How Important Is Design To A Startup
Design is a beautiful thing that appeals to the eyes. Messages travel faster with design. People who conceive strategies or concepts with design in mind or add design to their work become more efficient producers. All in all, design is becoming more important to businesses than ever before. Everybody perceives design based on their experiences and memory. Say the word ‘design’ and the brain will begin scattering images in the background. Those who work in branding agencies are taking note of this behavior and working on solidifying design’s role in a business. Finance, tech, industry-based, and consulting companies are hiring branding agencies to solve the design purpose.
UX/UI DESIGN – WHAT IS IT?
Behind the abbreviation, UX hides the concept of User Experience and behind UI – User Interface, respectively. Yet, both of these components are fundamental to development.
However, it is essential to understand that UX has an analytical bias. Its domain includes the study of the user’s experience of interacting not only with the interface but also with any way they interact with the system’s functionality. UI, meanwhile, is closer to what we understand as the term “graphic design.”
What UX achieves are increased usability and intuitive customer interaction. The UX specialist is also responsible for CTA placement and other elements of capturing customer attention. For example, where to properly place the callback widget on the page is the responsibility of the design agency. This issue is directly related to the user experience and building the funnel.
As a result:
UX is designing and improving the quality of interaction between the user and all touchpoints with the company.
UX involves direct hands-on work in research, testing, development, content, and prototyping.
UX can be used in any field but mainly applies to digital.
This field has a lot in common with the social sciences. If you are attracted to the study of human behavior, UX may be a good career choice.
WHAT IS UI
Despite a long history of application and widespread use, UI is still difficult to define because of the many misinterpretations.
While UX is concerned with conceptualizing usability and building schematics and structures, UI is a graphical representation of it. Now imagine what happens when, needing a UX designer, companies hire UI designers and vice versa. What happens is an obvious embarrassment and an inability to cover the customer’s needs.
If we look at some job vacancies with the same division of concepts and announce a set of UI specialists, we can see that the applicant’s skills are expected mainly from the design agency.
PRINCIPLES OF GOOD UX/UI DESIGN
Several principles should guide professionals in the development of a project. First, the value for users depends on compliance with the rules.
Useful
Any project is purchased to meet specific needs. For example, the user wants to integrate it into work, apply it to solve a problem or spend leisure time. Therefore, the expected usefulness of the development must coincide with the actual result that a person will get from the resource.
Usable
It is a vital app. It is usable and understandable for the users who purchase it. If the program or application turns out to be excessively complicated, customers won’t have the opportunity to evaluate all the functions offered. Development should be intuitive.
Findable
It is not uncommon for programs, services, or applications to have various problems when using them. They can be related to technical errors and the user’s lack of understanding of how to solve a specific task. In this case, customers need to know where to turn.
Credible
User confidence is composed of several components. First, it is an attractive design. Programs and sites with a current, modern interface and a beautiful visual appearance are trusted more than tastelessly made, ancient places with shouty lettering and a complete lack of design approach the design. Secondly, trust is established when users can go to the developers with a solution to their problem.
Desirable
Buying becomes desirable when users are promised solutions to their problems and needs. Audiences value external appeal. The right concise design incorporates tones indicates that the program will be functional enough to help the customer satisfy their request.
Accessible
The design should be developed for each user. For example, a special viewing mode can be integrated for the visually impaired or color blind. This makes it easier for some customers to use the design and builds loyalty from the audience.
Valuable
The principle is the ability to solve the task for which it was purchased. For example, a mobile music app should play, sort, and recommend tracks. The goal of the company’s website is to guide visitors to affordable services and rates.
TIPS TO HELP YOU CHOOSE A DESIGN AGENCY
These simple tips will help you choose a design agency for your startup.
DEVELOP A KEEN EYE
It is essential to have an excellent eye to understand what is done well and poorly. It is the insight that helps you find a suitable design agency. Analyzing different people’s work, you will begin to understand which of the specialists has his style and is ready to make a breakthrough, who makes stamped logos and for whom design is just business.
Not having the necessary experience and observation, you can see a minimalistic logo and think it is empty and uninteresting – because it has no bright semantic accents.
STUDY THE PORTFOLIO
Once you’ve chosen the design firm you like, carefully examine its portfolio.
LOOK AT EXAMPLES OF WORK, NOT THE SIZE AND NAME OF THE COMPANY
Many consumers assume that if they choose a large and well-known design firm, the work on their order will no doubt be done well. Freelancers can be approached if you need a straightforward service, such as just a logo, and if you’re comfortable with one person working on the project. But experience shows that a freelancer will not give you new ideas.
If you need a full-fledged rebranding and the work of a professional team, it is better to turn to a design agency. Then, when several people are working on the project simultaneously, led by an art director, they develop a new philosophy for you, fully immersed in creativity.