bazen.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CTO for a SAAS product we haven't launched yet that simplifies third party risk assessment for mining companies.

For what projects/services did your company hire bazen.?

We hired Bazen to do the complete UI/ UX for the SAAS application.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed this project to be very well aesthetically designed but with an intuitive and simple layout as our users are not used to nifty or modern interfaces. We also needed the user actions flow to make sense and for the UI to simplify the placement of all components needed for things like Dashboard, user management, profile etc. We also needed a well designed user on boarding questionnaire with a long list of questions.

How did you select this vendor?

We were recommended by another vendor who was only offering a complete agency package solution, which we didn't need.

Describe the project in detail.

We split the project into 3 phases and had a scope meeting for each phase. We described everything we needed in the meeting for a phase, sent over any required documents Bazen needed and they came back to us with preliminary work really quickly, usually 5-7 days. We then reviewed, asked for minor tweaks and got the work back a few days later. Bazen were fantastic in meeting our process requirements and adhering to the steps we required from a vendor. Once a phase was completed we moved on to the next.

What was the team composition?

We spoke with the founder directly and communicated our requirements only through him. He made sure all items were delivered by him and any questions / concerns went through him.

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

We have not launched the product yet but the work we got from Bazen is excellent, we are really happy with the ideas and designs the project brings together. We will continue working with them for future additions to the product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Bazen communicate clearly and often. We found they are very easily reachable and respond really quickly even though we are in time zones differing by 6 hours.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The professionalism and quality of work is most impressive. They were able to provide relative prior works to see what type of product we can expect and the delivery speed was fantastic for such great work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We don't see anything that we would have wanted done differently at this time.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are the company behind FeatureMap.co, an online User Story Mapping (USM) tool. USM is a methodology to organize a product backlog into a readable roadmap that highlights product features with the most added value. I work there as the CEO/CTO, in charge of administrative work and technical supervision.

For what projects/services did your company hire bazen.?

FeatureMap is a visual tool. It must look appealing and readable to everyone in order to be used as a powerful communication medium between the Product Owner and the rest of the team. After several years without bringing any major changes to FeatureMap's UI we felt it was time to revamp the entire app and give it a fresh, modern look and feel. It was also an opportunity to integrate some of the ideas we had but didn't know how to put in the existing interface. Bazen approached us because they felt they could help. Based on their experience with complex web applications we reckoned they would be able to transform FeatureMap into a neat, modern, and powerful app.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to strengthen user engagement by providing a more compelling user experience. FeatureMap had this clunky look and feel that was "made by engineers for engineers"; we wanted to target a broader audience (i.e. not engineers). We needed a complete re-design of the app as well as a styleguide that we would then use to implement the new UI. We had to find a way to: - make the app more appealing - yet keep the visual codes that existing users are familiar with - and ensure the structure of the content presented remains perfectly readable.

How did you select this vendor?

We chose Bazen based on their great portfolio. Their sense of style and solid experience with designing rich application interfaces (not just static websites) helped us decide to go ahead. I had a first online meeting with Stefan from Bazen and we got along very well, which made me confident that we would be able to build a great product together.

Describe the project in detail.

We began by asking Bazen to perform a review of the existing app and compare it with competitors in terms of user experience. This helped us identify the main pain points and set priorities on what should be fixed.

We then defined the scope of the app that would be subject to a re-design, highlighting the areas that should remain consistant with the current state as well as features that could be transformed for better experience.

As they were progressing we dropped in some new features to integrate in the app to see how Bazen would integrate them in the designs. They made some great suggestions as well.

We went back and forth several times, shaping the designs together until we fetl both satisfied with the outcome.

What was the team composition?

I was in charge of leading the redesign on our end, sharing intermediate designs with the rest of our team along the way. Stefan was my sole interlocutor from Bazen, taking care of a large part of the work and delegating tasks to his own team. 

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

It's too early to grasp the outcome as the new designs aren't in production yet, but we shared the designs with several key users of FeatureMap and the reception has been really good. Users agree the new interface will make the app more modern and engaging.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had regular meetings to discuss requirements and share feedback on the intermediate designs. The communication was excellent -- what really brought us together was the fact that we all saw the product's potential and the opportunity to make something great together. Stefan was excited to get working and I was impatient to see what he would deliver so I could then implement it as a live product.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by Stefan's commitment and excitement for the project. I could tell he really liked FeatureMap and wanted to give his best to make it better. At the end of each meeting we were leaving excited about what we were going to build together.

I liked the fact that they were very proactive in the project and ready to suggest possible improvements.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Maybe one thing: while being enthusiastic and taking initiatives is great, it's also good to spare any remaining budget rather than spending it on suggestions that we won't necessarily want to proceed with later.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the COO of smart.reviews. We are a new online review platform for businesses.  

What challenge were you trying to address with bazen.?

We have an internal development team, but we were looking to outsource some design resources as we don’t have designers in-house.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did the design and the UI for our platform. We created some prototypes together with them as we had no detailed specifications. 

They also did some research on our main competitors and designed a presentation. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people from their team, including an art director who did the sketches and someone else continued what he started.

How did you come to work with bazen.?

We had initially worked with another team, but we weren’t satisfied. We started searching for a new specialist, and we found them through Instagram. They have a nice Instagram account where they post UI tips.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around €7,000 Euros (approximately $7,783 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in August 2019, and the work is still ongoing. 

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

We are fully satisfied with their work on the project. They created an awesome UI for us. 

Our director is also very satisfied with our cooperation, and our developers like what the designers did. The file quality, along with how they organize and store all the design files, is also very clear and good.

How did bazen. perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was good. It has been a win-win situation. They were also very happy about the cooperation and how we managed to work on it together. We usually communicated through Zoom, Skype, or Telegram.

What did you find most impressive about them?

During the design phase, they made many changes to the design whenever we required it. Some pages were done very fast, but there were some elements that took longer. They were very patient and did everything that we required which we really appreciate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They are very good people, and there won’t be any surprises or misunderstandings between them and their clients.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product owner at Fuga Media, a website publisher.

What challenge were you trying to address with bazen.?

Our soccer betting page wasn’t performing well. We had a few visitors, but no conversions. The page needed an updated design.

What was the scope of their involvement?

bazen. used InVision to design the web page. I gave them a layout, and wanted polling features, a shoutbox, and featured bookmarkers implemented in the design.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was Stefan (CEO & Lead Product Designer, bazen.).

How did you come to work with bazen.?

I was referred to them by a friend.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $1,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from October 2018 until November 2018.

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

I’m delighted with what bazen. delivered. The web page is now in development. I’ve seen the changes, and I’m sure the new web page will have a significant impact. Everyone internally is satisfied and approves of the new page.

How did bazen. perform from a project management standpoint?

Their work quality was outstanding. I received a few updates to my layout, but two weeks later, the work was completed. We communicated primarily using Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

bazen. understood what I wanted in a web page. I gave my input, and their team made it fit.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything went amazingly. I’d be happy to work with them again.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the head of product for a consumer electronics, smart home, and InsurTech startup.

For what projects/services did your company hire bazen.?

We needed someone to create the UI for our cross-platform companion application for our consumer smart home device.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted development and delivery of a full UI within a short time.

How did you select this vendor?

We scouted potential service providers and met with multiple. After, we involved our design and development team and had them look at a mixture of vendor portfolios, references, and cultures.

Describe the project in detail.

They’re developing concrete wireframes and translating them into a UI, which involves integrating feedback from initial testing and applying global design principles. They’re working in conjunction with our in-house development and design teams.

What was the team composition?

We've had a constant workforce with clear role definitions. There've been no changes to team size thanks to bazen.’s time and resource estimations.

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

The project hasn’t gone public yet, so we don’t have any results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They combined multiple industry standard tools to make sure we collaborated well. All of our interactions were professional.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Even when we changed things again and again, bazen. remained flexible.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We would’ve felt more on-top of the project if there was more communication regarding what they were currently working on. This would help improve transparency.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of hatless.com. We have multiple websites, most of which are related to cryptocurrency and fashion. We do marketing and refer our visitors to other parties where they pay for a service or order a product, after which we get a commission.

What challenge were you trying to address with bazen.?

I needed a designer for my cryptocurrency website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I wanted to have a slick-looking website, so I gave them an idea and they handled everything from start to finish. They came up with the wireframes, developed the style, and then designed a website. They used Sketch for design and they also used InVision to show me the website.

What is the team composition?

I worked with 1–2 people directly.

How did you come to work with bazen.?

They were recommended to me.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in May 2018 and the project was completed in June 2018.

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

I sent the design to my network and everyone who saw the website loved its look and feel. I plan to do more projects with them.

How did bazen. perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job and were very proactive. Anytime I had a question, they found time to respond. We mostly used Slack to communicate. The only issue was that I couldn't pay them directly without fees, considering their country, so the payment process was a bit complicated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I liked the way they interpreted my idea and developed their own approach.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make a clear plan for yourself and be ready to answer their questions.