What it changed
- A proof of concept and a clickable prototype the founder could put in front of customers and investors.
- Screens designed by Lin Wong, the start of our collaboration.
- A lesson in scope and negotiation that our contracts still reflect.
The situation
A founder wanted a digital product for second-hand fashion, and needed to show it before building it. A proof of concept had to make the idea tangible: what the platform does, for whom, and how it feels to use.
What we did
We defined the product with the founder and designed it, screen by screen in Sketch, then linked the screens into a clickable prototype in InVision, so it could be tested like a real app.
The screens were designed by Lin Wong. It was our first project together, years before she specialised in learning design, and she did superb work. It was a really fun project, in a field we enjoyed.
How it ended
The prototype was delivered, and it was good. Commercially, it wasn't: the client was a very good negotiator, and we were hungry for the work. We were paid about $5,000 for work worth $20,000 to $25,000, and that money went to Lin, who had earned it. neap.co absorbed the rest.
What it taught me
How to negotiate, how to manage expectations, and how to make sure the work is paid for at its value. A clear scope, a price for that scope, and a conversation about anything beyond it. It doesn't happen to us anymore.
Why it matters to you
You get the same discipline: a scope you can read, a price that matches it, and no surprises on either side. It's a better deal for the client too, because a project that's priced right gets finished properly.