Catalyst UX is a leading full-service user experience design and development firm with specific practice areas in Medical, Life Science, and FinTech. Our unified UX approach, refined in over 700 engagements, provides clients with strategic digital innovation, ongoing user validation, risk reduction, and accelerated time to market.
Clients work with Catalyst UX because of our focused experience and industry expertise. When you work with Catalyst, you’ll have access to a dedicated, flexible team who will ensure your solution gets to market on time and under budget.
While we work across industries, we have deep expertise in:
Medical & Life Sciences
We design and deliver innovative software for medical and life sciences. We understand the complexities of this highly regulated industry through our experience spanning virtual care, digital therapeutics, patient monitoring, diagnostic imaging, medical devices, clinical trials, and chronic care. Learn more here: https://catalystux.com/medical
FinTech
Our work with FinTech providers brings innovative solutions to market that impact the lives of people across the globe. We have experience with: payment processing, asset management, cryptocurrency, digital banking, insurance, lending, payroll, real estate, investing, compliance and alternatives. Learn more here: https://catalystux.com/financial
We work with companies in three main areas:
Application Moderization
Each year $1.8 trillion is wasted on legacy systems. If you are operating legacy software, it's time to migrate. Work with Catalyst UX - the leader in legacy system modernization.
Full UX Design & Development
Our seasoned multi-disciplinary teams can deliver the full UX design and devlopment of your digital solution in 90-120 days.
Digital Innovation
Catalyst UX has been helping clients deliver innovative digital solutions for over 29 years. We know how to approach, design and develop software that solves complex problems.
$25,000+
Undisclosed
10 - 49
Founded 1994
Average Review Rating
4.9
Total Reviews
13
Most Common Project Size
$10,000 to $49,000
Average Referral Rating
4.9
/5
Focus
No data have been added yet...
Locations (3)
400 Concar DriveSan Mateo, CA,
United States94402
8003137874
Pricing & Proposal Solution UX Design for Software Company
UX/UI Design
$50,000 to $199,999
Sep. - Nov. 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.5
Willing to Refer
5.0
“They provided a lot of recommendations; they didn’t just tell us how we should do things.”
Jan 4, 2023
Director of Product Management, EBS
Nikolai Slepushkin
Software
Temecula, California
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX helped a software company modernize their flagship product. Their resources provided recommendations on improving the product’s navigation design and making it more intuitive based on user feedback.
The product was cleaner, less busy, and more intuitive than its previous iteration, according to feedback from end users. It was also easier to navigate, thanks to Catalyst UX’s work. The team was on top of everything and scheduled things properly ahead of time, resulting in a smooth engagement.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of product management at EBS, a software company with several products. Our main flagship product is ProPricer, a proposal software intended for pricing, estimates, and proposal creation. We have quite a big customer base in the aerospace and defense industry.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
We didn’t have UX specialists within our ranks. Our company had a couple of development teams and managers and used internal assets to come up with the design of our software. Much of it came from the designed that worked back in the day. We attempted to modernize the product, so we decided to get a UX specialist to work on it. However, couldn’t find anybody that suited us. As a result, we decided to seek external companies to help us. That was why we engaged Catalyst.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Initially, we introduced what we were attempting to do and what our goal was without knowing a whole lot about the industry segment. During the first phase of the project, we sat down with them and went through what our software did and looked like. We then discussed specific areas that we wanted to improve, and the team provided their recommendations on what we should address and what would be more intuitive for end users.
Our company took their route and had 3–4 stages where we went back and forth and adopted their implementation approach. The software was complex, and it took us several tries to relay what it truly was. In any case, it was developed in various stages. Finally, when Catalyst delivered their final recommendations, we took a majority of what they proposed and started implementing them.
While we were developing the product, we had a beta group testing it. Catalyst came and did their part toward the end of the beta group. We already had some ideas from our existing customers that the software was simple and easy to use; it was busy and unintuitive.
Given that, Catalyst suggested removing some navigation pieces and keeping everything in one place. This would make the product simpler and more intuitive. We got rid of the navigation panel and moved all controls up in one area. To create the designs, we used Figma.
What is the team composition?
Our initial contact was with Paul (CEO), and then there was a salesperson. From there, we worked with two people; one did all the wireframes while the other put together the prototype. We met with those two a couple of times per week for a couple of months as we went through that process.
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
We told Catalyst general information about the software and what it did. From there, they came up with a proposal for what they could do to the product. They presented a couple of options, which we evaluated. We considered other companies, but Catalyst had the best offer. As a result, we decided to go ahead with them.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent around $50,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our engagement lasted from September–November 2022. For context, we chose them in the beginning of August 2022, but because of the beta group and other things that were happening, we didn’t start the engagement until the end of September 2022.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Several customers told us they could put the product in the hands of end users because it was much cleaner, less busy, and more intuitive than before. For navigation, we used MS Clarity to see if there were any dead clicks and things like that. Overall, the product was a lot clearer in terms of navigation and based on the feedback of people still on the sandboxes testing the product.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
The project was well. Catalyst was on top of everything, letting us know how many UI areas were addressed and what was left behind. Everything was on point’; nothing was delayed or canceled — the project moved forward.
Moreover, there was a couple of times where the wireframe specialist contacted us outside of the working hours. I specifically told him that that was fine. He needed some help in some specific UI areas, so he reached out over the weekend. I replied back with an email, and he was ready to show his work by Monday. Overall, they worked outside regular working hours, so everything stayed on track.
Additionally, everything was scheduled out properly. The salesperson served as the project manager, and she scheduled everything ahead of time. If there was any conflict, she’d take things one by one and change the time
What did you find most impressive about them?
Catalyst’s strength is that they knew what they were talking about. For UX design, they could tell us what they’d done with other customers and what trends were out there. In other words, I liked the fact that they provided a lot of recommendations; they didn’t just tell us how we should do things. They provided multiple options in case we could find a new opportunity.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, there weren’t any.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Provide an in-depth explanation of your product if it’s complex.
For context, our product was so complex and niched to the aerospace and defense industry. I wish we realized that sooner or before we got going with the project. We could’ve provided them with additional information unique to our software ahead of time.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.5
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
UX/UI Design for Semiconductor Manufacturer
UX/UI Design
$200,000 to $999,999
June 2020 - Sep. 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
4.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Catalyst UX was talented, focused, and diligent with clear specifications."
Oct 3, 2022
Sr Dir of Software Dev & R&D, Semiconductor Manufacturer
Anonymous
Manufacturing
Manchester, New Hampshire
10,001+ Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX designed the UX/UI of a web-based product for a semiconductor manufacturer. The team designed controls in Figma and used Angular and Electron for the frontend. They also maintained the product.
Catalyst UX made the product easier to use and more visually appealing; their work was well-received by end customers. The team's talent, expertise, and access to cutting-edge technology were valuable, and they progressed as expected. Jira, Bitbucket, and monday.com were used for project management.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a senior director of software development and R&D for our direct current to direct current products at an international provider of semiconductor solutions in the digital and analog spaces.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
Our products were making a transformation to offer more digital content, and our in-house skillset was different from that. We had analog power designers and power integrated circuit designers, but we decided to engage with a firm that had experience in UI/UX design for web-based technologies to help us build more comprehensive software applications.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Catalyst UX provided web design services. They helped design desktop user interfaces using Angular and Electron for the frontend; they also used Figma to make renderings of the program’s controls.
We also worked with Catalyst UX to maintain the product.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two software engineers — one was a UI designer, and one was a software designer — and a program manager.
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
Catalyst UX was referred to us.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent $250,000–$500,000 with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with Catalyst UX in June 2020, and the project ended in September 2022.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our customers had an immediate positive reaction. Catalyst UX substantially improved our product’s ease of use. The product’s previous interface was full of bugs and not easy to use. The visual improvements they made were also substantial; they made the product modern and cutting-edge using their domain knowledge. Catalyst UX executed the product as we specified and helped us meet the goals for our product.
How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?
The project deadlines were fluid, and we didn’t have a specific schedule, but Catalyst UX executed sprints as expected. They used monday.com for their project management, and we shared databases using Bitbucket and Jira. We used Zoom to communicate.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Catalyst UX was talented, focused, and diligent with clear specifications. They understood UX design and were already very well-versed in Angular and Electron. They had licenses for Figma and other tools. We didn’t have their skillet or access to their tools, so they came with the whole package. This meant we didn’t have to invest a lot in infrastructure.
Are there any areas they could improve?
If we had specified the project more clearly, the execution would’ve been better across the board.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
Provide clear specifications, and Catalyst UX will execute very well.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
4.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Mobile App and UX/UI for Healthcare and Technology Company
UX/UI Design
$50,000 to $199,999
Oct. 2020 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"They’re always willing to take an extra step and think broader about the client’s vision as well."
Jun 3, 2021
Vice President, Healthcare and Technology Company
Anonymous
Healthcare
Littleton, Colorado
1,001-5,000 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX is building a mobile application. They act as a comprehensive technology partner, handling scoping and wireframes through to delivery. The solution features a data analytics engine integration.
Working from requirements provided by the end-customer, Catalyst UX delivered on time and on rbudget. The ongoing app improvements are aided by Catalyst UX's transparent project management, as well as the cooperative environment they've fostered. Customers can expect a lean, dedicated, flexible team.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the vice president of a healthcare and technology company.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
We were looking to develop a healthcare mobile app for one of our clients to gather all of a patient’s health vitals in a data analytics engine. Providers can then look at how a user is doing in terms of their health and intervene to provide care proactively, rather than reactively.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Catalyst UX is helping develop the mobile application, including building some of the patient-facing and member-facing parts of the app. We provided Catalyst UX with the high-level business requirements that our client delivered, and they went through a creation process including mockups, screen designs, and wireframes.
In terms of deliverables, they’ve been responsible for the UX/UI, front- and backend design, and end-to-end development. They’ve also built integrations with various devices to capture the vitals.
This is a very small project that is closest to a prototype or pilot. We engaged Catalyst UX in our client discussions so they could understand the project, scope it, and put forward a proposal. The work is ongoing, as our customer had aspects that they needed to finalize on their end.
What is the team composition?
We’re working with three people: a UI designer, a UX designer, and then an integration resource.
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
We’d interacted with them in the past but didn’t have an opportunity to leverage them until now. When they came in, they showed a high level of experience, which built confidence in the partnership.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent around $100,000–$200,000 so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
The work has been ongoing since October 2020. Our customer had some dealers on their end that they had to finalize with. The plan was to roll the project out in December 2020, but the work picked up again in March 2021. We’re ready to deploy into production.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Catalyst UX has on-time, on-budget delivery and provides quality work. We haven’t had any customer complaints; they are very appreciative of the work that Catalyst UX has delivered.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
Their lean team keeps costs low. One of their people has doubled up, helping them handle some of the basic project management activities. The client has also deployed a scrum master on their end. They track the project through a work plan in Excel. We use email, phone calls, and Microsoft Teams to communicate.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Catalyst UX has a strong sense of commitment to the work. They’re always willing to take an extra step and think broader about the client’s vision as well. They remain committed to the timeline despite change requests, even putting in extra time to ensure the client’s goal is met.
They’re very collaborative and have created a feeling of a unified team, even though there are three groups of stakeholders: us, our client, and Catalyst UX. They’re very transparent in terms of what is delivered each week — I really like the level of detail that they provide us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
The project has gone extremely well. There’s nothing that would stop us from working with them again. I wouldn’t change anything about our experience.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Bring Catalyst UX on early in the process so that they can have complete clarity about the customer’s needs, and then give them the space to deliver.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
UX/UI Design for Software Company
UX/UI Design
$200,000 to $999,999
Nov. 2020 - Apr. 2021
4.0
Quality
4.0
Schedule
4.0
Cost
3.0
Willing to Refer
4.0
‘‘I’m overall satisfied with their work.’’
Jun 2, 2021
Developer, Software Company
Anonymous
Advertising & marketing
Roseville, Minnesota
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX was hired by a software company to provide UX/UI design services. This also included developing the prototypes for those designs along with coding efforts.
Catalyst UX’s efforts assured a successful engagement with the client, who is happy with the results and is looking forward to working with them again. Their vision to implement the partner’s needs was essential for this project. Their knowledge of several tools was also helpful.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a developer at a software company.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
We needed UI/UX design for a new version of our application.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
It was a collaborative project; they worked with our internal teams and our technology leaders to create the design for our UI/UX and also helped to develop the first version prototypes for those designs. There were also code deliverables.
What is the team composition?
We worked with 4–5 throughout the project. There were a couple of UX/UI designers, app developers, and a project lead.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent a little bit more than $200,000 with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
There were two parts of the project; the whole engagement lasted from November 2020–April 2021.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
I’m overall satisfied with their work, and we’ll continue to work with them.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
We used several tools throughout the project. There was Figma, Monday.com, and Microsoft Word. In terms of communication, we used emails and had meetings every week.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re able to create a vision and implement it on a fast development from a conversation.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They can improve on managing their client’s expectations by defining what’s occurring in the following weeks and who’s doing what in that stage. I also told them that they can get better at listening to customer feedback; we know we’re paying them for their expertise, but we have experience in our business as well.
RATINGS
4.0
Quality
4.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
4.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
3.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
4.0
NPS
UI/UX Redesign for Digital Library Platform
UX/UI Design
$10,000 to $49,999
Feb. - Apr. 2021
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Their ability to hear us, understand are needs, and then deliver for us was spot on."
May 20, 2021
CTO, Auto-Graphics
Cheryl Slinkard
Software
Southern Shops, South Carolina
11-50 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Catalyst UX redesigned a digital library platform's UI/UX design on Figma. The project's goal is to educate their end clients about the benefits of UX design.
The client was pleased with the outcome of the project. Catalyst UX is now finalizing the new system to redesign the cleint's application screens. They managed to make design changes quickly, leading an agile methodology in the process. Moreover, their team blended well with the internal team.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the CTO for a software company that focuses on the Library Industry
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire Catalyst UX?
To help us redesign the UX for our application
SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?
I originally worked with them a few years ago while with a software company who offered rapid development tools. My goal was to help educate our customers on the benefits and details of Modern UX design. When this project was funded I considered them along with other top design firms who focused on projects of this nature and size.
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
The project involved reviewing our current application, along with most used screens, and coming up with a "Design System" of modular components we could use to rebuild our current screens.
We collected and reviewed 70+ screens that were currently in use.
Then Catalyst UX designers came up with sample designs that were reviewed and gave input to
Then we would review the iterations until we signed off on them.
Ultimately they handed over to us the Design System that was built in a UX design prototyping app (Figma).
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
My team worked directly with UI/UX designer who had worked in our industry and a project manager.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We were very pleased with the results and completion of the project. We are now in the process of using the new design system to redesign our application screens. We've started sharing some of the designs with our customers and they are very excited.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Very good! The first meeting was a bit "slow" so I had a chat with Paul the CEO and our 2nd meeting that week was very productive, as were the rest of the sessions. We would make design changes "on the fly" that were instantly visible and the pace and process was very agile.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Their ability to hear us, understand are needs, and then deliver for us was spot on. The way their team gelled with ours couldn't have been better. We were able to complete the project on-time and on-budget and we even increased scope slightly at the end.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
I honestly can't think of anything for improvement. Our entire company couldn't be more pleased with the results of the project.
RATINGS
5.0
"We will continue to engage them on an "as needed" basis."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"Top Notch UX design work"
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"Project got kicked off and completed in timely manner"
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
"Budget was of concern and we definitely feel we got what we paid for."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Visualization Design Prototype for Auditing Software Demo
Custom Software Development
$10,000 to $49,999
June - July 2019
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
“The quality and value proposition that they offer is great.”
Nov 19, 2019
VP of Customer Success, VALID8
Craig Ballinger
Financial services
Seattle, Washington
1-10 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX developed a visualization design prototype for an accounting software company. The prototype acts as a clickable demo, enabling stakeholders to showcase the potential product via desktop or tablet.
The prototype has garnered praise from viewers for being high quality and succinctly laying out the product concept. Catalyst UX met expectations by delivering on an aggressive timeline. Organized and collaborative, the team had a wealth of knowledge in best design and business practices.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of customer success at VALID8 Financial, a software company in the audit/accounting space. Our products automate financial statement audits and forensic accounting investigations.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
Our company needed design help to build out a prototype to display visualizations for our software. The prototype needed to be rich enough to show customers and prospects the type of features we’re looking to build in the future.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
We hired Catalyst UX to expand our current product interface. More specifically, they created a visualization design prototype that acts as a clickable demo. They took a business process that you’d see and mocked it up so that we could show the end-to-end process in a demo environment. They made the demo accessible via tablet or desktop.
What is the team composition?
We worked mainly with Paul (CEO, Catalyst UX) and Kevin (VP of User Experience, Catalyst UX).
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
I’ve worked with them a couple of times. I found out about them 3–4 years ago when I was looking for a company that does UX/UI work. I did a bunch of research as to what companies were out there, with being initially referred to Catalyst UX by a colleague. I did a sales cycle with them and many others. The reason I went with them was that not only were they good at what they did from a design point of view, but they had domain knowledge in financial areas.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent between $25,000–$50,000 in total.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from June–July 2019.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
It was a rapid prototype project that was delivered on time and within expectations. We’re using it to show where we’re going from a product point of view. When people see the demo, they’re very impressed by its quality and the concept that it lays out.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
They were continuously improving their processes. We were pleased by their organization and project management capabilities. We were very aggressive with what we wanted to do, and they worked with us on the timelines and told us what they could deliver. They were realistic in terms of what their delivery was. The tools they used, including Trello, were top-notch.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We were impressed that their knowledge included not only design and UX/UI but also business.
They understand business terminology and what the consumer wants to do with their product. That was invaluable and the reason that I will continue using them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I’ve been impressed with what they’ve done. They’ve quickly turned around the projects I’ve used them for. The quality and value proposition that they offer is great.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure you have the time to invest in the project. Part of the beauty of the way they do things is the collaborative piece of it.
RATINGS
5.0
"I’d easily work with them again. They not only deliver good work, but they’re nice and easy people to deal with as well."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"It’s top-notch."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"They exceeded our timelines. They were very flexible when we needed to change timelines."
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
"It was very good value for money."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
UX Design & Dev for Brain-Computer Interface Company
UX/UI Design
Confidential
Jan. 2017 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"I can’t speak highly enough of his professionalism and responsiveness."
Nov 18, 2019
CEO, Brain-Computer Interface Company
Anonymous
Healthcare
Palo Alto, California
1-10 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX delivers cross-platform UX/UI services for a handsfree medical device that is subject to governmental regulations. The team assists with focus group testing and overall product strategy.
Leveraging an effective remote project management approach, Catalyst UX maintains open lines of communication and consistent feedback channels. The project manager handles adjustments well, letting the client dictate changes as needed. Customers can expect an accessible and experienced partner.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CEO of a brain-computer interface company. We’re building an implantable brain-computer interface for people with paralysis, allowing them to control handsfree devices that overcome problems of communication and upper and lower limb function.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
We’re working with them to solve a very exciting UX problem, namely building a handsfree user experience that is cross-platform. We’re building a completely modular and cross-platform system that enables people to interact with existing operating systems but without the use of a mouse or keyboard. Critical in this is the UI/UX, and Catalyst is serving that role for us. We chose them because of their experience with medical device applications and their understanding of FDA regulations.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
We’re utilizing Catalyst’s access to industrial designers and developers to deliver a user-focused UI/UX solution for our cross-platform development needs. It’s traditional technology development, but we’re targeting a patient population, and therefore, have to meet specific criteria set out by the FDA. Catalyst is going about development in a strict and highly regulated manner so that we can present our work clearly to the FDA.
We’ve gone through a discovery phase, and we’re working on the design now before we begin the coding phase. Catalyst has been an early partner for us, helping us design the product at the outset. Focus-group testing has been handled by both our parties.
What is the team composition?
There are about five people from their team working with us. Paul (CEO, Catalyst UX) is our main contact, and he coordinates the entire team. There’s a UX designer in place, a programmer, and a few others.
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
We did an exhaustive search to find every UI/UX developer in the US who had experience with getting software through FDA approval, and Catalyst UX came out on top. We had buy-in from their founder, and that was important. We knew that they were interested in the project, and it was obvious early on that Paul had a strategic vision for delivering on the requirements of a small, early-stage startup. He’d been through a couple of major development projects and understood what I needed in order to get the next round of funding, a necessary step to keep the project moving forward. That was the real difference point, and they’ve proven capable of doing that.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with Catalyst UX at least three years ago, probably in the first quarter of 2017.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
There’s something a bit different about Catalyst. The reason they’ve been able to attract good people in the Bay Area—which is highly competitive—is that their developers are spread all over the country. Our work with them has been web-based, and it’s worked well. Our company is spread between Silicon Valley and Australia, and they’ve been flexible, especially in terms of communication.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
Paul is the project lead, and he’s very approachable and friendly. I can’t speak highly enough of his professionalism and responsiveness. We use Zoom and monday.com for project management.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Another feature of startups is that plans change frequently, and some people don’t do well with that and become frustrated. We’re changing what we want a lot, and Paul has been very responsive and flexible. As a startup, we need to control our cash flow, and, rather than bringing in our own software programmers, I’ve used Catalyst in a way that allows us to freeze their activity depending on the stage we’re at.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We have only positive feedback for them overall. I don’t think I have anything negative to say.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
We deal with medical and consumer devices, which have very different design approaches. There needs to be a complementary set of skills between those, which is challenging to get. If that’s what you’re looking for, I’d recommend Catalyst UX extremely highly. I’m glad we chose them.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"They’re always willing to take the time to understand our perspective."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
"They’re pretty expensive."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Portal Design & Dev for Fuel POS Company
UX/UI Design
$10,000 to $49,999
Aug. - Nov. 2018
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
“Catalyst UX was very knowledgeable about what we needed.”
Oct 21, 2019
Global Product Manager, Fuel POS Company
Anonymous
Energy & natural resources
Greensboro, North Carolina
5,001-10,000 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX designed and developed a portal for a POS technology company’s platform. Deliverables included wireframes, UX use cases, page layouts, and functionalities. They held customer interaction sessions.
Client users praise the portal’s intuitive and user-friendly design. Catalyst UX remained open to different ideas, and they provided actionable feedback that facilitated the best end product possible. Internal stakeholders were pleased with the team's project management capabilities.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the global product manager at a gas dispenser and POS technology company.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
We were introducing a new platform with an app store and development resource tool to enable our retail customers and third-party developers to build apps. We needed to develop a portal for the platform.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Catalyst UX helped design and develop our platform’s portal for retailers and developers. First, they did a brainstorming session with some of our development team to determine what we needed and how best to go about it.
Then, Catalyst UX worked on some UX use cases and layouts. They developed the wireframes and conducted customer interaction sessions to get feedback and really capture the voice of our customer base. Finally, Catalyst UX developed pages, including the layouts and functionalities.
What is the team composition?
We worked with an account manager, a project manager, and a developer who worked on the UI. The project manager also did a lot of the UI.
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
I vetted 4–5 partners in the space. I told them what we were looking for and asked what they could do for us. The vendors provided us with examples of their work and previous customers to contact. Catalyst UX just came out on top.
How much have you invested with them?
My company spent about $72,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The work spanned August–November 2018.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve launched the first version of the portal and have six large customers using it. They’re able to roll out projects pretty quickly. We’ve received wonderful comments from our customers regarding how intuitive and easy to use the portal is.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
Catalyst UX was excellent. They were always on top of it. They ran all of the meetings, including the customer interaction sessions. The team was open to different ideas and what we had to offer. They were very good at providing feedback on how things might be perceived and utilized so that we could create the best possible solution. We were in communication with them about twice a week.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The way they were able to demonstrate how the portal would look and feel was impressive. Catalyst UX was very knowledgeable about what we needed. They put themselves in our position so that they could see what we were going to do with the portal and create exactly what we had talked about.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I don’t. They were awesome to work with.
Any advice for potential customers?
Be open to their ideas. We hadn’t considered some of the things they proposed to us, but we implemented them because they were really good. It can be difficult to step out of your own little box when you’re doing projects like this, but they help you step out without being too disruptive to what you’re trying to do.
RATINGS
5.0
"We got what we needed."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"They provided quality deliverables, which is exactly what we were looking for."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"They always met deadlines, even when we changed things up on them."
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
"Costs were a little high, but they were still the best choice. With quality and knowledge, you get what you pay for."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
UI Design for Financial Services Firm
UX/UI Design
$10,000 to $49,999
June - July 2019
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"We were really happy with their output."
Aug 22, 2019
Founder, Valid8 Financial
Chris McCall
Financial services
Seattle, Washington
1-10 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX created design mockups for the frontend UI of a financial data analysis solution. They shared screens through Figma.
They delivered a satisfactory concept on time following a thorough discovery phase. Catalyst UX utilizes their deep understanding of data to deliver designs that fit the specific needs of their clients.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder of CEO of Valid8 Financial. We build software that's targeted at CPAs. Our products automate financial statement audits and forensic accounting investigations.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
We collect complex data from a variety of sources, including ERP systems and financial institutions. We integrate that into a new data set, but it's very complex and we needed a simple way to display it. We asked Catalyst UX to provide mockups of some interactive data visualizations.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Right now, our system output is just a file, and we wanted a user interface to view the data. They mocked up a wireframe of various new screens that would need a navigation approach, as well as the screens themselves in terms of markup. We’re going to use their output as our requirements for the development of our next UI. They wireframed using Figma, and when I logged into Figma, I could see both UI mockups along with the screens that were being designed.
What is the team composition?
I worked with Paul (CEO, Catalyst UX) and Kevin (VP of User Experience).
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
Our vice president of customer success had worked with them previously. Also, they had experience creating UI that leveraged financial data. Those two data points made the decision pretty easy.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent between $25,000–$50,000 in total.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from June–July 2019.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They delivered the concept. It was a very well-run project.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
They had useful infrastructure and they ran very specific meetings with clear objectives. They maintained their cadence throughout the project and delivered on time. We did a kickoff in person to do a deep dive into requirements and discovery. After that, we just did screen sharing. They’re very easy to work with.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their understanding of both accounting and finance data at a very granular level and without a lot of background made them unique. The data design on the output was really good and we've been really happy with it.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Not off the top of my head. We were really happy with their output.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
I don't think you can go wrong with those guys. You have to be committed to the process. If you’re doing UX design, you have to commit to the requirements development process. You’re going to get out what you put in.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"They added a lot of value to the design process itself."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"Everything came in as expected."
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
"The requirements development was a fairly large investment from our perspective."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
App UI Redesign for Life Sciences Software Company
Web Design
$200,000 to $999,999
Jan. 2013 - Ongoing
4.5
Quality
4.0
Schedule
4.0
Cost
3.5
Willing to Refer
4.5
“The team was very collaborative; if we weren’t happy with something, they worked with us to fix it.”
Jul 10, 2019
Former Senior Director of Product Management, Software Company
Anonymous
Software
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Catalyst UX redesigned and implemented an electronic trial master file application’s UI using React, Kendo UI, CSS, and JavaScript. The team completed various other design projects.
Catalyst UX’s high-quality design work was well-received by clients and internal stakeholders, spurring a long-term engagement. Although the billing process and sprints could’ve been better defined, Catalyst UX worked hard to deliver under tight deadlines.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I was the VP of product management at a small technology company that developed software for life sciences companies related explicitly to content management, like documentation for managing clinical trials. Then, that company was acquired by a larger company, and I became senior director of product management. I worked with Catalyst UX in both of these roles.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Catalyst UX?
My company originally hired Catalyst UX to redesign our dated electronic trial master file (eTMF) application.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
For our first project with them, Catalyst UX developed the second version of our eTMF application’s UI. They built all of the screens and features that enable users to navigate the system, upload documents, and perform QC on documents. They developed the UI using React and Kendo UI, and then they implemented it using CSS and JavaScript. This initial project was quite lengthy; following that, we worked on several non-continuous projects.
What is the team composition?
The CEO was in contact with Catalyst UX before I joined the company, so I’m not sure how he found them. We did a proof of concept with Catalyst UX and another company, and then we put out an RFP. We chose Catalyst UX for two reasons: first, they had a vision for how they’d develop a set of reusable components; second, our engineers were more knowledgeable on the server-side, and Catalyst UX had the supplementary resources necessary to help with implementation.
How did you come to work with Catalyst UX?
Throughout our work together, my team worked with 6–7 individuals. Some of them worked on the technical side, and some were designers. Paul (Managing Partner, Catalyst UX) was involved from an oversight level.
How much have you invested with them?
My former company spent around $200,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working with Catalyst UX in early 2013, and the engagement was still ongoing when I left my company in April 2019.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Their work was well-received by our clients and prospects.
How did Catalyst UX perform from a project management standpoint?
They were mostly good in this regard. When we had tight deadlines, they put in extra effort to meet them. For instance, we needed to get a demo to an important client under short notice. Catalyst UX got us a clickable prototype in time for the demo.
Sometimes, I think their designers were over-allocated and not as responsive as they should’ve been. Our sprints often didn’t have a defined scope or assigned number of hours; once, a designer used up hours we weren’t aware of. When we addressed this issue, Paul returned some hours to us.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their designs were great. The team was very collaborative; if we weren’t happy with something, they worked with us to fix it.
Are there any areas they could improve?
As I mentioned, there could’ve been more clarity in the billing process. They didn’t give us time sheets, which left us a bit uncertain as to how much work they did.
Any advice for potential customers?
They’re all good, but some of their team members are more senior than others. Be aware of the seniority level of the person you’re working with; also, try to get as much clarity as you can regarding the sprints. I felt that the sprints should’ve been defined by either a deliverable or a set number of hours.
RATINGS
4.5
Quality
4.0
Service & Deliverables
"Most of their designs were good; once in a while, they went in the wrong direction."
Schedule
4.0
On time / deadlines
"As long as deadlines were clear, they worked hard to meet them."
Cost
3.5
Value / within estimates
"I don’t have a lot of experience with other design firms, so I’m not entirely sure how their costs compare."