Please describe the scope of their work.
It was essentially built off of four distinct engagements that ran one after another. The first engagement that we did with them was kind of a discovery project. We were creating what we all thought the product should be. So, the team at Smashing Ideas helped provide a little bit of research, some prototypes, and just overall conceiving of the product.
Then, we moved on to the next engagement, which was to build the iPad app exclusively based on those original ideas. The third engagement was to build a smartphone app with a slightly new and different approach than the iPad app. Then the fourth engagement was a retainer to get into evolving all of those products.
What was your process for selecting Smashing Ideas with which to work?
The original engagement was basically to find a creative agency that we could work with, who had extensive experience with deep interactive, and ideally fun, experiences on mobile. We were also considering any other experiences with interactive displays. Since I’m based in Seattle, I looked first into Seattle, but also considered the national, big players in mobile. I interviewed with each of them, and Smashing Ideas impressed me.
Even before we were fully engaged with them, they were bringing some really creative ideas to the table that were based on spin offs of the original conversation as well as new ideas. It was those new ideas that gave me the confidence that they were really listening and trying to understand the root problem that we were trying to solve. That’s what drove me to select Smashing Ideas.
Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?
For the initial idea and prototyping, it was in the $50,000 to $75,000 range. For building the iPad app, I believe that was in the $200,000 range. For the smartphone apps, I believe that was in the $250,000 to $300,000 range. For the retainer, that is about $250,000.
When did you start working with them, and is the relationship ongoing?
I think it would be about three years ago, and it is ongoing.
Smashing Ideas created fantastic ideas and was able to bring them into reality. Their Android development skills were a weak point, they boasted many technical skills and put in the effort to improve. Their creativity, communication, and reasonable advice made them a valuable partner.