UX Connections

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Digital Engagement of Greater London Authority

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is the strategic authority for London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire UX Connections to accomplish?

• Optimise engagement user journeys for Talk London members

SOLUTION

How did you find UX Connections?

Online Search

Why did you select UX Connections over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from UX Connections were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We worked with UX Connections to optimise some engagement user journeys on the Talk London website. The project involved running user testing and from this coming up with recommendations and creating some new designs for the site. 

Key deliverables: 

1. Creating an overall project plan and estimated timelines 
2. User testing in order to understand the pain points and opportunities for increases in conversion rates on the current site. 
3. Recommendations for design improvements 
4. Figma wireframes

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increase in the conversion rates for members, from clicking on emails to participating onsite by taking surveys, using micro-interactions, and adding comments and ideas

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

The UX Connections team was calm, diligent, and very can-do. We really appreciated that they delivered what they said they would and there was never any drama. It was really nice to work with an agency who were so helpful, collaborative and competent.

What was your primary form of communication with UX Connections?

Virtual Meeting

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

Apart from enjoying working with a competent, collaborative team, we also appreciated Chris' supportive leadership style and the way he managed his team.

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

Not really.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a freelance consultant at TXODDS, a global leader in the sports betting data provision market. We provide book-making odds to all international sports betting market bookmakers, syndicates, and B2B providers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UX Connections?

We needed help with our platform's UI/UX design. We had a problem presenting our data to the users of our site, so we had to involve UX Connection to dice the information into a simple UI interface for easy access.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UX Connections did UI/UX design for us. We gave them the freedom to develop the design, and they created a nice, clean, and simple end product. It's modern, and we'll be able to use it in the future for many other products and historical data.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people from their team.

How did you come to work with UX Connections?

We found them online, and after talking to them, we found out they had experience working in the sports betting industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $46,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April 2022–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to UX Connections' work, we could build an MVP based on it, which we expected to have positive outcomes — our internal stakeholders have already given great feedback on the UI/UX design.

The end product they delivered was user-friendly and ready for our products. We only had to make a few clicks to get where we wanted, providing better customer satisfaction. Overall, we were happy with the product they gave us, which they achieved thanks to the multiple options they offered for us to choose from.

How did UX Connections perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was amazing; they were responsive and open to giving and receiving feedback. Regarding tools, we used Basecamp, Slack, and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They quickly understood what we needed and how to resolve it.

Are there areas they could improve?

I didn't think there was anything they could improve on — collaborating with them was amazing.

Any advice for potential customers?

Communicate a lot with them and provide all the right information needed for the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Principal Engineer at a consulting firm and the Lead Engineer in the NES Analytics team 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UX Connections?

We hired UX Connection to provide a UX designer alongside Credera Engineers to NES Analytics for a client

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Credera had an existing partnership with UX Connections

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The NES Analytics project is a data analytics solution allowing their client greater insight into the Voluntary Carbon Credit market. This allows them to understand what trades to make to maximise profit. The analytics results are shared with users in several dashboards.

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

We worked with 1 UX designer from UX Connections in a team of engineers, business analysts, scrum masters and architects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We delivered many dashboards to Shell that UX Connections designed. These dashboards have allowed Shell to trade in new markets with greater certainty and have directly contributed to their profitability in this space. Feedback from the clients was very positive overall, and UX Connections were vital to that success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication between UX Connections and the wider team was excellent. UX Connections was always available to discuss any issues in a friendly and professional manner. UX Connections bedded into the client's workflow and helped accelerate the delivery process with efficient designs.

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

Their ability to translate vague and changing business requirements into a coherent design was impressive. The speed of responsiveness to changing priorities from the business meant that we could react quickly and maintain delivery velocity.

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

Nothing that I can think of. UX Connections delivered everything expected to a high quality.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager for a news company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UX Connections?

We hired them for help with UX design for our mobile app and website. Our goal was to give users a friendlier version of our service that was easy to consume. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UX Connections provided us with suggestions and best web and mobile design practices, focusing on the UX. They also advised us regarding technical personas for our website based on the industry trends. 

Our creative director worked with the team, providing them with designs and mockups we had put together ahead of time. UX Connections reviewed those designs to see whether they were on the right track and suggested amendments based on their expertise. They also created some designs that showed how to implement certain features and sections. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people from UX Connections. 

How did you come to work with UX Connections?

Although I wasn't involved in the RFP process, I believe someone suggested we look into UX Connections' expertise and reputation, which was why they were selected.  

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from May–December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UX Connections' suggestions have been a good starting point for us. Their recommendations were on point and met industry standards. We're still trying to learn from what we implemented, so we haven't seen much return yet. That said, we're still measuring it from a reporting perspective. We're using their work as a basis and foundation to expand on a more extensive data project. 

As for the team, they were very collaborative. They embedded themselves into our company dynamic and the culture, so they felt like part of the team rather than an external party making suggestions. 

How did UX Connections perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was good. They were proactive when checking in and ensuring we received their recommendations and feedback. The team actively tried to move certain elements forward when we were delayed in our response. We used Basecamp to collaborate and Slack to communicate.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

UX Connections were very good communicators, and I liked their proactive approach. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were good. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise you to be clear about your expectations and outline what you want to achieve from the word go; since the RFP process and onboarding. You should also check in with them as much as they do with you. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CCO of Builtvisible, an organic marketing specialist agency working across SEO, Content, Digital PR and Data/analytics for enterprise clients globally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UX Connections?

We used UX Connections on a variety of projects as an extension of our in-house Content team.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with Chris and the team at UX Connections in my previous company, including on a major website redesign project, and had always had exemplary experiences with them in the past. I didn't consider going anywhere else for support.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

There were various projects they supported us on, and integrated into our team as full time members of staff. They supported us with everything from initial scoping through to execution of everything across the world of UX, including user testing, journey mapping, wireframing and general recommendations.

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

We worked with Chris, the founder, directly on scoping the project and two of his team, who were UX consultants with execution.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team supported us with various projects, including a new website launch and redesigning of page templates. The client was looking to reduce the number of phone calls and instead improve depth of customer support content on their website. This was completed and the clients' success metrics achieved.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They had a workflow from start to finish.

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

The flexibility is fantastic, and they literally acted as an extension of our team.

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

No, I wouldn't have changed a thing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a HealthTech startup and Im the CEO and Co-founder of Suburban Health

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UX Connections?

We were looking for a company which can create the best user interface for patients to help develop remote consulting.

SOLUTION

How did you select UX Connections?

We used various different search methods and found UX connections through Clutch.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The project was to improve the current design of the App to make is user friendly and more intuitive. A meeting was arranged with the CEO Chris and we immediately knew this was the right company for us as they asked the best questions in order to understand the App and future plans for digital health in the NHS. Meetings were arranged with the designers where each stage was discussed and modifications or preferences were expressed until the final designs were produced.

How many resources from the UX Connections team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with two designers from UX connections with immense experience and this set up remained constant for continuity and deeper understanding of our goals

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcome was much better than our expectations where the designs were exactly how we envisaged but most importantly, Chris had shown us support as a startup with the aim to develop a longterm relationship with our company, which was the best outcome. We have approached UX again for the next phase of our project without any hestiation.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective

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

The team's professionalism, adaptability, and experience have been impressive.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Director of Retail Transformation at Entain in the UK / Ire Division

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UX Connections?

The in-house SSBT development project at Entain, required expert and professional support in order to assist in the objective of delivering an industry leading UX/UI experience for the retail bettor

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

UX Connections have assisted Entain with multiple projects in the past. They were highly recommended by my colleagues for their expert support and professionalism

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The UX Connections team have supported multiple phases of this critical project so far. Initially, UX Connections hosted multiple sessions with Retail bettors in order to gauge their views on our UX designs in order to receive valuable insight prior to development. Further stages followed, whereby UX Connections conducted on-terminal tests / interviews with customers in order to measure / understand how customers interacted with the software. This included interviews conducted in shop and at head office locations. UX Connections have also supported the later phases of the project by conducting shop visits to see how customers interact with the terminals, along with producing Customer Surveys in order for the program to receive quantitative data.

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

The program has worked directly with four colleagues from UX Connections, primarily UX Consultants

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In less than a year, the in-house SSBT proposition was live in c100 shops, with a UX/UI ratified by our customers. This program has worked fast and we're very happy with the current status of the proposition. UX Connections have been an important cog within the program and a key part of our success so far.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly collaborative and effective. UX Connections and the program have worked closely for a year now. The communication between both parties is frequent, ensuring our requirements are met and to the required deadlines / milestones.

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

Their level of professionalism, UX/UI expertise and also how well they've embraced working within the Retail sector.. UX Connections have a future in offering services for Retail businesses, Digital businesses and those that offer services

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

There is nothing significant that warrants a mention

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a financial services company specialising in creative digital communications. I am the head of the Digital team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UX Connections?

We hired UX connections to deliver a research and analysis of a financial business website and provide a report with actionable improvements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were selected via an initial Google Search and introductory discussions.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Their team conducted research to understand the sector and digital approach within and reviewed the current UX and provided a report listing issues/blockers on the current deployment and some corrective actions and suggestions for improvement.

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

We worked with 4 resources from UX Connections. They were Chris the MD, Patch, Mae and Lauren who were UX consultants.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The report generated was very well received by the business and has led to a piece of work to implement the changes suggested. A few quicker wins that have already been actioned have been shown to provide dramatic improvement to the user experience on the website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

With the use of tools like Slack we were able to have an open channel of communication. The consultants understood the requirements well and delivered valuable work within the required timeframes.

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

Their ability to understand the sector and requirements really quickly and provide strong insights was impressive.

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

There were moments when communications werent' optimal however these can largely be attributed to the unique situation working completely remotely and are the same challenges remote working usually implies.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a different company now, but I was a digital project director at a global agency when I partnered with UX Connections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UX Connections?

We needed them to design our platform’s UX.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UX Connections’ work centered on designing the frontend architecture of our platform and structuring the content that we intended to place there. Upon accomplishing this with their team, we hired another team to develop the website for us.

What is the team composition?

Chris (Founder & Managing Director) was my main point of contact. We also worked with Rebecca (UX Consultant), Johnny (Company Director), Ali (UX Designer), and Felipe (UX Consultant).

How did you come to work with UX Connections?

I personally knew Chris, so by the time he told me about his company, I was just prepared to try their services for myself.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around £100,000 (approximately $138,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from November 2018–April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was very successful. I didn’t really focus on any other metric except for client satisfaction — our clients were exceptionally happy with UX Connections’ work.

How did UX Connections perform from a project management standpoint?

UX Connections was excellent in project management. They were a very easy team to work with — we were able to rely on them to do what needed to be done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were highly impressed with their capacity to address all our problems concerning our website. UX Connections acknowledged the fact that there was no cookie-cutter approach to anything, so they always utilized appropriate resources and assets to work on different tasks or issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could work on refining the skills of their resources. There was a time in the engagement when one of their members didn’t meet our expectations that their own team set through their previous, excellent work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try focusing more on presenting the problems that you want their team to solve rather than prejudging the situation.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I worked at an event and digital company, and we built digital technology solutions in the financial services sector. We also put on real-world events such as annual conferences. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UX Connections?

We had an engagement with a bank, and we were trying to build an app that had a complicated UX. We had a digital development team, but it was very light on UX. During our initial inquiry with the banking organization, they gave us a very high-level brief of the project. We also had a couple of conversations with them about what the application might be. 

However, it became obvious that we needed to gather more information if we wanted to give them a complete pitch, an appropriate cost estimate, and an accurate description of what the system would be. As a result, we had to get some UX specialists for the design that the application would need. We didn’t have the depth of knowledge that we wanted UX Connections to bring, so we hired them. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged UX Connections at the pitch level. The deliverable was primarily a desktop app that would be used by the bank’s client services team. It also had mobile functions. Basically, users would use the desktop and mobile app as a booking engine, and the bank’s internal team would use the desktop version to service those users.

During the engagement, we had 2–3 all-day workshop sessions with the bank. We also had internal discussions before UX Connections went away, at which time they provided us with documentation. There was probably 6–8 days’ worth of work involved over the course of this process. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a total of three people from UX Connections, including Chris (Founder & Managing Director) and Hayley (UX Consultant), who were the two main people that I dealt with. 

How did you come to work with UX Connections?

I knew Chris from a previous job at an organization where we worked together. I was relatively close to him when he set up UX Connections, but it wasn’t actually my decision to use them at that time. 

It was my boss who asked me for recommendations since I’d worked with a number of other UX consultancies over the course of my career. We talked to Chris about what the project involved, and he gave us some good ideas. He seemed to understand the system that we were trying to build. That was how we picked him for this project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $10,000–$25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from June–July 2015. It ran from 2–3 weeks, and we didn’t actually end up building the actual application because certain things got in the way. As a result, we ended the engagement at the pitch-response stage. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measured the success of the workshops in terms of the third-party client’s engagement in the discussion. We checked whether they found those days useful or if the sessions helped them organize their thoughts about what the application might be or what problem they were solving. We also checked the quality of the documentation that was provided back to us. 

Overall, success depended on how impressed the third-party client and my team were in terms of the return documentation that UX Connections provided. 

How did UX Connections perform from a project management standpoint?

UX Connections was absolutely spot-on. They were on top of any deadlines that we set, including those for documentation delivery and responses. Chris was very communicative, so we didn’t have any issues with them at all. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The application was a specialist-type technology, and UX Connections was quite quick to pick it up. We had a preparation meeting with them before they met the third-party client. Even in those discussions, they understood exactly what we were trying to build and its implications for the UX design. They also knew how to address those implications and what they would need to gather necessary requirements — they totally understood the project from the offset. 

I’ve worked with other UX organizations over the course of my career, and I’ve always worried that people haven’t understood the problem or haven’t realized what the application is for. As a result, they usually set off on the wrong foot or with a slight misunderstanding. By contrast, Chris and Hayley managed to understand our project straight away.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. I wouldn’t have much comment on that. We were immensely pleased with the work they did. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared to play your part in the relationship. This is important because UX Connections team members aren’t magicians; they don’t invent things out of thin air. They still require you to have a role to play. 

The team needs your input, so be prepared and make yourself available. Work alongside them to get the best results out of what you’re going to pay them to produce on your behalf.