UX Design / Product Design for your Website or App with Research

Joelle Thompson

(0)

Starting at

1,600

/wk

About this service

Summary

As a multi-passionate UX designer with over 17 years of experience in visual design, management, customer service, and sales, I excel at creating people-centric, aesthetically-driven digital experiences. My background in diverse industries like film production, retail management, and entrepreneurship equips me with a deep understanding of user behavior and an ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with users. Leveraging my holistic approach to UX design, I offer comprehensive services that cover everything from initial user research and market analysis to the development of high-fidelity mockups, responsive designs, and interactive prototypes. Whether you're looking to develop a new product or refine an existing one, my expertise ensures a seamless blend of creativity, technology, and human-centered design that enhances user satisfaction and drives business growth.

Process

Establish the Direction for Design with User Research and Product Development

Initial Discussion: Kick off with a meeting to understand your objectives, target market, and the essential features you want in your digital product.

Market Research: Dive into industry trends, conduct a competitive analysis, and research target audience preferences to shape a strategic approach. Includes a full report.

User Research: If you have users who would be willing to chat with me, I can conduct user interviews and provide analysis on the insights.

Create a Game Plan: Develop a product strategy that supports your business goals by creating user personas, user journeys, and core value propositions. This is when we establish the user goals and needs and put them in alignment with your business objectives.

**I can sketch out storyboards of the user journey as well for an additional fee.

Creating a Blueprint for the Design with IA and Low Fi Wireframes

Information Architecture: Includes everything below to determine how the features will be incorporated into the product and ensure the user can easily navigate the platform.

Site Map: A hierarchical overview of your website's structure, ensuring easy navigation and helping users find what they need quickly, leading to a better user experience.

User Flow: Visual guides outlining the steps users take within your product, ensuring a smooth and intuitive experience by identifying and eliminating potential obstacles.

Task Flow: Detailed maps of specific tasks, breaking down each action users take to complete a particular function, optimizing efficiency and usability.

Low Fidelity Wireframes: Initial sketches of the design, focusing on layout and basic structure. These early sketches help visualize and iterate on ideas quickly before committing to detailed design, saving time and resources.

Branding & Figma Designs

Mid-fidelity mockups: Digital wireframes of the sketches with detail, such as grayscale elements and basic typography, but without final visual design elements like color or images. These mockups help to test and refine layout, functionality, and user flow before moving to high-fidelity design, bridging the gap between low-fidelity sketches and polished final designs.

Mood boards: Use color schemes, typography, and user interface elements to establish the visual direction.

Style guide: Provides a snapshot of your project's visual direction, showcasing key design elements like colors, fonts, and UI components. It's a quick way to align on the aesthetic before diving into detailed design work, ensuring the final look matches your brand vision.

*If you do not have branding established yet such as colors and typography, I can help you design your branding for an additional fee.

High-fidelity mockups: Create intricate, high-fidelity mockups that include the visual style established from the mood board and user interface elements for important pages.

Responsive design: Make sure your designs are responsive so they can adjust to different screen sizes (such as mobile or desktop). Mobile design will be done first as it's easiest to start small and work our way up.

Prototyping, User Testing, and Final Iterations

Interactive Prototype: Enable functionality that allows users to click and interact with the design as if it were live in order to test features and usability.

User Testing: Test prototypes on real people to get their opinions on usability, design, and general user experience with the product. Results from user testing will determine what changes need to be made to optimize the user experience.

Iteration of Design and Prototype: Incorporate feedback from user testing and make updates to the design and/or prototype to ensure the final product is user-friendly and runs smoothly.

Prepare the Design for Developer Handoff

Detailed Design Specs: Provide precise design specifications for seamless development.

Annotated Figma Files: Include clear annotations on Figma files to guide developers.

Style Guide: Offer a comprehensive style guide covering colors, typography, and UI components.

Asset Preparation: Deliver optimized design assets and components ready for development.

FAQs

I only want some of this done (e.g. only research) can you do that?
I sure can! Send me a message and let me know what you need I'll do my best to work with you and figure out a great solution.
How long does a typical design project take?
The timeline depends on the project's complexity, but most projects typically range from 4 to 12 weeks. I provide a detailed timeline during the initial discovery phase.
What deliverables can I expect at the end of the project?
Deliverables typically include user research reports, wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity mockups, and a comprehensive design handoff package that includes design specifications, annotated Figma files, and style guides.
What is your design process like?
I follow a structured yet flexible design process that includes discovery and strategy, ideation, design, prototyping, user testing, and final handoff to ensure a seamless transition from concept to final product.
How do you communicate and collaborate with clients?
I use tools like Zoom for meetings, emails or messaging for ongoing communication, and Figma for design collaboration. Regular check-ins are scheduled to ensure we are aligned throughout the project.
Can I provide feedback during the design process?
Absolutely! Your feedback is crucial. I encourage ongoing feedback during key stages of the process to ensure the final product meets your expectations.
How do you structure your pricing?
Pricing is based on the scope and complexity of the project. After our initial consultation, I provide a detailed proposal outlining costs and deliverables.
Do you offer development services or work with developers?
While my focus is on design, I provide a comprehensive handoff to developers, including detailed specs and annotations, and am available for consultation during the development phase.
How do you ensure the design meets user needs?
I conduct thorough user research and usability testing to gather insights and validate design decisions, ensuring that the final product aligns with user needs and expectations.
Do you offer user testing as part of your services?
Yes, user testing is a critical part of the design process, and I include it in my services to gather real-world feedback and iterate on the design for optimal user experience.
What tools do you use for prototyping and testing?
I primarily use Figma for prototyping and tools like Useberry and Optimal Workshop for user testing, allowing for interactive and data-driven design iterations.
What program do you use for making the designs?
I strictly use Figma.
Can you help with future updates or additional features?
Yes, I’m available for ongoing design work, whether it’s adding new features, making updates, or enhancing existing designs as your business evolves.

What's included

Strategy Development and User Research
User Research & Product Strategy: Conduct initial discussions to define objectives and target market, followed by market and user research, culminating in a strategic product plan with user personas and user journeys.
Design Blueprint
Information Architecture & Low Fi Wireframes: Develop a site map, user flows, task flows, and low-fidelity wireframes to outline the product structure and ensure seamless user navigation.
Branding & Design Development
Mid-Fi Mockups & Visual Direction: Create mid-fidelity mockups and mood boards, followed by a style guide to define visual elements. If needed, establish brand identity including colors and typography. High-Fi Mockups & Responsive Design: Design high-fidelity mockups for key pages and ensure responsive design for multiple devices.
Prototyping, Testing, & Iterations
Interactive Prototype & User Testing: Build an interactive prototype and conduct user testing to gather feedback, followed by iterative design updates to optimize usability and user experience.
Make the Design Ready for Handoff
Ensure a smooth transition from design to development with a comprehensive handoff, including detailed specs, annotated Figma files, and style guides. This process minimizes errors and maintains design integrity, providing developers with everything needed to efficiently build a high-quality product.

Example projects