Essential Designs

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a company that is developing an app, so I handle the operations on the back end.

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

Essential Designs is helping us develop our app — we work very closely with their team.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Essential Designs is in charge of coding and putting together our app for us. We initially went through a discovery phase, where we discussed the app's idea, defining our needs and what features we required to be on it. After that, we did a full design process, where we designed the overall look and feel of the app, as well as its UX.

Now, we’re in the development phase. Essential Designs broke down and laid out all of the features that were going to be implemented into milestones. That way, we know when we can expect to see each feature, as they’ll become available at every milestone.

What is the team composition?

Luke (General Manager & Sales Director) was our initial main contact with Essential Designs. After that, we worked with two graphic designers on the UX and the overall app’s design. Lately, we’ve been working with 2–3 developers, but I think that a couple more of them are working on the back end, coding the app.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

We were looking around for many different developers in Vancouver, and we went into a discovery and introduction phase with some of them, including Essential Designs. I really enjoyed working with Luke. He was very knowledgeable, open, and transparent about everything, which was a good sign. Additionally, I had read their reviews on Clutch, and I got a good feeling about them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

I really like Essential Designs’ work methodology because we can test each functionality and give feedback instead of testing everything at the end.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m happy with the Essential Designs’ process. We interact with their lead developer, which is great, and we have a good system in place for staying in touch and communicating.

We haven’t been able to meet in person due to the pandemic, but it would be good if we could do that. Essential Designs actually had a COVID-19 outbreak, which delayed our project by four months. However, that was not their fault, and it was just an unfortunate incident.

Aside from the COVID-19 situation, they’ve been very consistent with their deadlines. Additionally, we’ve needed to add a few features, which has pushed things back. However, they’ve been very accurate with their estimates.

From a project management perspective, they get in touch with us whenever they need anything from our side, and they also get in touch as soon as a milestone becomes available. Essential Designs is also very easy to reach via direct messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Essential Designs’ communication skills are one of their strongest suits. Although I hadn’t worked with other developers in the past, I’ve heard complaints of people working with other developers, saying that they don’t hear about delays until they’re already happening. However, that doesn’t happen with Essential Designs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be good if their developers were more informed about what is requested during the design phase. As Essential Designs has separate teams for each project phase, we had to clear some things up when the development started.

Aside from that, I have no constructive feedback for them. Obviously, the delay wasn’t ideal, but we couldn’t plan around the pandemic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep a constant stream of communication open. Although Luke is very involved in the actual coding and development process, he’s very easy to get in touch with. Thus, I recommend you stay in touch and check in with the developers and the rest of the team throughout the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an on-demand handyman services company, and I’m the owner.

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

We wanted a web application with easy and efficient booking services for our customers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built an app with a smooth UX. It also has a feature that collects information in a way that’s easy for me to distribute to my workers. Additionally, It has a very esthetically pleasing frontend interface that draws clients in and allows them to move them along the process smoothly and efficiently — which was our goal.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around 8–10 people. Our main point of contact was the owner, but there were also UI/UX designers and project managers.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

We worked with a few freelancers beforehand, but it didn’t work out so well in terms of skill and ability. We needed to get the business moving forward, and we came across with Essential Designs. I reached out to them, worked together on a couple of projects, and they were very engaged with the project, which I thought was cool. 

We stayed in contact with Essential Designs and felt comfortable moving forward with them because they knew our project from the beginning and what the goal of our business was.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $14,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked from March–April 2021.

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

Their involvement is not very quantifiable, but their team was enjoyable to work with. The app is very functional, and it made my life easier — they understood the purpose behind our project.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

They gave me a schedule of when the project was going to be completed and met the timeline perfectly. We used emails and Basecamp to communicate, and we also had calls and meetings with everyone involved in the project. It was a smooth, clear, and straightforward communication process. I don’t have a background in technology nor web services, and they were able to explain everything in detail for me after I told them what was important to me in this project. They also answered my questions along the way — I had a lot of trust in them, everyone knew their job, and they worked very efficiently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Based on my prior experiences, I’d say that the trust and communication skills they provided to the project were what distinguished them from their competitors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — I’m looking forward to working with them again.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’m confident that they’ll get the work done for you if you understand what you want and communicate it clearly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Sponge, which is going to be an online peer-to-peer marketplace for rentals. People will be able to upload items that they want to rent out, so they can essentially create their own rental business through Sponge.

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

We hired them to design and develop our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started with the basic design of the website and then developed it. I went to them with the concept and was very particular about what I wanted. They had additional ideas, such as integrating Google Maps and being able to search for certain users. 

They did the website in milestones. Once they completed a milestone, they’d send it to me for approval, and I’d request any changes.

What is the team composition?

They have their own design team that I’m super impressed with. For the design phase, there were 2–3 people. It’s really cool that they have different divisions within their company; in addition to the design team, they have a software team as well as a communications manager who I can go to if I have any problems. It has kept everything really simple and easy.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

I’m from Alberta and had outsourced a company here, but they were very incapable of communication or meeting deadlines. There was a general lack of effort. I used Google to look at other companies. Essential Designs’ website stood out to me; it was very professional, clean, and simple, which I like; some of the other websites lacked information or seemed amateur. 

I considered four other software companies – two in Vancouver and two in the United States – and went through a whole interview process. From the minute that I had an interview with Essential Designs, they stood out in every way process. It was unbelievable. When I reached out, they responded instantly. 

How much have you invested with them?

The budget was $43,000 CAD. The website was almost complete, but then I asked to add a few features and make some changes. That was another $7,000, so I believe we’re at $50,000 CAD (approximately $37,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

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

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

Everything has been so positive. It’s so amazing that they’ve been able to bring my vision to life. They really listened and understood, and there were no problems with making changes to anything; there was no hesitation. For the design phase, they continued working until it was absolutely perfect. The same was true for the software phase; there have been little changes here or there, with no questions asked. It’s been so efficient. There has been no time wasted with them, which I’m grateful for. 

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re super hands-on, and they have great communication and pricing. The design team was so knowledgeable and even had input that I hadn’t thought of. Their ideas were so brilliant, and I was so grateful to have their feedback. I can say the same about the software team – they were always one step ahead of me. It’s been such a great experience working with them.

They’re able to deliver quickly, which is important to me. I was slightly nervous since we’re not in the same city, but there have been no issues. They sent little videos for updates on the website. We communicate via 2–3 emails each day, which I appreciate, and there have been a few phone calls, which have been really efficient.

They worked in milestones and provided estimated deadlines and what would be achieved during those milestones. They met every milestone. The website should’ve been done the 15th, but I wanted to make some revisions, and there were no questions asked. They’re on the ball and are already working on it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their professionalism and communication stand out. Whether it’s the 2–3 emails a day, phone calls, or videos they’re sending to show the progress of the website, they’re so on the ball with communicating, and I’ve never once had to wonder what they’re doing. They’re always providing feedback. They’re also so professional to work with. Nowadays, it’s hard to find people who are fully invested in being professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I don’t think so. Any questions or issues we’ve had, they’ve worked with me and bent over backward to resolve. In the beginning, I asked whether they could break down the billing. Without hesitation, they worked with me to figure it out. We created a different budget and eliminated things that weren’t important to me. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d recommend being available. When they’re ready to work and are sending things that need to be approved, you need to be available for them to be able to continue doing their jobs. Also, be open with them regarding what you want. They’re so understanding. I’m very certain of things that I like, but by being open-minded, I feel like they brought my project up a level with their input and feedback. They’re such a knowledgeable team, and I think people should be open to their expertise; this is their trade. If you haven’t designed a website before, they’re so helpful. I feel like they went above and beyond.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the mineral and crown coordinator at Millennium Land Ltd. We’re a land broker for oil and gas companies. Our crown reserve app allows clients to confidentially reserve crown bids. I run the backend of the app to ensure our clients’ bids are being processed.

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

We wanted them to create and streamline the app in order to make work-life easier for ourselves and our clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Essential Designs created the app so it operates on iOS, Android, and desktop. We provided the content, and they handled the platform’s design and development. They conducted a few updates after the app launched.

What is the team composition?

Their team consisted of three people, but we maintain regular contact with two—Kyle (Project Manager, Essential Designs) and Anthony (Project Manager, Essential Designs).

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

The person who started the process is no longer with our company. I got on board when the app was launching.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $76,000 CAD (approximatively $57,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from October 2017–March 2019.

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

Our crown base has tripled, and we have lots of returning customers. We’ve received positive feedback that the platform is easy to use.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

We used email for communication and Basecamp for project management. Their team was very professional and understood our needs. Their team didn’t know much about our industry background but learned and adapted to it. They respond to emails right away and issues are usually fixed within 24 hours.

After launch, we had a few issues, not to the fault of Essential Designs. They changed some coding to comply with website issues on our end. Their team was quick to resolve this.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Essential Designs was great at communication. They took the time to understand and resolve issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had no issues with them, they did great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear on what your needs and goals are for the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of product at a startup that offers custom payment solutions to institutional customers, such as higher education facilities, corporate campuses, and hospitals. We provide open-loop, Visa-backed, or stored-value products, depending on the scenario. We can also include promotions, offers, and loyalty programs in our solutions.

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

My company decided to outsource front- and backend development to free up our in-house resources. We hired Essential Designs to be our frontend developers and build our product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Essential Designs is responsible for our product’s frontend development. They interact with a couple of our other outsourced development teams to produce the end product. 

Essential Designs’s initial project was to build a web-based admin UI, or a web account center. My team provided documentation and presentations around the goals of our product and what was important to our buyers and users. We also had remote sessions with their UX designer discussing use cases. Their team built out full UX mockups based on those sessions and the information we provided. They’ve also developed an iOS and Android app for our end users.

What is the team composition?

I interact with three people, including a UX designer and two project managers. The project manager works with the developers, so we don’t have to deal with the developers directly.

How did you come to work with Essential Designs?

I did a Google search and came across Essential Designs as well as other Vancouver companies. After talking with a couple of them, I had a better feeling about Essential Designs fitting with our culture. I was confident about moving forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The original project was around $260,000. We’re continuing to do more work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in December 2018, and it’s ongoing.

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

Due to circumstances outside of Essential Designs’ control, the product isn’t yet on the market. This is a big project, and there have been a few changes along the way. The product is currently in QA. We hope to have our first real customers using the product within the next few months. So far, the results are good. The functionality in general works and matches what we’re looking for. The team grasps the requirements.

How did Essential Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve been really happy with the process they’ve taken. It’s good to have two project managers so that if one is away, the other one can provide coverage. We have weekly meetings with them, and we use Basecamp for written communication on different topics.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to immerse themselves in and understand what we’re doing sets them apart. They provide suggestions, especially around UX, and have even improved upon our ideas, which is not something you generally get with outsourced developers. I think we are getting value for having a local Vancouver company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. We changed the project a couple of times in the latter part of this year, and that really slowed down our progress. However, that was our own doing. 

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to understand what you want and be able to communicate that. Have written documentation, whether that is a flowchart or a PowerPoint, and spend time going through those things with the project managers and UX designers so that they have an understanding of what you’re trying to achieve. Also, be available to respond to questions. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

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

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.

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.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

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

What challenge were you trying to address with Essential Designs?

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.