My journey from on-demand freelance UX to a full-time contract: lessons learned
Exactly a year ago, I switched from freelancing to a full-time contract. It was a big change, but no matter the role—freelancer or contract employee—one thing remains crucial: working with people and balancing different business needs. Over the years, as a UX/UI designer, I’ve had the chance to work with various types of clients—from cultural institutions and small companies in different industries to large organizations. Each role brought different experiences and challenges that help me better understand the diversity of UX work today. In this article, I’ll share my career path, key principles of collaboration, and lessons learned from working in different environments.
My career path has taught me that the key to success is effective collaboration, regardless of the type of work arrangement. Each role has its own challenges and benefits, but striving towards a common goal and solving problems together are always essential. The principles I follow—“separate the person from the problem” and “we’re all playing towards the same goal”—are crucial for creating value for both users and the business.
Whether working for a large organization, a small business, or an NGO, my career has taught me that UX isn’t just about designing for users; it’s about understanding the context in which I operate. In the case of business clients, this means balancing user needs with business goals, knowing that without a strong business foundation, there wouldn’t be any products or services to design for.
When working with NGOs or cultural institutions, the focus shifts more towards understanding the broader impact and context, where user experience serves not just to achieve business objectives, but to create meaningful connections and drive social or cultural value.
In either case, creating value means continuously finding the right balance between different priorities and always striving for solutions that benefit both the organization and its users.
First steps – the world of freelance
Starting out as a freelancer, I had to learn to manage everything on my own—from finding clients to delivering projects and handling finances. I worked with a variety of clients: small businesses, cultural institutions, and individual contractors. Each project required flexibility and the ability to quickly adapt to the specific industry.
The biggest challenge was finding a balance between independence and collaboration. While the flexibility to set my own terms was a big plus, working solo often meant limited opportunities for exchanging ideas with others. To navigate this, I adopted the principle: 'Separate the person from the problem,' which helped me address challenges objectively and maintain healthy client relationships. I focused on keeping communication factual and constructive, even when delivering difficult news.
Full-time contract – new challenges and broader collaboration
Taking on a full-time contract was a significant change—from being an on-demand freelancer to a full-time collaboration with a single client, within a large, diverse team. This shift opened up a whole new dimension of work, where daily collaboration with marketing, analytics, and development teams became essential.
In a large organization, I learned to build subteams—smaller groups working on specific projects, where each member contributed unique skills. Working on complex projects required focusing on the principle: “We’re all playing towards the same goal,” which meant striving to achieve UX objectives together, regardless of different skill sets.
Lessons learned – working with different types of clients
Working with various clients taught me that every collaboration requires adapting to the specific needs of the organization:
Individual clients and small businesses: working for small companies required flexibility and a quick response to changing needs. Close collaboration and open communication were essential, often requiring intensive interaction.
Cultural institutions: collaborating with cultural organizations taught me the importance of understanding the context and user needs. These projects often had a more complex communication structure and required a deeper understanding of the audience.
Large organizations: working for a large digital platform came with more complex projects and the need for coordination across different teams. Daily collaboration with experts from various fields and building shared solutions helped me better understand how UX impacts the entire organization.
The role of business in design – balancing company and user needs
Working in e-commerce, I face the daily challenge of reconciling different interests. On the one hand, marketing and business needs must be met—sales campaigns, promotions, and strategies to boost conversions are key to company growth. On the other hand, as a UX designer, I play the role of a “user advocate,” ensuring their needs and expectations are met. Balancing these priorities requires flexibility and the ability to make decisions that serve both the business and the users.
Sometimes, the goals of users and the business don’t align. For example, marketing might prefer more aggressive campaigns, using pop-ups to engage users, but from a UX perspective, it’s important that these actions aren’t too intrusive. The key is finding a balance that allows the company to reach its goals while ensuring a positive user experience.
Mentoring and development programs
One of the benefits of working on a contract is having access to company development programs. In freelancing, professional growth was my own responsibility, but at long term contract, I had access to mentors and dedicated programs that accelerated my growth. Working on long-term projects also allowed me to explore UX strategies more deeply.
Work-life balance – what I’ve learned
Switching from freelancing to a full-time contract helped me better organize my work time. While freelancing offered more freedom, it was often unpredictable, with work sometimes happening outside of regular hours. The contract brought stability and more efficient project planning, allowing me to manage my time better and find a balance between work and personal life.
What’s next? My future plans
A year with a full-time contract has shown me the value of long-term teamwork and managing professional relationships. I plan to keep exploring complex UX problems, developing my skills, and aiming for a leadership role where I can effectively foster collaboration in multidisciplinary teams.
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E-commerce as experience design: from click to purchase
In the digital age, shopping has shifted from traditional stores to virtual spaces. In this context, e-commerce is not just a place for transactions, but primarily a space for experiences that can shape our behaviors, needs, and purchasing decisions. E-commerce is a kind of laboratory where designers can test various scenarios and narratives to influence users.
Virtual space as a place of interaction and emotions
Traditional stores have physical boundaries—walls, doors, shelves. Online stores are more flexible, but that doesn't mean they lack structure. Their architecture consists of product categories, filtering options, and user pathways from the main page to the cart. Why is this important?
Information architecture: a well-designed online store guides the user like a path through a forest, making it easy to find what they’re looking for. The way product categories are arranged, the filtering and sorting options, and intuitive navigation—all contribute to the overall User Experience (UX), shaping how users interact with the store.
Visual narratives: product images, descriptions, and recommendations—all create a narrative. For instance, stores like Apple and IKEA use minimalist visualizations and clear, concise descriptions to evoke a sense of simplicity and functionality. In contrast, luxury brands like Gucci or Louis Vuitton build their websites around rich, emotional stories that transport users into a world of luxury and exclusivity.
Personalization of experiences: Amazon is a prime example of how e-commerce can use user data to tailor content and offers to individual needs. Advanced recommendation algorithms show users products they might be interested in based on previous purchases or viewed items. It’s a kind of "digital assistant" designed to make customers feel understood and catered to in a personalized way.
The shopping journey as a narrative: the purchasing process is also a story. Every stage—from browsing products to adding items to the cart and finalizing the purchase—is a new chapter in that story. A good example is premium product stores like Tesla, where every interaction in the purchase process is designed to emphasize the uniqueness and prestige of the purchase. It’s not just a transaction; it’s a ceremony.
“It’s not just a transaction; it’s a ceremony.”
Emotions and Psychology in e-commerce
Online shopping is not just a dry transaction—it’s a process filled with emotions that designers can intentionally evoke and control. How?
Scarcity and exclusivity: a good example is the hype created by brands like Supreme or Yeezy, which sell their products in limited editions. Introducing a limited number of items creates a sense of "FOMO" (fear of missing out), which leads to impulsive purchases.
Promotions and special offers: e-commerce sites often use promotion psychology to influence purchasing decisions. Flash sales, time-limited discounts, or discount codes available only to subscribers are tools aimed at creating a sense of urgency. Users feel the pressure of time, which drives them to make faster purchasing decisions.
User reviews: reviews and opinions from other customers play a crucial role in e-commerce. A good example is Airbnb, where host and location ratings directly impact user decisions. Customers trust the opinions of others, and good reviews build trust in the brand and product.
Usability as a form of empathy: in the context of e-commerce, we cannot forget about accessibility and usability. Online stores that ensure their interfaces are clear, intuitive, and accessible to people with diverse needs show that they understand and respect the diversity of their customers. Platforms like Shopify, for instance, offer tools that make creating accessible stores easier for sellers.
Virtual space as an extension of the real world
E-commerce is not disconnected from reality—on the contrary, it is an extension of it. Many users shop online to complement what they cannot find in traditional stores. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how online shopping can become a daily routine and how important it is to create spaces that reflect user needs in a flexible and adaptive way.
For example, platforms like Zalando or ASOS gained popularity by offering free returns, reducing the fear of buying clothes without trying them on. Similarly, platforms like IKEA introduced virtual visualizations of furniture in users' real spaces, allowing for better product fitting in their homes.
👉 Cracking the Cultural Code: How Nature and Culture Shape Modern Consumerism
👉 Cracking the Cultural Code: How Nature and Culture Shape Modern Consumerism
The role of trends in shaping e-commerce experiences
In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, it’s crucial for designers to stay attuned to emerging trends. However, it's not about blindly following every new hype but rather leveraging these trends to enhance user experiences. E-commerce platforms that can adapt quickly to what’s relevant for their audience—whether it's integrating new technologies like AI for personalized shopping experiences or embracing sustainability—have a distinct advantage. The key is not to chase every fad but to understand which trends resonate with the actual needs of users and can be effectively translated into long-term value.
For example, the rise of augmented reality (AR) in online shopping allows users to visualize products in their own environment before making a purchase, significantly reducing the barrier to buy. Platforms like IKEA have successfully incorporated this trend, enabling customers to make more informed decisions. This strategic use of technology not only rides the wave of current trends but also addresses real user needs, demonstrating how e-commerce can blend innovation with practicality.
Inclusivity as a business strategy in e-commerce
Inclusivity is another critical factor that can significantly elevate the e-commerce experience. Ensuring that products and services are accessible to everyone is not just ethically sound but also a smart business move. A diverse customer base means varied needs and expectations, which, if met, can vastly expand a brand's reach and loyalty.
Consider the example of designing e-commerce platforms for users with visual impairments or color blindness. By providing customizable text sizes, high-contrast modes, or alternative text for images, online stores can ensure that all customers, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and shop with ease. Similarly, incorporating diverse representation in product images and descriptions can make a wide range of customers feel seen and valued. This holistic approach to inclusivity, from the language used to the design of the interface, helps create a more welcoming and engaging shopping experience for everyone.
E-commerce as a distinct domain for design
E-commerce is an extremely dynamic environment where designers have the opportunity to influence human experiences and behaviors directly and almost instantly. Every element, from the website's color scheme to product presentation to the structure of the shopping path, affects how users perceive the brand, the product, and themselves as consumers.
By thoughtfully integrating current trends and prioritizing inclusivity, we can create online shopping environments that are not only functional but also resonate deeply with a diverse audience. It’s about recognizing that our users are individuals with emotions, backgrounds, and unique needs.
We should design with this diversity in mind, ensuring that our e-commerce platforms reflect not only the latest trends but also the values of empathy and inclusion. This approach allows us to foster stronger connections between brands and customers, making e-commerce a truly transformative experience.
Ultimately, in both the virtual and physical worlds, design is a form of communication—a dialogue in which every element has meaning and conveys something about the brand's values. E-commerce, as an ever-evolving space, offers endless opportunities for designers to create experiences that go beyond aesthetics and have a real impact on people.
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The designers' secret weapon: heuristics for exceptional UX and CX
In this article, I'll explore the power of heuristics in User Experience (UX) and Customer Experience (CX) design. Discover how well-crafted heuristics can elevate your design work. Whether you're a product or service designer, or simply interested in the topic, this article is for you. Let's dive in!
Heuristics play an important role in UX and CX design, helping designers to create products and services that are intuitive, efficient, and satisfying to use. UX and CX design heuristics are based on best practices and research-based guidelines, and are designed to help designers make informed decisions about how to design products and services that meet user and customer needs.
Crafting heuristics requires a deep understanding of user needs and preferences, as well as the ability to identify patterns and trends in user behavior. It's important to test and iterate heuristics based on feedback from real users to ensure they are effective in guiding design decisions and creating a positive user and customer experience. However, it's also important to keep in mind that heuristics are not a one-size-fits-all solution and should be adapted to the specific needs and context of each project.
If you're interested in learning more about heuristics and how to apply them in your own work, keep reading! In the following sections, I'll dive deeper into the examples mentioned above, including Nielsen's 10 Heuristics for User Interface Design, Forrester's CX Index, and more. I'll also explore how companies like Apple and Google are using heuristics to create great products, and share best practices for incorporating heuristics into your own design process. Additionally, I'll take a closer look at some of the best products in the field, including the Apple iPhone and Amazon, and highlight some of the top courses available for learning about UX and CX design heuristics from the Interaction Design Foundation, Nielsen Norman Group, and UX Design Institute.
Thinking in heuristics vs deliberate decision-making
How heuristics can help in UX Design
In UX design, heuristics are used to evaluate the usability of a product or service. They provide a set of guidelines that can be used to assess whether a product or service is easy to use, efficient, and meets the needs of its users. Some examples of UX design heuristics include:
Visibility of system status: Users should be able to easily see the current status of the system and what actions they are able to take.
Consistency and standards: Users should be able to easily understand and navigate the product or service, and it should be consistent with established design conventions.
Flexibility and efficiency of use: The product or service should allow users to complete tasks in a variety of ways, and users should be able to complete tasks efficiently.
Recognition rather than recall: Users should be able to easily recognize elements in the product or service, rather than having to remember them.
Error prevention: The product or service should be designed in such a way that users are prevented from making errors, or that errors can be easily corrected.
The role of heuristics in CX Design
In CX design, heuristics are used to create positive experiences for customers that drive engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction. Some examples of CX design heuristics include:
Customer-centric design: The product or service should be designed with the customer in mind, and should address their needs and preferences.
Emotional engagement: The product or service should be designed to evoke positive emotions in customers, such as joy, satisfaction, or excitement.
Consistency across touchpoints: Customers should have a consistent experience across all touchpoints with the product or service, whether online or offline.
Personalization and customization: The product or service should be designed to allow for personalization and customization, so that customers can tailor their experience to their preferences.
Empathy and understanding: The product or service should be designed with empathy and understanding for the customer, and should strive to create positive emotional connections.
Your own heuristics for digital products? Follow these simple steps!
Now, how can you create your own heuristic? Let's say, for example, for a digital job application. Here are some steps to craft heuristics for a digital job app:
Conduct user research: Gather insights on the needs, behaviors, and preferences of job applicants through surveys, interviews, and usability testing.
Identify pain points: Analyze the data from user research to identify common pain points that job applicants experience when searching for jobs and applying for positions.
Research best practices: Review industry standards, guidelines, and best practices for digital job applicant experiences to identify common themes and design patterns.
Generate heuristics: Based on the pain points and best practices identified, generate a set of heuristics that can guide design decisions for the digital job applicant app. Examples could include "Minimize the number of clicks required to apply for a job," "Provide clear and concise job descriptions," and "Allow applicants to save their progress and resume later."
Test and iterate: Test the heuristics with real users through usability testing and iterate based on feedback. Refine the heuristics to ensure they are effective in guiding design decisions and creating a positive user experience.
Incorporate heuristics into the design process: Incorporate the heuristics into the design process to ensure that they are consistently applied throughout the development of the digital job applicant app.
Remember that heuristics are not a one-size-fits-all solution, and should be adapted to the specific needs and context of each project. The above steps can be customized and adjusted based on the unique requirements of the job applicant app project.
Now, time for more advanced examples for inspiration:
Here are Examples of UX Design Heuristics:
Nielsen's 10 Heuristics for User Interface Design: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/
Shneiderman's Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/shneiderman-s-eight-golden-rules-will-help-you-design-better-interfaces
Don Norman's Design Principles: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-principles-donald-norman/
Here are examples of CX Design Heuristics:
Forrester's CX Index: https://www.forrester.com/cx-index
The Six Pillars of CX: https://www.mycustomer.com/customer-experience/engagement/the-six-pillars-of-customer-experience-a-framework-for-success
Apple and Google's best practices
In the world of user experience and customer experience design, some companies are known for their exceptional use of heuristics to create products that truly delight their users. Two such companies are Apple and Google.
Apple has long been known for their exceptional focus on usability and user-centered design. They've created products that are intuitive and easy to use, such as the iPhone and iPad. By relying on heuristics like "Visibility of system status" and "Match between system and real world," Apple has been able to create products that seamlessly integrate with users' lives. For example, when using an iPhone, users always know the status of their device thanks to the battery indicator, network status, and other visual cues. And the user interface of the iPhone and other Apple products is designed to mimic real-world objects, making them easy to understand and use.
Google, on the other hand, is known for their focus on simplicity and efficiency in their products. They've created interfaces that are easy to navigate and provide users with the information they need quickly. Google's search engine, for example, relies heavily on heuristics like "Aesthetic and minimalist design" and "Recognition rather than recall." These heuristics make it easy for users to find the information they need without having to remember specific keywords or search operators. And the Google Maps app is designed to provide users with the most efficient route to their destination, with real-time traffic updates and other helpful features.
By using heuristics, Apple and Google have been able to create products that truly meet the needs of their users. They're not the only companies that use heuristics, but they are two of the most well-known examples. Other companies can learn from their successes and apply heuristics to their own design processes to create products that truly delight their users.
UX/CX heuristics in action: iPhone and Amazon
When it comes to products that have been designed with heuristics in mind, there are some standout examples that have truly nailed the user and customer experience. Two such products are the Apple iPhone and Amazon.
The iPhone is a great example of a product that was designed with heuristics in mind. From the way the home screen is organized to the use of intuitive gestures like swiping and pinching, the iPhone is designed to be easy to use and navigate. Apple's focus on heuristics like "Visibility of system status" and "Match between system and real world" have helped create a product that seamlessly integrates with users' lives - as I wrote before.
Amazon, on the other hand, is known for its focus on personalization and ease of use. By using heuristics like "Recognition rather than recall" and "Flexibility and efficiency of use," Amazon has created a customer experience that's second to none. From personalized product recommendations to one-click ordering, Amazon makes it easy for customers to find and purchase what they need.
Both the iPhone and Amazon are great examples of products that have been designed with heuristics in mind. By focusing on the needs of their users and customers, these companies have been able to create products that truly delight and make life easier for their users.
Top courses for UX/CX heuristics
If you're interested in learning more about UX and CX design heuristics, there are some fantastic courses out there that can help you take your skills to the next level. Here are some of the best options:
Interaction Design Foundation: This organization offers a variety of courses on UX design heuristics and best practices. From courses on design thinking to user research, the Interaction Design Foundation provides a comprehensive learning experience for anyone interested in UX design. Their courses are self-paced and can be accessed online, making it easy to fit learning into your busy schedule. https://www.interaction-design.org/
Nielsen Norman Group: This group offers courses on UX design heuristics, usability testing, and other related topics. Their courses are led by experts in the field, and they offer both live and recorded options to fit different learning styles. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced UX designer, the Nielsen Norman Group has something for you. https://www.nngroup.com/
UX Design Institute: This institute offers courses on UX design heuristics, as well as other topics related to UX design. Their courses are designed to be practical and hands-on, giving you the skills you need to succeed in the field. They also offer a certification program that can help you take your career to the next level. https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/
No matter which option you choose, taking a course on UX and CX design heuristics can be a great way to improve your skills and stay up-to-date with the latest best practices in the field. So why not take the first step today and sign up for a course that interests you?
The use of heuristics in UX and CX design can make a significant difference in the success of a product or service. With the help of these guidelines and best practices, designers can create experiences that truly resonate with users and customers. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and taking advantage of the many resources available, anyone can become a skilled UX or CX designer and create products and services that delight and inspire.
So, let's embrace the power of heuristics and create designs that truly make a difference! Good luck!
Monika
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