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Creating a Competitive Edge: How Great UX Design Drives Business Value

This article explores three key ways to build business value with great UX design.

 

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Tim Haskins

Better Design, Better Lives: Modou's Journey

Many of us hate going to the dentist. I know I do. But what about others less fortunate? A routine visit to the dentist could have changed Modou’s life early on.

Creating User-Centric Designs: Harnessing the Double Diamond Approach

User Experience (UX) design is a crucial aspect of creating products that look great and provide a seamless and intuitive experience for the user.

The Secrets of Effective Design: The BASIC UX Principles Revealed

In the world of user experience design, it is crucial to follow certain principles to create products that are not only visually appealing but also easy to use and understand.

Book Review: "100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People” by Susan Weinschenk

In this book, Weinschenk presents 100 key insights about human behavior, backed by research, that you can leverage to create more effective and engaging experiences.

The Power of Agile UX: Key Principles and Benefits

Agile UX is a design methodology that combines Agile development principles with User Experience (UX) design.

Book Review: "Just Enough Research” by Erika Hall

"Just Enough Research” by Erika Hall is a comprehensive guide to conducting user research. In her book, Hall emphasizes the importance of research in the design process.

Unlocking the Power of Typography in Product Design

Typography plays a crucial role in product design. It goes beyond just choosing a font or adjusting the size of the text.

From Setbacks to Stepping Stones: Harnessing the Value of Customer Feedback

Negative feedback is not a setback but rather a stepping stone towards improvement and innovation. It helps us iterate and create better solutions.

From Light to Dark: Transforming Your UI with Dark Mode

What exactly is dark mode, and why is it important in UI design?

Unlocking the Power of Atomic Design: Building Better Product UX

Atomic design is a methodology for creating design systems that promote modular and scalable user interfaces.

Book Review: "Be Our Guest” by The Disney Institute and Theodore Kinni

This book provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney creates magic for its guests and offers practical lessons that can be applied to any business.

From Insights to Impact: How UX Research Methods Drive Product Success

By conducting UX research, designers create more user-centered and effective products.

Creating Inclusive Products: Overcoming Bias in Design

By understanding these biases, designers can strive to create more inclusive and equitable products.

Unlocking the Power of Microcopy: Boost User Experience and Conversions

Whether it's error messages, button labels, or tooltips, a well-written microcopy significantly enhances the usability of a product or website.

The Science Behind Great User Experiences: Exploring the Laws of UX Design

These laws serve as guidelines to enhance usability and user satisfaction. This article explores some of the most essential laws of UX design.

Book Review: "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug

In this book, Krug presents a practical and common-sense approach to product design, focusing on the importance of simplicity and intuitive user experiences.

Designing Product Experiences: The Role of Psychology in UX

Psychology provides valuable insights into human behavior, cognition, and emotions, which can be applied to create better user experiences.

Better Design, Better Lives: Lucy's Journey

Living with constant fear is something that no 14-year-old should have to go through. But for Lucy, it was just one part of the burden she had to bear.

Unlocking Customer Insights: The Power of Effective Interviews

This article explores essential tips and strategies to help you conduct successful customer interviews.

Enhancing User Experience: Strategies for Success

A well-designed UX strategy enhances customer satisfaction, increases user engagement, and drives business growth.

Designing with Purpose: Using ‘How Might We’ Questions to Design Better Products

HMW questions help frame issues in a way that encourages creative thinking and generates a wide range of potential solutions.

The Pitfalls of Assumption-Based Design: How to Avoid Them

Design is not just about making things look pretty; it plays a significant role in shaping how customers perceive your brand and directly impacts your bottom line.

Putting Users First: The Role of Empathy in Product Design

While technical expertise and creativity are essential, one often overlooked aspect of product design is empathy.

Book Review: "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal

In this book, Eyal presents a four-step framework called the “Hook Model” to help you create products that engage users and build long-lasting habits.

Creating a Competitive Edge: How Great UX Design Drives Business Value

This article explores three key ways to build business value with great UX design.

Innovation on Demand: Harnessing the Skills of Freelance Designers

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, innovation is critical to staying ahead of the competition.

User Adoption 101: Essential Tips for Product Success

To ensure your product’s long-term success and growth, it is essential to focus on boosting user adoption.

The Building Blocks of Color: Exploring the Fundamentals of Color Theory

Color plays a crucial role in our lives, influencing our emotions, perceptions, and overall experiences.

Drive User Engagement and Retention with These 10 Onboarding Best Practices

To ensure a smooth and successful onboarding experience, here are ten essential steps to follow:

The Power of Emotion: How UI Design Can Make Your Product Unforgettable

Creating products that stand out and leave a lasting impression on customers is crucial for success.

Book Review: "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman

In this book, Norman explores the fundamental principles of good design and how it impacts our everyday lives.

Driving Customer Loyalty: The Benefits of a Seamless User Experience

A well-designed and intuitive user interface greatly enhances the overall experience for users.

The Power of Design: How Investing in Product Design Can Transform Your Business

Investing in product design yields numerous benefits for companies, ranging from increased customer satisfaction to improved brand reputation.

From Good to Great: Why Startups Should Embrace UX Design

As a startup, you should consider working with a UI/UX designer because brings numerous benefits. Let’s look at a few of those

Maximizing Returns: Understanding the Impact of UX on ROI

When evaluating a business's success, one key factor is the return on investment (ROI). In user experience (UX), calculating the ROI can be challenging.

Mastering the 4 Golden Rules: The Key to Exceptional UI Design

When a UI is done well, people don't even notice it, but when done poorly, it hinders their ability to use the product efficiently.

Book Review: "Sprint" by Jake Knapp

In this book, Knapp provides a step-by-step framework for conducting a five-day design sprint, along with real-world examples and insights from his experience at Google

Generate Design Harmony: Creating a Product Style Guide

Designing and turning a digital product into a mature and polished one requires standardization, organization, and consistent communication.

From Concept to Dominance: How to Design a Product that Leads the Market

Designing a market-leading product requires careful planning, research, and a deep understanding of your target audience.

Makeover your product's UI with these 5 steps

If you want to give your product's UI a makeover, follow these five steps to create an attractive, user-friendly interface.

5 Books to Elevate Your Product's UX

These books are filled with valuable insights, practical tips, and real-world examples that empower you to create exceptional user experiences.

8 Fundamental UX Principles for Exceptional User Experience

To create exceptional user experiences, following certain fundamental UX principles is essential.

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My flexible pricing model

Working with traditional freelancer/agency pricing can get complicated. My pricing model is simpler.

Simply hire me by the month at a fixed cost.

Need to pause the work? That’s fine. Since there aren’t any long-term contracts, we can pick things up later when the time is right.

Schedule a consultation call to discuss my specific rates, go over any questions you have, and walk through the next steps.

A little about me

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FAQ

Do you have a team of people or is it just you?

When we work together, I will be the one designing your product and your sole point of contact.

My ideal client prefers working with an individual rather than an agency or team. They want someone experienced who focuses on their project and communicates directly with them — without the bureaucracy or cost of a large team.

From time to time, I'll bring in additional specialists to the project for unique deliverables like branding, illustration, animation, etc. In those cases, I will direct the creative and ensure it's on-brand and at the quality I'm known for.

What is your pricing model?

My pricing model is based on a monthly engagement rather than an hourly rate or a long-term project contract. My clients love this model because they don’t get nickel-and-dimed for changes or feel beholden to a woefully outdated contract.

As you’ve likely experienced, when building a product there are multiple changes, discoveries, and pivots that can occur. That requires a flexible pricing model that can ebb and flow with you.

Within my model, I offer four pricing tiers, starting at $1,500/month (USD). You choose from one of the monthly pricing tiers depending on the amount of work and types of deliverables needed in that given month.

Can you work within a fixed budget amount?

While my model is based on a monthly engagement to optimize my client’s budgets, I have made exceptions in the past. Some of my clients have had fixed budgets that they need to work within, and in certain cases, I can work within that structure. Let’s talk more about your situation and see if it will work.

How happy are your clients?

What tells me my clients are happy (and see value in my work) is that I have 100% client repeat rate — something I strive for — which is reflected in my approach, style, and work ethic.

This means that every client has come back a second time to continue our work together. They wouldn’t do that if they didn’t see value or weren’t happy.

How do you manage projects and communication?

I use a platform called ClickUp to manage and communicate project updates. It also hosts documentation, Gantt charts, and Kanban boards.

Slack is the primary communication tool for me and my clients, though I can potentially use other tools like Teams.

Often my clients have their own platforms, like Jira, Monday, or Trello. I’ve used those and many others and am happy to explore what it would look like for me to use your tools.

What do you deliver?

What I deliver can vary depending on your needs. The most common deliverables are flow diagrams, wireframes, and dev-ready Figma design files (including Design System documentation.)

Secondary deliverables include items such as interactive prototypes, animated UI concepts, custom icons, and audits/user research documentation.

Do you specialize in our industry?

Over the past 25 years, I have worked in dozens of industries versus specializing in just one. My ideal client values this because they want fresh ideas and someone thinks differently. They want their product to be unique and innovative, not follow the same tired strategies.

When we collaborate, I take a deep dive into your business and industry, understanding it thoroughly. This way, I can provide insights that significantly enhance your product's design and user experience.

We need designs yesterday — can you help us?

I hear this often and I totally get it. You have a real sense of urgency and could already be behind on your goals due to one factor or another.

As you’ll see, I can turn around designs very quickly and we can get some quick wins if need be. But to make a product that really stands out, one that meets your goals, and users love, takes time, thought, and research. And while I do have a thorough process for getting us there, my process is designed to be flexible for getting quick wins and long-term success.

Why wouldn’t we just hire a cheap designer from one of those freelancer sites?

Sure, you can hire a designer on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, but they likely won’t meet your expectations and you’ll typically get what you pay for.

Some clients I've spoken to tried that route before working with me. They found that the design quality was not up to par, and the designers mainly followed instructions without offering innovative ideas. It’s a gamble.

My clients need someone who will deeply engage with their project, show enthusiasm for their product, and propose creative solutions, rather than simply executing tasks as instructed.

Consultation Call

How to get the ball rolling.

01

Consultation Call

Schedule your consultation call to discuss your product, goals, challenges, and how I can help.

02

Choose Pricing

If after our call you feel I'm a good fit, you'll sign my client agreement and choose a tier from my pricing model.

03

Next Steps

Since every product is unique, I'll tailor my thorough design process to meet your specific needs.

Some of my favorite projects.