A user experience (UX) design proposal template is a document that outlines how a designer will handle a project to meet the prospective client's needs. It is not a legally binding document but used in the sales process to describe the project details, the objectives, and how the designer will deliver them.
The proposal is prepared before the contract stage, and it is used by a UX designer or a user interface (UI) designer to sell their services. At the same time, a UX design proposal gives the client an accurate description of what to expect in terms of the project scope, deliverables, timeline, and price, so there are no surprises when the work is delivered.
Note: Ready to get started? Sign up to Bonsai to create your UX design proposal template now.
The purpose of a UX proposal
The demand for UX designers continues to grow. Glassdoor added it to its list of the best 50 jobs to have in 2021, while Google added UX (Google Page Experience) to its ranking algorithm. But with high demand comes increased competition, meaning it's now more important than ever that your pitch stands out from the crowd.
An effective UI or UX proposal helps you position yourself as the best fit for the project. Here’s why:
Eliminates misunderstandings
With a UX proposal, you can explain how you will approach the project and what methods you intend to implement. Explanations are streamlined and reader-friendly with UX proposals, so you avoid misunderstandings or negative surprises between the designer and the client.
Convinces the client you're the best candidate
According to Forbes, a business has an average return investment of 9,900% for every dollar spent on UX. There is a lot to gain if you can effectively sell yourself to potential clients.
Selling yourself starts by writing a successful UX proposal that defines the scope of your work and deliverables. A winning UI UX project proposal must spell out accurately what you're offering to clients and what approach you're going to adopt to meet their goals.
Shows your professionalism and highlights your skills
When you demonstrate that you are professional and present your skills positively, you convince clients that you are the perfect fit for their project. A UX proposal allows you to show yourself as a professional; it highlights your best skills and capabilities, describes your past work experiences, and showcases your portfolio items.
Guides you through the project as you progress
One benefit of writing a UX proposal is that you're not just writing a job application but a step-by-step guide on how you will excel with the project. It is advantageous if you are a relatively new UX designer, as it has a clearly-defined strategy that helps you identify each step you should take, from the project's start to the finish. If you hit any issues, all you have to do is return to your step-by-step approach and find your next move.
The elements of a UI/UX design proposal template
There are a few fundamental elements that every UX design services proposal must include to be effective. These essential elements allow you to create a template that you can easily adapt for other projects, saving you time in the proposal process and ensuring that you nail it time after time.
Here are the essential elements of a UX proposal template:
Problem definition
Your UI UX proposal template should include a problem statement from an understanding of the design objective, the end user's goal, and the context of design use. Having complete knowledge of the problem helps you strategize a business value plan and, ultimately, convince prospective clients you're the best candidate for the job.
Gathering information can be challenging, but you can achieve this via interviews, research, or presenting some of your past cases. In your problem statement, you should aim to answer the following questions:
- What are the leading causes of the problem?
- What problems does the end-user face?
- What are the consequences of the problem?
Setting objectives
After you've defined the problem, you'd need to set objectives for the project. To make things easier, you need to answer this question in your UX proposal:
- What do I want to achieve with this project?
The objectives can be the meat of your UX proposal, as they define the proposed solution, the expected results, and the benefits of your solution.
Be careful, though, and try to avoid being too technical, as it can confuse clients and decrease the clarity and effectiveness of your UX proposal. Use language clients will understand with ease.
Timeline
The project timeline is crucial for both the designer and the client. The client, for example, needs assurance you'll deliver the project within the agreed time frame, while you wouldn't want to suggest an unrealistic timeline, which can result in rushed, poor-quality work.
Create an accurate timeline, include it in your proposal with milestones, dates, and details, then stick to it. Also, it is imperative to have a revision period for your client. During that time, you will make the final changes and edits to the project to ensure your client is 100% satisfied.
Budget
You must define the budget before you even start to approach the project. The proposal price should be easy-to-understand and should depict inclusions and exclusions. Ensure that you include optional work as a separate fee or statement of work.
To make your budget section more reader-friendly:
- Make two or three different offers, and define what each one includes and what they cost
- Divide the project into sections and clearly state how much each completed section costs. Then, add it all up.
How to write a UI/UX project proposal sample
Once you've done the in-depth research for the proposal, the next part is to adopt a structure that makes your proposal easy to understand. You should give some project background and break down your suggestions into sections, similar to a step-by-step guide.
Structuring your proposal
In general, UX proposals include different sections depending on the complexity and type of the project. Ensure your document covers the desired goal, scope, materials needed, terms, and pricing, among others.
A UX proposal has a better chance of being successful if it contains these sections:
- Compelling cover letter
- Personal information of the UX designer
- Introduction
- Problem statement
- Project scope and goals
- Elements that need changes
- A mapped plan and solutions
- Approach and design process
- Information about prototyping tool (if any)
- Final results/project
- Deadlines
- Budget/pricing
- Terms and conditions
- Revision period
- Notes
UX design proposal template sample
To help you, we've put together a UX proposal template that you can download for free and modify to your needs and the applied project.
It covers all of the essential sections, enabling you to showcase how capable of a UX designer you are.
Creating a UX proposal template is simple with Bonsai
Creating your UX proposal template can be super challenging, especially if you're not experienced with UX design job applications. With Bonsai, you can use one of the premade UI/UX design services templates to get started. Opting for a professional all-in-one product suite like Bonsai is an intelligent choice.
UX design proposal FAQs
How much should I charge for a UX design project?
The amount you charge depends on many factors, including the scope, complexity, your experience, and even the value you are adding to the client. You can choose to quote based on time or consider a project price connected to value, not time. Once you've done the research and prepared your UX services proposal, you should clearly understand the time and effort involved in delivering the project.
What are the typical mistakes with UI/UX proposal writing?
As expected, UX services proposal mistakes are in the writing process and the design decisions. So, aim to avoid any errors in your UX project plan template to produce an effective and winning UX services pitch. Avoid the following:
- A UX design that is incompatible with existing UI and current visual elements
- Lack of solid communication between your design team and clients when writing the proposal
- Choosing visual appeal over functionality
- Not producing detailed information about the budget, time frame, and resources
- Not considering the target audience's expectations and needs
- Not taking responsive design choices for different OSs, internet browsers, and screen sizes seriously
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