At Fruto, we’ve worked with companies across sectors, helping teams shape smarter products through strategic UX design. If you're about to bring in a UX agency, here are the questions you should be asking and why the answers matter. For extra insight, check out how to spot the difference between great and not-so-great designers.
1. What’s your approach to user research?
A solid UX process starts with understanding your users. If an agency jumps straight into wireframes or visual design, that's a red flag.
Ask how they gather insights. Do they run user interviews? Usability tests? Surveys? You’re looking for an agency that doesn’t make assumptions. Great strategic design partners in the UK will be obsessed with evidence, not guesswork. To delve deeper into how effective agencies approach this, take a look at our blog posts on user research.
2. How do you align user experience (UX) with business goals?
Design without strategy is decoration. A strong UX agency should be laser-focused on aligning user needs with business objectives.
Ask how they balance both. The right partner will understand that good UX increases engagement, reduces support costs and drives conversion. They will also know when to challenge assumptions if the strategy is not working. To see how this plays out in real projects, read our post on tackling your biggest product challenges. It explores how focusing on the right UX problems can unlock real business value.
Ask: “How do you ensure our business goals are embedded in the design process?”
3. Who will be working on our project?
You’re hiring people, not a pitch deck. Be clear on who’s actually doing the work.
Do you get senior UX designers or junior team members? Will there be a dedicated point of contact? What mix of skills does the team bring: research, interaction design, service design, content?
Great user experience agencies in the UK will be upfront about the team structure. Transparency now avoids surprises later.
4. Can you work alongside internal teams?
Many of our clients have internal product, marketing or development teams. So, collaboration is non-negotiable.
If your UX partner can’t play well with others or needs to “own” everything, it won’t work. You want strategic design partners who can embed, co-create, and elevate what your team’s already doing.
Ask: “How do you collaborate with in-house teams, developers and stakeholders?”
The best agencies will be comfortable leading when needed and supporting when it’s better to amplify your team’s skills. Effective collaboration is key to making real progress. For a closer look at how this works in practice, especially in fast-paced environments, check out our post on Dual Track Agile UX, a smarter way to stay user-focused while working in sync with your product and development teams.
5. What’s your design process like?
Every agency has one. You need to ensure it’s adaptable, logical, and user-centred.
Look out for agencies that follow a clear structure. You should also ask about the flexibility of the process. A rigid, one-size-fits-all approach usually means they’ll force your project into a box that doesn’t fit. For an idea of what a thoughtful, flexible process looks like, take a look at our introduction to the design thinking process.
6. How do you measure success?
UX isn’t just about making things easier to use. It should move the needle on real outcomes.
Ask how the agency measures impact. Do they help you define UX metrics? Do they look at user satisfaction, task completion, and conversion rates? Do they follow up after delivery?
The right partner won’t disappear the day they hand over the designs. They’ll care about how your product performs in the real world.
7. What industries or problem spaces have you worked in?
Experience matters. While a UX agency doesn’t need to have worked in your exact niche, they should show how they adapt to different contexts.
Ask them to talk about industries they’ve worked in, the kinds of problems they’ve tackled, and how they approached unfamiliar domains. It reveals how quickly they learn and how effectively they can think strategically.
However, remember that you’re not just buying past experience. You’re buying thinking, flexibility and curiosity.
8. What happens if things change midway through the project?
Projects change. Priorities shift, new stakeholders become involved, and unexpected problems arise. Ask how the agency handles change. A good partner should build contingency into their process. They’ll flag risks early, communicate openly, and work with you to adapt, not throw the contract back in your face.
You could ask:
“How do you manage changes to scope, timelines or stakeholder feedback?”
9. How do you hand over designs to developers?
The UX is only as good as the implementation. If the handover is messy, your polished designs can unravel quickly.
Ask about their approach to design documentation and developer collaboration. Do they work with tools like Figma? Do they annotate flows clearly? Can they support during the build?
A great user experience agency in the UK won’t just design; they’ll also care about delivery.
10. Why do you do what you do?
This one’s more personal, but important. You want to work with people who care. Who asks good questions? Who challenges you to think differently?
UX design is part psychology, part strategy, part craft. The best agencies live and breathe it. That passion matters when things get complex.
Partner with Fruto
The right UX partner will challenge your thinking, strengthen your product, and help your business grow. But not all agencies are created equal.
At Fruto, we’re proud to be one of the strategic design partners in the UK, blending research, creativity, and business thinking – all wrapped in a collaborative, human-first approach.
So don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. A good UX agency will welcome them. Got a project in mind? Let’s talk! Get in touch today to find out more.
