Prototypical

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

VP of Marketing at a Public Safety Organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Prototypical?

Developing a new corporate website plus product interface design work.

What were your goals for this project?

Replace our existing website with compelling new design and functionality. We also used Prototypical to help us with our cor product's interface.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them when searching for leading Webflow designers. Their portfolio and references were great, and after the first interview with them, we knew we'd have a great working relationship!

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Web design and development, including customized interactive graphics and video for a corporate website. Product interface design for a public safety technology platform.

What was the team composition?

For the corporate website, we had a designer and two developers working directly with me. For the product interface, their development team worked as an extension of our team to meet out strategic goals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website is now performing very well on Google. We also have had multiple clients mention how compelling our new website is, and the graphics and design are absolutely wonderful. The product interface design was also extremely helpful, and the Prototypical team not only executed on the work requested, but also came t the table with innovative new ideas.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The projects were completed on time and on budget. We are so happy with the work, that we plan to use Prototypical on an ongoing basis.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Prototypical team we worked with- John, Jonathan and Tinna, were all a pleasure to work with. They go above and beyond to ensure that the project is done well, and don't nickle and dime you on revisions. There was no scope creep or unmet expectations. Most importantly, they are fantastic at what they do, as well as being fun to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at this time- it was a great experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

During this project I was leading the research team at a boutique research firm that provides subscription and custom products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Prototypical?

We needed an overhaul of our online presence, which was kind of an old school site that just hosted static reports. We needed to improve navigability, discoverability and also display research and analysis side-by-side in a more digestible way. We had hired another firm for this project first, and that firm had never taken the time or did not have the ability to understand our needs. We engaged Prototypical to give it another try.

What were your goals for this project?

Explained above.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had a phone and then a face-to-face meeting in which we explained what we wanted, and what had disappointed us about the first vendor. In the face-to-face they provided us with their framework and initial ideas about going forward.

Describe the project in detail.

I led the project from the client side. It was an overhaul of our site, with different approaches needed for the different topics we cover. They provided designs, and made adjustments based on our feedback and our explanations of what we needed.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the firm's principals/founders. This was important as the prior vendor had shunted us off to a project manager and some outsourced designers based in Prague or something. With Prototypical, the people who we initially worked with when agreeing to the project were the same ones who saw it through to the end. This was key to the project being a success.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still working on building/implementing what they designed for us. What they handed over, though, was huge improvement and the team is excited to see it live.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was very effective. They did everything they said they would, on schedule and in scope. There are always communications challenges with a project like ours. It is an exercise in someone executing structurally and visually ideas that not-so-design-savvy people do their best to communicate verbally. The Protoypical team was great at listening and collaborating, leading us when we needed to be led and listening to us when we wanted to take things in a different direction.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They truly enjoy the challenge of implementing a client's vision. They are doing work they like and are good at, and that comes through in the energy that they brought to the project. It is a small firm where you don't get handed off -- what you see in the sales process is what you get for the duration of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Oleander Consulting is a private investigations firm, specializing in social media threat intelligence, located in New York City. We work with a number of high profile clients, including large venues and public figures. I am the principal of Oleander Consulting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Prototypical?

Upon establishing Oleander Consulting, I knew I needed a cogent and effective website. I already had clients, and referrals were starting to come in, and word-of-mouth works better if there's a legitimate web presence. You don't exist if you don't have a website.

What were your goals for this project?

The concepts of social media threat intelligence can be hard to convey, and I wanted to also incorporate a distinct tone to reflect that this is a woman-owned and operated company, in a heavily male dominated field. I needed a smart and receptive team to help me translate these elements into a visually engaging web presence.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with Jonathan Chan on a project when I was at a prior job. So I looked him up again, and saw that he had established Prototypical. I checked out their website, and reviewed the portfolio before contacting him to set up a conversation about if/how we might work together on my project.

He and I had worked well together in the past, and I was very pleased with the outcome of those projects, so I was hoping we could work together on the website for Oleander Consulting.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a number of meetings in-person (we both work in NYC), and communicated via phone, email and text. Jonathan is very responsive and a nimbly translates ideas into action. He wireframed the website, provided mock-ups, imagery, font choices, and much more. We discussed flow and best practices to come up with a website that is user-friendly.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with Jonathan Chan and he served as liaison to other team-members like the back-end developer, and others.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have a great website and receive compliments on it regularly. In my field there is a glut of unprofessional and sloppy websites, and the website Prototypical built for me is a refreshing and out of the ordinary.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

As mentioned, Jonathan was available and responsive. We would have regular meetings, but if I thought of something off-hand, I could email or text him and always get a quick answer back.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was really impressed by their ability to easily digest complex concepts into a visual atmosphere and narrative. I *know* that's their job, but I've had so many experiences on past digital projects where that part is the hardest. So when working with Protoypical and Jonathan Chan, in particular, he just *gets* it...he's very smart, you don't have to explain things twice.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I was very happy overall with my experience working with Protoypical. Nothing comes to mind for "improvements."

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager at Starbird Chicken, a Bay Area restaurant concept focused on delicious chicken, salads, tacos, and tender boxes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Prototypical?

We set out to be the leaders in technology in the restaurant space and our old website wasn’t meeting those expectations or standards. So, we were looking for a web partner who had expertise in Webflow, the system we were using to build our website. We wanted them to bring to light what our brand means with photography and design, in order to meet our brand standards.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After coming up with ideas, Prototypical took on the project. Their outlook on the website wasn’t just to build a website and end with that; they were thinking about the analytical side of the website, where users are going, and what they’re thinking. The team took all of this into consideration when making decisions.

They redeveloped the website to make it completely different from what we had originally. We approached this as a redesign, but they ended up doing the whole website from scratch, focusing specifically on the ease of ordering flow. 

In addition to building a second website for an in-house brand that we developed, Prototypical has guided us with data analytics and SEO projects, serving as our go-to resource in those areas. 

What is the team composition?

I work primarily with three teammates including Jonathan (Creative Director) and John (Director of UX), who are our main points of contact. We also work with another teammate who serves as our main developer.

How did you come to work with Prototypical?

We interviewed a few different companies with strong Webflow backgrounds. Ultimately, we chose Prototypical because of how personable they were and how dedicated they were to their craft. Additionally, they are an around-the-clock company, which was important because we’re on the west coast, while they’re on the east.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent between $50,000–$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2019 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The order and overall flow of the website have tremendously improved and have also contributed to more orders. The team has been extremely helpful with the analytical side of our business.

How did Prototypical perform from a project management standpoint?

They exceed our project management expectations, always beating deadlines. Additionally, Prototypical is incredibly devoted and continues to prove that through their deliverables. The team is able to get work done at any hour of the day, and we work with them on an hourly basis, almost daily.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication and execution are two of their strengths. There’s never a time of day I can’t get hold of them, and they’re always able to find a solution for any problem. It might not be the immediate solution that we’re thinking of, but they always figure it out no matter what the circumstances.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. Everything they’ve done is exactly what we were looking for in a partner, so we’re very happy with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing & Ecommerce in North America for a global cosmetics company. I am responsible for the overall sales and performance of our direct-to-consumer business for multiple brands in North America and communicating our strategic vision to our stakeholders and agency partners to execute.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Prototypical?

In 2018, our company was planning the direct-to-consumer launch of one of our majors brands in the North America market. We started a search for an agency partner to help us lead the UX and creative vision for our brand's website and spearhead and execute the overall web development and logistics integration in Shopify for the ecommerce site . After a thorough search, we hired Prototypical in May of 2018.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal for this project was two fold: 1. To create a user experience that told our brand's story in a way that was engaging and impactful for the new market we were entering, North America and specifically the US. 2. To develop a website optimized for conversion, specifically for the unique nuances of beauty products. We wanted to create a seamless experience that visually told our brand story but was also easy to use and ultimately drive sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met with many agencies in our search, all of whom were well qualified and had numerous references from clients in the beauty space. We ultimately decided to hire Prototypical because of their unique strategic vision.

It was clearly evident the team could execute the direct goal of launching a ecommerce website successfully on Shopify. But what we saw in Prototypical that we didn't see in other agencies was their passion and vision. The team is comprised of out-of-the-box thinkers and in initial conversations, presented ideas and feedback that we internally didn't even consider.

They seemed like they would be the type of partner that would go above and beyond for us and give us a unique point-of-view and experience that our own internal team couldn't provide.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Prototypical designed, developed and launched a eCommerce website in Shopify for one of our beauty brands. The project happened in phases, with team meetings to touchbase and check in on progress and feedback throughout. We began with a discovery phase.

We presented Prototypical with our specific asks as well as an in-depth presentation on the brand. Prototypical in turn took that and presented us with visual inspirations and customer personas, which we reviewed together and provided feedback.

They then used the leanings from our discovery to begin building the visual look and feel and wireframes for each page of the website. After a review period, we finalized those and moved on to UX and web development. Prototypical presented us with multiple options and recommendations.

Once all stakeholders were aligned, we moved forward to completing backend development and logistics integration. After a period of QA, we launched the website to the public.

What was the team composition?

Our two primary points-of-contact were John and Jonathan, partners at Prototypical, who leaded the project to ensure things were moving on schedule and all stakeholders were aligned.

They also provided the strategic UX vision and were the creative masterminds behind the project. We also worked with a lead developer on the project, Tinna. The team stayed consistent throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without Prototypical, our team would not have been able to launch this project as successfully as we have. The team always provided strategic guidance and recommendations that showed they were clearly thinking about the business and how to prepare it for long-term growth.

And on top of that, they always delivered on deadlines and ensured the project was moving forward as scheduled. After the launch of this project, we have continued to work with Prototypical on a retainer basis to implement additional functionality on our website and the value of these projects has been visible in the improvement we've seen in our conversion rate.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Prior to the start of the project, Prototypical provided a clear timeline and schedule for the project, with key dates and deliverables for each. We were in constant communication throughout the project and the team was always accessible and easy to reach, whether by a quick phone call or email.

At each checkpoint, Prototypical presented us with a clear update on progress made so far, points to discussions, actions items and next steps.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Partners John and Jonathan are such a pleasure to work with. They are both veterans in creative services and are brilliant in what they do. They bring unique ideas to the table and are always willing to go above and beyond what is asked of them. They have built a strong development team around them to bring their creative visions to life.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There really aren't any areas of improvement we can think of for Prototypical and we would give our strong recommendation to anyone considering working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I started Bethel Grapevine which is an online, hyper local magazine foxing on the best of Bethel, CT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Prototypical?

We needed to find a design firm that was able to translate our ideas into a unique, functional, creative and fun website. From our very first call, Jonathan listened intently, asked the right questions and listened some more. We needed a site built to feature articles, a classified section, events calendar and videos.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to launch mid September and we did. Needed to learn how to work Wordpress and mailchimp and they are teaching me.

SOLUTION

How did you select Prototypical?

I found them through Webflow experts.

Describe the project in detail.

Web site design, delivery and launch.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Jonathan Chan and John Ma. I know more were in on it but I didn’t work directly with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Site launched and we are getting exceptional feedback. We are in the top 149000 of all sites in the country due to content and design.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. They are extremely responsive and a pleasure to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their response time and how kind they are.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that Incan think of.