Cadabra Studio

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and CEO of a golf participation app based in the UK. The app allows clubs to deliver more value to their members by increasing playing opportunities and enabling golfers of any ability, experience or background to play social golf whenever they want.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had developed our POC app using a no code tool called Glide. We then decided to deliver our MVP using Flutter, and we needed a complete app UI/UX design using Material 3 components.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our Polish development team had worked with Cadabra previously. They recommended Cadabra. Cadabra put a proposal together and sent us the CV of one of their designers. We were very impressed with her work and the proposal, and we quickly decided to use Cadabra.

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

UI/UX design using Material 3 for a new mobile app.

1. project brief and overview
2. scoping
3. proposal
4. agree visual style (mood board)
5. design and feedback
6. final review and delivery of design files

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

Two:

• 1 x UI/UX designer
• 1 x business development manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have been delighted with the output and quality of work from Cadabra. The UI/UX design will form the basis for our entire MVP app We have demoed it to several potential customers (who had also seen the previous POC) and they were very impressed - the feedback has been incredible. The visual style of the UI/UX design now underpins our entire visual identity, including website, social and slide decks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Cadabra's business development manager did an excellent job of coordinating the definition of the scope and proposal, the designer then went deeper and used Figma to create a more detailed scope that was reviewed with us. The designer joined our daily and weekly meetings and was an embedded part of the product development team.

Updates were delivered on regular calls and via Slack. I collaborated directly with the designer in Figma and we exchanged comments and feedback directly in real time and asynchronously.

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

I was impressed in Cadabra's ability to deeply understand our app and requirements. This wasn't just a superficial design but a thoroughly understood and researched design.

Our designer got under the skin of the app and its purpose, as much as any product manager or engineer. This allowed them to suggest incredibly thorough solutions which were carefully thought through and outlined clearly in the design files. The quality of the design was consequently excellent and incredibly appropriate for our needs.

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

If pushed, I would say more regular status updates. But the updates were fairly regular and on the whole I felt informed about progress.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of the mobile app company specializing in productivity apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Cadabra to design UI/UX for our app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed them for several rounds. We liked their ideas, friendliness, openness to learn about our project. Great communication.

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

Learn the entire concept of the app, learn all features, create a brain map of the entire app. Fix UI/UX and make the app flow and visually appealing to the user.

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

CEO/Nastia was there for the interview process and offered a lot of idea. Project manager/Mariia was excellent about keeping everything organized and everyone up to date. UI designer/Ann to gave the app it's visual appeal, and made the app into a final product that looks refined and fun to use. Yuliia, always made sure I was happy and was willing to make adjustments to make sure I got what I wanted.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app came out much better than anything any of us every expected. It looks amazing, flow is great, easy to understand and use. I couldn't ask for better results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

One of the best teams I ever worked with. Easy to communicate and work with. They always offered their honest feedback and were great about accepting ours. I wish every team could be like this.

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

Extremely creative and truly care about customer satisfaction. They went above and beyond to understand our project and made sure we were happy.

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

I can't think of any areas to improve, they are really on top of what they do.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a CEO of an independent freight forwarder & customs broker and an experienced live animal & pet shipper. We offer a personal and transparent service from pick-up to delivery.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We required a backend developer to build an acceptance management system from scratch to further extend our personalised customer service and streamline our operations.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found Cadabra Studio online and conducted an interview call where we discussed all details of our project. The meeting was productive and very informative, the CTO and business manager clarified all the details and removed all the concerns that we had in a professional manner. Following the meeting we decided to hire the team in Cadabra Studio.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

It was surprising that the Cadabra team conducted an in-depth interview to clarify what we specifically required and sorted out all the challenges. Only after that, having an understanding of the price and terms, we signed a contract.

After signing the contract, the main stages of our project were: the creation of architecture and UX design, then the visual part and the development with testing. We agreed which tech stack to use and everything went according to plan. The estimate stretched a little in the process of work, but this is fine, since we agreed to add new functionality that was not initially agreed.

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

A project manager, designers, back-end developer, QA.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We launched the management system as a result the number of referral reviews increased and the acquisition of new customers facilitated through automation.

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

We had a chat where we could communicate with the project manager and other team members. Every week we conducted a meeting to discuss the updates, plans and next steps of the project. The Cadabra Studio team has great attention to detail, is strong on communication, and furthermore very proactive.

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

The Cadabra team was very responsive, flexible in managing our day to day tasks, and adaptive based on our feedback.

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

The project was quite complex as we had to connect our existing database of clients to the new system. When some small issues appeared we were warned about them and the development team provided us with the solutions that were successfully implemented.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a sole entrepreneur leading a small LLC, with a long term goal to create many mobile application products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I was looking for assistance with designing UX/UI for a mobile application from beginning to end. The main focus was to have the theme, or aura if you will, of the app convey the qualities being welcoming, securing, and supreme confidence.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was searching through a refined list composed of UI/UX developers in Europe. I had experience with freelancers and wanted to work with a no games software development company. Cadabra stood out because of their five star rating, gold verified status, and the way the initial meeting went.

For me I felt secure in their expectations, pricing, and care for the best intentions of the client. I decided to work with Cadabra Studios because these qualities are extremely rare these days as it pertains to companies.

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

Weekly we would have planning meetings consisting of a PM and Designer. I came semi prepared than most with drawings in a form to help strengthen the documents provided for analyzation, followed by building process.

The communication through Slack was important, convenient, and clutch. Neither team member missed a beat and usually we were all on the same page. Weekly I would receive official updates, though I could have checked at any time.

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

My team directly work with a UX/UI Designer as well as a Project Manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The delivering of the UX is critical as is every piece to any project or puzzle helps being about the bigger picture. This allowed our team to clearly visualize the dashboard component of the mobile app.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

When it came to responding to emails, chats, and documents it was always pleasant because we as a team were always on the same page. The PM and designer would read my mind daily which is rare. In terms of timing there was never an unreasonable, valid, or extremely late response.

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

I would say the level of care for the individual and as the product. All of the experience I’ve had with team members so far those qualities standout. In terms of deliverables they never overs stepped the range on time, in face they were very precise in terms deliverable dates. Also, the team members had excellent suggestions that were at time implemented to strengthen the product, and thus the goal.

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

In terms of improvements the whole team and experience was great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a product owner at Aviakassa. My product is a service for online search and booking of air tickets. My product is built into the travel market in Russia and the CIS, which satisfies the main need of the client - the comfortable movement of the client from point A to point B. The air ticket office has existed since 2011 and is currently one of the top ten online travel agencies in Russia for booking tickets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We started our acquaintance with Cadabra Studio with the redesign of the Aviakassa website. The site is hopelessly outdated and we needed specialists with a modern view on web design. Due to the new design and UX, we planned to increase the conversion of airline tickets.

After successfully working with the site, we proposed the next project - the development of the Alfa Travel mobile application for Alfa Bank. The development of a mobile application will significantly cover the travel market at the expense of Alfa Bank's clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We chose, looked at options, looked for a design studio. As a result, we came to Cadabra Studio via dribble. I liked the work with the interface, the approach, then communication and working with us as a team.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

At the first meeting, I introduced my colleagues to the project. He spoke about his wishes from the design. Pointed out the required details. Draft layouts for the functionality of search and booking tickets in Zeplin were submitted within the agreed time frame. The design concept was accepted. Work on the development of layouts in the future was carried out in Figma.

The mobile application project for Alfa Bank was more difficult for us. Since at the approval stage it was necessary to go through up to 12 interested parties who left their critical comments. However, even in such difficult conditions, colleagues from Cadabra Studio found a compromise solution that satisfied all parties.

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

We worked with a project manager who split the workload between two designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

During the AB tests, the customer retention rate on the booking page was increased by 8 percentage points, which was an increase of 80% from the initial indicator.

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

The main channel of operational communication was and remains Telegram. When there was a need to give feedback on the layouts, we called each other in Figma and edits were made online. Google mit was used to present the final layouts. All presentations were held in accordance with the agreed terms of the project.

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

A big plus was the complete study of the logic of transitions between layouts (UX). Together with the design, we received the status model of the project.

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

At the beginning of the work, all layouts were presented in the ground. The development team was not comfortable working with them. After pointing out these problems, Cadabra Studio quickly moved to Figma, which satisfied you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a lead design strategist for a Fortune 500 company. My role is focused on driving digital innovations for a global line of business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our digital transformation project needed a modern and exciting entry point when transitioning into the application. We hired Cadaba Studio to animate our logo and create motion graphics that would ‘WOW!’ our users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched for motion graphic artists on Dribble and other portfolio sites and ultimately received three different quotes before making our selection. This vendor was recommended by an internal resource and selected because of their portfolio of work, prior relationship, and reasonable pricing.

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

To kick things off, we met with the studio leadership to discuss the project’s needs and goals. Later, technical resources were included to ensure a complete understanding of the problems and consult on the specific challenges we faced. Once the specs were mapped out, we received initial designs. The team stayed in constant communication and after several iterations we finalized the animation.

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

In total, we worked with 3 people throughout the project. An Account Manager, Project Manager, and Motion Design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything was delivered on time and as promised; however, integration of the delivered animation is in progress and expected to be complete this year. Reception by internal stakeholders and business owners has been 100% positive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager was very transparent and provided us with frequent updates and follow-ups. All of our meetings were virtual. The team was very accommodating and used our approved platform for chat communications and file sharing.

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

We appreciate that they were patient and answered our many, many questions. Any concern we had was thoughtfully and thoroughly addressed. Every person on the team is truly an expert at what they do and an absolute pleasure to work with.

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

None! This was one of those rare projects that started well and ended even better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

VP of Marketing for a Financial Services Product

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

UX/UI Graphic Designer to Refresh Existing Website

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We evaluated UX/UI and web designers to bring our website to the next level. We used Upwork and connected with three potential leads. After a single conversation with Cadabra Studio, we chose the team because of their capabilities and affordability.

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

We used Google Drive to share files and Figma to collaborate. A strong kickoff meeting set us up for success throughout the project. We operated in one week sprints.

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

We primarily used one talented UX/UI designer and also brought in motion designers to help with specific complex elements of our site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Cadabra Studio delivered EXCELLENT work on the redesign of our website. All stages of the project, from start to end, were best-in-class in terms of communication and execution. All deadlines were met. Most importantly, the quality of the work not only matched our high expectations but they were also exceeded.

Our ideas were embraced and Cadabra Studio pushed the redesign to excellence. We very much enjoyed working with everyone at Cadabra Studio and look forward to future efforts together. They are more than a typical vendor (in our eyes) -- Cadabra Studio is a true business partner.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Weekly video calls. Workflow was simple using Figma's commenting features.

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

While iterations are always needed, in several instances delivery of ideas were correct the first time. This created a speedy development and review process.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Sake Verse.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cadabra Studio?

I’m developing an education platform for the alcohol industry. I already had some basic design concepts for it, but I needed a company that could help me bring it to life by designing its UI/UX.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I hired Cadabra Studio to design the UI/UX of the educational app that I’m trying to develop, which aims to spread information about sake, a Japanese alcoholic beverage, and help people make better purchasing decisions.

I provided them with a database of information on the products in the sake space and told them the functionalities that I need, which include math and list functions and product cards. I also gave them some examples of other major apps that had similar design features to what I wanted. After that, they created mock-ups for me.

They were able to build two different versions of the same product: an MVP and a mock-up of what I really envisioned for the app. I'll be taking the app to the markets and working privately with my would-be partners to see what they like and don't like about the MVP. I may go back to Cadabra Studio and have them do some more work to update it, but that will depend on the feedback I get.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a product manager, a project manager, and a designer from Cadabra Studio.

How did you come to work with Cadabra Studio?

I came across Cadabra Studio through a freelancing platform. They had great reviews, and it seemed like they had enough experience to be reliable. But the main reason why I chose them was that in their reviews, their clients talked about their creative nature and their ability to create something out of just an idea or a concept.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent somewhere between $10,000-$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project from November 2021-February 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Cadabra Studio’s ability to deliver an MVP based on just a concept was very impressive. I’ve heard great feedback on the products as well. 

How did Cadabra Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Cadabra Studio worked very well in terms of project management. We never had an issue with our timelines. We primarily communicated through Slack, WhatsApp, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cadabra Studio did great all around. I used to work with bigger tech companies, and Cadabra Studio was one of the few companies that conducted themselves as more of a corporation than a smaller company. It was very interesting to have video calls with their entire team instead of just talking to a single point of contact throughout the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they were more upfront about their pricing on the freelancing platform because the price that I was given when I first signed down versus when we started working was about 20-30% more. I also wished they took more time with estimating the final cost because we ended up going 50%-100% over our estimated cost for the project.

Other than that, I’d say they were still worth the money because they were able to address all of my needs for this project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to be prepared to have more work than you initially expected and to be more responsive.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO & co-founder of MyNetDiary. We provide an online weight loss service. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cadabra Studio?

We needed some graphic design work done for our website and mobile applications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We present concepts to Cadabra Studio, and they help implement those into motion design and animation. They’ve provided stand-alone art that they then implemented into our website and mobile apps, which are for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

There are typically 3–4 people working with us: two designers, a project manager, and someone from management.

How did you come to work with Cadabra Studio?

We found them through Upwork initially. We work directly with them now.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $10,000–$30,000

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around February 2016, and it’s ongoing. They do work for us every month or two.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very satisfied with Cadabra Studio’s process and the work they’ve provided. We’ve worked with several of their designers. The internal feedback is positive.

How did Cadabra Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They communicate clearly regarding when they can begin and finish projects. Since they’re offshore, they have different holidays, and they always notify us ahead of time when they’ll be unavailable. We communicate mainly via Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cadabra Studio is a very professional partner. We trust them, are comfortable working with them, and work with them frequently. Whenever we call them up with work, even on short notice, they’re available to get it done. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think there’s much room for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have clear concepts and starting points. Communicate, and be available to work with them throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of MASSIVE, an A.I. company that transforms e-commerce data and consumer reviews into actionable business insights.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had to create a new corporate website together with an ownable illustrative style. We also had to develop data backends to improve our analysts' effectiveness.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to develop something elegant and easy to use. We wanted someone that could integrate various skills.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I looked for website portfolios on Dribble and Behance, and I selected a final roster of five.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Development of a Corporate website with a blog feature on Drupal, development of a Brand illustration style and a theme, development of very complex data management UI for professionals

What was the team composition?

A project leader, one UI specialist, one Angular specialist, one QA specialist, one Art Director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We just launched so it's too early to judge, but we are very happy with the result.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Conversation with PM was ongoing continuously on Slack and Skype, and the person was very present and helpful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They care about their job — they're passionate, and they try to do their best. And they have very good standards of UI and design elegance.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Some specialists might have basic knowledge of english language and this sometimes hinders communication and creates misunderstanding.