Work on a Design Project

Get project/Understand the scope

Get the project from the customer and make a clear understanding of the problem. This is the first and important step of a project lifecycle and all remaining steps are based on it.

Understand the problem that customer wants to resolve. If the problem is not clear to you, how can you provide a solution for it? Define the scope of the project and get stick to it.

Meet your actual users who will work on the project. Most of the time, your client is different than your user. The client is the person who will provide your designed project to the user. So, ask your client that you want to meet the users. Meet your users, talk to them, observe them, and know the way they are working in their environment.

Plan project
To plan properly, it is essential to get a clear understanding of the requirement. Divide your project into smaller tasks and plan each of them. This will help you to remain organized and focused towards your goal.

Estimate each task by keeping a cushion for updates. Remember, design projects always require reviews and hence multiple iterations.

Publish plan
Publish your plan and timelines with your client. It is essential to keep him updated about the steps you are taking to complete the project.

Negotiate with him about timelines, if required.

Follow the design process
Follow proper design process to create a design. Do research about similar features and projects, see the latest UX trends. Start from lo-fi mockups, and get feedback from the client. Make improvements based on feedback. Design images and prototypes and share with the client.

Re-iterate unless you achieve the desired level of perfection.

Deliver project
Deliver the finalized design and all required artifacts with a customer. These include images, specs documents, UI definition documents, guidelines, icons, and color themes.

Retain your loyal customers
Retaining loyal customers should be your ultimate goal. Involve them in your process, share with them any hurdles coming your way. Try hard to design a system that will meet their requirements in the best possible way. Providing a quality output to your customers is the best way to retain their trust and loyalty.

Conclusion
Above characteristics make you a responsible and reliable UX designer. First impression lasts forever, unless you try to change it, so it is better to work hard to earn recognition and respect in the very beginning.