Guidea - A Theresa Neil Design Company

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

We’re still working on the functionality of the app. However, having Guidea- A Theresa Neil Design Company’s design work completed has allowed us to make significant progress in the development process. It’s helped to influence some of our updates, and we’re overall quite pleased with the deliverables they provided. 

How did Guidea- A Theresa Neil Design Company perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the project, we were working within a timeline based on our grant funding, so we had some really strict deadlines. Guidea- A Theresa Neil Design Company was extremely flexible, always making sure to deliver on time. 

Early on, there was heavy communication between our teams multiple times per week. We eventually scaled it down to weekly or biweekly meetings, which were very content-heavy and engaging.

Overall, they managed the project really well. The team was in touch with updates, deliverables, and any changes to the budget or scope as they arose.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were quite impressed with the amount of effort the team put into the conceptual phase before even launching into design. We were able to sit down together and comb through everything that was important to us as a company that we wanted to see replicated in the app. The entire process was very robust.

Also, the quality of their design was incredibly high. We really appreciated watching them create such a great product in such a short period of time. They weren’t just concerned with creating the product, they really wanted to achieve a positive experience for the user. Guidea- A Theresa Neil Design Company delivered beyond our expectations.

Along the way, everyone on the team was extremely enthusiastic, immersing themselves fully in the details of our project and industry. Our platform is niche and complicated, but Ryan and Jessica especially were dedicated to understanding all aspects of the process to tell our story through design as effectively as possible. Their attention to detail and enthusiasm really stood out. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we enjoyed our time with them and would happily work with them again on future design projects. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared to share what you want to achieve in detail. Whatever you’re willing to put into the engagement with the team, you’ll get back ten-fold. The more you can provide, the more they’ll be able to accomplish.

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

Guidea established an important platform for approaching consumer research at our company, succeeding in proving the value of their work to our executives in the process. After a 16-week engagement with their team, we decided to establish a dedicated team of researchers internally to continue to focus on member feedback. Our previous perspectives were way off, so their findings have been tremendously valuable. 

How did Guidea perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great to work with. I didn't have to micromanage them at all. Although they have project management tools they use internally, we're somewhat limited in our industry so we mainly communicated via email and tracked work in spreadsheets. They were in touch with us every day, sending summary reports and hot notes at the end of each of their long days of field research. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to other research firms I've worked with in the past, Guidea is more specialized and thorough in their approach. They've really honed their skills around the customer experience aspect of research. They also continue to grow and expand their understanding of our industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although they do a decent job of managing it, there's some room for improvement in the way they present qualitative research, which is vastly different from quantitative research. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I just recommend working with them–they're amazing. 

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

We have really productive discussions with their team. Any work we’ve done with Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company) has been high quality, and we always end up with an outstanding product. We are able to bounce ideas back and forth and this creativity allows us to produce something incredible.

How did Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company) perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always on point. The team was consistently accurate in terms of their estimations for project length and resource utilization. They always came in at or under budget and there were never any surprises

What did you find most impressive about them?

Every time we have worked with them, their methodology has been different—but in a good way. The team is flexible and adapts its approach to suit the individuality of the challenge. Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company) does not rely on scripted approaches and instead addresses each project on a case by case basis. It always felt as if they were highly engaged and thinking about the problem as thoughtfully as we were. They are one of the most creative vendors I’ve had the opportunity to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are no areas that come to mind. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would encourage as much transparency and honesty as possible at the beginning of the process. The more you share with the team, the better they are at delivering solutions that will work best.

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

We released their design in mid-March, so it's only been out for a few months. All of our users are very happy with the improvements. We got positive comments right from the initial release, which is rare. Usually, people are unhappy when you change the interface. The fact that it rolled out so smoothly, and been so well-received right from the start, is really exceptional. I would definitely use them again. Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company) will be one of the first groups that we contact to design the third major component of our site.

How did Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company) perform from a project management standpoint? 

I was very impressed with Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company). I've been thinking about this redesign for years, and they were able to help me produce the vision I had in my head. We're a specialized niche. Their designers came in completely unaware of GIS yet were able to catch up quickly to my thinking. They always delivered what they said they would, and did so on time. They used Basecamp as a communication tool and to host designs. We had weekly meetings, and I could contact them on Slack or email at any time in the process. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

I've worked with several marketing and design groups in the past and I've always been thoroughly unimpressed. I felt like I was just telling them what to do, but I wanted more of a collaboration. Guidea (A Theresa Neil Design Company) was the best. Their people could keep up with me and had thoughts on the way things should work. Not only did they have ideas that I’d never thought about, but they were also an improvement to my thinking. Not many people can do that in this realm.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

I really don't. They're the best design team I've ever worked with, and it's not even close. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

They're really good at what they do, but you also need to have an understanding of what you want to accomplish. It’s your responsibility to convey your vision to them. They’re good at giving suggestions on how to improve ideas. As with anything, you have to still run the show and make sure things get done efficiently.