Top 5 UI/UX Design Agencies In The World — May 2024
Find the best UX design agency in the world. We rank the world’s top user experience (UX) design firms and UI/UX design companies in San Francisco, NYC, Los Angeles, and London.
Updated May 2, 2024
In 2024, UX and UI design are at the heart of any technology company, and user experience designers finally have a seat at the table. Forward-thinking tech startups are beginning to realize that the user interface (UI), not technology, shapes and differentiates their digital product, whether it’s a website, mobile app, or B2B/enterprise software.
Many big enterprises already have well-equipped digital product design departments with hundreds of user researchers, UX consultants, UI/UX designers, and interaction designers. Smaller companies and startups usually don’t have any UI or UX designers on staff, so they hire user experience agencies.
As startup founder myself, I created this list of top UX design agencies from research to UX consulting to end-to-end UI/UX design, to help you find the right design partner for each step of your design journey.
How to Choose a UI/UX Design Agency
There are endless possibilities for quality UI/UX design agencies, especially now that AI-enabled tools and cloud computing have practically taken over the industry. You must find a team willing to meet your unique needs and challenges. While you can always browse their online portfolio or match up the various budgetary needs of collaborating, there is an unspoken “it” factor you will want to keep an eye out for when searching.
This undeniable aspect is the particular quality of the design agency that matches your branding and unique company culture. Whether you are a startup or industry veteran, you will have specific traits, goals, systems, and environments that a quality agency needs to speak to when building a smooth online experience for your app or website.
One of the best tools for filtering out those unqualified UI/UX agencies is if they have similar experience in your industry. If, for example, you are a functional marine biology firm offering a unique app on whale songs, working with an agency that does nothing else but accountant firms may not be the best choice.
The goal is to find a team willing to align with your vision of who you are, what value proposition you offer, and how you want to appear to your clients. Everything else comes down to expertise, budget, communication skills, project management, and the easier-to-trace aspects you can quickly find in a one-on-one virtual or in-person meeting.
Top 5 UI & UX Design Agencies Worldwide — May 2024 Rankings:
1. Clay
Clay is a full-service UI/UX design agency and branding firm based in San Francisco. They work with Silicon Valley’s major tech companies and well-funded startups at any stage. Their UX designers are known for blending behavioral science and user-focused design to create exceptional digital experiences and products with user interfaces that are delightful to use while perfectly representing the company’s brand.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Clients: Amazon, Google, Slack, Facebook, Coca-Cola, Coinbase, UPS, Cisco
Team size: 80+
Services: User Research & Testing, CX, UX & Interaction Design, UI Design, Motion Design, Design Systems
Industries: Fintech, B2B & Enterprise Software, Crypto & Web3, Technology, E-commerce & Fashion tech, Electronics, Food & Beverage, Startups & VC, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Telecommunications, Mobility, Logistics
Portfolio: https://clay.global/work
Social Networks: Twitter, Dribbble, and Instagram
2. Frog Design
Frog is a global UX agency and digital product design consultancy that creates products and experiences that facilitate digital transformation. It started in the 1970s as an industrial and product design firm. Still, it’s embraced a full-service agency model that covers everything from CX strategy and branding to product innovation, UX, and service design.
Location: San Francisco, New York, Boston, Austin, and more
Clients: SF MoMa, Porsche, GE, Xiaomi, UBS, Intel, Sharp
Team size: 950+
Services: CX Strategy, Design & Performance, Product Design & Build, Service Design, Customer Research & Insights
Industries: Mobility, Logistics, Fintech, E-commerce & Fashion tech, Energy / Utilities, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Electronics, Food & Beverage, Sports, Technology, Not-for-Profit
Portfolio: https://www.frog.co/work
Social Networks: X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Vimeo, Instagram
3. IDEO
IDEO is a user experience and digital design agency that invented design thinking and human-centered design. While they can design and build everything from user interfaces and products to entire organizations, their main focus is staying human-centered regardless of their work.
Location: San Francisco, Palo Alto, NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai
Clients: Kaplan, City of Boston, Planned Parenthood, Swarovski
Team size: 1300+
Services: Product Design, Service Design, Customer Research, User Research & Testing, UX, UI Design
Industries: Food & Beverage, Retail, Technology, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Education, E-commerce, Mobility
Portfolio: https://www.ideo.com/work
Social Networks: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo, YouTube
4. ustwo
ustwo is a digital product design studio that is well-known for developing award-winning Monument Valley games. The UK-headquartered user experience design firm creates meaningful products that inspire an emotional response in users’ lives. They offer digital products and UX strategy, UI & UX design, and mobile app development services.
Location: London, NYC, Sydney, Tokyo, Malmö, Lisbon
Clients: Google, Jaguar, Samsung, Ford, Lush, Qantas
Team size: 200+
Services: Product, service, game, metaverse, Design systems, Design Research, Prototyping
Industries: Health, Auto and Mobility, Education, Technology, Retail, AI, Play Thinking
Portfolio: https://ustwo.com/work/
Social Networks: Instagram, LinkedIn, X
5. Huge
Huge is a large digital agency with 13 offices around the globe specializing in strategy, user experience design, user interface, website design, and development. As a full-service UX design firm, they create end-to-end mobile apps, websites, and digital experiences.
Location: NYC, LA, SF Bay Area, London, Singapore, Toronto
Clients: Hulu, Canada Goose, LG, Lenovo, Nike, Pfizer
Team size: 1200+
Services: UX and UI design, Content design, Inclusive design, Physical design, Service design, Sustainable design
Industries: Food & Beverage, Technology, Crypto & Web3, E-commerce & Fashion tech, Electronics, Startups & VC, Telecommunications
Portfolio: https://www.hugeinc.com/work/
Social Networks: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram
UX vs. UI design: what’s the difference?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are entirely different. UX is user experience design, while UI is user interface design. Although UX and UI are related, other parts of the design process are used for websites and digital apps.
UX design concerns curating a user’s interaction with the website or mobile app from beginning to end. This type of design is based on information obtained during the UX research phase, when researchers learn as much as possible about the future website or mobile app development, users, and the target audience. This data is used to create the ‘information architecture design, which will be the foundation of the user experience.
UI design focuses on the technical details of the digital interface, meaning user interface designers will probably not be involved in the UX research or the information architecture developed from the research results. UI design ensures every part of the digital interface works smoothly and is visually pleasing, reaching the end goals the UX team wants.
Why do businesses need user experience design so much?
These days, only some business models will succeed with a digital component. This is especially true when you consider that the digital part of a company is often the first interaction a potential customer will have with the company. Therefore, the company's website, social media, or app is essential. These digital platforms differ from traditional advertising because the interaction with the customer is active rather than passive.
The user will experience the business digitally rather than walking into a shop, interacting with the product, or talking to a sales rep. This is where a UX design team comes into play. A good UX designer will convert your target audience into visitors and, hopefully, customers. Gone are the days when an essential static website with just text and a couple of images would get the job done. A professional UX designer, design team, or agency must consider the audience when designing a curated experience.
In this way, your company or brand will curate a unique feeling for the user while interacting with your product and help give them all the information they will need to want to buy. User experience can be the only way a potential customer becomes an actual customer if you sell a non-digital item. If the product is digital, the user experience will be about how the customer consumes the product or service. UX design can also bridge the digital with the non-digital.
Again, Apple is a great example since its UX design is used for its operating system, hardware, packaging, and mobile apps. Although these are all part of the complete Apple brand, they offer something different to the customer. Having the right level of consistency and connectivity between every step of the user experience.
This begins before purchasing and involves buying the product and engaging with the OS, digital elements, and software. Most businesses already understand why brand identity and branding are so important. Still, it is also crucial to know user experience is the more detailed brand identity engagement users experience on digital platforms and more.
What can a UI/UX design agency do for you?
This agency is a creative design team that designs and develops user experiences. These UX design agencies range in size and the services related to or complementing UX design. Some agencies only provide UX design, while others focus on something else and offer UX design. Look closely at what a UX/UI design company can offer.
Companies can hire a UI/UX designer or design team or form their in-house team. Usually, the in-house option is very expensive, and after several projects are completed, they are no longer required. This is why most businesses and companies hire a creative agency to assist with their design needs.
A UX design firm or UX design agency is the name given to a creative agency that offers or focuses on experience design. Branding and innovative design help structure the company’s brand identity interaction with the target users via various digital platforms and methods. This goes beyond essential branding or advertising, incorporating both into interfaces and touchpoints the end-user will have with the company.
A team of UX designers usually makes up a UX design agency. Depending on the project’s scope, a project manager might oversee the teams of user researchers, UX designers, and UI designers. These roles can sometimes overlap, but each one is specialized. These roles work together on projects and do their best to accurately and carefully craft the best user experience for the company or brand. The team will meet with clients during various stages of the project. The design process is informed from start to finish thanks to rigorous UX research, and the UX designers offer prototypes throughout the process. After approval, the prototypes pave the way to the end product.
How to hire the best UX Design Company in the World (FAQ):
Q: How much does a project usually cost with a UI/UX design agency?
When working with a UI/UX design agency, you may come across a wide range of pricing models. In most cases, design agencies use time and materials-based models. That means their rate is organized by specific amounts of time — hours, days, or weeks. In other words, you pay the design agency and their UX/UI designers based on how much time they invest in your project. Before agreeing to this type of payment plan, always consider one thing: while it might seem like a more sensible model at first, you may very quickly lose control of your budget, and if your project is not managed correctly, your costs can rise drastically.
Another popular pricing model is the trustworthy fixed-price model. In this case, you have complete control of your budget. However, most fixed prices are followed by project scope arguments. This model doesn’t allow you to plan the entire project. You have to raise your budget or cut the project’s scope when something unexpected happens. So, if you decide to work with a UX agency based on a fixed-price basis, you should be prepared for these situations.
Nevertheless, no one says you can’t utilize both arrangements. For example, you can hire a design team at a UX agency for a fixed monthly price.
UX design is a comprehensive service, and costs can vary dramatically. Some design companies charge as little as $50 per hour for their work on the user interface, while others charge hundreds per hour.
More prominent and older companies typically charge the highest rates. This is due to their accompanying high costs, including administration-related ones. However, high rates don’t necessarily indicate that companies will perform better. The agency’s location is also a critical price determinant. For example, user experience design agencies in London or San Francisco have much higher prices than Budapest or Portland. In other words, enlisting help from a top-listed design company requires you to pay a significant sum to designers.
And although there are hundreds — if not thousands — of cheap UX and visual design companies on the market, you won’t find any of them in this list. We’ve only featured top-rated, reputable UI and UX design agencies. Cheap agencies are everywhere and always available. But do you want to pay the ultimate price — a subpar website and wasted money — of dealing with such a UI/UX agency?
The bottom line is that hiring a user experience agency can go from being expensive to being unbelievably expensive. It all depends on your budget and needs. Many companies these days hire boutique design studios with modest rates, keeping the price tag affordable for most firms.
Q: Why should I work with a user experience agency?
There are at least a dozen reasons why working with a UX/UI design agency is necessary.
But let’s take a closer look below at three major ones:
1. You Need a Clear Project Perspective. Putting together an in-house UX UI design team, including the processes of searching, recruitment, hiring, and subsequent training, can become a huge problem. This includes lots of time and money. And often, in the end, you’ll find you have developed quite the narrow-minded team that, on the one hand, is highly focused on your products and services but, on the other, has a hard time thinking outside of the box.
But, when working with an experienced and multi-faceted UX studio, the absence of these restrictions grants you a more extensive view of your particular needs and how exactly to fulfill them. Top UI/UX agencies do their best to provide expert and objective perspectives on your project. Their UX designers can view your situation from the outside and, therefore, provide unique solutions with clarity that you can not necessarily see by looking at it from the inside. A reputable UI/UX agency has experience providing UI/UX design services to firms in different niches with many different needs.
2. You Require Skills Not Available at Your Company. Creative design companies are known for having high levels of organization due to constantly dealing with different industries and, therefore, sharing experiences and bases of knowledge among a more comprehensive array of skill sets than other types of companies typically do. When hiring a UX UI agency, you get access to top UX designers, research experts, strategists, and many other experts in their fields, such as usability testing or digital strategy. Creating an in-house design team with such a broad talent pool takes time and money. Thus, hiring a UX company for your mobile applications or website design will provide you with the experience and skillsets needed to execute excellent projects every time.
3. You Need Your Core Staff to Focus on Your Company’s Immediate Matters. If your management has other tasks, adding a design project to your current work may become redundant and lead to lower productivity. When you hire a user experience design firm, your team stays focused on your company’s essential and immediate matters — and nothing else. This way, your company’s significant tasks can be completed correctly and on time. Experts are taking care of your design project.
Considering the above, a top design company is a perfect investment to ensure your mobile app or website can be executed promptly and professionally. While accessing great talent, you can keep your company’s team focused on the more pressing and immediate tasks. This ensures that your business's crucial processes get the focus and attention they need.
Q: What features should I look for in a top UI/UX design company?
To achieve the best results for your business, your first user experience and user interface hire should be a team that will not just work on your project but instead become your partner for that particular period.
Below are five crucial features UI design agencies should provide you with top-quality services to define your digital marketing strategy.
Empathic Ability
Any design agency’s primary skill should be its ability to empathize with the end user. This means anticipating how they will interact with a particular product or service. However, excellent website design and UI/UX design agencies understand that while their work primarily focuses on the end-user as the consumer, product managers and engineers are consumers of user insights. A UX agency’s capacity to empathize and condense information into purposeful and relatable stories extends over the user interface design to establish relationships and trust within its support teams.
Business and Strategic Thinking
A UX firm should be identical to a team of product managers in terms of how they approach problem identification. A reliable UI design team understands how to align user needs with business goals and balance the natural tension between technology, business, and the user. Frequently, it is the product manager that manages the balance between user needs and business needs. And usually, the company is always given precedence. However, an intelligent UI UX designer will want to partner with the product manager and engineering staff, letting each of them stick up to their individual biases and, thus, nurture healthy discussions and more effective decision-making.
Helping and Teaching
While designers often like respect and acknowledgment for their work, the best UX design companies don’t hoard their design thinking skills. They aren’t protective or territorial about their design team’s process. Great UX UI teams are always eager to share their knowledge and experiences. They often do this by teaching design thinking to their client’s teams. You will know you have a great mobile app or web design team when conducting workshops with your engineers and product managers or if they like to sketch out ideas on a whiteboard with your staff.
Strong User Research
A strong UI design team will separate its ego from the raw user feedback since it’s more driven by getting it right for the client — you — than getting personal credit for its design solutions. A reputable UI/UX agency will always conduct extensive user research, working collaboratively with you. One great way to do this is by inviting your engineering and product management teams to get hands-on experience with and learn through usability testing, test reviews, and other related activities.
Q: How can I trust a UX/UI design company?
The market for UI/UX services is constantly evolving. The variety of potential agencies is so huge that selecting the right user experience design company might seem impossible. However, several factors distinguish only companies from mediocre ones. Therefore, when choosing a top UI/UX design team, you should consider the following:
- Look for UI/UX consultancy instead of mere outsourcing. The agency you select must become your business partner in defining your strategy. Its team should offer you operational services and suggest the most satisfactory solutions to your business needs. A great UX/UI design agency considers all the aspects that can impact your project and work in line with them;
- Check the UX UI design agency’s portfolio for real cases and previous work. Every UI design agency will readily show you its portfolio. While looking through the earlier user interface works presented on the agency’s site, make sure to check the look and feel of the design and that the projects completed for previous customers brought lasting and real business value. To put it simply, don’t hire a mobile app firm if you’re looking for website design services;
- Find out more about the agency’s design process. Each design company has its own style of work and design process. Before selecting a UI design agency, check if its team has a research-driven approach or does web or mobile design based on their gut instincts. The key to good UX UI design is rooted in what your product/service users want and their concrete actions;
- A team with varied skills is a reliable team. UX UI design and development companies frequently focus only on this specialty, but companies present on the market today can bring a richer set of skills to the table. Consider finding a cooperative UI design agency that can create a mobile app or enterprise software. Choose the one that might also help you with other business areas, such as branding, web design, custom software development, growth strategies, or marketing.
Q: Is working with local or remote user experience design firms better?
Should you go local? The answer to web development or mobile app design is a definite and resonant ‘yes.’ Digital products are the heart of modern digital marketing and brand promotion. They deserve close attention as they are crucial in drawing in, convincing, and converting prospects to buy into a particular brand.
This is valid regardless of the industry but is particularly true regarding local brands. Considering how important this is, the things listed below show why hiring a local UI design agency is the best option when you want to create high-quality digital services or products.
1. Local UI/UX Agencies Have a Better Understanding of Local Business Needs
First and foremost, a local UX UI design firm understands how local and small businesses’ needs differ from those of more prominent brands. Budgets tend to be more restrictive, audiences narrowly defined, some physical presence exists, and the products tend to be more niche-oriented. These needs, in turn, necessitate particular strategies. Some widely understood best practices exist for this type of digital presence in your product’s user experience design. A local user experience design agency will then take time to apply these methods efficiently to meet your business objectives.
2. Proper Understanding of Local Audiences
Local audiences are just as important as local businesses. Simply put, a consumer looking for a clothing boutique in their neighborhood will show very different search and selection patterns than an online shopper. Your product must tend to these nuances. For instance, local audiences are often the most interested in practical information. This includes open hours, phone numbers, and directions to your location. Always look for a partner who comprehends these nuances, can do user research, and can design your product or service accordingly.
3. Individualized Attention towards Each Customer
Agencies in the user research and user experience design niche tend to have stigmas attached. One of the most common thoughts is that once a business is secured, a client becomes a small fish in a big pond, and their needs are not given the daily priority that may be expected. However, the situation is drastically different from that of local UI and web design agencies. You should expect more personalized attention. This includes contact with an executive at the company and regular in-person meetings for planning and digital strategy. Reputation matters, so the right local UI design or web development company will ensure its customers are happy with their services to build a positive, mutually beneficial long-term relationship.
4. Continuous Support
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that UI/UX and web design are one-time projects. Instead, you can expect ongoing UI/UX support when going local. If something goes wrong or you need an update, you already have a partnership with your local UX/UI agency. It’s best to consider ongoing web design and user experience support investments. Just as you would continue investing in your sales team with training and access to the latest resources, your product or service deserves the same attention.
5. Relevant Case Studies and References
Have you ever looked for a design, marketing, or support contractor but couldn’t decide on the best fit because it was difficult to determine whether they had the relevant experience your business needs? With a local UX studio, getting client references and case studies to double-check the relevance is easy. The reason is simple: local companies have a more determined market. Their clients have been in similar situations and are targeting similar audiences. As a result, it’s easier to appraise how their past work and experience relate to your particular needs.
6. Ongoing Communication
Finally, you can expect more open communication channels with a local UX company. The reason is a mix of what we’ve mentioned above: a need for ongoing support combined with the tendency for personalized attention and communication. You’ll be as involved in the user experience design process as possible. From regular status updates and emails to personal meetings, you will have a ton of touchpoints to engage in the process from start to finish.
To sum it all up — finding a company to design the UX of your mobile app or website within proximity is a significant factor in the overall success of your business. However, considering how easy it is to travel, you may work with user experience designers or companies in San Francisco or Los Angeles, headquartered in NYC or Washington, DC, and only experience slight discomfort due to the time difference. That’s not so bad.
Q: Where can I find more user experience design firms online?
If you search the web, you will find many lists and articles featuring top UX design companies. If you have time, you can see and sift through them and pick the best options. One important thing to outline is that most of these lists aren’t worth your attention.
You should check what Clutch has to say. They do a great job interviewing design agencies’ customers and researching the industry. But such lists aren’t the only way to learn about great designers and design agencies. Make sure to visit Behance and Dribbble once in a while and see what they have in store. These two platforms are live portfolios of mobile app and website design specialists and design agencies worldwide.
Q: Where are the Best UI Design Firms Located?
Love it or hate it, the best UI/UX design firms in the world will be in or near big cities. Even with the industry-wide adoption of so many virtual and remote work applications, these agencies tend to gravitate where the work is most frequent.
If you operate in the United States, you will likely find big firms in San Francisco, L.A., Chicago, NYC, Boston, Seattle, and Austin. This gives them quality access to exceptional workers and a decent flow of businesses looking for their services.
In Europe, you have more flexibility depending on the specific country you visit. For the U.K., it will be London or Cambridge, whereas Germany will be Berlin or Frankfurt. All these areas have thriving tech scenes. In Asia, you cannot go wrong with Tokyo, Beijing, and Seoul.
Q: What does a UI/UX design company need before starting a UX project?
After you’ve consulted with a UI UX design agency, they’ll be able to tell you what they need to kickstart the project. This may vary between agencies, but you can expect to need any of the following:
- Your buyer personas — who are you tailoring your product or service to?
- Details about the brand journey — what should users experience when using the product or service?
- Content inventory — what content do you expect to place on the site or product?
- Fonts and colors — to ensure that the design is consistent across the project
Q: How long does a UX project take?
A typical UX project will take less time than other aspects of branding. Three to six weeks is a standard timeframe; firms looking for usability testing can expect a period of time on the lower end of the spectrum, while those who also need generative research will find it takes longer.
Q: What other services does a UI/UX design agency offer?
All UX agencies are different. However, top UX agencies may provide any of the following in addition to their primary services:
- Website designs
- Mobile apps
- Web interfaces
- Graphic design
- User research
- Branding
Look out for companies that describe themselves as “full-service” if you’re looking for a broader range of options.
Q: How do you evaluate user experience design?
User experience design is about creating a product or service that people can navigate smoothly. It gives them an enjoyable experience and allows them to carry out their intended task with minimal difficulties. The strength of the design ultimately comes down to three questions:
- Is it suitable for the right kind of people?
- Does it help these people achieve their goals?
- Is it created for the proper use cases?
This can be tough to evaluate for someone not using the product or service for the first time, but it’s possible.
Here are a few aspects to look out for:
- Are the visual elements on the page placed in order of importance so users can navigate easily without confusion?
- Is the interface easy for people with limited eyesight or poor vision due to external factors like the sun?
- Is the language used for buttons and instructions simple enough to understand?
- Is the colors consistent (e.g., all buttons turn the same color after you click them or follow a pattern)?
- Can you add extra elements or text to the interface without causing havoc?
- Is the site accessible to all users, including those on their mobiles, or is it color-blind?
- Could someone using the site for the first time understand everything and use the design properly?
- Is the site responsive — meaning that you can use it on screens and browsers of all sizes, including tablets and mobiles?
If you’re unsure how your user experience design measures up to the factors above, consider hiring user testers to give the product or service a trial for some feedback.
What Should You Know about the UI/UX Design Process?
The UI/UX design process can be divided into four key phases: preparation, research, architecture flow, and final design. While the process usually takes place in that order, it’s important to note that UX UI is a highly iterative process. Designers in this niche often say, “Design is never finished!” The reason is that throughout the design process, specialists uncover new insights that may lead them to rethink their initial design decisions.
Within these phases of the UX UI design process, designers take several steps to improve the user experience with a product, service, application, or website. We’ll take a more detailed look at the design process so you can see how proper design decisions affect your business.
Preliminary planning and preparation
At this initial stage, the UI/UX design agency wants to understand the main problem your product is trying to solve. Usually, UX consultants and designers organize a meeting to learn more about your company, target audience, and the product or service itself.
This is also when the agency performs preliminary UX research. Designers frequently ask their clients for mission statements, organizational structure charts, strategy documents, previous market research, the most recent annual report, and examples of advertisements. They want all of this data to understand your business model and see how your product or service fits into the general structure of the company.
A UX studio also needs to understand its target market. This includes understanding your main competitors, how your product is different or better than other options on the market, your brand values, and how exactly to identify success.
Persona creation
Once the first stage is over, UI/UX agencies typically begin identifying the types of consumers that may become potential users of your product. For instance, if the agency works with a customer who aims to create a new mobile fitness application, they may already have a comprehensive idea but need more information about their potential app users.
This is the point when the right UX design agency comes in. The agency team analyzes its main competitors to define their communication targets. They also perform web analytics, surveys, interviews, and market research.
Proper research helps the agency generate large data sets that spot patterns and trends. By analyzing these trends and patterns, the UI/UX agency can understand how the average potential product user looks and develop user personas.
Personas are archetypal depictions of the product users that describe the person in detail and focus on their motivation for using the product. Personas are UI/UX agencies’ essential tools to communicate their research data to customers.
UX Research and planning
Once the agency knows more about your target audience and business objectives, it will start the initial design phases. Currently, agencies usually use one or more of the user research tools listed below.
- User Scenario Mapping. User scenario mapping is a narrative that communicates the user’s intention to take action and the steps they must take to accomplish it. Using such scenarios is advantageous because they permit the implementation of visualizations like narrative scenarios, scenario maps, or storyboards. Scenario maps are fascinating because they display each step needed to execute a task. They convey the motivation of the persona to accomplish the task and help reveal the issues that the persona stumbles upon along the way. They also determine opportunities to make the process smoother.
- User Stories. A user story describes one particular aspect of how a user may interact with the product, service, app, or website. However, the description has to provide capable action content for software developers. For instance, if the user would like to change the t-shirt color to see the product in that color. Each user story has three parts: an individual, an action, and an action consequence.
- User Journey Map. The user journey map is a linear visualization that shows the persona’s feelings while using the product. It allows designers to outline potential gaps in the process and define areas that should be improved. Designers usually base such maps on the feedback received via user interviews, observations, and data acquired during previous phases.
Product information architecture
During this UI/UX design stage, the agency defines the product’s information architecture. The UI/UX designers use tools to help visualize the actual flow inside the product or service. Your UI/UX agency will likely resort to text-based flow charts, UI flow, and sitemaps at this stage. These are great for showing each page of the site or app.
UI/UX Design
So, your design agency is finally ready to design your product. At this stage, the process will include the elements listed below.
- Design systems. A lot of top UI/UX agencies use design systems. These are reusable elements that may be assembled following previously determined standards. These represent a perfect tool for larger projects. Such systems boost the long-run design process — even if they sometimes require a hefty initial investment.
- Interaction design. This is when the agency’s team defines how the end user will move from one screen to the next. The team creates an interactive map to understand which screen parts will be interactive. Boxes, buttons, inputs, and links are possibilities. Interaction maps are not precisely full-screen mockups but help understand the user interface.
- Wireframing. Wireframes are the perfect tool for providing frontend developers with a sense of where various components will be on the screen. Many user experience agencies use whiteboard markers to convey their ideas as quickly as possible without going into detail. Wireframes point to various design elements’ size, shape, and position. They don’t include the content, colors, or even text font. They are an excellent basis for paper prototypes.
- Paper prototypes. When the UI/UX agency develops a set of wireframes, it will get user feedback precisely when paper prototypes come into play. UI/UX designers frequently use sticky notes, print out their designs, or even cut out the pages with their design sketches.
- UI design. Some agencies separate the roles of UI and UX designers to the point where the latter doesn’t even have to bother about user interface design. UI design focuses on designing product screens. Then, these designs are provided to the development company that implements them.
Prototyping
UI/UX design companies also create functional prototypes that replicate the entire product use experience. For instance, by tapping the “Next” button, users move to the next screen, just like they would on a real site or mobile app. When the prototype is completed, the agency collaborates with developers on the design’s implementation.
UX Design Production
The product development process is usually the most time-consuming stage, so the web development team will likely be occupied working on your product's backend systems. The UI/UX specialists typically support developers by answering questions about how everything should work or look. They also guide user flows and participate in user testing to generate more feedback if necessary. UI/UX agencies are also responsible for outlining new features, discussing future updates, and web development of the product’s front end.
Should I hire a UI/UX design agency or build an in-house design team?
At this point, there’s near-universal agreement about the importance of user experience (UX) design. Any company that needs a digital presence (that’s most of them) or is producing a digital product, like an application, must have a practical and professional user experience and user interface design.
In many cases, UX design is not created once but necessitates long-term attention and development. This forces many companies to ask whether it is worth developing an in-house team or whether a professional UX design agency does UX design needs.
Both are legitimate options, but established UX design firms are usually your best bet at the end of the day. Let’s look at why.
Creating an in-house UX design team does have some benefits. First, the team's direct proximity to the projects allows professional intimacy on projects that are often impossible to replicate when a firm’s website design or UX design is outsourced. Daily communication can help ensure attention is paid to particular details and that unforeseen changes in the project are immediately navigated without delay. Further, it can be a worthwhile long-term investment if UX design services are constantly needed.
Unfortunately, creating an in-house UX design team also has some severe downsides. First and foremost, while it can be a worthwhile investment, often it is not. The reason is that most companies and firms needing UX design will only need these services intermittently. Hiring a whole team and ensuring they are adequately trained and paid a competitive salary is a huge investment. This is especially true for companies and brands that need highly trained professionals in other areas of their company. The other problem is that when companies specialize in something other than UX design but instead create an in-house team, this team needs to get the professional benefit and growth of being in a work environment entirely dedicated to UX design. The benefits of such are immeasurable.
Working with a professional UX and UI design company is usually better. These firms are reputable, reliable, and focused daily on perfecting their craft of UX design. The benefit of hiring an agency is that you can reach out to their former clients and see portfolios of their work. This allows you to pick a firm that reflects the overall style and essence that matches your company’s needs. Because UX firms focus on user experience design, they bring lots of experience and knowledge that is difficult to cultivate with an in-house UX design team. Suppose you find a design agency that matches your particular. In that case, a one-time investment will end up costing less in the long run and eventually pay for itself — it is well known that professional-grade effective UX design results in higher customer conversion rates.
Professional and reputable UI/UX design companies specialize in helping companies realize their UX design vision. They help take what exists in those running a company’s mind and actualize it into effective user experience design. This expertise gained through real-time experience makes professional UI/UX design companies a desirable option. Given the number of excellent firms, finding one might take time, but eventually, you will have an ideal partner in developing your brand or business.
10 Questions To Ask Top UX Agencies
Even when you find a great UI/UX agency to start building a project with, you still want to pose some intuitive questions. That helps outline the boundaries of what you will collaborate on and iron out some critical details you might need to clear up before getting started. A good list may include the following:
1. What is your process for designing a UI/UX?
When interviewing a potential UX design agency, it’s essential to ask about their process for designing a UI/UX. This will give you insight into how they approach projects and whether or not they have a solid understanding of the user experience. Here are a few key things to look for in their answer:
- Do they start by researching the target audience? This is essential to understanding the users' needs and wants.
- Do they create personas and user journeys? This helps to map out the different touchpoints that users will have with the product or service.
- Do they create wireframes and prototypes? These are important for visualizing the proposed solution and testing it with users.
Asking about the UX design process will help you assess whether the agency has the skills and experience necessary to deliver a great user experience.
2. How do you approach designing for a specific industry or type of user?
Depending on the company, they may follow different processes or philosophies. Some user experience design agencies may focus on creating a generic design that can be applied to multiple industries, while others may specialize in designing for a specific industry. In addition, some top UX agencies may focus on designing for specific users, such as millennials or baby boomers. By asking this question, you can better understand whether the agency fits your needs.
3. What projects have you worked on that were particularly challenging?
Any reputable user interface design firm will be able to recall a challenging project or two from its portfolio. After all, if everything they touch turns to gold, it might be a sign that they’re not taking enough risks. So, try asking about the more difficult ones instead of asking for examples of successful projects.
This will give you insight into how the creative digital agency deals with adversity and whether they can find creative solutions when it gets tough. It’s also worth asking about what they learned from these challenging experiences — after all, you want an agency that is always looking to improve and evolve.
4. How do you handle revisions and feedback during the design process?
Asking a user experience design agency about their process for revisions and feedback is a great way to get a sense of how they work and what you can expect from working with them. Revisions and feedback are an important part of the design process, and it’s essential to clearly understand how they will be handled before you start working with an user experience design agency. Here are some things to keep in mind when asking about revisions and feedback:
- What is the agency’s policy on revisions? Do they charge for revisions? How many revisions are included in the initial price?
- How does the agency handle feedback during the design process? Do they provide specific instructions on how to give feedback? Do they allow client input during the design process?
- What is the turnaround time for revisions? How quickly can the agency implement changes?
Asking these questions will help you better understand the agency’s process and what to expect from working with it.
5. What kind of support do you provide after completing a project?
After a project is completed, it’s important to have a support plan to continue improving the user experience. A good UX design agency will provide ongoing support and training to ensure you can implement changes effectively and keep up with new best practices. They should also be available to answer any questions you might have. By asking this question, you can better understand the level of support an agency is willing to provide.
6. How do you ensure your designs are accessible to all users?
When you’re considering working with the best UI/UX design agency, ask them about their steps to ensure their designs are accessible to all users. This might include conducting user research with a diverse range of people, using accessibility testing tools, and following WCAG guidelines.
By taking these steps, a UX agency can help to ensure that your digital products and services are accessible to everyone, regardless of ability or circumstance. As a result, you can tap into a larger potential customer base and positively impact your users’ lives.
7. Do you have any case studies or testimonials from past clients that we can review?
When considering hiring a UX agency, you should ask whether they have any case studies or testimonials from past clients. This can give you a good sense of the quality of work the agency is capable of and whether or not their work is a good fit for your needs.
A review of past case studies can also help you to understand the creative process that the agency uses and how they approach user experience design. If a creative digital agency cannot provide any case studies or testimonials, this may be a red flag that you should look elsewhere.
8. How do you ensure the UI/UX is intuitive and easy to use?
A good agency will have a process for testing its designs with real users and making iterative improvements based on feedback. It will also profoundly understand human psychology and how people interact with technology. By asking about its process and talking to some of its past clients, you can better understand whether or not an agency will likely deliver on its promises.
9. What research do you do to understand the user’s needs?
There are a variety of different research methods that can be used, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, ethnographic research involves observing users in their natural environment to understand their behavior and needs. This can be a very effective way to gather data, but it can also be time-consuming and expensive. Another popular research method is surveys. Surveys can be used to collect large amounts of data relatively quickly, but they have the downside of being less reliable than other methods. The top UX agencies will use different research methods to understand their users’ needs.
10. How do you test your designs before launch?
When interviewing top UX agencies, ask about their testing process. A well-designed product is the result of thorough testing and iteration. Top UX agencies will have a robust process for testing their designs before launch. Here are some questions you can ask to get a sense of how an agency tests its designs:
- What methods do you use to test your designs?
- How do you account for user feedback when iterating on designs?
- What kind of data do you collect during user testing?
- How does your team use data to inform the design process?
- Asking about an agency’s testing process will help you understand their attention to detail and commitment to building high-quality digital products.
The Bottom Line
The process described above is only one of many. This process varies from agency to agency. However, the key concepts and goals are always the same if you work with a competent UI and UX design company or web design firm. Either way, if you want to make sure that your mobile app or website gets the best treatment, you should always understand as much as possible about the design process from start to finish or ask designers for help.
– Thanks for reading!
