The Buckeye Process
Let's talk about how a Buckeye project works.
Our process isn’t just how we do what we do. It’s how we’re able to provide the most value to you.
Impact
Our main focus of every project is making the most impact with the work we create together. This means finding the right balance of priorities and perfection on a case by case basis.
Predictability
There is value in the predictability of deliverable dates and features. We will give you accurate estimates, and more importantly, communicate updated estimates as priorities change.
Flexibility
We’ve been in this business long enough to know that sometimes your schedule and priorities can shift. We’ll adjust with you and be flexible to your needs through actionable solutions.
Strategy & Architecture
During the Strategy & Architecture (S&A) phase, we’ll get into the intricacies of your project. That’s when we’ll identify key objectives and generate a project backlog of tasks. We’ll conduct stakeholder interviews to understand your priorities and vision, so we can make the best recommendations to help you meet your goals.
The research and planning in S&A is absolutely critical to your project’s success. There will be insanely detailed spreadsheets full of data and recommendations from our content team — no, seriously, you should see the stuff they come up with. There will be stunning mockups from our design team, who are impressively able to take our content team’s spreadsheets and interpret them visually. And there will be product roadmaps from our engineers, so you know exactly how things will evolve.
With all that, you’ll have a robust, yet flexible, plan for building and launching your project.
Sprint Structure
At Buckeye Innovation, we use a sprint framework that allows us to channel our expertise while working strategically toward achieving what’s best for our clients. Sprints are simply cycles of time – usually 10 business days – during which we work on defined tasks from our project backlog. By using sprints, we are able to dive deep into your project right away and create tangible, usable deliverables early and often throughout the project.
At the beginning of each sprint, we will have planning sessions with you, where we will collaborate about prioritized tasks to be completed during the sprint. And at the end, we will have demo meetings, where you will be able to see the progress and results of the sprint’s work. Additionally, you will be given access to our project management system and staging site, so you can check in and see how things are progressing in real-time. This transparency means you never have to wonder how the project is going, and you have a full understanding of where things stand.
Methodology
Our sprint-based approach helps us research and plan effectively during Strategy & Architecture, and it ensures fast and successful delivery during our build sprints. This also enables us to break the project down into smaller chunks that can be completed and demonstrated in far less time than most design and development firms. Our point-based budgeting system provides small fixed-fee estimates on each deliverable before you approve them, maximizing your control over what work gets prioritized.
This proven process ensures that we’re able to build you digital brand experiences that leave an impression for your unique needs.
What’s the point?
Or, more specifically, what’s a point? Our work is estimated at a fixed price based on the amount of time, risk, and value needed to complete tasks. Typically, 1 point is around 1-2 hours of work. Points have a set value (currently $550/point) that is agreed upon prior to the project and ensures that our work is efficient and timely. Clients agree to a set amount of points, which are then organized into sprints. This process allows for measurable phases from project start to finish.
