Explayn

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product owner for Deeptale. We are a startup aiming to develop a platform that uses AI to automatically produce personalized books from a single photograph.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Explayn?

We wanted a parent to be able to take a picture on their mobile device and to integrate that with a shopping process that could be completed on a mobile device or a tablet. We were looking for an agency for UX/UI design and development that could essentially take care of the whole package for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The core technology being used in the project is WooCommerce. Explayn is responsible for the graphics, logo, and other pieces of the design of the product in addition to the development. Figma and Miro are being used for the design, and Explayn is offering maintenance services. 

What is the team composition?

We work with their CEO, the head of development, front- and backend developers, and three people from their UX team. 

How did you come to work with Explayn?

I came to the company when they already had a shortlist, and so the research on those companies was already completed. I believe the person that found them was using a global rating platform to narrow down the list of companies. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2022, and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with your partner evolve?

After recording first sales we decided to implement some changes/improvements in the path to purchase including automatic e-mail communication with a client. It significantly enhanced the e-commerce user experience. We also added broader funcionalities for the shop admin. We are going to further expand our platform with Explayn.it. We also consider doing marketing services with them.

In what ways can they improve?

Time/scheduling certainly got much better, but I would say there is still a little gap for improvement

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Be realistic about the expected lead time, especially with complex projects, and actively participate in testing if possible.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on December 8, 2022.

Katarzyna Zasada

Product Owner, Deeptale

Media

11-50 Employees

Warsaw, Poland

$10,000 to $49,999

Jun 2022 - Ongoing

Project summary

A personalized book startup has hired Explayn for UX/UI design and development on a platform that uses AI to generate stories from a photograph. Key technologies include WooCommerce, Miro, and Figma.

Feedback summary

The client recently launched the product, and a collaboration with an influencer has led to some of their first sales. Though the product is not finished, the client has been generally satisfied with the work and communication from Explayn, and is happy with the look of the product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product owner for Deeptale. We are a startup aiming to develop a platform that uses AI to automatically produce personalized books from a single photograph.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Explayn?

We wanted a parent to be able to take a picture on their mobile device and to integrate that with a shopping process that could be completed on a mobile device or a tablet. We were looking for an agency for UX/UI design and development that could essentially take care of the whole package for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The core technology being used in the project is WooCommerce. Explayn is responsible for the graphics, logo, and other pieces of the design of the product in addition to the development. Figma and Miro are being used for the design, and Explayn is offering maintenance services. 

What is the team composition?

We work with their CEO, the head of development, front- and backend developers, and three people from their UX team. 

How did you come to work with Explayn?

I came to the company when they already had a shortlist, and so the research on those companies was already completed. I believe the person that found them was using a global rating platform to narrow down the list of companies. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2022, and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just recently launched the product, so we don’t have many metrics, but we are collaborating with an influencer which has led to some of our first sales. In general, we have been satisfied with their work, and are very happy with the UX. The product allows us to manage the orders properly and it looks good. 

How did Explayn perform from a project management standpoint?

The work has gone over the deadline and is not finished yet, but everything that isn’t completed doesn’t have much of an effect on the clients that are using the product. Everything that isn’t completed is more on the backend; we believe they underestimated the complexity of the project, so there has been a big learning curve. We also changed some things in the middle of the process and didn’t have a full understanding of how complicated it would be, so that made it a bit more complex. 

The budget was fixed at the beginning of the project based on the scope, so it has stayed the same. We use Trello for project management and communicate via phone calls, Microsoft Teams, emails, and Zoom. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their communication. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project was extended because they didn’t have enough developers to work with us. We wish they would have had a few more people working on the project to get it done on time. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t take the timeline for exactly what it is, and know that it might get extended. Describe everything as clearly as you possibly can, and you should make sure that you’re checking in on what they’re doing and asking questions about it.

Some of our project has been rushed and hasn’t been done in the way we thought it should have been, but by the time we noticed, it was too late to change anything. Everything has turned out fine, but if we’d paid attention, we could have avoided that.

Star Ratings

Overall rating: 4

Quality: 4

Cost: 5

Schedule: 3

Willing to refer: 4

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sole proxy and co-owner at DCG Centrum Medyczne, a healthcare company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Explayn?

I needed help with web redesign.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Explayn redesigned a new WordPress website for me using Figma as their main tool. We started by providing them with complete sets of wireframes and prepared program pages, including colors and fonts. We also explained our idea to them, and then they analyzed and made an offer based on our needs, which they addressed by programming and coding the site specifically for our materials.

What is the team composition?

I’ve been talking to the CEO, a project manager, a developer, and a UX designer.

How did you come to work with Explayn?

They were referred to us by another company I worked with in the past.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $6,500 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My team loved Explayn's design because it improved the website's functionalities. Overall, they led a hands-on approach and did the work they said they'd do.

How did Explayn perform from a project management standpoint?

They finished the product earlier than expected and were diligent and detailed. Regarding tools and communication, we used email and their own project management platform.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They used everything the market could offer, including bigger software houses, to help us achieve our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn't think there was anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Evaluate the project to understand your expectations.