The direct relationship between UX design and customer loyalty is still being studied by most companies. The more companies understand the power of this relationship, the more they are willing to invest in better in-house UX designers or employ design agencies that can do the job for them.
While the question from companies is in-house or design agencies, UX designers too have the same question. However rather than employ their question is where they should work.
Picking between a corporate in-house team or a specialized design agency is quite a big deal when it comes to the career of a UX designer. The roles for the same position in a corporate setting and agency can differ in terms of environment, team size, culture, responsibilities and even the deliverables.
So, if you are a confused designer do read below to see some pros and cons of working in either an agency or in-house.
Corporate In-House Team
Most brands today are upping their user experience game in order to stay relevant. So, there are plenty of opportunities but however the perks come with quite a few challenges too.
Specialized Brand or Product Knowledge
When you’re an in-house UX designer you get to work with the same brands and products all the time, so this enables you to invest yourself and have deep knowledge about the product. In-house designers will be there from the product conception to the final stages, so they are able to see the growth and development of the product at each stage
However, while this is a perk it can also limit the designer in terms of creativity. Creativity can get stagnated when you keep on working on the same thing over and over again.
Skill Specialization
When you work in a design agency you tend to pick up many skills but if you are looking to lock in on a certain type of skills a corporate office might be the best choice for you.
While a narrow skillset can be a perk in terms of specializing it can also be a challenge. A wider knowledge is considered an asset when it comes to the creative field.
Design Agencies
A design agency is quite small when compared to a corporate company. However, there are many new start-ups if you want to work in one. You can find a Melbourne design agency easily if you just look online.
Creative Diversity
The start-up and creative agency culture are mainly based on innovation and trying out everything. For a designer this is the best sort of work to get their creative hat on.
However, this can also be a pitfall because flexibility can get out of hand and you can lose sight of the end goal.
Direct Communication with Clients
While most corporate companies will have a business analyst handling all the requirements a creative agency will allow the designers to directly engage with the customers.
To conclude there are perks and pitfalls wherever you work so just make sure you pick a place that matches without personality and work ethics.