While you're waiting for that *perfect* full-time hire but you have a growing backlog...

If you're short on time, there's a TL;DR at the end of this, but I encourage a full read!

When you hear the word backlog, what do you think of? Your personal to-do list of all the things that need to get done around the house? All the marketing/branding assets that need to be designed to promote your business? The kanban board of features waiting to be designed after your startup's MVP proves to be of value to your customers? Or your team's Asana items that never seem to get slotted for design in upcoming sprints or quarters?

When life gets busy, we may opt to outsource things we don't have the time or expertise to solve. Think of the last time you hired a plumber or a lawyer (and I'm sorry if you were in a shitty situation that you caused you to need either). You may have looked at some reviews and thought your case was unique, but in reality, an expert can rapidly digest the context, create a plan, and navigate the problem.

Many experts don't need to be hired full-time or be onboarded to get the job done right and on time.

In my field, I've been shocked at the amount of companies looking to hire the *perfect* product (ux/ui) designer or visual/brand designer, taking months to find the perfect fit. Meanwhile, their backlog increases and so does the load on any existing full-time designers. While there are fantastic designers that have recently been let go awaiting for their next opportunity, if you are still struggling to find that perfect fit - there is another option or at least another perspective...

Outsource your darn design tasks! Any experienced designer doesn't need weeks or months to get familiar with your product, business or people. They can jump right in, use their user empathy skills, break down the work and move through the customer problem (oh, and by outsourcing your design and requesting someone take on a small design task, maybe you'll finally discover that perfect fit you've been looking to hire).

• Do you need someone to clean up or create a usable design system so your designers can get their work done in half the time?

• Do you have a feature you've been so excited to see in its hi-fidelity design form, but you don't have design resources to take it on?

• Do you need a sales/marketing deck so your teams no longer create presentations that are hard to follow and muddle up your pitches?

• Do you have a conference coming up and need materials to be designed for your event?

outsource. it.

get. it. done.

cross. it. off.

Now for the other qualifying factor, the je ne sais quoi, the human element, the culture fit. I have faith that most designers are incredible people that will perfectly mesh with you and your team. But while I can't know for sure, what I can do is speak for myself and my experience, and the confidence I have in humans being awesome. I've personally been blessed with a superpower: an ability to deeply connect and mesh with others. I've never met a stranger and my personal and professional relationships are long-standing and fulfilling. Since the majority of my co-workers were also bright, kind and capable, I have no doubt that you can find an expert #opentowork who can at least take on your backlogged items while being a wonderful human to interface with.

TL;DR

With all the items in your personal and professional backlogs, and with all the #opentowork rings encircling many LinkedIn avatars, if you're not at first glance finding that *perfect* hire, or that perfect designer to take on your need-to-get-done work, I encourage y'all to be open to exploring contract-to-hire and freelance work, and a different type of partnership/employeeship. You don't need to wait for perfection, when there's progress and wonderful relationships that can just as easily be made.

If I or someone from my team at ARE TOO ux design and brand studio can help knock any of those tasks of your product, content, or graphic design backlogs, please reach out. I am confident that we can take on those backlogged design tasks, and if for some crazy wild bizarre reason were not a good fit, then it was an honor to just chat with you.

Sincerely, Robin Rotman

✉️ email howdy@aretoo.design

💬 text 512 961 6319

🌐 book a call on www.aretoo.design

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P.S. Ready for us to take care of your design needs? WE ARE TOO.