Helping to tell a story through design: How Freelance Designers bring clients on a journey

Being able to take a client on a journey of their own brand with clever design is one of the key elements of working on design projects. As is being able to separate your own design styles with client expectations, something Freelance UI/UX Product Designer Alistair Parsons is very familiar with.

As an active freelancer on YunoJuno since 2017, Alistair has gained some valuable experience working on a range of projects. We spoke to Alistair about how he’s remained creative throughout his 8-year career so far, his advice for anyone considering a freelance design career and why he welcomes challenges on his own design decisions.

Taking inspiration from everyday life, from things outside of work, and stepping away from my computer once in a while helps me to refresh my creativity and come up with new ideas.!

When it comes to exercising creativity and feeling inspired before approaching new product design projects, there are plenty of suggestions for UI designers but as Alistair explains,:

It's not about what I think is best. I'm here to create the most valuable experience for the customer- as well as to keep my clients happy!

As one of the most popular freelance careers, the design sector is quite competitive and standing above the noise is really important for freelancers looking to stay busy. One of the best tips Alistair has for anyone looking to branch out into a specific area of design is not to

Not to wait around for things to happen- reach out to people, network, and create opportunities!. That and using platforms like YunoJuno for new design briefs is a great way to stay busy in the freelance marketplace.

Another key piece of advice Alistair imparts

would be to experiment and find out what works best for you. That as well as being patient.

As there is so much competition within the design sector, standing out as a freelance designer in whichever design niche you’ve chosen is important so finding out where your design strengths are is essential. By experimenting with different kinds of design, you can find a type of design work that suits your skillset.

Working on a range of projects with different clients exposes freelancers to different ways of working and with it, some challenges can arise. As design work is subjective, there can often be ‘artistic differences’ between freelancer and client. We asked Alistair how he works on slightly trickier projects

Individual tasks can look fluffy and irrelevant, but when you tie it back into the bigger picture of the design process, it's easier to see show how it adds value.

But overcoming these kinds of design challenges can be simple, as Alistair shares; “explaining the design process and keep trying to tell a story has always worked well for me.” Alistair's own experience handling challenges taught him earlier on in his career

I learned quite early on to leave the ego at the door, plus I'm always up for being challenged on my design decision.

Remaining creative can be a struggle for freelancers, particularly after the last few years of working remotely and even losing projects. We asked Alistair how he remains creative during these periods;

I take inspiration from everyday life, from things outside of work. Stepping away from my computer once in a while helps me to refresh my creativity and come up with new ideas.

Having carved out a successful career as a product designer, Alistair’s happy to recognise “ultimately it's not about what I think is best” as he recognises clients are often much closer to their brands and vision. He’s just happy to be part of their journey and tell their story through his UX product design skills.

Why not check out Alistair's profile and check his availability for your next design project.