Why You Should Outsource Design Development to Optimize Your SaaS Business
Outsourcing project work is a common practice in digital product development. However, those who are just about to gain experience in hiring external specialists may have many concerns—from work quality and management issues to the potential benefits of collaboration for specific business needs.
Design outsourcing has many advantages: you can gain a fresh perspective on your business, reduce costs, save time, and more. In this article, we will present arguments for delegating tasks to an outsourced designer and share a few success stories.
But first, a brief definition.
What is Design Outsourcing?
Design outsourcing is the practice of hiring design agencies or freelance professionals to handle design-related tasks or projects that would otherwise be done in-house. Design outsourcing can benefit companies that lack the resources or expertise to tackle certain design tasks or wish to reduce costs. Additionally, outsourcing can provide access to specialized design skills and technologies that are not available in-house.
The practice of outsourcing can cover a wide range of design-related services. You can outsource graphic design, web design, product design, UX/UI design, and more. Typically, the process involves defining the project scope, selecting a suitable design agency or freelancer, setting timelines and milestones, and managing the project to ensure it meets the required quality and goals.
Design outsourcing can be done locally or internationally; it can involve various contract types and payment models such as fixed-price contracts, hourly billing, or retainer agreements. As with any outsourcing, it is important to choose a reliable and trustworthy partner, establish clear communication channels, and set expectations for a successful outcome.
Key Challenges in Outsourcing a Project Team
You may be trying to decide whether to hire an in-house designer or an agency, and both models have their pros and cons. Even if you lean towards outsourcing UI/UX or graphic design, you may still have many doubts. Let's discuss some of the most common concerns about outsourcing.
Finding a Reliable Partner
This first task is both the most difficult and the most important. If you solve it, all other problems we'll discuss below will seem trivial.
Many product owners don't know how to find a designer for their app, program, or service, where to start, or where to look. And most importantly, how to ensure they find a reliable design agency or freelancer. Obviously, finding the right specialist requires time and effort, but the devil isn't as scary as he's painted.
Management and Communication
The next concern for most employers is how to remotely manage and communicate with outsourced designers. The fact that you can't constantly monitor the designers' development process raises the fear that you won't get the expected result, which is completely normal.
Security Concerns
Another issue when hiring a remote team is the risk of data leakage. Some company owners fear that hired designers might collaborate with competitors and pass on data. No one wants to hire UI/UX or graphic design services only to lose their ideas and intellectual property.
Therefore, before starting collaboration, ensure you know the key legal details. Professional agencies and freelancers will gladly sign an NDA. Don't neglect this opportunity.
The Outsourced Designer Won't Understand Your Brand/Industry/Product
Often, the products or services you want to design can be quite complex. While internal teams dive deep into such projects, an external specialist seeing the product for the first time may find it hard to understand how everything works.
Nevertheless, there are reasons to outsource graphic design and UI/UX work that can outweigh these issues if done correctly. A good designer is good regardless.
How Design Outsourcing Can Help SaaS Companies Grow and Thrive
Here are some of the main reasons to consider outsourcing design development.
- You Gain Access to Top Specialists
By outsourcing design, SaaS companies gain access to a team of experienced designers with the knowledge and expertise needed to create compelling designs. These designers have a deep understanding of the latest design trends and can help SaaS companies create products that are not only visually appealing but also functional.
- You Can Focus on Core Tasks
Outsourcing design work allows SaaS companies to focus on equally important tasks. For example, instead of spending precious time and resources on design, they can concentrate on developing their products and services. This helps SaaS companies improve overall efficiency and productivity.
- It Is Cost-Effective
How much does design outsourcing cost? The answer depends on many factors: form of collaboration, location, and qualifications of the hired designer. But overall, outsourcing design services saves not only time but also money. When working with a design agency or freelancer, you don't need to buy software, create a workspace for new in-house designers, or provide them with computers and other equipment. Moreover, most outsourced graphic designers are located in different countries with different hourly rates. Hiring in-house designers can be expensive, especially for startups or small companies. Outsourcing allows SaaS companies to save on overhead costs such as salaries, benefits, and office space.
- Faster Time to Market
83% of organizations surveyed by SHRM said they have recently faced difficulties in hiring suitable candidates. Not a very inspiring statistic, especially for those with urgent design tasks...
Hiring new employees, as well as training them, is a labor-intensive process. When outsourcing design through an agency team, you get already trained and experienced specialists ready to dive into the design process immediately.
By outsourcing design, SaaS companies can bring their products to market faster. Design agencies have the necessary resources to complete projects quickly and efficiently. This can help SaaS companies gain a competitive advantage by launching their products ahead of competitors.
- Scalability Becomes Easier
Outsourcing project work gives SaaS companies the flexibility to scale design work up or down based on business needs. This is especially important for early-stage SaaS companies, as they may not need a full-time design team.
On the other hand, as your company grows, you may have more projects and consequently more work. At some point, the internal team may lack the time, resources, or necessary skills to handle the increasing workload. In this case, outsourcing project development to external specialists allows you to accomplish more in a short time and take on multiple ongoing projects. And if the designers are qualified and experienced, they will feel like an extension of your own team.
- High Quality Is Guaranteed
To ensure the final product meets client expectations, design agencies have quality control processes in place. This includes reviewing the design at all stages and making necessary changes. By outsourcing design development, SaaS companies can be confident they will receive high-quality designs that meet their requirements.
Examples of Successful Design Outsourcing
Still not sure outsourcing can be effective? Let's look at some companies that succeeded.
Slack
The first company that comes to mind is Slack, which outsourced design with great success. The company hired Canadian design team MetaLab to help develop its successful product, starting from the beta version. MetaLab provided valuable feedback to the Slack team, helping them create a tool that reached 15,000 users within two weeks of launch.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is another example of a SaaS company that successfully outsourced design. This social media management platform outsourced its design development to a group of designers in the Philippines. Outsourcing allowed the company to scale quickly, improve user experience, and increase customer satisfaction. CEO Ryan Holmes noted that design outsourcing enabled the company to focus on its core business while improving the product.
Prift
Prift is a personal finance management platform that provides personalized financial advice and tips to help people achieve their financial goals.
Conclusion
When done right, outsourcing design services can be a valuable solution for SaaS companies looking to improve their products and stay ahead of the competition. By gaining access to experienced designers, focusing on core competencies, reducing costs, accelerating time to market, scaling up or down, and ensuring quality assurance, SaaS companies can improve their overall efficiency and productivity.
Of course, finding a reliable design agency or freelancer takes time and effort. Some companies may have complex workflows or unclear pricing. Others may offer too broad a range of services, so their expertise may not suit your needs.