Designli

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a financial blog.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We wanted to create an app for our audience. Our users had been asking for one for a long time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team at Designli was hired to develop and design our application from scratch. It’s intended to be a motivational tool to help users pay off their debt faster. The app gives recommendations on refinancing loans and where their focus should be when it comes to paying off debt. It also has a social media function where users can like and comment on their friend’s progress.

What is the team composition?

I’ve only interacted with two people from their team, but they have between 15–30 developers working on it. My points of contact worked with me to get a feel of what I wanted and needed. They act as a liaison between the developers and me, explaining what I need in technical terms.

How did you come to work with Designli?

I found Designli on Viber.

How much have you invested with them?

By the time the project is completed, we will have spent over $100,00.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started engaging with Designli at the end of August or beginning of September. The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gone through the design phase, and now we’re working on the technical aspects. Right now, the app is for iOS. In six months, their team will start on the Android version. All they’ve done is go back and forth on design. Once the app is out and people are using it, we will be able to track its progress and success.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they’re amazing. Their team stays in touch, providing weekly updates. If there’s ever a question, we have a great plan for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were the most reasonably-priced, reputable agency that’s based in the US. I also appreciate our points of contact. We can call them at any time to make sure we’re all on the same page. Their team is excellent at asking clarifying questions. In the developmental phase, I felt that I had thought through my app well, but their team sees things from a technical perspective. That helped us get on the same page.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing from my experience. I might have more to say further down the line, but nothing for now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Designli is only held up by the client’s lack of communication or the inability to act quickly. Clients need to make sure they give feedback as quickly as they can to move the timeline faster. There were a few weeks where I couldn’t respond. But if they’re willing to help, you also have to be there and willing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Apprecio, a mobile web application dedicated to efficiently and effectively recognize those who have made an impact in their lives or in the lives of their loved ones.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Designli?

Designli and I partnered for their Solutions Lab and Prototype for Apprecio.

What were your goals for this project?

Essentially, the initial goal was to create a comprehensive business plan and user stories for my idea, a facet where someone may easily promote gratitude and positive reinforcement. Once the foundational information was established, the next goal was to create visually appealing mock web and mobile web pages.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

An online search directed me to Designli. An initial phone call with CEO Keith Shields left me impressed and curious to learn more about their Solutions Lab and overall process.

I was initially excited to learn about the experience Keith and his team brought to the table, but even more elated with their straightforward approach to use their term “building a skateboard before the car”. As I’m unfamiliar with technology development, this concept made tremendous sense and I immediately knew Designli was the best fit for Apprecio.

Describe the project in detail.

As my knowledge in the tech world is limited, Designli’s SolutionLab is the perfect ‘first step’ we never knew we needed. In this process, we found ourselves hashing out key components and essential concepts, ultimately designing the building blocks for our vision.

During each call and webinar, ideas were shared and fine-tuned. The next steps of creating a logo and prototype were crucial for illustrating the vision outlined in the SolutionLab.

What was the team composition?

Keith, Josh, and the team are professional, diligent, and transparent with the process for creating an app, from inception through development. Keith initially discussed the Designli SolutionLab process in great detail and with support of Josh and their team, resulted in an outstanding map for Apprecio. Josh was my main point person during the logo design and prototyping journey, communicating promptly and effectively updates as appropriate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The end result of the SolutionLab is a solid business plan, user flow diagram, and user persona and stories. The logo and prototype are incredible illustrations of pages in which a user will navigate Apprecio in a seamless manner. The layouts and design are better than I could have imagined.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Josh and Keith communicated at least weekly via Basecamp and whenever there were updates. The work completed was timely and clarification regarding questions were answered in great detail.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The SolutionLab was quite impressive, in that they were not merely listening to my concept, but contributing ideas for user maximizing functionality, while remaining mindful of V1.

I am consistently impressed with Keith, Josh, and the Designli team. They are truly partners in this journey to create a product that will enhance the lives of others.

Are there any areas for improvement?

At this time, I have no comments on areas for improvement. Any success to come Designli's way is much deserved.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of technology at Life and Safety Consultants, Inc. We’re a full-service safety consulting company that provides OSHA compliance services, including their Safety and Health Recognition Program (SHARP) for small businesses. These range from basic, one-off training to full-facility assessments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

Over the past ten years, we’ve been developing online services and safety tools to help our consultants in the field. We needed help to develop some of the tools we haven’t been able to build for ourselves in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re working through a three-phase project. The first was a project management phase where we scoped out the project. We decided on how long it would take and the resources it would require, both financial- and personnel-wise. In the second phase, they created a non-functional prototype interface so we had something to show customers. It looked exactly how we wanted. We’re going to start the third phase—the programming phase—soon.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people initially, and then two more. There also might be another design person I haven’t met.

How did you come to work with Designli?

They’re a local company in Greenville, South Carolina. We’d worked with a number of development firms without much luck over the years, mostly because they’re remote and the developers didn’t work with our format.

Compared to four or five other local companies I considered for this project, Designli had the best portfolio and made the best impression during the in-person meeting. They answered my questions and demonstrated a solid path moving forward. Additionally, they didn’t quote the entire project up-front. They advocated a lean, phase-based approach.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$49,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve reviewed their work internally with a few key stakeholders, we’ve shown it to a few of our clients that are invested in the project’s success. Compared to what they promised, they’ve been meeting marks.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re very happy with what we’ve seen so far. The tangibles, work breakdown structure and regular communication are great. They keep us abreast of what’s happening once or twice a week, especially during a larger chunk that may not have small deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

First, their lean approach to the project is amazing. They laid out everything in the discovery portion, including the functionalities and all the smaller tasks that go into the functionalities. This helped us identify what we wanted to include in our first version of the software based on cost considerations.

Second, the level of communication and follow-up has been great. We get distracted by other priorities sometimes, and they politely remind us that they need an approval or a review of the documentation before they can move forward. They gently prod us, so to speak.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Of course, I’d prefer the cost less, but there’s not much they’d be able to about that. Otherwise, I have no other complaints. They’ve even made some changes to their work and payment schedule (introducing shorter sprints) to accommodate a smaller business like us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Definitely make use of the discovery and work and cost breakdown period. Even if you don’t build with them, that breakdown is a very valuable document. Pay for the first phase and make the decision after that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of a software company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

I was looking for an experienced vendor to develop an API for a number of use cases. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built an API for different use cases for our e-commerce website. The API is used for marketing materials, the checkout process, and the gifting space. I gave them a concept, and they brought it to life, educating me along the way. 

What is the team composition? 

There are about eight people working on the project.

How did you come to work with Designli?

It was a word-of-mouth recommendation. 

How much have you invested with them?

I've spent about $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

I started working with Designli in March 2018, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They're doing fantastic work. The feedback has been very positive. 

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint? 

The communication has been flawless. We didn't have any issues. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very patient and able to work with someone who has no technical background.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think so. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a great team. Their level of integrity and commitment is impressive. I highly recommend them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a founder of a new company. We are currently developing workplace culture software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We wanted to focus on employers' lack of awareness of their employees' personal interests and lives. We also wanted to build an avenue that allowed employees to interact and establish stronger connections with each other.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They hosted a solution lab for me. I put my thoughts and ideas on paper, and they helped me plot out how the software could be structured. They came up with ways for users to interact with it and helped me solidify what users could accomplish. They pieced my ideas into a real software experience and created software screens to identify what the finished product would look like.

I came in with a list of goals, but they put the whole project in more practical terms. They brought a technological perspective, and they did a lot of research on my competitors to help differentiate our software in the market. We're still in the design phase, and we haven't decided what technologies we'll use yet. We hope to build out an algorithm that will connect employees to colleagues with similar interests.

What is the team composition?

I work with the two founders, and they have a designer that works in the background.

How did you come to work with Designli?

I did some general market research and spoke with a friend who has a more established startup. I searched for development shops in my area, and Designli was highly rated and reviewed. Their office is very close, and I had a good initial conversation with them. They seemed like a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

I've invested around $10,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in late summer 2018. I'm still testing the market, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software isn't active yet, so there are no metrics to share now. My experience with them is phenomenal. They really understand my vision, and I don't have to over-explain anything. They're very in tune with great user experiences, which is a core part of what I hope to offer.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

They're good project managers. We meet face to face as often as we can. Most of our meetings have been in person, but they also leverage Basecamp as a project management site for documentation. All the screens they designed are in InVision.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm very impressed with their follow-up, and they're on top of their engagements. They sent me a handwritten letter with collateral fairly early on. Whenever we have a conversation, they send me a robust list of next steps. They're very professional and thorough, and they listen well. If ever something is too costly or too early to consider, they're very flexible to my needs. They help keep the project lean where it needs to be, and everything they do helps me achieve my goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. This is my first experience like this, and they do a good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start with them early in your process. They format jobs well, so it helps to go in with an open mind. They offer good feedback for usability, and they're willing to push back with better solutions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of SecurSpace. We provide a marketplace to connect owners and managers of industrial facilities—such as truck parking or equipment storage—with interested clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

We have one in-house technical person—our CTO—and needed to scale our development capacity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli provides design and development resources to build out our marketplace. Owners can list properties and facilities with their features, and potential customers can reserve and pay for spaces. It offers listing, booking, and payment functionalities in the same site. The frontend uses React while the backend is built in JavaScript.

When we engaged Designli, we were looking to move from our MVP to our second version of the site. Designli supplemented our development in the backend, frontend, and specific features. They also offered input into designs that we had done with an outside firm. They then presented us with an overhauled UI that we’re working to implement now.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Keith (CEO & Co-founder, Designli) and Josh (COO, Designli). I’ve been on calls with various members of their development staff, but Josh is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Designli?

Our company is based in North Carolina, so we were looking for firms based in the South. We wanted the opportunity to talk through our vision and product in person with a vendor. I found Designli on Google, where they were highly rated and had lots of positive customer feedback. After an initial phone call and a face-to-face meeting, it seemed like a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000–$250,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2018. We were initially looking into developing a mobile app, so we used a process that Designli calls a Solutions Lab. We didn’t end up building the app, but we retained their suggestions and roadmap. For business reasons, we went towards building a web platform instead, which is still an ongoing project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any metrics at the moment, but our team deeply appreciates the work that Designli has done so far. They’ve implemented our designs well, and we’re thrilled to continue working with them.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

Designli excels as project managers. They have top-notch processes and great communication. I communicate with the team over email and phone, and our CTO works closely with them over Google Hangouts. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Designli bridges the gap between our business needs and technical needs. Josh and Keith have in-depth experience in both development and starting a business. That expertise allows them to provide technical advice while being efficient with our dollars.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. The team is very responsive and has delivered what they've committed to providing. I don't have any complaints. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Know exactly what you want Designli to build, and supply as much detail about your requirements as possible upfront. Their team excels at taking specifications and creating a plan around them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the founder and sole member of Thingeology LLC, which is a website and an app. Thingealogy is in the business of helping families save the stories of their heirlooms and belongings.  Once saved, these stories about belongings are called “Things” and are organized into “Collections,” where “Beneficiaries” are assigned. All of this information is stored within the Thingealogy system, and additional photos and comments can be added, and financial values assigned. A QR code is generated so that users can hear the audio recording for years to come, and a PDF file is created, which can be used in estate planning. I had the idea for this company in 2012 and, although I have sole ownership of the product, I rely on Designli to bring these ideas to life.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

Without a tech background and, at the time, interest and aptitude to learn coding, there was no way Thingealogy would come to life without outside help. That was the impetus to find a company like Designli that could help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

By 2014, when I first contacted  Designli, I had consulted with several professionals and companies  to get Thingealogy off the ground. I worked with lawyers to help draft the privacy policy and terms of use, trademark lawyers to help with the US Patent and Trademark Office to apply for the name to be registered, an app designer who created the logo for Thingealogy, and a social media marketer who helped with the Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages. Since 2016, I’ve worked almost exclusively with Designli on all projects for Thingealogy, from web design to decisions about different elements of the user experience. They also take care of all the backend work with whatever coding languages they use.

What is the team composition?

The team composition for Thingealogy and Designli is comprised of myself and Designli’s two co-founders, Josh (COO, Designli) and Keith (CEO, Designli). They pass on information to their internal team.

How did you come to work with Designli?

The coders I originally planned to use fell through, and in 2014 I came across a link to America's Coolest College Startups of 2014. Designli was mentioned in the article. I emailed Keith, and he quickly responded, a sign of things to come, as both Keith and Josh are very responsive to emails.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the past five years, Thingealogy has invested between $150,000–$250,000 with Designli. A large part of that has been paid over the past year to recode the app and create several new web-based features.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2014, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is very easy to use, and the user flows are smooth and intuitive. The design of the interface is also very elegant. Designli did a lot of work on the backend to simplify each process. 

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

They do an excellent job keeping me informed about what they’re working on, so that I’m aware of their progress and know what to expect.  Before each phase of a project begins, I’m given an estimate of how many hours will be required for each piece of the project.

If I want to add a new feature, they’ll give me general time and money estimates. They’re very transparent and forthcoming when it comes to sharing details about their work. Every Friday, I receive a full written report from them with hours spent on the projects, plus I have access to many reports about their work on a platform called Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The first thing that comes to mind is the level of trust that Josh and Keith have established with me. They’re also responsive to my calls and questions. I appreciate how relatable they are in explaining technology and how they’ve helped me put my creative ideas into reality.  It’s been a great working relationship. I haven’t felt the need to seek or use other providers, mainly because of the trust that I’ve built with Designli.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Over the past five years, it’s been fun for me to watch Designli grow into such a professionally run company.  They seem well aware of industry trends and tools; as a customer, I know I've benefited from that awareness and growth.  I can’t speak to all of their internal improvements, but I do know that the platforms that they use to communicate with me have become very sophisticated, and I appreciate that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I currently work at a large financial institution and I am starting my own company. I will be publishing market commentary and discussing trends in the market. Those opinions will be published on my website, and that content will also be offered via email.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

I don’t have a background in coding or website development. The web component is the heart of the new enterprise. That's going to be the main avenue to deliver my content. Without a solid website, there really is no business. I only had a rough outline of what I wanted, so I needed to hire partners that could help me translate my vision into reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Designli is leading the entire web development process. Their initial preparation is done sequentially, so we started with phone calls to discuss what I wanted. Then we had a video conference to further discuss how the website would look. They created a storyboard to visualize the layout and helped me outline the next steps. They worked with me to form a budget for all the pieces of the project and to establish a timeline. Finally, they constructed a digital framework around my knowledge of financial commentary. 

The site will eventually be hosted on Amazon. Designli is in the coding process right now. It will have a heavy publishing capability. I'm going to be writing commentary and need to be able to publish as needed throughout the day and not on a set schedule. They’re creating the email capability as well to handle the (ideally) thousands of subscribers with different email preferences. It will handle a variety of subscription options for individuals or large organizations. They’re working on search capability and the presentation of the content as well. 

Designli presented me with a whole digital suite of products beyond just the core website. The plan is to start with the mobile-friendly website and eventually develop an app and podcast capabilities as my budget allows. They’re also going to help me with search engine marketing and email analytics once the service launches. 

How did you come to work with Designli? 

I started the process of looking for IT partners almost a year ago. While I was confident in my ability to publish content, I was hesitant due to my lack of knowledge about web technology. I spoke to a few firms and felt the most comfortable with Designli. They really understood my vision for this website. Several senior people at the company were involved in the process, including phone calls and video conferences. I liked their approach to my situation and so I decided to go with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

I've spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work started in May 2019 and the goal is to be done in August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Work is still ongoing. So far, I’ve been very happy with the quality of all the deliverables. Designli produced a packet presentation that’s quite professional. I can present it to investors if I need to go out and raise money. They also gave me an in-depth outline of what the company needs, various tasks that have to happen, and detailed cost forecasts. I was able to put down a relatively small amount of money at the beginning, and pay as I go along. That’s been really beneficial. 

We're just getting to the stage now where there are actual software deliverables. Over the next few weeks to months, they’ll have drafts online that I can look at. 

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their team performs quite well. There's a lot of transparency and they offer great feedback. I receive weekly updates with specific hour breakdowns on what's happened and what's to come. We communicate on a variety of apps. I’m in contact with Designli every day or every other day. We talk through any updates I've requested or their recommended changes. I can always go back to them if I want to do something different. It's been very much a collaborative process. They're able to make suggestions for items that I wasn't initially considering. They're also quite accommodating to any new desires I bring to them.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

I didn't come in with much familiarity with this process. I found them to be as easy to work with as my internal IT department. Designli makes everything easy for me to use. It’s so helpful to have a guide through all of these steps. They took the time to walk me through how to set up an email account in the name of my company. They also helped me open an Amazon account and sign up for analytical services. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Since this is my first web development experience, I don't have too many benchmarks. I haven't been unhappy with anything so far. I’ll probably be better able to answer that at the end of the project. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Take full advantage of their solution lab process. It was very beneficial for me as someone who's never built a website. The solution labs process will help you talk through the specifics about who's going to use your site and how they're going to use the site. It's a critical step in terms of getting the project off the ground.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a startup called Genchi Inc. We offer a project status and reporting tool.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

Initially, I brought in Designli to help me finalize the concept for my project and design the application’s user flow. I ended up extending the engagement to include development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a road-mapping session to flush out my idea. After our discussions, Designli produced a document that outlined the application’s purpose and how it would work. We used that to inform screen designs, user roles, and interaction flows. Then, they fully created the product, including a logo, the webpage, and about different 70 screens.

At this point, I planned on taking their work to a different development team, so Designli assembled the plan in an accessible format. Soon after, I decided to expand my engagement with their team instead. They’re currently working on the build. The Designli team is using a combination for Node.js, JavaScript, and Elasticsearch technologies in the system.

It’s a web-based platform, and I plan to add a mobile component soon. The application visualizes project status in real time through responses from each team member. Users quickly indicate their perspective on how the team is doing, then the system combines each teammates’ answers and provides a color visual that reflects the overall sentiment. If the consensus is positive, the screen will be green. If it’s negative, it’ll be red. The answers are measured on a spectrum, so most of the time the color will be somewhere in between.

It’s a straightforward solution with an engaging and easy user flow. We offer teams a quick way to capture information and share it with external stakeholders and investors. Designli also helped us link the application with Slack to further facilitate instant status sharing. As they continue to develop the solution, they’re helping us strategize for the future. We’re looking into the different ways in which organizations could adopt this tool into their operations.

What is the team composition?

Josh (COO, Designli) is our project manager. Andrei (Development Lead, Designli) heads a team of developers that rotate based on our current needs. We generally have two resources at any given time.

How did you come to work with Designli?

We found them through a Google search. I liked the look and feel of their website, so I reached out. I was also considering several other vendors, but I noticed that Designli offered a package deal for an initial interaction. I agreed to the meeting, and they helped me conceptualize my idea. That positive experience led me to choose them for the official project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have a background in software, so I thought my idea was pretty reliable. After speaking with Designli, I realized there were several things I hadn’t considered. Their new perspective and valuable insight helped me fill in some of the gaps in my original idea. In terms of design, they provided a prototype that I used to explain the application to our stakeholders and investors. I received unanimously positive reactions.

Now in the development process, the team is still on track to complete the project within our budget and by the deadline. Designli’s follow through is great. They’ve basically taken on the role of a technical co-founder of my app. I invested a lot of money in this, so I’m very happy with the results. The final product will have a unique look and feel, much better than my original vision. I’m delighted with the results I’ve seen so far.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

We routinely track our progress using Basecamp. For additional communication, we use Slack, email, and phone calls as necessary. On a weekly basis, I receive a status report and have a call with their development team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Designli team is reliable. I’m confident in their ability to deliver what they promise, and that is a fundamental characteristic of any successful partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve don’t a great job. There are no obvious shortcomings.

Any advice for potential customers?

Clients should trust Designli’s process. They’re a young company, but they really know what they’re doing. They ask key questions and produce top-notch results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of TLT Incorporated. We’re developing a transportation-related software platform for the trucking and logistics industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Designli?

I saw a problem that we could solve, but I'm not a software developer or a web designer. I needed help developing the software and building the product that I envisioned.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Designli is developing a mobile responsive website. We initially met for several hours to map out what everything would look like. They helped me figure out what slides would need to be created and what the screens would look like. As the process continued, they would do a bit of development and then send it to me for my feedback. They let me know when something I wanted to do was particularly challenging or costly. They make suggestions for ways to reduce the cost and keep the functionality. It was a lot of back and forth and walking through the solution step by step.

We're still in development but it's going to be a searchable database. They’re taking a massive amount of information from the trucking sector and compiling it into one searchable database to solve a particular pain point. Designli is creating the algorithms and the calculations behind all the data. The website will spit the data out in a user-friendly format that members of the industry will pay for.

Designli also designed our logo. I was already incorporated and had my name ready to go, so we discussed what a logo might look like. They sent me different options and I told them which ones I did or didn’t like. I ultimately selected a final logo design.

What is the team composition?

I regularly speak with both partners. I also interact directly with several of their developers.

How did you come to work with Designli?

I found them via a Google search. I was looking for a firm here in Greenville, SC. I found six local firms and asked each one for more information about what they do. Only three firms returned my call. I had a face-to-face interview with all three to see what they could provide and getting to know them personally. I was looking for a personal interaction, and that's why I chose Designli.

How much have you invested with them?

I've sent about $30,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018 and the engagement is ongoing. We have plans to develop a mobile application next year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're still in development but I’m very satisfied so far. Their work is fantastic. The design of the platform is aesthetically pleasing and simple to use. It provides value to our users.

Their communication is fantastic. Especially as a non-tech person, it's truly helpful for them to break it down so I can understand what they're doing and where my money is being spent. It's been a really collaborative process. They will call, email, or text when they have questions about a particular feature and how it should operate. We speak once or twice a week all throughout the process.

How did Designli perform from a project management standpoint?

Their process is broken up into particular milestones. My project is about five milestones. They send me an estimate to let me know what they're doing in each milestone and what it will cost. Each week they provide updates on where they're at in terms of the schedule. They also send out a weekly communication asking for a score on how they did as an internal report card.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m extremely happy that it feels personal and is more than just ones and zeros. It's a smaller firm, which I like because I can drop by their office and sit down with the partners. If I think up a new feature or modification, I can drop by their office the very next day and talk it through and get their input. They quickly let me know what it would mean to the development from a cost and a timing standpoint. They understand my company and what I'm trying to do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I'm a startup so any cost savings would be fantastic, however, that's not a complaint. I'm happy with what they're doing, and I'll continue using them now and in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do your homework. Make sure that whatever company you choose to develop your software platform is experienced in that area. Then get to know the team. As a smaller company, Designli may not be able to push the product as quickly as a larger firm. However, I like working with fellow entrepreneurs. For me, they’re a good fit.