Metacarbon

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Noah Media in London.

For what projects/services did your company hire Metacarbon?

We needed a great and flexible design team to work on the redesign of our mobile app and the design of our landing page and web application.

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed 10 Design Studios in Europe and the US in all prices ranges. We did three, sometimes four rounds of interviews and selected Metacarbon, because we felt they are the best fit for us as a start-up. We did 3 background checks on them before we made our decision and everyone was very positive about Metacarbon. So we made our decision and so far have not been disappointed.

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

We had a very clear vision of our product, because we already built prototypes and had done a lot of user testing. We gave them all the info we had in several calls and through a shared product page on Notion. They then designed with us live on Figma and we discussed matters immediately. The flexibility and the process we used are what make the implementation extremely fast and joyful.

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

We worked with two founders and one of their lead designers. Their Lead designer did all the designs and from our side it was our founding team. Their founders got involved when we hit a design roadblock and needed some fresh ideas.

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

So far we are extremely pleased with the sheer speed and quality delivered. These designs will serve as the backbone of our product for the next months and hopefully years to come.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was seamless. We used Figma and it was as if we sat in the same room.

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

Their speed and the quality of the output is impressive, while maintaining extreme flexibility in working hours and responsiveness is impressive. It was like we hired a full-time team that was sitting in our office.

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

So far we have not had an issue that we could not solve together.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and co-founder of Glorify, My role is really team wide with a focus on product and company vision.

For what projects/services did your company hire Saga Design Team?

We hired Saga Design Team as a key design fiduciary in our very ambitious SaaS-based design tool called Glorify. Their role covers the entire UI/UX process. - Scalable UI design system - Design system translated into our UI for our entire platform - UX Strategy - Prototyping

What were your goals for this project?

The overall goal was to find a team that we could offload our entire vision for our product and 100% rely on them to execute an entire UI system with complete user flows and no stone un-turned, super fast and collaboratively with us. We were lucky to find Saga as it's so refreshing to see people that care about the details as the product owner and primary stakeholders of the company would. Goal 1 - Fix our Design System and make it Scalable Goal 2 - UX Strategy for new features Goal 3 - Executing the design and prototype

How did you select Saga Design Team?

We put the word out on different channels that we were hiring, and they approached us via email. I reviewed their portfolio and deck and scheduled the first meeting.

Describe the project in detail.

Here are the Goals broken down in more detail. First goal, Fix our Design System and make it Scalable. I wanted someone to fix the spaghetti like mess left by our previous designer, who was great at conceptualising, but terrible at organising a scalable UI structure for an ambitious and growing company like ours. UI design systems must be bulletproof for current and future goals and should be easily changed globally across all our screens from a single source of truth. This goal was overdelivered and we now have a robust design system that can live for years to come.

Second goal, X Strategy for new features Entails bringing strategic UX and business analyst thinking with us in live meetings and align with our product vision so we can brain dump ideas and organize them for execution. Third goal, Executing the design and prototype Turning strategy, discussions, and backlogs into live design. We work with them during iteration process until we come to a final version. This live version will sometimes be produced into a live prototype that we can use to run tests with our users.

What was the team composition?

Max - Creative Director Roman - Project Manager Oleh - Senior Designer

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

The biggest outcome as mentioned is the fact we have a super bullet proof, super robust design system. The success that is has brought us is the following. We will never have to worry about design inconsistencies through our entire application ever. Changing 1 thing, like a color or button shape is going to take seconds. 

Design to Developer Handoff is seamless and easy, no more crazy documentation as all the states and interactions are done. UI design done with solid UX philosophy and 10x faster Overall this has allowed us to consider faster development sprints as new features are designed much quicker by Saga, and peace of mind knowing our design files are super organized and accessible.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Smooth, smooth, smooth. Everyday I login in to Slack, they drop their goals. I then see them live working away on the Figma files. End of the day they always drop an update. Any comment and feedback I drop is replied to almost instantly, and with a lot of thought. I love engaging in deep UX discussions with them before we settle on a solution.

They are super humble and give us space to articulate our thinking and consider the direction we propose but at the same time they are always ready to challenge our thought process to keep us on our toes and keep us open to consider other options too. This culture of discussion and transparency is very much built into our workflow.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I am very impressed with the level of work ethic and authenticity they have. This is hard to find in the UI/UX tech space as there are many early "experts" in this field that have faked their way through. They are hard working, never egotistical, they give accurate timelines (super refreshing in this space), they are honest and transparent and their communication is second to none.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I honestly can't think of any at all.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CTO at Plaace. We make a data-driven platform that finds the optimal match between tenants and property owners.

What challenge were you trying to address with Saga Design Team?

Figuring out how we could start building a technical platform to help property owners of commercial property in finding and matching with the right tenant using a data-driven process.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us with making prototypes and talking with the property owners. Then, we tested out the design with them in several iterations. They made a final design for the whole MVP we’re building.

They were involved quite early on. We had verified with the property owners and tenants their interest in increasing the data-driven process and having a two-sided market platform. Sage Design Team helped in the beginning of that process where we talked with property owners and tenants. We had workshops with them and they were interviewing directly one-to-one. They were trying to understand the problem in their everyday life and how we could simplify that. We continue to work with them on new engagements.

What is the team composition?

I originally worked with Roman (Head of Strategy) and Max (Head of Design). We also started working with Daniil (Designer), who is helping with UX and design.

How did you come to work with Saga Design Team?

We did a sourcing process where we were looking at some different design companies. Saga Design Team was recommended by people I know who were using them. We gave them some initial tasks to see how they’d solve the case and they came back with what kind of process they’d use, this helped them stand out compared to their competitors. They had a really good understanding of the market and put more effort in than their competitors did.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $25,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2020 and the work is ongoing.

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

They’re really good at catching what we need. They’re also good at engaging our customers and coming up with design proposals to solve their issues. They’re super good. I’m really impressed with what they’ve done. They really understand what’s needed.

How did Saga Design Team perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is good. They keep deadlines when we have them. The project manager follows up with us. We use Slack and have video meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They manage to take something complex and present it in a simplified way that’s well understood by users.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re really good on the UX side. When it comes to design, they come with different examples and we test it out with friends and partners. We don’t always like all of the designs but we always end up finding the right option.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re really brilliant with product design. You should focus on involving your partners in the design process as well.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a company that works with dental offices to provide them with all their necessary supplies to operate their business.

For what projects/services did your company hire Saga - Experience Design Boutique?

The entire dental industry supply chain and purchasing are very outdated, so we wanted to give it an upgrade while changing the underlying business model.

What were your goals for this project?

We were interested in working with a team who can lead us through the product design and understand our business so well that we could trust them to give us product ideas.

How did you select this vendor?

We vetted over 25 different firms and most seem to want to get us the quote and move forward. Saga took the time to really understand our problems, discuss it with various people that knew the industry well then come to us with solutions as to how to best approach. I really appreciated the time they put in to understand what we do and how to best solve it.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we got started, we had a discovery phase that enables us to dive deep into the problem and come up with the best strategy. From there Saga designed the UX for Desktop while looping us in daily about updates. Simultaneously, they were helping us design product packaging for our supplies.

After the UX Desktop phase, they continued to design for all screen sizes. Once it was done, we received the final product which included UX/UI Kit, Brand Book, a Digital Catalog, and our Product Packaging.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the two founders and an additional senior designer.

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

We have been able to develop our online product and all of our supplies.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was amazing. We trusted them to lead the way, and they trusted us to leave feedback in a timely manner so that the project doesn't fall behind.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Absolutely blown away by their problem-solving skills, communication speed, agility to change the direction of the project, and the overall project result.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Although Saga made efforts to overlap as much time as possible with us (given that we were in different timezones), we only had a few hours a day to chat.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Gigmit is a platform that helps music artists be present where organizers and labels are looking for acts. I’m the product manager here, leading all the product efforts and continuous features development.

For what projects/services did your company hire Saga - Experience Design Boutique?

We were planning to develop new Artist Search functionality with some updated data visualization approaches and to update the general UI a little bit. Saga team covered the UX strategy and UI design for this product stream.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to come up with the well crafted UI and native UX, while not stepping too far aside the existing style. Also, some new product ideas within Artist Search were welcome too.

How did you select this vendor?

We have reviewed several applications from different companies and freelancers. Saga team decided to come up with a clickable prototype showcasing their ideas in advance and that was exactly what we were looking for.

Describe the project in detail.

We have started from the rapid prototype that was created in order to narrow down all the good ideas and understand scope better. Then, started to cover all the user stories we needed with the high fidelity wireframes. After that, we had several iterations and came up with the very first UI concept. Several iterations there as well and then the team just kept delivering the designs for all flows and screens we needed. In the end, Saga delivered the UI kit (design library) in order to keep the design language consistent.

What was the team composition?

We had Roman (Product Strategy and Communication), Max (Design Director) and Tania (Product Designer).

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

We have just started developing this functionality, but I think we will have something to show quite soon!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was quite dynamic and the team was really responsive. The timeline was met without any significant delays. We have mostly collaborated in the Figma file, leaving comments and discussing latest updates. When needed, we had sync meetings and standups to discuss more complex things.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

First of all, their responsiveness, quality of work, and transparent and fast communication were most impressive. We had been working mostly with freelancers before, and sometimes it was quite hard to manage them. Saga delivered in time, responded honestly and fast, and managed themselves on a good level.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Hard to say. Maybe it would be interesting to see a few more UI concept variations, just for a little bit wider picture. However, we are really happy with the quality of work and would definitely recommend these guys to other product teams.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Bookis is a social marketplace for new and used books. Founded in Aug 2016. We enable our users to ship books directly from their homes via pickup from people's doormats (literally). Currently in Norway and Sweden. I am the co-founder and CEO of the company.

For what projects/services did your company hire Saga - Experience Design Boutique?

Our mobile app (v.1) was scheduled for a refactor with React Native and a redesign. Up until Nov 2019, most design work had been performed in-house. Now was the time to get some talent to put their touch on it.

What were your goals for this project?

Objective: Redesign all screens of the current mobile app. • App should be more feminine (but not girly), fun/playful, spacious & modern. Target audience females 20-35y We expanded on the scope of the project after successful completion of the mobile app objective by adding a redesign of our current web app.

How did you select this vendor?

We defined selection criteria, process and posted a job on Upwork. After getting proposal submissions we started interviewing potential talent, and also contacted a few agencies with proven track record. Saga went above and beyond the process, and cleverly contacted me via Linkedin with their personal touch. Based on our selection criteria, we were left with two very talented agencies to choose from. The scale tipped in Saga's favor because of: 1) Quality of design concepts 2) Design system know-how 3) Professional process and high-Q presentation materials 4) Chemistry with team (key point: ACTUAL team, not just sellers) 5) Alignment/Understanding of our business and goals 6) Sensible price and estimates

Describe the project in detail.

First weeks was discovery. A lot of iterations of key screens to get to a final UX concept/design system. After this we worked flow-by-flow to finish the key screens based on the new concept. Effective coordination with designer and our product owner via Figma comments and longer conversations in Slack/video calls.

What was the team composition?

Max: UX designer Roman: Project manager

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

The project has been very successful so far. We don't have any product metrics to support this yet, as the product is still in development. My measure of success is judged based on our objective and goals for the collaboration. We have successfully redesigned the mobile app, with a design concept that encapsulates the personality traits we set as criteria. As the partnership has progressed, we have broadened the scope of Saga's services to also include our web app. It is progressing in a similar manner - looks great, and the quality of work is pristine.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. As I am the former UX designer of the product, it was a natural to communicate directly with Max, UX designer, from Saga. We have an effective iterative workflow with frequent syncs and discussions (when needed). Max is skilled and confident about his work. We have come to know each other well through this project, and that eases the coordination and I think we have clear expectations. Roman keeps track of our milestones and project goals, and does a great job with that. He is also making himself available for workshops around product development, which we also highly appreciate.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Very seldom do I find that my expectations about talent is exceeded, because I keep a high bar. In my experience, most of the time expectations are not even met. But Saga has successfully blown the bar! Max is an extreme UX design talent. You don't find this kind of talent these days. There is a jungle of mediocracy to navigate (and fend off) before finding the needle in the hay stack. His level (and diversity) of design skill, effectiveness, communication/collaboration skill, smooth developer hand-off, and a pleasant personality. Hands down best designer we have worked with. We haven't had the chance to work closely with Roman, but the few sessions we have had has been great. He keeps the project running smoothly and effectively. No unnecessary meetings or sync-ups.

Are there any areas for improvement?

For Saga: Not at this time. For the workflow: As a product owner, I could have been more attentive to their calls for review and feedback. But as a founder/CEO, CFO, CPO and HR-manager, there is limited time in my schedule. In other words, I am the bottleneck most of the time.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Dialik – high blood pressure forecast app that helps to predict and avoid potential health crises. Currently, we already launched the iOS and Android apps and are kicking off our launch campaign in the US.

For what projects/services did your company hire Saga - Experience Design Boutique?

We’ve hired them to help us work out our initial product concept, come up with the UX strategy and UI designs for both iOS and Android apps.

What were your goals for this project?

I was looking for a proactive design partner that may become a long term vendor covering all our design needs. The first “trial” project was a clickable prototype for investors demo. We were lucky to collaborate with Saga lead designer Max and got really happy with the result. That was the reason why we have decided to move further and kicked off the comprehensive design phase for both iOS and Android apps.

How did you select this vendor?

I had a freelancer from Upwork before, but we were not completely happy with the results. I’ve found some Saga’s works in popular charts on Dribbble and decided to drop them a line. There were three more agencies we had been discussing the project with, but Saga team looked most mature in terms of how they envision the cooperation process, so we have decided to give them a try.

Describe the project in detail.

As I mentioned before, we have started from the clickable prototype for investor demo. This phase took around two weeks and we had a little pause afterward in order to complete another funding round. Then, we have started again from the discovery week where we explored the Customer Journey Map, Value Proposition, Informational Architecture and User Flows of the app.

It was quite helpful for us, as soon as we are the medical experts by ourselves and Saga team become our very first digital advisor here, not just the design vendor. Once we have completed the discovery week, Max and Roman jumped into UI concepts and came up with several stylistic approaches in a week.

We had several iterations there to get a perfect result, but Max is really collaborative, so it was quite a seamless process for us. After that, there were 2 bi-weekly design sprints to deliver final designs for iOS and Android apps. During the final design sprint, Max has prepared a complete UI kit and some kind of document that describes all animations and design elements specifications.

What was the team composition?

Max was a lead designer and Roman was a product manager + some kind of business analyst at the very beginning of the project.

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

We have already launched both iOS and Android apps without any significant development problems or design gaps, so I would say it’s a good mark that demonstrates the interim project success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Saga is quite a young team, so they hustle really hard in order to build good and long-lasting relationships. They are really proactive in their daily communication, so it was a pleasure to be sure that there is someone else thinking about your product, not just you and your business partner. There wasn’t anything special in their project management approaches, but it was consistent and transparent. Also, Max (the designer) is a highly disciplined professional, so all delivery processes and feedback loops were set up in a proper way.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Definitely the dedication and that feeling of being a part of our product team throughout the process. The design quality meets the top level too. Finally, our development vendor was really happy with the technical side of the designs Saga delivered to us, so it probably worths mentioning too.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I won’t say there is something they should definitely improve. We had quite a tough kick-off phase and the main reason was the architecture complexity we have faced at the very beginning of our concept development. However, after a few days of discussions with developers, we have found a common ground and were able to move forward.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Co-founder

For what projects/services did your company hire Saga - Experience Design Boutique?

Website development

What were your goals for this project?

To create simple and working website for our products.

How did you select this vendor?

Recommendations.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

1 Analysis of previous website. 2 Transition stage 3 Sale consultations 3 Web design

What was the team composition?

2 people

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Great job. No delays. 24/7 communication Great design Post work consultations

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

PM was very reasonable and responsible. No delays.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Human centered design

Are there any areas for improvement?

There in no limits for improvements.