First of all, if you're reading this, we're guessing you are either already working with us or you are considering working with us. Whatever category you fall into, we're glad you're here! This post is an overview of some things to know and highlights about working with Foster Made. I hope it helps you understand a little better what you can expect from us during a project—whether it involves consulting, UX/UI design, development, maintenance, or a combination of services we provide.
Without further ado, here are 5 things you can expect while working with us:
1. Consistent Communication
More than just the work we do, we believe communication is truly one of our strengths that sets us apart from other comparable digital agencies. Transparent communication is central to all that we do. That means we maintain clarity about project details like who’s doing the work, our timeline, and billing. If there’s a question or concern, we don’t avoid difficult conversations or hide the truth. Our openness stems from holding our clients’ (and each other’s) confidence and trust in the highest regard. This is actually one of our main company values (you can read all eight here).
What does this kind of communication practically look like once we're working together? We offer consistent communication throughout the span of an engagement. At designated times throughout our working relationship (it might be daily, weekly, a few times a week, or biweekly) we will have regular check in meetings where you can ask questions, get clarification, and get updates on anything you might need. This gives you comfort knowing there will be a set time when you can get responses to your questions, and it also lets our design and development teams have a clear point in time during which they will be available for you.
Depending on the project, we will also send weekly written updates letting you know what we’ve worked on over the past week, what struggles we’re running into, any changes to project timeline, and anything we need from you.
2. Practiced Expertise
Our developers and designers are so talented at what they do. Not only does our team of web professionals have considerable combined development and design experience, everyone also regularly attends conferences and workshops to stay up to date with industry trends, and they take online training courses to expand the breadth of their expertise. We also stand firmly behind our technology offerings and only work with languages, frameworks, and platforms that we believe provide value for our clients and we are able to use with proficiency and confidence. As a result, we’ve developed extensive experience with a specially curated selection of modern, robust, and secure technologies.
Whatever we're working on, we're problem solvers by nature with a breadth and depth of experience. We’re focused on solving your complex challenges with thoughtful solutions that translate into flawless digital experiences (you can check out our case studies to see some examples!).
3. Collaboration and Teamwork
While we’re one cohesive and collaborative team, we realize that the demands of our work require varying and sometimes unique ways of thinking. In an effort to embrace those differences, we have designated internal teams dedicated to development, design, and project management. This allows us to create nuanced processes that are unique to each discipline while still aligning with company-wide processes and channels of communication.
In addition to helping streamline communication, we've found this set up makes it easier for us to think of solutions from creative and technical perspectives, and, as a result, yields a better product. Our developers are able to weigh in on designs early on from a technical standpoint, and our designers are able to ensure the creative vision is carried through the build process. Both teams work independently and together to ensure technically sound and beautifully designed websites and applications that feature exceptional usability.
From your perspective, since you'll likely be interacting with a number of individuals spread across those different internal teams, you get one dedicated, nimble team with a variety of specialized skills. We believe this provides a better experience and advanced capability for everyone involved.
Besides the collaboration going on internally at Foster Made, we also strive to collaborate with you! We don’t want to just be your design and dev shop, we want to be your trusted, creative technology partner. Your questions and requests will be heard. We love to work closely with you to find the best way to address your organization’s needs.
The team at Foster Made listens. They took the time to understand the values and priorities of our community and to translate them into design decisions large and small.
- MARCEL LAFLAMME, Society for Cultural Anthropology
4. Honesty and Transparency
As already mentioned, transparent communication is central to all that we do. To expand on that a bit more, we just want to reiterate that this is something we hold to throughout the process of working together.
Technology can be difficult and ever changing, and sometimes we run into unexpected problems or situations. Our team will always do our best to keep you aware of what is happening on your project(s) in a clear, understandable, and honest way. And if we run into any issues along the way, or we just happen to have options about how to go about tackling a specific task, we'll clearly communicate our options to help you make informed decisions that stick with your organizational and project goals.
5. Success and Lasting Relationships
As we work with you on your project, we learn about your organization, your needs, your passions, and your audience. Getting to know the people we work with and partnering with our clients to help them achieve their goals is at the core of who we are. When you succeed, we succeed!
We’ve worked with Foster Made for nearly 10 years, and continue to be impressed with their professionalism, collaboration, and communication.
- MELISSA LINDSLEY, AMERICAN GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION
Since we are invested in your success, we often want to support your growth long past our initial project together. We hope to not only have one product build with you but to continue to nurture a relationship where we support your organization towards its goals, whether that's through new projects or through continued maintenance and care of your existing website or software. We are passionate about exceeding your expectations and building trust as you venture into your digital projects.
Posted in #Approach under *Project Management
