After some operational time, you may think that your business and digital products need some improvement, and thus you start to think about redesign. Redesigning your digital product, such as websites or applications is something crucial. As if that wasn't enough, finding an agency to collaborate with your team throughout the development process could be challenging as well.
There could be hundreds, or even thousands, of design agencies in the market. So, how do you choose the best one to help your business and product succeed and achieve its goals?
In this article, we’ll explore what a product design agency does, why you should do thorough research before choosing, and how to pick an agency for your product redesign. Let’s scroll down!
A product design agency works with your team during the product development process, including brainstorming, researching, validating, designing, developing, and testing.
Each agency may provide different services. Some of them are validating the viability and desirability of your new product, designing or redesigning products to align with business goals, auditing existing products to find bottlenecks and what can be improved, and testing products with users and collecting feedback.
An experienced product design agency can identify what needs to be improved in your existing product, assist you in redesigning it, and provide you with a team that works on your project.
It would be wise to select a design agency if you’re planning to redesign your product in the near future, but have not enough team members to handle it. It’s especially advisable when your company is not in the tech or design field. It’s true you can build your own team, but the process of creating one from scratch takes time.
When you hire an agency, they will begin by conducting a design audit. Using only internal resources could be challenging because they are too close to the company, so sometimes it could be hard to do it objectively from a broader perspective. Having experts from outside will give you new perspective.
Of course, prior to choosing an agency to help you, you will conduct research and compare one agency to another. The most common questions people ask the agencies they survey are about availability and rates.
While it is important to ensure that the rate is in line with your budget, there are several other factors to consider. Here are some things to think about when selecting a product redesign agency:
Each agency may have different areas of expertise. Some may primarily work with emerging startups. Others may demonstrate that they frequently collaborate with non-profits. While others may demonstrate that they have extensive experience working with clients from various industries.
Examining an agency's previous work is one way to determine whether it is appropriate for your project. Typically, they will include a portfolio on their website. A comprehensive portfolio will not only show who their clients are and highlight the final product, but it will also tell the story behind them.
What is the problem the client is trying to solve? What is the project's goal? How did the agency approach it? What was their strategy?
When looking at the results, pay attention beyond the aesthetic aspects. You can also check the results that the previous websites or apps have achieved to make you more convinced.
Learn about their design approach and process, as well as how they typically collaborate with clients. One common example is the use of iterative product development. Make sure you understand the reporting procedure as well, so you can keep track of progress and make suggestions during the redesign process.
Also, ensure that you and the product design agency are transparent with the process. For instance, you can ask for access to the tasks and reports. Furthermore, inquire ahead of time about details such as revisions.
It would be advantageous to look for a company that has worked on a project similar to yours. For example, if you are a fintech company looking to redesign your mobile application, ask whether the agency has prior experience working with fintech.
However, if your product or business is really niche and it's difficult to find an agency that has worked on a similar one, look for an agency that has worked with clients from a variety of backgrounds and fields. They will most likely be able to deal with and develop solutions for a wide range of markets.
You should be able to communicate in a clear and open way with your agency. Before beginning the project, ask for information about the tools they’ll use to communicate, who will be the point of contact, and how you can track the progress of your project.
A lack of communication from an agency should be avoided because it will slow down the redesign project, increasing the chance of miscommunication, and reveal the agency's unprofessionalism.
So where do you find all of that information? The agency's website and social media accounts are a good place to start because they typically feature examples of their prior work. Looking at these online portfolios can be your first screening phase.
When you are interested in the agency's past projects and missions, you can request a meeting to learn more about them, get to know them better, and discuss your project.
Natuno is a product design and strategy firm that helps businesses build digital products, from web to mobile apps. They mostly work with early to mid-stage start-ups to achieve their business goals through better product design and user-centric approach.
Natuno offers services such as customer research and understanding, craft interface and visual design, and website development and implementation.
Prior clients come from various backgrounds, including Pintu (a cryptocurrency app), Indorelawan (Indonesia’s volunteer platform), Sol-X (a safety technology company in hazardous industries), and GovTech Edu (an organization under Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology).
Whether you want to talk about a new project or find out more about Natuno, we would always love to hear from you. To arrange a meeting with us, click this link, and our expert will be in touch.
Let’s discuss your needs with us, find out in detail how Natuno services may help you, as well as get a project timeline and cost estimation.
