Most software projects under-invest in design. The product works. The logic is sound. But users struggle to find core features, the onboarding experience drops half of new signups, and the interface communicates capability to engineers rather than to the people who have to use it every day. We provide UX and UI design for software products: research-grounded information architecture, interaction design, visual UI, and design systems. From the first wireframe through design handoff. For companies building new products, reworking what is not converting, or establishing the design foundation they will build on for the next three years.
UX research and usability testing that identifies where users struggle before you build the wrong solution
Wireframes and prototypes validated with real users before a line of production code is written
High-fidelity UI design that works across desktop and mobile with a coherent visual system
Design handoff with component specifications that eliminate ambiguity between design and development
Recent design outcomes
City Break Apartments · Booking Platform
3x bookings
Booking platform redesign for serviced apartments. Direct bookings tripled post-launch.
TikTok-Style Commerce · Mobile App
25% revenue lift
Social commerce mobile app design shipped from research through App Store launch.
Conversational AI · Chatbot
70% deflection
UI design for an AI chatbot that handles 70% of routine queries without human intervention.
Is your product losing users at onboarding because the first experience is confusing, not because the product does not solve the problem?
Does your interface communicate your product's capability to someone who has never seen it before?
Is your conversion rate lower than it should be because the interface is getting in the way?
Did you inherit a product that works technically but needs a redesign to convert?
Short answer
RaftLabs provides UX and UI design for software products: user research, wireframes, high-fidelity Figma UI, design systems, and developer handoff. Engagements are scoped at a fixed price. Usability audits start at $2,500. New product designs start at $8,000. Most projects run 4 to 16 weeks.
Key takeaways
Usability audits start at $2,500 and run 2 to 4 weeks.
New product designs from research through high-fidelity handoff start at $8,000.
Most design engagements run 4 to 16 weeks depending on scope.
Every engagement is scoped at a fixed price before work begins.
Design handoff is delivered in Figma with developer-mode annotations covering dimensions, spacing, color tokens, and responsive breakpoints.
RaftLabs works on both new product builds and redesigns of existing products.
Trusted by
Results
What design does for businesses like yours
Increase in direct bookings after product redesign
3x
Boost in creator revenue post-launch
25%
Clutch client rating
4.9/5
What design actually changes
Without professional UX/UI
Users abandon at onboardingHalf of new signups leave before reaching the value moment. Support tickets pile up with 'how do I find X?' questions.
Conversion rate below potentialTraffic arrives but does not activate. The interface is getting in the way of users deciding to stay.
Every new feature slows you downNo shared component system means each new screen is built from scratch. The interface drifts and inconsistencies multiply.
With design from RaftLabs
Onboarding that earns the second sessionResearch-grounded information architecture and tested onboarding flows. We shipped a booking platform that tripled direct bookings post-redesign.
A conversion rate worth measuringA 20% improvement in activation rate is worth more than most feature additions. We design for the moment users decide whether to stay.
A design system your team ships fromOne component library, one token system. Every new feature ships faster and looks consistent. The foundation that compounds over time.
Capabilities
What we build
01
UX Research and Usability Testing
User research that grounds design decisions in evidence rather than assumption: interviews with your actual customers to understand their jobs-to-be-done and frustration points, usability testing on existing products with video recordings and timestamped findings, survey design for quantitative validation, and competitor UX analysis. The research that answers whether you are building the right thing before you invest in building it well.
02
Information Architecture and Wireframes
The structural design of your product before any visual design is applied: navigation and menu hierarchy, page layouts, and user-flow mapping from entry point through task completion. Low-fidelity wireframes and clickable prototypes support early usability testing, because the decisions made at the wireframe stage are the most consequential and the cheapest to change.
Built with
Figma
03
High-Fidelity UI Design
Pixel-accurate UI design for web and mobile, built mobile-first across desktop, tablet, and mobile breakpoints, with every component state defined and a consistent visual system of color, typography, spacing, and iconography. Accessibility is designed in from the start: color-contrast compliance, focus indicators, and touch-target sizing, with dark mode and custom icon sets where a product needs a distinctive identity.
Built with
Figma
04
Design Systems
A component library and visual token system that keeps your product consistent as it grows. Every interface component is defined with documented variants, and design tokens are named for their role, not their value, so a rebrand propagates to every component automatically. A matching React or Vue component library ties design and code to the same component language, so your team ships new features at pace without the interface drifting.
Built with
Figma · React · Vue
05
Design Sprints
Facilitated 5-day design sprint workshops for teams that need to validate a product direction or solve a specific design problem quickly: problem definition, solution sketching, decision and storyboarding, prototype development, and user testing with 5 real users, closing with a written findings report and recommended next steps. For teams that want evidence before committing to a full build.
Built with
Figma
06
Usability Audits
Structured review of an existing product against UX heuristics, task-completion paths, and conversion friction points, combining expert review of your core user journeys with screen recordings of real users attempting key tasks. The output is a prioritized findings report ordered by effort and impact, for products that work but are underperforming on activation, retention, or conversion.
Who this is for
This engagement is right if you are...
01
Building a new product and want design before a line of code is written
The decisions made at wireframe stage are the most consequential and the cheapest to change. Starting with design prevents the most expensive category of rebuild: an engineering team that built the right features in the wrong structure. We run design in parallel with our MVP development services so the first sprint starts with a validated structure, not an assumption.
02
Running a product that works but users can't figure out how to use it
Onboarding drop-off, support tickets about "how do I find X", and poor activation rates are usually design problems, not feature problems. We start with a usability audit to identify exactly where users lose confidence, then redesign the specific friction points rather than rebuilding what is already working.
03
Seeing a conversion rate that should be higher than it is
If your product is getting traffic but not activating users, the interface is likely the gating factor. A 20% improvement in activation rate is worth more than most feature additions. We design specifically for conversion: attention hierarchy, onboarding flow, and the moments where users decide whether to continue.
04
Inheriting a product with inconsistent UI that is slowing your team down
A design system is the highest-return investment a growing product team can make. Once it exists, every new feature ships faster and looks consistent. Without it, every new screen takes longer and the interface drifts. We build the component library and token system once - your team uses it everywhere.
Why us
Why teams hire us over a freelancer or in-house designer
01
Research before Figma, always
Most agencies open Figma on day one. We interview your actual users first, so the information architecture and wireframes that follow are grounded in what real users do, not what the team assumes, catching wrong decisions while changes still cost hours, not sprint days.
02
We stay through implementation, not just handoff
Most design engagements end when the Figma file is emailed. Ours do not: we answer developer questions during implementation, review builds against the specification, and flag deviations before they become technical debt, so what is designed is what ships.
03
Outcomes you can measure, not just screens that look good
McKinsey's research across 300 companies found that businesses with strong design practices grew revenue twice as fast as peers over five years. We design for the metric that matters, bookings, activation, revenue, not for how the design looks in a screenshot, and our case studies show the before and after in numbers.
Our commitment
How we work differently
01
Research before Figma, every time
We interview your actual users before we open a design file. The information architecture and wireframes that follow are grounded in what real users do, not what the team assumes they do. Wrong decisions caught at research cost hours. The same decisions caught in week 8 cost sprints.
02
Fixed price before design starts
Every engagement is scoped at a fixed price after a discovery session. You know the timeline and cost before we start. A scope change is a change request: priced and agreed before work begins.
03
We stay through implementation, not just handoff
Most design engagements end when the Figma file is sent. Ours do not. We answer developer questions during implementation, review builds against the spec, and flag deviations before they become technical debt. What is designed is what ships.
04
Design outcomes measured in business metrics, not aesthetics
McKinsey's research across 300 companies found that businesses with strong design practices grew revenue twice as fast as peers. A booking platform we redesigned tripled direct bookings. A social commerce app we designed lifted creator revenue 25% post-launch. We design for those numbers.
Our process
User-centered design, end to end
Five phases that keep real user behavior at the center of every decision, from the first client conversation through design handoff.
Weeks 1-2
01
Research
We interview the founders and product leads to capture business goals and constraints. Then we interview your actual customers to understand jobs-to-be-done and frustration points. Usability testing on any existing product surfaces where users struggle. Competitor UX analysis maps the interface expectations your users carry in from adjacent products. The research that grounds every design decision in evidence rather than assumption.
Weeks 2-3
02
Architecture
Information architecture built from research findings. Card sorting sessions to understand how users group content. Tree testing to validate navigation hierarchy before wireframes begin. User journey mapping from entry point through task completion. Low-fidelity wireframes in Figma that establish structure and flow. Wireframe prototypes for early usability testing before any visual design is applied.
Weeks 3-8
03
Design
High-fidelity Figma UI built from the validated structure. Component design with every state: default, hover, active, disabled, error, loading. Responsive breakpoints designed mobile-first across desktop, tablet, and mobile. Illustration, iconography, and any brand-specific visual elements. Dark mode variants where required. Accessibility checks for color contrast, focus indicators, and touch targets throughout.
Weeks 4-9
04
Validate
Prototype testing with real users on the high-fidelity designs. Moderated sessions with video recordings and timestamped findings. Usability issues prioritized by severity and conversion impact. Design iterations informed directly by what users do, not what they say they would do.
Final week
05
Design Handoff
Design handoff via Figma developer mode with precise annotations: dimensions, spacing, font weights, color tokens, border radii. Component variants documented with all states shown. Responsive behavior specified for every breakpoint. Interactive behavior documented with transition and motion specifications. We stay available for developer questions during implementation.
Pricing guide
What design engagements cost
01
Usability audit
Expert review of an existing product against UX heuristics and conversion friction points. User testing sessions with video recordings and timestamped findings. Prioritized improvement roadmap ordered by effort and impact. 2 to 4 weeks. Starts at $2,500 to $5,000 depending on product scope and number of testing sessions.
02
UX/UI design for a new product
User research, wireframes, high-fidelity Figma UI, component library, and developer handoff. From first research session through final spec delivery. 8 to 16 weeks depending on product complexity. Engagements range from $8,000 to $20,000+. Price is fixed after a discovery session covering your goals, users, and existing assets.
03
Design system
Component library, design tokens, usage guidelines, and matching React components. Built once, used everywhere. Eliminates the inconsistency that accumulates when every designer and developer makes independent style decisions. 4 to 8 weeks. Starts at $6,000 to $15,000 depending on component count and integration requirements.
04
Design sprint
5-day facilitated workshop. Problem definition, solution sketching, prototype development, and user testing with 5 real users. Written findings report with recommended next steps. For teams that need to validate a direction or break a team disagreement with evidence before committing to a build. Starts at $4,000.
Navigation structure, user flows, and low-fidelity wireframes validated with card sorting and tree testing. The structural decisions that are the most consequential and the cheapest to change.
03
High-fidelity UI design and visual systems
Pixel-accurate Figma UI for web and mobile, designed mobile-first across desktop, tablet, and mobile breakpoints, with every component state and accessibility-first color contrast and touch targets.
04
Design systems and component libraries
A Figma component library plus a matching React or Vue component library, tied together by named design tokens so a rebrand propagates everywhere and new features ship without the interface drifting.
05
Prototyping and usability testing
Interactive Figma prototypes and moderated testing with real users, recorded and timestamped, so design iterations follow what users do rather than what the team assumes they do.
06
Design-to-code handoff and implementation support
Figma developer-mode specs, design tokens, and documented component states, with our team available for developer questions during the build so what is designed is what ships. Pairs with our web application development and mobile app development teams.
Every design engagement produces tangible artifacts you own. Not a presentation. Not a mood board. Specifications a developer can build from on day one.
01
User research report
Findings from real user interviews and recorded usability sessions. Timestamped video clips showing exactly where users hesitate, struggle, or drop off. The evidence base that justifies every structural decision that follows.
02
Information architecture and user flows
Sitemap, navigation hierarchy, and task flow maps from entry point through completion. Validated via card sorting and tree testing before wireframes begin, so the structure reflects how users think, not how the internal team thinks.
03
Figma design files - fully yours
Every screen, every component, every state: default, hover, active, disabled, error, loading. Responsive breakpoints for desktop, tablet, and mobile. You own the files with no ongoing license fees to us.
04
Design system and component library
Color tokens, typography scale, spacing system, and a component library built so a brand rebrand or visual refresh propagates everywhere automatically. The foundation that lets your team build new features without the interface drifting.
05
Developer handoff package
Figma developer mode annotations with exact dimensions, font weights, color tokens, border radii, and responsive behavior specified per breakpoint. Interactive behavior documented with transition and motion specifications. No ambiguity between design intent and implementation.
06
Implementation support
We answer developer questions during the build. Handoff is not the end of the design engagement - it is the handover point. We review key implementations against the specification to make sure what was designed is what shipped.
The tools and deliverables we design with
We work in the tools your engineering team already builds from, and we hand over specifications a developer can implement on day one, not a slide deck. Every engagement produces artifacts you own outright. The methods below are the standard ones we reach for at each stage of a design project.
Area
Tools and methods
What you get
Research
User interviews, jobs-to-be-done mapping, competitor UX analysis, surveys, journey maps
A research report with timestamped clips showing exactly where users hesitate or drop off
Accessibility-checked designs so contrast, focus, and touch targets pass from the first build
We tie the Figma design tokens and component naming to your code implementation so the mapping from design to development is unambiguous. No proprietary formats, no ongoing license fees to us, and no dependency that ties your team to ours after handoff.
What UI/UX design costs
We scope every engagement at a fixed price after a discovery session, so you know the timeline and cost before work begins. The ranges below reflect the four engagement types we run most often. A scope change is a change request, priced and agreed before work begins, never absorbed into the final invoice.
Engagement
Typical timeline
Cost range
Usability audit, expert review plus user testing and a prioritized roadmap
2-4 weeks
$2,500-$5,000
Design sprint, 5-day workshop with prototype and user testing
5 days
From $4,000
Design system, component library, tokens, and matching React components
4-8 weeks
$6,000-$15,000
New product design, research through high-fidelity Figma and handoff
8-16 weeks
$8,000-$20,000+
What pushes cost up: a larger component count, more testing sessions, multiple platforms, and tighter accessibility or brand requirements. What keeps it down: a focused first scope, existing brand assets to build from, and a clear picture of the core user journeys. We scope every engagement before pricing it.
Design work we do by industry
The interface expectations users bring change with the domain. Regulated products need accessible, auditable flows and conservative interaction patterns, while high-volume consumer products live or die on onboarding and activation. We design software interfaces for:
Healthcare and life sciences: accessible clinical dashboards, patient portals, and onboarding flows built to WCAG.
FinTech and financial services: clear, trustworthy interfaces for lending, payments, and reporting where confidence is the conversion.
Retail and e-commerce: storefront, checkout, and catalog UX designed for activation and repeat use.
Real estate and property: listing, search, and management interfaces that make dense data easy to act on.
SaaS and B2B platforms: multi-user product design, onboarding, and design systems that scale without the interface drifting.
Enterprise software: complex permission models and multi-step workflows designed so power users move fast and new users are not lost.
UI UX Design Services, scoped in one call.
Tell us what's broken. Within one business day you get a straight take on cost, timeline, and the right first step. No deck, no pressure.
UX design (user experience design) is the structural and behavioral layer: how information is organized, how users navigate from task to task, what happens when something goes wrong, and whether the product matches the mental model of the people using it. Good UX makes a product feel intuitive. Bad UX makes a product feel like work, even when the features are correct. UI design (user interface design) is the visual and interactive layer: typography, color, spacing, iconography, button states, component behavior, and the visual hierarchy that directs attention to what matters. Good UI makes a product feel polished and communicates quality to users who have not yet decided whether to trust it. Most products need both. UX without UI is a wireframe. UI without UX is a beautiful interface that users cannot navigate. We design both layers together because the interaction and the visual are inseparable in a finished product.
A design sprint is a structured 5-day process for validating a product idea or solving a specific design problem without building anything. Day 1: map the problem and set the target. Day 2: explore solutions and find inspiration. Day 3: decide on the approach and storyboard it. Day 4: build a realistic prototype. Day 5: test the prototype with real users and capture learnings. The output is not a finished product. It is a validated (or invalidated) direction and concrete evidence of how real users responded to the concept. Design sprints are useful at the start of a new product to validate assumptions before committing to a build, when a product is not converting and the team disagrees on why, or when a complex feature needs rapid directional validation before full design and development begins. We facilitate design sprints as a standalone service or as the first phase of a longer design engagement.
A design system is the single source of truth for how your product looks and behaves. It includes a component library: buttons, inputs, modals, navigation elements, cards, tables, and all other reusable interface components, each designed to work correctly across all states (default, hover, focused, disabled, error). It includes design tokens: the color palette, typography scale, spacing system, border radii, and shadow levels that define the visual language and are applied consistently across every component. It includes usage guidelines: when to use each component, how to compose components together, and what accessibility requirements each component must meet. In Figma, it is a library of components that designers work from. In code, it is a library of React (or Vue) components that developers implement from. The design system eliminates the inconsistency that accumulates when every designer and developer makes independent style decisions.
Design handoff is where a significant amount of implementation quality is determined. We deliver design specifications in Figma with developer-mode annotations: exact dimensions, padding values, font sizes and weights, color values as design tokens, border radii, and shadow specifications. Component variants are documented with all states shown. Responsive behavior is specified for mobile, tablet, and desktop breakpoints. Interactive behavior is documented with annotation notes on transitions, hover states, and motion specifications. For clients using a React component library, we align design tokens and component naming to the code implementation so the mapping from design to code is unambiguous. We support developer questions during implementation rather than treating handoff as the end of the design engagement.
Most design engagements run 4 to 16 weeks depending on scope. A focused usability audit with a prioritized findings report takes 2 to 4 weeks. A new product designed from user research through high-fidelity handoff typically takes 8 to 16 weeks. A design sprint is 5 days by definition. The most reliable way to get an accurate timeline is to bring us the brief: we scope every engagement at a fixed price before work begins, so you know the timeline and cost upfront.
We work on both new builds and redesigns of existing products. For a product that works but is not converting, we start with a usability audit to identify where users struggle, then design targeted improvements with clear success criteria rather than a full visual overhaul. For a product that needs a full redesign (because the visual system is inconsistent or the information architecture is fundamentally broken), we start from user research and rebuild from the structure up. Whether you need a focused fix or a full redesign, the starting point is a discovery session where we understand what the product does today and what it needs to do.
Both. If you need a second opinion on a design decision, a review of a design your in-house team or another vendor produced, or advisory support on a design system strategy, that is a consulting engagement: a usability audit, a design sprint, or a scoped advisory session, not a full design build. If you need the product designed from research through handoff, that is the full engagement described above. We scope the conversation first, then recommend which type of engagement fits your situation, an audit and a set of recommendations, or a complete design project.
Work with us
Tell us what you need. We'll tell you what it would take.
We scope UI UX Design Services in 30 minutes. You walk away with a clear cost, timeline, and approach. No commitment required.
Scope and cost agreed before work starts. No surprises. No obligation.
Working prototype within 3 weeks of kickoff.
Pay by milestone. You see progress before each invoice.
60-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes, UI tweaks, and deployment support. No retainer.