Morgan Witham, Crystal Douglas, and Tyler Pease on Agency Work Podcast: Strategy and UX Solutions for Complex Challenges
The following blog post is a recap from Morgan Witham, Crystal Douglas, Tyler Pease, and Parker Plaisted’s conversation on the Agency Work podcast.
On the latest episode of Agency Work, Morgan Witham, Tyler Pease, and Crystal Douglas of COLAB’s, a Richmond-based digital agency, provided an in-depth look at the strategic and collaborative processes they follow while executing digital projects for their clients. Their approach centers on discovery, strategy, and collaboration—key elements that drive scalable, effective, and impactful solutions.
Breaking Down CoLab’s Process
At CoLab, the team aims to solve the “right problem with the right solution” by starting every project with a clearly defined process that emphasizes communication and teamwork.
- Discovery and Research
- Led by Tyler Pease, one of COLAB’s UX strategists, the discovery phase involves data collection and client engagement to fully understand the project’s goals. This includes competitor analysis, user testing, audience research, stakeholder interviews, and gathering functional requirements.
- Tools like Google Analytics help Tyler assess how users interact with a client’s current digital product. Unique exercises such as “stinky fish” (identifying potential challenges) and “remembering the future” (envisioning post-launch outcomes) are used to further refine business objectives and anticipate challenges.
- Collaboration begins immediately, with strategists, designers, and developers present during discussions to ensure all aspects are considered.
- UX and Design Strategy
- Once key insights are gathered during discovery, the design-focused work starts, helmed by Crystal Douglas, one of COLAB’s UX/UI designers.
- Crystal takes Tyler’s wireframes—functional skeletons of the intended experience—and develops them into visually engaging digital designs. Mood boards, which present distinct style options, help clients articulate their desired tone and aesthetic.
- Typography and visual elements, carefully derived from brand personality insights, set the foundation for a cohesive, user-friendly interface. The iterative process ensures that the final design aligns with both client goals and user expectations.
- Seamless Collaboration
- CoLab’s internal communication between strategy, design, and development is a standout feature of their workflow. Morgan Witham, COLAB’s COO, highlighted how the team collaborates across all stages, pulling in expertise as needed to avoid siloed decision-making.
- “Experience reviews,” held three times a week, foster an ongoing dialogue between strategists and designers. This consistent feedback loop ensures alignment before development begins, reducing errors and risks.
Building Client Trust Through Transparency
CoLab also involves their clients as active participants throughout the process. At each phase—discovery, wireframing, and design—clients can provide input and feedback. This incremental approach eliminates surprises and builds confidence in the final product. According to Morgan, this method not only helps achieve results that meet business goals but also creates long-term, scalable solutions for clients.
The Benefits of CoLab’s Approach
COLAB’s collaborative and methodical workflow has proven invaluable for delivering high-quality digital products. By including developers in early strategy discussions and designers in discovery meetings, CoLab creates solutions that are both user-focused and business-driven. Their approach ensures that every decision is backed by data, reducing inefficiencies and creating products that stand the test of time.
This process underscores why collaboration—both internal and external—is at the heart of COLAB’s success. By balancing strategy, creativity, and technical insight, the team builds digital experiences that help their clients grow and perform better in their respective markets.
For anyone in need of digital solutions guided by innovation and collaboration, COLAB’s process stands as a model of excellence. To learn more about their work, visit teamcolab.com.