UX Outsourcing: 6 Reasons You Need to Do It
Matt Beynon
User Experience (UX) Design encompasses every part of a person’s journey through a digital product; how it looks, how it feels, and how it works. But optimal UX design doesn’t happen overnight, and not everyone has the tools or the experience to do it well.
UX design and software development go hand in hand. If you’re already working with a custom software developer, they should be able to help you with UX design as well. You can create memorable, intuitive experiences for your customers through UX outsourcing and build stronger relationships with those customers for continued, data-driven improvement.
Why is UX Design Necessary?
Excellent UX design helps you identify and understand who your users are and how to guide them on their journey into and through your product. When UX design is done right, it creates positive, memorable experiences so users develop brand loyalty.
Results include happier customers, better passthrough rates, better conversion rates, lower bounce rates, and a healthier bottom line.
6 Reasons to Consider UX Outsourcing
Getting your software development team to handle UX design can boost your efficiency and save you a lot of trouble. Here are a few top reasons why UX outsourcing could be right for your next project:
1. Focus On What You Already Do Well
Not every business is equipped for internal UX design. Hiring and training dedicated UX designers is a huge undertaking that requires time and resources. Not only that, dividing your attention can negatively impact other areas of your business.
You can free up time and focus on what your business does well by outsourcing UX design.
2. Efficiency and Accountability
In most cases, UX design should be handled by the same team that builds custom software for you. It’s simply more efficient. If multiple teams lack near-perfect alignment, you may have to rewrite code and go through several drafts, which costs money. It can also result in lost time.
Outsourcing UX design also creates greater accountability between the business and the software development team. It encourages both parties to communicate and collaborate to bring out the best product possible.
3. Expertise and Experience
Great UX design creates positive experiences and builds trust between the brand and the user. As such, it shouldn’t be left to just anybody.
An experienced UX designer will have specialized knowledge about UX you simply don’t have. An outsourced UX team who truly understands your software will ensure users can adequately navigate its interface and have a positive experience. They’ll also offer a greater understanding of customer psychology and motivations.
4. Scalability
The DIY approach to UX design can be limiting. If you don’t hire enough internal employees, seeing results may take too long. Having too many employees eats up resources. Regardless of team size, they might be unable to adapt to changing needs.
UX outsourcing is optimal for fluctuating workloads. An external team can quickly adapt and allocate resources based on the project’s stage of development.
5. Because It’s an Option
UX design—while necessary—can be difficult and tedious to do on your own. You may simply not want to deal with the stress and burden of doing everything yourself or hiring an internal team.
But UX design can be a simple, hassle-free process if you have a good software development partner. Through outsourced UX, your custom development team can relieve you from interaction design challenges.
6. Get “Big Team” Benefits
While needs may vary, most software teams need about 1 full-time designer for 8 developers. That means that many software teams only need one designer (or not quite one designer.) If you hire that person internally then they are a lone-ranger on your team and may not have access to a Principal or Director Level UX expert to give them feedback or direction on their solutions.
Hiring a designer from your custom development team gives you and your designer a built-in lifeline to their peers and mentors to elevate the solutions they bring to your team.
Work with an Experienced UX Design Partner
UX outsourcing can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Tech9 offers UX design services on top of our custom software solutions. You can boost your business and see lucrative benefits with great software and UX development. Discover how optimal UX can give you happy and loyal customers.