A product design studio that works inside your team.
We're a product design studio. We embed with product and engineering teams to design software that's simple where it should be simple and powerful where it needs to be - grounded in real user research, not guesswork.
What's included
- User research and journey mapping
- Information architecture and flow design
- High-fidelity UI across web and app
- Usability testing and iteration
What we don't do
- Engineering and development
- Business strategy and market consulting
- Brand identity creation
- Post-launch analytics reporting
How we work
Understand
We learn the product, the market, and your users, and agree the problem worth solving first.
Define
We turn research into a clear brief: who it's for, the key flows, and what success looks like.
Design
We design the flows and screens, working in the open with your product and engineering team.
Validate
We test with users and refine based on what we see.
Ship
We stay through handoff and design QA, so what ships matches what was designed.
What it costs
Three ways to scope it, with a fixed price agreed before we start. Here is how each compares with what agencies typically quote.
Sprint
Five days to test one idea.
- Mellon
- $4,500 – $13,500
- Typical agency
- $5,000 – $15,000
- Typical timeline
- 1 week
Request thisWhat you get Mellon Typical agency Problem framing workshop Included Included Rapid prototype Included Included Test with five users Included Extra cost Findings and next-step plan Included Included MVP
A first release, around 15–25 screens.
- Mellon
- $13,500 – $31,500
- Typical agency
- $15,000 – $35,000
- Typical timeline
- 5–8 weeks
Request thisWhat you get Mellon Typical agency Research and discovery Included Extra cost Flows and information architecture Included Included High-fidelity UI Included Included Interactive prototype Included Included Developer handoff Included Extra cost Weekly calls with the lead designer Included Fortnightly, via a project manager Platform
A multi-product platform with a design system.
- Mellon
- $31,500 – $110,000
- Typical agency
- $35,000 – $120,000
- Typical timeline
- 3–6 months
Request thisWhat you get Mellon Typical agency Research and product strategy Included Included Design system Included Extra cost Web and mobile layouts Included Priced per platform Usability testing rounds Included Extra cost Accessibility review Included Extra cost 60 days of support Included Not included
Prefer to pay by the hour or the month?
By the hour
Small jobs, fixes and work you cannot scope yet. Pay only for the hours used.
- Mellon
- $40 per hour
- Typical agency
- $100 – $150 per hour
- Senior designer, no juniors
- Billed in 30-minute steps
- Hours report every week
- Move to a fixed price if the scope settles
Monthly retainer
Best valueOngoing design work with hours reserved for you every month.
Quoted after a short call
- 40 hours reserved every month
- Weekly check-in call
- Priority turnaround on requests
- Unused hours roll over for one month
Prices are in USD, before tax, and show the usual range for each scope. Agency figures are typical ranges from published 2026 pricing guides. Your quote depends on screens, pages and complexity.
Frequently asked questions
What does a product design studio do?
We design software products end to end: research, flows, interface, and testing, in step with your product and engineering team.
How is product design different from UI/UX design?
UI/UX design covers the interface and its flows. Product design starts earlier, with the problem and the product's direction, and carries through to shipped software.
Can you embed with our team?
Yes. We work alongside your product managers and engineers, in your tools and your planning rhythm.
Do you work on new products or existing ones?
Both. We design new products from the first concept and improve existing ones where users struggle.
How do you work with engineering?
Through shared Figma files, a component library, and design QA on the build.
How do you price product design?
Clearly scoped work is a fixed project fee, and continuous product design is a monthly retainer. We scope it with you after a short call.