Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about my service packages.

What is the difference between a mini retainer and the app design package? 

Mainly the customization of what goes in it. In my retainer agreements - you get to choose the items in it, the deliverables, or things we will accomplish, and they can be changed in the middle of the project. In the app design package, the scope and deliverables are set beforehand.

Why do you include a research phase at the beginning of your projects? Can we skip it?

I include this because it gives you much higher quality and more effective designs for your product. It’s only worth skipping if you’ve already had qualitative product research done and can provide an in-depth report. Design time is also very streamlined by doing this research, so it doesn’t even save much time or money to skip it. 

Do you work on an hourly basis?

No. The app design package is based on a global rate so you can plan and budget accordingly without surprises. The mini retainers are based on an estimate of 30-33 work hours per month, which sounds like very few but is generally enough to cover what you need to accomplish.

What do the time estimates mean? How accurate are they?

Time estimates are based on my past experience of how long it takes to execute each deliverable, and on my availability for your project. I work on a few projects at any one time, for different clients. 

What happens if our project is finished ahead of schedule?

Then you can ship earlier than planned! Sometimes our work together might go so smoothly that you may get your deliverables a bit early. It does not mean that your project took less time to execute, though. Sometimes I may complete certain parts of your project ahead of schedule because you have to meet special considerations and deadlines. For app design packages, the pricing of the work will remain the same. For mini-retainers, if things are delivered early, I will just update you as to how many hours in your mini-retainer are left. 

What if I need more hours this month than I have on my mini retainer?

With advance notice of a deadline, I’m flexible and can usually meet your needs or shift things around so that the arrangement works for you. You can add or move hours around.

How will I get updated on progress?

If you have a company Slack channel, I can join it. If you prefer communication over email, Whatsapp messages, or phone calls, that works too. I will provide weekly updates in video calls, or more frequent updates in Slack, depending on the need. 

Can we make pivots while in the middle of a project?

Of course. In the app design package, you have 2 revision rounds included for your app. Pivots can be executed during these revision rounds - even dramatic ones. In mini retainer packages, you can pivot as many times as you like. 

Can we make scope changes while in the middle of our project?

In app design packages - no, the scope is fixed. You can choose to add other items to the scope which can be charged per hour.  

In retainer packages - yes, scope is completely flexible. 

Do you work agile? 

Yes. But if you are creating a new app from scratch, or if you currently have no design assets, then we’ll need to spend a few weeks getting a basic design system in place before we can begin working agile. Depending on your project, this ramp-up period may also include the research phase as well. (So about a 3 week period of ramp-up and preparation in total.) After that, it’s agile all the way.

Need something tailor-made?

Contact me to learn more, to chat about my work process, or anything you might have in mind for your project.