# Eight Bit Studios Eight Bit Studios Reviews (34), Pricing, Services & Verified Ratings - 4.8 out of 5 average review rating - 0 connections joined Eight Bit Studios's Network [Visit Website](https://eightbitstudios.com/?utm_source=clutch.co&utm_medium=referral) [Get a Custom Proposal](https://clutch.co/profile/eight-bit-studios) **AI App Design & Development for Founders** Since 2009, Eight Bit Studios has been turning bold ideas into live apps. Today, we help non-technical Founders launch AI-enabled MVPs faster with Flutter & Rails dev, UI/UX design, and Fractional CTO leadership. We solve the hardest technical problems first so your app is grounded from day one — because live in your hands beats pretty on a slide. ## Company Information - Minimum project size: $50,000+ - Hourly rate: $150 - $199 - Number of employees: 2 - 9 - 1 Locations: - Chicago, IL (Headquarters) - Founded in 2009 ## Services, Focus Areas, Industries, and Clients ### Service Lines - 90% Mobile App Development - 10% Web Design ### Focus Areas - CMS Focus: - 100% Adobe Experience Manager CMS - Frameworks and CMS: - 45% Ruby on Rails - 22% React - 11% .NET - 11% Flutter - 11% Other frameworks and CMS - Mobile Platforms: - 40% Android App Development - 40% iPhone iOS App Development - 20% Hybrid & cross platform apps - Mobile Focus: - 10% Business Intelligence Mobile App Development - 10% Consumer Mobile App Development - 10% Enterprise Mobile App Development - 10% Field Operations Mobile App Development - 10% Financial Mobile App Development - 10% Health & Wellness Mobile App Development - 10% Learning & Education Mobile App Development - 10% Mobile Game Development - 10% Productivity Mobile App Development - 10% Social App Development ### Industries - 10% Arts, entertainment & music - 10% eCommerce - 10% Education - 10% Consumer products & services - 10% Medical - 10% Non-profit - 10% Business services - 10% Other industries - 10% Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transport - 10% Financial services ### Clients - 25% Small Business (<$10M) - 50% Midmarket ($10M - $1B) - 25% Enterprise (>$1B) ## Pricing Snapshot Average rating for cost based on this provider's reviews: 4.5 out of 5 **What Clients Have Said** *(This summary is based on verified Clutch reviews.)*: Eight Bit Studios offers competitive pricing, with project costs ranging from $10,000 to over $1 million. Clients consistently report good value for cost, emphasizing responsiveness and quality. Many projects are described as completed on time and within budget, reflecting strong project management. **Most Common Project Size**: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 22 reviews *(Pricing information for this provider is based on reviews where the project size was available.)* ### Pricing by Service - Mobile App Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 10 reviews - Custom Software Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 7 reviews - UX/UI Design: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 4 reviews - Branding: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 2 reviews - Application Testing: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 2 reviews - Web Development: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 2 reviews - Application Management & Support: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Market Research: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Other Digital Marketing: $200,000 to $999,999 based on 1 review - Web Design: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 1 review - IT Staff Augmentation: Confidential based on 1 review ## Reviews Clutch investigates each reviewer's identity and work history. Every review goes through a rigorous, human-led verification process to confirm the reviewer's identity, and reviews that we verify are visibly marked as 'Verified' so you can trust that they come from a real client. [Learn More](https://help.clutch.co/en/knowledge/how-clutch-verifies-reviews) ### Eight Bit Studios Review Insights Overall Review Rating: 4.8 - Quality: 4.8 - Schedule: 4.7 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 4.9 ### Top Mentions - High-quality work (12 mentions) - Great project management (9 mentions) - Communicative (8 mentions) - Professional (7 mentions) - Timely (6 mentions) - Flexible (5 mentions) - Well-organized projects (5 mentions) - Collaborative (4 mentions) - Creative (4 mentions) - Easy to work with (4 mentions) - Experienced (4 mentions) - Receptive (4 mentions) - Great team (3 mentions) - Team players (3 mentions) - Exceptional performance (2 mentions) - Exceptional results (2 mentions) - Hard working (2 mentions) - Knowledgeable (2 mentions) - Unique expertise (2 mentions) - Reliable (1 mentions) ### Review Highlights **Exceptional Project Management and Communication** The company is commended for their effective project management and communication skills. They maintain timelines, provide weekly updates, and are responsive to client needs, fostering a collaborative environment. **Flexibility and Adaptability to Client Needs** Eight Bit Studios is flexible and adapts to client needs, often going above and beyond to ensure client satisfaction. They are praised for accommodating changes and working within client budgets. **Positive Feedback from End Users** Projects by Eight Bit Studios have received positive feedback from end-users, highlighting the intuitive design and usability of their developed solutions. This reflects the company's focus on user experience. **Successful Long-term Partnerships** The company has formed successful long-term partnerships with clients, who appreciate their ongoing support and ability to scale services according to project needs, reinforcing trust and reliability. **Strong Technical Expertise in App Development** Eight Bit Studios is highly praised for their technical expertise in developing apps across various platforms, including iOS and Android. Clients appreciate their ability to create both frontend and backend solutions, ensuring seamless integration and functionality. **Commitment to Quality and Professionalism** The team is noted for their commitment to delivering high-quality work with a professional approach. Clients are impressed with their dedication to meeting project goals and maintaining high standards. **Creative and User-Centric Design Solutions** Eight Bit Studios is recognized for their creativity in design, delivering intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. Their work often exceeds client expectations, focusing on enhancing user experience and aesthetic appeal. **Challenges with Technical Team Collaboration** Some clients noted challenges in collaboration between technical teams, suggesting areas for improvement in project management to facilitate better teamwork and communication between diverse teams. **Cost Communication Could Be Improved** While clients are generally satisfied with the outcomes, some have noted that communication regarding project costs could be improved to avoid surprises and ensure transparency throughout the project lifecycle. **Impressive Cultural Fit and Client Engagement** Clients appreciate Eight Bit Studios for their cultural alignment and genuine engagement with client projects. They are known for understanding client needs deeply and working as an extension of the client's team. ### Eight Bit Studios Reviews #### User Research for Global Safety Company's Internal Tool (Featured Review) **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Feb. - May 2020 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios conducted extensive user research to improve an internal project fulfillment app. After interviewing end users to identify their needs, they presented their findings and suggested UI changes. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Program Manager, UL - Industry: Business services - Client size: 10,001+ Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 12, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Despite the complexity of the subject matter, Eight Bit Studios quickly ramped up and was able to communicate their research in a comprehensible way. End users lauded working with the team, and internal stakeholders appreciated that they worked to make the most of a limited budget. "“I’d never worked with a company that was so good at building rapport with their clients.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a program manager in an IT department at UL, a company that mainly focuses on product safety. In my department, we work on a specific internal application that handles project fulfillment and public management/fulfillment. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? Essentially, we wanted to reinvent our internal project fulfillment program. Its initial intended use was for a smaller population, but we determined that we wanted to use it across our enterprise.  As the program grew, it lost some flexibility, so we needed to revamp the UX. The goal was to carry over most of our data into something that was a bit more user-friendly. That’s why we contacted Eight Bit Studios. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?  Eight Bit Studios helped us conduct user research for our project fulfillment app, looking to prepare initial mockups that could go into an MVP. The team interviewed our internal users to see how people used the existing program and to understand what they could improve. Toward the end of the project, they provided a few details on how we could best organize our app. We didn’t get too deep into the wireframing phase, mostly because we have an in-house UI specialist who’s working on the prototypes. But, they worked with us to deliver the user research. What is the team composition?  In total, there were about five team members, though we only worked with 2–3 people at any given time. One person did most of the interviews himself before working with his team to deliver the final results. Then, there was a program manager who helped keep things moving along as well as a technical designer. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We considered them along with another company, both of which had worked with UL before on similar projects, just not with our department. After gathering some information, we interviewed them and decided that we liked Eight Bit Studios more. How much have you invested with them? Toward the end of the engagement, we saw that we were running over our budget and couldn’t allot more funds. Our program was actually in the middle of renewing our entire budget, which took a lot of time and is still ongoing today. We ended up explaining the situation to their team and asked how we could transition their work over to us so that we could make the most of our remaining budget. However, they were so generous that they ate some of the costs to continue working with us. That allowed us to finish the project as initially intended, which we were extremely grateful for.  What is the status of this engagement? The project lasted from February–May 2020.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Eight Bit Studio did such an amazing job with the research — everyone who had the chance to work with them had good feedback. Our internal users responded positively to how the interviews were conducted and the kind of questions asked. And, our team gave them perfect scores across the board on our vendor survey. That’s proof of how professional Eight Bit Studio was. They were dealing with some difficult concepts, not to mention our users had various uses for our program, which made things a little complicated. Regardless, they were able to pick things up quickly and gave an easy-to-understand final presentation on their findings.  How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? Their ability to communicate their work and collaborate with us was amazing. Their program manager, in particular, was on top of everything. If we had any questions or concerns, she addressed them immediately, and they did a great job of keeping to our deadlines. What did you find most impressive about them? Again, I’d just like to highlight their professional communication skills. They would usually deliver a PDF of their research along with doing a presentation, and it would always be so seamless. Some of the concepts were a bit harder, so they focused on making them easier to understand.  Besides that, they made us feel like part of the family. I’d never worked with a company that was so good at building rapport with their clients. Are there any areas they could improve? No, I don’t even know what we could say because they were so great. I wish we had more time and budget to allocate toward working with them for our next phases. Do you have any advice for potential customers? It’s important to be able to communicate honestly because they’re very receptive to any concerns you might have. There was one time when our UI specialist felt a little out of the loop. Once we let them know, they swiftly pulled him into the conversation and resolved the problem. --- #### IT Staff Aug & Mobile App Dev for Convenience Store **The Project** - Services: IT Staff Augmentation, Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Mar. - Oct. 2022 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios deployed three iOS engineers to help a convenience store's internal team with mobile app development. They redesigned the app's loyalty program and rebuilt its mobile order-ahead experience. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CTO, Foxtrot - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Feb 2, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios successfully implemented improvements to the app and fixed its bugs. The iOS engineers quickly understood the client's codebase and contributed within the first week. Their team also demonstrated responsiveness, great cultural fit, and commitment to adding value to the project. ""The team was extremely responsive and able to get the resources assigned and up and running on a tight timeline."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the CTO of Foxtrot.Describe what your company does in a single sentence.Foxtrot is a convenience store for the modern consumer, offering a curated selection of goods that includes high-quality groceries, cafe-style drinks, prepared foods, wine and beer, and everyday essentials. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eight Bit Studios to accomplish?Staff augmentation for our in-house iOS engineering team. **SOLUTION** How did you find Eight Bit Studios?Online SearchWhy did you select Eight Bit Studios over others?High ratingsClose to my geographic locationGreat culture fitGood value for costCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Eight Bit Studios were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Eightbit provided a team of 3 experienced iOS engineers to augment our existing development team. This allowed us to accelerate our roadmap and deliver major features, such as the redesign of our loyalty program and rebuild of our mobile order ahead experience. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?Rolled out a completely redesigned loyalty program to enhance our guest experience Redeveloped a new and improved mobile order ahead experience for our cafes Helped with standard sprint work, including bug fixes and smaller improvements to the applicationDescribe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Eightbit was extremely responsive throughout the process. Their developers were able to quickly get up to speed with our codebase and started making meaningful contributions within the first week. The account management team at Eightbit was responsive throughout and deeply cared about adding value to the relationship.What was your primary form of communication with Eight Bit Studios?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Great company culture that matched well with ours at Foxtrot. The team was extremely responsive and able to get the resources assigned and up and running on a tight timeline. Eightbit felt like an extension of our in-house team.Are there any areas for improvement or something Eight Bit Studios could have done differently?Nothing comes to mind here. Eightbit was great to work with and extremely responsive to any requests. --- #### UX/UI Design for Financial Consulting Company **The Project** - Services: Application Testing, Custom Software Development, UX/UI Design - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Feb. - Sep. 2023 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios was hired by a financial consulting company to design a human trafficking typologies information portal. They designed the site's UI and global elements and developed 20 frontend templates. **Review Rating**: 3.5 - Quality: 3.5 - Schedule: 3.5 - Cost: 3.5 - Willing to Refer: 3.5 **The Reviewer** President & Head of Client Relationships, RedCompass Labs - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Oct 19, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios delivered a functional portal frontend and a design pattern to follow for future use. Despite some initial collaboration difficulties, the team managed the project effectively and communicated well. Their excellent design output and alignment with the client's vision stood out. ""Their design output was excellent."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the President & Head of Client Relationships of RedCompass LabsDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.RedCompass Labs supports its banking clients as they open the doors of finance to all and protect those that enter - addressing Payments both Good and Bad. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eight Bit Studios to accomplish?Design a Human Trafficking typologies information portal look and feel.Build the user interface. **SOLUTION** How did you find Eight Bit Studios?ReferralWhy did you select Eight Bit Studios over others?High ratingsGreat culture fitReferred to meCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Eight Bit Studios were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Eight Bit Studios, in partnership with RedCompass Labs, will provide an expert Product Team to help launch a RedFlag Accelerator Portal in Australia in mid-2023. This MVP will focus on delivering a Portal for Australian banks, providing access to localized CSE content, but will provide the backbone and launching point for all human crimes related content and a future release in the US. Services: Stakeholder Discovery SessionsJob Shadowing Research & Discovery - AustraliaAustralian MVP Discovery Group Research & DiscoveryPersona Development - up to 5 user personas refined by research findings. Identifying key scenarios, pain points, and opportunities Research & DiscoveryBusiness Requirements for RedFlag Accelerator Portaldocumenting and synthesizing requirements Product Design A modern and clean consumer-grade interface RedFlag Accelerator Portal High Level Functionality for UI MVP Build for a portal, providing access to localized Australian CSE content Front-End TemplatesDevelop up to unique 20 frontend Templates and develop global elements such as navigation, footer, or other UI elements **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We got a working Portal front end and a design pattern to follow. We were able to launch it at ACAMS in Las Vegas in October 2023. User feedback on the portal has been good.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Mostly good. Some difficulties with changing PMs and the interaction between our development teams wasn't always easy.What was your primary form of communication with Eight Bit Studios?Virtual MeetingWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?The people I mostly met (Bari, Brett, John, Jess, Carolyn) are awesome. Their design output was excellent. And the company vision, what Eight-Bit aspire to be, is terrific.Are there any areas for improvement or something Eight Bit Studios could have done differently?Some room for improvement on both sides on how to get the technical teams working better together. This needs strong project management on both sides. --- #### UI/UX Design for Financial Social Enterprise Organization **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Mar. 2021 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios is revamping the UI/UX of a social enterprise organization’s app. They built color schemes, design assets, and a pitch deck. Currently, they are improving the platform’s main dashboard.   **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Deployment Coordinator, MiKashBoks - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 27, 2021 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios’ design has grabbed the attention of investors, meeting expectations. They deliver high-quality work on time, and they accommodate requests to maximize the budget. Their team provides genuine partnership by understanding and adapting to the client’s goals and situation.  ""We've got what we paid for."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the deployment coordinator at MiKashBoks, a social enterprise organization. Our main goal is to digitize offline financial transactions in the developing world. We're mostly focused on Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Ghana, but we have plans to be in Taiwan and the US.  Often, there's offline saving and lending that's happening at a community level. It’s challenging because this information isn't captured in any cohesive or coherent way. Even though these financial consumers have several positive things in their lives, they can't use that information. They have no way of making it available to any financial services provider to access a bank account or credit products. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We needed help with our app’s UI/UX design.  **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Eight Bit is rebranding our platform — they've come up with a new color scheme and other design assets, and they've also revamped our pitch deck. We gave them pages of requirements that had to be included in some form or another to meet regulatory restrictions. Our app was poorly designed, and Eight Bit improved our UI/UX. One of the things they worked on was the process of account creation. It wasn't super complex, but it had multiple steps, which might be difficult to follow for someone using a smartphone for the first time. They improved that. Additionally, some of our customers only use mobile money, and that had a pretty complex design. Eight Bit came up with intuitive and easy-to-use approaches for this. Currently, Eight Bit is helping us on the main dashboard. It's the page that displays various information like how much money they have in their account. Whenever we finish improvements within the app, we send them to Eight Bit, and they provide feedback. They make sure that we’ve followed their design suggestions. What is the team composition? I’ve been on calls where there are 7–8 teammates present. Their team consists of a project manager, a design manager, designers, executives, and other resources.   How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We reached out to several UI/UX design firms, and Eight Bit had the best project plan and resources. They had a bright team, and they were good at communications. They gave us a sense of what they could accomplish and helped us understand what we could get done for the money we had.  What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in March 2021, and it’s ongoing.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  We haven’t yet rolled out the app or conducted A/B testing to have quantitative feedback. That said, when we speak to investors and show them the mock-ups that Eight Bit designed, we can see their attention popping up. We feel we’ve received a lot of value in engaging with them. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? Eight Bit has completed everything within the timeframes they gave us, and they are communicative about delays. They respond to emails within an hour, and they've never missed a call. As far as budgeting, we've got what we paid for. Eight Bit is amenable to moving hours from one part of the project to another; they always find a way to accommodate our requests.  We're kind of at a seed phase as a startup, and Eight Bit understands where our funding stands. They've delivered a lot of value and are super flexible in finding ways to fit everything we need into their scope.  We communicate using Basecamp, Slack, and Zoom. They also share files through Google Docs and Figma. What did you find most impressive about them? Eight Bit is very good at helping us understand what we want and translating our goals into designs that meet our needs.  They don't just take and varnish what we had; they've broken it down into its parts and helped us understand how those parts would fit together to different users. They've even conducted user interviews and used that information to build a much greater form factor and a more intuitive feel. Are there any areas they could improve? We wouldn't hate it if they were a little cheaper. That said, I think they're very fairly priced. I can’t think of anything that they could improve.  Do you have any advice for potential customers? Ask a lot of questions and be clear about what you’re looking for. If you ask a question, you’ll get a really thoughtful answer. Engage with them at a great depth, and you’ll receive good information. --- #### User Research for Global Safety Company's Internal Tool **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Feb. - May 2020 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios conducted extensive user research to improve an internal project fulfillment app. After interviewing end users to identify their needs, they presented their findings and suggested UI changes. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Program Manager, UL - Industry: Business services - Client size: 10,001+ Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 12, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Despite the complexity of the subject matter, Eight Bit Studios quickly ramped up and was able to communicate their research in a comprehensible way. End users lauded working with the team, and internal stakeholders appreciated that they worked to make the most of a limited budget. "“I’d never worked with a company that was so good at building rapport with their clients.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a program manager in an IT department at UL, a company that mainly focuses on product safety. In my department, we work on a specific internal application that handles project fulfillment and public management/fulfillment. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? Essentially, we wanted to reinvent our internal project fulfillment program. Its initial intended use was for a smaller population, but we determined that we wanted to use it across our enterprise.  As the program grew, it lost some flexibility, so we needed to revamp the UX. The goal was to carry over most of our data into something that was a bit more user-friendly. That’s why we contacted Eight Bit Studios. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?  Eight Bit Studios helped us conduct user research for our project fulfillment app, looking to prepare initial mockups that could go into an MVP. The team interviewed our internal users to see how people used the existing program and to understand what they could improve. Toward the end of the project, they provided a few details on how we could best organize our app. We didn’t get too deep into the wireframing phase, mostly because we have an in-house UI specialist who’s working on the prototypes. But, they worked with us to deliver the user research. What is the team composition?  In total, there were about five team members, though we only worked with 2–3 people at any given time. One person did most of the interviews himself before working with his team to deliver the final results. Then, there was a program manager who helped keep things moving along as well as a technical designer. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We considered them along with another company, both of which had worked with UL before on similar projects, just not with our department. After gathering some information, we interviewed them and decided that we liked Eight Bit Studios more. How much have you invested with them? Toward the end of the engagement, we saw that we were running over our budget and couldn’t allot more funds. Our program was actually in the middle of renewing our entire budget, which took a lot of time and is still ongoing today. We ended up explaining the situation to their team and asked how we could transition their work over to us so that we could make the most of our remaining budget. However, they were so generous that they ate some of the costs to continue working with us. That allowed us to finish the project as initially intended, which we were extremely grateful for.  What is the status of this engagement? The project lasted from February–May 2020.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Eight Bit Studio did such an amazing job with the research — everyone who had the chance to work with them had good feedback. Our internal users responded positively to how the interviews were conducted and the kind of questions asked. And, our team gave them perfect scores across the board on our vendor survey. That’s proof of how professional Eight Bit Studio was. They were dealing with some difficult concepts, not to mention our users had various uses for our program, which made things a little complicated. Regardless, they were able to pick things up quickly and gave an easy-to-understand final presentation on their findings.  How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? Their ability to communicate their work and collaborate with us was amazing. Their program manager, in particular, was on top of everything. If we had any questions or concerns, she addressed them immediately, and they did a great job of keeping to our deadlines. What did you find most impressive about them? Again, I’d just like to highlight their professional communication skills. They would usually deliver a PDF of their research along with doing a presentation, and it would always be so seamless. Some of the concepts were a bit harder, so they focused on making them easier to understand.  Besides that, they made us feel like part of the family. I’d never worked with a company that was so good at building rapport with their clients. Are there any areas they could improve? No, I don’t even know what we could say because they were so great. I wish we had more time and budget to allocate toward working with them for our next phases. Do you have any advice for potential customers? It’s important to be able to communicate honestly because they’re very receptive to any concerns you might have. There was one time when our UI specialist felt a little out of the loop. Once we let them know, they swiftly pulled him into the conversation and resolved the problem. --- #### Web Dev & Market Research for Youth Services Co **The Project** - Services: Market Research, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Oct. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios designed and built a website with streaming capabilities. They perform market research to identify potential agency partners and understand the target audience. The team plans to build an app. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Kenechi - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 24, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios delivered an intuitive website with a pleasant aesthetic that satisfied internal and external stakeholders alike. The team’s accessible, adaptable, and effectively executes its responsibilities. A committed team, they conduct valuable research that will support the client’s growth. ""Their creativity, flexibility, and empathy also set them apart from the competition." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CEO of an organization called Kenechi. We offer a streaming service to help underserved youths and young adults attain the skills needed to be successful in life. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We had a landing page, but it didn’t have any keywords or phrases. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? To start, Eight Bit built our marketing website. They created the platform and a style guide from scratch. In addition to a website with content and podcasts, their team came up with the idea to provide a streaming service. Their team identified a streaming platform for us to use to provide our audience with videos. Currently, they’re conducting research into our target audience. Their team’s helping us to better understand and qualify the needs of our target audience as well as establish relationships with agencies that serve them. Their team will create our mobile app and continue to expand the platform as time goes on. What is the team composition? We’ve touched base with 8­–10 people from Eight Bit. We have a project manager who’s our main point of contact. She works hand-in-hand with an account manager who has a lot of experience. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We sent out an RFI to about 15 different providers across the US. Eight Bit was local and had all the experience needed to develop a web product and a streaming service. When we first met with them, their team was tuned into our mission. They could relate to our mission through either life experiences or past clients. Their team had our best interest at heart and offered a competitive price. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent in the neighborhood of $150,000, and we have a lot more to go. What is the status of this engagement? We initially met around October 2019 and launched the website around June 2020. However, this is a long-term partnership. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  The real impact will be from their research. They help us to interview agencies that serve our target audience. By making those real connections, we’ll have an instant audience of youths to serve. People like our mission and website, specifically the platform’s color scheme and simplicity. We like the site, and it receives positive feedback. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? We have weekly meetings to review the project’s status, which is ahead of schedule. We use also Smartsheet. Our project manager coordinates the project and watches its cadence. She ensures that the calendar’s correct and handles any project-based questions. Our account manager helps us with product-based questions. As a result of COVID-19, we had to work remotely. Eight Bit stepped up to that challenge without missing a beat. They’re accessible and dedicated. What did you find most impressive about them? The quality of their work distinguishes them from other providers. Their creativity, flexibility, and empathy also set them apart from the competition. Eight Bit cares about their clients’ missions and goals. Their team ensures that their clients are well-served. They have a good sense of humor and don't take themselves too seriously.  Are there any areas they could improve? I can’t think of any way that their team could do better. They provide top service and should continue doing what they’re doing. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Present what you want to do and then let their creativity take control. Their team will come up with ideas that will enhance your goals. --- #### UI/UX Design for Musician Equipment Marketplace **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Apr. - Sep. 2019 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios provided UI/UX design services for a musician gear company. Their team built a prototype from an existing iOS app, enhancing the look and feel of the platform. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO & Founder, Rigfish - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 22, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: The prototype has received positive feedback from musicians, manufacturers, and end-users who had used the previous iteration of the app. Eight Bit Studios goes above and beyond to provide helpful advice while also allowing the client to steer the project. Their team is professional and creative. "“Eight Bit Studios is always willing to put in extra effort to make a rock-solid product.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the CEO and founder of Rigfish, a gear app for musicians. The app initially is geared towards guitarists but we plan on expanding the platform. It serves as a social network for musicians to trade best practices around the gear they use and have a personal workspace to manage their gear. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? The existing prototype I had was a nice illustration, it just needed a design enhancement. I wasn’t happy with that iteration so I decided to bring in an outside team. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Eight Bit Studios designed both a clickable prototype and an actual prototype for development for the app. I explained my requirements to their team in a few initial meetings, including the strategy of the business and how the design would best reflect that. We walked through the old prototype so I could point out what I saw as deficiencies I wanted to optimize. Our teams put together a statement of work and went through our requirements at a kickoff meeting with the entire project team. They ensured that we all knew the scope of the project, the areas of focus, and the timeline. Eight Bit Studios then provided UI/UX design services to the iOS app. What is the team composition? I worked with 6–7 members of the Eight Bit Studios team, depending on where we were in the project. Their project manager ensured resources were allocated properly on both teams and made sure the trains were running on time. We also had a team of multiple UX and product designers. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? I did some online research and also reached out to some contacts in the industry. I had opening discussions with different design and development shops and spoke to their past customers. Ultimately, I decided to go with Eight Bit Studios. What is the status of this engagement? Our engagement with Eight Bit Studios ran from April–September 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  I’ve met with a number of end-users that I reviewed the application with and they all came away with positive impressions of it. All of them had seen the earlier versions of this app and felt that we had delivered something that met their needs.  I also attended a conference that included not only end-users, which are the musicians themselves, but manufacturers and retailers. I shared the app with them at the conference and they were all impressed with it. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They were exceptional at project management. I always knew how were actually doing as far as planned activities versus what had been completed or how far we were budget-wise. I knew how we were tracking and who was working on what at what time. This was helpful because if I had questions, I knew who to go to to get answers. It made us all a lot more productive. What did you find most impressive about them? Eight Bit Studios is an incredibly tight team. They’re passionate about delivering a good product, which sounds like a throwaway marketing line but happens to be true. They personalize their projects and made sure I was extremely happy with the results. Eight Bit Studios is always willing to put in extra effort to make a rock-solid product. They weren’t afraid to share their opinions, even if they disagreed with me. Their team would strongly advise me when they felt I was going in the wrong direction. I almost always ended up following their advice but if I didn’t want to they would respect that. Their experience and expertise mattered to me. Are there any areas they could improve? I knew that I was selecting a big-time reputable design shop with a history of strong and efficient projects. For a bootstrapped company like mine, it was a little overwhelming. I was used to working with one designer at a time and all of a sudden I had a relatively big project team. There’s a reason they do things that way, and I learned that later. They could communicate to a bootstrapped company about how they go about the project and why they do that. In the end, I saw the value in their approach. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Trust them. They’re good at what they do. Eight Bit Studios runs the project very effectively and have, in my opinion, the best designers around. Let them do what they do, ask questions, and collaborate. Know that you’re getting a great experience with people passionate about delivering a solid project. Allow them the space to give you what you want. --- #### UX/UI Design for Machine Learning Company **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Nov. 2018 - June 2019 **Project Summary**: Helping create the interface that consumers can interact with, Eight Bit Studios managed UX/UI design and provided UX research and strategy. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Affect X Technologies - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jun 6, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios delivered the first iteration of the software and the feedback has been positive. Exceptional listeners, they went above and beyond to meet all needs, while their superb communication skills made them easy to work with. "“Our project was complex and fairly confusing, but they stepped into it with an open mind and tried to understand us.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm the CEO of Affect X Technologies. We use machines to understand people's cognitive and emotional states. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We wanted to make sure that our interface resonated with our consumers, so we were looking for a vendor to help us design the new interface for our machines. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Eight Bit Studios created the UX/UI design, focusing on the nature of the experience we were looking for. We're breaking new ground in order to communicate with consumers in the ways that haven’t been used before. We take complex technical concepts and simplify them, making it possible for our consumers to understand them and interact with them. Eight Bit Studios provided the UX research and strategy, helping us bring our idea to life.   What is the team composition? We had a project manager and there was a team of people working on our project. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We found them through Clutch. What is the status of this engagement? We worked with them between November 2018–June 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We have the first iteration of our software, and we've received very positive feedback on it. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They were excellent. They laid out the whole plan at the beginning and communicated with us regularly. We used Slack and video conferencing to stay in touch, and we also met them in person. What did you find most impressive about them? They didn't take a prescriptive approach. Our project was complex and fairly confusing, but they stepped into it with an open mind and tried to understand us. Other vendors that we interviewed wanted to tell us what we needed, but Eight Bit Studios listened to us and tried to think about the end consumer. Are there any areas they could improve? No. They did a great job. Do you have any advice for potential customers? They made the whole process easy for us. --- #### Mobile App Enhancement for College Prep Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: July 2018 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios updated the user experience of an Android and iOS application for a higher education nonprofit. Their tasks include working with Objective C, React, and JavaScript. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** VP, The College Board - Industry: Education - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 14, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios successfully addressed the application’s shortcomings and offered practical ideas for future enhancements. They work faster and are more cost-effective than their competitors. Strong communication and organization practices highlight the team's project management approach. ""They’ve done the best work I’ve seen from an outsourced development team."  " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the vice president of The College Board. We are a national nonprofit that helps advanced students have successful college experiences. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We engaged Eight Bit Studios because we needed to upgrade a native app that was not working as well as we needed it to.  **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We relied on Eight Bit Studios to determine the root of the user experience problems within the application and make technical updates as necessary. The app is built for iOS in Objective C and for Android in React and JavaScript. What is the team composition? Their team consists of 4–5 people, but Brett (Managing Partner, Eight Bit Studios) is our main point of contact. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? If I remember correctly, Eight Bit Studios simply responded to our RFP, and they were the best company for the work. What is the status of this engagement? Our engagement began in July 2018 and remains ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Overall, they’ve been very efficient in fixing and updating our application. They’ve supplied higher-quality work faster and at a more reasonable price than our past vendor. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They’re very responsive. We maintain a shared Jira account to track their progress, and we’re happy with the communication. At one point, they needed to exceed the allocated work hours, but that was communicated well in advance, so we’ve had very few issues. What did you find most impressive about them? They’ve done the best work I’ve seen from an outsourced development team. Are there any areas they could improve? No, they’ve met all of our expectations. Do you have any advice for potential customers? They are experienced in their space, so I would trust their ideas on features as well as maintenance work. --- #### App Dev for Financial Services Company **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Mar. 2017 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios assembled the value proposition for a financial services association. They developed an app that delivers resources, tools, and a community to its target audience. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Manager, Financial Services Company - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 19, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: The test group is still small, but user numbers and time spent within the app exceed goals. Eight Bit Studios took time to understand the organization, and they delivered a complex project within a tight time frame. ""They took the time to really learn about our complex organization." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. Our parent organization is an association whose members are in financial services. I manage a new sister association for financial advisors who don't yet have the necessary qualifications to join our parent organization. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We wanted to provide resources and tools to our audience to help increase their productivity and gain long-term success. We needed help to develop offerings that would resonate with our audience. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We hoped to offer digital resources and community content to our target members. Eight Bit helped us develop an app that delivered the resources, tools, and community that would enable this audience to learn and grow. It was developed for iOS, Android, and also as a web app. They came up with all the designs and wireframes for us. What is the team composition? We worked directly with about six people. Most of our contact was with a project manager. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We researched different vendors and reached out with RFPs. Eight Bit was one of the three agencies on our final shortlist. All three did presentations for us, and we ultimately decided to work with them. What is the status of this engagement? We started around March 2017, and the project is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We're in a test phase now and have intentionally limited our audience. Metrics we measure include the number of test users and the average daily user time spent in the app. Both metrics are generally above our goal, and we're very pleased with the outcomes. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They performed very well. We had a quick turnaround on our launch, and this was a huge undertaking. The entire offering from our association is the app, and they were essentially responsible for our whole value proposition. They did an excellent job. We have weekly calls with them, and they come into our office monthly to present their designs or projects they're working on. What did you find most impressive about them? They took the time to really learn about our complex organization. This is a brand-new audience for us, and they researched everything on the frontend and learned a lot about us. Once they understood what we wanted to deliver, they used their intelligence and creativity to develop a product that was above and beyond anything we expected. Are there any areas they could improve? Having never worked with an app developer in this way, we're constantly trying to hone the project management. We're still working on making this collaboration as efficient as possible. --- #### Mobile App Dev & UX for Logistics Company **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios contributed conceptually and ultimately developed an Android and iOS mobile application for a logistics company. They also created a web portal and augmented staff to various UX projects. **Review Rating**: 4.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 3.5 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** Head of Product & UX, Echo Global Logistics - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 15, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios successfully delivered a high-quality application that has experienced a promising adoption rate among industry professionals. The team has provided consistent quality throughout the engagement and exhibits a dedication to practical project management methods. ""Eight Bit Studios has been able to maintain the level of quality that initially attracted us to them." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the vice president of product and UX at Echo Global Logistics. We offer transportation management and brokerage services using our own proprietary technology. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? As part of a larger initiative to redefine our digital solutions, we engaged Eight Bit Studios to help us in two primary areas. First, we worked with them to develop a mobile app for one segment of our market—specifically, the truck drivers that work for the carriers we interact with. Secondly, we have used resources from their staff to facilitate some of the UX and information architecture projects we have.   **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The mobile application has been developed for Android and iOS and functions as a digital load-management system that allows drivers and carriers to communicate more seamlessly. As part of their preparation, Eight Bit Studios conducted field research to learn of the pain points troubling many drivers and their managers. Eight Bit Studios participated in the discussions of technical requirements and ensured that the products would connect with the API we built internally. They developed the final application and the frontend templates for a web portal. What is the team composition? At its peak, the team has consisted of 8–10 people, including mobile app developers, a project manager, a UX designer, a frontend developer at times, and a QA technician. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? Our CEO was familiar with their work from other initiatives he’s been involved with. What is the status of this engagement? Our engagement began in 2016 and remains ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We’ve seen a lot of positive results since our app’s launch. It has been adopted at a very encouraging rate. This market, just like any other industry, is in the midst of digitization, and I think we’ve been able to provide a reliable product that can be a part of the changing behavior in the space. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They’re straightforward to work with. They feel like teammates within our organization. It’s nice to see that they have the same values as us when it comes to customer satisfaction. Their project management methods—including how they give us updates or break down the billable work—are a definite strength. What did you find most impressive about them? It’s common for a long-term vendor to exhibit a drop-off in quality after a while, but we’ve never experienced that with this team. Eight Bit Studios has been able to maintain the level of quality that initially attracted us to them. Are there any areas they could improve? No, they’ve been a great partner for us. Do you have any advice for potential customers? This is especially true if future clients decide to augment resources to their team, but we’ve found it’s best to outline the responsibilities of each person at the start of the process. That will facilitate a perfectly integrated team and working atmosphere. --- #### Mobile UI & Product Design for Online Ticket Marketplace **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Apr. - Aug. 2018 **Project Summary**: Following an initial discovery phase, Eight Bit Studios created a new visual direction for a set of mobile apps. They gauged the new UI elements in perception tests before compiling their work into a UI kit. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** Head of UX, Online Ticket Marketplace - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 25, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Perception testers and internal stakeholders alike responded favorably to the new design elements, commending the bolder, updated aesthetic. As a boutique agency, Eight Bit Studios remained customer-focused throughout. They had a nimble team and consistently documented the process. ""If you’re looking for a lean team that’s quick and responsive, Eight Bit Studios would be a great fit.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the head of UX for an online ticket marketplace. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We approached them to modernize the UI elements for our core native apps, update the browse experience for our product’s home search function, and build UI kits. The project was less about feature creation and more about refreshing the existing experience for our mobile apps. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We started with a kick-off session and initial discovery workshops so that they could better understand our business. This also posed an opportunity for us to align our brand internally. From our discussions, they created a set of style tiles that demonstrated different visual directions. We conducted perception tests, comparing sample screens based on their designs with our existing app as well as our competitor’s. The team applied the new visual direction to our happy path flow before solidifying the sketch UI kit. They looked at the components that didn’t show up on the main screens and bundled the assets into the kit. What is the team composition? The team consisted of the director of product design, a UI designer, a UX designer, and a project manager. Occasionally, there was also an account representative. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We went through the typical RFP process, engaging several local Chicago shops. Eventually, we heard of them by word of mouth through my colleagues. They had a good vibe and focused on app work, so we felt comfortable moving forward with them. What is the status of this engagement? Their work lasted from April–August 2018. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We’re currently redeveloping the apps using their designs, so nothing is live yet. That being said, both our internal team and perception testers have been receptive to the new visual direction. It’s bolder, modern, and more impactful. We’re using their work to help standardize the look of our web products. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? For the most part, we did weekly design sprints, and they delivered everything on time. The team would send us work for review, and we’d meet the following day to talk about it and brainstorm tasks for the next sprint. After each session, the project manager would post our meeting notes. They would also send out reports on the overall project status. We coordinated the project using Basecamp, setting up checkpoints to ensure constant communication. What did you find most impressive about them? They’re a smaller shop with a quirky, more casual culture. Are there any areas they could improve? No, I can’t think of anything specific. Do you have any advice for potential customers? If you’re looking for a lean team that’s quick and responsive, Eight Bit Studios would be a great fit. They’re a small, boutique shop that’s appropriate for startups and have a more organic process, overall. --- #### iOS Mobile App Dev for Chore Management Platform **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: May 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios overhauled an app for family chore management. They added financial functionality, designed user-friendly UI/UX, and embellished over 80% of the existing content and structure. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 3.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Chore Check - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 19, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios allowed the app to become a revenue stream, which has had a dramatic effect on the business. They have a systematic methodology and are strong communicators. They take a personal interest in the projects they support and act as a partner. "“Their internal organization and discipline are extremely helpful to us and they keep our projects on track.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CEO of Chore Check, an app for parents to track their kids’ household chores and pay their allowance on prepaid debit cards.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We had another company build us a very basic first version, but wanted a development organization to help us with complicated new tech integration and enable a new piece of functionality. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We started with an intake meeting where we described the existing functionality and gave them access to review our code. We outlined our goals for growing the business and they came back with an estimate for the first round of development. We had a long list of things that we wanted to prioritize for a customer-facing iOS app for the App Store. They started with our existing app and rewrote or embellished over 80% of it, including all the functionality for integrating the prepaid debit cards. They connected all the financial services, then we had an iterative process to make minor changes. There were a lot of pieces and services to add, including at least three financial technologies necessary to make the whole thing function properly. They also did all the UI/UX design on the web and iOS versions. What is the team composition? We have a project manager and three people who worked on iOS development. We started with one project manager and were assigned a new one after a reorganization. We also have a principal person who did all the backend and API development work. We also had a senior designer and a couple of account assistants. In all, we had a team of about 10 people. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? My partner knew them from a previous project. We did talk to a couple of other companies but didn’t do a lot of quoting. Eight Bit had a strong lead, thanks to my partner’s knowledge of their work. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent around $200,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together around May 2016. Development is still ongoing and we just recently completed a small update with them. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The version of the app they completed was our first real revenue stream, which had a dramatic impact and helped monetize our business. Getting all the financial pieces into place was no small task and we’re really pleased with the result. They were pivotal in scoping the whole project out and running tests. Their methodology was very systematic and they were really careful about timing updates so we didn’t interrupt our users. Families love our app and find it useful. They can assign any kind of task to their kids and some parents get very creative with the chores or behavioral things they choose to incentivize for their children. They like the friendly interface that is easy to work with. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? Their real strengths lie in communication. If I put something in Basecamp, it always gets attended to. Even if they can’t update something immediately, they put it into their schedule and it doesn’t get overlooked. Their internal organization and discipline are extremely helpful to us and they keep our projects on track. What did you find most impressive about them? They really believe in the projects they work on and are selective about what they accept.  Even though they were vendors, they act like a partner. When a user has a problem and our support can’t figure it out, we can loop them in and they are just as determined to fix the issue as we are. They really care about us, which goes a long way in making the collaboration enjoyable and effective. Are there any areas they could improve? I can’t think of anything offhand they should improve. It took us a while to get used to how militant they were about putting everything into Basecamp. We resisted for a while, but once we got into the habit, we saw how useful having one system to track everything was. It kept us from overlooking tasks and operated as a central hub for the project. --- #### UI/UX Mobile App Design for Insurance Company **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Apr. - July 2018 **Project Summary**: Working collaboratively with an in-house team, Eight Bit Studios helped develop a prototype of a mobile application and assisted with UI/UX design. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** UX Strategist, Allstate - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 10,001+ Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 31, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Knowledgeable and experienced, Eight Bit Studios was instrumental in accelerating the project timeline. They made recommendations without taking over the project and worked quickly and effectively to accomplish all goals. "“ … they brought in their intellectual capital and helped us accomplish many things.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm a UX manager at Allstate. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We wanted to create a new design system for our mobile application. Our in-house team was leading the project, but we needed a company to help us accelerate the process. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Eight Bit Studios came in for a kickoff meeting, where we planned our sprints and explained to them what we wanted to accomplish in phase one. Then, they helped us with prototyping and animation. We wanted to use a Card component in our apps, making the process simple and effective, so we took two weeks to work on that and gave them some direction. After that, we had collaborative sessions every Monday and then met again on Fridays to go over everything they had accomplished. What is the team composition? We worked with an architect, a visual designer, and a project manager. How did you come to work with them? We were not happy with the agencies we used in the past, so we were looking for a local company that had experience with native mobile applications. We came across Eight Bit Studios via a random search. After we looked at their website and examples of their work, we decided to invite them for an interview. How much have you invested with them? We spent about $80,000. What is the status of this engagement? We worked with them from April–July 2018. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They definitely accelerated our timeline. They were able to follow directions and didn't try to take too much control. It was a complex project, but they brought in their intellectual capital and helped us accomplish many things. Now, we can try to build the application. How did they perform from a project management standpoint? We had two meetings a week–our team went there every Monday and they came to our office on Fridays. We also communicated via Basecamp, Slack, and email during the week. In addition, they documented everything they were doing. What did you find most impressive about them? I appreciated the fact that they didn't try to take over the project. Agencies often want to put their mark on the project and come with their own ideas. But we made it clear upfront that we would be leading the project and they were respectful of that, so it was a very healthy relationship. We told them how to help us and they worked collaboratively with us on the design. Are there any areas they could improve? It's always better to do more work in-person. They were only able to come on-site once a week, so our team had to go there on Mondays. We would have preferred it if they made more effort to come to our office twice a week and our team didn't have to travel. --- #### Web & Mobile App Dev for Job Recruitment Tool **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. 2017 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit created an app MVP for an HR conference to help recruiters connect with candidates in unconventional ways. The team ultimately will create 2 apps, in a full-service build, from design to end product. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, YOURistics - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 9, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The team created a great MVP for the conference and multiple HR  professionals expressed interested in its further development. The team has met all deadlines and communicates well during development. They delegate projects according to each developer's strength, resulting in outstanding work. ""What they have produced has fit the bill and worked seamlessly." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the founder of YOURistics, a startup in the talent recruiting space. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? I wrote a paper on a prospective new ecosystem in which candidates and companies can find each other through unorthodox or new means other than the curated resume and job description process. Eight Bit Studios helped me prototype a desktop application for companies who were recruiting and a mobile phone app for the candidates searching for new opportunities. They developed the project from scratch. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The first objective I had was to make a presentation at an HR conference in Chicago. Starting with the rudimentary ideas I had, they developed a working prototype that could be demonstrated at the conference with the goal of explaining the new ecosystem idea. They developed that prototype and then the animation sequence of that prototype sufficiently for me to explain the idea. Subsequently, we embarked on developing the mobile application for the candidates’ side. They brainstormed and enriched the idea while paying attention to the platform’s graphic imagery, as well as the utility of it. The culmination of this, which is in the works now, is a video that aggregates both sides of the application to more fully explain the idea and the startup. The biggest challenge for me was to come up with a visualization of the application, which was actually spatial given my orientation. The biggest contribution they made is a way to create visual matching that's user-friendly on multiple different devices and that meets the criteria. They also provided rudimentary graphics and imaging for the company, and suggestions for scripting in a way to explain the idea. What is the team dynamic? I have dealt with ten to twelve individuals, including the three founders and a project manager, the business manager, a graphics person, and the software development team. I had contact with all of those individuals including their user experience experts. It has been a collaboration involving multiple disciplines within their company. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? I interviewed multiple companies in Chicago before selecting them. I first came across them in Built In Chicago and then received a referral. A published report described the ten best software companies in Chicago. It was from multiple points of contact, and then I went right from that point to an interview. They were not afraid to challenge my ideas and preconceptions. Rather than somebody who was just going to draw the project that I wanted or realize the project just as I described, they were engaged to really try to improve, scrutinize, and question it. They were the most challenging, and I thought that was a refreshing take rather than just executing something that I already laid out. How much have you invested with them? We've spent around $60,000 at this point. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in January 2017, and we're still working with them. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The best result would be the reactions of HR professionals who have seen the opportunities side of the platform. The feedback was almost uniformly positive, and they wanted to see further development. Eight Bit has been exceptionally good with sticking to deadlines and our budget. They hit all the dates and met or exceed every budget. What they have produced has fit the bill and worked seamlessly. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They use Basecamp, a Chicago-born product, because I'm doing my other work as well there. It's something I can check into when I have availability. The project manager keeps it up-to-date, so it's very well-organized and allows for the collaboration of multiple team members to collaborate. When we reach out to them, their response is immediate. If not, they respond within the hour or day. What did you find most impressive about them? From a startup point of view, since they have so much experience doing applications and maintaining them, and they also have experience starting companies from the ground-up, they bring a little more scrutiny to the process and understand the full lifecycle of the application. I found that to be pretty unique, a deep experience from the older founder onto the coding abilities of the youngest developer. They have a good range of experience and perspectives that are informing decisions on the development. Are there any areas they could improve? Nothing really comes to mind at this point. As we go further into the project, I might have other points of view, but I have nothing very critical to say. We've had garden-variety technological problems like with group calls or video calls, but it's pretty minor. --- #### Development for Augmented-Reality Gaming Platform **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Feb. - May 2016 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios conducted broad mobile and platform diagnostics while developing a gaming app and implementing Bluetooth connections to AR hardware. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, LyteShot - Industry: Gaming - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 16, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Thanks to Eight Bit Studios’ broad skill set, product development finished on time and within budget, in time for meetings with prospective investors and advisors. The team’s proactive communication and problem-solving abilities ensured a completely functional solution.  ""They’re very professional, friendly, and eager to deploy their deep technical knowledge."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of LyteShot, which is an interactive, augmented-reality gaming platform. We combine mobile gaming apps and Internet of Things (IoT) with augmented-reality smart glasses for an immersive gaming experience anywhere. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? Our CTO had recently departed the company, and the technology needed to be completed to stay on track with our product development roadmap. We asked Eight Bit Studios to not only come in and forensically review the platform for its operability, but also piece the platform back together for us. It required a learning curve of the architecture on both the mobile side and the platform server side, as well as the hardware (IoT) side. One thing that drew us to Eight Bit Studios is that through our initial interviews with them, they were extremely well-rounded in each of these facets. Other companies were specialized in one area or another, but Eight Bit Studios demonstrated a broad knowledge in these different areas. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We worked with four or five members of their team, and likely more people were working behind the scenes. They went through all our code on GitHub, the Amazon server side, as well as our mobile applications to diagnose and debug. From the peripheral side, they were also working on our code that ties back to the servers. Out platform enables the player to utilize the Lyter/ LytePuck peripherals anywhere by wirelessly connecting back to your phone via Bluetooth, and then all of the in-game data is then sent back through the cloud to the servers and has to make that round-trip in a very short time. So, they were working on the server side code as well as the mobile game code and the peripheral code, ensuring that all those were talking to each other. They did a really great job reconstructing it. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We had received a referral from some people in the tech development community and afterward, we went online looking for a team that had all the skill sets we needed. We found companies specializing in one or two areas, but not all the facets we needed for our platform. We had read really positive reviews about Eight Bit Studios online, and it might have been on Clutch so we confirmed that we would be in good hands. How much have you invested with Eight Bit Studios? It was approximately $50,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Eight Bit Studios in February of 2016, and everything was completed in May/June of that year. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement? We put Eight Bit under some tight deadlines to get all the work done so we could go in front of investors and prospective clients, and they did it. I don’t know if that’s a metric per se, but it was one that we valued. They were able to effectively ‘peel back the layers of the onion’ to find the root of the problems, and they found a lot of things that they re-coded to make it more seamless. Without Eight Bit Studios, we likely would have had to go to multiple shops in order to get the work done, whereas Eight Bit had all the expertise under one roof. They’re a very collaborative multi-disciplinary team which is exactly what you want to attack a complex problem. They probably have some of the best client services I’ve seen, as they were really hands-on, all the way to the top to the bottom of the organization, and everyone knew the issues and goals as well as the timeframes involved. We were impressed with that. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They’re excellent. Jennifer, the project manager, did a great job of keeping us updated and corralling the resources internally to make sure we made our deadlines. Knowing that we were on a tight crunch, she was very calm, cool, and collected – grace under pressure. Because we’re local, we were able to have in-person meetings, but we would also do conference calls as well. What did you find most impressive about Eight Bit Studios? It’s their customer service, as well as their deep knowledge and willingness to dig into a problem. They had to learn a lot about our platform in a short amount of time, which they did very capably. And there’s a great vibe emitted by their whole studio. They’re very professional, friendly, and eager to deploy their deep technical knowledge. Are there any areas Eight Bit Studios could improve? We had a tough problem to solve, and there’s no right or wrong way to get there. We were pretty pleased with how they went about it and kept us up to date. We don’t have anything bad to say - we were very pleased. --- #### Mobile App Development for Digital Health and Wellness Tool **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Oct. 2015 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios developed an Android mobile app from a given set of APIs. They assisted with internal testing and user testing. If clinical trials are successful, Eight Bit Studios will extend the app to iOS. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Digital Health Solution - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 14, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The completed Android app has received positive feedback with regards to the look, feel, and usability. Eight Bit Studios' team is very responsive, communicative, and easy to work with, which has led to a long-term, successful partnership. ""They believed in [the project] almost as much as we did, and it felt like we were all part of a team." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. Our business creates APIs to help support behavior change based on scientific research. I’m the CEO. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We had a weight change intervention that we wanted to take from a paper version to an API version. We wanted to evaluate that, create a proof of principle mobile app for Android that used that API, and test the combination in a clinical trial. We couldn’t afford to hire individuals in each of the roles that needed to be done. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? In terms of creating the API, we had a certain set of rules and responses. We wanted the API to take a set of inputs and apply a set of rules to generate responses which is what Eight Bit Studios developed. We were working under a research budget, so we were balancing a desire for something that performs well with something that is cost effective. They were great in working with us on that. We took that API and corresponding documentation, and they worked with us to do usability testing. We brought in other developers and had them review the documentation to see if they could perform the associated tasks. We wanted to be sure that the documentation was clear. The second phase was to design an app that uses the API. That leveraged the full spectrum of what Eight Bit Studios does in terms of building the technology but also the design side. We did internal testing and we also just completed external usability testing. They were able to design the look, feel, and color scheme, the logos, and visual representations of what the platform does. If the clinical trial goes well with the Android version, we will expand into iOS as well. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? I did a coding program to learn Ruby on Rails, and through that network, Eight Bit Studios was recommended to me. We looked at other firms, but the dynamic with their team and their expertise was the reason we chose them. Eight Bit Studios really understood what we were doing and believed in it. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Eight Bit Studios in October 2015, and the work is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement? The app is currently still in clinical trial testing. Before we market the app, we want to be able to say we’ve subjected it to clinical trials and what the results are. Of the users in our usability testing, none had a major issue. There was no inability to achieve any of the designated tasks. The comments we received were that it is a very user-friendly app, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and has a nice interface. One user commented that they liked the fact that if you enter your email in one place, it auto-populates in other places, and you just have to confirm it’s correct. The completion rate on all the tasks was 100% with no critical errors. The app is reliable regarding bug reports. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? Eight Bit Studios has this phenomenal tool that I’ve never seen before. They built it themselves. It shows where the project is regarding timeline and budget. It’s great to be able to visualize that at a glance because those are both important for me as the client. I love that I can access that easily and know where we are. They are very responsive. When we reach certain points of the project, they’ll email and ask if I want a meeting to go over things. When we had the meeting, all the people involved were there. My team likes their team so much that when we were doing t-shirts for the app, my team insisted that we purchase them for Eight Bit Studios as well. We have a regular weekly email from them, and during build time we had weekly calls with the project manager and whoever else needed to be on the call from their team. They’re local for me, so if I had wanted to have in-person meetings, they would have been happy to do that. What did you find most impressive about Eight Bit Studios? One of our concerns when working with external development shops on other projects was they don’t understand what you’re doing, and they don’t believe it in as much as you do. Eight Bit Studios always felt like they valued what we were doing. They believed in it almost as much as we did, and it felt like we were all part of a team. Everyone is always commenting on what a delight they are to work with. It’s been a great experience. Everyone there seems to love their job, and that delight passes over to our team. Eight Bit Studios' team members work hard, but they’re fun and funny at the same time. We really enjoyed that. Are there any areas Eight Bit Studios could improve? I don’t think so. --- #### Web and Mobile App Dev for Supply Chain Firm **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $1,000,000 to $9,999,999 - Project length: Feb. 2016 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios developed an iOS and Android mobile app for a supply chain firm. They worked smoothly alongside the in-house UX team and built the apps using Swift. Their team also provided a QA resource. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Vice President of Product Strategy and Innovation, Echo Global Logistics - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 14, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: During beta testing, the apps have received positive feedback. The developed solution saves time and increases productivity. Eight Bit Studios’ team has impressive project management skills and UX talent. Their early-on success has allowed for a valuable long-term relationship. ""These guys blended in right away. Eight Bit Studio had no difficulty understanding what we were trying to do." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. Echo Global Logistics is a non-asset 3rd party logistics company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We were trying to build a solution for our truckloads transactional brokerage floor that would enable us to get tracking update more efficiently for the freight that we cover through the truckload carriers. We wanted to build a mobile app for the truck drivers and a web portal for the dispatchers who these drivers normally report status tracking and updates to. We don’t own any trucks, so shipments are not done with our trucks. We find trucks and our shippers' shipments go onto those trucks. The shipment piece was a challenge because we couldn’t get updates on the shipments and sometimes multiple people were calling the carriers. We wanted to build this proprietary solution to collect that tracking data along with the shipping documents that normally go along with the transactions. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We included Eight Bit Studios along with our internal UX [user experience] team and product team in the discovery process. Eight Bit Studios provided a project manager, a UX architect, and a digital analyst. The first idea was to get the life cycle of a transaction documented. This involved user journey definition, business analysis, product analysis, and capability analysis. Once we found the scope of the capabilities that we wanted to build, then we included their mobile app developers for iOS and Android. We use Swift, and our in-house developers use C# services. We used seven or eight resources from their team. The project manager and UX architect were always with us. We also used a QA resource from them. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? Eight Bit Studios is right around the corner from our office. Our CEO ended up meeting one of their co-founders at an event, and that was around the time we were talking about this mobility capability. We also saw some of their previous work. When we started the discovery process, we gave them a short contract for them to prove their value. These guys blended in right away. We have a unique business with a lot of complexities, but Eight Bit Studios had no difficulty understanding what we were trying to do. After that initial contract, we gave them the long-term project to complete. We did look at two other firms and ran the idea by them, but Eight Bit Studios was by far the best fit for what we were trying to do. How much have you invested with Eight Bit Studios? We have spent more than $1 million with Eight Bit Studios over the course of our relationship. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Eight Bit Studios in February 2016, and the work is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement? Their UX team is phenomenal, and they blended really well with our in-house UX team. We have an ongoing retainer for a certain number of hours per week. They help us with other projects as well. Now that they’ve become domain experts in what we’re doing, their work is very relevant. We did a merger late last year at Echo by acquiring one of our larger competitors. The release just happened because we needed to wait for everything to clear with the merger. The beta program has just been out for a couple of weeks. The feedback we’re getting so far is really positive. This morning I got an email from a carrier saying it’s the best piece of technology they’ve seen in this industry. We have pretty defined goals, and we’ll be able to realize those. The check calls are done by the same people that find trucks for us. Any check calls they make on a shipment that’s in transit is a loss of productivity. We’d rather have them be on the phones finding trucks for us. On average, the 7–8 check calls they make per load when they are managing 50–60 loads at once, will be eliminated. We’re cutting easily by 80% off the outbound calls that we make to the carriers and drivers. Also, when it comes to shipment document collection, on average, it takes about 7–10 days to collect the documents. This solution allows us to get them within the first 48 hours. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? We use consulting firms all the time, and I feel their project management is really good. Heather is the project manager, and she did a phenomenal job. That was one thing we were really impressed with. For a company the size of Eight Bit Studios, we didn’t expect the level of project management they had. We were ready to assign one of our project managers, but we didn’t need to. We used Basecamp for high-level communication, content sharing, and reporting. We normally use JIRA, so we had them use that for the development cycle. What did you find most impressive about Eight Bit Studios? Their UX talent is exceptional, and their project management capabilities are very impressive. We’re a young, growing company, so our culture is pretty casual. Eight Bit Studios was very easy to do business with in that regard. They’re very close to our office, so it was very common for us to go work there and have them come in and work here. Everyone felt at home. Are there any areas Eight Bit Studios ould improve? I’ve talked to Eight Bit Studios about this already. When dealing with enterprise software as we do, what Eight Bit Studios can do is not typically enough. We have to combine their resources and deliverables with something our in-house team can do such as C#. They don’t have C# resources, and they don’t claim to have them. If you’re building B2B applications, that does complicate things in the backend. They could have a continuous partner that does that type of work so that when they come across these types of projects, they could be a one-stop shop for the client. We don’t get the full package because we still have to write code against what they’re building. --- #### Mobile App Development for Financial Services Company **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Sep. 2016 - Feb. 2017 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios perform a rehab of an an iOS mobile app to supplement a pre-existing web app. Picking up the work from a previous developer, the team revamped the UI/UX design and provided Swift development. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Lead Front End Developer and Designer, Financial Services Company - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 12, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The app is in the approval process for compliance with a parent company, and some updates are being planned. Since delivery, the app has been stable, and it works across multiple iPhone devices. The Eight Bit team was independent, communicated well, and responsive to questions.  ""They have the best project management that I’ve ever worked with." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. My company is a financial services company where users can compare credit cards. I’m a lead frontend developer and designer. I design and code landing pages as well as design and display ads. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We wanted to develop an app to supplement our website, which allows users to compare credit cards using certain criteria and then to see the results. They can then look at the credit card detailed information or add the credit card to a comparison piece where they could compare several cards side by side. When they decide which card they would like, the app directs them to the browser that leads to the issuer’s landing page where they can apply for the card. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We had an iOS app created before we started working with Eight Bit, but we weren’t happy with it. We contacted Eight Bit and told them to do what they think is best. They took the project from UI/UX [user interface/ user experience] to design, and then development using Swift to code the app. Anytime there was an issue; they would get together as a team and come up with a solution. I also gave my suggestions which they took into consideration but did what they thought was best in the end. We gave input on certain milestones and design. They used a web service where they could load the designs, and we could add comments to it which was really helpful. They added a lot of nice touches to the app which is definitely what we were looking for. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? My boss was looking online for app developers in the Chicago area and found Eight Bit and other firms. We ended up using a different contractor in the beginning, and we also had an in-house designer that was working on the app. We got back in touch with Eight Bit when the first contractor didn’t give us what we were looking for. How much have you invested with Eight Bit Studios? We spent over $100,000 on the project. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Eight Bit Studios in September 2016, and their part of the project was completed February 2017 including revisions requested by banks and us. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement? The app hasn’t been approved yet, but it was nothing they did. It’s a compliance issue that our parent company is helping us resolve. When it’s approved, we have a couple of updates we need to do. The stability of the app is very good. I tested the app across different iPhone devices, and it works fine. If Eight Bit finds any glitches, they let us know and, they’ll take care of it. Everyone in our company likes the app. The banks are excited that they have another avenue to showcase their cards. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? The first few weeks we started off slowly because we weren’t used to working with this type of design firm. Other design firms we worked with, we felt like we had to direct them more than them providing us feedback. After we had got over that hump, everything went fantastic. Our project manager was very nice and communicated well. I ask a lot of questions, but she didn’t mind and was very responsive. Jim was the programmer, and he was fantastic. After we had got through the design phase, I worked mainly with our project manager and programmer. The programmer took care of any issues which made us feel like he was dedicated to us. We agreed on a process to give feedback that worked for both of us. What did you find most impressive about Eight Bit Studios? We wanted a website in an app, but with certain app features that we can’t have on the website. For the most part, Eight Bit delivered that aspect. There were different animations and different UX flow. I was really impressed with their project management. They have the best project management that I’ve ever worked with. Are there any areas Eight Bit Studios could improve? Nothing I can think of. The experience was pretty seamless with Eight Bit Studios. --- #### App Development for Museum Focused Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios developed an educational app for the iPad Mini. They will continue to work with the client in the future to update and expand the app. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** President, Museums In Hand - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 28, 2016 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios worked with the client to build an app that would not only achieve their vision but also create a solid framework for the organization’s goals moving forward. The app has received positive feedback from both students and teachers. ""The amazing thing about it is not just that Eight Bit Studios is coming in under budget, but they're not skimping on anything."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. Museums In Hand is a non-profit organization that does museum outreach to underfunded schools through video technology. We do virtual field trips. We bring the apps into classrooms on iPads, along with lesson plans and that field trip experience into classes that don't have the resources to explore their local resources any other way. What is your position? I'm the President of the organization. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What business challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? This has been a pilot project, we're launching this as a concept to try and move forward and to expand our impact through reaching different museums, schools and funding opportunities. Now that the app is done, we can actually test how students respond to the technology in the classroom. **SOLUTION** Please describe what product they provided. It was an iOS-based app for iPad Mini. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We did our research, went through, and looked at some of the bigger names in the Chicago area. It was important for me to be local because I was definitely interested in working more hands-on and looking for a company that I could grow with in the future. As this is just our pilot project, I'll be coming back and working and expanding, so it was important for me to be close to the people I was working with. Ultimately, by looking at Eight Bit’s past work and speaking with them, I knew that they were a company that really got onboard with their projects. They shared a lot of our values, and I was confident they could produce a really beautiful product at a really competitive rate. It was the best of all worlds. Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms? The project ended up coming in under $20,000. It was the first time I'd seen anyone come in under budget so dramatically. I was really blown away by that! **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement? The students absolutely love working with the app. It was really exciting to see. The students understood it right away. It was very intuitive. They were having a lot of fun. Students were enjoying it in a, sort of, game or entertainment-type capacity rather than it being educational. All the students we tested it on were really positive in their feedback. The teachers were excited to see them engaging with museum content. How did Eight Bit Studios perform from a project management standpoint? They have consistently delivered on time and on budget. Their system of working on Base Camp and keeping everyone organized that way is great. Their project manager was really wonderful and flexible and great at keeping everything together. What distinguishes Eight Bit Studios from other providers? The amazing thing about it is not just that Eight Bit Studios is coming in under budget, but they're not skimping on anything. Nothing feels rushed. Nothing feels left out. They're just very efficient. They're very honest about what you need to do at each stage of development. For us, they looked at us they said, "You're a non-profit. You're just starting out with a concept; you need X, Y, Z. These are cool features but they're going to bring your price way up, and it may not be what you need to do at this time." They really were honest. I came into this with very little tech background, so I could have been the easiest person for them to go, "Oh no, you absolutely need to include all of the additional features". I would have accepted anything, but they were completely straightforward. That was really comforting for me. Is there anything Eight Bit Studios could have improved or done differently? Honestly, no. It was an incredibly positive experience. I'm looking forward to working with them in the future. I think they really set us up so that this app isn't just a throw-away app. I think they'll be able to build on it so it wasn't a wasted first run. They've really created something that will be in place going forward, just expanding it to get cooler. --- #### App Development for Search Engine Startup **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios redesigned the client’s existing app to provide a simplified, streamlined user-experience and to address issues with consistency and navigation. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, Rivi - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 21, 2016 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios was selected for this project because of their strong aesthetic, and the new design has received very positive feedback. The client appreciates Eight Bit Studio’s flexibility and professionalism throughout the project. ""I think [Eight Bit Studios] can serve many different clients well."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. What is your position? I'm the founder of Rivi. Rivi is a new type of search engine that allows you to search for products and places based upon trusted recommendations actively, and contribute your own unique finds. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What business challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? Before Eight Bit, our previous user experience design had inconsistent navigation and problems throughout. We needed our UX [user experience] and UI [user interface] to be streamlined to make a more user-friendly product. **SOLUTION** Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail. Eight Bit's main role on this project was to simplify and streamline the UX and UI of my existing application. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We were looking for user experience designers in Chicago and looking at various websites and their work products. Eight Bit's aesthetic was something that stood out and that I was looking for. Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms? Our design project has been on the smaller side. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement? It's early, but I think people universally love the design. They think it's outstanding. What distinguishes Eight Bit Studios from other providers? What I like about Eight Bit is that they're flexible enough for the startup or small project and professional enough to take on greater challenges and bigger scope projects. I think they can serve many different clients well. Is there anything Eight Bit Studios could have improved or done differently? Eight Bit is a busy team, so they could do a bit better on managing expectations on when certain tasks will be completed. --- #### Ruby, iOS, and Android Platform Development for Startup **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit developed a platform that lowered barriers to charitable and nonprofit donation for the client’s users. Android and iOS apps were also developed later on. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, Charitable Startup - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 15, 2016 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit’s interactive and supportive culture attracted the client to their services and eventually led to a strong partnership. The client does note a desire for better communication on the cost of the project. ""Eight Bit Studios is hugely interactive, hugely supportive, and has a great culture with great people."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. The application is a nonprofit platform that gets people to give a small amount of money per day to a curated list of nonprofits. What is your position? I'm the founder and CEO. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What business challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? I wanted to lower the barriers of entry for people who would like to start giving to nonprofits. **SOLUTION** Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail. Eight Bit provided the development for the platform. Rails development was used for the back-end, and then we have apps for iOS and Android. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? I went through an exhaustive search going through 10 different firms in Chicago and narrowed it down to Eight Bit Studios. The culture was one of the big parts for choosing them along with their background. Some of the other mobile apps they had created were similar to the experience that I had in mind. Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms? The project was more than $200,000. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What distinguishes Eight Bit Studios from other providers? Eight Bit Studios is hugely interactive, hugely supportive, and has a great culture with great people. They are very nice and always fun to work with. To me, the biggest thing that I like about the firm is their culture of wanting to be interactive and supportive. Is there anything Eight Bit Studios could have improved or done differently? Eight Bit could have been better on hitting price. The overall experience was positive. I don't want to be overly negative. There's no such thing as a perfect firm, especially on the development side. There's room for improvement with better communication on the cost. --- #### Wireframing and UX Design for App Startup **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios designed a scheduling app, from the colors and logo to the user experience, with a strong focus on ease-of-use. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-Founder, App Startup - Industry: Advertising & marketing - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 14, 2016 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios worked with the client, a start-up, to give them exactly what they needed and ultimately came in under budget. The client notes Eight Bit Studios strong communication and genuine interest in helping them to succeed. ""[Eight Bit Studios] were very forthcoming and really helped us figure out what the best approach would be with the budget we had."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. Our company is a start-up. We are working to create apps to help families have an easier life and to improve scheduling conflicts. What is your position? I am a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What business challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? We founded the company to start a specific app. It's an app that helps families organize and put in all their children's activities, school being the logical one, but also sports, music lessons and all the craziness that families have. The more kids you have, the crazier it becomes. The core of the app is really the whole idea of what we call, "Oh no!" moments. For example, when you're on your way to pick up somebody and you're stuck in traffic or your car breaks down and things like that. With our app there's a two-click way of sending a request to someone in your inner circle to help the user pick up or drop off somebody. You invite people to be part of that inner circle, be it your spouse, nannies, neighbors, grandparents and so on. **SOLUTION** Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail. My co-founder is actually a developer, so he had already made a prototype that was functioning. What we needed help with and what Eight Bit is extremely good at, is design work. We needed help designing the logo, colors, and the most important piece: the user experience [UX]. We wanted to make sure that all the screens and all of the inputs created smooth sailing for the user. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? We talked to three UX companies in the Chicago area. We ultimately picked Eight Bit Studios for two reasons. One, meeting with them; it was just a personal meshing with them. They understood what we were trying to do. We personally seemed to get along, and it matched with how we were thinking. We just really got a good vibe from all of them, from account management to the actual designers. Secondly, seeing that we were are a start-up, they were extremely helpful and worked with us to be able to set a price to get the work done. They worked with my partner to understand what work he could do himself. They were very forthcoming and really helped us figure out what the best approach would be with the budget we had. We would never have gone to that discussion with them if we didn't have that gut feeling that these guys are good and that they really understood us. Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms? The original estimate was $10,000 to $15,000 but we actually came in under budget. I think that shows their way of working with clients. It was very clear that they did what we needed them to do. They didn’t overcharge us, and it was phenomenal. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement? Not yet. Because we're a start-up, my partner is the one who's actually doing all the code writing behind the app, using Eight Bit's design. He is actually doing all the back end and I'm doing all the testing. Because both of us have full-time jobs, this all happens at night. We're getting there. We're getting close and it's starting to iron itself out. What distinguishes Eight Bit Studios from other providers? Eight Bit Studios is understanding, and they work to try to understand their client’s point of view. They were a start-up at some point themselves, so they know how tough it can be. I think you can see that in them. They’re not a big machine that wants to go out and just get contracts. I found that to be very refreshing. Secondly, what I also thought was awesome was not only their great work but their very easygoing approach. They are professional guys but at the same time so laid back and just understanding of how complicated it can be to do these things. It's hard and they know how it is hard. You can feel that they understand. They will do what they need to do to help you. Yeah, it's a business and they need to make money but you can feel that they really want to work with you, which I think was great. Is there anything Eight Bit Studios could have improved or done differently? To be honest, I don't have any complaints. I work with partners constantly so I know that you might be saying one thing and actually you mean something else. It happens, and a few times we would go in and I thought we would get something a little bit different, but nothing that I would say they're not understanding. I think the trouble was often on our end and how we were explaining what we’d like to see. I actually don't have any negative feedback for them. Hopefully this is not our only app and we'll get more out there, and there is no doubt we will go back to Eight Bit Studios. Hopefully at that point we'll have a bigger budget so we don't have to do as much ourselves. --- #### Ideation App Development for Education Entrepreneur **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios built a website and an app for the iOS platform designed to facilitate collaboration among users. They will continue to work with the client on future updates. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Professor, Kellogg School of Management - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 11, 2016 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios have developed a close partnership with the client through their strong communication and professionalism. The client appreciates Eight Bit Studios’ help in growing his idea and turning it into a high-quality reality. ""I get the impression that Eight Bit intrinsically cares about the growth and success of my product."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. My app, Candor, is concerned with helping people collaborate more effectively, particularly in the area of idea generation. It’s not industry specific. What is your position? I’m the Founder and I’m also a professor at Northwestern at Kellogg, the graduate business school. Candor is a side project of mine. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What business challenge were you trying to address with Eight Bit Studios? In my profession I do research on how people can interact and collaborate more effectively. Candor, the app, is an effort to put some technology behind the technique that I, and other management scholars have used for some time. The app is meant to answer the question “How can we harness the collective intelligence of groups?”  **SOLUTION** Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail. Eight Bit Studios has been the sole team from start to finish. Candor is a web and mobile application. They’ve developed both the website and the mobile versions. It is currently available on iOS, but as new rounds of funding come in, I want to expand it. How did you come to work with Eight Bit Studios? I had previously done some consulting work for another business who I felt had a good understanding of the mobile industry. Eight Bit was their first recommendation. I talked to a couple other agencies and felt best about working with Eight Bit. Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms? The project up to this point is in the range of $50,000 to $60,000. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement? I teach thousands of MBA (Master of Business Administration) students every year and I introduce them to the app, and many of them have a background in information technology. I hear universally good things from my students about its layout and design. From technical third parties, I’ve heard a number of complimentary things about the professionalism behind the app. Eight Bit Studios has been very accommodating with me in working through the many iterations of the idea. The app has grown and some of that has to do with the idea behind it and a lot of that has to do with the look and feel of the product. What distinguishes Eight Bit Studios from other providers? There’s two things that stand out to me about Eight Bit. First, my perception is that they do high-quality work. There’s just a general professionalism around what they’re doing. Secondly, they’re just very responsive. It feels very personal. If I need to get on the phone to talk about a higher level issue, I don’t have to wait. I feel like they have a high touch approach.  Along the way there’s been some slight miscommunications at times which is bound to happen. Most of those were as much my fault as anybody’s. They’ve been very willing to sit down, correct things and get them right. What I appreciate most is that they check-in and seem involved in the project. I get the impression that Eight Bit intrinsically cares about the growth and success of my product. These things would make it hard for me to leave them. Is there anything Eight Bit Studios could have improved or done differently? I communicate those things directly with them. I’ve been very happy with the service thus far. --- #### Location-based Application Development for Startup **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios redesigned the client’s existing app for the iOS platform, adding new functionalities that the client did not have the in-house resources to develop. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-founder, Whittl - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 27, 2015 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios brought a high level of creativity to the app, and the client feels that they chose the right development partner in Eight Bit Studios, achieving the exciting user experience they were looking for without sacrificing functionality. ""I think the number one thing that sets Eight Bit Studios apart is their level of creativity."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. What is your role and responsibilities? I’m the cofounder of Whittl. Whittl lets consumers book appointments for all types of local services from haircuts to eye examinations to dental appointments. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What was your goal for working with Eight Bit Studios? We had an existing iOS app that we wanted to overhaul and wanted to bring to the next level of quality. We were looking for a partner who could really overhaul the app. **SOLUTION** Please describe the scope of their work. It was a full overhaul of the app. There were two areas in particular where we needed help. One was from a visual design perspective. We wanted to give it a polish and aesthetic quality that leading apps in the marketplace have. We had a lot of new functionality that we wanted to add that we just didn’t have the internal resources to do ourselves. What was your process for selecting Eight Bit Studios with which to work? We asked for recommendations from other companies in Chicago. We ended up looking at three different firms to do the work. We issued an RFP [request for proposal] to those three firms asking for their estimation of the amount of work, what their approach would be, and the types of skills they were going to bring to the table. We asked for bios of the people who would be working on the project and asked about how they manage projects in terms of process. Based on the full package, we decided to select Eight Bit Studios. Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure? This project fell in the range of $50,000 to $200,000. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Is there anything unique or special about Eight Bit Studios that really makes them stand out compared to other business partners? I think the number one thing that sets Eight Bit Studios apart is their level of creativity. When we talked to other firms, we didn’t feel like they were going to add a level of excitement to the app. An app is all about great user interaction. It’s about how it feels. There’s a feeling you get from an app that you might not get from a website. We didn’t think the other firms had that level of creativity. That was the deciding factor. We also felt they had a more demonstrable body of work that proved to us that they were capable of producing a very high-quality product.  Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently? I would say their heavier on the project management side than we would like. As a startup, we tend to be lean. They insert a decent amount of project management, so we chew up dollars on project management rather than on development, although our project manager is quite good. --- #### Application Development Partnership for Financial Services Startup **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios helped with the development of an online payments and banking platform and are currently assisting with expansions into mobile banking. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** President, Financial Services Startup - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 26, 2015 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios replaced the client’s previous development partner and has since collaborated well with their in-house team. The client appreciates Eight Bit Studios’ solid strategic design and technical mix and looks forward to a continued partnership. ""[Eight Bit Studios] work really hard, but they’re also a lot of fun. They take everything they do very seriously."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. What is your role and responsibilities? I’m the president and co-founder of a payments company focused on enabling brands to offer payments services. We have online banking, and we’re in the process of building mobile banking. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What was your goal for working with Eight Bit Studios? We’ve been working with Eight Bit Studios for a while now. We utilize them as a quality outsourced development shop. We had started to develop our platform with a mix of our internal team and an external shop. The first outsourced shop was not a good fit for our team, so we looked to Eight Bit Studios to help complete development. **SOLUTION** What was your process for selecting Eight Bit Studios with which to work? We went through a vetting process. We felt like Eight Bit and their founding partners had a solid strategic design and technical mix and that was what I was looking for. We also evaluated their previous work, and it was all really strong. When was the work completed? It’s ongoing work. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Is there anything unique or special about Eight Bit Studios that really makes them stand out compared to other business partners? It’s hard to put a finger on it. We really look for culture fit. I think the culture fit between their team and our team just resonated. They work really hard, but they’re also a lot of fun. They take everything they do very seriously. It was a joy to interact with them and that makes things easier when things get stressful. It’s tough when you’re trying to develop something brand new to find relevant examples of work that applies to what you’re trying to do. You don’t want to pick a partner and tell them to build it just like they built an app for some other client. We were starting with a baseline product that we already had in place and we needed them to adapt to it and go further, and they seemed to grasp that.  Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently? I don’t have anything specific. They’ve been a great partner. Early on, we might have had some project management issues but they’ve been corrected. They’ve been quick to adjust when we’ve had concerns. --- #### Mobile Application Development for Art Gallery App **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios developed an art app intended to be accessible to even the most novice of users. They also helped the client to implement a digital strategy for their business. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 3.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, Curate - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 12, 2015 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios guided the client comfortably through their first app development. The client feels that Eight Bit Studios far exceeded their hopes of accessibility, building a remarkably intuitive app. ""The team at Eight Bit Studios was really good at listening to my directive, which was to create an app for somebody who isn’t a natural app user."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. What is your role and responsibilities? My company is a mobile app. It’s called Curate. It is an app that allows the user to see any piece of art sized correctly and placed in real time on any wall in their home or office. I’m the founder and CEO.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What was your goal for working with Eight Bit Studios? Please describe the scope of their work. I went to Eight Bit Studios as a complete novice to create an app to serve this purpose. They developed the entire app and helped me to implement a digital strategy for my business. **SOLUTION** What was your process for selecting Eight Bit Studios with which to work? I spoke to colleagues of mine in the technology industry in Chicago. I was recommended three or four different mobile agencies that were all local to the Chicago area. I researched all of them and spoke to a couple of them on the phone and thought Eight Bit Studios was the best match because they had been in the art world space previously. Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure? It took most of a year to develop my app. Costing closer to the $200,000 side of the $50,000 to $200,000 bucket. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Is there anything unique or special about Eight Bit Studios that really makes them stand out compared to other business partners? I think that what’s really great about the development Eight Bit Studios does is that they can keep the app intuitive, Most apps are not great, and they’re not that intuitive. But, Curate is extremely intuitive. The team at Eight Bit Studios was really good at listening to my directive, which was to create an app for somebody who isn’t a natural app user. They understood that I wanted an elderly person to be able to use this app. Curate walks you through each step, and there’s even a video to show you how to use it. Eight Bit Studios did a great job at making Curate extremely simple. Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently? Eight Bit Studios is priced right near the going rate I found at every other local development shop. If I would do it again, I would have focused on a full business plan before I started with them. But, apps evolve every day and the business plan keeps changing. I was just going to have this be a .99¢ app, but as we went along it seemed like a great marketing tool for galleries. The business plan changed so the galleries could join it for a fee every month. I don’t know if it was possible or not, but I wish I would have been able to have the foresight to have the business plan before I started.  --- #### Financial Services Platform Development **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. 2011 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios designed and developed an online platform that connects users with investment advisors. They continue to maintain the platform for the client. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 3.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO/Co-Founder, Online Financial Platform - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 10, 2015 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios offered the right services to give the client exactly what they needed and were truly engaged with the project. The client notes that Eight Bit Studios was also extremely flexible, easily scaling up or down when necessary. ""[Eight Bit Studios] had the right set of services to work through our process and build a website."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your organization. What is your role and responsibilities? I am the co-founder and CEO of an online platform that specializes in connecting individuals, families, and small institutional investors with independent investment advisors.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What was your goal for working with Eight Bit Studios? We partnered with Eight Bit Studios to develop our online platform, prior to sending it to market. Please describe the scope of their work. Eight Bit Studios initially designed and developed the platform. They are still responsible for maintaining the platform. **SOLUTION** What was your process for selecting Eight Bit Studios with which to work? We reached out to several online platform developers. After the initial outreach process, Eight Bit Studios seemed like the right fit for our project. The Eight Bit Studios team was very open, and they seemed to understand our concept and our service. It was fun to work with them. They had the right set of services to work through our process and build a website. That’s why we hired them. Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure? The size of the project was in the $50,000 to $200,000 range. When was the work completed? We originally partnered with Eight Bit Studios in 2011. The platform is live now, and they maintain it. So, the project is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Are you satisfied with their performance? Is there anything unique or special about Eight Bit Studios that really makes them stand out compared to other business partners? We are very satisfied with their performance. They are very flexible. They are terrific to work with, and they’re great with scaling up or down as necessary.  Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently? Eight Bit Studios primarily focuses on making apps – more socially focused websites – unlike the platform they created for us. So, I’m not the perfect person to speak to that because we’re not the typical clients. However, overall, they did a great job. --- #### Front-end Development for Educational Web Application **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios designed the front end for a learning app, with the intention of creating a more intuitive, user-friendly, and aesthetically professional user experience. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-Founder and President, Wowzers - Industry: Education - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 12, 2014 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios partnered effectively with the client’s backend team, producing a user-experience to meet all of their expectations. The client is extremely satisfied with the design and has received a great deal of positive feedback. ""[Eight Bit Studios] do a very good job, and they’re easy to work with."" **BACKGROUND** Please give a brief description of your company and your role. We are Wowzers. We create math software for schools. I’m the president. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached Eight Bit Studios? We have a team that develops on the backend, and we were looking for a partner to help us with development on the front end, for design as well as getting elements ready for a Web programmer to work directly with. **SOLUTION** Can you go into a little bit of detail about the scope of the project? Our application is a tool that allows teachers to find content that students can use and then see how they perform. We developed the student content: The lessons and tests. We also developed a backend system that delivers those to students that kind of deals with the nuts and bolts of authentication and so forth. When kids log in, the teachers can keep track, and they see how they’re doing. We wanted to update that application to be able to be more intuitive and user friendly and additionally have some more professional-looking design elements. Eight Bit helped us brainstorm some changes to the user interface and then gave us code ready for an end design to plug into our existing backend. What was your process for selecting Eight Bit Studios to work with in the first place? We put out an RFP [request for proposal] and sent it out to a bunch of design studios. We got some proposals back. We liked how they responded particularly with regard to being able to provide us with the front-end design and partnered effectively like they were internal team members with our backend team. Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative either in dollar cost range or personnel work hour estimate? Around $50,000. When was the project completed? It’s still ongoing. It’s sort of an agile project for the time being, and we’ll probably continue to be working with them for another few months. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** In terms of the results of the project, is there any feedback or metrics you can share? I don’t have any specific metrics. Have you gotten any positive feedback from end users of the product as a result of Eight Bit Studios' work? Yes. Many. How would you describe Eight Bit Studios’ performance? I think they do a very good job, and they’re easy to work with. Is there any area that you think that they could improve on or that you would do differently? No. --- #### Website & Application Development for Social Media Startup **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios developed a Ruby Rails website from the client’s initial concept and later built an app for the iOS platform. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Glossre - Industry: Real estate - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 12, 2014 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios inspired a great deal of confidence from the client from their first contact and has since proven that confidence to be well-deserved with their expertise, responsiveness, and creativity. ""That’s a huge differentiator for [Eight Bit Studios]: A very happy and productive work environment with very smart people."" **BACKGROUND** Could you give a brief description of your company and your role? I am the founder and CEO of a real estate social media site called Glossre. Glossre allows you to create a profile of a given space like your home and then share aspects of that with your friends.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** When you approached Eight Bit Studios, what was the business challenge that you were trying to address? I’m a non-technical founder. They literally built my MVP off of a PowerPoint presentation. It was from the ground up, making my concept a Ruby on Rails site. Separately, we built an app only for iOS, which is in the iTunes store. Did you have any specific business goals for the project? First of all: Staying on budget. Second of all: Staying relatively on time, which is really more client driven than contractor driven. Obviously, the end product being something that would allow me to have proof of concepts and raise additional funds, that was something super-early stage.  **SOLUTION** How long has the project taken? This has chapters. I would say their involvement was intensely involved for a year and a few months, and in a more as needed contract basis for the last year or so. The whole thing is a little more than two years. When was it launched? We did a closed data. The first time we did that was in November of 2013. Basically, when you go to Glossre.com, you can request an invite. From there, we let certain people in and allow them to use it. We do deploys and continue that. The closed data has been out there since November of 2013. It’s not a technological issue, more of a business-development manner when we decide to completely pull the veil off of it and start spending money on development marketing. What was your process for selecting Eight Bit Studios to work with initially? We knew we wanted to build it in Rails. We didn’t have a geographic bias. We interviewed five firms. Eight Bit inspired the most confidence. Part of it is a creative process. You need people that you feel are above reproach. I think they have the technical aptitude to do it. From there, it’s also what kind of environment they have. Do they have a creative environment? Are they going to foster the best ideas? Any good designer is going to know when to listen and give a client the ability to tell them what they want, make them feel that they’re designing it themselves; but also want to check themselves and inject best practices, make sure you’re building something that doesn’t fall down. That was kind of my sense going into it. They were by far the most capable firm in that regard. We felt that they were going to be a good thought partner, which they proved to be. Can you give us a sense of the size of the initiative? I think for our initial contract, it was maybe $110,000. In time, it was another $40,000. So, around $150,000. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the results of the project? Are there any metrics or feedback that you can share that indicate the effectiveness of Eight Bit Studios’ work? I had initially raised $200,000 [before working with Eight Bit Studios]. When my investors, some existing and some new, saw the product when it was built, I raised another $550,000. As much as I’d like to talk about other benchmarks, ultimately that’s the existential benchmark. It was met. I more than doubled, almost tripled, my funding. How would you describe their performance? I think they’re excellent. I would love to have another experience where I’m a huge company, and I have an initiative, and I’m plugging them in. I think that’s a lot of their work. I’m very happy with everything they brought to the table in order to achieve what they achieved which means great listening, great implementation, great thought partners, and a very creative and comfortable environment. I just believed they had my back, which for an early stage company, these are all big deals, I think. I’d give them flying colors here. Looking back on the project, is there any area that you think that they could improve upon or that you would do differently? There’s nothing I could point at them. Is there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies that you may have worked with? I just have to say that there was not a weak link in the chain. All the people, all of them were super talented and super professional. It’s amazing to find a group of guys that takes their work so seriously but don’t take themselves seriously. It’s a huge gift to be so good at something and be so light about it. They’re so engaged in making a client feel good. That’s what really gets a good product done. You’ve got to have a high amount of client engagement in terms of getting them comfortable and them creative. It’s a group of people that again are super functional people, fun to be around, and capable of having a fun, light environment while doing very serious work and working long hours to get it done. That’s a huge differentiator for them: A very happy and productive work environment with very smart people. --- #### Educational Gaming App for Museum **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios developed an educational gaming app for the iOS platform, intended to facilitate new means of communication with the client’s patrons. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Former CIO & General Counsel, Field Museum - Industry: Legal - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 11, 2014 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios work produced an app that was both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional, and it has been very positively received. The client feels that Eight Bit Studios far exceeded their expectations.   "“[I]f you want a really sophisticated approach ... you should talk to Eight Bit."" **BACKGROUND** Could you give a brief description of your company? At the time that I was doing business with Eight Bit, I was working at the Field Museum of Natural History, which is a large nonprofit natural history museum.  What was your role at the Field Museum? I was CIO and general counsel.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** When you approached Eight Bit Studios, what was the business challenge that you were trying to address? As part of a larger program of trying to conceptualize new ways of interaction with the public around scientific content, we conceptualized a game that we wanted to develop on iOS. The game was like a Pokemon-style card game, but featuring artifacts from our collection, and then funnels of information that we could put in there about them. We approached Eight Bit about what was ultimately not just the frontend development necessary to make this game look good, but actually the development of all the mechanics of making it actually work. It was a long project. It took us longer than we thought it would to deploy our content to Eight Bit, but Eight Bit did a fantastic job. Were there any specific goals that you were trying to achieve? Our set of goals was to test ourselves internally, to experiment with a new way of communicating, and actually to learn about what it would take to bring an application like that to the world. We had a fair amount of success; I don’t know what the final numbers were in terms of downloads and utilization, but the reception on that application was very positive. We even got some news coverage the morning after it rolled out. It was a good thing. **SOLUTION** Why did you choose to work with Eight Bit Studios to begin with? We were trying to find a company that was willing to bring the kind of resources we needed. We knew we’d need a couple of diverse skill sets in terms of development. We also needed somebody who was enthusiastic about the subject matter. We talked to several companies but we chose Eight Bit for those reasons. Can you talk a little bit more specifically about the scope of the project? We chose the artifacts. We developed the images. We sort of provided the text and Eight Bit really did everything else from the game mechanics and animations to the concept to front end development to support it, rolling out updates. They did the comprehensive hard work. How long did the project take? I think three months all in.  When was this project completed? A couple of years ago [in 2012]. Can you give us a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour estimate? We spent more than $100,000.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** How would you describe their performance? Excellent. I thought the core group of people that we worked with there were extremely strong technologists. When I make recommendations, I always recommend them on the basis of [that] there are a lot of small shops that want to do frontend work in Chicago, but if you want a sophisticated approach to it, you should talk to Eight Bit.  Was there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies that you may have worked with? The best thing that they did was bring to the project not just a willingness to implement what we thought should happen, but to really think the whole project through and how the games should play. Their investment of thought leadership in the whole thing really made the project sing where it could have just been okay; it came to be very good. Looking back on the project, is there any area that you think Eight Bit could improve upon or that you would do differently? No. They did a great job. --- #### Digital Marketing for Subscription-Based Platform **The Project** - Services: Branding, Mobile App Development, Other Digital Marketing - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Feb. 2024 - Feb. 2025 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios provided digital marketing services for a subscription-based platform. The team collaborated with the client on their concept, built the technology, and launched the app for iOS and Android. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Grogo - Industry: Education - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Feb 5, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios met all the project's established goals and objectives. The team was always on time and very responsive. They had excellent technical knowledge and were very responsive to the client's needs. ""They did everything we asked and more."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the CEO of GrogoDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.Grogo is a subscription based app that transforms screen time interruptions into educational moments. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eight Bit Studios to accomplish?Collaborate with us on our concept, build the technology and launch the app for iOS and Android **SOLUTION** How did you find Eight Bit Studios?Online SearchWhy did you select Eight Bit Studios over others?High ratingsClose to my geographic locationPricing fit our budgetGreat culture fitCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Eight Bit Studios were assigned to this project?more than 10Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Discovery & Strategy (Business Requirements, Technical Architecture, User Flow, Strategic Release Plan)User Research (Interviews, Research Synthesis & Readout)Branding Development (Brand refinements, Character Development, Illustration)Design & Development (iOS & Android Apps, Web Admin Portal, Backend/API, QA Testing)Marketing (Marketing Website) **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We had specific goals established and Eight Bit met all goalsDescribe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Always on time and very responsive.What was your primary form of communication with Eight Bit Studios?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?In addition to their technical knowledge they were always very responsive.Are there any areas for improvement or something Eight Bit Studios could have done differently?They did everything we asked and more. --- #### Mobile App Development for IT Company **The Project** - Services: Application Management & Support, Application Testing, Mobile App Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: June - Oct. 2020 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios provided mobile app development services for an IT company. Their work involved cross-compiling their web app. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CTO, BenchPrep - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jan 31, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios successfully executed their tasks on time, meeting expectations. They ensured a smooth workflow through their transparent communication, alignment with the client's requirements and standards, and professionalism. They remained reliable and highly engaged throughout. ""We were impressed with their commitment to quality and professionalism."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the CTO of BenchPrepDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.BenchPrep helps associations, credentialing bodies, and training companies deliver a top of the line learning experience **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eight Bit Studios to accomplish?Packaged offline localStorage / localForage mobile app **SOLUTION** How did you find Eight Bit Studios?ReferralPrevious successful projectsWhy did you select Eight Bit Studios over others?High ratingsGreat culture fitReferred to meCompany values alignedPrevious successful projectsHow many teammates from Eight Bit Studios were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Engagement was broken out into a set of phases with time and material costs around them. Each phase has specific and actionable deliverables starting from cross compiling the web app, localStorage/localForage to device memory communication inside the hybrid all the way to apple store acceptance **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?In each phase measurable outcomes were highlighted and prepared as means of unlocking next steps/phases - from working local storage offline persistence all the way to 'app in store''Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?They did great, open and transparent communication, responsibleness, alignment to sla's. Will continue using them for team augmentation as neededWhat was your primary form of communication with Eight Bit Studios?In-Person MeetingVirtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?We were impressed with their commitment to quality and professionalism.Are there any areas for improvement or something Eight Bit Studios could have done differently?nothing strategically --- #### Mobile App Development for Pet Insurance Company **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. - Oct. 2021 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios provided mobile app development support to a pet insurance company. They added a new chat feature to the client's existing mobile apps. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CTO, Pet Insurance Company - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jan 30, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios has successfully launched the new chat feature, which users have been using daily. Their team managed the project efficiently and provided weekly status reports on time. Moreover, they responded well and communicated effectively via email, messaging apps, and meetings. ""The project was very well run, and the communication was excellent."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the CTO of a financial services company.Describe what your company does in a single sentence.Pet Insurance **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eight Bit Studios to accomplish?Enhance mobile app with chat feature **SOLUTION** How did you find Eight Bit Studios?ReferralWhy did you select Eight Bit Studios over others?High ratingsClose to my geographic locationPricing fit our budgetGreat culture fitGood value for costCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Eight Bit Studios were assigned to this project?6-10 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Eight Bit helped us launch a new chat feature in our existing mobile apps for our customers. We have been very happy with the team, and the feature is live and being used every day by our users. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?This feature is used every day by users.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?The project was very well run, and the communication was excellent. Team was responsive and delivered on-time status reports weekly.What was your primary form of communication with Eight Bit Studios?In-Person MeetingVirtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Great people!Are there any areas for improvement or something Eight Bit Studios could have done differently?No --- #### Web App Design & Branding for Self-Assessment Portal **The Project** - Services: Branding, UX/UI Design, Web Design - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Mar. - Apr. 2021 **Project Summary**: Eight Bit Studios designed a web app plan for a self-assessment portal. They also provided branding services. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, Tilt365 - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Aug 11, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: Eight Bit Studios delivered high-quality work in a friendly manner. They were a highly experienced team that listened attentively. Virtual meetings ensured smooth workflow. Overall, Eight Bit Studios' outputs exceeded expectations. ""They went way beyond expectations."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the CEO of Tilt365Describe what your company does in a single sentence.Design and deliver assessments. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eight Bit Studios to accomplish?Web App DesignBranding **SOLUTION** How did you find Eight Bit Studios?ReferralWhy did you select Eight Bit Studios over others?High ratingsGreat culture fitReferred to meCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Eight Bit Studios were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Design a web app plan for our primary assessment. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?a plan we can use to get fundingDescribe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?yes, they are awesome and delivered high quality work in a very friendly wayWhat was your primary form of communication with Eight Bit Studios?Virtual MeetingWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?The people are just great. They listen and are highly experienced. They went way beyond expectations.Are there any areas for improvement or something Eight Bit Studios could have done differently?Nothing I can think of --- ## Portfolio & Awards ### Allstate App UI/UX Design Enhancing Mobile Insurance: Allstate and Eight Bit Studios in UI/UX Advancement. Client:Allstate, a prominent insurance company, offers a wide range of products, including auto, home, life, and business insurance. Overview:To stay at the forefront of the digital revolution, Allstate aimed to improve its mobile user experience. The company focused on innovation and user-centric design, integrating advanced technologies to surpass user expectations. Ask:Allstate enlisted Eight Bit Studios to develop a user-oriented design system for their mobile app. They sought to expedite the process in collaboration with their internal team, aiming to incorporate features like drive tracking and modular multi-policy capabilities. Solution:Eight Bit Studios engaged deeply in discovery and design system development, working closely with Allstate's Design and UX team. This partnership included a robust feedback loop for usability testing and refinement, ensuring seamless integration of the designs with backend development. Results: A new, user-centric design system for Allstate's mobile app. Utilization of Google's Material Design for prototyping and animating the app. Timely launch of the revamped app, contributing to Allstate's mobile growth targets. This collaboration between Allstate and Eight Bit Studios marked a significant step in advancing Allstate's mobile insurance offerings, demonstrating the power of combining internal expertise with external innovation. ### ACCO Student Planning App Turning a New Page: ACCO's Leap into Digital Notebook Apps with Eight Bit Studios. Client: ACCO Brands Corporation aimed to enhance its digital offerings for student planning and time management. Overview: ACCO identified a lack of research on student planning habits and aimed to develop new app features focusing on planning and time management, distinct from note-taking functionalities. The Ask: ACCO engaged Eight Bit Studios to augment their Student Planner product with integrated app functionality, focusing on digital tools to complement students' planning and time management. Approach: Phase 1 (2020): Without prior research, Eight Bit collaborated with ACCO on workshops, ideation, and journey mapping, leading to concepts like a flashcard feature. Phase 2 (2022): Focused on understanding student planning habits through research and user studies, blending physical planner elements with digital app features. Solution: Eight Bit Studios' comprehensive approach led to the integration of new features, enhancing ACCO's app. Deliverables included: Research Screeners and Discussion Guides Consolidated Research Findings Feature Prioritization and Recommendations Visual Concept Designs Results: ACCO integrated Eight Bit's concepts, enhancing the app's functionality and user experience. This improved product better met student needs, marking ACCO's progress in the digital education tools space. ### RunBetter Race Training App Race Anywhere: RunBetter's Digital Revolution in Treadmill Marathon Training Client:RunBetter, co-founded by three passionate runners, offers a unique solution for marathon training, allowing users to virtually experience world-class race courses on any treadmill. Overview:No existing digital platform allowed runners to specifically train for diverse race courses on treadmills. RunBetter identified this gap, understanding the challenge runners face in preparing for courses not located in their vicinity. Ask:RunBetter aimed to enhance race preparation by providing detailed insights into various global courses, helping runners train effectively for race day. Solution:RunBetter developed a digital app to simulate exact inclines of various race courses, compatible with all treadmill types. The app allows users to choose from a wide range of races, set their pace, and virtually run these courses. As the course terrain changes, the app prompts runners to adjust their treadmill incline, closely mimicking the actual race course. The app covers races of all distances, including ultras, marathons, half marathons, 10Ks, 5Ks, and triathlons. Results:With a user base spanning over 25 countries, the RunBetter App has become a global tool for runners to experience specific race courses anywhere. The app boasts 40 courses, including prestigious events like the Boston Marathon and Ironman Kona. Recently, it added its first 5K course, expanding its reach and versatility. RunBetter's innovative approach has transformed how runners train, bringing the world’s top race courses to their treadmills. ### Vivid Seats App UI/UX Design Ticket to Innovation: Reinventing Vivid Seats' Mobile App with Eight Bit Studios Client:Vivid Seats, a leading ticket marketplace founded in 2001, has been serving millions of customers with its mobile app since 2015. Eight Bit Studios stepped in three years later to enhance the app's design. Overview:Seeking a mobile app partner, Vivid Seats engaged various Chicago shops before partnering with Eight Bit, influenced by their app-centric focus and cultural fit. Ask:Vivid Seats tasked Eight Bit with refreshing the user interface of their core native apps, focusing on modernizing UI elements, updating the home search function, and creating UI kits. The goal was more about revitalizing the existing app experience than adding new features. Solution:The project kicked off with discovery workshops for a deep understanding of Vivid Seats' business and brand alignment. The collaboration led to the creation of style tiles representing different visual directions. These were tested against existing and competitor app designs. The team refined the "happy path flow" and developed a comprehensive sketch UI kit, including components for secondary screens. Results: Positive reception from internal teams and testers to the new, bolder visual direction. The redesign standardized the visual aesthetics across Vivid Seats' web products. Post-implementation, there was a 30% increase in user order conversions and a 45% rise in screens per session (2017-2019). Vivid Seats went public in 2021, valued at approximately $1.9B. Recognized in Fast Company's 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators list. This partnership between Vivid Seats and Eight Bit Studios significantly enhanced the mobile user experience, contributing to the company's substantial growth and market recognition. ### JShip App Design and Dev Seamless Shipping Simplified: JShip's Innovation in Postal Services and Efficiency Client:JShip empowers those new to shipping by providing essential tools and advice for a reliable and cost-effective shipping experience. Overview:Frustrated with inefficient and costly shipping processes, JShip's founder was motivated to create a better solution. This led to the development of JShip, born from a series of challenging shipping experiences. Ask:JShip engaged Eight Bit Studios to transform an unfinished prototype into a market-ready product. This involved extensive research, branding, design, and development, tackling challenges posed by various carrier APIs. Solution:JShip’s platform offers direct links to top carriers, ensuring full visibility into shipping options. Its user-friendly features include address lookup, tracking, and notifications, streamlining the shipping process. Key functionalities include: Label Creation: Automated address lookup, carrier verification, standard box dimension suggestions, bulk shipping, value confirmation, and international support. Shipping Rates: Displays FedEx and UPS rates, estimated arrival dates, retail price comparisons, and rate filtering. Package Pickup: Simplifies scheduling for label pickups with multiple date options and driver notes. Tracking: Offers tracking emails, text notifications, custom tracking pages, and multi-carrier support. Results:JShip’s comprehensive solution revolutionizes the shipping experience, making it more accessible, efficient, and cost-effective for users. The platform's integration of various functionalities ensures a smooth, hassle-free process for both novice and experienced shippers. ### RedFlag Accelerator Portal "Revolutionizing Financial Crime Response: RedCompass Labs and Eight Bit Studios" Client:RedCompass Labs offers secure financial crime services and solutions to the finance industry. Overview:In the early 2020s, RedCompass Labs created the RedFlag Accelerator, a tool for financial institutions to identify and respond to modern slavery, human trafficking, and child sexual exploitation. This 200-page guide included red flags, response strategies, and data from regulatory agencies. Ask:In late 2022, RedCompass Labs sought Eight Bit Studios' help to transform their extensive data set and response recommendations into an accessible, self-serve product for global financial institutions. Solution:Throughout the next year, Eight Bit Studios collaborated with RedCompass Labs to refine the vision for the RedFlag Accelerator. They developed a user-friendly web application allowing institutions to search, filter, and access guidance on human financial crimes. Results: Solid Design: User trials showed positive responses to the designs, reflecting the intentionality and user-driven approach in development. Scalable for Business: The product's flexible architecture enables RedCompass Labs to add localized versions and new content layers, facilitating global expansion and service enhancement. Proven Satisfaction: The client showcased the product at an industry conference, generating excitement and interest among potential users. This collaboration not only enhanced RedCompass Labs' service offering but also set a new standard in the financial industry's approach to combating human financial crimes. ### MDRT Member The MDRT Member app is the digital manifestation of the networking opportunities and great thought-leadership that MDRT provides all in your pocket. ### MDRT Academy The MDRT Academy is a learning platform designed to help insurance advisors reach MDRT qualification levels and achieve long-term success. ### EdNavigator EdNavigator helps families and students find a path to success in school and beyond by connecting them to expert Navigators who provide ongoing, personalized educational support. We built their web and mobile apps to improve and scale this process. ### GrowIt! GrowIt! is a mobile platform designed to let people share their garden, promote plants they love, and help others steer clear of plants that don’t perform ### Varo We designed The VARO WiFi System Controller Mobile app to deliver multi-room control over your portable speakers via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. ### EchoDrive EchoDrive: Revolutionizing Truckload Management in Logistics with Digital Solutions Client:Echo Global Logistics, Inc., a Chicago-based leader in technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management, offers diverse solutions including truckload, LTL, intermodal, and expedited services. Echo's proprietary web-based platform analyzes data from over 40,000 transportation providers, serving varied industries and simplifying complex transportation management tasks. Overview:In a shipping industry hampered by outdated methods, Echo collaborated to develop a modern shipment tracking system, enhancing coordination among shippers, drivers, and dispatch teams. Ask:EchoDrive aimed to fulfill several logistics industry goals: ELD Mandate Compliance, increased truckload visibility, improved LTL shipment revenues and volume via a self-serve booking application, and boosted driver engagement. The goal was significant growth from the app's inception to launch. Solution:In-depth user research, including interviews with drivers and dispatchers, guided EchoDrive's creation – a comprehensive web-app for dispatch teams and a mobile app for drivers. Features included a communication platform, onboarding tutorials, and invoice tracking, all aimed at ensuring accurate shipment tracking and streamlined communication. Results:EchoDrive's launch marked major advancements in logistics: Compliance with ELD Mandate through electronic logging. Enhanced truckload visibility, reducing call-center stress. A 16% increase in LTL shipment revenues to $184.4 million from Q4 2019. 12% growth in shipment volume due to the self-serve booking feature. Over 1,000 beta downloads and 10,000+ active drivers, indicating strong driver engagement. Substantial year-over-year growth and streamlined internal processes, underscoring Echo's strategic digital advancements. ### EchoDrive UXAward Showcase An overview of our approach to UX Research for Echo Drive — A load management system for tracking and communication between drivers, carriers, and transportation professionals. ### Chicago Designathon Eight Bit Studios and The Design Museum of Chicago teamed up to host a day-long Designathon event, benefitting One For One. This event allowed participants to put their creative skills into play as we explored advancing One For One’s mission across the digital landscape. One For One is a Chicago-based non-profit organization committed to inspiring peace and hope for children living in underserved communities. For more than a decade, One For One has been providing programs and resources for youth affected by violence in Chicago. ### Eight Bit Studios Design Dash: CTA Edition We had an idea! We call it the Eight Bit Studios Design Dash. It's a chance for our UI and UX design teams to come together, outside of typical project work, to choose one of our dream clients and quickly collaborate together to bring an idea to life… heck, maybe it even becomes real one day! ### Project with Project44 ### Industry Recognitions - Inc. 5000 - 2019 - Inc. 5000 - 2018 - Inc. 5000 - 2017 - Inc. 5000 - 2016 - w3 Awards GOLD, MDRT Academy, Professional Service - w3 Awards Silver, MDRT Academy, Best Practices - w3 Awards Silver, RunBetter, Fitness - w3 Awards Silver, RunBetter, Best User Experience - w3 Awards Silver, RunBetter, Best Visual Design - UX Awards, Honorable Mention, EchoDrive, Logistics - Vega Arcturus Award - GrowIt!, Apps, Best UI/UX - Vega Arcturus Award - GrowIt!, Apps, Lifestyle - MOXIE Awards Finalist - Digital Agency of the Year - Davey Awards SILVER - MDRT Academy, Finance Apps - Davey Awards SILVER - MDRT Academy, UX, Apps - Davey Awards SILVER - GrowIt!, Mobile Apps, Social - Davey Awards SILVER - GrowIt!, Mobile Apps, Lifest - Davey Awards SILVER - Candor, Mobile Apps, Product - Davey Awards SILVER - Charipick, Mobile Marketing, - Design100 GOLD Award - GrowIt!, US Mobile & App De ## Key Clients - Echo Global Logistics ## Packages ## Locations (1) ### Chicago, IL (Headquarters) - 1 East Erie St Suite 525-4993 - Chicago, IL 60611 - United States - 2 - 5 employees - Phone: 312-281-8823 ## Contact Eight Bit Studios [Send a message](https://clutch.co/profile/eight-bit-studios) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/eightbitstudios/) - [X](https://twitter.com/eightbitstudios)