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High-value digital experiences. #1 UX Company 2020

4.8
19 reviews
Gold
VERIFIED

Emerge is a digital product agency in Portland, OR. We specialize in strategy, UX and interface design, mobile and web app development. 

Whether we’re envisioning responsive digital ecosystems, designing complex platforms, or building mobile apps, tools, and experiences -- whether we’re modernizing supply-chains, augmenting physical products, and inventing better business models -- we make things that matter.

We leverage our proprietary world-class expertise to quickly solve user experience challenges and address untapped opportunities, create nimble digital products or services, smart websites & mobile apps.

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$50,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
1998
Show all +
Portland, OR
headquarters
  • 7327 SW Barnes Rd. #119
    Portland, OR 97225
    United States
    5039223483
other locations
  • South Beach, San Francisco, CA
    San Francisco, CA 94107
    United States

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Nike, Splunk, GAP, Cambia, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wacom, Mercedes-Benz, Aruba Networks, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), The Home Depot, OHSU Foundation, Unilever, TedxPortland, OvaScience, Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Inotek Pharmaceuticals, OvaScience, Homology.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Guide Image

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Guide

Everyday in the United States, someone is faced with the task of planning for their healthcare needs later in life or helping a loved one make these decisions. The overwhelming process often causes stress and confusion, and can contribute to people missing invaluable or essential care. 
 
Emerge was tasked to create the Medicare Step-by-Step experience to support potential and existing members in understanding their

…
Medicare options. Our job was to create a solution to these problems and to improve the experience for everyone considering their Medicare options. Working with Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, we created the Medicare Step-by-Step website. This personal, simple to follow process helps anyone understand their options, conveying when they can take action and provides key resources based upon their unique situation.
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Wacom Product Launch Website Design and Development Image

Wacom Product Launch Website Design and Development

For more than 30 years, Wacom’s products have been used by loyal customers to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and product designs. They have also played a significant role in making technology accessible in a natural and intuitive way. Over the past year, we’ve been working with Wacom on new product launches by helping them reimagine how they can use their website to market and

…
differentiate a host of creative pen displays, tablets and styluses.

Armed with our insights and some striking design, we created narratives and user experiences that are helping Wacom customers make informed decisions, connecting them with resources, and generating excitement about each product’s creative possibilities.

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Aruba Customer Experience Center App Image

Aruba Customer Experience Center App

To demonstrate their innovative networking solutions in their new Customer Experience Center part of their brand new all wireless, LEED certified headquarters in Santa Clara, California, Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, was looking for a mobile application platform that would bring together the latest innovations in connected office, retail, and hospitality technology. Visitors to the center would be guided through

…
a mobile experience that interacts with Aruba and 3rd Party technologies to show off Aruba’s Mobile-First vision in their physical space.

As an Aruba Meridian Engage program partner, Emerge was selected to design and develop the native iOS companion app that leads the way through the space. In a two-day UX workshop at the Emerge headquarters, Emerge and Aruba stakeholders fleshed out all the touchpoints of the experience before Emerge started creating the visual design framework of the application.

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Nike, Inc. Corporate Responsibility Image

Nike, Inc. Corporate Responsibility

Working with Nike gave us the opportunity to create a game-changing experience that took Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting to a whole new level. We did this by creating responsive desktop, tablet, and mobile experiences that engage users by taking them on a journey through the Nike value chain.

Accolades for the site include recognition from Forbes as one of the Most Dynamic Social Innovation

…
Initiatives; a Communication Arts WebPick of the Day; a W3 Award; a Nike Maxim Award; the Davey Award; and a Webby nomination. Leon Kaye at Triple Pundit called Nike’s report “quite possibly one of the most compelling and engaging I have ever come across.” Kaye gave the report kudos for innovation, education, and how it managed to “bring sustainability alive” using demonstrations and common language.
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Augmented Reality Social Network Image

Augmented Reality Social Network

The recent developments in the augmented reality space have opened up many new use cases to apply this exciting technology to the real world. The Markies app challenges users to leave their mark on the real world by taking or uploading photos and placing them into the AR space, in front of landmarks, buildings, or really anywhere they want. Users can explore their friends’ and public images as they explore the real world,

…
augmenting reality with their own and others’ view of it.

Emerge’s job was to design and build a cutting edge mobile application. We designed an intuitive user interface built around an augmented reality experience and solved design challenges around onboarding users into AR interaction patterns that most people are unfamiliar with. Once we solved this challenge we merged the resulting UX with a bespoke social network design, using best practices we identified from multiple popular social networks.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Instagram Campaign Image

Mercedes-Benz CLA Instagram Campaign

The campaign challenged five of Instagram’s most successful photographers to take a brand-new CLA for a road trip across some of the most beautiful parts of the United States. Throughout the trip they were asked to post inspiring photos of the cities, landscapes, and people that they encountered. Instagram users voted for their favorite photographers by liking individual photos. The stakes were high, because the photographer

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who got the most likes got to keep the CLA. Emerge Interactive developed the campaign’s hub, integrating with multiple APIs to create a real-time dashboard of the contest’s progress, allowing visitors to view the photos taken, track the photographers’ locations, and stay on top of the voting results as they were compiled from various sources.

The campaign generated over half a million mentions on Facebook and Twitter, 87 million impressions and 2 million likes on Instagram. All this contributed to Mercedes’ busiest month ever on MBUSA.com.

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ICON Aircraft Website Strategy and UX Design Image

ICON Aircraft Website Strategy and UX Design

With the development of the advanced A5 light sport aircraft (LSA), ICON makes flying more exciting and more accessible than ever before. The A5 is designed to be easy to fly, lightweight, and have low operating costs, and is marketed to general consumers. ICON was looking to refine their website experience to create a better user experience, facilitate an easier conversion path, and implement CMS functionality giving them

…
control over their site.
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Franklin Electric Industrial HVAC Control IoT Mobile Platform Image

Franklin Electric Industrial HVAC Control IoT Mobile Platform

Franklin Electric is a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of products and systems focused on the movement and management of circulating air, water, and fuel. Their Q-Link Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) was specifically designed for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry, primarily to control fan motors. VFDs are energy saving fractional motor controllers that allow motors to ramp up and

…
down based on demand, as opposed to a traditional starter that runs a motor at 100 percent during any operation. Emerge was hired to help improve the user experience of the drive and enable a new level of device control through custom iOS and Android IoT control mobile applications that connect wirelessly to the VFDs through Bluetooth®.
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Alignment Healthcare Patient Member Mobile Application Image

Alignment Healthcare Patient Member Mobile Application

Alignment Healthcare was looking for a partner that could deliver more than a basic mobile application experience. With a plan to launch a patient-facing member application handling sensitive information, as well as providing access to Teladoc® services 24/7, they needed a partner capable of tightly integrated design and development, and working closely with project stakeholders to validate use cases for members to make vital

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adjustments to the product strategy. This is where Emerge was able to provide & deliver critical value.
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Reviews

4.8
19 reviews
Sort by

UX Research & Web Design for Healthcare Organization

“Everything that they do ties back to the user experience and how our work will influence that.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Sept. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

EMERGE is planning and developing a new website for a health not-for-profit. They began by aligning stakeholders before drawing up designs and strategic recommendations for phase two, which is ongoing.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Vancouver, Washington
Product Manager, Healthcare Organization
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

All of the work completed by EMERGE ties back to their core philosophy of satisfying user needs and has been well received by their client because of their willingness to incorporate feedback from many disparate internal parties. Their team is smart and organized, making the project easy to manage.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital product manager for a not-for-profit health system in the Northwest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

Our company desperately needed a new website. We had actually started a redesign process a year earlier and for various reasons that project was halted on our end. When the process started up again, we wanted to look at the work we already had to see if it could be salvageable for the new project, and then turn whatever we had into an entirely new site for the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Early on in the project, we realized that we didn’t really understand what our true needs and challenges were with the website, so we decided to split it up into a phase project with EMERGE. The first phase was to identify what our website needs were, talk to the correct stakeholders to figure out the exact challenges we were trying to address, and then make sure everybody was on the same page with our proposed solution.

They started by sending around a survey to our different company stakeholders, as well as identifying the needs of our website audience. From there, they tied everything they had found together into a presentation of the vision statement for what our transition from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 would look like.

We just finished phase one and are in the process of kicking off phase two, so they haven’t done any actual work on the site yet, but we’ve gone through a lot of strategy interviews and planning sessions so far. Once we get started, they are going to be handling frontend design and we will do backend development in-house.

What is the team composition?

Jonathan (President & Strategist, EMERGE) and Mandi (Project Manager, EMERGE) have worked pretty closely with us since the beginning, and have pulled in a designer and a UX lead as well. I believe they have 5–6 other people working with them, so in total, I think there are about 10 people on the project.

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

The search and signing process actually took place before my time here, but I believe we were looking at a few different companies originally. EMERGE was actually more on the expensive side, but it came down to the value they could offer and the personality of their company that convinced us that they were the best fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of the phased project will be close to $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in September 2019, and it is ongoing. The plan is to finish the redesign by the end of 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The whole collaboration has been great so far. Everything that they do ties back to the user experience and how our work will influence that, which is a really useful anchor point for us. I also think one of their strong suits is strategizing and looking at the overall value the project is adding, so they have been really fun to work with so far.

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been doing a great job of managing all the work so far. Our project manager sends us weekly status reports, and everyone on their team is always very clear on next steps and timelines for the rest of the project, which is the main reason we feel so confident about going forward with them.

One of the main things I appreciate as well is the general feeling and trust that they’ve inspired in our company about the work that they are doing. It can often be very difficult to get that many different stakeholders on board with a creative project like this one, but they’ve made sure that everybody had a voice in the project and was able to contribute, which has been super helpful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would say that the personality of their company is what sets them apart from other agencies the most. They are clearly very down to earth people who really care about what they do. They are interested in solving challenges and are really good at following through on that, which has only reinforced our decision to work with them in the first place.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only hesitation we’ve had throughout the product has been in meetings where we weren’t totally sure what we were getting into, but the usefulness of those has always come out in the end. In our kickoff meeting, for example, we were expecting more housekeeping and specifics, but they ended up doing some creative exercises. That was great for the project in the long run, but perhaps setting a better expectation around those could help the teams align a little better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend them. The price tag is worth every penny.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Frontend Dev for Dealer Management System

"They’re positive and always looking to satisfy the customer."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Oct. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Following stipulations, EMERGE redevelops the frontend of an existing application for a dealership solutions provider. The team provides code to resolve platform challenges and integrates scalable features.

The Reviewer
 
5,000 - 10,000 Employees
 
Hillsboro, Oregon
Chris Sauvageau
Technology Program Manager, CDK Global
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

EMERGE delivers superior code that receives positive feedback from stakeholders. The team manages responsibilities capably to support an effective partnership and remains flexible, adapting to changes in requirements with ease. They are reliable and communicative, which enables sustained engagement.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a technology program manager at CDK Global. We’re a leader in automating business process for auto dealerships, providing a variety of solutions. We have a big presence in the US and globally. My particular program involves development of a new product that represents a modernization of the dealer management system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We have a new application that we're quickly getting into the market and wanted to fast-track usability improvements for our customers. We identified a number of critical usability issues and contracted with EMERGE to help us remedy those issues.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

EMERGE is refactoring and improving a number of application components. EMERGE is leveling the user experience across our application, enabling a consistent experience. They utilize specifications from our UX team and product managers to implement better versions of our components for reuse. They demo new functionality to our stakeholders for feedback and approval.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact's Julian (Co-Founder, COO, and CTO, EMERGE). We also work with Mandi (Producer, EMERGE) who’s our project manager as well as Django (Director of Technology and Principal Solutions Architect, EMERGE).

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

We found a list of local Portland vendors that had expertise in frontend work but some of the vendors also had backend expertise. EMERGE was one of the vendors that had end-to-end expertise. I screened a number of service providers with the same criteria utilizing our frontend developers in the interviews. We screened them on criteria such as an ability to work with us, the maturity of their process and skillsets, and technical expertise with toolsets that we use. EMERGE scored at the top. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $600,000 with EMERGE.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in mid-October 2019 and will be concluding in early 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re satisfied with their work, which is really high-quality. They have really good code quality. As our development managers and developers review their code, I hear a lot of compliments about its quality. Their team manages the workload professionally. 

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

They work hand-in-hand with our team members and come on-site to get good traction occasionally. Their team works in our environments and with our tools. We use JIRA and they maintain their own JIRA project. We also use Confluence. Their team created a confluence page that’s integrated with JIRA to outline all of their work and track progress. It’s a nice way to share the progress and work on requirements with them. We also use Slack for quick communication. They’re responsive and professional. Their team manages their work carefully so it’s well organized.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aside from the quality of their work, I’m impressed that they're able to change course. As we brought them on, we foisted several challenges on them.  We didn’t have our environment ready for them, so that was delayed. Some of the early requirements that we gave them weren’t ready and there were some requirements that were inaccurate. Their team rolled with it. They’re positive and always looking to satisfy the customer. Their team continues to deliver reliably and with a strong sense of customer orientation.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m struggling to come up with something for them to improve. They’ve done a good job in this regard, but I encourage them to continue to reach out to our developers and product managers to make sure that their work isn’t slowed down by a lack of requirements.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

This goes for anybody: Make sure that your requirements are well-ordered and well-vetted before entering a statement of work. Also, make sure that all stakeholders including development teams, product managers, and architects are onboard with requirements.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Resource Library Development for Investment Firm

“They offered a higher level of support compared to anyone else we’ve partnered with.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Nov. 2017 – Ongoing
Project summary: 

EMERGE developed a Drupal website for an investment company using HMTL, CSS and Java. Reorganizing the platform, they’ve made it easier for users to navigate and find content.

The Reviewer
 
1,001-5,000 Employees
 
Camas, Washington
Enrique Carbajal
Digital Marketing Director, Fisher Investments
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The site’s traffic significantly increased, average time spent on the platform improved, and bounce rate decreased. EMERGE provides superb customer service, checking in with their partners regularly to ensure a positive experience. Consistent communication contributed to the project’s success.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the digital marketing director for Fisher Investments. We’re involved in investment solutions for high net worth individuals and companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We had a website, but for the end-user, our information wasn’t displayed in an organized way. We wanted to make the site easier to navigate and intuitive for our visitors, while simplifying how we manage the platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a web-based platform that we call the resource library using HTML, CSS, and Java on Drupal. They reorganized our content and made it easy for us to manage publishing. Since the end of the project, we’ve utilized their maintenance survey.

What is the team composition?

Julian (Co-founder & COO/CTO, Emerge) was our primary point of contact, and we had about five different people working on our project.

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

I heard positive reviews about EMERGE, so we brought them in for an interview and went through our normal sales process. Their expertise was impressive, and they were flexible with our project requirements. We also appreciated that they were very local because we wouldn’t struggle with time differences, and we could meet in person, ensuring that we always communicate properly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

November 2017–March 2018. We still utilize their services for maintenance purposes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a 15% increase in traffic to our site, time spent on our platform has increased, and our bounce rate has significantly decreased. Testing has shown that our site is more search engine friendly because people are directed to the content they’re looking for. They’ve delivered a high-quality and reliable solution—we’ve never had an emergency situation where the site has gone down.

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

At the beginning of the project, we struggled to collaborate with our project manager, but they quickly made adjustments and we got a new manager. So, everything worked out. Because they were so close by, communication was perfect and we were able to meet in person in addition to email and phone. We also used a project management tool that created a static IP where we could release data and make revisions while complying with legal regulations.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed the most by their customer service and their attention to our needs. They regularly checked in with us outside of scheduled calls to ensure that we had a good experience. They offered a higher level of support compared to anyone else we’ve partnered with. We’ve also calculated that their prices are lower than market rates for the level of support we’ve received.

Are there any areas they could improve?

 It would be nice if they had content writers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Prepare your questions prior to each meeting.  You’ll find that you’ll cover a lot of information in your conversations with them that might throw you off your initial plan. Of course, you want to listen to what they have to say, but you need to remain focused on your primary goal.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    We calculated that they were coming up lower than the industry standard.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They delivered their products on time, on schedule, and on budget.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    We're very likely to recommend them.

E-commerce Dev for Software Company

"Emerge Interactive did a great job of adapting to fit our needs."

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4.5

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$1,000,000 - $9,999,999
 
Nov. 2016 - Apr. 2019
Project summary: 

Emerge Interactive designed the architecture for an e-commerce platform. They also built a suite of business value consulting tools and performed Salesforce development work.

The Reviewer
 
1,001-5,000 Employees
 
San Francisco, California
Randy Young
Former Principal Product Manager, Splunk
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The new systems were implemented successfully and yielded an impressive ROI. Diligent effort and thorough planning are what make the Emerge Interactive team an excellent partner.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the former principal product manager of Splunk, a data analytics software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emerge Interactive?

We wanted to evaluate our existing e-commerce platform and build a plan for what the next generation of our e-commerce would look like.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emerge Interactive did the architecture and strategic planning for a customer e-commerce platform using Docker containers. They also built out our business value consulting tools and performed salespeople interviews to help establish web versions of those tools. The team did UX design, architecture, and development for our initial tools using Python, React, and Heroku languages. They also did Salesforce development work for us.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 15 people in total, including a project manager. We were also in contact with two team leads: Aleta (Sr. Producer, Emerge Interactive) and Krista (Senior VP of Marketing, Emerge Interactive).

How did you come to work with Emerge Interactive?

My Senior VP had a relationship with their team and we reached out as soon as we realized we didn’t have enough internal developers for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested more than $1.5 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

Although this project is still ongoing, my involvement ran from November 2016 to April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had success metrics around adopting the solution into our sales team and driving actual revenue. We were able to measure the ROI of these tools being used in a failed deal and now we have data specifically about closing failed deals.

How did Emerge Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

Emerge Interactive was fantastic in terms of project management. We used Slack primarily for communication. They were really flexible with how they billed their hours and displayed agility in managing timelines, deliverables, and meetings. The project managers drove our productivity like internal employees as soon as they understood what the meeting cycle needed to be.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think openness to change is something they do really well. It’s often challenging working with big companies because there are so many moving parts. Emerge Interactive did a great job of adapting to fit our needs. They were also really good at working remotely and making progress without being in the office all of the time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a higher price for things than you might expect, but they do really great work for the amount you pay.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re going to work with Emerge Interactive, you need to have dedicated people internally that are going to remove the roadblock and drive the project forward.

4.5
Overall Score They’re one of the best vendors I’ve ever used.
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    We had some challenges with scheduling.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

iOS App Development for Software Company

“Their work has helped us tremendously in terms of bridging the gap within our development team.”

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3.5

Quality: 
3.5
Schedule: 
3.0
Cost: 
3.0
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Jan. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

EMERGE provides mobile development services for an iOS app and mobile SDK development project. 

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Reston, Virginia
SVP Product, Software Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

EMERGE provides highly valuable iOS and SDK development support. Although they've miscalculated timelines and occasionally provide code with issues, their team is generally very professional and proactive when it comes to working with clients and wearing multiple hats. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior VP of products and technology for a platform as a service (PaaS) provider. We provide solutions for enterprises to help them manage their systems, security tools, and crises in one place. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We lost our internal iOS developer, so we were looking for immediate staffing support to fill that gap.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

EMERGE provides iOS development support for an app designed to allow for communication in real time. Users can check-in as either “safe” or “unsafe,” provide notices on any incidents that may be occurring in a specific location, and contact the security operation team directly from anywhere in the world.

The app is also available in mobile SDK, allowing it to be embedded into any of our customer's existing apps. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with a project manager and two iOS developers.

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

They were introduced to us by another company that we have a strong relationship with. Their ability to stabilize and deploy the mobile SDK feature and functionality was a major driver in our desire to partner with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested over $100,000 over a six-month period.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since January 2019 and they continue to work on development tickets as we submit them. To date, we've had one formal release to the iTunes store and have another currently in the testing pipeline.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has helped us tremendously in terms of bridging the gap within our development team.

In terms of the deployments, the biggest success has been our combined work on our initial SDK deployment. They acted as both the app developer for our client as well as our support team, seamlessly wearing both hats in the process. 

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager we work with is quite good. They have access to our Git Repository and stay in communication with our team through Slack and email. We hold daily meetings, as well as weekly status updates with their developers. 

There have been a few growing pains in terms of oversight of the actual development work itself, however. One of the developers we work with has been better than the other in terms of being able to understand requirements.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project manager assigned to our account has been top-notch to work with. The team's professionalism in general has also been phenomenal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could do a better job of testing their work prior to handing it off to our team to fix some quality issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any vendor, it's important to go into the relationship with a solid understanding of expectations upfront. I'd also recommend having more of a discussion about specific resources that would be allocated to the project, ensuring their skillsets are a good match for the scope of work.

3.5
Overall Score Their work has been extremely beneficial despite some challenges with their personnel.
  • 3.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They've miscalculated the amount of time required for several deliveries.
  • 3.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They're not cheap, but they have a good reputation.
  • 3.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    While their work has been valuable overall, the quality of their code hasn't been perfect.
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Their leadership and project management is impressive.

Frontend React Dev for Software Company

"They’re a reliable team that produces high quality code."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Jan. - May 2019
Project summary: 

EMERGE developed the frontend of a product, transitioning from using legacy JavaScript to React.

The Reviewer
 
11- 50 Employees
 
Redwood City, California
Gretchen Eichinger
Contract VP of Product, RevUp
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The product has successfully laid the foundation for the next phase of development. Stakeholders are pleased with the code and UI of the platform. A proactive team, EMERGE excels at managing development projects in a responsible, organized manner. They are skilled problem solvers.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the contract VP of product at RevUp Software. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We wanted to augment our team with outside resources to deliver an envisioned product on schedule. They would shift our frontend development from legacy JavaScript to React. The solution would be positioned for a new market vertical. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their work on the product included frontend engineering using React and QA assessments. Technologies used included Github and Jira.

We supplied them with a visual design that became our visual spec, API documentation, and unfinished product specifications. Using this information, they developed a proposal and defined a budget. We met with their team in-person to do sprint zero planning, outlining the six sprints of the project and deciding how to collaborate throughout the process. 

Using the visual spec, they reverse engineered a product spec. They documented product requirements on a UI screen, which became both a guide for developers and the acceptance criteria for QA.
 
What is the team composition?

We worked with one QA specialist, one project manager, and two developers. 

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

We were looking for a team with experience in frontend development using React. To mitigate risk, we also wanted to find a vendor located near one of our offices. We received recommendations for vendors, asked two teams for proposals, and decided to hire EMERGE. 
 
How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $200,000 and $1 million with the team.
 
What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2019, and the project ended in May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They successfully built a new frontend for our application in a new market vertical. It was a major milestone that laid the foundation for the next phase of work toward a commercial release. Given that we’re happy with their services, we’re interested in continuing to work with them in the future.
 
How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

EMERGE led the project management efforts for the project. They put in a lot of effort at the beginning of the process, writing detailed user stories and creating Jira tasks. We communicated daily using Slack and Jira. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a reliable team that produces high quality code. We felt we could count on them to deliver what they promised. Collaboration with stakeholders was aided by their professionalism. They were also excellent at solving problems quickly. 
 
Are there any areas they could improve?

We are happy with the team’s work.
 
Do you have any advice for potential customers?

While the team is talented at filling in the gaps for incomplete ideas, stakeholders should put effort into the collaborative process for an optimal partnership. The more clients engage with the team, the better the result will be.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Any issues with scheduling weren't the team's fault.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    We received what we paid for.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They delivered high quality code on the timeline we asked.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I would certainly refer the team.

Fundraising Website Development for Educational Institution

"Their personalized attention to our project stood out."

See More

4.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. - Oct. 2015
Project summary: 

EMERGE built a fundraising website from scratch against a tight timeline. They created a module structure to easily add new pages and modify existing ones. The team now provides support on a monthly retainer.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Portland, Oregon
Shirley Skidmore
Director of Strategic Communications, OHSU
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The site launched on time and garnered both donations and praise for its visually appealing design. EMERGE’s technical expertise and attention to detail yielded high-quality products. Despite some turnover, the team was highly organized, communicative, diligent, enabling a smooth workflow.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of strategic communications at OHSU, an educational institution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We needed to quickly build a new website for a fundraising campaign that we were launching.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

EMERGE developed our fundraising website from scratch within a very short timeline. It focuses on a few key areas in depth and includes stories and ways to engage and encourage donors to donate. The team created a module format that allows us to create new pages and modify existing pages as needed. It is a flexible structure that can adapt over time. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with the CEO at the beginning, and their business development manager helped craft their proposal. For the main project, we worked with several key people as well as a project manager. The team has shifted over the years as personnel has transitioned, but we’ve always had a digital lead who serves as our primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

We considered a few firms; EMERGE, which was recommended by our IT partners, stood out from the competition.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$199,999 on the initial build. EMERGE now works on a monthly retainer.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2015. The website launched in October 2015, but the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website launched in October 2015. EMERGE delivered it on time and met all of our requirements. Online fundraising has grown since the site’s launch, and users have praised its visually appealing look. Competitors have even tried to copy the site and emulate our success. EMERGE still provides maintenance and develops new features and forms as needed

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

EMERGE developed a robust system to organize work orders and elevate projects to given priorities based on allocated hours. It offered clear timelines, milestones, and project outlines. We also had regular check-ins over the phone.

Their project manager was excellent. We asked her to stay on after the project was finished, which is unusual for their policies. However, they accommodated us and we appreciated the continuity. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their personalized attention to our project stood out. EMERGE worked to understand fundraising—an area in which they lacked expertise. The team really listened to our needs and desired features so that the final product would match our vision. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

EMERGE has seen a fair amount of turnover, which in turn means turnover on our assigned team. However, we’ve worked with outstanding project leads. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We were very clear about what we needed, which helped us a great deal. Prioritize your goals based on time, quality, or money, and provide upfront feedback if a project plan or design direction is falling short of the mark. 

4.0
Overall Score Four is a high rating for me.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    The team met our deadlines.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They charged reasonable rates.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    EMERGE delivered high-quality work.
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Design for Floral Design Business

"EMERGE’s team is phenomenal in all aspects."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Nov. 2017 - April 2018
Project summary: 

EMERGE updated an outdated website and built an educational platform. The technologies used were MODX and Drupal. Their team continues providing maintenance and adds features when requested.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Portland, Oregon
Leanne Kesler
President, Floral Design Institute
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The look and feel of the website is exceptional, and the platform greatly benefits the institute in various facets. Their team is responsive. Their transparency spurred continued engagement. Customers can expect a skilled team that translates technical language into layperson terms.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the school director at Floral Design Institute, a private vocational school servicing the floral industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We wanted to modernize our website and build a new educational platform for online learning.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a vision and EMERGE took our concepts and brought back three versions so we could pick our favorites. Our previous website needed updating. The new site was built using MODX. Their team streamlined our shopping cart, so it integrates with PayPal. The CMS now includes a lead generator and email database. The platform was built on Drupal, and their team focused on connectivity between the students and teachers. Students can have portfolios online, and teachers can grade work using the platform.

They continue to provide maintenance and tweak features we suggest.

What is the team composition?

I frequently worked with Jonathon (CEO & Chief Creative Officer, EMERGE), Julian (Principal & COO, EMERGE), Keenan (Full Stack Web Developer, EMERGE), Brenna (Technical Lead, EMERGE), Tyler (Digital Project Manager, EMERGE), and Troy (Project Manager, EMERGE).

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

We worked with individual designers and developers in the past. EMERGE is the first company we’ve dealt with. Jonathon used to be my neighbor, and we talked about his team taking on our website in 2007. We interviewed others to compare, but EMERGE was the right choice. In 2007, the economy crashed, and we dropped the project. When we were ready to start again, we went back to EMERGE because we were impressed with what they had presented all those years ago.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $225,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with EMERGE between November 2017–April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re delighted with EMERGE’s work. The website is current and clean. It works efficiently. It’s a fabulous site. The platform makes a world of difference in our business: increased efficiencies for the staff, reduced expenses, and expanded income capabilities. It’s a significant win across the board.

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, we had a rocky start with a project manager, but she is no longer with them. I’ve been thrilled with Troy and Jonathon’s responsiveness. Keenan provided excellent coding. My husband did our previous website, and Brenna communicated with him to make the transition easier. When we had a glitch in one of the rollouts, Julian stayed up all night fixing it and making sure everything was perfect. We mainly communicate with phone calls and emails. Troy is excellent at getting back to me. EMERGE’s team is phenomenal in all aspects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re a creative group. EMERGE communicates the analytics and technological aspects understandably. Their team can adapt to different mindsets. I haven’t found that with other firms.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their team is fantastic. I wish that I didn’t share EMERGE with other customers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of initial meetings where there can be an open dialogue about expectations. Listen to them because they are willing to put in the effort and understand your needs. If you don’t take advantage of that, you’re doing a disservice to your business.

5.0
Overall Score EMERGE has worked with us financially and emotionally. They adjust the workflow to meet our budget constraints. They’re amazing.
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Our industry can be complicated. Sometimes it took them a couple days.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    It's a great value and investment.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Their team respond instantly. I've never been left hanging.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I've already recommended them. There's no one better.

Branding Logo & Design, for Nonprofit

“We couldn’t be happier with their services.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Jan. - June 2018
Project summary: 

EMERGE led a company-wide rebranding process and provided relevant marketing collateral. That included creating a new logo. They also developed a website template using Squarespace.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Portland, Oregon
Marketing & Brand Manager, VertueLab
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

EMERGE delivered excellent marketing materials and helped revitalize a dated brand image. They developed creative solutions based on client feedback. Their team of helpful and supportive professionals work through multiple iterations to produce innovative designs. They’re valuable partners.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and brand manager for VertueLab. We’re a nonprofit company that funds and supports cleantech startups.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We hired EMERGE to guide us through a rebranding effort.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first stage of the project involved several conversations regarding the rebrand. We had already developed a new name for our company, but we needed EMERGE to bring the rest of our vision to life. We told them our tagline, what the brand meant to us, and provided some of the company’s background information.

Starting with the logo, Parker (Designer, EMERGE) created an initial round of designs. We provided some feedback to help him refine future iterations. We isolated the elements that represented our brand, and Parker built out wholly new designs based on our feedback. He delivered the final logo after a third iteration process.

Additionally, their team redesigned all of our marketing collateral. Those deliverables include various graphic designs that we use on print materials. They also created a template for our website using Squarespace. From there, they helped us refine the building blocks of our site until we felt capable of updating it ourselves. We’d never used Squarespace before, but now we’re quite comfortable with the platform.

What is the team composition?

They allocated a project manager and two designers.

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

Our companies work out of the same office building, so the proximity influenced our decision-making process. They also have a reputation of doing great work, so we felt confident in their ability to deliver.

How much have you invested with them?

Their services were valued at $32,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

The rebranding project took place from January­–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We couldn’t be happier with their services. They delivered a high-quality website within an agreed upon deadline. The design options were created quickly, and they happily adhered to our feedback. That process enabled them to produce an effective rebrand that benefits our entire company. I also appreciate their suggestion to build our website on Squarespace. Thanks to some simple training, we’re no longer beholden to a development firm when changes need to be made. We have the ability and freedom to edit the site on a whim if we please. The value of that cannot be understated.

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was always available to speak with us. Being able to consolidate our question to a single resource made it easy to organize everything. They tracked the work closely, so we ended up with a surplus of hours once the project concluded. They honored the extra time we paid for by correcting some website errors shortly after launch. The whole team is extremely professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

EMERGE is a creative firm that doesn’t impose their ideas onto clients. They listened to our needs and developed relevant solutions. They delivered what was promised and continually support us to this day. Their team even celebrated the relaunch with us. Overall, they’re a fantastic group of individuals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We haven’t had a negative experience with EMERGE, so I’d recommend them highly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

While considering hiring any third-party provider, do the research necessary to understand the skillset each project requires. Also, conduct in-person interviews if possible.

5.0
Overall Score They’re an excellent company, and I’d hire them again.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They performed within our time frame flawlessly.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    The price is fair considering the value they provide.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    The process was seamless and professional.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

iOS & Android App Dev for E-Learning Company

“EMERGE’s customer service sets them apart.”

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5.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
May 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

EMERGE provided development staff to expedite the build of a mobile mindfulness app for iOS and Android. They based the design on specified branding to showcase prepared images and content. 

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Eugene, Oregon
Adam Wendt
CEO, Trifoia
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

EMERGE delivered fully functional apps that fulfill every requirement. The team even quickly responded to an omission from the scope to complete the finished products. Knowledgeable and skilled, they provide a valuable ROI through high-caliber services and attentive customer service.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Trifoia. We develop custom digital learning solutions for organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EMERGE?

We needed significant mobile development support for a project we were working on. We did not have the capacity internally to meet the approaching deadline. EMERGE stepped in and took care of our needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Our mobile app provides mindfulness training and content. It’s designed for a hesitant demographic who feel mindfulness might conflict with their cultural values. EMERGE worked with my team to set up systems and establish the requirements. Afterward, they developed versions for both iOS and Android. We produced the app’s design, including the branding, images, and all of the content. They then leveraged the underlying technology to deliver these materials into the build.

We’ve gone through multiple iterations and reviews without any bumps in the road. After the fact, we both realized the scope was missing a component, so we added a change order. They got back to us right away with a quote and began working on it after we signed off. The app is still a prototype, but we have a larger project planned for later on. 

What is the team composition? 

Our project manager communicates with Mandi (Producer, EMERGE). Julian (COO/CTO, EMERGE) has resolved scope or bug issues. The main developer is also involved and chimes in when needed. I am sure many other people are writing code behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with EMERGE?

My team alerted me to resource problems that posed internal issues. We couldn’t meet our deadlines if we didn’t get more support. I had my project manager reach out to three companies I knew in Portland and elsewhere to outline the basic scope of our project.

EMERGE was the only company that got right back to us. They had the most competent and competitive proposal. My team indicated they’d like to hire them. I felt very good about the decision based on our past experience together, so we put a contract in place.

How much have you invested in them?

We have invested between $45,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together on this project since May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

EMERGE has done a fantastic job from what I have seen so far. They created a tool that functions as intended. It fulfilled all our expectations and is ready for distribution. EMERGE was also highly responsive about addressing the requirements we'd forgotten. 

At this point, we’re moving into collecting end-user evaluations. They set up every single thing perfectly to collect the data we need to inform the next phase of the project.

How did EMERGE perform from a project management standpoint?

EMERGE performs well from this perspective. There were no problems. They were super flexible with the scope and schedule. My project manager communicates with Mandi at least every other day, if not daily. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

EMERGE’s customer service sets them apart. They are very responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The price is expensive, but that’s natural for expedited work that needs to be completed quickly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

EMERGE knows what they are doing, so give them the flexibility to perform their work. Ask the right questions and let them guide the project the way they need to.

While other companies offer lower prices, EMERGE's quality, hassle-free service makes up for the expense. They deliver good quality products as promised within the budget. Their customer service should outweigh concerns anyone has about how much they charge.

5.0
Overall Score They are rock solid.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They never miss a beat.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    For what they have done in the amount of time they had, it was a great value.
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Everyone has some room to grow.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have already recommended them.
Verification

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Verification Level
Gold
VERIFIED
Business Entity
Business Entity Name
Emerge Interactive, Inc.
Status
Active
Jurisdiction of Formation
Oregon
ID
121291-93
Date of Formation
Jan 7, 2003
Last Updated
May 7, 2019
Payment & Legal Filings
Bankruptcy
No
Tax Lien Filings
0
Judgement Filings
0
Collections Count
0
Source
Experian
Full Business Credit Report
Last Updated
Jul 19, 2019
Client Reviews
VERIFIED CLIENT REVIEWS
19
OVERALL REVIEW RATING
4.8
Source
Clutch
LAST UPDATED
January 27, 2020