ImageX

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing & PR at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, CA

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website was more than 7 years old and had become a "Hoarder's Paradise." We hired ImageX to help us develop a custom, student-friendly and clean website.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed 3-4 companies and selected ImageX because of their vast experience in the education space, reasonable pricing and relevant experience on staff.

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

We had a discovery session to set goals and timelines and then there were many milestones along the way including review and approval of designs as well as content site maps and wire frames.

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

A project manager was our main point of contact once the project officially started and we were handed off from the sales team. In addition, we worked closely with the lead designer, and content specialist to make sure all aspects of the site were in alignment.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site has not yet formally launched yet but the process has been smart, thoughtful and intentional. ImageX has done a very good job delivering on the key deliverables to date.

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

We had been meeting weekly with the project manager as well as other milestone meetings with key members of the ImageX team and EVC team.

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

The expertise especially in the education space on areas such as Guided Pathways has been very valuable, especially as we have had to "sell" this internally among our constituency groups.

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

We had some initial rough areas that needed to be ironed out, especially around the scope of the project that we signed off on and what was delivered, along with some additional costs we weren't anticipating.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at Claremont McKenna College, a higher education institution. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We had an outdated CMS, and we needed help migrating our website to a better platform and adding some custom features and modules. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Image X is migrating 10,000 pages from our website from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8. They’re also updating all of the custom core and contributed modules on our site. Additionally, they’ve installed Layout Builder and did some frontend UI design work. 

ImageX has also created a custom registration system for one of our colleges that will be used by our speakers, students, faculty, and staff. The development is ongoing, but we’re currently wrapping up.

What is the team composition?

I work with Brent (Executive VP), Alexander (Technology Director), Bjorn (Digital Experience Solutions Director), Dmitry (Senior Software Developer), Travis (Portfolio Director), Matt (Design Director), 

How did you come to work with ImageX?

ImageX reached out to me, and we talked for about six months. I researched their past work and found that their references were very satisfied with their work. Ultimately, we chose to work with ImageX because they had an amazing staff, project managers, and developers. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2019, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ImageX has always delivered a well-designed product. From a technical perspective, its functionality exceeded our expectations. The process is going flawless; there have been a few minor hiccups, but they’ve been able to fix them. 

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

ImageX is excellent at project management. They’ve always communicated about our schedule and budget. They’ve reported any concerns in advance so we can prepare. They do live demos of their output, and they follow up with us. Regardless of whether it’s an easy or difficult conversation, they are great to work with. 

Our project manager sets clear goals, and they report budgeting deliverables. We always know where we are in the process since they are responsive. If we have a problem, we’ll just submit a ticket, and they will fix it in a matter of hours. We use Basecamp and Jira to collaborate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with many agencies before, but ImageX is just one of the best partners out there. From project management to designers to developers, I’ve enjoyed working with them. They are kind, polite, and dedicated — they’ve delivered and exceeded our expectations. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to the experts at ImageX — they have a really experienced team. They have a lot of knowledge, expertise, and insight that can save you money — they have an efficient way to organize a project. Their team understands the process from beginning to end. 

Understand what they have to say and offer. They’re an incredible team to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing for a large YMCA Association. We have 14 branches and an overnight camp. We run hundreds of classes and programs for the whole family. Our goals are to prepare youth and teens to succeed, strengthen and support families, develop caring communities, and encourage and inspire healthy living.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ImageX?

Our website was outdated and needed a massive overhaul for the benefit of members, program participants, and staff. We wanted to start from scratch and when we decided to jump in with Open Y we knew we needed a partner that had Open Y experience.

SOLUTION

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

We created an RFP and met with several companies that had been recommended as Open Y partners. We deliberated and decided to go with Image X.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The primary goals of the project are to:

• Improve the overall experience, design, and information architecture to achieve organizational goals and speak more effectively to key audiences.
• Attract and convert prospective members, families, donors, and other constituents.
• Enhance communication through improved content and features.
• Leverage Open Y to ensure the site is easy to update, maintain, and improve over time.
• Setup and launch Virtual Y.

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

I would estimate we worked primarily with 4-5 people: an Account Manager, a designer, developers and programmers, and QA

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We just launched the new site, but overall the feedback has been incredible so far. Both from employees and customers. Everything works as it's supposed to and it looks fantastic. No metrics yet as it's so new.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I've never worked on a big project that was as well organized as this one. We used Basecamp for all communication, which made referencing things easy. Plus weekly zoom calls kept everything on track. Everyone was incredibly personable and easy to work with. If we got a little behind (which was always because of us not them) they were understanding and helpful about getting us back on track.

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

The knowledge and insight they've brought to the table are impressive. But even more than that, just being super easy to work with and just plain good at their jobs was such a gift. If anything ever went wrong, there were never any excuses, they were very upfront and honest and just got the job done.

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

Nothing could have been improved, I don't have one complaint.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Business Analyst in a medium sized company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website was created over 10 years ago and it had too much information presented within an outdated layout. We wanted to redesign the website to attract candidates for recruitment, market our company's products and services, showcase new branding, and improve overall user experience.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online for web designers and developers in our area, and shortlisted 10 candidates. After reviewing their responses to our proposal and onsite interviews, we selected the candidate based on their experience, design methodology, technology, and budget.

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

We started with conducting Focus Groups, then held Discovery sessions to help drive the design. Key deliverables included Information Architecture, wireframes, and fully functional website using Drupal.

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

We worked with a project team consisting of a project manager, designer, BA, developer, and QA.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received very positive feedback from external clients / partners, and internal staff.

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

The project management was excellent. We had weekly status reporting and meetings, and daily check-ins during the development / testing phase. They met their deliverables and communication was clear and timely.

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

They really listen to what their client(s) have to say about the website's requirements and expectations. This was especially evident during the Discovery and Design process, where they spent time to fully understand our goals, assumptions, and constraints, and listened to our feedback.

Also, their post-implementation support has been excellent. They are very responsive to security related patching, and always maintain clear communication on status of bug fixes / enhancements.

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

We ran into a couple of technical issues during the development / testing phase. The issues were resolved, but were surprised that they come up since our webpages are fairly straightforward and as per design.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

US Micro Products manufactures engineered LCD displays for several major companies. My role in the company is to lead the marketing efforts, including our online presence which includes the website and internet ads.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We initially hired ImageX to do a website redesign using the existing backend. Throughout the years we have worked with them on multiple projects, both on the front and back end, as well and online advertising. Our main goal was to have a trusted partner that could help us develop and maintain our website without having to micro-manage them and that delivers high quality results.

SOLUTION

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

We had gotten burned in the past with hiring freelancers, so we decided to try working with an agency. We interviewed multiple agencies. I had multiple people recommend ImageX and when I met with Glen (the CEO) at DrupalCon I knew that they were the right fit for us.

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

They have developed multiple iterations of our website using Drupal 7, Google Ads, and LinkedIn ads. We are planning a complete update and redesign of our website to Drupal 9.

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

Ian (our Project Manager) has been our main point of contact for the past couple of years. He is such a joy to work with and is very responsive, patient, kind, and understands and communicates our requirements in a concise manner. Richard (Sr. Digital Strategist) has been another person that I have worked with on a regular basis. He is very knowledgeable, understanding, and has been really helpful in regards to our digital strategy. Everyone that I have had interacted with from Glen (the CEO) to Ian (our PM) and everyone in between has been a pleasure to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have noticed an increase in the quality and number of incoming leads.

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

We have biweekly check-in meetings with our PM and communicate in between through Basecamp and email.

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

The quality of the people and the work.

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

We have been very pleased with their work, which is why we continue to work with them for so many years.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Operations Manager for a management consulting firm. In this capacity I am also the Technical Project Manager for a large IT client of ours who has contracted with us for consulting and web development services. We have used ImageX as our development partner throughout this large, multi-year project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired ImageX for web development services. This particular project has required complex web development and tight integration with the client's IT infrastructure and other systems, and our goals were to be able to meet all of the client's demanding requirements, which ImageX has done a great job of achieving.

SOLUTION

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

We were originally referred to ImageX by Acquia when we asked them for Drupal developer recommendations, approximately 10 years ago now. We liked their detailed estimated and were very satisfied with their initial work for us, so much so that we have continued to use ImageX as our development partner on all of our consulting clients ever since the initial referral.

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

This project required web development and IT integration from ImageX. They were provided wireframes from our in-house designer and were responsible for implementing the complex web site that we designed for this client. Technologies included Drupal, PHP, and Javascript.

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

Between 2 and 5. A project manager, a lead developer and other developers as needed. Typically we worked with the project manager and the lead developer, but at busy times additional developers would be brought in to the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This major client of ours is very happy with ImageX's work. The system they developed is actively used by over 60,000 users and provides valuable feedback and insights from the field to the client.

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

Style is hands-on with regular check-ins. Tools include regular stand up meetings, Slack for quick communications, Jira for development work, email.

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

They have been very responsible and have been able to handle very aggressive deadlines. We and this client appreciate both the speed and quality of the dev work provided by ImageX.

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

No, we are completely satisfied with ImageX's work for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the corporate website manager for a semiconductor company. We have over 20,000 employees and perceive around $7 million in revenue.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We hired ImageX to help us with several things, mainly focused on web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ImageX helps us with Drupal web development, UX consulting, and business analysis, which is around creating specifications for new functions on our site. Our website isn’t an e-commerce site, but they’ve also helped us design our product pages.

One of their main involvements was around Drupal site migration and upgrade, as well as with a lot of development. ImageX has also provided us with software architecture services, defining features on our website for product searching.

We’ve been working with them for over eight years now, so there have been a lot of projects on which we’ve worked together. The site is so big, and they’ve done so much work that it’s difficult to recap it all.

What is the team composition?

Throughout our engagement, we’ve worked with around 12 people from ImageX. Originally, we started working with their owner, and we’ve worked with the VP of business development and the VP of technology. We’ve also worked with lead developers, Drupal developers, business analysts, a UX designer, an analytics person, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with ImageX?

Back then, ImageX had a strong presence in the Drupal community, so their expertise in Drupal is what originally attracted us to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2013, and the engagement is ongoing. We plan on continuing working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re always looking to have the best UX for our industry, and ImageX continuously delivers what we’re looking for — they’re hitting their commitments, and the quality has been good. From a customer standpoint, the website has gotten positive feedback.

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication has been great. When we ask them for certain work to get done, it gets done on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication is one of ImageX’s strengths — they’re very open and direct.

Are there any areas they could improve?

ImageX is a smaller consulting agency. Working for a large company like ours has caused them to go through growing pains. As they take on larger enterprise customers, they’re going to need more resources available to support them, and that is going to require adaptation.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Put out all your requirements upfront. With web projects, the scope tends to grow, and you tend to want new things later on. The more you can define what you need upfront, the better the engagement is going to be. That way, they’ll be able to design and build the project around that. When things change is when schedules get pushed out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of financial learning solutions at Stanford University.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

I hired ImageX to redesign a very large and complex university website. The Gateway to Financial Activities website (aka Fingate) is an essential platform for information dissemination to staff, faculty, students, and suppliers in support of executing financial activities efficiently, correctly, and within policy.

Fingate is a high-traffic website averaging 1,500 user sessions and 5,000 page views per day. The overall site design hadn’t changed since the initial release in 2007, and web technology has dramatically changed since then. The original site, built in Dreamweaver, had reached its limit in terms of ease of site maintenance and adding new features due to its magnitude. It didn’t support robust analytics, industry tools for search engine optimization, or rapid feature development either. Additionally, the lack of a database-driven system presented challenges and risks for managing more than 1,000 pages of complex content. A 2018 client satisfaction survey validated that Fingate was no longer meeting the needs of campus users. We hired ImageX to help us redesign and build the site using Drupal 8.   

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The redesign of Fingate was divided into two phases. Phase one was discovery and design, and phase two was development and implementation. ImageX was our partner throughout both phases, providing a dream team that stayed with us throughout the 20-month long project.

Phase one included user-centered discovery and design activities (led by ImageX), content planning (led by us), and phase two definition. It was comprised of five user studies with more than 60 participants representing 17 Stanford business units.

After budget planning and approval, phase two included Drupal development (led by ImageX), content development (led by us), user testing, site launch preparedness, and launch. A large part of phase two was porting the content from our old site, and we determined the pace of that work, resulting in a longer timeline compared to phase one.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a number of people including Brent (Account Manager), Samantha (Technical Project Manager), Laura (Director of Digital Experience), Mahya (Lead UI/UX Designer), Bryan (Lead Drupal Developer), and Richard (Sr. Digital Strategist).

How did you come to work with ImageX?

ImageX was first recommended to us by a third party. We were working on a small Drupal implementation project with another vendor that went off the rails, so we engaged ImageX to help us finish the build. We were very impressed with their Drupal technical expertise.

When we went through the proposal process, I reached out to another company, as well as to my internal web team for guidance on vendor selection, and their advice proved itself. ImageX was larger than the 1–2 person shops without a lot of expertise or Drupal-certified engineers, which was a big selling point, but they weren’t so large as to be uncomfortable.

We received 12 responses to our proposal, and while other vendors presented better than ImageX, we took extra time to vet them. Some of the other vendors came off as only providing smoke and mirrors.

What is the status of this engagement?

Phase one started in December 2018 and concluded in April 2019 as planned. Phase two started in August 2019 and concluded in August 2020 as planned.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of success factors, we went live with absolutely zero downtime. We usually average 5,000 page views a day and 1,400 users. On day one, we had 10,000 page views. In the first 30 days, we had 40 contacts (questions, issues, and feedback) and that low number spoke highly to me. It wasn’t 40 issues; some were questions. It was like a non-event, and I think that speaks highly to the quality of the transition.

ImageX partnered with us to develop a robust set of KPIs and Success Measures. One measure of success was quantified in the results of a pre- and post-launch survey.

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

The ImageX project manager kept us on track via regular project status meetings, Basecamp communications, and RAID logs. Their team used Smartsheet to host the project plan, which we use internally. Basecamp was very helpful throughout.

One of the things that I really valued was that ImageX used all the right tools, and we had all the right protocols to manage the work with them. We had our own internal project manager for everything that we needed to do, and our project manager worked very closely with theirs.

When it came time to share design mock-ups, they used a whole suite of tools in tandem with us, and it worked quite well. They leveraged those while hosting one-on-one user demonstrations, as they captured everything that was necessary.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have great skills, and it was very easy to work with them. We felt like one project team. If you are going to embark on a 20-month long project, then you want to like your service provider. While the search process was exhausting, we had fun with ImageX; they’re good people.

Breaking the project up into two phases was very smart for us and smart for ImageX because we really knew what we were building by the end of phase one thanks to the focus on scoping phase two.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only part they could have done a better job on was selling themselves and their capabilities. In the RFP process, they didn’t say too much about their user-centered design approach, and we didn’t have any experience with it. Because we liked them so much, however, we dug into their offer and gained confidence that they could accomplish the entire project. I have nothing else but great things to say about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Remain engaged with them. They were present, and we took advantage of that.

People sometimes assume that the vendor is going to do everything for them, but we knew going in that we were going to play a very important role. We stepped up to the plate and took responsibility for the tasks we needed to, like content development. Establish clear roles and responsibilities for what each side is going to do. Projects like ours oftentimes fail because there aren’t clear roles and responsibilities for all the different deliverables. Remain engaged with them and take advantage of their presence.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President leading Marketing and Communications for the YMCA of Greater Dayton. Since 1870, the YMCA of Greater Dayton has contributed to the lives of hundreds of thousands of boys and girls, and men and women of all ages, races, religions, and economic backgrounds.

We are a not-for-profit organization with the unique opportunity to touch the lives of infants through seniors throughout the Miami Valley.

With twelve facility locations and numerous program sites throughout Montgomery, Greene, Preble, Auglaize, Mercer and northern Warren Counties, as well as YMCA Camp Kern, a large year round resident camp located in Warren County, the YMCA of Greater Dayton serves approximately 200,000 people annually through membership and programs.

We provide programs for youth and adults, swimming, gymnastics, aquatics, sports programs as well as child care, preschool education, and summer day camps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ImageX?

The focus of our work with ImageX is to partner with a full-service digital agency that will work with the YMCA of Greater Dayton to update and manage our existing daytonymca.org website, developed on the OpenY platform using Drupal, that integrates seamlessly with our current CRM/ecommerce platform (Daxko).

The vision of our website is to be on the cutting edge of OpenY website technology that creates an amazing user experience for our members and guests.

What were your goals for this project?

1. The facilitation of acquisition and retention of memberships through any and all digital connection points, including but not limited to, web, apps, and kiosks.
2. To ensure that our members and potential members experience an inviting and cutting edge digital experience when visiting the YGD website. This is accomplished by ensuring that Security updates, Drupal Core updates, Upgrades to the latest versions of Open Y, roadmap execution where budgets and prioritization allow are executed in a methodical and routine basis.
3. To enable a friction-free method for all YGD customers to interact with the organization for services such as child-care, camps, donations, and all other programs offered by the YGD.

SOLUTION

How did you select ImageX?

We created an RFP and distributed this to several qualified companies that had been working on OpenY Websites. We then compared the proposals from five companies and ultimately selected ImageX.

The factors that we chose to use to make this decision were as follows:

• The proposed solution meets the needs and criteria set forth in the RFP
• The proposal shows expertise in recommending and communicating appropriate technical and aesthetic solutions
• Prior work demonstrates artistic, innovative, and user-friendly interfaces that engage communities and viewers
• Candidate has successfully completed similar projects and has the qualifications necessary to undertake the project
• The price is commensurate with the value offered. As a non-profit, the Y can accept pro bono services and recognize the provider to the full extent allowed by the IRS, including naming the proposer within the web site and other collateral as a supporter and partner
• The candidate firm has appropriate staff to develop the site in the time frame needed
• The information is presented in a clear, logical manner and is well organized

Describe the project in detail.

Primary Goals

• Execute a one year agreement for website maintenance and other related tasks.
• Maintain our current UX and design from http://daytonymca.org by working collaboratively with YGD to keep a simplified navigation structure and work within current website design branding guidelines.
• Assist in improving current trajectory of primary KPIs (traffic and leads) by assisting YGD in monthly measurement and improving our SEO capabilities resulting in improving the amount of organic search traffic that is finding daytonymca.org.
• Ensure high quality relationship and project management collaboration between YGD and Digital Partner.
• Perform required website maintenance and bug-fixes.
• Manage and give guidance to YGD on upgrades to latest releases on Open Y and Drupal.
• Install security patches as needed.
• Available to answer questions / technical support / technical consulting.
• New feature development when CDA budget allows or creation of separate Scope of Work proposal to add new features to the website. Secondary Goals
• Establish a long-standing relationship with a full-service agency of record for continued website improvements as we progress towards fully establishing OpenY capabilities.
• Receive strategic guidance to the YGD on, but not limited to:
• Drupal capabilities and the latest Open Y capabilities/recommendations
• Which elements/features of the current site should be prioritized for improvement.
• Which elements/features on the OpenY roadmap for 2019 and beyond should be prioritized differently than they currently are to ensure we are achieving the maximum ROI on our digital investment.
• Suggestions for future elements/features to include on our roadmap for 2019 and beyond to further drive growth associated with our primary goals and objectives.
• Give guidance and support with A/B testing functions to enable further iteration aimed towards KPI improvement.

What was the team composition?

As a full service digital agency, ImageX has provided us with a dedicated Account Executive, Lead and Support Developers, SEO Team Lead and other support staff when requested. Thus far our entire team has stayed intact and has been a very beneficial component to our work with them to date.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The overall service that we have received from ImageX has been great! So far in 2021 we have seen a decrease in our bounce rates, an increase in engagement and increased online sales through the website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Project management and communication has been exceptional!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I have been most impressed with the knowledge and insight from the staff team assigned to our account.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of enterprise systems for a maritime academy. I oversee the website, our ERP, admissions CRM, and basically all our websites and systems.

We’re a small, specialized state school. Our majors all specialize in going into the maritime industry. It doesn’t mean that our students will necessarily go out to sea. We have two majors, marine engineering and marine transportation, where students will have their careers out on the water. Our other majors are related to the industry in general.

We have 1600 FTE students in undergrad. We’re a regimented school so our students are in a regimen and wear uniforms. There’s no military obligation for them when they graduate, but it does feel very military-like on campus, so we’re very specialized in that way.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We did a big move to Drupal from ColdFusion about five and a half years ago with ImageX. Just recently, we brought them on to redo our website and migrate it from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 with all of our new school branding applied to it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We went through a planning stage with ImageX. We created our own design with a graphic designer that we work with separately. Our team supplied the design work to ImageX and had some discovery calls with our internal constituents at the academy to decide what would be the best method of delivering that with Drupal 8.

Next, we created a number of custom blocks with ImageX so we would have a lot of flexibility in using different design pieces on various pages. Even though we have a template, it’s really flexible for us because they created all of these different blocks that we could add to pages. There’s also the flexibility to use a layout builder so not every page has to have the same layout. It was a lot more flexible than our Drupal 7 build.

From the discovery session, we moved pretty quickly into the development sprints. We took a piece at a time in the build and reviewed it at the end of each sprint. Once we felt there was enough in place, we started moving our content over ourselves. We did a huge content overhaul. Part of the goal of the new website was to eliminate anything that was outdated or unnecessary to show to a prospective student.

We were moving away from the idea that the website was also a repository for our current students and staff and wanted to use it as a marketing tool, first and foremost, to prospects and alumni. On our part, we had a lot of work to do to massage all of that content and put it back into the new site.

After launching, we still have some development pieces and features that we decided we’d like to continue working with ImageX on. There were things that came up in the project that we thought would be nice. Things like additional ADA compliance or optimization would make it easier for people using adaptive or accessible technology on our site. We did sign a service agreement with ImageX after the launch so that we could continue doing these second-phase development pieces.

What is the team composition?

We had a large team to start with during the discovery phase. ImageX has specialists in everything like business analytics and UX. The main players on our team were our project manager, a financial controller, and lead developer. There were some other developers, but I didn’t correspond with them much.

How did you come to work with ImageX?

Five or six years ago, we researched a lot of different companies. Our team created an SOW with about five Drupal firms. We ultimately went with ImageX because of their positive reviews and wide folder of working with higher education institutions. It was such an easy choice to go with them again because the Drupal 7 launch went so well.

How much have you invested in them?

The new launch was around $125,000. Annually, we spend about $7,500 on our service agreement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them for six years now. We started the ongoing engagement in October 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our launch was in December 2020, and it was very smooth. The call to action that we wanted our academy to be easier to find definitely has been accomplished. We get more clicks on the things we want people to click on. We’ve seen an increase in engagement on our pages for majors and how to apply depending on what applicant type; we have numbers to support that.

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive and dedicated to making sure the client is happy. I consider myself to be a somewhat difficult client, and they always deliver. ImageX is always accommodating to new requests. I say I’m difficult because I’ll add new requests throughout the project as things change, are revealed, or develop.

They’re very responsive to change, which is excellent. ImageX is very open to adding pieces to our phase two and very easy to work with. The lead developer we had was very responsive. Things didn’t always have to go through a funnel to get to the lead developer. We have an easy connection right there with them.

We use Basecamp for message communication. Our teams used a rate log throughout the whole project, which was in Google Drive, but that was great for prioritizing different items and looking at what was going to be delivered in the next sprint.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s just how responsive they are. We work with a lot of different providers for different things across our campus. Our academy has many systems, and it’s always a breeze to work with ImageX because we know they’re going to respond. They are going to look into exactly what it is that we want so requirements and expectations are met.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing is coming to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

ImageX has numerous experts in different aspects of web development, UX, and business analytics. It’s a good idea to have a solid foundation of what you’d like the outcome of the project to be because they’ll present you with many experts and you’ll have to decide what’s the most important according to your budget. If you had an infinite budget, it’d be amazing but you have to boil it down to what it is you want to include in the project.