Paper Leaf

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a marketing and communications manager at Electricity HR Canada. We’re a national nonprofit organization that is largely funded by government grants. We make sure that all of the people responsible for Canada’s power grid have what they need to be prepared for HR challenges, including research, resources, and programs. We have a team of 15 based in Ottawa.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We’ve been developing an online training program to help people develop skills that they need to transition into their careers. It has a number of complicated components to it and involves building out very specific platforms. We don’t have a lot of in-house resources so we wanted a partner for this project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Paper Leaf develops custom software for us. We started with a kickoff process, ensuring their team was well structured and that we had access to their project management tools. 

They helped us build out a completely dedicated platform that facilitates mentorship. It was a very customized build. They used a starting foundation, which they heavily modified to fit our needs. From there, they ensured there was a tremendous amount of admin control and flexibility so that we could evolve the program. 

Paper Leaf handled all of the design work, from wireframes to mockups to completed designs. They took our existing brand standards and site design and made an adaptation that suited the specific audience of this platform. Our regular brand is more corporate, and this platform is more youth-oriented. They translated our branding into something that appealed to this younger audience.

They also helped us build an online learning management system. Their team helps us tighter up our overall digital infrastructure and has taken over the maintenance of our websites and digital properties.

What is the team composition?

We work with a handful of team members from Paper Leaf. We work directly with Kerryn (Project Manager) on a regular basis, but we also work with Kayla (Operations Director), who makes sure everything is aligned with their resourcing. Their designer Jenelle (Designer) is phenomenal. Our initial developer was Zac (Developer) and additional iterations after that were handled by Sarah (Developer).

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We have an open and transparent procurement process to find partners to work with. We had to run this process a couple of times because we weren’t satisfied with the initial proposals we received.

However, Paper Leaf really stood out to us. Not only was their proposal strong, but they made a clear effort to understand our organizational needs and what the project outcomes should be. I know a good agency when I see it, so we decided to work with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $150,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement began in September 2020. We’ve launched our initial mentorship platform and the online learning management system, but have an ongoing maintenance contract with Paper Leaf.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve only just launched the programs, but feedback so far has been outstanding. Everything that we’ve heard from our partners, our network, and our stakeholders has been positive. They’re thrilled with how the work is looking. 

We’ve seen great uptake of the platforms so far. In less than a month, our mentorship platform has over 200 users with no paid promotion. It’s a fairly niche platform, so that’s a substantial uptake for the sector. A large part of that is a combination of how approachable and effective the design is. The platform is very usable and streamlined. 

I’ve worked with a lot of development partners over the years.. Frankly, Paper Leaf has exceeded my every expectation and continues to do so. I recommend them to everyone. Our CEO gave a special shoutout to their team at our last board meeting. 

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams use Asana to collaborate. We also have regular bi-weekly check-ins and provide them with regular feedback sessions for major milestone events. 

Additionally, we created a shared Slack channel to expedite quicker questions. We onboarded to some of their programs which have elevated our project management, but they also met us halfway by joining our Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Paper Leaf put in a huge effort to really understand us and what success looks like for this project. We do very complicated technical work that none of their team had a background in. They invested a tremendous amount of time into learning this and communicating with our team about any questions they had. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, their team has been really transparent. It’s been great to work with them. When they were acquired by another company, the CEO reached out to me to address any concerns. I take that as a sign that they’re doing exceptionally well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You get what you put in. Meet them halfway. Anyone that engages them in the same way we did is going to get great results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of marketing and communications at a community college. We service 27,000 full-time students every year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We identified that our main website had some issues—it’s out-of-date and not mobile-friendly. Acknowledging that we don’t have the capacity nor the time to build a new site, we hired Paper Leaf to build a microsite for the School of the Arts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project involved web development and design. First, we worked with a discovery team that identified the user personas, conducted a needs assessment, looked at our information architecture, and addressed our desires.

The process entailed a lot of back-and-forth correspondence that was aimed at discovering the most ideal, modern design. It also had to satisfy a lot of different stakeholders within the college. The site was developed using WordPress. After the site was built and designed, our internal team took care of loading the content. The final phase was a hand-off to our web development team.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Jeff (CEO, Paper Leaf) when we first finalized the contract.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?­­­­­

It was through word of mouth. Plus, Paper Leaf quoted and won the proposal for the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the project from November 2018–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final art microsite was aesthetically pleasing and mobile-friendly. Those were our two biggest functional desires.

It’s hard to provide hard metrics because we’re still in our recruitment year. Until we have final enrollment numbers for the School of the Arts, I don’t really have any statistics to share.

Our general SEO could be better because the site has been hard to locate and hasn’t rendered quickly on Google. That’s a little bit disappointing but not a reflection on Paper Leaf’s work.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Asana. It allowed all stakeholders and individuals who worked on the project to be included in various timelines, projects, and to-do lists. The tool was very useful, so it was easy to view our schedule and progress. I saw when things were meant to be finished and when they were actually finalized. Having that timeline in front of us was really effective.

We went around the tree a few more times than anticipated on design, and they were patient with that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a small company and were easy to get in touch with. We developed a personal relationship by the end of the project. That stands out to me the most. They understood their industry and environment, which was important to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Communication could’ve improved. They had a little bit of employee turnaround while we were working with them. This made it hard at times to keep track of who we were meant to be communicating with.

I would’ve liked to have more direct contact with Jeff. He was the lead when we initiated the project, and we didn’t really hear from him again. I was led to believe that he was going to be quite involved in the project, which he wasn’t. That could’ve been communicated better. The team leads changed hands as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a mental health organization. We help individuals and family members with mental health or substance use concerns, as well as those affected by suicide. I'm the communications lead for the organization, and I'm responsible for all of our branding, websites, social media, and events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We needed help with one of our websites. We had major registration issues, and we wanted a site that was more comprehensive and intuitive.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a lot of complex needs, and we ultimately developed five different websites. The sites all needed the same branding, look, feel, and backend resources, but each needed a unique URL, admins, and resources to serve different locations and regions. Paper Leaf came in and worked with us from start to finish to determine our priorities and goals. We wanted something that users of all cognitive levels could access. The site allows users to register for classes, get email or text reminders, cancel a class, or join a waitlist. After classes are complete, all that data can be archived.

Paper Leaf did everything for us. They worked off of some existing branding standards and guidelines, but they gave everything a fresh, modern look. They did all the wireframes, and they worked with us to make sure all our goals were met. Everything was built for fresh code, and all five sites sync together. The sites are built in WordPress, and they added a variety of plugins. They built in CSV exporters and importers that allow us to upload and download all the data on the sites, and they added a Twilio plugin as a messaging service.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a fantastic project lead, and we were also in contact with the designer and the developer. We could approach any team member directly if we had questions, which made the process easy.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We sent out an RFP and got a number of responses. Paper Leaf hit all the points we needed in their response, and we felt comfortable talking to them in our initial selection call. They answered all our questions well, and we had a good feeling that they would work for us and meet our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from March-August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provided analytics, and they're projecting a 160% increase in our website traffic over where we were last year. The sites work much better than anything we had previously, and navigation is much clearer than before.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

I was so impressed by their project management skills. They use Asana as a project management tool and tracker, and they're so easy to communicate with. Everything they did was laid out clearly, and I always knew who was responsible for what. We got weekly status updates with tasks they had completed, the issues they faced, and the information they needed from us. We had a phone call twice a week, and they were on top of their project management and timelines. They were top-notch in every respect.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're in the same time zone, but we're about three hours away from each other. That didn't prevent anything from being done properly. They came to our offices for a kickoff meeting, but they were so easy to reach by phone or for screen-sharing sessions. They never let the distance become a problem.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would have been helpful to have some guidance about what we should do after launch. I've communicated that with them already, and it's the only thing we could have collaborated on more.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your project from the start. Sometimes, their work feels on the expensive side, but we got what we paid for. They gave us exactly what we needed and provided impactful service.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am one of the managing partners at Escape City. We are an escape room entertainment company that operates locations in Edmonton, Alberta, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We were looking for someone to help us with web design and development for our escape room company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the time we engaged Paper Leaf, we had opened a second location, and we were in the middle of preparing to launch a third and grow from there. We had outgrown our Squarespace website and needed something new that could scale with us. We also had some unique challenges to address regarding how our services are booked. Ultimately, any new website that we introduced needed to integrate with third-party systems and uphold the high standards we have for our brand.

Our RFP discussed what we looked for and why certain elements were important to us. But we also made sure to expand on those comments in our first several meetings with Paper Leaf. We went into great detail about our needs. From there, Paper Leaf developed all of the wireframes and designs.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with a project lead, a developer, and a designer. They worked in concert to make sure that the website worked properly and was as we had envisioned.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We sent an RFP to several firms in Edmonton and Western Canada. Although we recognized the importance of SEO in our business plan, we prioritized companies that had the development backbone to produce a functional site and integrate the necessary third-party systems.

Paper Leaf was among the responses we received, and they proved they could juggle the responsibilities of design and development to the extent that we needed. After several rounds of meetings, we selected them to build our website because of their system and processes.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $25,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project from February–May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the launch of our new site, the average visit time is up from one minute to about three minutes, and our bounce rate has decreased. Our sales have increased by roughly 25% in the last month. Not all of that can be attributed to the website, but it has undoubtedly played a part in that success.

Our customers and employees have also reported that the website is working well for them. Right now, we are happy with the end result.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

Paper Leaf’s processes were transparent and easy to follow. At any given time, I could check in on our progress and learn about what work is happening. They also never missed a deadline. If anything, I probably delayed their work by not getting information to them in time. They were on the ball and always pushing the project forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Generally speaking, it is hard to find a firm that does a good job with both the design and the development side. They seem to have a really good mix of both. They understand it needs to work and function the way their client needs it to. But at the same time, they used their creative instincts to fit the website into our business and brand seamlessly. I am very happy with my choice to hire them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. I think they did an exceptional job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a nonprofit health organization. We work with rural communities throughout the province of Alberta to help them attract and retain health professionals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We wanted to pivot toward video storytelling to communicate our mission. However, our website was outdated, and we found it challenging to integrate functionalities related to storytelling, blogs, and social media. We engaged Paper Leaf to build a more user-friendly site optimized for these features.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first identified what we wanted our website to do. We based our requirements on the existing hierarchy and added areas that we wanted to include but weren’t able to at the time. Paper Leaf then built the site with an entirely new CMS—WordPress—and design from scratch. 

They incorporated rebranded design elements and a layout based on our old site. They also helped migrate content from the old site to the new one. The website is responsive and works well on a desktop or mobile platform. It includes a social media gallery, easy navigation to frequently visited resources, and a call to action on every page. The team created style templates for specific pages and levels in the site that we can use as needed.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with a project manager.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We were looking for vendors proficient in WordPress. Paper Leaf demonstrated expertise in that CMS as well as up-to-date knowledge on the latest technologies and web design practices. They had a youthful vibe that we wanted to reflect in our site. Their portfolio also displayed responsive, visually appealing, and user-friendly sites that contained functionalities that we wanted on our website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018, and the website launched in December 2018.  Paper Leaf now provides ongoing support services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website launched to an immensely positive response. We receive frequent inquiries through our contact page and compliments on the new site’s layout, imagery, and color scheme.

Paper Leaf continues to host our site, fix bugs, and provide monthly updates as well as any modifications on demand. We’re satisfied with their work, and we’re launching a second phase of development to incorporate new features soon.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

The project fell behind schedule, but that resulted from delays on our side. The Paper Leaf team remained flexible, prompt, and responsive throughout the engagement. The project manager made sure the project ran smoothly when I wasn’t available. She kept me in the loop if anything needed approval on our end. She also was open to our suggestions and finding solutions to issues that we raised. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise and professionalism stood out the most. Paper Leaf knows what they’re doing and can reliably deliver a top-quality product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their high-quality services can come at a cost-prohibitive price. We experienced sticker shock at times, but the end product was worth it. We also would have appreciated slightly more flexibility built into the final system when we decided to expand the scope and add specific features midway through the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have a fully developed vision of your website before starting a project with Paper Leaf. We came up with ideas halfway through the project and as a result, have had to start a second stage to integrate these add-ons.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior manager of public affairs for the Canadian Automobile Association in the national office. We’re a federation of eight independent clubs across the country. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

My team does public education regarding road safety, environmentally friendly driving, consumer representation, and air travel. We worked on several of those topics with Paper Leaf, but the biggest project was our school zone safety web app. 

Our clubs were executing a yearly campaign using pen and paper to document dangerous driving in school zones. We compiled their information in Excel and relayed it back to the school, school board, and, sometimes, the media. When the media latched on to the story, we realized pen and paper weren’t sufficient. We worked with Paper Leaf to build a tool that would improve our process for our clubs. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed our problem, and Paper Leaf put a couple of solutions together. Because we're a federated model, and there were two clubs doing this campaign with pen and paper, there was also the opportunity that, if we made it easy enough, other clubs would pick it up and replicate the campaign in their areas. After a bit of brainstorming and refinement, we settled on a web app built on WordPress, which allows us to make changes internally. Paper Leaf was responsible for the overall design and look of the app. 

The project continues to evolve because more of our clubs are picking it up across the country. We've been enhancing it every year and making it more user-friendly based on the feedback we receive. As new clubs come on board, they bring their own requirements. Specifically, we added a component so a municipality working with one of our clubs could access the app. The city has its own login information, and they can go to their schools in their region, collect their data, and store it in a secure database. If multiple municipalities are inputting data, our club can see all of it, but the municipalities can only view their own data. 

As the national organization, we can see massive trends that are happening and collect general data to share with the government about what is going on in school zones. Creating the three levels of the databases was the most important requirement; the national organization can see everything, the club can see its region, and the cities only see their own data. Paper Leaf continues to manage new development tasks. 

What is the team composition?

I work with a project manager most of the time, and I’ve worked with a head developer and the main designer minimally. For the school zone project, we had two developers to ensure we finished on time. They may have other people behind the developer and designer.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We inquired with several agencies and evaluated which would be the best fit. My counterparts at the Alberta Motor Association said they had heard of Paper Leaf, and that they came highly recommended. They ended up offering the best deal and had the best plan. Since we began, their responsibilities have ballooned. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2017, and it’s an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project management has been a huge value. Having someone who can translate my requests to the designer and developer to make sure I get what I ask for has been great. Paper Leaf makes sure the developers and designers are all on the same page. All I have to do is send them a note to add something or ask where we are, and they take care of it.

With the school zone safety app, they were on calls with our clubs so if one of our clubs wanted to add something specific, Paper Leaf was there to give their opinion and suggestion. They think about the ultimate goal of a button or function, and if they don't think it will work, they dig deeper to figure out why we want that function, or if there is another solution. Their expertise has been extremely valuable.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

This was my first experience working in a sprint model where we built part of the app and then evaluated it to see if we were on the right track. The teams from our clubs said the plans made sense, but that they wanted to add other features as well. Then, Paper Leaf went back to do more development and we reevaluated. Instead of dumping all the requirements on one sprint or going halfway or all the way and realizing it wasn’t what we wanted, we were able to pause early on.

They took baby steps, which was another reason why it was great having them on board. They used a program with a simplified yet workable wireframe that we could click to make sure things made sense. They built on and refined the design with every step, as they developed further functionality. 

They use Asana to keep me up to date with everything. If I have questions, I can ask, but they also provide me with a weekly report on the projects, especially long-term projects, to let me know where they are. Their project management is one of the reasons we keep coming back to them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their project management, as well as their expertise, are impressive. They look at my requests and determine whether it would be a valuable addition before agreeing to it. If it is, they find a solution and move forward. If not, they aren’t afraid to push back and let us know there might be a better alternative. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I'm aware of. When we changed project managers, their knowledge transfer was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want and what your goals are instead of simply having a list of what you want them to do. Present them with your ultimate goal; Paper Leaf is excellent at extrapolating from that. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Executive Director for Health Technology Assessment international’s (HTAi) core Secretariat team. We’re a not-for-profit academic society that provides a collaboration platform for stakeholders in the pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and regulatory industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

Our website needed a refresh because we had struggled to support operations and maintenance with limited funds. After five years without an update, the site became dormant. We were working with a firm in Central Canada, but wanted a local vendor to complete the overhaul. We also wanted Paper Leaf to be a long-term partner and manage the site going forward.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Paper Leaf built the site’s new base from scratch and migrated content over from the antiquated site. The team created a new design and drove design requirements for our marketing partner’s concurrent rebrand project. The overhaul focused on external-facing public information and an architecture that enables to expand the backend. We requested a log-in feature, but haven’t concentrated on that feature yet.

Currently, Paper Leaf is working with us even though the contract is over because our team couldn’t do all the QA on time. The team is completing last-minute update requests as we wind down the original scope. Recently we signed a long-term service agreement, during which they will finish additional tasks still in their queue.

What is the team composition?

The business development representative was our first main point of contact. He then handed work over to the project manager, who served as our principal contact. The project manager had a development team working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We went through a tender process and did backgrounds checks on every organization we considered. Paper Leaf’s initial overhaul work distinguished them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $150,000 CAD ($141,100 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2017 and the website went live in May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Paper Leaf was on time and within budget. From a design perspective, they did an excellent job taking us by the hand and walking us through the process.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

The team accommodated our timeline, which may have been unfairly rushed since we couldn’t get the QA done in time. We did end up requesting more work than I expected from a contract perspective. Even though the team delivered everything on time, we pushed the timeline due to the QA issue and our extra requests. We used Asana for task management, which enabled us to track developers’ progress without necessarily corresponding with the team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The overhauled site’s design and architecture received stellar feedback from our international stakeholders. Those features made us look good, which reflected well on Paper Leaf. During the project, the team had everything covered, especially when we couldn’t manage QA. We were inundated and Paper Leaf threw us a lifeline.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Asana was a double-edged sword because checking progress was a proactive step. We didn’t get regular status updates. Overall, communication could have been more structured. But again, we were happy to use Asana and it wasn’t a real problem. We wouldn’t be doing additional business with Paper Leaf if we had any major concerns.

Any advice for potential customers?

Coming from an IT background, Asana was a new tool for me that I had to come up to speed on. Paper Leaf should be transparent with clients about using Asana and provided a detailed tutorial on how communication works on the tool.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing consultant at Alberta Sport Connection, a government agency focused on delivery a sports system in Alberta, Canada. My job involves coordinating our communications team and social media, improving and updating the website, and engaging with other media outlets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We were using four different websites but wanted to combine them into one, larger site, while maintaining government security standards. Our old website used old technology that made it hard to update and required users to search for information between our multiple sites, which made it difficult to find information and to increase traffic. We needed a site that was easier for visitors to use and that allowed our internal team to make small updates when necessary.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Paper Leaf team combined our four sites into one, and also created three microsites within our main site. As a government agency, we have to have to follow specific security standards for each microsite, prohibiting users with access to a microsite to access the main site. Paper Leaf team built the security around each of those sites to meet the government requirements.

In addition to the security requirements, we wanted the site to be accessible to our team, allowing us to upload and edit content. Paper Leaf suggested WordPress for our backend because it seemed to allow the easiest access to our microsites.

They also built more functionalities for the new site, which lets us showcase different events or achievements through video or forums, for example. Since the site’s launch, we’ve been working with them to incorporate more features, like e-commerce, while still making improvements.

What is the team composition?

They have two project managers and a team of developers.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We worked with another company in the area for our previous website, but we knew we'd have to submit an RFP to rebuild since we’re a government agency. Paper Leaf responded to the RFP, along with other companies, and was eventually one of our final two choices. When we held our final interviews, we found they were the right fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

After we realized we’d need additional security for the microsites, we incorporated the money for that into the contract. Eventually, we’ve invested between $100,000 and $200,000, in addition to our monthly retainer fee.

What is the status of this engagement?

The entire first phase of the project was completed in less than six months and we launched March 2017. We continue to contract with them after the site’s launch and work with them to keep improving and making adjustments as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We look at our site's functionalities and the pages users visit to measure the site’s success, and both metrics have improved since we launched the new site. That tells me that once people are on our site, they stay longer and are able to find the information they’re seeking. We know people use our new interactive tools, like forums, so we can see that the tracking's working.

They've also been responsive when we've had issues. For example, when we noticed our navigation wasn't working with the new setup, we told them about the problem and they quickly responded with options to build a new navigation system. Since then, our traction numbers are even better.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in regular contact with our two project managers, including weekly updates to discuss site projects and upgrades. We meet in person every six weeks to share updates our tasks and priorities, and how those compare with Paper Leaf's. During those meetings, we also had a financial review so we know where we are with our retainer fees

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I've had concerns, they are accessible and provide solutions immediately. When we approach them with ideas, they always respond constructively by telling us either how they plan to execute a task, or giving us suggestions to do something better. They've also been honest regarding finances and will let us know if our request for work isn't a good use of the retainer fee. In those cases, they present alternatives that they think will be more effective. Overall, I appreciated their responsiveness and honesty.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They are the perfect company for us—they’ve helped us move forward and I don't see our relationship changing anytime soon.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you’re discussing your ideas with the Paper Leaf team, listen to their feedback, because they have some great ideas. That being said, they're viewing the site from a backend point of view and you're approaching it from a frontend and user perspective, so you still need to articulate when something is working and when it isn't.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at Alberta Distance Learning Center (ADLC), an educational service provider for student and teacher instruction. I oversee communications, marketing, and the website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Leaf?

We wanted a custom registration system with an e-commerce component for a large influx of students, about 30,000 in total. The build needed to be visually appealing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Paper Leaf completed several projects for us. They developed a login-based student registration website on WordPress. Registrations generated output appropriate for a separate payment system. They also built the online store, which sold books and service. However, that component acted as a different system outside the login.

The team then created the course catalog, which had multilingual versions for online and print. The information architecture accommodated these variations and distinguished class types, whether teacher-to-student or teacher-to-teacher services. They redesigned the catalog and refreshed the site. The team used analytics and quantitative data to execute the former. For the latter, they built a new custom site that served as an open-resource hub.

Currently, Paper Leaf is on retainer to manage our patches and updates. We have weekly meetings to continue improvements and bug fixes.

What is the team composition?

Resources have shifted since the first project. Currently, they have two teams and a dedicated project manager, who has worked with us since the start. The teams include dedicated developers, designers, and specialists. The owner provides guidance as necessary, particularly for larger projects.

How did you come to work with Paper Leaf?

We sent out an RFP. However, that process predated my tenure at the company. I started working at ADLC about five months into Paper Leaf’s engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested $455,790 worth of work thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in November 2015 and the most recent project ended in late 2017. Maintenance is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received positive feedback from our internal audiences. The visual designs and infographics worked well for our site’s content.

In addition, the team’s diverse skills benefited our goals. We leveraged their design and SEO expertise during collaboration.

How did Paper Leaf perform from a project management standpoint?

The team accommodated the academic calendar to meet our needs and goals. Their communication was process-oriented, which made the partnership reliable. During meetings, they recorded minutes to keep stakeholders informed over an extended period of time. We used Asana, which helped us visualize workloads in an interactive environment.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were eager to solve problems in a collaborative setting.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They restructured the team seamlessly by adjusting their processes as needed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Maintain an open line of communication with them. They have a wide range of services and in-house expertise to leverage.