Agency UX vs. Corporate UX: What We Learned from Company Visits

At MOME,during our second semester at the Interaction Design department we had a special opportunity. Every Wednesday, we visited different companies* to see how designers work in real life. We learned about their systems, their teams, and their processes, and talked about the positive and negative sides of each place. We visited many types of companies, from small agencies to large corporate companies. This helped me understand the differences between agency UX and corporate UX.

Aspects to compare

I compare these two environments using simple aspects from what we observed, talking with different employees such as designers working on design systems, end-to-end products, product owners, and managers, from junior to staff designers as well.

One important difference is the type of work. In an agency, designers often work on multiple projects. These projects are usually short and also change often. Designers switch between different industries. For example, one week they design for healthcare, and the next week for e-commerce. In contrast, in a corporate environment, designers usually work on one product, but it is also possible to change teams and see different angles of the same product. They stay with it for a long time. It depends on the designer’s character which one fits better, and not necessarily on the seniority level.

Another difference is speed. Agency work is often fast and has tight deadlines. Designers must move quickly and adapt. In corporate companies, work can also be fast, especially in agile teams. However, it is often slower overall. This is because there are many stakeholders and communication takes more time, even important decisions need to wait.

Team structure is also different. In agencies, teams are usually smaller. People know each other well, and it is a great place for juniors to ask questions. In corporate environments, more people can mean more chaos, but it depends on the hierarchy and the strictness of roles. If you find a corporate where they care about mentorship, you are good to go forward on the career ladder.

Ownership is another key aspect. In agencies, designers often work on a project for a short time. Then they hand it over to the client. It might happen that they do not see the long-term results. In corporate UX, designers have long-term ownership. They work on the same product for years and can see how their decisions affect users over time.

The type of thinking is also different. In agencies, designers often need to pitch ideas, also because they must convince clients to choose their solutions. It is not only about delivering work, but also about keeping the level and winning projects. In corporate environments, designers are more involved in internal decisions, so they work closely with product teams. That’s why it is often called not a UX/UI designer but a “product designer” in the corporate field, because they are involved in large roadmaps and strategy, taking a wider perspective.

There is also a difference in product focus. Agencies can work on many types of products. Sometimes they specialize in a segment, but often they stay flexible. Corporate UX usually focuses on one specific product or a segmented product line.

It is important to emphasize that agency or corporate does not automatically mean better UX maturity. A company can be corporate but still have low UX maturity. For example, they may not have a research team, or it can happen that design departments become tighter as they focus more on development and management. On the other hand, an agency can have strong UX practices, real research, and a small team, while still knowing who to talk to even if the project has a bigger scope than usual. So this is not something we can clearly categorize.

Another interesting aspect is collaboration between these two worlds. Agencies can work with corporate companies. It is an interesting situation to work for one company but be involved in a corporate structure. It is a win-win situation when they succeed in bringing an outsider perspective. They can see problems in a new way and suggest new ideas. This often helps the corporate team to change and improve. At the same time, the agency gains experience. In contrast, corporate teams usually do not work inside other companies in the same way.

So, which one?

In conclusion, there is no clearly “better” place to work. Agency UX and corporate UX are simply different. Each has its own advantages and challenges. For beginner designers, the most important thing is to decide what they prefer. Do they like fast, varied work? Or do they prefer stability and long-term impact? Based on this, they should develop their skills. They should move toward the environment that fits them best. This matching process is very important for a successful career.

*****This article came from the conclusion of observing and interviewing several members from the following companies: Diligent, IBM, Exalt Interactive, Goto, OTP, Shapr3D, Mito.