You’re ready to pitch your services to improve the user experience of a project, but you’re not sure how to professionally showcase your plans for improvement.
This is where a UX Proposal comes in.
A UX proposal is a document that outlines a UX (user experience) within an app or web design project. A proposal outlines problems that must be solved with how you’re proposing solving it. Think of it as another sales tool you can use to gain clients.
A proposal should only be written when you’ve been given approval from the client in which you’re writing it for. A proposal shouldn’t be something you create on a whim; time should be spent researching and organizing a plan before you show the client anything. This document should showcase how you’re the best person for the job!
UX proposals should be short, concise, keep things on topic, avoiding jargon. It’s important that you clearly showcase how your client will benefit from working with you in a professional manner. You can learn how to level up your proposal ensuring you’re impressing your clients and potential clients, so let’s go through some common things you’ll be including in your UX proposal.
Introduction
- Highlight the problem with your reason for the proposal. Phrase this in a way that showcases how you’re going to solve the problem. Focus on the benefits that your client will receive by working with you.
- Outline goals and objectives of the project. Keep things clear and concise.
- Include any research or interviews that must be be conducted, and how that information will be obtained.
- Outline expectations for the project. Ensure everyone is in agreement with what you’re proposing.
Project Development
This section is where you shine. You’re a capable freelancer who has specific skills that can help your client, so use them!
This is where you can highlight how things will get done. Because your clients won’t see much of what you do behind the scenes, it’s important to clearly outline your work here. In the next section, you’ll use milestones and timelines to further engage your client in the process.
- Clearly outline each step you’ll take to solve the problem at hand. Use a client-centered approach to keep them engaged and excited to work with you.
- Depending on the project, you may need to outline multiple steps and phrases. Use bullet points (like we’re doing in this very article) to keep things simple and easy to follow.
Timelines and Milestones
Including timelines and milestones is another way to engage your clients in the proposal process. Set expectations to alleviate any headaches or confusion down the line.
- Alleviate extra stress by avoiding tight deadlines. It’s always better to overestimate the time needed and deliver early than it is to underestimate how much time you’ll need and ask for an extension.
- These timelines can be a specific amount of time such as “cover art will be completed on or before [date],” or a general timeline such as “interviews will be conducted on Tuesdays when interviewer is available.”
Final Deliverables
Outline exactly what your client will receive upon completion, and this is where you can share specifics. If you’re working on the UX of a website, for instance, highlight exactly how you’re going to make the experience better for their clients with easy-to-use navigation.
Use this section to bring everything together for your client. Continue focusing on the benefits as well as tangible aspects they can look for in your final presentation.
There are many different ways to showcase the final product. Nick Babich, Editor-in-chief of UX Planet, says, “Sketches are useful to validate product concepts and design approaches both with team members and users.” in his complete list of UX deliverables.
Pricing and Contact Information
- This should go without saying: be sure that you include your pricing structure and how the client can get ahold of you. This is also a great place to include information on your contracts and agreements.
- Include a breakdown of costs, which allows your clients to budget accordingly and opt in or out of specific services.
- Lastly, include payment deadlines based on the project timeline. If you expect to be paid half your rate up front and the other half upon completion, include this in your proposal
Extras
You can also include a final section to your proposal including:
- Intended next steps
- Questions you may have
- References of similar projects you’ve worked on in the past
