Award-winning design and development firm
THOR is a design and development firm based in Washington D.C. We work with clients across a diverse range of fields including finance, aerospace, engineering, higher education, pharmaceuticals, and grass roots advocacy. Our team is dedicated to providing a custom approach to each of our clients to acheive their individual goals.
Our firm focuses on two key areas of expertise: custom web development and print to digital publication transitions.
CUSTOM WEB DEVELOPMENT
Our web development projects typically fall within a three tier system:
- Webflow projects for quick turnaround sites with shorter life cycles
- Custom WordPress projects for more complex sites with longer duration and complex CMS needs
- React-based projects with a custom constellation of supporting components for sites that demand the most forward thinking development solutions
We also have extensive experience developing sites with data visualizations and complex database-oriented backend systems.
PRINT and DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS
THOR produces high-end award-winning publications. We are experts in print and digital publication redesign, ongoing production, consultation, workflow development, and print to digital transitions. Our team has produced thousands of individual print issues and in recent years numerous digital editions and accompanying workflows.
Focus
Recommended Providers
Portfolio
Aerospace America Print + Digital Publication
Our extensive work with Aerospace America magazine has resulted in an award-winning monthly print publication accompanied by a vast news-oriented website. Our team redesigned the print edition, designed and developed a highly customized WordPress website, invented a workflow to streamline the efforts of authors, print editors, web editors, designers, and printers, and took over the monthly production of the magazine. Our efforts with Aerospace are ongoing. With each issue we continue to push the boundaries of page layout, data visualization, and illustration within the pages of this industry leading publication.
PeopleForBikes Site Design and Development
THOR has worked with PeopleForBikes on nearly a dozen web projects. Our initial engagements with the advocacy group focused on digital annual reports that pushed outside of the boundaries of traditional website structure. In recent years we've completed a complete relaunch of the entire network of PeopleForBikes sites. Our most recent project with the organization was the development of a database driven data visualization site that provides up-to-date cycling safety metrics for 700+ cities around the world.
UDC Legacy Magazine
THOR worked closely with the President’s office at the University of the District of Columbia to develop the first alumni magazine in the long history of the institution. The design reflects a balance between old and new - legacy and forward momentum. The first issue was delivered along a rapid timeline to be a centerpiece takeaway at the unveiling of the new student center.
In addition to the magazine THOR also revamped UDC graduation documents to fit within the same design universe.
LTK International Website
LTK is a legendary railroad engineering firm with offices around the globe. THOR developed a WordPress website to showcase over seven decades of LTK project success stories. The site has a highly customized content management system that allows LTK employees with no prior web skills to enter projects into the site. The stories are automatically formatted and deployed.
THOR provided the design, development, training, and ongoing support for this site. The development of the site took place over a six month timeframe and utilized our standard sprint-based iterative process that has a proven track record of getting complex projects to completion.
Leon Hotel NYC Rebranding
THOR came to the rescue when it provided a rapid rebranding effort for the Leon Hotel located near the base of the Manhattan Bridge in New York City. The hotel management team was under the gun to develop a brand in six short weeks prior to a relaunch of the property.
THOR provided numerous logo design options in a search for the correct tone to serve as the basis for the brand. We developed print collateral materials, room key cards, building signage, an online microsite, among other branded items. Our always calm and cool professional demeanor kept the rapid schedule under control. We delivered all of the materials ahead of schedule and without undue stress to the management team at The Leon who already had their hands full.
Colorado Lawyer Print + Digital Publication
THOR has worked with the Colorado Bar Association to redesign two print publications, create a digital edition for their flagship publication, and has provided ongoing print production work. Our redesign process takes into consideration not only aesthetic aspects of the magazine but also content shifts, workflow, and structural adjustments. We are also engaged with this client in upgrades to affiliate sites, search functionality, and an overall rebranding.
Reviews
the project
Website Development & Design for Aerospace Magazine
"The team is willing to do anything they can to solve a problem."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m an associate editor for a magazine. We publish articles about aerospace engineering.
What challenge were you trying to address with THOR Design Studio, Inc.?
We wanted THOR Design Studio, Inc. to develop our website from the beginning.
What was the scope of their involvement?
THOR Design Studio designed and developed a WordPress site for us. We provided photos and content, which they applied to the site. One of the functionalities we asked for was to make it easy enough for our internal staff to load content into it. After developing the site, we then asked for help with other design needs. Currently, the team designs pages for our magazine.
What is the team composition?
We work with a project manager, a developer, and a designer
How did you come to work with THOR Design Studio, Inc.?
Someone recommended them to us.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent roughly $250,000–$300,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project started in July 2015 and is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The overall feedback has been positive on the website. And our audience really loves their page designs.
How did THOR Design Studio, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
THOR Design Studio has done a great job of responding to our needs. We use Trello to track the project and email and phone calls to communicate.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The team is willing to do anything they can to solve a problem. Furthermore, we appreciate how personalized their work is.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They could hire more employees and expand.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Express your requirements well.
the project
Publication Redesign & Branding for Legal Services Assoc.
"They’re a team of experts that guide us in the right direction."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of communications at Colorado Bar Association, a legal services association.
What challenge were you trying to address with THOR Design Studio, Inc.?
We needed their team’s print design expertise.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We’ve hired THOR Design Studio, Inc. for two different projects so far, mostly revolving around our association’s monthly flagship publication called The Colorado Lawyer.
We’ve kicked off our engagement with their team through a discovery phase, wherein they’ve helped us formulate design strategies. Additionally, we’ve taken that process as an opportunity to highlight our project goals, which centered around achieving a professional yet creative scholarly publication.
Their team has helped us pursue our redesign efforts for our print publication by implementing different design solutions, which they’ll then send over for our team’s approval. Upon completing that stage, we’ve decided to task them with handling our branding efforts to optimize our online presence.
What is the team composition?
We work with two resources from THOR Design Studio, Inc.
How did you come to work with THOR Design Studio, Inc.?
I reached out to THOR Design Studio, Inc.’s team because I was impressed with the quality of the work they did for a different association’s publication.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent about $100,000–$250,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our ongoing engagement with THOR Design Studio, Inc. commenced in July 2017.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
THOR Design Studio, Inc. has successfully transformed our once simple and black-and-white publication into a sophisticated and colorful one. We were initially worried that the rebranding approach was too much, but we haven’t received a single negative comment from our 18,000 readers — everyone’s thrilled to welcome our publication’s refreshing look.
How did THOR Design Studio, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve been an excellent partner — they respect our deadlines and feedback. I only have good things to say about THOR Design Studio, Inc.’s project management approach.
What did you find most impressive about them?
THOR Design Studio, Inc. has a thorough understanding and visualization of current trends and what readers want to consume, and that’s well reflected in their deliverables. They’re a team of experts that guide us in the right direction.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything — we’ve been satisfied with everything they’ve delivered.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Work with them with an open mind. THOR Design Studio, Inc. are experts at what they do, so make the most of your partnership by having their creative recommendations in mind.
the project
Web Dev & Design for Member Magazine
"The workflow between our teams is effective and well-managed by the THOR project lead."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the COO of NIRI: The Association for Investor Relations. NIRI provides professional development, credentialing, advocacy, etc., for the field of investor relations (IR).
For what projects/services did your company hire THOR Design Studio, Inc.?
We began working with THOR Design began over a decade ago to overhaul and redesign our member magazine, IR Update. We have subsequently worked with THOR on a variety of other design projects.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We relied on testimony from highly experienced professionals that had worked with THOR previously.
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
Regarding the magazine design work, the project workflow includes an initial overview of the creative direction based on the topics, followed by a design meeting to review and select digital imagery. For other projects we have used online project management tools.
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
We've worked with one or more THOR team members depending on the specific project.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Several data points highlight our satisfaction and the success of THOR Design's work including the variety of awards IR Update magazine has received through this period and the fact that we've continued and expanded the scope of our relationship for over a decade.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
The workflow between our teams is effective and well-managed by the THOR project lead.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
We have done a wide array of projects with THOR, and remain impressed by their consistently high quality and creative work, flexibility, reliability and professionalism.
THOR Design Studio, Inc.'s work received positive feedback from the client and their audience for its excellent design. Furthermore, they're dedicated and eager to produce solutions tailored to the client's needs. Overall, the client is satisfied with the reliable team and their deliverables.