The Skins Factory

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an esports gaming company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Skins Factory?

We wanted to get an extensive demo for our pitch deck. The most valuable product had to be displayed on four pages.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came up with a system design document and general design markups from our side. From there on, The Skins Factory took ownership of the whole project. They made the designs on Adobe and the UI on Sketch. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working with four people from The Skins Factory, including their CEO and designers.

How did you come to work with The Skins Factory?

The Skins Factory had a very nice home page, and they featured good designs displayed on their website. We also compared their work to others, but we liked their design better.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2022, and we continue to collaborate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everybody’s happy and satisfied with The Skins Factory’s work. The team has been able to contribute a lot of extra stuff to the project.

How did The Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management perspective, they’re good. We communicate over the phone and in Zoom. In addition, they’ve been able to bring a lot of insights and knowledge from their previous jobs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed by the way their CEO takes ownership of the project He really wants the project to be the best it can be. Above all, they don’t just simply do what we tell them to do. Instead, they suggest ways to make things better.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Negotiate to get prices down because the market is competitive.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a home and health benefits management company, and I’m the leader of our AI and data products. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Skins Factory?

We were building an app for nurses in hospitals, and we needed its design to be appealing, convincing, and easy to use. It was a web app that could also be used on mobile devices.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We built a rough mock-up of how the app should look like and sketched it out on PowerPoint slides. Our team also developed the AI functionality of the platform. In other words, we already knew the app’s rough design and the information we wanted it to display. Given that, Skins Factory’s task was to come up with graphical designs and artistic work for the app; they handled its UI/UX design.

Specifically, the team came up with designs for the app’s images and icons — this was their first deliverable. At this stage, we wanted to make the app look more professional and clean. For the UX design, the team worked to make the app function cleanly and intuitively for end users, and that was their other deliverable. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Jeff (CEO & Creative Director), who was our main point of contact. Two other people worked on the project, but we didn’t work directly with them. 

How did you come to work with The Skins Factory?

We searched for graphic design firms and found that Skins Factory had a couple of awards. With that in mind, we checked their portfolio. Our team liked what they’d done, so we reached out to them. They were highly responsive, which we knew would make a huge difference throughout the course of the project, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from September–December 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t released the app externally yet, but we already reviewed it with our stakeholders — we received only positive feedback. Everyone was incredibly excited about the design and layout of the app. In fact, its design was largely the reason why this project became fully funded to deploy in hospitals next year. 

How did The Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

Skins Factory’s project management was great. They used a visual app to manage the project. Whenever a design update was available, we’d get an email and go over the design to exchange comments back and forth. We also communicated over the phone with Jeff. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The design they delivered was incredibly well done; it was visually awesome. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

One of the app’s screens was missing at first, but that was the only bug we had. The team quickly went back, identified what was missing, and fixed it. Other than that, I had a great experience with Skins Factory.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about the parameters you give to their designers. Specifically, clarify whether you want Skins Factory to be creative and work with no constraints or you want them to work within certain color schemes and image types. Simply put, figure out exactly how much free rein you can give them. 

In our engagement, when we gave Jeff and his team the mock-ups, we didn’t want to pin him in a corner; we gave him more free rein, and the results were awesome. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a technology layer app that sits on top of existing crypto exchanges. We allow users to purchase cryptocurrencies with automated features such as round-up, autopilot, and direct-market buy and sell. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Skins Factory?

We needed help redoing my app’s UI/UX.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Skins Factory completely redesigned our app’s onboarding process and in-app experience. We sent over designs that we liked and the direction we wanted to go with, and they used those to create new designs.

Our current build looked outdated, and The Skins Factory worked to liven up the app and make it more exciting. They tried to make the app feel alive and moving around. They used Sketch to create designs.

They’ve already finished their designs. However, our team hasn’t yet uploaded their designs as we’re still working on the app’s backend. We plan to have all the designs live within the next 4–5 months. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Jeff (CEO & Creative Director) and a designer. 

How did you come to work with The Skins Factory?

I just did some research online and found The Skins Factory. I saw a picture of an app they designed, which led me to reach out to them.

I liked their previous designs. If they created that, they could make something going in the direction we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $26,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–November 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Skins Factory’s work exceeded my expectations. We wanted something that looked luxurious, clean, and easy to use — they successfully delivered that. Our users would be pleased with how the app turned out. 

How did The Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

They were good at project management. The Skins Factory’s team was easy to talk to, and I could call them and ask questions. We typically communicated through phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were accessible, and their work was good. I had not worked with many designers, but the vendors I worked with were difficult to contact. Meanwhile, The Skins Factory always responded within minutes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an idea of what you want, send them some examples, and have everything prepared beforehand. I made some changes in the middle of the project, which added time and cost.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of risk management at a supply chain and trade finance company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Skins Factory?

We needed their expertise in UI/UX design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed to upgrade our business model to accommodate more user-friendly and modern features, so we engaged The Skins Factory to develop that model for us. 

We wanted a single automated system that could accommodate our customers’ email and upload requests — that was the main factor that The Skins Factory considered as they designed our platform. Initially, they provided a rough sketch of the UI/UX. Once finalized, they submitted the mock-up, which we handed over to our developers.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Jeff (CEO & Creative Director) and another UI/UX designer.

How did you come to work with The Skins Factory?

They had an impressive portfolio and an even more impressive communication approach. Jeff understood our requirements well, and it was easy for us to determine that they had the skill set and work ethic we needed to make this project work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a total of $72,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from July–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Skins Factory’s design work was a breath of fresh air. We found it outstanding because it wasn’t something that we could come up with on our own. 

They thoughtfully analyzed our requirements and executed everything while retaining their detailed and innovative design style. Everyone from our internal team was impressed with the quality of their work, so we’re thinking of engaging The Skins Factory again for a different project.

How did The Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project required close collaboration, so we were always on calls with The Skin Factory’s team. They were a responsive and professional partner that kept us in the loop at all times. Additionally, they always delivered transparent reports.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I personally liked their team’s professionalism — The Skins Factory valued our goals, and that was apparent in the quality of work they delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if they could handle product development as well, but I know that design is their expertise.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as upfront as you can in determining your goals and remain proactive throughout the engagement — The Skins Factory will take it from there.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Software Development Manager in charge of the team developing the Corum Clear Retail product for the company. We specialise in developing software to help Pharmacies better manage their business and to help them provide better care for their patients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Skins Factory?

Our software has been around for many years and was looking tired and old as many desktop applications do. We wanted a new UI that we could apply to our new range of Retail-related modules - something that would look modern and professional and help us provide a unified and consistent look to our brand

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had seen some other UIs that we liked that were made by their artist, so made contact

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

The project consisted of creating a custom 'skin' based on the Microsoft Visual Styles theme design for Windows. We were not after modifying the look of all windows applications, only our modules, but the design was the same. It basically required redesigning all the UI elements (buttons, forms, radio buttons, check boxes scroll bars etc.) of Windows forms

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

We dealt directly with the CEO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were very happy with the redesigned UI we received. We had agreed on the colour scheme we wanted before the project started and were presented with several options early on. We chose the best looking option and the rest proceeded from there. The turn around for the entire project was very quick - from start to end, completed within 2 weeks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were only ever an email away - any questions from either side were answered quickly.

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

The range of UI/UX work they have done and the companies they have designed things for - very impressive. The UI we received really make the product come alive. There was 1 minor tweak that we requested after delivery, which was done promptly without any hassles.

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

There was a lot of work that had to be done in a very short amount of time - overall, not much to show between start and end, but there was no real point in showing something that was half-baked and incomplete.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Chief Design Officer and co-owner of BioMojo LLC. We do federal contract research for several large agencies. We create biomedical performance solutions, such as wearables and mixed reality devices. We have roughly 20 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Skins Factory?

We were looking to do a complete brand redesign.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked to come up with a design process and branding strategy.
They presented their designs to us, helping us modernize our color patterns, fonts, and more. They designed a contemporary brand and logo that will be used on everything from our website to marketing materials. Their team also designed wearable patches for our customers.

What is the team composition?

Jeff (CEO & Creative Director) and an artist, worked with us on this project.

How did you come to work with The Skins Factory?

I worked with them at previous companies. They have some well-known customers, and I was quite impressed with their work when I saw it. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$49,999

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2020–January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new brand is about to roll out. The theme and colors are superior to what we previously had. We're extremely happy with everything they’ve done and look forward to working with them again.

How did The Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

They're quite organized, setting clear timelines and deliverables. There were no surprises. Communication was strong and frequent. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They know how color, texture, and design aesthetics work together to visually grab the viewer's attention. That’s extremely important in this industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a board member, software developer, and data analyst for a software company. We specialize in solutions for the trucking insurance industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Skins Factory?

We engaged The Skins Factory to build a good-looking web design with a highly efficient and accessible UI/UX.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a fresh design flow that works well across multiple platforms.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We knew of The Skins Factory before we started searching for vendors to complete this project. They had a vast portfolio, interviewed well with us, and provided a quote that fit our budget.

Describe the project in detail.

We conducted multiple interviews to narrow down our scope. Our team provided screenshots and access to our sites to show its initial status. The Skins Factory then developed screens of sample designs for each section. They incorporated our feedback until we felt satisfied with the screen, and then they proceeded to the next section.

What was the team composition?

Our software development and programming department heads worked with a project lead and a few screen developers throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still in development, but we just received our UI design kit and are highly pleased with the results. We look forward to launching the updated site and collecting user feedback.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Every few days, The Skins Factory sent us a new set of screens to inspect. We then contacted their team to provide feedback or to approve their designs. We had a consistent back-and-forth with The Skins Factory; they were quick to respond and to suggest alternative ideas to give us the best possible product. They made the collaboration seamless and enjoyable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their portfolio shows a range of outstanding work for big-name companies. It reflected the level of quality we wanted for our site.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we have absolutely no complaints. The Skins Factory team excels in their field. They delivered a modern and user-friendly platform that is sure to impress our user base.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a global provider of payment solutions. I work in the department that creates software for online cash management systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Skins Factory?

Our existing cash management system was built in the 1990s and hadn’t experienced a UI refresh in 6 years. As a result, the application was outdated at a time when banks were rebranding themselves. The challenge for the application was three-part: update designs, modernize its functionalities, and make it mobile-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team built a responsive web design compatible to phone, tablet and desktop applications. They integrated their UXD philosophy in their UI execution. This strategy gave our users, which range from small businesses to large corporations, a desired consumer-type experience.

elegant UI design provided a simpler experience, which was necessary given the application’s complexity. For example, there are dashboard and spreadsheets views. Overall, the project focused on streamlining user workflows rather than introducing additional features.

What is the team dynamic?

We interacted with two individuals, although one more frequently than the other. Both stayed equally informed to manage progress and field our questions.

How did you come to work with Skins Factory?

We conducted an online search for web designers with relevant application design experience. The team’s portfolio and fluency with graphic design terminology impressed us; they spoke thoroughly to best practices and design principles.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started February 2017 and ended September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Reaction from clients has been tremendous; many existing customers want to upgrade. The app is not live yet, but we’re actively selling it. While we were lagging behind, feedback suggests we’re now likely ahead of our competitors. We’re very happy with the response.

How did Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

Interfacing with two individuals was preferable to a large team. We are a large organization with several departments. Limiting communication to two points of contact streamlined our operations. Subsequently, they explained well their reasons for selecting certain concepts and rejecting others we proposed. This clarity helped us communicate progress to our upper level management. Overall, the team performed consistently and met every deadline, often well in advance.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is obviously passionate about graphic design. They have very strong opinions and are not shy to voice differing opinions. That expert guidance was helpful as we brainstormed solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were thing on our end that we should’ve done differently, but I can’t think of anything for Skins Factory.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a vice president in charge of development and support for an online enterprise assessment platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Skins Factory?

We were looking to update the frontend design of our software. The company has been around since 1999 and originally, we did everything in-house. We’ve used another vendor in past but were looking for more modern design aesthetics. After 17 years, it’s important our software feels up-to-date and is perceived as such by customers. Additionally, we were hoping to increase the site’s usability.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redesigned the site’s UX using Photoshop. We then integrated the design into HTML and CSS. They offered to perform that work as well, but we decided to do it in-house. The redesign took place in 2 stages. The first of which is in beta-testing and the second is still undergoing development.

What is the team dynamic?

The team included 1 project manager and 1 UX designer. The project manager was the main point of contact.

How did you come to work with The Skins Factory?

We found them via online research and considered 2 other design teams as well, but Skins Factory really stood out. We have a web application and that comes with different concerns than designing a website. Skins Factory clearly had done several web applications and their portfolio showcased lot of impressive work.

How much have you invested with them?

The first engagement cost $10,000–$20,000. The second engagement cost roughly $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place September-November 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve shown a few customers an introductory video of the new platform, and they say it looks fantastic. However, they have not used the product yet. Internally, we love it. The new design is far superior to, not only our previous design, but our competitors as well.

How did The Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

Jeff, their project manager, was great to work with. He made sure they were on top of things the whole time. Incredibly responsive, I could always pick up the phone and talk to Jeff about issues I was concerned with or other ideas. Sometimes, he’d get back to me within a few hours with a new design. He would hear my feedback and make adjustments as needed. He made sure the project was handled quickly and efficiently. As a result, they never missed a deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Working with Jeff, their project manager, was certainly beneficial. He’s very professional but also personable. You can have a good rapport with him, and that always makes collaborating an enjoyable experience. Additionally, I've worked with designers in the past that would take some notes and get back to you several days later. That has not been our experience with Skins Factory.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve had a really good experience working with them so nothing comes to mind. I’d like to see their prices lower but that's not realistic given the quality of their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Carefully analyze a vendor’s portfolio before selecting them. Not all design firms are well-suited for every project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m CTO at a business that operates a risk management platform using big data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Skins Factory?

We needed development, InDesign, product development, and user engagement services for a customer-facing application that our customers interact with on a daily basis.

An outside firm developed the original app, but we felt they didn’t have the skill-set to upgrade it. We felt urgency to produce a second version because the tool had been out for 2 years without.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Building a usability model for utilitarian features in a straightforward and low-barrier entry package was the main challenge. We reviewed 15 different user models and corresponding tools before identifying a solution that fulfilled our criteria.

What is the team dynamic?

The team comprised Jeff [Creative Director, Skins Factory], his art director, and various designers and production staff.

How did you come to work with Skins Factory?

We shortlisted 5 agencies in our search. I was aware of their past work and creative style for different projects. The team convinced me they were up to this specific challenge.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started April 2017 and ended July 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The core solution has great service architecture in a spot-on usability model. Feedback is positive and people are using the app as intended.

The app has no bugs and we grew the data bank of user interaction.

How did Skins Factory perform from a project management standpoint?

In these projects, there tends to be little overlap between business and creative expertise. The team capably blended both approaches and skill sets during development.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They pushed our collaboration farther on several items, which is a very healthy practice in creative endeavors. The team was not afraid to critique our preferences when their ideas benefited the product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a specific feel and approach to their work that may not be for everyone.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Recognize the role creatives play in the engagement. They can get overshadowed by business executives.