Top 6 UI & UX Design Agencies Worldwide 2023

May 4, 2023

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 the world.

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 the world.

In 2023, 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, 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.

Top 6 UI & UX Design Agencies Worldwide:

1. Marcato

Marcato is a full-service UI/UX design and web design studio in Hong Kong, China. It provides world-class design services for start-ups and enterprises, such as digital product design, website design, branding design, animation production. Partners are located in various fields around the world, serving customers such as Spanish Telecom, Mount Nai Hospital in New York, Huawei Honor, Gameloft, Dubai e-commerce company Lestango, etc.

Marcato — UI/UX design and branding agency

Location: Hong Kong, China
Clients: Audi, Huawei, Volkswagen, Logitech, Gameloft,Telefónica, Mount Sinai, ShipHero
Team size: 20+

2. Clay

Clay is a full-service UI/UX design agency and branding firm 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 digital products with user interfaces that are delightful to use while perfectly representing the company’s brand.

Clay — UI/UX design and branding agency
Clay — UI/UX design and branding agency

Location: San Francisco, CA
Clients: Amazon, Google, Slack, Facebook, Coca-Cola, Coinbase, UPS, Cisco
Team size: 80+

3. Frog Design

Frog is a global UX agency and digital product design consultancy that creates products and experiences that facilitate digital transformation. It started back in the 1970s as an industrial and product design firm. Still, they’ve embraced a full-service agency model over the years covering everything from CX strategy and branding to product innovation, UX, and service design.

Frog Design — a digital innovation firm and UX company
Frog Design — a digital innovation firm and UX company

Location: San Francisco, New York, Boston, Austin, and more
Clients: SF MoMa, Porsche, GE, Xiaomi, UBS, Intel, Sharp
Team size: 950+

4. 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.

IDEO — a global user experience firm
IDEO — a global user experience firm

Location: San Francisco, Palo Alto, NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai
Clients: Kaplan, City of Boston, Planned Parenthood, Swarovski
Team size: 1300+

5. ustwo

ustwo is a digital product design studio well-known as a developer of the 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.

Ustwo — a digital product agency and UX design agency.
Ustwo — a digital product agency and UX design agency.

Location: London, NYC, Sydney, Tokyo, Malmö, Lisbon
Clients: Google, Jaguar, Samsung, Ford, Lush, Qantas
Team size: 200+

6. 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 mobile apps, websites, and digital experiences end-to-end.

Huge — a digital design firm and UX agency
Huge — a digital design firm and UX agency

Location: NYC, LA, SF Bay Area, London, Singapore, Toronto
Clients: Hulu, Canada Goose, LG, Lenovo, Nike, Pfizer
Team size: 1200+

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 app users and the target audience. This data is used to create the ‘information architecture design, which will be the foundation of the user experience.

Photo by Amélie Mourichon on Unsplash
Photo by Amélie Mourichon on Unsplash

UI design is focused on the digital interface’s technical details, meaning user interface designers will probably not be involved in the UX research itself 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 some 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. The website or app offered by the company is, therefore, essential. These 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 ensure the audience is kept in mind 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 take Apple as a great example since their UX design is used for their 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.

Photo by Michał Kubalczyk on Unsplash
Photo by Michał Kubalczyk on Unsplash

This begins before purchasing, 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 agencies range in size and the service offered related to UX design or complementing it. 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 are specialties that help structure the company’s brand identity interaction with the target users via digital methods. This goes beyond essential branding or advertising, incorporating both of those into interfaces and touchpoints the end-user will have with the company.

User testing — Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash
User testing — Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash

A team of UX designers usually makes up a UX design agency. Depending on the project’s scope, there might be a project manager to oversee the teams of user researchers and 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 UI/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 end up paying 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 on a fixed-price basis, you should be prepared for these situations.

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

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 — costs can vary dramatically. Some design companies charge as few as $50 per hour, while others charge hundreds per hour for their work on the user interface.

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 of money 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 UX 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 resort to hiring boutique design studios with modest rates, keeping the price tag affordable for most firms.

Q: Why should I work with a user experience agency?

At least a dozen reasons why working with a UX/UI design agency is necessary.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

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 UI design agency, the absence of these restrictions grant you a more extensive view of your particular needs and how exactly to fulfill them. Top UX agencies do their best to provide expert and objective perspectives on your project. Their 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 services to firms in different niches with many different needs.

2. You Require Skills Not Available at Your Company. UI/UX 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 UI/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 incredible 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. Meanwhile, your design project is taken care of by experts.

Considering the above, a top UX UI design company is a perfect investment that assures 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 the crucial processes of your business 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 becomes your partner for that particular period.

Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash
Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash

Below are five crucial features UI design agencies should provide you with top-quality services to define your digital 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 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 and visual design firm should be identical to a team of product managers regarding 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 actual 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. But an intelligent UI UX designer will want to establish a partnership 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.

Photo by airfocus on Unsplash
Photo by airfocus on Unsplash

Helping and Teaching

While designers often like respect and acknowledgment for their work, excellent UI/UX design companies don’t hoard their design skills and 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 test reviews and other related activities.

Photo by David Travis on Unsplash
Photo by David Travis on Unsplash

Q: How do I know I can 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 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 digital 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 works 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 not only check the look and feel of the design but make sure 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 style of work and design process. Before selecting a UI design agency, check if its team has a research-driven approach or does web design or mobile app 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 and custom software development, growth strategies, or marketing.

Q: Is it better to work with local or remote user experience design firms?

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 play a crucial role in drawing in, convincing, and converting prospects to buy into a particular brand.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

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 way to go 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 more 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 online presence in your product’s user experience design. A local design agency will take time to ensure these methods are applied 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 compared to 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 physical location. Always look for a partner that comprehends these nuances, can do user research, and design your product or service accordingly.

3. Individualized Attention towards Each Customer

Agencies working in the user research and user experience design niche tend to have stigmas attached to them. One of the most commonly shared 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. But the situation is drastically different from local UI 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 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 mistake assuming that UI/UX design is a one-time project. Instead, you can expect ongoing UI/UX support when going local. If something goes wrong or you need an update, you already have an existing 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 type of attention.

Photo by Mapbox on Unsplash
Photo by Mapbox on Unsplash

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/UI design agency, 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 you want. 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 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. You can see and sift through them if you have time and pick the best options possible. One important thing to outline here is that most of these lists aren’t worth your attention.

You might want to 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 of finding out 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: What does a UI/UX design company need before starting a UX project?

After you’ve had a consultation 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 won’t take as long as 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 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 to evaluate user experience design?

User experience design is about creating a product or service that people can navigate smoothly, giving them an enjoyable experience and allowing them to carry out their intended task with minimal difficulties. The strength of the design ultimately comes down to three questions:

  1. Is it suitable for the right kind of people?
  2. Does it help these people achieve their goals?
  3. Is it created for the proper use cases?

This can be tough to evaluate for someone who isn’t 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 use of 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?

Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash
Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash

The UI/UX design process can be divided into four key phases: preparation, research, architecture flow, and final design. While the UI/UX design 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 designing process, specialists uncover new insights that may lead them to rethink their initial design decisions.

Within these main phases of the UX UI design process, designers take several individual 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.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unpslash
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unpslash

This is also the time 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 to have 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 UI design agency also needs to understand its target market. This includes your main competitors, how your product is different or better from other options present on the market, what your brand values are, 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. The UI/UX agency can understand how the average potential product user looks and develop user personas by analyzing these trends and patterns.

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. At this point, agencies usually use one or more of the user research tools listed below.

Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash
Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash
  • 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 for making 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 color of the t-shirt 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.
Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash
Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash

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 design process in the long run — even if they require a sometimes hefty initial investment.
  • Interaction design. This is when the agency’s team will define how the end user will move from one screen to the next. The team understands which screen parts will be interactive by creating an interactive map. For example, boxes, buttons, inputs, and links are possibilities. Interaction maps are not precisely full-screen mockups but help understand the user interface.
Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash
Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash
  • Wireframing. Wireframes are the perfect tool for providing frontend developers with a sense of where various components will be located 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.
Photo by Amélie Mourichon on Unsplash
Photo by Amélie Mourichon on Unsplash
  • 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 make functional prototypes that replicate the entire product use experience. For instance, by tapping on the “Next” button, users move to the next screen, just like they would on a real site or mobile app. The agency collaborates with developers on the design’s implementation when the prototype is completed.

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 the backend systems of your product. The UI/UX specialists typically support developers by answering questions about how everything should work or look. If necessary, they also guide and participate in user testing to generate more feedback. UI/UX agencies are also responsible for outlining new features, discussing future updates, and even 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 an online 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 should a professional UX design agency do UX design needs.

Photo Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
Photo Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

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 direct proximity to the team’s 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 help ensure 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, there are also some severe downsides to creating an in-house UX design team. 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 those companies and brands who 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 that comes with being in a work environment entirely dedicated to UX design. The benefits of such are immeasurable.

Working with a professional UI/UX 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

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 understand the needs and wants of the users.
  • Do they create personas and user journeys? This help to map out the different touchpoints that users will have with the product or service.
  • Do they create wireframes and prototypes? These are important to visualize the proposed solution and test 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. You can better understand whether the agency fits your needs by asking this question.

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, instead of asking for examples of successful projects, try asking about the ones that were a bit more difficult.

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 UX 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 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 you can expect from working with them.

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 that 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 that your designs are accessible to all users?

When you’re considering working with the best UI/UX design agency, ask them about the steps they take 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 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, one of the questions you should ask is if 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 that the UI/UX is intuitive and easy to use?

A good agency will have a process for testing their designs with real users and making iterative improvements based on feedback. They will also profoundly understand human psychology and how people interact with technology. By asking about their process and talking to some of their 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 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. Ultimately, the top UX agencies will use a combination of different research methods to get a well-rounded understanding of their users’ needs.

10. How do you test your designs before launch?

When you’re interviewing top UX agencies, be sure to 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 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 UX UI/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 UX designers for help.