Much like the trend favoring the Lean Startup model<\/a>, even big companies are starting to see the benefit of smaller studios like Lember\u2019s over the bigger agencies. Lember said, \u201cSmaller teams are actually becoming more professional and dynamic than bigger [teams]. They are more specialized, focused.\u201d<\/p>\n In the case of DUX, they focus only on UX and UI design<\/a>. They do what they know and do it really well. As Lember put it, \u201cLike the economy and old habits are changing, so are we.\u201d<\/p>\n When you\u2019re working with a UX and\/or UI designer, you have to first understand what they do. Lember said that, while people usually understand what UI (User Interface) designers do, that\u2019s not always the case for UX (User Experience) designers.<\/p>\n He said UX is new for everybody, even people in the industry, so it\u2019s the job of UX designers to be on an \u201cevangelical mission\u201d to explain what they do. Consider this guide\u00a0part of Lember\u2019s fulfillment of that mission.<\/p>\n They design a concept for how users will experience your product or service through each step of the process<\/a>. For example, \u201cWhen the user clicks here, where will they go?” Or, \u201cWhat will the user do to go back from this step?\u201d UX designers work in wireframes<\/a>, flow charts, and storyboards.<\/p>\n Rather than designing the process, they design how the product is laid out. While the UX designer is concerned with what pages have buttons and where, the UI designer focuses on how design elements are laid out and how they visually communicate with the user.<\/p>\n Oftentimes, these duties are blurred into one job position, but that’s definitely not always the case. In fact, even with UX and UI design being fulfilled by two different designers, the process doesn\u2019t start with one person and end with the other. Instead, both designers\u00a0consult with one another throughout the process, which requires a lot of collaboration.<\/p>\n As a client, when you can see the full design process, it\u2019s easier to visualize and understand the end goal. Though these steps can often overlap, this chart will give you\u00a0a general sense of both the UX and UI designers\u2019 roles in the process.<\/p>\n Obviously, keeping the project within the same team through every step of the process is ideal for both the designers and the client. Often (as in Lember\u2019s case) a UX designer will already have a UI designer who they\u2019re used to working with, especially if they\u2019re within an agency.<\/p>\n But, depending on the budget and the client, Lember said that the UI designer is sometimes chosen by the client, which means he\u00a0has to hand the projects over after only finishing the UX stages.<\/p>\n Lember noted that UX is about the whole experience, starting with\u00a0asking the client \u201cWhat is your business?\u201d and ending with testing and improving<\/a> your results. If the UX designer is only involved in the early stages<\/a> of the process and not kept on to advise along the way, then the final project may be missing parts of the \u201cbig picture.\u201d<\/p>\n Keeping the UX designer on base with the project does not mean that they\u2019re leading every phase of it. For example, Lember has asked clients to sit in with their in-house designers for a week so that he can get an idea of their process and aesthetic.<\/p>\n He said he learned more from this observation period than he could have in a meeting with management. He was able to see glitches in the inner workings of the design team\u2019s operations, and the team was over-the-moon to participate in this new form of collaboration. They were able to focus on the bigger picture, so the entire team could work toward that one goal.<\/p>\n He said when possible, it\u2019s helpful\u00a0to actually work in the client\u2019s office for about 70% of the project right alongside the person in charge. Of course, the bigger the client, the smaller the chance of this opportunity.<\/p>\n He added that\u00a0it\u2019s important\u00a0to be friendly, but not nosey and keep the mentality that you\u2019re there to learn. All in all, this process not only keeps lines of communication much shorter, but brings more transparency and therefore more trust. Not to mention, a faster turnaround on both ends.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re a client or a designer, knowing the most common pain points in these relationships is\u00a0key to noticing them before they get too far, or even better \u2014 to avoiding them altogether. There are several pain points that Lember encounters often:<\/p>\n Lember said that, though it can be hard, there are times when you have to help your client face the facts with a healthy dose of the truth. He said, \u201cThat\u2019s why you get paid. When decision making is all over the place \u2026 stay focused and don\u2019t go along with that.\u201d<\/p>\n To stay focused, he said to explain and defend your vision, adding:<\/p>\n \u201cWhen [a] client cannot make decisions, it usually means that they don\u2019t trust you or you are not dealing with the management-level person in [the] project.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If it\u2019s a trust issue, you have to make earning their trust a top priority. He advises to do this by staying calm, being professional, and giving the client your undivided attention.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s a matter of talking to the person in charge, then try to talk to that person directly, If that\u2019s not possible, Lember said, \u201cFace the issue with [your point person] and ensure [him] that you are on his side.\u201d<\/p>\n No matter what sort of work you put into a client\u2019s project\u00a0or in what capacity, it can be a real bummer to revisit their site or app a year later to find that all of your work has gone down the drain.<\/p>\n That happens to everyone, even Lember. And when it happens, you can either curse the client\u2019s name out loud to whomever is in the room or just reach out to them directly (preferably without any cursing). Lember suggests the second option.<\/p>\n He said that reaching out to clients after the project is complete \u2014 especially if they\u2019ve abandoned the design \u2014 is part of the responsibility of owning a studio. It continues (what is ideally) a good client relationship.<\/p>\n Lember said the email to a client may look something like this:<\/p>\nKnow Your Terms<\/h2>\n
UX Designer<\/h3>\n
UI Designer<\/h3>\n
Know the Process<\/h2>\n
![\"UX-UI](\"http:\/\/d1vqbpto5tbbz0.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/26162538\/UX-UI-infographic-1024x936.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nTeamwork, Teamwork, Teamwork<\/h2>\n
Know the Pain Points (So You Can Avoid Them)<\/h2>\n
\n
Know When to Cut the Crap<\/h2>\n
Know When to Touch Base<\/h2>\n
![\"UX-UI](\"http:\/\/d1vqbpto5tbbz0.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/26162730\/UX-UI-infographic-2-1024x463.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n