If you’re a SaaS owner, product manager, or design agency feeling the pressure, design subscriptions can be a real game-changer. Pick the right one, and they offer expert creativity right when you need it for the fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. 

But to really get the most out of them and see the benefits, you’ve got to use them smartly.

What is a design subscription?

An unlimited design subscription can be a cost-effective way to bring digital product, UX, or UI expertise into your business. With a monthly design subscription, you get on-demand access to a designer, or team of designers, for a fixed price without the long-term commitment and expense of hiring someone full-time.

Tips for using unlimited design subscriptions

So, here’s our insider’s guide to help you get the most out of your monthly design subscription.

1. How to pick a monthly design subscription
2. Open and honest communication
3. Nail the design brief
4. Prioritise the money-makers
5. Stay open-minded and agile
6. Share clear and actionable feedback
7. Don’t subscribe until you’re ready
   

1. How to pick a monthly design subscription

There are all kinds of design subscriptions available these days. You can get graphic design subscriptions, web design ones, and subscriptions that specialise in user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design (like us).

Before you commit to any subscription, do your research to ensure the service can deliver what you need. There’s nothing worse than signing up for a subscription to find out that your newly appointed graphic designer is out of their depth when it comes to pulling together user flows. Need help with user-experience? Choose an unlimited UX design subscription. 

2. Open and honest communication

Discovery calls and introductions

A discovery call is a session for your design team to really get to know your business and your big-picture goals. By having an open chat about what you’re aiming for and what you need, you’re paving the way for designs that hit the mark.

Skipping this step often results in designs that fall short, leading to frustration, feedback loops and iterations that consume time and money.

Encourage open communication

Building a connection with your design team is crucial, whether it’s one person or a whole team. Trust and openness are key, so share your ideas freely. The more your designer understands your business, audience, and vision, the better the outcome.

As a client, respond quickly, be clear, and upfront about what you need and expect. That way, if something’s off, you can address it sooner rather than later.

Insider’s tip: If your design subscription plan doesn’t include a pre-discovery call, ask for one. We think it’s crucial for getting on the same page.

3. Nail the design brief

Success starts with a solid, detailed brief. Here are some things to keep in mind when writing your design subscription brief:

• Clearly outline the goals and objectives of your task. This will help guide your designer’s creative direction.
• Clearly define the UI/UX deliverables you expect from the designer. This might include wireframes, user interface designs, interactive prototypes, or user journey maps.  Be specific about the format and level of detail you need.
• Share designs you like (and don’t like) to give your designer a better understanding of your aesthetic preferences.
• Share your brand guidelines, if you have editorial guidelines too, even better!

Remember, communication is key throughout the entire design process. Regular check-ins with your designer will help the final product align with your vision and goals.

Insider’s tip: If you’re not sure on how to create a comprehensive design brief, ask your designer or account manager for an example. We find a quick call running through everything is super helpful for new clients.

4. Prioritise the money-makers

To get the most value out of your monthly design subscription, focus on tasks that significantly impact your goals. Be mindful that not all tasks hold value. Using your monthly design subscription on low-impact, low-ROI (return on investment) tasks can be wasteful, particularly for start-ups on tight budgets.

Instead, concentrate on tasks that support growth and measurable results, such as:

• Landing pages for product launches to drive traffic and conversions
• App workflows or prototypes for user testing to refine user experience and functionality
• Marketing materials tied to campaigns or ads with clear metrics to achieve campaign goals

Insider’s tip: Regularly reassess your goals, as priorities can shift quickly. Maintaining agility is key.

5. Stay open-minded and agile

Rather than sticking rigidly to a fixed plan, maintain an open mind and be prepared to explore  ideas that push boundaries and challenge your norms. The design process can have its twists and turns, so remain agile and adapt to feedback and market changes. More than often, it’s the ‘stand back and take a breather’ moments that often sparks the most brilliant ideas.

So, be prepared to review work regularly and iterate as needed. Being open to changes will help you refine the final product.

Insider’s tip: Avoid design by committee as too many opinions can derail creativity. We like to establish a single decision-maker for approvals.

6. Give clear and actionable feedback

Clear feedback is essential for refining designs to meet your needs and expectations. Be specific, and timely with your feedback.  Vague comments like “make it pop” are often unhelpful and open to interpretation, leaving designers uncertain about the direction to take. Instead, offer concrete suggestions, like recommending a darker shade or specifying elements you want to emphasise.

Great feedback speeds up revisions, shortens approval times, and strengthens team rapport.

Insider’s tip: Look out for design subscriptions that use collaborative tools like Markup, Loom or Figma (our preference) for visual and actionable feedback. We find it’s a much quicker and easier way of sharing thoughts and ideas.

7. Don’t subscribe until you’re ready

Before committing to a design subscription, finalise your roadmap, prioritise your design tasks, and prepare a backlog to keep your designer busy. Remember, any downtime is money-wasted.

Insider’s tip: Task tracking tools like Click Up are excellent for keeping on top of progress. Once one task is finished, have the next one ready to go.

Make design subscriptions work for you

And there you have it! Our insider tips for getting the most from your monthly design subscription.

If you think design subscriptions might be the answer to your product design needs, or a design backlog, take a look at our Infinite Design design subscription plans. Prices start from just £950.

Along with unlimited design requests, your monthly plan comes with a dedicated project manager and the flexibility to pause or cancel at any time. Want to know more? Schedule a call with us today!

Still not sure if it’s for you? Read how SaaS can improve with an unlimited product design subscription.