LaunchPad Lab

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

We’re in a routine development cycle with them, so we’re not on a project-by-project basis. We do releases every two weeks. Given the fact that we’re on a release workflow with them, we evaluate the release and assess their work to make sure that we’re still on track with what we want to be doing. We’ve been very satisfied with the work we’ve done with them. We’ve been able to white-label the platform and launch it in different communities outside of Chicago.

How did LaunchPad Lab perform from a project management standpoint?

We interact with them a lot on Asana. Their project management is good; they meet deadlines, and we’re in regular communication. We know when there are challenges, and we work together to figure out how to adapt them. It works well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have become much more sophisticated consumers than we were when we went into this process. One thing they’ve done well is adapted their approach to our increasing level of involvement and opinionated perspectives about how to approach things. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing stands out as a real need for improvement. The only things that come to mind are just part of the routine of working with someone. There are moments when things are challenging, but then we always work through them well. I don’t view that as a need for improvement as much as it is a reflection of the fact that you have to figure stuff out when you work with people, and they do a good job of that.

Any advice for potential customers?

Do your best going into the work to figure out what you want the engagement to look like, and try to be as clear as you can about that. Then, you’ll be able to set up a good working relationship in terms of what you need to get out of them and what you’re able to put into the process.

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

Overall, the quality is very high and we’ve only experienced a handful of bugs that were immediately resolved. They were able to make those adjustments in a thoughtful and efficient way.

In client calls and demos, I’ve received feedback that the site looks very clean, that it addresses all their major pain points. We’ve also received positive reviews from internal reviews from students in entertainment, education. Users have provided testimonials and have commented that the site is easy to use. In the end, we were pleased with their work. They were receptive to feedback. Initially, we weren’t thrilled with the design elements, but we got exactly what we wanted in the end. They continued to deliver on time and present strong work that exceeded our expectations.

We have been able to continue to scale through our collaboration with them. They continue to offer advice about what different updates we would need to make to grow the platform sustainably.

How did LaunchPad Lab perform from a project management standpoint?

Also, their product team was extremely communicative. They responded within moments of asking a question. They were focused on making sure that were felt empowered to ask questions and understood what was being delivered. So, communication was very clear.

We use Asana to communicate, and I’m able to rely on their speedy response. It has been a pretty seamless process. Our project manager who is a reliable communicator. We recently were unclear about whether or not we needed to add on hours, but that was a wrinkle that was ironed out very quickly. I can now trust that we’re on the same page when it comes to billing and hours worked.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When building a company, it’s super important that we trust the party we’re working with. We needed them to be available, transparent, and at the top of their game, and LaunchPad Lab always delivers. Other companies might be cheaper on an hourly basis, but the value we’ve received from this partnership has been one of a kind.

They continue to prove that they’re a mainstay in our company’s growth. Beyond the high-quality product they developed, their communication and ever-ready presence is a sign of security and assurance through what could otherwise become a tumultuous journey of entrepreneurship.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially,  I would have said their design work, but they’ve done a stellar job at improving that. We’re on the same page about how we can work together moving forward.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust that they have your best interest at heart. Also, communicate about wrinkles that come up because they’re particularly receptive to receiving feedback.

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

After they created this solution, all of our reservations and have gone off without a hitch. To put it in context, we have thousands of people come to our site, and it’s first- come, first-served, so that’s very important. Anecdotally, one of our primary contacts in a big school system told us that she had no calls or concerns this year. Before we had this solution, there was a lot of anxiety, panic, and a lot of people didn’t understand how it worked.

We now have an established process that is easy to follow. They did a great job conceptualizing the project and executing it. The process has been very iterative, and whenever we tell them we need something, they discuss amongst themselves and create a solution.

How did LaunchPad Lab perform from a project management standpoint?

They primarily use Asana, so we use that to make comments or point out any changes. I think they’ve missed some deadlines, but nobody is perfect, and that was really early on in the project. Now they understand what we need. They have also added another developer, so there’s a little less pressure and they can follow the timeline. They’ve been responsive. I’m a tough grader on this, but in the gran scheme of things, nothing has affected the performance of what we needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listen, and understand what we want to do. They always come up with creative solutions. They’re very diligent, and it’s clear they’ve bought into our mission.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at this point.

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

Launchpad was able to transform the very basic sketches I sent their team into a beautiful website. I'm 100% happy with the final product—they knocked it out of the park.

We get so much great feedback on our website from both applicants and potential partners. It's really helped us get a leg up in this space. The database that they built out has been a key resource in keeping our partners engaged and excited to work with us. It's very user-friendly and intuitive.

How did Launchpad Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

I loved that it was a very iterative process, with lots of back and forth and conversation throughout. They were extremely collaborative, even as I continued to blow up their inbox with various ideas and design changes. Open and receptive to my input, they worked in every detail of the website I wanted and took a hands-on approach to getting it all done.

We communicated mostly through Basecamp once the second project started, and they've always been great about getting back to us within 24 hours. If for some reason they predicted a delay, they were transparent about it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their willingness to engage with me on every minor detail of the website. They've been incredibly collaborative in everything they've done for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They're on top of everything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't be afraid to show them a really basic idea of what it is that you want, even if it's just a sketch on a sheet of paper or mockup in Word. It helps them understand that end product you're envisioning that they can help make a million times better.