UI and UX design: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What ui and ux design is

A designer researches how people use a product, then creates wireframes, prototypes and interface designs to make an app or site clear and easy to use. You need it when users get stuck, leave before finishing a task, or when a new product needs a clear design before anyone builds it.

Signs you need it

  • Users leave a sign up, checkout or booking flow before they finish
  • Customers ask the same questions because the screens are unclear
  • The app or site has many buttons and no clear next step
  • A new product needs a plan before a developer starts building
  • Your current design looks dated or does not match your brand

What the pro does

  • Reviews your goals, your users and the tasks they need to complete
  • Interviews or observes users, or reviews the data you already have
  • Creates wireframes and a clickable prototype for the main tasks
  • Tests the prototype with a few people and notes where they struggle
  • Delivers the final screens, the design system notes and the handover files

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The number of screens and the number of user flows
  • Whether user research and testing are included
  • The number of rounds of testing and revisions
  • Whether a design system or style guide must be created
  • Whether the design covers phones, tablets and computers
  • Whether the designer also builds the prototype or only designs the screens

What a written quote should spell out

  • The research, testing and interviews included
  • The number of screens and flows designed
  • The prototype and the design files delivered
  • The number of revision rounds
  • Ownership of the design files and any licensed assets

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How will you find out what users need before designing?
  • Will you test the design with real people, and how many?
  • What do you deliver at the end, and in what format?
  • Can the design be built by my developer without changes?
  • How many revision rounds are included?
  • Can you show me case studies with the results?

Red flags

  • Designs screens without any research or testing
  • Will not show a prototype or a case study
  • Promises that a design will increase sales without data
  • Keeps the design files under its own account only

What you can do yourself

Write down the tasks your users need to complete and where they get stuck now, and watch two or three people use your current product. Keep a list of the screens you need. Hire a designer for the research, the prototype and the testing.

Licenses and permits

A license is usually not required for UI and UX design. Check with your state or local licensing agency about any business registration that applies, and ask the designer for its contract terms and examples of past work.

UI and UX design questions

What is the difference between UI and UX?

UX is how the product works and how people move through it. UI is how the screens look and respond. Good design needs both.

Do I need user testing?

Yes, even a few people can show you the biggest problems. A designer can tell you how many participants fit your project.

Can my developer build the design?

Yes, if the designer delivers clear screens, the states for each action and the notes the developer needs.

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