Before spending $$$ on your design, do the homework:
Set your primary business goals
- What is the primary goal?
- Why do you create the product?
- How will you get revenue?
Think about all those questions before you dig into the design.
Define your persona - do it as detailed as you can!
Here is a template I follow:
Get design consultations
Lots of agencies/freelancers offer a free consultation. Why won’t you use it?
Demand a design brief
Before getting started - make sure you have a design brief from the design team.
Here you can find more tips with the design brief template.