

How many teammates from Ugly Duckling Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of this project encompasses three primary goals aimed at revolutionizing the networking industry and enhancing user interaction with the product. Here’s a breakdown of the objectives and the envisioned outcomes:

• Release a Novel Networking Feature:
  • Goal: Introduce a groundbreaking feature that has not been previously implemented in the networking industry.
• Design the UX/UI to Simplify Networking Operations for Enterprises:
  • Goal: Develop a user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) that simplifies complex networking operations, making it easier for enterprise users to manage their networks.
• Create an Eye-Catching Product Design:
  • Goal: Design the physical and digital aspects of the product to be visually appealing ("eye-candy") while maintaining functionality and ease of use.

Each of these goals contributes to the overarching aim of the project: to deliver a cutting-edge, user-friendly, and visually appealing networking product that stands out in the competitive tech marketplace. This holistic approach ensures that the product not only introduces innovative technology but also addresses the practical and aesthetic needs of the end-users.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Release a Novel Networking Feature:
  • Outcome: Establish the product as a market leader and innovator, setting new standards for what is possible in networking technology.
• Design the UX/UI to Simplify Networking Operations for Enterprises:
  • Outcome: Improve operational efficiency and user satisfaction by reducing the complexity and learning curve associated with managing enterprise networking systems.
• Create an Eye-Catching Product Design:
  • Outcome: Enhance market appeal and user engagement through aesthetically pleasing design elements that do not compromise on performance and usability.

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

The UX/UI design project for our project management system was a resounding success. The design team was highly attentive to our needs, ensuring that each feature was tailored to enhance usability and functionality. They consistently delivered items on schedule, which was crucial for keeping the entire project on track.

Their proactive approach in soliciting feedback and making iterative improvements made a significant difference, resulting in a user-friendly interface that has been well-received across departments. Their commitment to meeting our expectations and their ability to deliver on time has greatly improved our project management processes.

What was your primary form of communication with Ugly Duckling Consulting?

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

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

What stood out most about the company was their unwavering commitment to excellence in the UI/UX design domain. Their professionalism was evident in every interaction, consistently demonstrating deep expertise and a thoughtful approach to design. They not only met our expectations but often exceeded them by delivering innovative solutions that pushed the boundaries of traditional design.

Their ability to blend aesthetics with functionality made their services uniquely impactful, enhancing the user experience profoundly. This blend of commitment, professionalism, and expertise truly set them apart in the field of UI/UX design.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ugly Duckling Consulting could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the COO of Neo.Tax

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Automate the R&D Tax Credit using AI‍, creating an audit-ready study to substantiate a ‍larger credit, while saving time and money.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ugly Duckling Consulting to accomplish?

• After a unsuccessful rebrand by a large studio, create a new branding that aligned with ICP values and expectations
• Simply user interface for a self-serve like experience, while at the same time exposing more power tools to end users
• Create material for sales, marketing and executive team to close customers and investors
• Create and maintain web presence with creative and frequently changing web content
• After the initial rebrand, evolve our brand as we pivoted up-market

SOLUTION

How did you find Ugly Duckling Consulting?

• Referral
• I had also worked with Josh before

Why did you select Ugly Duckling Consulting over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• One of the most responsive and strategic designers I have ever worked with

How many teammates from Ugly Duckling Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Josh and the rest of the team touched almost every aspect of Neo.Tax. From the start, Josh was reaching out and proactively collaborating with marketing, sales, product, engineering and CS. This helped us unify design across the organization, and posed hard hitting questions about how we presented our selves, and helped us better articulate priorities. Key deliverables were:

• Brand guide
• Website design and iterations after launch
• Deck template and subsequent decks for pitching and customers
• Product UX and UI audit
• Product information architecture
• UX and UI designs
• UI component system
• Custom visualization designs
• 1-pagers and infographics
• Videos (animations, product vision, explainers)
• Web ads

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impact of Ugly Duckling Consulting's work was evident in both quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback. Following the rebrand, website and product redesign, our revenue almost doubled over the prior year. The new pitch deck template contributed to us closing an A+ round of $3M bringing in Thomson Reuters onto our cap table.

Perhaps most tellingly, a large potential client not-so-jokingly commented that "when we were reviewing your website, we didn't think we could acquire your company's services, because your brand book and website looked so expensive." This perception shift was precisely what we aimed for in our up-market pivot.

Lastly, our product itself needed way less troubleshooting from customer success, and we were able to focus on more complex customer problems (because of Josh’s simplification of our UX) allowing us to pivot up-market. We closed a $5M round of funding (mid-round) from Thomson Reuters based on product usability and vision communicated in design slides and leave-behinds

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

Hands down, Josh and the Ugly Duckling Consulting team are the fastest designers I've ever worked with. Their project management was exceptional, consistently delivering ahead of schedule and responding instantly to our needs. While their rate might be higher than a designer on Fiverr, their efficiency resulted in an overall net cost at least 30% lower due to minimal revisions needed (it is likely even higher).

Josh's proactiveness was remarkable - he often anticipated our needs before we articulated them. By the end of our engagement, we were in the unprecedented position of having run out of design work across the entire company. This wasn't for lack of ambition, but because Josh and his team had so thoroughly and efficiently addressed all our design needs. Their combination of speed, quality, and attentiveness made the partnership incredibly smooth and productive.

What was your primary form of communication with Ugly Duckling Consulting?

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

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

What truly set Ugly Duckling Consulting apart was their ability to provide high-level business strategy that informed every aspect of their work. Unlike most designers or design teams who often become narrowly focused on aesthetics, Josh and UDC consistently demonstrated a holistic understanding of our business challenges.

Their approach wasn't just about creating visually appealing designs, videos, or mockups; it was about starting by solving larger, fundamental business problems and the designs were the byproduct of their work. This strategic mindset allowed them to produce work that not only looked great but also aligned perfectly with our overarching goals, technical constraints, and budget limitations.

It was refreshing to work with a design team that never lost sight of the bigger picture, ensuring that every deliverable contributed meaningfully to our business objectives.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ugly Duckling Consulting could have done differently?

While our experience with Ugly Duckling Consulting was overwhelmingly positive, there's always room for growth. Given their exceptional efficiency, at times it felt like we were racing to keep up with their pace. These are minor points in the grand scheme of things, and they speak more to the challenge of integrating such a high-performing team into our workflow rather than any significant shortcomings on UDC's part.

Overall, these "areas for improvement" are really just opportunities to enhance an already exceptional service.