We believe that when done right, technology should simplify. It should make life easier for our clients and their customers.
Based on the well-known Google Ventures methodology, each project starts with an intense 1 week discovery process that ends with empirical validation with real cients.
Using the valuable insights from our Design Sprint, your Apps User Experience journey will be mapped out. The driving goal being - to create a clear, seamless and delightful user experience.
Simplicity is the ultimate foundation of good design. We will work with you every step of the way to create an elegant design using the latest design trends and capabilities.
Agility is the focal point here. Our Agile methodology produces frequent builds with plenty of time for testing & feedback. We will stress test your app to ensure it's usability and reliability.
No app project is complete without the proper marketing plan. Prior to full launch we will create landing pages and buzz to generate interest and notify your waitlist of users when we launch.
Getting your app live on the internet or submitting to an App Store can be a tricky process. Our expertise and latest knowledge of these requirements help speed up this process by taking the path of least resistance.
After your app has officially launched and a quick celebration fiesta, it's right back to work. Now that your app is live with daily active users, it's vital to update your app with bug fixes and new features. Much of an app's success is the momentum it builds upon. We take this phase very seriously and provide you with analytics and recommendations to help your team make informed decisions.
We are always growing and learning so we can pass on those learnings on to our clients for the growth of their businesses.
No ideas or strategies are too bold for us. In our view it's all possible. It's just a matter of choosing the most effective.
Simply put - we believe in doing the right thing no matter the situation. Even when it may not be easy, we hold true to doing what's right.
Clients are the reason we exist. They are at the heart of everything we do. We quite seriously only succeed when our clients do.
We believe reliability is something that truly sets us apart. We don't disappear and send you to only work with a project manager who is handling 100 clients. We answer all your calls, emails, smoke signals. We hit deadlines like a dart hitting a bullseye.
As business owners ourselves we have empathy for what it's like to run a business. It's a 24/7 365 game and the problems are never ending. When we work with our clients we really believe their businesses are part our-own. We're entrepreneurs too and helping other entrepreneurs with their businesses run deep.
1. Just like apps get updates, so do we. Acquiring the latest technologies and methodologies is something we take very seriously. So when you're getting a new app or website you're getting the most up to date tech possible. That way you not only get top-performing software, but one that has a longer "half-life."
2. When you get a project estimate, you're only paying for the project. We are not inflating project estimates to help pay for a new fancy espresso machine or some company retreat that you may get at other places with extravagant offices in the heart of a city. When you get an estimate from us, rest assured it is solely for the work associated with the project.
3. While it's possible we will have a project manager on our team at some point. We will NEVER meet you in the beginning of a project and then disappear for the remainder of the project where you will only have one person to communicate with. We find that disrespectful when client's can't even speak with agency owners once the project begins. We are always available to you and take that very seriously.
4. Upfront work. Spending a lot of time in the beginning asking lots of questions to learn about your business, industry, competitors, customer personas, identifying pain points, opportunities, etc can seem tedious and redundant. However there is a method to the madness. We cannot effectively produce a results-focused product without having a deep understanding of these areas. This is something other options don't necessarily do so they can skip to the fun part and start designing and building.
CraftShack begins most projects with a Discovery, Planning and Research Phase. First we learn about your business, industry, competition and do customer persona exercises to really understand your customers. We do this with empathy mapping and user stories which help us create a very specific and detailed look at who will be using your website/app so we can better position and connect with them. We will then create greyscale wireframes to create a high-level user flow (ie user experience) and remove any points of friction. From there we transition to full color illustrations/designs that are created in various programs. If a mobile app project we will upload designs to an interactive prototyping program that allows you to click through the screens for a better simulation of how the app will be architected.
Once the discovery and design phase is complete and all designs are approved. The development will begin. The agile development methodology that we utilize means we will strictly follow the designs and have regular check-ins to ensure any adjustments that need to be made will be taken into account immediately rather than at the end. Our first development goal is the First Deliverable milestone which we call D1. This is a highly functional build of the app that contains a subset of features agree upon by CraftShack and the client. We will then begin an iterative process of finalizing the remaining features. QA testing will be simultaneously be taking place to ensure any bugs are documented, reported and addressed before launch.
CraftShack is a digital product studio. We build and transform businesses through strategy, design and development. Whether it's UI/UX design, developing a mobile app or a website redesign we will bring your vision to life.
Want to get in touch? You can email us, call us, slide into our DM's, send us smoke signals, or send us an encrypted message. No matter how you reach out, we'll be sure to get back to you within 24 hours!