What to prepare before hiring a design studio
Most founders call a studio with a rough idea and a deadline. That's fine. But five things, sorted before the first call, make the whole process faster and the first proposal sharper.
1. A one-line problem statement
Not a feature list. What is broken or missing, in one sentence: "Our app works but nobody finishes onboarding," not "we need a redesign."
2. Who actually decides
Every project we've run starts faster when one person can say yes. If three stakeholders need to agree on every screen, say so upfront; it changes the plan, not the price.
3. What already exists
Old designs, brand guidelines, user research, analytics, even a competitor you like or hate. A studio that starts from zero is slower than one that starts from what you already know.
4. A realistic timeline
Brand identity work on our site runs about 4 months end to end; a focused product build has landed in 2 to 3. If your deadline is tighter than that, say so on the first call, not the third.
5. How you'll know it worked
A launch date, a metric, a feeling you want users to have. Doesn't need to be a formal KPI. It just needs to exist, so the studio is building toward something specific.
Questions people ask
Do I need a brand already, or can a studio build one from scratch? Either. Several of our case studies started with nothing but a name and an idea.
What if I don't know if I need design, development, or both? Say that on the call. Figuring out the real scope is part of the first conversation, not something you're expected to know before you ask.
In short
Bring a one-line problem, a clear decision maker, whatever already exists, a realistic timeline, and a way to know it worked. Everything else is the studio's job to ask.
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