When to Hire a Product Designer vs. a Product Team (With Examples)

Struggling to decide between hiring a solo product designer or a full product team? Here's a quick guide to help you make the right choice:

• Hire a Solo Product Designer if you're working on a smaller project like an MVP or minor updates. They’re cost-effective, provide direct communication, and align closely with your brand.

• Hire a Product Team for large-scale, complex projects like enterprise platforms or multi-product systems. Teams bring specialized skills, scalability, and built-in quality checks.

Key Factors to Consider:

• Project Scope: Small and focused? Go solo. Complex and large? Opt for a team.

• Budget: Designers are cheaper upfront, while teams require higher investment but offer broader expertise.

• Business Stage: Startups thrive with a solo designer, while established companies often need a team.

Quick Comparison

Bottom Line: Match your choice to your project’s size, budget, and growth stage. Start small and scale as needed.

💌 Design Team Pros vs. Cons | For Designers

Product Designer vs. Product Team: Core Differences

Understanding the differences between a product designer and a product team can help you make the right hiring decision. Here's a breakdown of their skills and structure.

Product Designer Core Skills

A product designer bridges user needs and business goals, excelling in areas like:

• User Research & Analysis: Understanding user behavior and needs.

• Interface Design & Prototyping: Crafting intuitive and functional designs.

• Customer Journey Mapping: Visualizing user interactions with the product.

• Wireframing & Visual Design: Creating layouts and polished visuals.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Working with teams across disciplines.

They wear multiple hats, acting as a user researcher, interface designer, analyst, prototyper, and strategist rolled into one.

Product Team Structure

A product team brings together specialists who collaborate to deliver complete solutions. Here's how their roles typically break down:

Skills and Capabilities Comparison

Here’s a closer look at what each approach offers:

Product Designer Strengths:

• In-depth knowledge of the brand and product.

• Direct communication enables quicker decision-making.

• Budget-friendly option for smaller projects.

• Strong alignment with company culture.

• Unified vision and execution.

Product Team Advantages:

• Access to a range of specialized skills.

• Scales well for large, complex projects.

• Comprehensive management of all project aspects.

• Built-in quality checks throughout development.

• Broader perspectives that encourage fresh ideas.

Your choice should align with your project's scale and complexity. A product designer is ideal for smaller, focused tasks like developing an MVP or enhancing existing products. On the other hand, a product team is better suited for large-scale projects, such as launching platforms with multiple interfaces, integrated systems, or strict compliance demands.

Making the Choice: Scope, Budget, Goals

Project Size and Complexity

The scope of your project plays a big role in deciding whether to hire a solo designer or a full team. For smaller projects - like MVPs, feature tweaks, or updates to design systems - a single product designer often gets the job done. On the other hand, larger projects involving multiple platforms, enterprise-level applications, or complex technical needs usually call for a full team with a range of expertise. Naturally, the size and complexity of your project will also impact the cost.

Cost Analysis

If you're working on a focused project, hiring a solo designer can save money. However, putting together a full team means higher ongoing costs, including multiple salaries and benefits. A hybrid approach - where you start small and scale up as needed - can help balance quality and expenses. Your budget decisions should also reflect where your business is now and where you want it to go in the future.

Business Stage Requirements

Early-Stage Startups: A solo designer is often the best fit here. They can collaborate closely with stakeholders to define the project’s needs and create user interfaces that align with your business goals.

Growth Phase: A mix of resources works well during this stage. Starting with a core designer and adding specialists as necessary helps address increasing demands.

Established Companies: Larger organizations managing multiple product lines typically need a full team. This setup supports complex feature development, specialized roles, and ongoing maintenance.

To keep your product user-friendly and aligned with your goals, match your design resources to both your current needs and future growth plans.

Direct Comparison: Pros and Drawbacks

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Here’s a quick look at how the two options stack up:

This breakdown highlights the trade-offs between the two approaches.

Example Scenarios

Solo Designer: Startup MVP
Imagine a solo designer working on a startup’s minimum viable product (MVP). They use their in-depth knowledge of the business and brand to create user-friendly designs. The setup allows for quick iterations and seamless communication with stakeholders.

Product Team: Enterprise Solution
For a large-scale project with complex needs, a full product team steps in. They bring a wide range of expertise - spanning multi-platform development, advanced UI/UX design, and data visualization - ensuring the project meets its varied requirements.

Up next: a decision checklist to help you choose the right option based on these points.

Making the Final Decision

Decision Checklist

When choosing between hiring a solo product designer or a full product team, keep the following in mind:

• Project Timeline

  • If your project runs longer than six months, consider a full-time designer or team.

  • For shorter, self-contained projects, a solo designer might be the better option.

  • If you're unsure about the timeline, consult an expert to help define the requirements.

• Experience Matters
  Prioritize experience over cost. Stacy La, the first designer-turned-Director of Design at Clover Health, shares her perspective:

  "I see companies hire a skilled designer, but they only have one or two years of work experience, which is a disaster. It's important that they have some pattern recognition on processes that work and don't work, and having worked in different environments with different people before."
  

• Design's Role in Your Project
  

  Evaluate the following:

  • Market Position: Is design critical to standing out?

  • Project Complexity: Will your product need to work across multiple platforms?

  • Time-to-Market: How urgent is your delivery timeline?

  • Resources: Do you have internal support for a new design hire?

Once you've clarified these factors, focus on how to collaborate effectively with your chosen resource.

Working with Your Choice

Collaboration is essential. Tailor your approach based on whether you're working with a solo designer or a product team.

Working with a Solo Designer

• Clearly define the project scope and set expectations.

• Establish regular feedback loops to stay aligned.

• Connect your designer with external design leadership resources if needed.

Stephanie Engle highlights the impact of being a solo designer:

"When you come into a company as a first designer, you're necessarily a change-maker - your role is to introduce the first processes and systems to create a home for design to thrive."

Managing a Product Team

• Clearly define each team member's role to avoid overlap.

• Set up structured communication channels for smooth collaboration.

• Implement regular design reviews to maintain quality and consistency.

Tomer London emphasizes the importance of design in startups:

"Design is still the most under-appreciated part of what makes startups win. Truly understanding that puts you ahead of 90% of the competition."

Keep in mind that your decision doesn't have to be permanent. Many companies start with a solo designer and build a team as their needs grow. The key is to align your current needs with the right resources while staying open to future changes.

Conclusion

The choice between hiring a solo product designer or putting together a team depends on your project's timeline, budget, and complexity. For early-stage startups or MVPs, hiring a skilled designer can offer focused, efficient solutions. On the other hand, complex, multi-platform projects often benefit from the diverse expertise and collaboration a team brings.

Design needs often change as projects grow. You might start with a single designer and expand to a team when the workload increases. Your decision should match your project's scope, budget, and stage of growth.

Success comes down to clear communication, defined expectations, and shared goals. Partner with design professionals who offer flexible options to get the best design support and make the most of your investment.

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