Process
Our method turns plans into action.
Four phases get you from idea to shipped product: recruit from the global Hardware Meetup community, match the right talent, quote in clear phases, and activate with full visibility.
Get In Touch1. Recruit
We tap into the global Hardware Meetup community to recruit talented professionals with years of experience in their field to become informal members.
- 50+ cities and 50,000+ members, supported by informal
- City chapters run by local organizers who know their hardware ecosystem
- Members come in by referrals from our tightknit community
2. Match
Our network of 400+ hardware experts are vetted through our referral program, put through an onboarding process, and start with a small-scale engagement as we learn how they work.
- Thoroughly vetted hardware experts
- Talent matched to your project needs and budget
- Teams built around work styles and skillsets
3. Quote
Quoting projects in discrete phases allows for more accurate and refined estimates.
- The most accurate quote, with low and high ranges
- A detailed scope of work written by the subject matter expert
- Our portal enables us to customize a project based on your needs
4. Activate
Giving clients access to our communication channels provides real-time project insight.
- Members and clients connected in Slack and Google
- Real-time feedback speeds up collaboration and iteration
- Time tracking and status updates for full visibility
A global community, a vetted network, an honest quote, and end-to-end visibility.
Working with informal feels like a true partnership, not just a vendor arrangement. Their members truly understand what they're building, and are able to clearly articulate the cost and timeline trade-offs with any product design decision.
informal gave a small, fast-moving team the range of a full hardware company across design, mechanical, electrical, firmware, supply chain, and branding, with on demand access to the talent we needed to keep Inku shipping.
informal paired us with Samantha nearly five years ago, and she's been integral to our marketing ops team ever since. They understood our needs and matched us with someone who had the right technical skills, and who also fit with how we work.
I cannot recommend informal more highly. We were introduced to informal after having been burned by several product development shops, and the key difference when you work with informal is that you get to choose exactly who you work with. You know which engineers are working on your project - they don't market you on the A team and staff you with the C team. Who you meet is who you get, and that makes all the difference.
informal helped us launch Lodge, and over the years their members have provided product support - from firmware to supply chain and new feature development whenever we need it. For a young brand, having that caliber of talent embedded with us is everything.
Working with informal is a masterclass in keeping stakeholders informed. They share just enough detail to keep everyone aligned and confident about next steps on a project. As a founder, I always know exactly where we stand.