Why Founders Need a Design Advisor

Whenever you’re called to work on a project someone previously worked on, understand the task and solve the real problem, not prove a point Designers make this mistake alot😮💨 we just jump into the file and try to prove you are better listing 1000 things you would have done better... That's Not The Goal 20 mins, you are done with the homepage👨💻 As how na🤷♂️ I've seen this numerous times... and this is the mindset you'll carry into design competitions. abd you'll flop There's a lot that goes into redesign... let me list a few 📍Research 📍Understanding the previous design 📍 Understanding what’s not working 📍 Research again on how to make it work 📍Understanding clients goal 📍Researching again how to combine everything together I said a few😁 let me stop there All these goes into consideration even before designing Because the goal of a redesign is not to outshine another designer, it is to make the product work better for the user.

Most redesigns fail because they solve the wrong problem I’ve seen it too many times. A brand wants a “fresh look,” spends weeks on mockups and moodboards, and ends up with a site that looks better but performs the same. Why? Because the problem was never the design. The real issue is usually: 🟤 Weak offer 🟤 Confusing structure 🟤 Unclear messaging 🟤 Slow performance But instead of fixing the core, teams jump straight into visuals. They redesign the surface without rethinking the system. A redesign shouldn’t start with “what should it look like?” It should start with “what’s not working?” Sometimes, the best design decision isn’t changing colors or layout. It’s changing copy, structure, or how the offer flows. ⸻ Here’s how to make redesigns actually work: ✅ Audit performance before redesigning ✅ Identify real drop-off points ✅ Fix clarity before visuals ✅ Align design around data, not aesthetics ⸻ Good design makes things look better. Great design makes things work better. 👉 What’s one redesign mistake that hurt performance instead of helping it?

It’s not about what you design — it’s about what your design changes. In part 2 of this series, I cover 3 practical ways to move from outputs (screens, flows, mockups) to outcomes (measurable change). https://lnkd.in/eKJ4zCPS Once you have the business goals, user insights, and success metrics — the real challenge begins: 👉 Turning that context into outcomes. Strategic designers don’t just understand the why. They design in a way that changes the what. They connect design decisions to measurable impact — user behaviors, product metrics, and business goals. And, as always, you know it'll be practical and actionable advice ready to take into your next design review. ♻️ repost this with a designer who will find this helpful 💡 Follow Miranda Slayter to learn more about the knowledge and tools you need to showcase your value and accelerate your career. 💌 Join 4.5k others and sub to https://lnkd.in/etUa2Zqv for practical advice on how to remove blockers and navigate challenges you'll inevitably face in your career

𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲 If you hear someone say they will handle the design part later, just know that they don’t fully get what design really does. Design isn’t the final coat of paint. It’s the architecture beneath the paint. It’s the strategy hiding in plain sight. When design is done right, it makes decisions clearer, and shape how users move, how they feel, and how they trust. The layouts, flows, and words in the UI are all business decision dressed as pixels. They determine whether users stay, convert, recommend, or bounce. Here’s what I’ve learned over time 👇 ✅ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 You can’t say your goal is trust and then design something that feels confusing. ✅ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲-𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀 More options equals more confusion. More steps means fewer conversions. Good design simplifies what the business wants to say. ✅ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 If a team can’t explain why a certain element exists, it usually means the strategy isn’t clear yet. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦. That’s why the best designers think like strategists and the best product managers think like designers.

Every designer’s been there. You start your design journey thinking : “If I just create beautiful interfaces, clients will come.” “If I design for everyone, I’ll reach more people.” “If I just stay consistent, results will follow.” But here’s the truth: Design betrayed me too, not the process, but the beliefs I had about it. Because design isn’t just about how things look. It’s about how things work. It’s strategy, psychology, emotion, and clarity — all stitched together. Once I stopped designing for trends and started designing for purpose, everything changed. The projects felt easier. The clients felt aligned. And the results? They spoke for themselves. P.S. Designers — what’s one belief you had about design that turned out to be totally wrong?

I Don’t Design for Clients Anymore I stopped designing for clients. Now, I design for their customers. Once I made that mindset shift, everything changed: Clients stopped micromanaging My work gained clarity I started making impact, not just visuals Because when users are happy, clients automatically are too. So before I start any project, I ask one question: “What would make this user’s day easier?” That’s where great design begins. Do you design with the client or the user in mind first?

What Makes or Breaks a Design In my opinion, it all comes down to one thing — a strong concept. - What is a strong concept? - How do you come up with one? - Why is it so important? Honestly, I could divide these questions into three separate posts because there’s so much to say — but let’s keep this short and to the point. I always say: your concept is your safety net, your comfort blanket. It’s what connects the whole project together — the story you create for your user to experience. It’s the relationship between all the elements of your design. It’s the invisible grid that everyone involved should understand and follow. It’s what sparks conversations and inspires ideas. Now, you might be thinking: “That’s all great, but how do I establish such a strong concept?” Don’t worry, I’m not gatekeeping. Here’s one simple trick I use — both for myself and with clients: 👉 I give the space a character. Yes, literally a little stickman. Who is he? How old is he? What does he like and dislike? Who does he hang out with? If you’re not getting what those questions answer — this post might not be for you 😄 (just kidding). They help define your look and feel, your target audience, the important functions of your space and ultimately your design language. Having a strong concept becomes your blueprint. When you hit a creative block, you can go back to it — research, refine, and realign. It guides your design direction and, most importantly, it builds a connection between you (the designer) and the project. For me, that connection is everything — watching that little “character” flourish into a real, living space. 👋 I’d love to hear how you approach concept development in your work. Do you start with a story, a feeling, or something entirely different? Let’s talk in the comments — or feel free to DM me, I always enjoy design conversations! Here is my stickwoman for my current project

The biggest business lesson design has taught me: People don’t pay for features. They pay for outcomes. When I first started designing, I focused on how things looked — clean interfaces, neat layouts, sharp colors. It felt good seeing something polished. But along the line, I realized beauty alone doesn’t move the numbers. I’ve seen products with amazing UIs fail because users didn’t understand what to do next. And I’ve seen products with simple layouts grow fast because they helped users get results faster. That’s when it clicked, design is not decoration. It’s direction. Every button, flow, and layout should help users reach a goal that matters to them. Good design solves business problems quietly. It increases sign-ups, improves retention, builds trust, and turns casual visitors into loyal users. So now, whenever I design, I don’t just ask, “Does it look good?” I ask, “Does it work for the business and the user?” Because in the end, design isn’t about how pretty it looks, it’s about how effectively it helps people win.

I'm guilty of it - wanting to go straight into designing a product without putting in the work. But every time I've skipped the design process, I've ended up paying for it later. Research, wireframing, testing - it all feels like a luxury when you're on a deadline, but it's actually essential. When we rush through the design process, we risk missing critical insights that could make or break our product. And let's be real, nobody wants to redesign something six months down the line because it wasn't user-friendly to begin with. So, I'm making a conscious effort to not skip the design process. It's about investing in the process to get the best results. What's your approach? Do you have any tips for making the most of the design process?

One thing I’ve learned while practicing design is that good decisions shape the outcome more than the tools we use. Recently, while working on a personal project, I faced a choice: should I jump straight into creating high-fidelity screens, or start with low-fidelity sketches first? I decided to begin with low-fidelity wireframes. Here’s why it mattered: • It gave me freedom to explore ideas quickly without overthinking colors and fonts. • I spotted layout issues early, before investing too much time. • It made the design process feel more structured and less overwhelming. That small decision saved me time and helped me stay focused on solving the problem, not just making it look good. 👉 For me, this was a reminder that design is about clarity and decision-making as much as creativity. How do you usually approach important decisions in your work?