Interaction Design
How to hire an interaction design specialist
Interaction design (IxD) considers how a user interacts with the different elements of a digital or physical product and aims to solve any problems they might run into through better design.
It’s tightly aligned with both UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) design. In fact, while design is increasingly specialized, it isn’t unusual for one professional’s expertise to cover more than one area.
So how do you hire an interaction designer? Here are some tips to help you find top interaction design consultants on Upwork.
How to shortlist interaction designers
As you’re browsing available interaction design consultants, it can be helpful to develop a shortlist of the professionals you may want to interview. You can screen profiles on criteria such as:
- Industry fit. You want an interaction design expert who understands your industry so they can help you figure out how best to reach your target market.
- Project experience. Screen candidate profiles for specific skills and experience (e.g., creating an intuitive interface for an app).
- Feedback. Check reviews from past clients for glowing testimonials or red flags that can tell you what it’s like to work with a particular interaction designer.
How to write an effective interaction design job post
With a clear picture of your ideal interaction designer in mind, it’s time to write that job post. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a contractor to know if they’re the right fit for the project.
An effective interaction design job post should include:
- Scope of work: From wireframes to user testing, list all the deliverables you’ll need.
- Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project.
- Background: If you prefer experience with certain industries, product type, or audience group, mention this here.
- Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Ready to get your UX project started? Log in and post your interaction design job on Upwork today.
INTERACTION DESIGN FAQs
What is interaction design?
Interaction design focuses on the interaction between the user and the product. It looks at navigation components from a stylistic and functionality standpoint and builds a bridge between UI and UX design.
An interaction designer considers how a product behaves when a person interacts with it. For example, when you hover over a button, it changes color. Because interaction design involves how things animate, designers may have front-end development skills such as JavaScript or jQuery. The types of interactions that are possible will continue to evolve as technology continues to evolve.
Why hire interaction designers?
The trick to finding top interaction design professionals is to identify your needs. Are you looking for an expert to figure out why your eCommerce store’s shopping cart abandonment rate is so high? Do you need someone to create an interactive prototype of your new app for testing?
The cost of your project will depend largely on your scope of work and the specific skills needed to bring your project to life.
How much does it cost to hire an interaction design specialist?
Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions.
- An experienced interaction designer may command higher fees but also work faster, have more-specialized areas of expertise, and deliver higher-quality work.
- A contractor who is still in the process of building a client base may price their design services more competitively.
Which one is right for you will depend on the specifics of your project.