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Tech Startups › Product team › UI/UX Designer

Your UI/UX Designer, explained in plain English.

UX designers decide how your product should behave so customers find it easy to use. UI designers decide how it looks. Together they turn the specification into screens your developers can build and your customers will enjoy.

No tech background needed. This guide explains the role in plain English: what it is, when you need it, what to expect and how to choose the right Volunteer.
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In plain English

What does a UI/UX Designer do for you?

“

Think of a shop fitter.

You know what you sell. The shop fitter decides where customers walk in, what they see first and how easily they reach the till. Good design makes buying feel effortless.

1

Makes it easy to use

Flows that customers understand without instructions.

2

Makes it look right

A clean, consistent look that builds trust in your brand.

3

Tests before building

Clickable prototypes checked with real users, before developers spend time.

When you need one

Signs it is time to bring one in.

If two or more of these sound familiar, add this role to your Product team.

Bring one in when

  • ✓Customers get lost or give up part way through
  • ✓Your product looks unfinished or inconsistent
  • ✓Developers are designing screens as they go
  • ✓You want to test an idea with users before building it
  • ✓You are preparing to show the product to investors

You can wait if

  • …You are still deciding what the product should do
  • …You are using a ready-made template for a very early test
What they own

Four areas a UI/UX Designer takes off your plate.

01

User research and flows

How customers move through the product, step by step.

02

Wireframes and prototypes

Simple layouts and clickable mock-ups to test ideas.

03

Visual design

Polished screens, colours, typography and components.

04

Design handover

Clear specs so developers build exactly what was designed.

What to expect

Across a 60 Volunteer day term.

Volunteers give up to three hours a day, Monday to Friday, over three months or more. Daily and weekly updates keep you informed, and rapid feedback from you in the first two weeks makes the biggest difference.

1
✦

Weeks 1 and 2

Reviews the specification, maps the main customer journey and shares rough wireframes for your feedback.

2
▤

By mid term

A clickable prototype tested with users and the first screens ready for development.

3
★

By day 60

Approved designs for the first release, a simple design system and handover notes for the next designer.

Choosing the right Volunteer

What to ask, and what to look for.

You do not need to be an expert to recruit well. Use these questions at interview and listen for the signs below.

Questions to ask

  • ?Walk me through a design you are proud of. What problem did it solve?
  • ?How would you test a design before we build it?
  • ?How do you decide between two design options?
  • ?How do you hand designs over to developers?

Good signs

  • ✓Shows the thinking and research, not only the final screens
  • ✓Talks about users and results
  • ✓Comfortable with feedback

Red flags

  • ✕Portfolio shows only pretty pictures with no reasoning
  • ✕Resists testing with users
  • ✕Designs things developers cannot realistically build
Your part as a Tech Founder

Give them this, and they deliver from Day 1.

  • ✓The specification or product brief
  • ✓Your brand, logo and any colours you already use
  • ✓Two or three products whose experience you admire
  • ✓Introductions to a few users for testing
  • ✓A signed Volunteer Agreement before they start
FAQ

Questions Tech Founders ask.

What is the difference between UI and UX? +
UX is how the product behaves and feels to use. UI is how it looks. Many designers do both, while some specialise in one.
Do I need a designer if I use a template? +
Templates help early on, but your product will soon need flows that fit your customers. A designer makes sure it is easy to use, not only good looking.
Which tools will they use? +
Most designers use Figma. Ask for access so you can see and comment on designs as they progress.
How much does it cost to recruit this role? +
Volunteers give their time for experience, not pay. You subscribe to the Product plan at £99 a month or £990 a year, which lets you recruit up to 25 Volunteer team members across every role. See the Product plan.
Build it ·
ship it ✦

Ready to recruit your UI/UX Designer?

Create your company account, list an Opportunity with the matching template and start meeting Volunteers this week.