Design In DC

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a company that manufactures, sells, and supports managed file transfer software to insurance agencies. We work mainly with financial institutions throughout the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design In DC?

They reviewed and redesigned our website from the ground up.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After we accepted their proposal and agreed upon scope, we began implementing the project plan for creating a new WordPress site. The individual pieces of the redesign included content, graphics, and more to achieve our high-level objectives.

I’d never designed a website before, but they were willing to take the project slow and explain the process to me. They provided a wireframe, and we made some modifications in conjunction with their recommendations. I didn’t want to use stock photos, so they created light, cartoon-type illustrations to populate the site. 

They worked to make the site clean, straightforward, and effective at conveying that the company has been a pioneer in the managed file transfer space for 25 years. Their team provided content and designs that reflected those goals.   

What is the team composition?

I personally worked with about five people, including the owner, designers, and a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Design In DC?

I was looking for a company to redesign the site for some time before finding their team. We started by looking at local organizations. I didn’t find the skills and qualities needed through that process, so I expanded my search. When I came across their site, there was a high level of graphic design quality and detail in their work. Their work was different and interesting, so I reached out.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May 2020–January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t seen an increase in visitors, but they’ve proposed a marketing effort to increase SEO and promote the new site. I’m reviewing their proposal now to figure out how they might be able to help us leverage the newly-released website to grow our company. 

The pre-existing site was awful and hadn’t been modified in several years. There was no effort previously in making the site more usable and appealing, and there haven’t been any new efforts since because their work addressed all of our concerns with the site. The new site is professional and we’re pleased with it.  

How did Design In DC perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated several times each week at the start of the engagement. Once they started implementing the project plan, we may not have communicated for a couple of weeks at a time. When we moved into production, we met about once per week. They introduced us to Slack, and we used Asana to manage the project. Unfortunately, we didn’t use Asana as effectively as we could have. We barely ever referred to it, and when we did, there were due dates missing and outdated tasks. That tool wasn’t used to the best of its ability.  

They’re a patient, flexible team that’s willing to do whatever needs to be done to get the project to a good place. We enjoyed working with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity and graphic design skills really stood out. The graphics made our company look beautiful. The content was strong as well, but our industry required a very specific B2B understanding. They had never worked on a managed file transfer solutions site before, so they did a great job with content. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

A stronger project management touchpoint may have been helpful. They’d directly send us deliverables, but it may have been useful to have a run-through of the solutions they were delivering. They did a great job otherwise. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know your objectives and communicate them clearly. Design In DC can only work with the information you provide. Be clear with your preferences and support on their proposed design directions. Feel free to push back in areas that seem like they won’t work for you. That will help you get a product that meets all your needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Reflexion, a sports cognition training company. We train athletes on visual cognitive processes like peripheral vision, depth perception, complex reaction time, spatial memory, and other core visual skills that they need to use every day in order to perform. My company trains athletes on these skills through a series of drills that leverage Lightboard-based touchscreen products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design In DC?

We launched a new product and really needed to upgrade our site so that we could tell our story in a simple and clear way. Also, our site was entirely HTML, and we wanted to move to a platform that would allow our marketing personnel to make edits and update the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Design In DC redesigned and redeveloped our site from the bottom up. We started the project with a brainstorming session so that Design In DC could understand our company and what pain points we had with our existing site. 

Then, we moved into basic content and site architecture/mapping. They created wireframes, which turned into hi-fi animations and mock-ups. That eventually became a fully functional frontend mock-up. They also added a WordPress backend so that our marketing team can easily make content changes to the site. Finally, they did testing and rollout. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with 5–10 people from Design In DC. We mostly communicated with a project manager, but we occasionally spoke with developers and designers.

How did you come to work with Design In DC?

We did web research and looked at several different companies. Design In DC has the best portfolio and the most straightforward process. They also had a competitive price point.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project went from mid-September 2020 until the first week of February 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen a large increase in our lead-to-opportunity conversion, which means that we’re seeing much higher leads. The site is great, and we’re very happy with it — it’s very well tested and meets all of our needs. It also has a premium look.

How did Design In DC perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d give them an 8–9/10. The engagement was very high-touch. There were periods when they’d go off and work for a week, but for the most part, we communicated every day. We had an integrated Slack channel to communicate, and we also used Figma. They were pretty responsive and provided updates via Slack. However, it would’ve been more transparent to have a project management tool like Asana or AirTable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Design In DC made a solid deliverable. At the end of the day, they delivered, and that’s what is important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I told them that if they integrated a project management tool, their process would be a bit smoother. However, overall, they did a really great job.

Any advice for potential customers?

We used a lot of the same tools that they did, so I think that made it easier for us. However, if you’re not using Slack or Figma, I’d definitely recommend becoming comfortable with them. They’re great tools.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an Indian meal delivery service for the DMV area. We produce and distribute composed fully cooked Indian meals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design In DC, and what were your goals?

We hired Design in DC to develop a website for us that matches our unique ordering process and creates a smooth transaction process for our clients. Our goal was to increase sale conversion and compile all information for our production and deliveries in one place.

SOLUTION

How did you select Design In DC and what were the deciding factors?

We were quoted within the budget we were looking for and liked the fact that they were a local DC based firm that was in our area.

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

We had an initial kick off meeting to go over the general work flow of our business and discussed features and the ordering process that would best fit our service offerings. From there we went over design elements where we were provided mock-up visuals from the design team. Eventually we settled on a style and were then provided the wireframes for the ordering process as well as back end features such as delivery and production exports.

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

We had a project manager for the main point of contact on the project as well as a lead developer that we worked most closely with. We also had two designers that we worked closer with in the initial phases of the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Launching the site provided a fairly immediate increase in sales, around 20% the first week and nearly 100% increase by the 3rd week when compared to a running average pre web launch. Feedback has been mostly positive from our client base.

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

We mostly communicated over Slack on a daily basis with the occasional meeting over Google Meet for more in depth conversations in a group setting. Figma was used for all wire frame and design mockups where comments could be left on our side and picked up by the team.

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

They quickly understood the sales flow that was necessary for our style of service and were able to create a fairly low barrier to making a sale. They also have a wide array of services available including photography connections and various marketing campaigns. We've made use of the photography and are looking forward to these other potential services down the line.

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

Communication began to fall off as the launch date grew closer. A few quoted launch dates came and went with not much notice for why and when a new launch date may be set. Some elements discussed were glanced over and needed to be reminded. We discussed this with the team and they were very apologetic however some features from even that conversation are still waiting even after pinging our project manager a second time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an IT services provider to government and commercial agencies, located in Reston VA. I am the Marketing and Communications Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design In DC?

We wanted a complete redesign of our website, which had not been updated in several years.

What were your goals for this project?

• Streamlined navigation
• Ease in updating on the back end
• A more modern look with customization.

SOLUTION

How did you select Design In DC?

Design in DC has an impressive portfolio, their prices are competitive, they answered all of our preliminary questions quickly, and in depth.

Describe the project in detail.

Our teams worked collaboratively to create a vision for the new website, and from there built the site from the foundational wireframes, up to an interactive testing environment. The team made sure we were completely happy with the final look prior to launch. We had a lot of questions along the way but Rob and Isabelle were always available.

What was the team composition?

Our main points of contact were with our Project Manager, Isabelle. Towards the end of the project, we also had a lot of communication with Rob, Creative Lead for our project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At this point in time, the data is still coming in, but we've seen huge jumps in our session durations, and our bounce rate has plummeted. Despite being so close to the launch date, we've seen some really positive trends and we're very pleased!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. The tools they use ensure regular communications and everything is very collaborative. Other design companies should take notes from Design in DC.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Hard to choose. They made it very easy to communicate, see design updates, voice any change requests - this project was a breeze, which when thinking of other website redesign projects I've been on, is very impressive on its own!

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that come to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of the Bubble CPAP Institute, an educational web platform with the aim of sharing information and know-how to healthcare practitioners that take care of neonates and young infants, especially those with respiratory distress and compromise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design In DC?

They helped me create the website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Design In DC developed a WordPress site that features video lectures and presentations about the Bubble CPAP intervention.  

We started with an agreement on what would be done and the different phases we’d go through. One of their web designers established a relationship with me after that, and he led most of the process. We had several sessions to talk about the overall layout and how the videos and presentations would load.

I wrote the content and defined the main layout of each page, and they created an initial design based on that. We had two or three back and forth discussions finetuning the layout, colors, and fonts. We tried to make the website as interactive as possible.

Later on, my team provided Design In DC the text for each of the pages, and they uploaded that to a mock website. We provided them with all the video lectures and presentations toward the end. Then they put everything together and uploaded it to the website after our approval.

After that, they helped me reserve a domain and create a contract with the hosting company. We tested the site for a couple of weeks, trying to identify all the glitches make adjustments. Finally, we were able to launch the site after that.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a sales and communication person in the beginning, and with a web designer and a developer after that.

How did you come to work with Design In DC?

My assistant searched online and reviewed three companies. Design In DC looked like they could fulfill my needs the best. They had the media production capabilities I’d need in a later phase, along with web design and support.

How much have you invested with them?

As of now, the cost is almost $20,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed the contract in October 2018, and we finished the work in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the site, but we’re starting to see responses. We had a few thousand hits in August 2020. We’re getting questions, feedback, and requests for scientific contributions from people.

How did Design In DC perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive to all my needs, and any changes I requested were implemented in a timely fashion. Whenever there was an issue, it was resolved within 24 hours. They made changes to the site to bring it to what I envisioned.

We communicated through email, WhatsApp, and Slack. At the peak of the project, the communication was daily, and we just had weekly or monthly updates mid-project, when I was working on content. The project took almost a year to finish, mostly because of the content preparation on my end.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really knew what they were doing and were very responsive. Design In DC worked with me, trying to push things forward despite the lag from my team’s end. I’m very satisfied with their service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was looking for a kind of maintenance contract, and their offer was kind of expensive for a nonprofit that operates off of donations. This may be what they’re used to from working with more commercial and corporate clients. They should consider implementing different offerings, to accommodate educational and nonprofit organizations.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Design In DC is very aggressive, and they aim to finish projects on a well-structured time schedule. Anyone looking to work with them needs to allocate enough time for the initial design, be clear about their expectations, and have the content ready on time.

With us, Design In DC wanted to finish the whole thing in three months. This was back in early-2019, and it never happened that way because we had trouble delivering content, which they then needed to play with from a visual point of view. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an international employment company which offers solutions to clients who desire to work globally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design In DC?

Hired Design In DC to develop a new modern website for Stipenda.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to use this website as the basis to our new marketing plan. We desired a website which was inviting, easy to navigate for all parties and contained all relevant detail without it appearing too overwhelming,

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Design In DC after posting on the upwork portal.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

I liaised in great depth initially with Rob who was extremely helpful. He took on board all my aspirations for the new website, and inputted with his expertise. We agreed on the ideal outlook to the new website, a fresh modern look for Stipenda. Throughout the process, we were kept up to date with progress and this was passed onto Isabelle who was very knowledgeable and helpful also. They worked on their own initiative a lot, and have worked very hard to meet all of the visions that I had for the website- all the while giving their expertise. After the launch of the website, they offered us support on other aspects; i.e hosting, marketing which was another plus.

What was the team composition?

We mainly dealt with two people, Rob and Isabelle who were great, and constant throughout. Isabelle took over on the tech side when the actual development had started. She was the person we would communicate with mainly on the ongoing situation. She was always available to provide an update.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have only just launched the website last week. So the impact isn't noticeable yet. But in addition to providing Stipenda with this website, they have implemented a number of integration tools which will make our working life a lot easier.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was great. Control was taken, and I was kept in the loop the whole time. When we did re-connect for meeting, the Google meet was a great way to touch base and see development.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Nothing was an issue. Their professionalism was great, and Design In DC were a pleasure to work with. Thank you Rob and Isabelle.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Only one minimal area, and that was the transfer of information from colleagues. I felt I may have repeated myself a couple of times. But besides that, no issues at all.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a managing partner of a tech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design In DC?

We needed an external team to design logos and help with our branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided Design In DC with direction, so it was collaborative. Their team gathered information and then presented a series of brands and logos that I reviewed. We looked at logos together and I picked the products that I liked. We repeated this cycle until I narrowed the logos down to five.

They produced the final icons as .png files, which they sent as a zip file. Their team sized the files per the requirements of different stores such as the App Store and Google Play.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with two people from Design In DC.

How did you come to work with Design In DC?

I submitted a proposal to a job board and received 20–25 responses. I liked that Design In DC was established. I believed that their team would be around in the future to provide consistency, which was important to me. When we looked at their website, they had a great brand presence. Their team touched on the area I needed, namely icon logos and branding. When I spoke with them, they provided the highest degree of satisfaction.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $10,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between February– May 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We recently finished the project. I’m about to publish the apps in the App Store and Google Play. I didn’t expect to like more than 1–2 of their designs, but I liked 4 of them.

I showed the logos to friends and associates. The feedback was positive and different people liked different options.

Their team produced a spectacular product. The brand reflected my goals without overwhelming them. I wanted a clean and functional design; a minimalistic approach that communicated its uniqueness without being distracting. I couldn’t be happier with the results. 

How did Design In DC perform from a project management standpoint?

Despite COVID-19, they delivered on time. We used a tool to schedule meetings, which made the process easy. We communicated via Google Voice, which we used to share screens. I used the platform to show their team designs I liked and wanted them to translate into the brand. Design In DC did wonderfully.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The collaboration was great. They understood and took action on my ideas and feedback. They also understood the difference between images. For example, the different requirements for images on a t-shirt versus on a much larger scale.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and founder of a film equipment rental company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design in DC?

They redesigned and rebuilt the website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used a very common platform to develop it. There was a lot of back and forth with mockups and things. We didn’t stray too far from my original site. Structurally, it was very similar as well. We messed around with the page and they came up with some better functionality and navigation. We freshened up the look, and the biggest change was building a cart. Users can put what they’re interested in renting into the cart.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Ziad (Co-Founder) and a developer.  

How did you come to work with Design in DC?

Ziad used our services a couple of times. I think he asked me if I was interested in joining forces because our website was looking a little tired. I had been thinking about redesigning the site, so when they reached out, it was perfect.

They were very hungry for our business. It was a good fit because Ziad has a foot in this industry and he understands more than other web design companies. I liked that they were young; I thought it would help with the price and make it more affordable.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we spent about $7,000. The original contract was about $5,500, and then we began working on other things and spent another $2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in about April 2017 and we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

General feedback has been great; a lot of people love the site. Customers have told us that it’s easy to navigate. We still get some random feedback that it looks good and functions well. I thought they were great too.

How did Design in DC perform from a project management standpoint?

It took a little longer than I thought it would, but there is the right process. They were very responsive and easy to work with. In hindsight, the project went smoothly and they completed it relatively quickly. I just didn’t know the process beforehand.

They were very professional, and if I started going outside the scope of the project, they refocused the project. They did a good job.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were professional and timely. The price was also extremely reasonable. They were the perfect team for the project and what I needed at the time.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get all of your questions ahead of time. I didn’t know a lot going into the project, and I learned a lot going through this process with them. Rather than seeing how it’s going to go, just engage in conversations to figure out what you don’t know.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing Consultant for TalentUnify. TalentUnify is a professional recruiting and consulting firm that specializes in connecting, engaging, and unifying high-growth companies with top talent across industries and the United States. TalentUnify does this by building lasting partnerships and providing 360° engagement experience for both employers and future employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design In DC?

We hired Design in D.C. to help create the following items: Company logo & color scheme, proposal template, PowerPoint template, marketing slicks, and website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal with these projects was to create all of the initial marketing materials a start-up company needs to establish a brand identity and begin to bring awareness to potential clients and candidates.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I selected Design in D.C. after researching and interviewing several potential partners I found via Google and through my network. I selected Design in DC. because they had the ability and talent to execute not only on design items like the logo and marketing slicks, but also build the website from start to finish, manage SEO, produce videos, etc. It was evident that Design inD.C. and TalentUnify could establish a long-term working relationship.

Describe the project in detail.

After we selected Design in D.C., we immediately started focusing on creating the logo. Because there was strong sense of urgency around this project, I provided Design in D.C. a handful of different concepts. Design in D.C. made those concepts come to life, and after 3 -5 rounds of revision we unanimously selected our company logo! Once we selected the logo, we moved forward with the portal template, PowerPoint template, and marketing slicks. For these projects, the TalentUnify team provided all of the content and initial format/layout direction - Design in D.C. executed these beautifully and efficiently! The website project followed a similar suite to all of our other tasks: TalentUnify provided all content, offered layout/format suggestions, and sent examples. Design in D.C. Brough out vision to life!

What was the team composition?

Initially, we worked with Robert only. As our list of projects grew, Isabelle started project managing. I'm sure there were plenty of other people behind the scenes making every thing happen!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I cannot share any outcomes from the projects that demonstrate progress or success because we have not officially launched TalentUnify.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between Design in D.C.'s team and our team has been outstanding.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was blown away by the website they put together. I have been a part of several website redesigns that always left me feeling "meh." I was completely amazed and in awe after I saw the second revision of the website - it was everything we wanted and more! They took our direction and feedback from the first iteration and made our site something truly special.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, there are no areas for improvement at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications director at the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, a statewide trade association.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design in DC?

We needed to create an online training module that we could offer to our members.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Design in DC developed a web app that we could offer to our members through our WordPress site. We provided them with the course content and the certificate that the users would get after taking the course, and they started the building process. Following that was the demo phase, during which we did a test run of the web app and made some changes. For the most part, though, everything looked good; there were just some minor changes that needed to be made. The web app is actually going live today.

They built three training modules into the web app. There is a one-hour, two-hour, and eight-hour training course.

What is the team composition?

Rob (Lead Designer) was our main contact. Toward the end, Ziad (Co-Founder) came in a bit. We also worked with someone else who was really helpful in keeping the communication and making sure that they were available; she coordinated our phone calls and Google Hangouts.

How did you come to work with Design in DC?

When we first came up with this idea to do the training module, we asked the individual who developed our organization’s website to build it for us. This wasn’t his area, but he’d worked with Rob and the Design in DC team before. He referred us to them, since they specialize in web apps. From there, we had phone calls discussing what would go into it and what we needed. They spent a lot of time trying to get our vision for this and building it into a reality. Then, we negotiated on the price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $10,000. It’ll cost more if we keep them on a monthly retainer.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in February 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My colleagues and I went through the test run, and the web app is very user-friendly, which was the biggest thing. The payment integration process is seamless. We’re really happy that we went with all of the recommendations that they gave us; it definitely made the user experience a lot better than what my team could’ve come up with. 

How did Design in DC perform from a project management standpoint?

They did really well. They had the phases listed out in the contract, and we followed all of those. They always kept us updated on what they were doing, and if we reached out to them, they’d respond right away. They made themselves available to go over the specific stage that they were working on, or just to answer questions. They were very professional. 

Our communication depended on the phase we were in. At the beginning, we communicated multiple times a week, but while they were building everything, communication slowed down because we’d exchanged all of the information that our teams needed. Toward the end, when we were wrapping up that initial build, communications were back to multiple times a week, and they have not slowed down since, as we’re trying to get the product live today. They’ve been very responsive. It was an easy process, and I would definitely work with them again.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were very impressed when we first got to see the training module’s demonstration and how professional it looked. The design and experience of the final product are noteworthy. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing big. It did take a little longer than we initially anticipated due to some obstacles, but I wouldn’t consider that a bad thing. They did a good job of working through those.

Any advice for potential customers?

They pretty much led the charge on everything, which made that very easy for us. I’d recommend hosting an onboarding meeting or phone call so that you can meet the whole team; it helps when you know who you’re working with.