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Toronto based digital design and UX studio

5.0
5 reviews

Harley Oliver designs digital products, interfaces and user experiences for the World’s latest technologies. Our mission is to design the best possible user experience for connected devices and products. As a digital product design company we create websites, mobile applications, voice apps and interfaces. 

 
$50,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
2 - 9
 Founded
2008
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Toronto, Canada
headquarters

Reviews

5.0
5 reviews
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App Design Project for Restaurant Payment Software Startup

“One of their core strengths was keeping everyone aligned and on track.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Oct. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Harley Oliver provides design services for a payment technology company on an ongoing basis. Their work included market research, ideation, and product design.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Canada
Founder, Fin-Tech Startup
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Harley Oliver’s efforts have met expectations and their product’s success with restaurants bodes well. The team is communicative, inventive, and focused. Customers can expect an efficient team that gets the job done.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a payment technology company for restaurants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address within Harley Oliver?

We wanted to come up with a new type of payment software for restaurant customers. It's not something that's prevalent in the market today, so we really went from nothing. We needed professionals in design thinking, research, ideation, to the generation of the actual design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did design cycles to generate an MVP. They started out by doing market research to talk to various stakeholders in the restaurant industry to see what they wanted. Then, they designed user profiles to ascertain who would be the primary users of the product and what they'd want.

From there, they started going through the design process and what the user flow should be. They also created a modular product model where they have all the core features. Finally, they did the actual layout of the application and created a design template so we could add features ourselves.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people from their team.

How did you come to work with Harley Oliver?

I reached out to a lot of different design firms, but I wanted to work with someone specifically from Toronto. I reached out to a lot of different design firms, and I decided to work with Harley because he was a great communicator. It was a lot of intuition but it felt right. Their design portfolio was also pretty impressive, too.

How much have you invested with them?    

We invested approximately $45,000 CAD (approximately $32,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in October 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I talked to restaurant owners and asked what they thought and the reception was really good.

How did Harley Oliver perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. One of their core strengths was keeping everyone aligned and on track. Obviously, it's pretty easy for people to get sidetracked, but they kept things on task.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their dedication to communication was huge. We always have a direct line to them, unlike a lot of other design firms. It came across like they really cared about their customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing I can speak to.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be clear about what your objectives are going in. It'll save a lot of time and energy throughout the project.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Digital Marketing & Design for Label Manufacturer

“I’ve seen a great ROI from their work.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. 2013 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Over an enduring engagement, Harley Oliver has provided branding and marketing for a label manufacturer. They’ve redesigned the client’s website, generated social media content, and refreshed the brand.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Consumer Goods
Lee McLaven
President, Laven Labels
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Harley Oliver has modernized the client’s brand, which previously lacked a means for outreach. Their creative efforts have driven web traffic and social media engagement. Their young, dynamic team boasts stellar design skills while being easy to work with, ensuring a seamless relationship.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a label manufacturer operating in the Ontario area. We create labels and tags for clothing lines, mattresses, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Harley Oliver?

We were looking to step up our PR and marketing efforts. We’d stayed pretty old-school, so we were looking to upgrade our brand design and website in particular.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a full-service operation where their team strategized and implemented an entire brand refresh. They redesigned my logo and website before creating marketing materials to launch on our social media platforms. They served as a one-stop-shop and generated all the content we needed. I relied heavily on them for branding consultation as well.

What is the team composition?

Although the team size fluctuated with the project scope, my primary point of contact was Ben (Executive Director, Harley Oliver). I’d say I worked with 5 people across different photography, design, and content projects.

How did you come to work with Harley Oliver?

I shortlisted three companies after asking around for recommendations. I met with them and was immediately taken by how young their team was. While they had a very modern sensibility, they still seemed like they had a lot of experience.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere around $55,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in July of 2013 and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They built up our brand from basically nothing, and we’re very happy with where we are now. Our social media posts enjoy a high level of engagement, and our website gets great traffic. Their team has really helped me understand where I should invest my time and money. I’ve seen a great ROI from their work.

How did Harley Oliver perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. We communicate mostly through email and phone calls, but I have a quarterly meeting with them. I haven’t had any issues regarding deadlines and scheduling.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve become my primary provider because they’re easy to work with and have stellar design skills. They have a good development sense, where they’re creative and effective with their ideas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come to the table with some general ideas, and then let the pros do their thing.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding & Dev for Wearable Health Device Company

“Their attention to detail, as well as their creative direction and vision, are all outstanding.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
July - Oct 2018
Project summary: 

Harley Oliver was responsible for the creative direction of a neurotech company. They implemented brand strategy, redesigned their e-commerce website, and delivered a fresh new set of marketing materials.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Toronto, Canada
Nadia Kumentas
VP of Marketing, Muse
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Doubling the client’s conversion rate, Harley Oliver successfully positioned the neurotech brand to be more distinct and modern. The team was talented and communicative, and project management was equally effective. In the excellent engagement, the resulting work received great feedback.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing at Muse, a Toronto-based neurotech company. We create wearable devices that measure brain activity to support meditation, focus, and general wellbeing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Harley Oliver?

We were trying to address three major problems. First, we needed a brand refresh. While our product is very innovative, it wasn’t being accurately represented in our marketing materials.

We also needed to rebuild our website. We were bringing on a new product, so we needed to re-strategize how to showcase our product offerings in a way that would increase conversions. Lastly, we needed completely new photo assets for marketing and e-commerce.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Harley Oliver’s team helped us build a WordPress site that integrated multiple stores—with different currencies—on the backend. They made the website user-friendly and customizable, even on the administrative side.

Since our devices are somewhat technically complex, they focused on conveying their concept in clear, concise, and consumer-friendly terms. They strategized our creative direction.

What is the team composition?

Ben (Founder, Harley Oliver) was our main point of contact. We worked with a project manager (who also happened to be a UX designer), a graphic designer, two photographers, and a videographer. They were all excellent.

How did you come to work with Harley Oliver?

I found them online and started following them on Instagram. I dug into their previous work and really liked their ethos. They operated in the niche wearable-tech startup space, so they were perfect for us. While we had a couple of contenders in the mix, I felt very aligned with Ben’s creative direction.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration for the first product launch lasted from July–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has doubled the conversion rate of our site. They’ve positioned us to be more modern, and I’m just blown away by their work. We’ve only received positive feedback.

How did Harley Oliver perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very organized and easy to work with. They were very responsive when we communicated with their team via phone, email, and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail, as well as their creative direction and vision, are all outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While there were no real issues at all, we could’ve appreciated receiving pre-shoot assets. There was also a slight learning curve on a few other items.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go in with the best brief possible. Give them all the context they need to enable them to perform well. That allows them to work within their creative freedom while giving you what you need.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

WordPress Development for Nursing Education

“Harley Oliver understood all of our needs … I'd recommend them 100%.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
July - Dec. 2017
Project summary: 

Taking full charge of design/development, Harley Oliver built an educational nursing WordPress website. They provided recommendations and incorporated internal team’s vision and feedback.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
The Blue Mountains, Ontario, Canada
Gillain Elmes
Co-Owner, NurseEd
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The website is visually pleasing and easy to navigate. Working autonomously most of the time, Harley Oliver went above and beyond to meet all needs, while their attention to detail and exceptional listening skills made them a go-to partner for future projects.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-owner of NurseEd. We're a platform for nursing education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Harley Oliver?

We wanted to build a platform for Canadian nursing students to help them prepare for their registration exams. We needed a company to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and developed a WordPress website for us and helped us with branding. We divided the project in four phases–discovery, design, development, and the final product phase. At the end of each phase, they had a presentation where they showed me what they had done. They guided the process from start to finish, but I was involved every step of the way and provided feedback after each phase. We didn't have many meetings, which was great because I'm not a fan of meetings'. We talked at length in the beginning about the vision I had so they were able to just run with it in the right direction

What is the team composition?

I worked with three members of their team.

How did you come to work with them?

They were a personal connection.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $23,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2017 and the website launched in December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is functional, easy to navigate, and looks beautiful. I'm still uploading some of the content, but the feedback from customers has been very positive. Some customers have made referrals to their friends, which is a great thing. Harley Oliver understood all of our needs and truly cared about the user experience. I’d work with them again on future projects.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. We communicated via email and phone every few weeks, and met in-person twice over the course of the project. We also occasionally used Skype, which was helpful because I'm located 2.5 hours away from their office. I don’t like attending meetings, so they made the process enjoyable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did a great job. We communicated via email and phone every few weeks, and met in-person twice over the course of the project. We also occasionally used Skype, which was helpful because I'm located 2.5 hours away from their office. I don’t like attending meetings, so they made the process enjoyable

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you want. This way, when you start your project there won't be any major problems or changes when it's time to launch. I thought a lot about what I wanted and what I didn't want, and we talked at length in the beginning about my vision for the website, which made the whole process easier for everyone and far more productive.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They always let me know well in advance if they had to change anything.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    What they provided is worth much more than what I paid for it.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They had great attention to detail and anticipated problems I didn't even know could arise.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I'd recommend them 100%.

Virtual School Web Application Dev for Nonprofit

"They go above and beyond within the digital space and clearly represent our ideas."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Mar. 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

After a discovery phase, Harley Oliver developed a web platform and tool including the front- and backend, UX/UI, and content. They're now conducting QA.

The Reviewer
 
11- 50 Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Safia Dakri
Former Director, JA Canada
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The platform and tool expand volunteer opportunities for numerous communities and increases youth engagement. Their team is proactive, organizing a set plan of action and clearly communicating milestones. Their creativity and ability to innovate high-quality features is impressive.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the former director of JA Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Harley Oliver?

We need them to develop a virtual education platform and a digital tool that could facilitate the resume writing process for our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Harley Oliver's team first conducted a discovery phase with our team stakeholders, and leadership to understand our requirements and audience. Using this information, they created a plan of action to tackle all angles of our product. They identified our roles and responsibilities and worked closely with us like an embedded team. They walked us through the creation of frameworks, explained the technical foundation, and showcased their UX/UI standards. Their developers coded the front- and backend of the web platform and tool. They built content and features side by side with our team.

We’re currently in the QA process for the tool. After the first round of revisions, they indicated the progress made, future challenges we might have, and solutions to those problems. We’re discussing the plans for a pilot soft launch, and then, a full implementation to our staff and clients.

What is the team composition?

We work with two primary contacts and two developers.

How did you come to work with Harley Oliver?

I sent out an RFP for the project. Harley Oliver was one of the vendors that responded and was recommended to me. We worked on the web platform for three years thus far, and they provided great customer service. It was natural for us to pick them for this tool as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $1 million in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in March 2015 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform and tool are working as intended. Our product is the first of its kind as a virtual space for volunteers. It allows our organization to expand its reach to thousands of volunteers and many more students. It allows us to reach our goal of engaging with people of various generations. The platform and tool significantly increase engagement and volunteer applications from younger generations.

How did Harley Oliver perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re an extremely proactive and responsive team. Their oversight and perspective are excellent, and they even make sure our team is going to meet our timeline. We’re always aligned and on the same page. We communicate a few times a week through Slack to set up our responsibilities and discuss our next steps. We also use Trello and Basecamp to track the project’s progress. Their team consistently engages with us and immediately takes care of any hiccups.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity and innovation are impressive. Their ability to bring our vision to life and take it to the next level is exceptional. They go above and beyond within the digital space and clearly represent our ideas.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend them for any project. They’re extremely open and responsive to ideas, but also keen to do things outside of their knowledge base as well. Don’t just judge them by their portfolio, as they’re eager to break into new spaces and learn new concepts.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They're great at adapting their schedule to a non-profit organization’s fluidly timeline.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re honest about where our money is going into the product and where there might be opportunities for further development.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    If they sense any type of hesitation from your team, they will keep working to make sure their work is exceptional.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    They’re extremely pleasant to work with, have a friendly demeanor, and develop creative and innovative solutions.