Design

How to hire a UI/UX designer

Alexandr Korshykov
Alexandr Korshykov
15 minAugust 1, 2024
How to hire a UI/UX designer
How to hire a UI/UX designer

UI/UX design plays a decisive role in establishing your product as a successful case and is key to how attractive and trendy your project will become. It influences how people perceive your brand, support your initiatives, and react to your work.

In this constantly evolving world, your product should be engaging, convenient, unobtrusive, and highly usable. It should provide a positive experience for your audience and make man the center of all possible activities and marketing endeavors. Simultaneously, the visual part of your digital product is key to a strong and loyal customer base. The way your brand looks defines whether you win people’s hearts and minds. So, the aesthetics of your product should be astonishing, vivid, and enjoyable to allure a wider audience and generate frequent interactions with potential clients and supporters.

Combining the functional and visual parts of a product into a successful unit can seem quite a challenging task. But everything is possible with a professional who knows its business; that is why we are exploring how to get access to quality talent and make all your ideas a vibrant reality. In this article, we break down the ins and outs of UI/UX design and its impact on your business success. We also share tips on how to hire UI/UX designers who provide superior results.

Role of UI/UX designers

Good design plays a crucial role in creating and further promoting digital and physical products. This is where seasoned UI/UX designers come into play. They utilize design thinking and visual design skills to shape remarkable digital experiences for end users. Whether you are launching a new app, refreshing an existing website, or developing a niche-related platform for your business, you should deeply care about the design of your products. So, before you hire experience designers to turn complicated ideas into easy-to-use and simple projects, explore some common UI/UX design roles to get an understanding of the process.

First, UX designers conduct thorough user research to understand the motivations, needs, and pain points of the users. They assess what issues and obstacles your audience encounters and look for effective ways to resolve all the challenges. A user experience designer transforms your product or service into a perfect solution for people and strives to optimize the interaction between products and humans. During UX research, a specialist analyzes user behavior and finds out their aspirations and desires. It helps to create a human-centered design that meets people’s requirements and expectations. A professional can also create user personas to define the different types of users who might use your service or product. If you hire a UX designer for your project, you get a chance to learn the values and preferences of your audience and make your users a loyal and dedicated fan base.

Second, design specialists perform wireframing and prototyping, allowing you to see how a final product can look and feel. A designer sketches basic layouts of app screens and web pages and then crafts interactive prototypes to simulate the workflow of a product. This way, you can assess whether your project’s appearance aligns with your vision and, if not, make some alterations.

Next, a user interface designer gets started with visual design deliverables to saturate your product with visual individuality, which is key to successful branding. A specialist uses a range of UI/UX design tools to create influential and vivid product aesthetics. This encompasses an alluring interaction design, enabling users to accomplish tasks intuitively and quickly. Crafting visual touch points, exploring UX/UI design trends, and designing screens are some of the common responsibilities of UI designers. UI professionals define how much space to add between elements and what visual patterns ensure an intuitive user experience. They also compose a specific visual language and make up a style guide that will be used across the whole design development journey to maintain consistency.

An experienced user interface designer considers the look, interactivity, and feel of your product and predicts how the app or website will display on various screen sizes. Scrollbars, sliders, icons, and buttons are essential design elements at this stage. Also, a UI expert uses their comprehensive knowledge of color theory to build a unique and meaningful color palette that will set your brand apart from competitors. Then, a professional designs the interactivity of each UI element and creates animations when necessary to make the website or app dynamic and up-to-date. Other vital tasks include designing imagery, typography, fonts, and putting together mood boards.

One more important role of UI/UX designers is usability testing, which evaluates how intuitive and easy-to-use products are. They organize and conduct usability testing sessions to see whether a project meets a client’s expectations and requirements. By paying attention to client’s comments and gathering user feedback, design specialists can identify any existing pain points and areas for improvement. They can transform the design vision into a powerful product through a smart design collaboration with developers.

We have looked through the main roles of UI/UX designers, so now, if you decide to hire ui/ux developer, you know the specifics of the work behind the design process.

Impact of good UI/UX design on user experience and business success

When starting product development, people often overlook the product’s usability and the appearance of an interface. Sometimes, it results in a service or project that users don’t appreciate and understand. This can ruin a company’s reputation and lead to significant revenue loss. But there is good news. You can care about UI/UX design beforehand to avoid such unpleasant consequences for your business. Research shows that every $1 a business invests in User Experience brings them $100 in return. In addition, a smart User Interface can increase your website conversion rate by 200%. Pretty impressive for a regular investment, right?

In fact, UI/UX design directly shapes your business’s success, defining how people interact with digital products and services. UI/UX designers pay attention to every detail when it comes to users accomplishing their desired tasks with your product. They consider questions like “How easy is the checkout process on your platform?”, “Can users perform their tasks without any hassle?”, “Does your language-learning application make it easy for them to download audio and video materials?” and so on. This way, specialists can craft an influential UI/UX design for your product, ensuring great brand positioning and awareness. So, by prioritizing UI/UX design, you get increased engagement, higher conversion rates, improved business outcomes, and enhanced overall user experience.

Benefits of hiring a UI/UX designer

A smart, functional design and exquisite aesthetics attract new people, retain existing customers, and drive business success. A well-designed site or platform generates a bunch of positive results for your brand. And turning to a UI/UX designer can make it a reality. Be it a small business launching a new digital product or a seasoned corporation needing a refresh, a smart UI/UX design is a must for anyone looking to thrive in an increasingly user-centric and competitive digital landscape. Here are some bright benefits of hiring a professional UI/UX designer.

Benefits of hiring a UI/UX designer

1. Positive brand image

If you hire UX designer and turn to UI experts, you greatly enhance your brand perception. You shape a positive perception through the quality of user experience your digital services and products deliver. Turning to UI/UX designers can allow you to form the brand image you envision. Design professionals create interfaces that reflect your business’s aesthetics, personality, and values. They help you build a cohesive visual identity that instills credibility and trust in people's minds, making them a dedicated audience. A smart and functional interface can appeal to your target audience effectively and generate more prosperous business results for your company or startup.

2. Competitive edge

How can a business cut through the noise in today’s crowded marketplace? Many companies offer very similar services and products. However, you need something unique to attract a new customer. A good UI/UX design can serve as a lifeline for your business. By concentrating on providing exceptional user experiences, you can set yourself apart from the competition. You can attract new customers and grow a loyal client base for the future. Working with a seasoned UI/UX designer ensures customized experiences and superior services for your audience that will convert into great business outcomes.

3. Customer satisfaction

When you decide to hire UX designers, you can rest assured of sustained business growth. By providing a seamless user experience and user-friendly interface, you increase customer satisfaction levels within your business. Design experts craft solutions that meet people’s expectations and needs. They conduct thorough research, explore users’ behaviors, assess their pain points, and incorporate feedback into the development process.

4. Overall growth

A well-designed product can help small businesses succeed in today’s ever-evolving economy. Businesses that place a strong emphasis on winning design have increased conversion rates and greater revenue. By turning to UI/UX experts, you can smoothly adapt to evolving user preferences and needs, making your business stay relevant and responsive in the long run.

Reduced development costs through better design

One more significant benefit of using UI/UX design services is decreasing further development costs. How is it possible? Well, when you hire a reliable UI/UX specialist, you can prevent costly rework and save time and resources. A smart UI/UX design in the early development stage can help developers note and resolve usability issues in the design phase. This way, you avoid spending extra bills later.

A quality design also leads to improved efficiency that results in faster completion times, enabling people to complete their desired tasks quickly. So a user can find the required information more easily. This reduces the costs associated with a customer support team and training.

Qualities of a good UI/UX designer

Once you know the essentials of UI/UX design roles and benefits, let’s explore what qualities and qualifications to look for when hiring a design professional. Here are some of the brightest things you should pay attention to.

Qualities of a good UI/UX designer

1. Tech competency

Nowadays, designers shape great visual identities through a wide array of design tools and software. A good UI/UX designer should be able to apply their tech knowledge and use various platforms to create successful brand aesthetics. A design specialist should also have the competency to learn the software your development team uses. While you’re interviewing UI/UX designers, ask them about the tools and platforms they use knowledgeably.

2. Experience in your industry

Of course, you want to provide all-around pleasant experiences for your end users. This ensures your further business development and prosperity. However, to reach all this, you need not only a professional designer with a wide range of technical skills but also an expert experienced in your niche. A perfect UI/UX designer should have real design cases in your industry or at least some similar projects. Every field is unique and requires a specific approach. Thus, you should check whether the designer you choose understands the intricacies of your niche.

3. Ability to explain

Usually, a great design specialist can translate their work into layman’s terms. This is a vital communication skill. And it is well known that communication is the core of UI/UX design. Communicating complex information in a simple and efficient way proves that a person really knows their business and is ready to collaborate with your development team. When assessing candidates, ask them to explain technical terms in a digestible format and ensure you understand their speech clearly.

4. Creativity

This is a must for every UI/UX designer. Every digital product is unique and requires a genuine approach, so your design expert should think outside the box and be ready to experiment. Strong art and writing skills will be a bold plus. Ask them about their previous work and assess their design choices.

5. Great user research skills

User research plays a vital role in a winning design. It unlocks an array of development and growth opportunities for businesses. A designer who can flaunt good user research skills is a treasure. With such a specialist, you can explore the nature and specifics of your audience and make successful business decisions in the future. Also, understanding user preferences and behavior will allow you to customize your products and inject some personality into the app or website.

Steps to hire a UI/UX designer

Hiring skilled UI/UX designers can seem a daunting task. There are several hiring options, such as turning to a dedicated designer, a freelancer, or an in-house designer. Obviously, you can feel confused when it comes to making a candidate choice. We have compiled several important steps to ease your challenge and help you hire a UI/UX designer.

Steps to hire a UI/UX designer

1. Define your needs

Ask yourself about your business goals to understand what you require at this very moment and what tasks can foster your development. What do you want to achieve? What is your objective? Do you need a highly interactive app for your company, or maybe a discreet website highlighting the premium class of your products? Answer these questions to define what specialists can help you reach your targets. This way, you will be able to hire the right people for your design project.

2. Write a job description

Take time to analyze what services you need from UI/UX designers and make up a clear job description. Do you need a design expert for a completely new design project, or are you just looking for some slight design help with maintaining consistency across your digital products? Note what sets your business apart from others. Then, write the responsibilities of your candidate and give the details of the daily tasks a specialist has to accomplish. Talk about the requirements and expectations you have. Enumerate the skills, qualifications, and expertise a UI/UX designer should have to perform the job well. Also, don’t forget to include the information on benefits, salary, and extra perks in the job description. It will attract more specialists to your offer.

3. Conduct the interview

Once several designers have applied for your job offer, you should appoint meetings or calls with them to assess whether their expertise and skills fit your project goals. This way, you also can check if they have enough experience and understand the intricacies of your niche. Ask them about their previous work and discuss the tools and approaches they usually apply. Tell them about your product and what it should comprise, and discuss your idea and concept to find out whether they can transform it into an influential project.

Try to make your interviewee feel comfortable during your conversation and ask whether they have any questions concerning the job and project.

Interview questions for a UI/UX designer

You need to prepare accordingly to conduct an effective interview and identify the perfect designer for your case. First, look through a UI/UX designer’s portfolio, and if it doesn’t answer all your questions, remember them and ask during the meeting. Assess whether a specialist has good communication and listening skills. It will help you understand how your design expert can collaborate with your team. And, of course, make up a list of questions you are going to ask. Here are a few examples to consider.

  • What tools and platforms do you use in your work?
  • Have you had any experience working with a similar client before?
  • What are your strongest points?
  • What is a good user experience example?

Cost of hiring a UI/UX designer

The cost of UI/UX designer services can vary depending on multiple factors. The complexity of a project, its specifics, and its niche influence how much you pay for a smart and functional design. Usually, a skilled UI/UX designer charges over $75 an hour. For this price, you can expect a comprehensive target audience analysis and the creation of personas. If you need simple wireframing and prototyping work, you can find a designer who might charge just $35 an hour and maybe less. Also, include additional expenses such as taxes, bonuses, commissions, and job promotional ads costs.

Popular resources for finding UI/UX designers

There are a bunch of convenient resources where you can look for UI/UX designers. One of them is Behance that is a creative social network for designers. Here, they showcase their portfolios and sell their work. On Behance you will find an array of diverse design styles and define what a designer type fits your project and aligns with your needs.

Dribbble is an inspirational space for designers where specialists showcase their creative work. Here, they gain community, jobs, and feedback and connect with companies worldwide. Dribbble is a go-to destination for looking at various design cases and finding top talent for your project. It is full of inspirational designs, graphic elements, and illustrations from the world's best designers. Explore UI/UX designers’ portfolios and find those whose experience and skills align with your needs.

You can also use Upwork, a popular freelancing platform, to find a good UI/UX designer. It is a great place that serves as a bridge between prospective employers and designers. Here, you can post UI/UX design projects and browse through a wide range of designers. You can also review the feedback from previous clients and ratings to assess their expertise levels. On Upwork, you hire design experts on a contract basis, which is convenient for lots of companies.

Coroflot is another platform for creative professionals and talents. It is a valuable space for finding talented design experts and includes design insights, UI/UX design portfolios, and job postings.

To sum up

UI/UX design plays a pivotal role in shaping digital products and driving business success. From enhancing brand image and customer satisfaction to providing a competitive edge, the benefits of investing in quality design are substantial. Skilled UI/UX designers conduct user research, create intuitive interfaces, and ensure seamless user experiences that can significantly impact conversion rates and overall business growth.

Choosing the right design talent is crucial for achieving these benefits. When hiring a UI/UX designer, look for technical competency, industry experience, strong communication skills, creativity, and excellent user research abilities. By following a structured hiring process and asking thoughtful interview questions, you can find the ideal candidate to bring your digital vision to life.

Despite the tips and platforms discussed, finding and hiring trusted UX/UI designers can still be a challenging task. The process requires time, effort, and a deep understanding of your project's needs. This is where partnering with a trusted UX/UI design company like DreamX can make a significant difference.

Our experienced team has a proven track record of delivering exceptional results across various industries. Whether you're launching a new product or revamping an existing one, we have the expertise to elevate your digital presence. Ready to bring your vision to life with stunning, user-friendly design? Reach out to DreamX, and let's discuss how we can create a digital experience that sets you apart from the competition!

Founder & CEO
Alexandr Korshykov
Founder & CEO
LinkedIn Icon

Alexandr is the founder and CEO of DreamX, a company transforming the digital design landscape. Under his guidance, DreamX consistently delivers innovative and user-focused UX/UI solutions.

Don’t want to miss anything?

Get weekly updates on the newest design stories, case studies and tips right in your mailbox.

No junk or spam. Only useful information. We promise!

Rocket