We all make mistakes. But when it comes to UX design, certain ones can be costly – and even lead to user frustration and abandonment of a website or app. Design is all about solving problems, but to do that effectively, you must understand the problem first. UX design is no different – to create user-friendly designs, being aware of the most common mistakes agencies make is inevitable. To help you avoid these common errors, we’ve compiled a detailed overview of the most common issues a UX design agency for startups might make – and what you can do to steer clear of them.
1. Not Defining the Scope of the Project
It’s no secret that one of the most common blunders design agencies make is not clearly defining the scope of their projects. When this happens, it’s often referred to as a “scope loop.” This can be a major problem, leading to subpar work, missed deadlines, and unhappy clients.
Let’s say you’re a UX design agency for startups that a client has hired to design a new website. You’ve sat down with the client, discussed their needs and wants, and devised a plan. But then, halfway through the project, the client decides they want you to add an e-commerce component to the site. Suddenly, your scope has expanded exponentially, and you’re scrambling to figure out how to accommodate the new request.
This is a textbook case of unidentified scope – and you can avoid it by taking some simple steps upfront. Here goes:
- First and foremost, make sure you’re clear about the project before starting work. This means getting everything in writing—preferably in the form of a contract or Statement of Work (SOW). This document should outline every deliverable that is expected, as well as any milestones or deadlines that need to be met.
- Don’t be afraid to push back if a client asks for something outside the scope of what was initially agreed upon. It’s important to be proactive about this sort of thing because it can save you a lot of headaches (and heartaches) down the road.
An undefined is a real problem that can have serious consequences for both design agencies and their clients. By being clear about expectations upfront and being willing to push back when necessary, you can avoid this pitfall and set yourself up for success.
2. Not Conducting User Research
Imagine you’ve just started a new job. You’re eager to make a great impression, so you do it when your boss asks you to sign off on a project without conducting any user research. After all, what’s the harm in skipping one little step? Surely your boss wouldn’t have asked you to do it if it wasn’t okay, right?
Wrong. This is a huge mistake and one that can cost your company dearly. Let’s say the project in question is a new website for your company. You and your team work tirelessly to get it up and running, but when it finally goes live, you quickly realize something is wrong. The site is confusing to navigate, the text is difficult to read, and the overall design feels dated. Users aren’t happy, and neither is your boss. If you had conducted user research before launching the site, you could have avoided all of this.
User research is an essential part of the UX design process because it allows designers to get feedback from users about their designs before they go live. This feedback is invaluable and can help designers avoid making costly mistakes like the one in our example. So next time your boss asks you to launch a project without conducting any user research, don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk.
3. Not Creating Personas
When you hire a UX design agency for startups, you expect them to produce quality results to help your business succeed. However, one mistake that many agencies make is failing to create personas.
A persona is a semi-fictional character that represents a specific type of user. Personas are based on data and research, and they help designers understand the needs and goals of users. Without personas, designing a compelling user experience is difficult because there’s no way to know what users want or need.
One way to think of personas is as target audiences. Just as businesses use market research to identify their target audiences, designers use this persona research to identify the types of users they are designing for. By understanding the needs and goals of different kinds of users, designers can create user experiences that are tailored to the specific needs of each type of user.
Without persona research, designers are working in the dark and are more likely to make decisions that don’t align with users’ needs. As a result, businesses end up with products and services that are difficult to use and don’t meet the needs of their target audiences.
If you’re considering hiring a UX design agency for startups, ask them about their persona research process. A well-versed agency will have a well-defined process for creating personas based on data and research.
4. Not Creating Mockups or Prototypes
Designers use mockups to test ideas and prototypes to test interactions. Without these tools, it’s impossible to know if a design will work well in the real world. For example, designers might think a button should be placed in the upper-left corner of a screen only to find out later that users expect it to be in the center.
Or, a prototype might reveal that interaction is too complex or takes too many steps. These are just a few examples of how mockups and prototypes can save time and money by uncovering problems early in the design process.
So, if your UX design agency isn’t creating mockups and prototypes, ask them why. Chances are they’re cutting corners to save time and money—but in the end, it will cost you more.
5. Not Conducting Usability Testing
Only 50% of companies conduct UX testing, while others throw arrows in the dark. When designing a new product, it’s important to test its usability early and often. Otherwise, you run the risk of making assumptions about what your users want or need, leading to costly redesigns down the road.
Unfortunately, not all UX design agencies deploy usability testing early in the design process, resulting in late design-related problems. Since the UX design agency for startups you hire will have to make assumptions about what users want without factual data to back up those assumptions, it can result in wasted resources. But if the agency you work with plays smart, you can avoid these redesigns with usability testing and working according to the insights.
So, if you’re thinking about hiring a UX design agency for startups, be sure to ask them about their process for conducting usability testing. It could save you time and money in the long run!
6. Not Getting Feedback from Stakeholders
One of the most important parts of the design process is gathering feedback from those who will be using the end product. Without this feedback, it’s impossible to create a truly user-friendly experience. Yet, somehow, many UX design agencies still manage to drop the ball in this area. Also, the devil is in the details, as they say. And when it comes to UX design, that couldn’t be more true. Every little element of the design matters, from the font size to the colors to the spacing between elements.
Imagine you’ve just launched a new website. You’re excited to see how users interact with your carefully designed user interface. But after a few weeks, you realize that something is wrong. Despite your best efforts, users are struggling to navigate your site. They can’t find the information they’re looking for and are quick to give up in frustration.
At this point, you reach out to the UX design agency for startups you hired to see what went wrong. But instead of getting helpful feedback, they brush you off. They insist that everything is fine and that your users will eventually get used to the new design. It’s impossible to know whether your strategy is effective without user feedback, so you shouldn’t let it slide.
Summing Up
Hiring a UX design agency is a big decision. After all, you’re trusting them to create a user interface that will ultimately determine whether or not your customers stay on your site or go elsewhere. To avoid making a costly mistake, carefully vet potential agencies and pay close attention to their process and portfolio. In short, do your homework!
