A UX designer must know the needs of the end-user. Otherwise, they’ll end up looking elsewhere for the same digital properties. There are various ways to achieve a captivating UX design, including using psychology to create patterns that capture the user’s attention and keep them on the application for longer. Additionally, there are proven scientific methods that help identify ways to please the customer, and by doing so, you can create customer-centric applications.
You may have the necessary skills to create dynamic apps, but if you don’t have UX/UI design skills, your digital properties may not successfully retain customers, which beats the purpose of having them in the first place. This article will look at the cost of hiring UX designers by examining three key factors to help you budget well in advance.
Top Three Factors That Influence UX Design Rates
It’s important to note that different designers have different approaches to interpreting your design needs, and as such, they charge different rates. For example, some will charge you a flat fee for the whole project, while some opt to charge per hour or milestone completed. This guide to hiring UX designers will investigate the three key factors influencing the overall cost.
1. The Scope of the Project
The project’s scope is one of the most critical determinants of how much you’ll pay the UX designer. The more detailed the project is, the more expensive it will likely be because it will set them back tens, if not hundreds of hours.
Because UX designers focus on making the application as interactive as possible, they may do several tests with the end-user. This means that the larger the project’s scope is, the more difficulties they will perform, which adds to how much they charge. Some of the everyday tasks that a UX designer does include:
- Analyzing the offerings of the competition
- Defining the problem
- Coming up with a preliminary product strategy
- Creating prototypes and gathering feedback
To save on time and resources, it’s essential for the project brief to be as detailed as possible in terms of scope and functionality. This way, the UX designer will develop a product that meets most, if not all of your needs. Moreover, they will also provide precise estimates of the overall project cost, which comes in handy when preparing budgets.
2. Storyboards and Personas
Any experienced designer must create personas that shed light on how the different users will interact with the final product. Developing user personas usually involves collecting data using various methods such as interviewing and having the end-users fill in questionnaires. Testing is also done at this stage to get insights into how users will interact with the system. Storyboards are then created to illustrate each user’s decision and what influences them to make such a decision.
One of the most effective ways to know a competent designer is by observing how well they represent user personas and how detailed their user boards are. This way, you’ll understand whether the rate card they’re charging is justified.
3. The Number of User Testing Done
Once you’ve identified your UX designer, it’s time to get straight to work. UX designers dedicate most of their time to defining the user’s preferences and creating illustrations of how they interact with the product, which involves user testing. The process involves such things as:
- Monitoring user interactions
- Receiving feedback from users
- Conducting A/B split testing
- Observing performance metrics
In most cases, the more rounds of testing required, the higher the entire project will cost.
How Much Does UX Design Cost?
Below we’ll break down the average UX design rates in the US. Please note that these are only estimates, and as discussed above, three major factors determine the whole project cost.
For general UX design, the average rate for an experienced professional freelancer is anywhere from $25 to $75 per hour. Wireframing will run you $30 to $60 per hour while storyboarding typically costs somewhere between $30-70 per hour. Finally, user research can cost anywhere from $25 to $65 an hour. As you can see, UX freelancers charge different rates for their various services, but in the end, it’s often best if you can find one who is able to offer you all the above for a single, reasonable price.
Most freelance UX designers prefer to charge an hourly rate because UX design tends to be time-consuming. Some charge different hourly rates for other projects. For example, they may have different rates for collecting requirements and testing, as opposed to pure designer work.
Moreover, higher freelance UX design rates do not translate to a higher caliber of work, and the opposite is true as well. It’s therefore essential to pay close attention when hiring a UX designer to their past client reviews and their portfolio, instead of just hiring based on how much they charge.
Conclusion
If you want to have a competitive advantage over your competition, it’s imperative to hire a competent UX designer for your digital properties. One of the most important factors to consider when hiring a designer is how much they charge. To ensure you get the highest quality of service, don’t hire the first UX designer you come across just because they are charging higher rates. It can help do due diligence by asking for referrals or reading reviews online if they have an online presence. If you’re still on the fence about working with a UX designer, be sure to check out our post on the topic of how UX/UI can help your business.
