Essential Designs

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager for Schneider Electric, a company present in more than 150 countries. We have a solar and mobile department in Vancouver, where we produce for different kinds of markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

We had an app, but it hadn’t been updated in several years. We needed to work on the source code and make minor changes to the interface.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They took our app, updated its code to the latest Google API, and changed its font. Updating features wasn’t required in this particular project.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people, including Scott (President, Essential Designs), who organized the work. I worked with him on setting the scope, and I then worked with one of their project managers.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

Since it was a small project, we didn’t invite too many companies to apply. I checked Essential Designs’ portfolio, and after discussing a scope of work, they were ready to work with us. They were a good fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a minor problem after publishing, but it only required a few changes in the settings. They did those changes right away after I gave them the feedback.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

The process was pretty smooth; they were responsive and happy to make small changes that we required but hadn’t described in the beginning.

We had a timeline for the project, but we didn’t provide any documentation. We used a standard project management tool, Basecamp, which allowed us to send replies using email while providing an online interface.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was a pretty small project, and I didn’t interact with the whole team but generally, I was happy with their efficiency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, they suggested we use their agreement model, but they were forced to review ours since we were the bigger organization. They did so without any problems; they’re pretty flexible in this sense.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sole proprietor of an app called FabSwitch, a quilt-pattern customization app, and I design quilt patterns for Coach House Designs. I receive digital images from a fabric company, convert them into a pattern, and then incorporate them into marketing materials to sell the associated fabric lines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

I realized over the years that some patterns weren’t selling with the original fabrics, so I wanted to create an app that would let customers select their own fabric options based on what’s available and print an updated pattern with the new list of fabric requirements for purchase. I approached Essential Designs to help me build the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a web-based app that works across devices and platforms. They also designed the site content associated with it, including the landing and FAQ pages. The features are fairly straightforward: customers log in, choose a pattern, and customize the fabric choices as they wish. They can choose from fabrics in our database or upload an image file of their own swatch, and the app allows them to receive a digital download of their updated pattern immediately after purchase.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with their owner, who interfaced with the development team. I think there were four or five people on the project in total.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

I searched for local app developers. I’ve worked with developers from other regions before, but since this project was labor-intensive I wanted to work with someone in the same time zone who could meet up face to face. It was a little nerve-wracking for me as I’d recently been scammed online, so I didn’t want to invest a lot of money and be taken advantage of. Essential Designs had done a lot of work for government agencies in Vancouver and had a good reputation, which reassured me. I met with their owner and decided to go forward from there.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them from January to September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My demographic is older adults (ages 45–60), so it can be challenging to get them engaged with digital tools, but those who are more comfortable with technology have really liked the app. Many people who do this kind of crafting have a hard time visualizing beyond what’s available on the preview pattern and if those fabrics aren’t available, they give up. The app allows us to increase sales by giving customers more choices and helping them see exactly what their finished product will look like before they buy anything.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

I was pleased by how well they met deadlines and felt like they managed costs reasonably. They were also very easy to communicate with and timely with all of their responses. We met in person occasionally and talked on the phone a few times but once the project got underway, we communicated primarily via email, which was most efficient for me as a small business owner with a demanding schedule of my own.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Some developers have difficulty communicating with people like me who don’t have deep technical knowledge, but they were very respectful in how they went about explaining anything I didn’t understand. They even used a screen-recording tool to make demonstration videos for me so I could learn how to manage all the back-end components I’d need. The process was very user-friendly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be intimidated if you’re like me and aren’t familiar with technical jargon or software. Their team will work with you and help you master what you need to in order to operate your business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of the lower mainland chapter for the MS Society of Canada, a nonprofit.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

We wanted to create a platform where people affected by MS could share information.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Essential Designs designed and developed a web platform that allows users to access and post information relating to MS. Without wireframes, their team developed much of the design on their own, taking into account that the interface needed to be very user-friendly for our audience.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Scott (Partner, Essential Designs) and he worked with his team internally.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

Scott was a volunteer for the MS Society. Our team was having a discussion and he offered to see if the company could help us.

How much have you invested with them?

Although the project ran about $30,000, Essential Designs completely donated their time to our project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We collaborated on the project from May 2016 through November.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Essential Designs help us create an important space for people to get more information and support regarding MS. Users find the new platform incredibly helpful and visually appealing. They delivered exactly what we wanted.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team genuinely understood our users and was accommodating, closely listening to our needs throughout the process. Scott met with us in-person a few times, but he was also responsive through email and liaised with his team of volunteers effectively.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very transparent throughout the whole process and good about explaining everything in layman's terms, which helped me feel more apart of the whole process.

I was also most impressed by the company’s generosity of donating their time, skills and talent. They really made a difference and without them, the project would not have happened.

Scott and his team responded to any communication very quickly and addressed our questions effectively. He was an excellent communicator, had great customer service skills and was an all-around pleasure to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open about what your needs are and if you have any questions. They're very approachable and willing to work with you as needed to achieve your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner/operator of a marketing platform for companies to advertise their products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

I have no technical background and needed a company to help build our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created everything from top to bottom. We went back and forth for what felt like two years and drew out exactly what I wanted the site to look like. They made templates and sent screenshots of where visual assets should go and the different layers underneath. They provided a skeleton of the entire site; then, we went into detail on each page.

There was a customer view and an administrative back page where I could keep track of everything behind the scenes and manipulate both sides of the platform. We were most excited by the live feed option. We could toggle between the back page and the broadcast page to see viewership spikes and loads. They made sure that everything was flawless, right down to the tiny details. They were very involved and offered a variety of choices for the CMS and other key features. We relied on their expertise.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Scott (Partner, Essential Designs). We put our faith in him and there was a lot of mutual respect between us. There may have been other people on the team, but we only worked directly with him.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

I reached out to a couple of companies I found via Google search. Essential Designs was the quickest to respond and were very good at selling their services. It was the only company I spoke with that was confident they could accommodate us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had a long business partnership, but development ran between March to August of 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We did a dry run with a few acquaintances to test it. Everyone felt it was well done and feedback is great overall. At the time, we didn’t have the finances to upgrade to live broadcasting. We hope to do that in the future. Once we’re ready to make that change, it will take them half a day or so to get that up and running.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. We went back and forth on ideas and Scott clearly took pride in his work. He was delicate with everything and made sure we were completely satisfied. He operated at the same level of perfectionism that I do and was great to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very personable. There was a lot of underlying humor in our interactions. Scott was entertaining and in-tune with everything we needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My partner is less tech-savvy than I am. It would have been comforting to have more hands-on meetings in person. I sure they would have accommodated that kind of request if we had asked them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and creative director of a design agency. We provide comprehensive creative services for branding projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

My company designs all creative and visual elements for my clients’ websites, but we sometimes need outside help to provide web development for those projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once our creative design is presented to our clients and approved, we send the design files to Essential Design to create a working website. We coordinate to create a design solution that will fit the user experience, interface design, and functionalities implemented in the development stage. They write the appropriate code and build modules and page templates. Once the beta version is ready, we’ll review with the client and address any concerns. Our most recent websites have used WordPress and have employed parallax scrolling.

What is the team composition?

I interfaced with the owner and two project managers, who were my main contact points.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

They came as a referral from my IT consultant. We met and discussed our goals, and I found them to be a strong contender to join our team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent approximately $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2017 through November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All feedback from our clients has been positive. The websites are well-received, and the clients are impressed by the product we delivered.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

They were prompt in answering questions and addressing issues. We used mostly Basecamp to communicate, and they were very efficient and responsive. I was happy with the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Clear communications and prompt follow through. They stayed on top of the game and it was critical for our business. They are capable of much more than simple websites. They have produced several very complex applications. They are truly experts in their field.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was hesitant at first because of our budgetary limitation. However, we were able to come to an agreement for both scope of work and prices.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT and security manager for Amazing Discoveries. We’re a nonprofit, Christian ministry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

We don’t have a big IT department and need to outsource some of our work. We previously worked with 3–5 people, but it was before they were capable of being efficient and jumping into the project, we had lost time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a meeting a with their president and project manager. We provided them with a list of our expectations and a list of things that weren’t working. We asked them to make the pages user-friendly and bug-free as much as possible, as well as do some graphic design and layout for the UI pages.

We decided to go with WordPress for the main webpage because we want to be able to update it ourselves. For the webstore, they will be taking care of the design from scratch and it will be done through OpenCart.

We are looking forward to having functionality that isn’t currently part of the OpenCart site, such an inventory counting. We make and produce our own DVDs, and we need certain features for accounting and other departments, such as tracking transfers between warehouses or checking the stock. Essential Designs is going to develop those from scratch.

For the first three months, they took care of the issues and bugs in the system that the previous developer left. In the meantime, they prepared quotes for us for the new systems, and we are currently reviewing their offer.

What is the team composition?

I am in direct contact with their president and project manager.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

We contacted a few local companies and Essential Designs was one of them. We met with them and they convinced us that they could eliminate the problems we were struggling with, and they could provide enough resources.

How much have you invested in them?

So far, we’ve spent between $30,000–$40,000 CAD ($23,099–$30,799 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in February 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re doing a great job. Communication is great. Everything is documented and clear. Even with problems that weren’t directly related to them, they helped me as much as they could, checking information with third-party companies. I receive great support from them.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is really fast. As long as they have enough information from me, I receive a breakdown within 2–3 days about the current situation and what needs to be done. I’m able to reject or refuse if there is something I’m not happy with or if I don’t want to spend money on a feature. Once I give them the green light, they start working.

We communicate through email, Skype or phone. They use Basecamp which allows me to follow up on my requests and have updates on what is currently going on. I am very happy with the way they communicate. I report any problems and things are fixed within 24 hours.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are no problems or doubts. We have two big projects that need to be built from scratch, and we haven’t reached the stage to see if they are capable of working on them at the same time. I believe they can, but it is new ground for both parties.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Cloud Launch One provides software-related services, ranging from design to requirements to data analysis.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

All of my teams are subcontractors. A customer needed mobile application design and development. I selected Essential Designs to help me with that part of the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided them a line map, and walked them through all of the information required in terms of the environment. Then we had several conversations about user personas and required functionalities. They’re designing native apps for iOS and Android, as well as a version for a web portal. The goal is to add functionality that our competitors don't have to give ourselves a competitive advantage.

What is the team composition?

I'm primarily working with one UI/UX designer. A couple of people have been on some of our phone calls in order to manage the project on their end. I'll work directly with a developer once the design is finalized.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

The subcontractor that I typically work with was booked, so I looked online for a new firm. I decided to give Essential Designs a call because they have a Toronto office. I was very impressed by our phone conversation, and thought they would be a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent $15,000 CAD ($11,703 USD) so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began at the beginning of April 2018 and is ongoing. I have a contract until the end of September 2018, and we’ll most likely extend beyond that date.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been very happy with the quality of work. Some minor tweaks were needed to make the design consistent with the corporate look and feel, but the clients’ marketing team is impressed with the overall design.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is very good at keeping the project moving. A lot of times we’re waiting for the client to evaluate and respond to a design. Essential Designs will continue to follow up. They keep on top of things and make sure that everyone is on the same page. They use a conference call tool that allows us to share our screens, record our meetings, and send documents back and forth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very good at what they do. The designer is very talented and very efficient. In fact, the designer finishes everything so quickly that we’re usually waiting on the client for the next batch of work. That's a good problem to have. I’m very happy with their service and responsiveness.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared. Lay out everything from a from a project perspective so they know where they're going. If they know what effort is required, they can provide the best service. I wanted to make sure that I fully utilized the design team's time, so I shared all of my documents with them in advance. This way, everybody is working towards the same goal with the same expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a data consulting company that works in the oil and gas sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

Each oil company has an inventory of wells or locations where there are going to be wells in the future. They have a whole bunch of land and plans for where they’re going to drill the next wells. They wanted to keep an inventory of all these wells and all the hundreds of attributes associated with them in a centralized place. They were using Excel worksheets and it was a disaster. The business problem was storing all of this in a centralized place, capturing the attribute changes that occurred over time, and allowing us to report on those changes. We needed to create a web app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked as a partnership on the design and database design. They did all the coding. I worked with a project manager through the testing phase to test it and provide feedback, and then they make the change. They used ASP.NET and it’s a SQL Server database.

We’re still engaged with them for changes or bug fixes. It’s an ongoing relationship.

What is the team composition?

I worked with 1–2 project managers. The development team was 2–3 people. There may have been a person in quality assurance as well.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

I visited three companies. I had worked with Essential Designs a few years back. I really liked Scott (President, Essential Designs), the owner. I found him reasonable and down to earth. The price was also really good; it was half of what others quoted.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $45,000 CAD ($35,194 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app performs exactly how we wanted it to. Pop-up boxes come up and data writes to the database exactly the way we wanted. The users are really pleased.

It’s been a new journey for our client to have a problem, dream up a solution, and then, have it come together, and work exactly how we wanted it. We typically buy software off the shelf and go through a big implementation. It’s been neat to tackle this problem on our own and make something to fit.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

I deal with the project manager and he deals with the developers. We met in-person a couple of times. We tried to keep all communication inside of Basecamp. If I saw a bug, I’d screen capture it and post that to Basecamp. They communicated very well, and their responses were really timely. When we had a new feature that we wanted to add, they’d go to the developers, get a quote, and keep it in the queue until it was approved. I was pleased with that. The project manager was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was a good, solid experience. The coders know what they’re doing, and they do things quickly and efficiently. I’ve been quite pleased.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. It was a positive experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide clear, concise instruction on exactly what you want. If you’re vague on how you want something to work, they’re going to come up with the way that they think it’s going to work. It might not be the correct way and you end up doing rework.

They have a shop overseas and there’s always a time lag of one day. You put in a request and you get a response the next morning. It was never an issue but it’s something to be aware of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of LifeguardOD, an iOS and Android mobile application designed to expedite emergency response time to drug overdoses and address the opioid crisis in Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

I had a vision for an emergency response application specifically for drug overdoses but did not have the technical expertise for app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came to Essential Designs with an idea of what we were looking for and provided initial sketches, and they provided storyboards based on our ideas. We worked together to start building the application screen by screen, and they went on to develop and design the LifeguardOD mobile app for iOS and Android. They programmed and implemented text-to-speech technology into the applications as well.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with a project manager, and the team consisted of about five onsite and 14-15 offshore developers.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

I did some research on Google and contacted several application developers. Scott Jackson (Management Executive, Essential Designs) quickly and enthusiastically expressed interest in the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started development in November 2017, and the application is set to launch in April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re partnered with emergency responders and during our testing phase, they’ve found the application to be very user-friendly and reliable. The app will be ready to roll out this spring.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

The Essential Designs team communicated with me constantly and kept me updated on project deadlines. Scott was very warm, open, honest, and professional. They made me extremely comfortable with technical knowledge.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their professionalism and knowledge of their craft were exceptional. Scott took our financial situation into consideration and adapted to meet our needs and terms.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would tell them to be honest and open with their team.