How to Build Strong Client-Agency Relationship for Collaboration

In UX/UI design, a strong client-agency relationship isn’t just “nice to have”. It’s the foundation of successful projects. At 55 Minutes, we’ve had the privilege of working on meaningful projects with great clients. HeyHi’s rebrand and merger with Smartjen and SpudnikLab’s accessibility-focused D.Lit add-on deck are good examples of how mutual respect, thoughtful communication, and collaboration result in better outcomes for everyone involved. Here’s what we’ve learned from these partnerships.

1. Start with Clarity

Every partnership should start with alignment. Before diving into research or strategy, we work with clients to align on goals, scope, timelines, priorities, and responsibilities.

With HeyHi, a Singapore-based edtech company undergoing a merger with Smartjen, clarity meant understanding not only the design objectives, but also the product implications and platform integrations required. 

SpudnikLab’s D.Lit project entailed creating an expansion pack for an existing deck of cards aimed at increasing digital literacy among seniors. In this project, we started by understanding the existing D.Lit infrastructure and defining how the add-on cards should fit in.

Establishing these foundations ensured that we could move forward with a shared understanding and allowed us to identify and plan for risks early.

2. Communicate Proactively and Purposefully

Strong relationships require intentional, client-centric communication.

We always begin projects by asking our clients about their preferred communication style. Both HeyHi and SpudnikLab indicated that WhatsApp was their preferred tool for day-to-day updates due to its speed and accessibility. To meet that need, we set up dedicated WhatsApp channels for each project while being sure to use email for official communications (like deliverable acceptance or scope clarifications) to maintain clear documentation and avoid confusion.

Another key principle: Never leave a client waiting for answers. If a question comes in and we don’t have the answer right away, we always let them know we’re working on it and give an estimate for when they’ll hear back. That small courtesy builds trust and avoids unnecessary frustration.

3. Know Who Should Speak and When

One of the most nuanced aspects of project communication is knowing when the Project Manager (PM) should be the go-between and when it’s more effective for team members to connect directly.

For HeyHi, design discussions often became highly technical and layered, especially given the challenge of merging two complex platforms. To ensure precision and save time, we enabled direct communication between designers on both teams, using collaborative tools like Figma for real-time design iteration and joint design review meetings to tackle complex workflows together.

Conversely, with SpudnikLab, moments where project direction or scope was shifting, such as when new user needs emerged during early testing, required a more strategic approach. In those moments, the PM stepped in to facilitate alignment, ensure stakeholders understood the trade-offs, and help maintain momentum without derailing the project.

4. Turning Conversations into Actionable Feedback

Setting clear expectations for each client meeting is key to gathering relevant, actionable feedback, especially in complex, evolving projects.

With HeyHi, there were multiple stakeholders and shifting priorities throughout the duration of the project, so we made it a point to outline the objective of each meeting beforehand, whether it was validating brand direction or aligning on user flows post-merger. By sharing agendas in advance and specifying the type of feedback needed, we helped both teams to stay focused and efficient during discussions.

To avoid feedback overload in the research-heavy D.Lit project with SpudnikLab, we took a focused, phased approach by dedicating each meeting to a specific aspect of the product. One session was all about the supporting materials like the instruction sheet and facilitator guide, while another zeroed in on the cards themselves. By narrowing the scope of each discussion, we created space for deeper, more meaningful feedback, which helped us to design each component with greater clarity and intention.

5. Ask the Hard Questions

For one of our projects, we hit a stumbling block midway through that taught us a valuable lesson. The engagement started well with clear objectives, engaged stakeholders, and a strong foundation. But as the platform designs progressed, it became clear that something critical had been overlooked: a mobile-responsive function.

The additional function was a reasonable inclusion into the project but for our team, it raised big questions: How much additional UI work would be required? Would timelines shift? What would it mean for manpower allocation? Re-aligning scope and expectations mid-project created frustration. To the client, this was essential and urgent, and we had to navigate how to incorporate it without compromising other parts of the timeline.

Unlike items that are in scope (which are typically documented in great detail), areas that are out of scope are more difficult to identify and therefore often mentioned too briefly or left vague. But those are exactly the things that need more clarity, not less.

Now, when discussing scope, we make it a point to clarify early and often. We ask more questions. We talk through edge cases and hypothetical scenarios. We try to identify not just what's in the plans, but what might happen halfway through. No question is too small, and no contingency is too insignificant to discuss.

This approach builds confidence and lets everyone navigate changes with less friction and more empathy.

Final Thoughts

At the heart of all strong relationships is a simple principle: keep the client’s best interest in mind, not just while designing, but in how we communicate, prioritise, and lead.

This means:

• Adapting our communication to their needs

• Ensuring they’re never left in the dark

• Balancing efficiency with documentation

• Being honest when a change in direction is needed

• Structuring conversations intentionally and effectively

At 55 Minutes, we believe the best UX/UI work happens when clients and agencies work as one team. Strong client-agency collaboration doesn’t just simplify the process, it also strengthens the outcomes. By communicating with empathy, clarity, and responsiveness, we’ve helped clients like HeyHi and SpudnikLab bring their visions to life through meaningful design.

Looking for a UX/UI partner who works with you, not just for you?
Let’s chat about how we can collaborate. Reach out to us at hello@55mins.com