Get the design first, build it later
A design only project gives you the screens, flows and visual style of your product without any programming. You receive files a developer can build from, and you can test the idea with real people before you spend more.
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Why design first
Changing a drawing is much faster than changing code. If you design first, you find unclear ideas, missing screens and awkward flows while they are still easy to fix. You can show the design to users, partners or investors, and developers can then give you better proposals because they see what you mean.
- You have an idea and want to see it before you build it.
- You need a clickable prototype for a test with customers.
- Your product works but looks outdated or confusing.
- A developer is waiting for screens to build from.
What to prepare
Bring what you have
- Goal and users
- Who is it for, and what should they be able to do in a minute?
- Key flows
- The three to five journeys that matter, such as signing up or booking.
- Inspiration
- Examples of products, colours and styles you like or dislike.
- Brand
- Logo, colours and fonts if you have them. If not, say so.
- Platform
- Phone, web, both? This changes the screens.
What you receive
Agree on the deliverables before you start. Common ones are a map of all screens, wireframes for the structure, a visual style with colours and type, a clickable prototype and an export of the design files with the assets a developer needs. Ask for the files in a format you own and can hand to anyone. Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing on the platform, the rights to the result of a milestone pass to the client once that milestone is paid in full.
How it runs in milestones
Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. Milestones are from 50 to 2,000 each in your project currency. Design lends itself well to milestones because each stage ends with something you can look at and judge.
| Topic | What you get | Example timing |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Structure | Screen map and simple wireframes of the main flows | One milestone, for example 1 to 2 weeks |
| Phase 2: Look and feel | Visual style and the first fully designed screens | One milestone, for example 2 weeks |
| Phase 3: Complete and connect | All screens designed and linked into a clickable prototype | One to two milestones, for example 2 to 4 weeks |
| Phase 4: Handover | Organised files and notes, ready for a developer | One milestone, for example 1 week |
Phase 1: Structure
- What you get
- Screen map and simple wireframes of the main flows
- Example timing
- One milestone, for example 1 to 2 weeks
Phase 2: Look and feel
- What you get
- Visual style and the first fully designed screens
- Example timing
- One milestone, for example 2 weeks
Phase 3: Complete and connect
- What you get
- All screens designed and linked into a clickable prototype
- Example timing
- One to two milestones, for example 2 to 4 weeks
Phase 4: Handover
- What you get
- Organised files and notes, ready for a developer
- Example timing
- One milestone, for example 1 week
Example only: the weeks are for illustration. Developers set the length of each milestone in their proposal, and each real milestone runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks.
Questions to ask
- Can you show me finished designs that went on to be built?
- How do you decide between my ideas and what you recommend?
- How many rounds of change are included in each milestone?
- Do you think about what a developer can build in reasonable time?
- Which tool do you use, and can I open the files myself?
Design that ignores how things are built can be expensive to implement. If you can, involve a developer early, even for a short review of the screens.
When the design is ready, continue with build something new. For the full picture of a mobile product, see mobile apps.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a developer for a design project?
Not for the design itself. A short check by a developer before you finish is a smart idea, since it avoids screens that are hard to build.
Link to this answerCan the same person design and build?
Often yes. Some developers offer both. Others only design. Check the help types in the proposal to see what each offers.
Link to this answerHow do I know the design is ready for development?
Every screen exists, including empty states and errors, the flows are linked, and a developer can open the files and measure everything without asking you.
Link to this answerWho owns the design files?
Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing on the platform, the rights to the result of a milestone pass to the client once that milestone is paid in full. Ask for the source files in a common format, not only images.
Link to this answerDoes design only include a logo?
Only if you agree on it. Say clearly whether you want a logo or brand work, or only product screens.
Link to this answerRelated pages
- Hire a Developer to Build Something NewTurn an idea into a working product. See how to prepare, how milestones structure the work and what to ask developers before you start.
- Hire a Developer to Add New FeaturesYour product works and now it should do more. Learn how to describe a feature, plan it in milestones and pick a developer who fits your code.
- Build a mobile app with a developerPlan an iPhone and Android app: typical technologies, an example milestone plan, what to put in the brief and how to spot a developer who fits.
- Build a website with an independent developerPlan a business website: editor or custom code, typical tools, a milestone plan, what the brief needs and how to choose a developer.
- How to Write a Project Brief for a DeveloperA good project brief fits on one page: goal, users, must-have features, examples and limits. Here is what to include and a free tool to draft it.
- Free project brief generatorAnswer a few guided questions and get a clean project description to copy or download. Runs in your browser and stores nothing.