Ronan Hand Design

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Digital Salon Group. We’re a website, software, and digital marketing agency for salons. I work with hair and beauty salons in Ireland, UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand. We provide them with websites, online shops, software, digital screens, social media management, and digital marketing.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ronan Hand Design?

We needed someone to create the UI/UX design for our online booking platform and turn it into a sellable product. The version we had before worked and was in test mode, but it wasn’t visually pleasing and didn’t look like a professional product. We wanted to make it look more visually appealing and tweak the usability to make it more user-friendly for the customer.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ronan Hand Design built the UI/UX design and reskinned our B2B online booking platform. They focused on the visuals to rebrand the product and usability to improve its user-friendliness. In terms of the software design, we had an in-house developer do that. Ronan Hand Design continues to assist us. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Ronan (Freelance Design Consultant).

How did you come to work with Ronan Hand Design?

I found them online, and someone also recommended them. I reached out to Ronan Hand Design, explained the project, and they found it interesting. He had a good understanding of what I wanted and assured us he could help us visualize what we wanted to build.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $6,000–$7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March–April 2021.

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

The platform became a product that we could sell. We have several customers who are using the product on their site to take bookings. Last month, we started billing them for the first time, and we now have a monthly recurring revenue from the platform, which was our key goal.

How did Ronan Hand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was excellent. They had a couple of key milestones based on 3–4 key elements of the build: the backend, frontend, and a management dashboard. Ronan Hand Design delivered each piece on time. Ronan used Figma, which allowed me to see what he was doing, and we communicated via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ronan was an outstanding designer. He was able to get into my head and understand what I wanted to build.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing they could’ve done better — I’m pleased with everything he did.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good initial call and convey as much information on what you want them to build. Give examples, screenshots, video walk-throughs, and so on to help them really understand your goals.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an immersive innovation studio that creates experiences and helps businesses transform at a global scale. Businesses are adopting new technologies and avenues to reach their consumers or market their products using AR and VR to create better consumer impact and brand awareness.

We create everything from web experiences, mobile applications, VR headset applications to 360 video projects.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ronan Hand Design Company?

We create a lot of social AR experiences on social media. We have an internal development team that handles a lot of this work, but at the time, I had no one available. I needed to go out and find somebody who was familiar with Spark AR.

We hired them to help us create an Instagram filter for a popular coffee brand’s National Coffee Day.

What was the scope of their involvement?

For these projects, we will often have a client come in and talk to us about creating a branded effect or filter to promote their product on Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. We’ll strategize, craft the idea, and then develop the experience.

In this particular case with Ronan Hand Design Company, the client already had the idea and a lot of artwork. I walked the client through Spark AR, and then I hired Ronan Hand Design Company to develop it for me and create some animations using the designs.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the core Spark AR developer and designer. They might’ve had an animator on staff, but I never interacted with them.

How did you come to work with Ronan Hand Design Company?

I found them through the Spark AR Facebook group. They were available and responsive to my email. I also went to their webpage and thought their work was great. It represented the work that I was looking to do. They were also talking about him positively in the Facebook group.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in September 2020.

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

The client loved the final product. They were happy with the experience, and I believe a lot of people utilized it.

The biggest metric for me was the constant flow of communication between us. We had to get this project done in five ways, so fast communication was important. Obviously, there was a time difference between us, so we had to communicate effectively. Their team was more than happy to adjust their time to my hours.

They know Spark AR very well, which aided with the quick turnaround. They were able to get the filter up quickly and ready for approval by Facebook. A lot of the artwork was done by the brand, but in terms of animation, they were able to take some shortcuts and make it work within our timeframe.

How did Ronan Hand Design Company perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they were great. Their communication style was pristine and quick. They were always willing to accommodate my needs.

For partners we work with, we use Slack. They were always communicating well in those channels. Deadlines were always met on time, if not early. It was a very smooth process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team had an intimate knowledge of the platform we used. They were also able to take an idea from another client, using their judgment to execute a solid experience at the end.

The back-and-forth communication was phenomenal. If I needed something answered, I got a response right away. I never had to wait long at all.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know if I have any direct feedback. I didn’t get enough time with them to figure out how they do things. If we were working together on a longer timeline, I would have a more constructive response. They were great throughout the process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would tell potential clients to do one of two things – either come to them with a solid idea and design in place that needs to be executed or use them for their consultation and strategic skills. Be thoughtful about what you want to achieve with them, and they’ll help you execute the best possible solution.

Please describe your company and your position there.

A Yoga studio with a retail store. Now on online Yoga Studio with an Online retail store.

For what projects/services did your company hire Ronan Hand Design Consultancy, and what were your goals?

My website was good for basic information, but I was unable to take payments via the site. I also needed to bring the retail part of my Yoga Studio on line. This part had no online presence at all. I need a person who could understand my vision, my business and my customers.

How did you select Ronan Hand Design Consultancy and what were the deciding factors?

As it was LD I was unable to meet anyone so all via online research - I loved the look of Ronans' website after one phone consultation with him I knew he was the person. So professional, he asked me questions about my business that I hadn't even thought about and was so knowledgable in every area of web design and online platforms.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

After our first phone call Ronan sent me a really detailed, and well thought out list of questions to help him understand my vision, my business and my customers. He then worked with this and sent me 3 different "looks" to choose from.

As soon as saw these I knew he had really listened and understood both my customer base and my business plan. He was so great at explaining to me the platforms he could use and the reasons why. I never felt he was trying to up sell, I felt he was on my team, working with me.

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

Just Ronan

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The Business is a success, all the clients and users are really happy and find the platform not only visually pleasing, but easy to navigate and to use. I have a lot of requests for my "web-guys" contact details. He was so helpful when I was unable to figure out how to use the site and change product details. I never once felt (and I am sure I did) that I was asking stupid questions.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Every date, timeline he gave he fulfilled. He was always so prompt with reverting back to ANY questions. He was at all times both approachable, friendly and professional.

He seemed to always understand what I needed, and was able to answer all my questions about every aspect of the design, the platforms he was using, why he was using them and any questions or issues that arose - which they did with some of the retailers images. He very patiently dealt with a tedious issue that was an issue with a supplier and sorted it for me.

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

Their innovative thinking and broad of knowledge were incredible..... No Questions were unanswered.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not one.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a nonprofit organization.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ronan Hand Design?

We needed help building an Instagram filter for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided a full service in terms of development and approval for our Instagram filter.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one person from their team.

How did you come to work with Ronan Hand Design?

They were referred to me by someone from Facebook.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2020, and we wrapped up in October 2020.

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

They provided a way for us to celebrate our cultural event seamlessly.

How did Ronan Hand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. All the communication was done via email. They were really good at working with us on our hours and making sure all the deliverables were turned around quickly. The filter was completed a lot faster than initially planned.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were creative and supplied a lot of good ideas that we were able to incorporate. They also understood the scope of the project, so I didn’t have to explain much to him.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to have your project defined on paper beforehand to make the most use of your time.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Head of Digital at South Wind Blows and oversee all digital and social output for the company, namely the Other Voices brand.

For what projects/services did your company hire Ronan Hand Design, and what were your goals?

The Other Voices website was terribly outdated, dysfunctional and not reflective of the rest of its digital output. We needed something both beautiful and practical that could become the 'home' of all Other Voices content including music, videos, photos, podcasts and more.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We knew we needed who was extremely creative and could appreciate the vision of our brand. After spending a lot of time on Google we came across Ronan's website and knew he would be an ideal fit.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had an initial kick off meeting to outline our needs. From there Ronan talked us through the options available in terms of Wordpress vs webflow and how we could make each work for our output. After mapping out our initial plans with Ronan, we had many more meetings to ensure we got the look and feel we had hoped for. Ronan was also extremely attentive to our needs, providing innovative solutions and was always thinking about how we could make the perfect website for Other Voices

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

Just one - Ronan himself.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Visitors to our site are now able to engage with our content in a way they couldn't before. The overall brand recognition of Other Voices has increased as well as the brands identity.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Ronan was alway extremely profession but explained everything in plain English. Our conversations were always two ways and he couldn't have done more to help us. He would provide real time expamples during calls and also provided the perfect solution to issues. His timekeeping is impeccable and he always makes himself available.

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

They were approachable, helpful, solutions-focused, and extremely creative. He is clearly an expert in his field.

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

No.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Co-founder and Commercial Director of Sensi - an Irish supplier of Reverse Vending Machines.

For what projects/services did your company hire Ronan Hand Design?

We were looking to update and redesign the UI/UX for the Android application running on our machines.

How did you select this vendor?

We searched online for the best local UI/Ux developers in our area and shortlisted 3. After a brief chat with each, we chose Ronan based on his previous projects, understanding of the spec, and his ability to work with our timeline (work under pressure).

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

My team and I had already developed an app with complete functionality & very basic UI/UX. We designed a brief spec (ppt.) detailing the various changes and desired improvements (incl. animations). We talked through the spec with Ronan and mentioned the short turnaround time. Ronan felt capable to produce the desired result within the specified timeframe.

We started almost immediately after signing an SLA. After numerous emails back and forth, Ronan sent on the final design in the requested format and we implemented the changes before a big meeting with a customer. We were successful in acquiring the customer and the new design has been used ever since.

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

My team and I worked directly with Ronan.

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

The improved UI/UX has helped impress prospective customers and is working well in multiple live environments. The feedback from multiple users is that the UI/UX is intuitive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was overall very effective. The main communication tool was via email. Some changes/amendments might have been more easily communicated over the phone.

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

Their communication was excellent. Very prompt.

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

Perhaps scheduling in-person 5-10 minute check-ups throughout the process might have helped expedite certain bottlenecks e.g. technical outputs.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the country digital manager for an FMCG Media company

For what projects/services did your company hire Ronan Hand Design, and what were your goals?

We hired Ronan to build and design a localised Instagram AR Filter to help with an awareness campaign for an upcoming event with limited attendance. The aim of the filter was to make sure the Island of Ireland had the opportunity to be a part of the event, even if they could not attend.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Searching for Irish AR designers, Ronan came up, his site and examples looked premium enough to enquire and after an initial conversation with Ronan about our concept, we opted to go with him and were very satisfied with the entire process and final product.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Ronan created and designed an Instagram AR filter that allowed us to create a consumer activation around an upcoming event. We tasked him with building a filter that would allow our followers to be a part of our event even if they were not able to attend themselves.

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

I worked with Ronan and he brought in one extra designer to make our diver look as close to real-life as possible.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We've just launched the filter but have a campaign going live around it to bring a consumer activation to life and get the island of Ireland using the filter, to drive as much awareness as possible.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Ronan set out clear timelines and deliverables. Provided mock-ups and examples of each stage. We communicated via email as this was not a time-sensitive project but Ronan got to grips with our concept straight away.

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

Ronan's immediate grasp of our concept and want we wanted to achieve and that they were Irish.

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

No! We were very impressed. We will use their services again and will recommend them to others. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an independent performance marketing company. I provide digital advertising solutions to fast-growth brands.

For what projects/services did your company hire Ronan Hand Design?

I hired Ronan to build me a brand new custom Blog & CMS in Webflow.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a place to showcase my writings on the industry and drive additional organic traffic to my website through blogging.

How did you select Ronan Hand Design?

I worked with Ronan professionally in the past. We both worked at the same company and I was always impressed by Ronan's deliberate and organized approach to his work.

Additionally, his designs speak for themself.

Describe the project in detail.

I have a custom-built Webflow site that started off as a one-pager. Ronan came in to build me a brand new Blog CMS from the ground up.

Ronan worked within my existing style guide to create custom blog collection and blog post pages. He was also able to refine some existing elements of my website as well.

What was the team composition?

Ronan tackled with project with me 1-1.

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

I've increased organic traffic to my site since May. I've also been able to position myself as a more established thought leader through my own blog.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Fantastic. Ronan and I work together like clockwork. We're both incredibly organized.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Speed. Ronan was able to accomplish my goals quickly and without delay.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. Perhaps I'd like to work with Ronan on even larger scale projects moving forward.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an experienced growth marketer setting up an ecommerce store as a side business

For what projects/services did your company hire Ronan Hand Design Consultancy?

We plan to offer a premium product and needed a polished brand identity across web, packaging etc

What were your goals for this project?

Develop a brand identity. Packaging design. Web page designs.

How did you select Ronan Hand Design Consultancy?

Reviewed a number of local design options. Ronan's portfolio and professionalism seemed like the best fit for the job.

Describe the project in detail.

Worked with Ronan to develop an overall brand identity, put together brand guidelines, develop packaging designs and web page designs

What was the team composition?

I worked solely with Ronan

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

Ronan developed the logo, brand guidelines etc. Evaluating how well that work was completed is subjective but I was really happy with the results. He has also put together packaging designs and web page designs for me.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Good

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Solid background in brand design and packaging. The team went an extra mile for our project without being asked. They developed icons for social media and provided technical info on barcodes and packaging design

Are there any areas for improvement?

Initial web designs were a bit mixed but improved with feedback