Frequently Asked Questions About Cecilia Kim Design Project Launch Framework
21 answers covering everything from basics to advanced usage.
// Basics
What exactly happens on a Design Discovery Call?
The Design Discovery Call extracts maximum context in one of the project's most important conversations. You capture what the product is at a fundamental level — the problem, audience, and differentiators — plus the client's feature ideas, any visual direction or references, existing brand assets, timeline and budget, and the decision-maker structure. It's fine if the client has no visual direction. Always follow up with a written summary to confirm both sides are aligned.
What are the different psychological goals for each project type?
Each project type has a distinct psychological frame that shapes every decision. Product design (mobile/web apps) aims to reduce cognitive load and friction. Landing pages aim for persuasion and removing hesitation. Branding aims for emotional connection and familiarity. Identifying the type in step one sets this frame, and for combined engagements you sequence branding first, then product UI, then the landing page.
What is industry design language and why does it matter?
Industry design language is the set of visual patterns users in a specific space expect — blue and white space for fintech trust, purple and deep blue for sleep apps, neon dark mode for crypto, soft gradients for AI, bright approachable colors for health and education. Knowing these conventions lets you choose intentionally whether to follow or break them. Breaking conventions should always be purposeful, never accidental.
Can I use this framework for internal (non-freelance) projects?
Yes. Although it's ideal for freelance client onboarding, the same phase separation works for internal teams. Run discovery with your stakeholders, gather UI inspiration and mood boards, align on visual direction, lock branding and UI, then move into feature brain dumps, MVP refinement, flows, and wireframes. Internal projects still benefit from early alignment and intentional convention use — and structured feedback rounds still prevent endless internal scope drift.
// How To
How do I organize a Screenshot Frenzy into something a client can react to?
After saving everything, divide your references into clear, named directions — like 'clean and minimal,' 'colorful and bold,' or 'dark mode high contrast.' Organize them in Figma into labeled sections, one per direction, with notes to guide the client. Walk them through each direction in a meeting and let them react. Never dump hundreds of raw screenshots without a framework — that overwhelms clients and gives them no basis for decisions.
How many UI mockup options should I present to a client?
Create approximately three to five UI mockup explorations. This gives the client real choices without overwhelming them. These aren't fully designed screens with real content — they're concrete executions of the chosen direction that vary color balance, typography hierarchy, shape language, shadow weight, and information density. Expect the client to mix and match elements across options; that's normal and helps them build vocabulary for exactly what they want.
How do I map a screen flow before wireframing?
Create a simple diagram with screens as labeled boxes and arrows showing navigation paths — for example, product viewed → add to cart → cart → payment → confirm → confirmation. Each box is a screen, each arrow is a user action. Use the map to spot missing steps and unnecessary ones. Fixing gaps and confusion at this stage is far cheaper than after wireframes are built.
How do I run the Feature Brain Dump without letting scope explode?
First, capture everything without judgment — every dream idea and competitor feature the client admires — so they feel heard and the full vision is on the table. Then, separately, refine to the MVP: only the three-to-five core features required to launch. Frame cuts as strategic sequencing, not deletion — those features can come later, built on real user feedback rather than assumptions.
What tools does this framework recommend and when do I use each?
Use Mobin for real shipped products filtered by app, screen type, industry, or UI pattern; Dribbble and Behance for polished and case-study inspiration; Twitter, Spotted, and Prod for live UI. Use Pinterest for abstract mood boards, Figma to organize directions and design, Figma Community for full brand systems, fonts.google.com for typography exploration, and Framer templates for landing page layout and animation.
// Troubleshooting
What do I do when a client can't articulate what they want?
Assume this is the default — clients know what they want only when they see it. Instead of expecting a perfect brief, show them curated visual directions and mood boards so they can react to real options. A client who can't describe a UI style can still point to a mood board and say 'this feels correct' or 'too cold.' Your job is to guide reactions, not extract a spec.
What if the client keeps requesting changes after wireframes are approved?
Rely on your contract's revision terms. Specify how many revision rounds are included per phase and what counts as a revision versus a new feature request. Collect feedback in structured rounds rather than accepting endless small changes. Additional revisions beyond the agreed rounds are billed separately. This protects your time while still keeping you flexible for the iteration that design naturally requires.
What if a color that looked great in the mockup fails on a real screen?
This is expected and minor. When you apply the locked UI direction to approved wireframes, small tweaks are normal — a color that shined on a clean mockup may not work on a dense information screen, and spacing often needs adjustment once everything is in place. Because the big decisions were made and approved earlier, these are adjustments, not major surprises. Check in with the client after a few main screens.
What if the client insists on breaking industry conventions?
First make sure both of you actually know the conventions — the norms users in that category already understand. Breaking them is fine when it's a purposeful choice to stand out, but reinventing patterns users already understand without a clear reason creates unnecessary friction. Walk the client through the trade-offs so the decision is intentional, and use Mobin to show how comparable products handle the pattern.
// Comparisons
How is this framework different from a generic client onboarding checklist?
A generic checklist collects requirements; this framework sequences the entire creative process to prevent rework. It enforces strict UI/UX separation, mandates locking branding and visual direction before UX, and front-loads alignment through curated inspiration reviews that give clients ownership. Where a checklist ends at kickoff, this method carries through discovery, inspiration, mood boards, mockups, feature brain dumps, MVP refinement, flows, and wireframes with a clear order.
How does locking UI before UX compare to designing them together?
Designing UI and UX together forces you to solve aesthetics and structure simultaneously, which produces confusion and surprises when an unapproved look meets a finished layout. Locking UI first means wireframes handle only structure and the final combine phase applies an already-approved visual language — so there are no major surprises. You're never trying to do two things at once, and the process is faster and cleaner.
How do mood boards compare to UI screenshots for client alignment?
UI screenshots align on concrete interface aesthetics — actual colors, shadows, and typography you might emulate. Mood boards align on emotion — should the product feel cozy, professional, or energetic — using photography, textures, and palettes rather than screens. Screenshots suit clients who can react to interfaces; mood boards reach clients who can't name a UI style but respond to feeling. Used together, they replace vague words with shared references.
// Advanced
How should I sequence a combined branding, app, and landing page engagement?
Sequence branding first, then product UI and UX, then the landing page. Branding sets the foundational color palette, typography, and logo that everything else applies. Once branding is locked, use those exact assets for the app UI exploration with no color guessing, then run the feature brain dump, MVP refinement, screen flow, and wireframes. Design the landing page last, applying the finished brand identity for a cohesive, recognizable page.
How do I structure a landing page's sections using the UX lens?
Start by defining the single primary goal — app downloads, waitlist signups, demo bookings, education, or lead generation — because it dictates every section. Then sequence sections so they build top to bottom, and anticipate visitor objections directly on the page: Why trust this company? What makes it different? How much does it cost? What do others think? Is it easy to use? Only after structure is set do you apply the UI lens and brand identity.
What state screens should I create when combining UI and UX?
Beyond the main screens, create all additional states: error states, empty states, loading states, and success states. These are easy to forget but essential for a product that feels real and handles edge cases gracefully. Add them during the combine phase, after you've applied the locked UI direction to approved wireframes, and confirm direction with the client after finishing a few main screens.
How do I build a full brand system after finalizing a logo?
Once the logo is locked, build outward: a color palette of primary and secondary colors across all touchpoints, a typography system with headline, body, and special applications plus usage guidelines, logo variations (full logo, simplified icon, light/dark versions), and scoped extras like tagline, illustration style, photography direction, iconography, and motion principles. Reference full brand systems on Figma Community — Airbnb, Uber, Google — to see how elements work together.
Why is a written follow-up summary after discovery so important?
Verbal alignment isn't enough — memory drifts and expectations diverge. A written summary after the Discovery Call captures the product definition, features, visual direction, constraints, and decision-maker structure so both sides are fully aligned in writing before any work begins. Skipping it is a common pitfall that leads to disputes later. It's your record of scope and the foundation for revision terms and MVP conversations.