When to Hire a UX Designer in Your Startup Cycle?

Day one. I've had too many people tell me, “I wish you were here x months/years earlier.” At the beginning, designs can help you anticipate common UI issues and empower developers to support and avoid extensive app rewrites which are expensive or impossible later. There has even been talk of having more designer founders who start their own businesses to manage the entire thing. But a voice of reason is always nice to have!

The Importance of Hiring a UX Designer Early

As soon as possible, day one if possible. Bottom line: the UX professional is—or should be—there to represent the wants and needs of the user. Not what the product team thinks users want. Not what the founders hope users want. But what users actually want.

Throughout my experience as a UX Designer with 5 years of experience working with startup entrepreneurs, I've had to navigate through various situations where explaining my design and convincing people was either a smooth process or quite a challenge. Echoing insights from entities like 500 Startups, an ideal startup is often described as consisting of three key roles: a hacker, a hustler, and a designer. A hacker is proficient with code, a hustler excels in sales and marketing, and a designer ensures the product meets user needs and is usable. However, not every startup fits this ideal mold.

Single-Founder and Multi-Founder Startups

In some cases, a startup might be just one person—a hacker. In other situations, more than one person might be involved, but all of them are hackers. For these kinds of startups, I suggest using website templates from platforms like Envato. Most startups prioritize validating their idea as the top priority. Founders often assume their target audience needs something, but that's an assumption.

Validating the Idea

A dedicated UX Designer might not be needed at the very first stages of a company. Founders can validate their idea themselves. The best way to validate the idea is using a website template. Early adopters don't necessarily need a highly usable website. If the idea is groundbreaking, early adopters will learn to use the most unusable website. Another option is to hire a freelancer for a short-term solution to major problems. A UX designer can identify such issues at a glance.

Hiring a Full-Time UX Designer

Until you have a specific revenue, I believe a full-time UX Designer should not be hired. After validating the idea and earning enough money, founders can consider hiring a designer. This ensures that the UX budget is used effectively and that resources are aligned with business goals. Hence, the right time to bring on a dedicated UX Designer varies depending on the specific stage and needs of the startup.