Fieldtrip

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Director, Communications of Portland Metro Chamber.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are Greater Portland, Oregon's regional chamber of commerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Fieldtrip to accomplish?

• Evaluate name
• Rebranding
• Website development

SOLUTION

How did you find Fieldtrip?

RFP process

Why did you select Fieldtrip over others?

• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Fieldtrip were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The selected company will work closely with the Alliance’s Communications team to provide a comprehensive recommendation for a dynamic new brand and engaging website. The selected company will be given access to Alliance staff, including leadership and board members, during the course of the project. 

It is expected that the selected company also will conduct and interpret user research, primarily from (but not limited to) the Alliance’s staff, member base, and key partners. At the conclusion of the project, the selected company will deliver to the Alliance: 

1. An executable brand package (as described below), a new logo, a compelling tagline, and a standards brand manual to guide staff in seamlessly executing the new brand
2. A visually powerful and dynamic, problem-free website that incorporates all relevant and critical feedback from the Alliance’s stakeholders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Delivered final brand and complete style guide along with launching a new website on time and on budget.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our project managers, Melody and Annie, were great to work with and always just an email away if anyone on our team had any questions or concerns. We had scheduled weekly virtual check-ins that kept the project on schedule and also provided another way to ask questions or voice concerns directly. Once we moved past naming and into the design phase, the project was kept on track based on the timeline set at the beginning of the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Fieldtrip?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The entire project team was a pleasure to work with. They understood and addressed any concerns that we had right away and worked through them to keep the project on schedule. We had a hard deadline for our website launch, and they exceeded our expectations with the support they showed.

We were never nervous or unsure that the end result wouldn't meet our goals, and our entire staff is proud and excited about the resulting new brand and website. The partnership with Fieldtrip made this branding and website project the easiest and most stress-free of all those I have done.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Fieldtrip could have done differently?

No. I would highly recommend Fieldtrip to any other business, nonprofit, or chamber of commerce.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time, I was the Marketing Manager at Central City Concern, a nonprofit based in Portland, OR providing housing, health care, addiction recovery and employment services to end homelessness.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Fieldtrip, and what were your goals?

We hired Fieldtrip to redesign centralcityconcern.org. The design hadn't been updated in more than 8 years and the organization had significantly grown in that amount of time. Our goals were to move to WordPress, refresh the look and feel, boost web traffic, showcase client stories, and improve user experience by providing clear pathways to services.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Fieldtrip was considered among three other vendors who submitted responses to our request for proposal. Fieldtrip stood out in part because their proposal was so thoughtfully crafted. At the time, they hadn't built as many websites for nonprofits, but they did their research in learning about the issue of homelessness in Portland and their proposal reflected that. They "got us" in a way that other vendors didn't. Another major factor was the website build process they illustrated in their proposal included extensive stakeholder engagement and user testing.

It was crucial that we gather feedback throughout the website design process, and Fieldtrip understood that the success of this project hinged on this. Finally, Fieldtrip took a risk in their proposal by recommending that we focus on clients and potential clients as the primary audience, instead of donors and partners. Fieldtrip provided research and recommendations to support this shift that resonated with our team and our aspirations for the website.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a kickoff meeting to discuss our goals and key KPIs, then dove into the survey stage. This included stakeholder interviews and audience discovery with our key audiences. Fieldtrip developed strategic insights based on the survey phase, then built out a sitemap and wireframes which were then built into prototypes that we used to conduct user testing. Then, while my team developed written and visual content, Fieldtrip designed and built the website.

There were several rounds of meetings where we were shown certain pages and elements of the website design, and then had the opportunity to give feedback to inform the next round. Finally, once the website tested for quality assurance and launched, my team received extensive training on the new CMS and provided with tutorials and guides on key features in order to build institutional knowledge around how to use the back end. We had 30 days to alert the developer of any bugs, which were quickly resolved.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Melody - Project Manager Amy - Art Direction Carl - Development

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

After launching our site, we saw a 60% increase in pages per session and 50% increase in session duration. Furthermore, we received fewer messages through social media from potential clients who didn't know how to access services -- which told us that we were successful in building an accessible website that was easy to navigate.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Project management was excellent. Our account manager, Melody, met with me weekly to update me on progress and we communicated regularly through email. Melody was always quick to respond and I never felt like I didn't know what was happening with the website at any given time.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

There's a lot of heart in this company that comes through in a lot of different ways. We never felt like our project was less important because we were a nonprofit and didn't sell shiny products. Fieldtrip expressed a connection to our mission that shone in both the website design process and the end product. Fieldtrip went the extra mile for our clients experiencing homelessness, because they understood how important it was for them to access these services.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No, it was an excellent experience all-around.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and sales associate of an aerospace company. Our company designs, builds, and operates automated systems and hardware on the International Space Station to facilitate the R&D and manufacturing of health and technology applications.

We’re not just an aerospace company; we’re at the intersection of various industries. This means resonating with a variety of audiences from other fields — from life sciences and physical sciences to manufacturing potential products like artificial retinas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fieldtrip?

One of our key objectives for the project is to develop a website and manage its maintenance. We were trying to address how to tell a detailed story about what it means to do R&D and manufacturing in space.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fieldtrip developed a website, our key deliverable for this project. The team provided market analysis services on our business, our competitors, the industry, and the industries that we work with. They give not just insights on the current trends and market structure, but considerations we should make as we move forward. 

The team helps us identify the tone and approach we should take, as well as the key language that we should use, to stand out in our industry.

Upon learning about Fieldtrip’s capabilities, we decided to have them work on an entirely new WordPress website that is detailed to address more facets of our business. It was important for us to have our engineering hardware integrated into the platform in an animated way.

We now have advanced animations on the website, more fly-through imagery, and a wider view of the ISS hardware. Those key features provide our end users a chance to understand how we scale down their science to fit our CubeLab.

What is the team composition?

On average, we work with 3–4 people for the project, but that changes depending on the stage we’re on. For example, early on, there were about 6–7 working on the team to understand what we wanted. But since the website’s launch, the number of members working with us went down to just three — which is awesome because it helps us remember their names.

We directly work with Melody (Web Strategist), Jane (Founder), and one more employee that we definitely became close with throughout the process.

How did you come to work with Fieldtrip?

One of our science partners used to work with Fieldtrip for their website and branding needs. We saw how their engagement went and what they had done for them before. We saw their ability to cater to a growing team, manage conversations, and keep a positive attitude. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $80,000 on the current deliverables.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing collaboration started back in September 2019. The project started off small and eventually progressed to a much bigger partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We kept a quantitative counter rather than how much content imagery was delivered, but we still keep tabs on qualitative feedback by looking at the user experience and paying attention to the current reach. Fieldtrip helps us identify the average users and how much time they spend on our website — and we have seen an increase in these.

Our company’s close partners have told us that the website looks fantastic and it represents a deeper meaning of our story. Meanwhile, the general public has informed us that the site is beautiful, detailed, and tells a passionate story. We also recognize that the website provides more access to various information in terms of what our business does. 

How did Fieldtrip perform from a project management standpoint?

Fieldtrip has a unique and beneficial project management process that they follow. They are open to cater to our kind of project management process which helps us since we’re a small company in this industry and we still abide by launch timelines.

This might be difficult for some companies but Fieldtrip’s team is able to deliver the outputs on the given timeline. They are very flexible and can adjust to our preferences, such as communicating through our chosen platforms.

Our teams keep in touch through Google Suites — Gmail and Google Meet — which is helpful during this COVID-19 pandemic. Their team has a hands-on approach to work, offering a consistent overall timeline for us. Aside from all of those, Fieldtrip also gives us a detailed functionality matrix that is a massive help in keeping track of the project progress and challenges. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their calm work ethic in this high-stress level environment impresses us. This helps us a lot as it also helps ease the stress on our side, making it an easier and enjoyable process. They’re a small team that can get big accomplishments done. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We cannot directly attribute this as a con to them but since we are a space company, and they haven’t worked with an agency in our industry, it's been a bit of a learning curve. We are heavily inclined on the tech side of things as we abide by regulations and government laws, so we notice this a lot.

Everything is an educational process and we’re still looking forward to continuing our partnership to see both of our companies grow. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to ask for their opinion; they’re a very creative team with big ideas. Fieldtrip has a unique understanding and learning your company first before providing their feedback. We also suggest identifying internally what you want out of the project, set baseline goals, and their team will hit the ground running from that point forward.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of Oregon Child Abuse Solutions. We support all the nonprofits in Oregon that help to medically diagnose child abuse. We also advocate for state and corporate funding to go towards preventing child abuse.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fieldtrip?

We have a very important mission, but it’s difficult to talk about. When we start talking about what we do, people shut down because they don’t connect with it and they don’t want to be traumatized by hearing stories about children who have experienced abuse.

They also feel like they don’t know how to help, so they turn away from our issue and are hesitant to engage. Our name used to be Oregon Network of Child Abuse, which was long. We were also a small nonprofit without a good digital footprint.

Our biggest challenge was talking about our mission in a way that would engage and activate people who come to our website and witness our branding. We also wanted to create a brand and story that connects people and drives meaningful action.

Our second big problem was that no one really knew what we did. We didn’t have a food name or brand to do outreach, and people didn’t know what a child abuse intervention center was and didn’t understand our role. 

We sounded like a membership organization, which isn’t what we are. We have activities outside our membership. So, we had to find a way to clarify what we do and to be clear about what we work on, which is finding solutions for child abuse.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fieldtrip engaged stakeholders. They realized that our organization cares about the people in the field and representing them in the best way to an external audience. So, they began by doing interviews with our lobbyists, district attorneys, funders, children advocacy centers, survivors of child abuse, and other state advocacy agencies. 

The team also looked at other organizations with a similar mission and their branding. They showed us where we felt short and paved a way for us to be more impactful. Additionally, they developed a WordPress website and a logo.

Fieldtrip also helped us solidify a name for our nonprofit by giving us some choices and helped with the design concept. They conducted a whole analysis of where we fit in the field and found an effective way to communicate that.

We also enlisted them to do a little bit of extra work on revamping all of our handouts. So we had a map on all of our centers and wanted that to be on our new branding. They then created a brochure, a flyer, a social media template, a letterhead, and envelopes.

I knew that I wouldn’t understand how to maintain the content of the website, so the team also provided full videos of how to update the website. They gave me concrete ways to update the website and provided a video clip for each page.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 5–7 teammates in total. I had a main point of contact, and I also had a project manager, a design specialist, a website specialist, and a social media teammate.

How did you come to work with Fieldtrip?

I went onto a website that listed the top 20 nonprofits. I noticed that Fieldtrip had designed a website for another nonprofit. I was moved by the website because it wasn’t an easy topic to talk about, but the team built the website such that I wanted to stay on the website and learn more.

We were trying to do the same thing. From there, I emailed their office and told them that I liked their website. Their owner happened to be visiting Portland, where our organization is located, a week or two after I reached out.

She showed me the process they used to create the website. As soon as our board saw the presentation, they said it was a go. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000 on the initial project. They put in a lot of work for that amount. I know that other firms would’ve charged us more because of the amount of output. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May 2019–March 2020. We’re interested in doing new projects with them as time goes on. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

More people are viewing our website now, and we’re proud to share it and the content on it. We’re most proud of the places on the website where Fieldtrip included a lot of information while keeping it accessible, such as the FAQ on child abuse.

We’ve heard from people that it’s a beautiful website and that they would go to it again. We’ve also heard that people have learned a lot about what they can do to prevent child abuse in their homes and how to report abuse. A lot of people are impressed.

Our centers feel like we represent how important their work is on the website, and they like that there is a map that can locate any of their centers through the website, which brings their story to light, too.

How did Fieldtrip perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent. They sent us a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet of when we could expect things with an entire timeline. Fieldtrip also took notes for every single meeting we had and sent them to me. 

They scheduled meetings with me every week. When I had to get things back to them, they would very politely nudge me to do that so that we stayed on track. The team was great about providing brand assets that would allow us to create ongoing content. 

They provided everything we needed to make sure that we were on track timewise, and they were excellent at getting things done in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fieldtrip really cared about our mission, and they were bought in very early. Their entire team felt a connection with what we were trying to do and, because of that, they went above and beyond for us in the spirit of ending child abuse. 

It was fun to work with them because we would talk every week and catch up. I had a lot of bad ideas that they weren’t mean about. They were really patient with me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions.