ROSSUL

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

Aesthetically, the designs are exactly what we were looking for. The product is easy to use, and it looks nice and professional. The graphing packages, in particular, were much better than what we were using before, and the portal seems to work well even on mobile interfaces, even though it’s designed for laptop web browsers. ROSSUL addressed all of our concerns about the mobile view.

How did ROSSUL perform from a project management standpoint?

They were transparent and persistent, which made for consistent progress. They were also respectful about gathering necessary feedback from us to keep the project moving forward. The visibility was also helpful; we knew what they were working on and what needed to be reviewed at every stage. 

The process was very iterative, much more so than past projects that we’ve done with other designers. All of the feedback and commenting was done in sync to save time. We captured all of that on Jira and InVision. 

I would often get busy with other projects for 3–4 days, and I’d go back and see that 20–30 items were already prepped for review. Most of the time, ROSSUL also included comments explaining specific design choices with questions about our goals and preferences. I would go through those items for the next day or two and then wait for them to send me more deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with their ability to take underdefined concepts and translate them into usable designs. For example, when we started, we were trying to make a product that pulled information from electronic health records (EHRs), but we hadn’t thoroughly thought out how we wanted to display that content. ROSSUL had a fantastic idea—about 3/4ths of the way through the project—to break that content into different pages. Because of their creative thinking, we now have screens that are both easy to navigate and useful to patients.

I was also pleased with their ability to scope out the project. When we started, the scope was over budget and outside of our timeline, and we were worried that we wouldn’t be able to work with them. ROSSUL was flexible and creative in finding ways to end the project with a finished product that hit our constraints while excluding unnecessary components that drove up the cost and timeline. They were able to do that while still providing something that meets our initial vision.

The initial conversations were fantastic in many regards. They brought in a few of their designers to ask additional questions to get a feel for what exactly we were trying to do. ROSSUL recorded those conversations so that they could go back and review them to ensure fidelity with our original plan.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so, everything looks great. The project has moved along consistently; I don’t have anything negative to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’ll be flexible and supportive if you explain what you want. You can always ask them to make changes, and they’ll help you think through the decision in a logical manner, always trying to align with your business goals. Be transparent and know what you’re looking for, and they’ll work hard to make it a reality. 

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

Even after the project was completed, their team insisted we have a final meeting to provide additional feedback. They didn’t have to follow up, but they felt the need to make sure everything was done correctly. The design looks great and functions well. All of our prospects and customers present during the demo seemed to have liked it. It’s easy-to-use and intuitive. There have been no negatives so far.

How did ROSSUL perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style was exceptional. On our end, we used phone calls and emails for correspondence. We communicated with the designers twice a week. They were open to using our Jira with our developer. We also used InVision heavily where we would comment on work and reply to notes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

ROSSUL has a thorough team that keeps timelines moving. From a project management standpoint, they were also very strong. The team at ROSSUL was invested in delivering a solid UI.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. For us, it was a lot of money, but that was the proposal we signed. Everyone wants more for less, but there have been no issues whatsoever.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

ROSSUL does an excellent job of leading customers through everything.

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

The new website just launched. In addition to making our site the leader in travel insurance, it's very important that we're relevant to our customers. The most important KPIs are bounce rate and time spent on site. Our bounce rate has decreased from 46% to 35%, which is great. Time spent on site has doubled. While being brand new might lead to more time spent exploring, users are consistently spending much more time on the site. The conversion rate has gone up as well. We're really excited by these early results. Every metric we’ve seen so far has been impressive.

How did ROSSUL perform from a project management standpoint? 

ROSSUL was able to meet our demands very quickly. We mostly communicated through email. They used Google Calendar for setting up meetings, and Google Hangouts for our calls. They were always available to discuss any sort of issue that we had. They’d quickly get on the phone with us to address the problem. ROSSUL used their expertise when we were at an impasse and didn't know what to do next. They led the project forward in terms of what we needed to do to get through those crucial points. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

ROSSUL had an impressive ability to solve problems. If we didn’t like something about the design, they were able to quickly come up with a new design that we thought was really awesome. Previous designers would only be willing to make a small change, such as to a button. ROSSUL would make significant revisions if we asked them to. Then we’d work together to determine what looked best. They provided a lot of variety in their designs, and their opinion was really helpful. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Nothing comes to mind. We had a great time working with them, and we'll definitely use them again in the future.

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

Although I do use Google Analytics to see our monthly page visitors, I believe the results from a different third party analysis service, which shows what buttons customers press, best demonstrates the impact of ROSSUL’s work. Those analytics demonstrate to us that the layout is intuitive and allows people to know exactly where to go on the site and what to do.

How did ROSSUL perform from a project management standpoint?

Their approach to project management was very professional and was facilitated by the use of Basecamp. We also had regular meetings and a weekly phone call. We never had any problems communicating with them, although they are located in Canada while we are in New York. It never felt like their location was important. The most important thing to me was the initial phone call in which we learned about each other and built the level of trust and knowledge needed to successfully complete such an endeavor.

The steps Elia orchestrated for working on the project were well thought-out. At the outset, he asked me to condense what we needed into something between the length of one sentence to one paragraph. After that, he asked me about the overall market, the business and product itself, our own timeline, and, most importantly, for a distillation of what we were trying to achieve.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Elia knew what I needed when I didn’t even know it myself, which was absolutely amazing, and then translated that into the website’s design. He has a special talent for this business. Building a website for a health insurance brokerage is not the same as doing so for any other industry, and he was able to understand that and tailor the site to our specific needs. In my entire business career, I have never before encountered such a quick and intuitive design response.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Before the start of the collaboration, try to get across what you’re doing in no more than one paragraph. If you can’t distill your goals into something that length, then you don’t know what you need and you’re not ready to embark upon this type of project yet. As for ROSSUL-specific advice, just be willing to allow Elia to go through his process and listen to what he has to say. He’s very talented when it comes to being able to take your idea and bring it to fruition; you just need to let him run with it.