tonik

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am head of Consulting and Business Modelling at JAROWA. Among my responsibilities was to define the features and design of our platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire tonik?

Tonik have been helping JAROWA in defining aspects of Corporate Identity & Design (Logo, Color Scheme,...) and the UX/UI design of the platform.

What were your goals for this project?

JAROWA platform is a B2B2C platform which helps corporates such as insurance companies and administration to have through JAROWA access to a community of qualified service providers, manage them according to their strategic goals, and manage the work orders given to the service providers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We identified a list of companies through desktop research, we shorted the list based on an RFI and selected Tonik based on their delivery for a mini project.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was mainly about designing the UX of a web platform. Un a skype call we explained to them the business background. Then during the development phase we asked them to design a new psge of the platform. The design process is iteative. It means i get a first proposal, give my feedbacks and then it gets improved, and so on. For the more complex features, Tonik designed different options.

What was the team composition?

Project manager, and a designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customers love the design of the platform. It is modern, neat, clear and intuitive to use

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. The communication is always direct. Tonik kept the promised deadlines and they delivered always quality results. I value also the fact, that Tonik employees are proactive, come with new ideas to make the product better, and challenge me if necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality, the spirit, and the friendliness of the people working at tonik impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could be faster. But deadline were always met, and the delivery was always wirh good quality.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is called Elucify. We build products to help people find leads to sell more effectively. I’m the CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tonik?

Our team has very strong engineering and sales capabilities, but we were lacking a good freelance designer. We weren’t quite ready to hire someone full time, and we wanted to find someone who communicated effectively and could create designs that were at our standards. I think we have a pretty high design bar for what we like. We had talked to quite a few designers, and we found Tonik to be very good.

Before that, our site had been designed by one of the founders. It was not slick in any way and didn’t look that great. We knew that in order to take the product to the next level, we needed a designer to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope was the entire product, including the landing page, the actual product itself, mockups for new product lines we’re going to be releasing, and A/B tests that we’re doing with marketing. They just did everything you could possibly imagine.

One aspect of design is just making something look good, but I think the other aspect they do is to think about how to make it easier to use. They sometimes add or remove information to make a page more aesthetically pleasing. We would send them a mock, and they would put in their own design expertise. They made suggestions about adding logos and more images to make a page look better. They might give feedback that there’s too much text on a page. There’s some higher-level guidance when designing, in addition to just trying to make things look good.

I haven’t found research on user base or surveying customers to be a big issue. We try to be very communicative in terms of what our user base thinks about and cares about, and I think Tonik has been able to capture that pretty well.

I communicate with one point person, Patryk [Cobczak, Graphic Design Specialist]. I believe different designers in the firm work on the project, but we’re okay not knowing too much about that. We care that the designs look really good and we have someone we can communicate with very well. We’ve been very happy with whatever process they have underneath the hood. It’s been pretty effortless for us.

How did you come to work with Tonik?

We started a broader search, trying to find the right designer to work with, and I talked to a few people I knew. I looked at different services online, and we also put out feelers through different forums. We’re part of this one incubator which is fairly prestigious in Silicon Valley, and we looked there for referrals. Someone had referred Tonik because they had a good experience with them. That was the original introduction. We selected Tonik over other designers for a combination of reasons, including the speed at which they work and the quality of their designs. The price point is really friendly for a startup as well.

How much have you invested with Tonik?

We’ve spent between $8,000 and $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began around May of 2016 and our relationship is ongoing. They’re actually delivering something to us tomorrow.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We’ve gotten feedback that our product is really simple and easy to use, and that’s huge for any software product. Being easy to use is incredibly difficult. People ask who our designers are because they really like what we have. It’s pretty common that we hear stuff like that.

How did Tonik perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform very well. The process usually starts with a scheduled Skype call, and then we check in every day or two, depending on the size of the project. Some things take three to five days to design, and others may take a day. The more frequently we give feedback, the higher fidelity is in terms of what we’re looking for. There is a time difference between us and Poland, so we tend to talk with them either early in the morning or late at night, and that works for us.

What did you find most impressive about Tonik?

I think it’s just the combination of speed, quality, and price. We’ve been very happy that we get all of these in our engagement with Tonik. We chose not to work with a lot of designers in the past because they didn’t hit our design bar, but that was very clearly not a problem with Tonik.

Are there any areas Tonik could improve?

Nothing really jumps out. We’re very happy with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of Pathway

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

App service for mental health practitioners and their clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire tonik to accomplish?

• UX for the minimum viable product
• UI for the mobile app and desktop site
• Light-weight brand to inform the UI

SOLUTION

How did you find tonik?

Dribbble

Why did you select tonik over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Track record

How many teammates from tonik were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Brand: (logo, color scheme, typography, illustrations, guidelines)
• Mobile app and desktop site UX: Wireframes, low-fi mockups (figma)
• Mobile app and desktop site UI: Hi-fi mockups (figma)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

This is an MVP, so the measure will come after user testing, which was not part of this project. Scope was defined prior to beginning the project, and we kept in touch every day with respect to progress.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The project was excellently managed. They delivered on time and were highly accommodating.

What was your primary form of communication with tonik?

Email or Messaging App

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

tonik's team members were all talented and very fun to work with. They care about company culture and take time to understand your values. The products they deliver are all unique. No cookie cutter outputs at this shop!

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

Nope. I missed a few things in the original scope. They were professional about it and worked with me to find a solution.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of a research company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Building AGI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire tonik to accomplish?

• Landing Page
• Branding

SOLUTION

How did you find tonik?

Referral

Why did you select tonik over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from tonik were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

They designed the landing page and branding for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our landing page built from scratch.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were always on time and always very easy to work with.
What was your primary form of communication with tonik?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their culture is amazing, so unique!

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

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of garnix

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Nix-based CI and hosting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire tonik to accomplish?

• Website redesign
• Branding redesign
• UX flows

SOLUTION

How did you find tonik?

Referral

Why did you select tonik over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from tonik were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Brand assets, Figma designs, animations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Not sure what this question means, but they kept me updated regularly (daily) on all the progress made.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were very timely, and gave space for feedback always at the earliest possible juncture.

What was your primary form of communication with tonik?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their incredible professionalism in project management and talent in design are impressive.

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

Nope - everything was great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Vice President of a bank. 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We helped our clients put down new roots with cars and homes. We supported their businesses

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire tonik to accomplish?

• Software development

SOLUTION

How did you find tonik?

• Online Search

Why did you select tonik over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fits our budget
• Good value for cost

What was the size of tonik’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

They are able to identify and document the functional and non-functional requirements of the software system that is being developed. They has a discussions with our stakeholders, end-users, and subject matter experts to understand our needs and expectations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• The end-users are satisfied with the software system.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their team did a great job by developing and delivering the software system according to the project plan and the requirements. We are so impressed with their work.

What was your primary form of communication with tonik?

• Virtual Meeting

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

Their great team work and taking their time to understand what our company needs and also did their best in getting it done

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

Nothing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of RemoBoard

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Recruitment services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire tonik to accomplish?

• Design
• Implementing the design

SOLUTION

How did you find tonik?

Referral

Why did you select tonik over others?

Referred to me

What was the size of tonik’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Tonik helped with designs for one of our side projects. They also helped to implement it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Design
• Implementation of design
• Designs coded in Webflow

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were very on time and the communication was perfect.

What was your primary form of communication with tonik?

Virtual Meeting

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

They are super PRO in what they do. You can immediately feel that they have worked with top startups in the world. They had great ideas.

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

Everything was great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of the company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire tonik?

We were looking to update our brand and design identity

SOLUTION

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

We were highly recommended to them by another company

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

We first got on a call to discuss our objectives, filled out an extensive design brief, and then got on a call again to confirm tonik's understanding of our responses in the brief. From there, we had weekly check-ins to showcase their progress on the deliverables until we were satisfied with the outcome. The last step included a walkthrough of all deliverables and a hand over of files

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

3. One project manager, one branding person, and one designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not yet

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were very easy to communicate with and were responsive at all times.

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

I have nothing but positive things to say. They were patient and took time to ensure that their understanding of my needs and ideas were aligned with mine. They were very responsive at all times, and were thorough in their deliverables

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a Software Development Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire tonik?

Create a new Calorie Counter App.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I saw their ad on trends.vc. They offered to do about 4 hours of design work for free to see if we fit.

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

The designer had to create 15 or so screens from the wireframes that I created.

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

Senior Designer with feedback from Head Designer and CEO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I terminated the project after 3 days because the designer made novel mistakes.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow wise it wasn't too bad, although they would sometimes miss messages and not reply for 2 days.

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

I think the head of design has great UI/UX skills, but the designer I got to work with was very, very poor. He was professional, but lacked the design skills.

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

So their website says "your search for a design agency stops here," but I got to waste a lot of time and had to look for a new design agency as the designer I was assigned didn't have basic UI/UX knowledge.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run a marketing consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire tonik?

Tonik developed our brand identity and designed + built our website

SOLUTION

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

Tonik designed websites for two firms in my industry whose websites I loved the most. Their team was communicative, and their pricing was reasonable given the high quality of their work.

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

I worked with a brand designer at Tonik to share my vision for the company's brand, and we worked through several iterations to align on a brand I liked. We then moved on to website UI development, and finally a developer took over to build the site on Webflow.

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

Multiple brand designers, a project manager, a UI designer, and a Webflow developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created a beautiful website and brand that immediately increased our flow of inbound leads.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were easy to communicate with using a shared Slack channel, periodic meetings, and Loom videos back-and-forth.

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

Very high caliber of talent all around

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

This was partially my fault, but the project did take a few weeks longer than expected.