What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Over the past month, we have been doing internal and external user testing. The feedback about the design, navigation, intuitiveness, and ease of use has been extremely positive. The work they produced, the ideas they had, and what we were able to put into practice so far is quite positive.
How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?
They performed quite well. It was a tricky project because we had many different partners that were working at the same time. We had developers, a payment services provider, and logistics companies, which all influenced the design. Flying Bisons were strict, which was great in terms of fulfilling deadlines with the quality of work that they were producing. There were things that we had to change, go back, and review. When it was up to them to control deadlines, they were excellent. When they were subjected to the deadlines of others, it was a bit harder, but I still don’t have any complaints.
All of us, as a team, prefer to communicate face-to-face. We had meetings at least once a week, and sometimes, we met more frequently to go through the designs and discuss the project. They tried a few project management tools, but they didn’t work well for us.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Technically, they are extremely talented. They clearly stand out from the pack in terms of understanding how a consumer interacts with a digital platform or web page. Flying Bisons were constantly trying to push the boundaries and look at solutions in a unique way. If you want innovation, this team is quite good.
They are also tremendously consumer-oriented. They always had our consumers in mind, and their opinions were typically grounded in examples about the way our consumers interact with the platform or what they heard in the research. Putting the customer front and center for this work is exceedingly important, and they have done that.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They had to operate in an environment where they were not the sole participants. They presented ideas that we said yes to, but the platform could not cope with them. As we were building an MVP, it had to be simpler and easier to deploy. It seemed that sometimes they felt they were being challenged, and they didn’t like it.
It took time for them to understand that this was going to be the process and to adapt their process on their side and to find the best way to do things given the constraint. They managed to do it quite successfully. They wanted to have a strict process from beginning to end which is great, but when you clash with other people within that environment, it is tougher, and you have to show some agility and flexibility.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Ensure that they dedicate the necessary amount of time and quality people to the success of the project. We had an excellent design lead, and he stood out from the rest, not only in terms of technical capabilities but also in terms of commitment. He wanted to work with us to help us solve problems. It is important to not only look at the company but at the people that will be working with them. There needs to be a fit between the culture of the company and the person sitting on the other side, independent of their technical capabilities.
Additionally, always plan for the unforeseen. Don’t try to scope 100% of the work, because new issues will come up. If this is clear from the beginning, and if there is a clear way of dealing with it that is understood from the beginning, the process will be much easier.
Flying Bisons buckled down to meet aggressive timelines and delivered as expected. The final site represented over 160 shops and restaurants, which helped inform visitors about the location's offerings.