UI/UX design outsourcing: Top reasons to choose it over in-house

A good design can differentiate a successful product from one that fails. According to a study from Forrester Research, 70% of projects fail due to a lack of user acceptance, and a seamless UX design can result in conversion rates of up to 400%.

Here are some no less interesting numbers able to make you reconsider investment into UI/UX:

• $2.6 billion of revenue loss this year was caused by slow-loading websites
• 90% of users name a bad UX as a reason they never revisit a website
• 7% reduction in conversions — is the outcome of a one-second delay in page response

This article reveals specifics and tips related to UX and UI design outsourcing. You’ll be able to decide what suits you better — hiring an in-house specialist or opting for product design outsourcing.

What is UI/UX design?

Code is the heart and soul of a good software product. But it means nothing if users need help with getting its idea, don’t understand the following steps, and don’t enjoy using it in general. UX design is responsible for functionality and usability. UI is all about aesthetics and branding. Together, they are a beautiful and functional package for the code.

According to this, the skilled UI designer makes your product look great while meeting the market trends, industry standards, and business goals. UX design outsourcing specialist achieves the same while making the application intuitive and easy to use. UI/UX designer is a mixture of both.

The difference between UI and UX design

The primary reason to have a UX designer on your team is that they define how users interact with your software. And they are responsible for making this experience smooth and seamless. They determine users’ actions to achieve the intended outcomes and make websites, mobile, or desktop apps intuitive.

In their job, UX designers rely on research. They keep in mind the purpose of the app, its key functionality, trends, market specifics, people’s needs, and pain points.

Then, a UI designer takes the job and makes the results of a UX designer’s work look unique, authentic, and stylish. They pick colors, experiment with visual elements, and juggle them to reach the best result.

A UI/UX designer combines these roles and is responsible for the following:

• Collaboration with project managers, business analytics, and engineers
• Creation of design concepts and interface elements
• UI mockups, prototypes, and unique graphic designs
• Presentation of their work to teammates and stakeholders
• Identification and resolution of UX issues
• Refining and improvement of the product according to user feedback

Why does effective UI/UX matter

A high-quality UI/UX design requires money and time investments, but it is worth every penny and every minute of work. An attractive and easy-to-understand solution is what makes people loyal to your product. Here are the most apparent benefits of UI/UX:

Cost optimization

The user has a need; the app meets it. To bring this perfect image to reality, keep user personas and their needs and appeal to them in mind. You save costs from the start with a good research-based UI/UX. You don’t work mindlessly; you define key and optional features and a proper style. You might need a refinement, but not a new design in the future.

Competitiveness

A well-designed app or software stands out, catches attention, and attracts more users. When the competition is high, functionality is not enough. With UI/UX, you can make it easier and more pleasant for users to get what they want and commit to your product.

Higher conversions

With intuitive UX and a short and understandable path, you are more likely to keep the user and make them reach a desired action. It can be a subscription, purchase, regular use, etc. It’s impossible to imagine someone subscribing to an app they don’t understand how to use. The same goes for UI. If it serves UX and creates a positive impression — you get the user.

Improved SEO ranking

A good UX gives your website or web app a higher rank in Google. A well-thought-out design affects users’ behavior and positively impacts SEO promotion.

Fewer customer support

The more intuitive the product is, the less question arises. It means you can save on customer support, get a broader audience, and withstand the competition.

Outsourcing vs. in-house

There are two main options for hiring UI/UX designers — to employ in-house specialists or dedicated ones from an agency or outsourcing company. Let’s compare the two ways.

In-house

The main advantage of hiring an in-house designer is their full involvement and commitment to the project and the company. They become a part of your corporate culture, and you have complete control over the design process. From your side, you carry responsibility for employment regulations, paying salary and bonuses, sick leaves, taxes, etc.

The hiring and onboarding process is quite time-consuming, so you can’t think of this option as the one for urgent cases. You must also attract new projects after the current is done and provide your UI/UX designers with constant workflow.

Outsourcing

This approach means hiring a UI/UX design outsourcing professional from an agency. You cooperate on a contract basis, and your new designer works one hundred percent as an in-house specialist. But you are not responsible for paying taxes and employment benefits. After the project is released and the job is done, you say thank you, pay invoices, and shake hands.

The management method is usually up to you. You can manage designers yourself or entrust your outsourcing partner with this responsibility. If you meet the urge to upscale the team in the middle of the project, the agency providing outsource UI/UX design services takes care of it.

UX design outsourcing experts usually have plenty of experience in varied projects and are well aware of recent trends. Agencies take care of their competitiveness and are interested in educating and upskilling their specialists.

Simply put, you get a design team that someone has already hired for you. UX/UI design outsourcing experts are fully dedicated to your project and work as a part of your company, but you have a project-based commitment. You are not responsible for paying benefits or taxes.

The reasons to outsource product design

There are two reasons to hire outsource designers: you don’t have one, or you don’t have enough. So why, between hiring an in-house specialist, should you consider outsourcing?

You stay up-to-date with industry trends

UI/UX design is a constantly changing field. New trends emerge within months, and frameworks are constantly evolving. Keeping your internal team trained and up-to-date on the latest trends requires much effort, time, and money.

Companies that do not have one can delegate the entire process to a UX/UI design outsourcing specialist. Those with a small design team can add needed expertise through staff augmentation.

You get access to broader expertise and creativity

Working with an outsourced team, you have access to a large pool of specialists. The agencies work with designers with various experiences across many projects. The team you outsource UI design to can easily maintain the creative aspect of the project. At the same time, it can see it from a distance and offer more creative ideas.

You get objective insights

Receiving an objective perspective from an unbiased party is a great reason to outsource. A fresh pair of eyes can see the solution invisible to internal specialists. By deciding to outsource UX design, you get access to new ideas and information companies can use to help their processes.

You focus on core competencies

Hiring an in-house designer is challenging. It can take months to find someone with the necessary skills and mindset. Outsourcing can save companies a tremendous amount of time, allowing them to focus on critical areas of their business.

What to consider before outsourcing UI and UX?

There are some critical factors you should consider to outsource UI/UX design services successfully. They aim to ensure that all the parties are on the same page and understand their separate roles and a big common one. Clearly define the following:

Goals and objectives

The design consulting agency should be aligned with the goals and objectives of your company. That is the only way to estimate the amount of resources to handle the workload and the ability to upscale the team when needed.

Budget and timeline

The budget should always be defined and agreed upon in advance. It is important to balance price and quality to ensure your business gets the best value for its money.

A clear and realistic timeline enables efficient work and no hassle. No good job can be done in a constant hurry. Define your deadlines and be open with your UI/UX design partner.

Means of communication

Communication and collaboration are critical in software product development. It helps establish a workflow, provide feedback, build relationships, and bridge cultural differences.

You must set clear communication and collaboration from the beginning to ensure that both parties are satisfied with the outcome.

Cultural fit

It’s essential to ensure that the outsourcing company shares similar values and work ethics as your organization. This helps all parts of the team work effectively. A good cultural fit also helps build trust and foster a strong working relationship.

How to choose a provider for UI/UX design outsourcing

The hiring process can differ depending on the project specifics, timing, and other factors. But the general outline is almost always the same. Here it is:

• Define all types of designers the project may require.
• You have to define requirements and essential and optional skills.
• Describe the project and prepare answers for questions that may occur in advance.
• Write a position description, publish it, and start targeted outreach.

How to outsource UI and UX design?

Generally, outsourcing means delegating a task to somebody from outside the company. Finding the right outsourcing design partner commonly consists of the following steps:

Step 1: Determine the time frame, work scope, and requirements

The initial step of any project is determining what, when, and by whom has to be done.

Step 2: Calculate the budget

First, determine the total cost of your project. Second, decide on the price of the design. Knowing this, you can understand the size and the expertise level of the design team you can hire.

Step 3: Research the outsourcing agencies

Run a thorough market research to find the agency that fits your expectations. The specialists must be talented, skilled, and affordable enough for your specific project.

Step 4: Interview specialists and set up the team

Run portfolio reviews and interviews and look through the test tasks. Rely on your vital skills list to define which candidate meets your project’s needs and expectations.

Common mistakes you should avoid when outsourcing design

Working with a dedicated team is undoubtedly beneficial. But there are things to remember while choosing specialists for your project and mistakes to avoid during hiring. Below are the most common ones.

Looking for a universal specialist

Hiring someone who can be good at many things sounds enticing but unrealistic. Better opt for a UI/UX design outsourcing expert with excellent knowledge and experience in the vital fields for your project at the particular stage. You can upscale if you need extra skills or opinions during work.

Having vague requirements

Define the skills you are looking for in your future designer. Consider dividing them into crucial, optional, desired, etc. The list will serve you a good service during the screening and interviewing.

Working in hurry

The screening process usually includes test tasks. Ensure you give candidates enough time to deal with it, especially if it requires creativity or solutions. A well-thought result is always better than one created in stress and hurry.

Underestimating a competition

Skilled UX and UI design outsourcing experts are in huge demand now. Make sure you offer competitive compensation, benefits, and a working environment.

Failing to establish clear communication

In user experience design outsourcing, communication is key. Establish clear instructions and set the standard for communication between teams to prevent failure because of the lack of communication.

Tips for outsourcing UI/UX design

All the above gave you defined and precise answers on how to hire dedicated designers and how to outsource beneficially. Below, we add some practical tips we gained from our own experience.

Don’t focus solely on aesthetics

A beautiful portfolio is impressive without question. At the same time, while focusing on visual appeal, you risk missing some vital aspects of UX design. It has to solve the problem, be intuitive, and be user-oriented. Always remember that UI/UX design combines usability and aesthetics.

Rely on personal tests

Design tests aimed to reflect real-world problems. Generic or abstract ones don’t give you an accurate view of all designer’s capabilities, skills, and talents. Remember that you are creating a product to solve real people’s problems.

Encourage constant learning

UI/UX design is a constantly evolving and rapidly developing field. Always ask your potential and current specialists how they are doing in case to keep up-to-date. Thus, you evaluate their willingness to skills development and can offer them courses, events, literature, workshops, etc.

Conclusion

Now that you know the benefits of outsourcing and tips on finding the best UI/UX designer, you can start the process. Hiring from an agency or tech company is best for most business tasks. A dedicated designer is professional and reliable, and your outsourcing partner takes care of management.

Remember that UI/UX design is at the heart of every business strategy. It can help improve the user experience and increase customer loyalty while saving time and resources.

UX/UI design outsourcing with Blackthorn Visiony

With years of experience in custom software development, we carry in-depth digital technology expertise and are results-oriented. We can leverage the power of a robust UI/UX design that develops your business and lays the groundwork for long-term success.

Do you have a product idea in mind? Are you looking for a UX design outsourcing specialist for your team? Contact us to discuss your project and ask any questions about user experience outsourcing.