Monk 72

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of operations at ASP Security Services.

What challenge were you trying to address with Monk72?

We have a contract with a big client who provides crossing guard services. We were looking to build a time and attendance app for guards onsite. After an unsatisfactory experience with one vendor, we decided to look for help elsewhere.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Monk72 was brought on board to figure out what the issues with the desktop app were and devise a plan to fix them. From there, they helped us create all of the solutions to our issues with the app and dashboard. Their team was responsible for everything from wireframes to the finished product. They continue to provide support as we work through the rollout.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Alex (Product Design Consultant).

How did you come to work with Monk72?

Alex and our CEO had worked together in the past. After he introduced me to Alex, I explained to him exactly what we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $150,000 CAD (approximately $120,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement began in March 2020.

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

Thanks to Monk72, we now have a tool that actually works in the field. We started using the application in the field this week, and it provides KPIs we’ve never had access to in the past. Thanks to the app, we can see attendance levels and who’s on-site where. It allows us to make adjustments as needed and it’s really easy to use. 

How did Monk72 perform from a project management standpoint?

They have perfect project management skills. They consistently go above and beyond. There’s not a single thing we’ve asked for that they haven’t been able to accomplish and often they’ll even do more than we asked for. Our teams use Monday to collaborate and get updates. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their work has been way beyond what we ever expected. Additionally, Monk72 is responsive and willing to get things done quickly. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything has been great over the last year, 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open and honest with them right from the beginning. Being transparent allows them to do what they need to do, and that’s where their expertise comes in.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a smart home device startup. We have smart barbeque grills. We haven’t launched yet.

What challenge were you trying to address with Monk 72?

We hired Monk 72 to help with our mobile app. Monk 72 designed the UX of our mobile app and controller.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We kicked off two linked projects with them. The first is what we call an interaction design for the mobile app, which includes designing wireframes and interaction flows. The second part was the visual design for both our controller and mobile app. They created graphics and colors for the final design of the interfaces.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Alex (Founder).

How did you come to work with Monk 72?

It was through a referral. I interviewed quite a few UX designers. In the end, I found some good ones, but someone recommended Alex very highly. After interviewing him and looking through his portfolio, I felt that it was a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2020–January 2021.

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

Our company hasn’t launched yet, so everything is in prototype mode. I gave them very detailed requirements, and our success criteria were to make sure all of that was included. Our goal is to have the top UX app in our space. We have rounds of user testing. If there were things found during that, I would return the feedback to Alex, and he would make adjustments.

How did Monk 72 perform from a project management standpoint?

They used a lot of design tools, but in terms of collaboration and deliverables, they used Zeplin. We had meetings with Alex one or two times a week. We also spoke on the phone when necessary.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I found that the creativity was most impressive. Alex is very innovative. He likes to come up with new things. As a result, our app looks quite different than anything else on the market. But, at the same time, he still follows the best practices.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While he is great on the creative side, that can also be a negative. Being creative means that Alex may choose to do something new, but that also means it might not always work. There were a couple of revisions because of this.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give very detailed requirement documents. Make sure it’s reviewed very carefully. Say which things you absolutely want to be standardized, and then mention where you can be innovative and creative.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the property manager at a commercial property management company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Monk 72?

Our website went down and we weren’t sure why. It turned out our hosting service was no longer in business, so we were looking to update our website and change hosting services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Monk 72 developed a new website for us. They cleaned up our old website and moved it over to GoDaddy. 

After the onset of COVID-19, they also developed an app for us. The app allows users to scan a QR code and answer our COVID-19 questionnaire before coming on the premises. It allowed us to more effectively contract trace. The app saves all of the answers to the questionnaire into a Google spreadsheet. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was Alex (Product Design Consultant).

How did you come to work with Monk 72?

After our website went down, I got in contact with Alex. I knew he was interested in design and decided to work with him 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $3,000–$4,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from 2014–January 2021.

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

Working with Monk 72 has streamlined our internal processes. It’s much easier to work out any website issues we have knowing that we have them on our side. It has taken the onus off of us.

How did Monk 72 perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is amazing. Our teams communicate over the phone. Prior to the pandemic, he would come on-site for an in-person meeting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their detail-oriented approach and customer service skills stood out to me. They’re also very communicative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re very happy. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Explain exactly what you’re looking for and give him the option to present it how Alex envisions it. You’ll be very impressed with what he can come up with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a co-founder and project manager at Mawazo Marketing, a digital marketing agency. We help our clients build web applications to run their businesses more effectively or expand their business online. We also provide online marketing services to generate traffic.

What challenge were you trying to address with Monk 72?

We were looking for help with usability and UX.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Monk 72 works with us on multiple projects. We bring them into any project that requires a little bit more design thought. Their team helps with creating screens, designing functionality, and translating workflows into designs. 

Our team handles wireframing, mapping out the data and content on the screens as well as what functionality is needed. Then, their team comes in and streamlines that information into a design, ensuring it makes sense from a user’s perspective. The team makes sure everything is both accessible and technically possible. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Alex (Product Design Consultant).

How did you come to work with Monk 72?

I have known Alex for decades. When I started this agency, it took a while for us to build up to the caliber of project we’re working on now. Once we reached that level, I reached out to Alex because I knew Monk 72 could accomplish what we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

Altogether, we’ve invested less than $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement began in December 2018.

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

I received amazing feedback on Alex’s work from my own clients. They love his work. He’s been pivotal in making projects run more smoothly and efficiently. He understands both the client’s design needs and the technical needs of the developer. 

How did Monk 72 perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been very reliable. Alex is always available for meetings and delivers work on time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to understand the client’s needs from a business perspective sets them apart. Alex is able to balance that with understanding the development side of things, which makes it all the more impressive. He understands the limits and opportunities that come with each technology. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes Alex spends a lot of time trying to make each element perfect, but it’s only because he cares about the project. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what value Monk 72 can bring into your particular project. He doesn’t just do pretty designs, he considers every aspect of the project and how it will affect the client’s business as a whole.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Everyday Heroes Kids - www.ehkidshealth.com

For what projects/services did your company hire Monk 72?

We needed our entire platform designed with consulting on user functionality and branding. We also needed marketing materials and have continued to build out our technology so have required ongoing work from Monk 72.

What were your goals for this project?

This was a complicated project. We have over 140 professional types that qualify for our platform and a large database of search terms, among other filters.

The professional and organization templates that Monk 72 helped us design to suit all of criteria are incredible. Alex is so thoughtful, passionate and intuitive with his design and foresight. The end result was above and beyond what I had dreamed for the platform and when professionals, hospitals, clinics and nonprofits complete their profiles they are delighted with the look and result, how easy it is to do and the functionality of it.

Alex's designs perfectly captured the professional look we wanted while still looking 'kid friendly'. The feedback we have received from doctors, hospital CEO's and international nonprofits has been overwhelming.

How did you select Monk 72?

I feel so incredibly fortunate we were Alex was recommended to us (by a Sr. Software Engineer at Google). He is without a doubt the best!

Describe the project in detail.

• Design our overall look and functionality of our platform
• Alex listened to all of our input, thought everything through and came back for clarification as well as his thoughts and advice on next steps.
• Estimates were given and always on target

Alex is dedicated to his projects and is available for ongoing work without losing interest & always maintains the highest level of professionalism

What was the team composition?

We have a CTO, software engineers and myself that are focused on all aspects of our development. We rely on Alex to translate all aspects of design. He has been the only UI/UX designer on our project.

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

We launched 9 months ago. Since then we have almost 300 professionals on the platform and several organizations and nonprofits, including pediatric hospitals. We have had several doctors, universities, US/Canadian pediatric hospitals, government funded programs, private companies and international nonprofits reaching out and wanting to be involved with our platform.

We also now have paying customers and were recently awarded a grant from the government as a social impact venture.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It's been seamless.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality of work, the detailed accurate estimates, the work that has been delivered to date, Alex's incredible attitude, his intelligence and overall professionalism and enthusiasm. Monk 72 goes above and beyond and has always surpassed our expectations. When I send his work to our team it always creates excitement.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, no!