Hello! This is the XDesigner, Japanese designer agent service, editorial department. We would like to introduce information  about hiring designers and outsourcing design in Japan. 

In Japan, the demand for web and application design is increasing and more and more  companies are looking to hire designers. In this situation, we recommend you to reduce the cost of hiring  designers by outsourcing. 

However, since the skills and quality vary greatly from designer to designer, it is necessary to  know the appropriate price before offering. 

This article introduces the price quotes for outsourced designers. Please refer to this article if  you are considering hiring a talented freelance designer as an outsourced designer in Japan. 

Price for outsourcing to designers

 The cost range for outsourcing to a designer is as follows. 

DTP (graphic design for paper media)

DTP design is mainly graphic design for paper media using Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign,  etc. In a narrow sense, DTP is the process of converting data into print-ready data in the  printing process. 

Although the graphic designer is often involved in the entire process from design to  submission of the design, exhaustive skills are often required. 

Therefore, in DTP design, there is a demand for designers who have graphic design skills  using Illustrator and can do submission work, and the cost range is from 360,000 yen per month. 

Graphic design skills are widely sought after for website design and banners, and web  design skills are sometimes required as well. In such cases, the price is from 400,000 yen per month.

UI∕UX Design

UI∕UX design is mainly required for app development, and the respective tasks are as follows, 

• UI Design: Pursue easy-to-read and easy-to-use screens 
• UX Design: Optimizing user experience satisfaction

The outsourcing fee for UI design is about 300,000 yen to 500,000 yen for a 5-day work week.  400,000 yen per month is the market price for UX design. 

Web Design

Web design includes LP production, ad banner production, and icon design. Some projects  require coding, while others require graphic design, including DTP. 

For this reason, we offer a wide range of fees, from a minimum of 200,000 yen to a maximum of  800,000 yen per month. 

Two ways to contract with a designer

There are two types of contracts for outsourcing to designers Japan.

1. Work contract
2. Quasi-assignment contract

The term "outsourcing" does not indicate the type of contract.  In Japanese law, there  are two types of contracts for outsourcing: "work contract" and "quasi-assignment  contract". 

1.Work contract 

Work contract is a type of contract in which remuneration is generated by the completion of a  certain work. The contractor (client) does not have the right to direct the work, so there is no  question of the process, such as how the work was carried out or how many hours were  spent on it. 

When a contract agreement is concluded, the contractor is obligated to complete the  entrusted work. Therefore, if the subcontractor fails to deliver the work by the specified date,  the client has the right to terminate the contract or claim compensation for damages. 

In the event of any defects or deficiencies in the delivered work, the subcontractor is obliged to  correct them. 

2. Quasi-assignment contract 

In a quasi-assignment contract, the client pays for the performance of the work. In this case,  the number of hours spent on the work will be used to determine the amount  of compensation. 

Paying by the hour is almost always required, so hourly rates must be established. 

The difference between a work contract and a quasi-assignment contract is that the subcontractor is not responsible for the completion of the deliverables and for the quality of the  deliverables. 

Advantages of outsourcing

There are four advantages to using outsourced designers 

• Reduce recruitment costs 
• Order the work as much as necessary 
• Easy communication 
• Expect professional skills

1. Reduce recruitment costs

One of the biggest advantages of outsourcing is the reduction of recruitment costs.  Recruitment cost means the cost of posting advertisement for job seekers, fees for using  HR agent services, and human resource expenses which are generated  within the company for such recruitment activities in general. 

When looking for a designer in Japan, it costs a great deal of money to advertise on job ads and to use a HR agent service, even for new graduates and mid-career workers 

However, in the case of outsourcing, since orders can be placed on a project-by-project basis, expenses can be kept to just the necessary amount. 

Unlike employees, there is no need to pay for social insurance, bonus, or training costs. 

2. Order the work as much as necessary

If the design work is not continuous but temporary, the advantage of outsourcing is that the  amount of work can be ordered as needed. There is also the method of outsourcing to a  production company, but the cost of outsourcing to a company is much higher than outsourcing to a freelance designer.

However, by outsourcing to freelance designers, outsourcing costs do not increase, the  amount of work can be ordered as needed, and the production period can be easily  controlled by the client. 

3. Easy communication

If you utilize an outsourced designer, you will be able to communicate directly with the  designer. 

 If you can communicate directly with them and get a response, the overall production  process will be faster and more efficient as a result. 

4. Expect professional skills

Since the outsourcing partner will be a freelance designer, they often already have a wealth of  experience and accomplishments. 

We can expect to receive their professional skills. By bringing these  talented people into the company's operations, we can benefit from their know-how and  skills.

Ways to hire excellent designers for outsourcing

There are three ways to hire excellent designers in Japan. 

• Agent Services 
• Referrals and use of SNS 
• Crowdsourcing

In the case of hiring freelance designers for the first time in Japan, we recommend you to use a agent service. 

Since the know-how required for  outsourcing, such as the preparation of contracts, has not yet been accumulated within the  company, it is more efficient to employ designers by using a service that supports contracts in Japan. 

Agent Services

Agent service is a service where  staff assigned to each company to introduce  the right people who meet the requirements of the position. The agent will check the skills  and track record of the people registered with the service and suggest suitable candidates. 

It makes it easier to find the right people and reduces the number of recruiting hours. 

Support is also available in the drafting and conclusion of  contracts, so recommended for companies that are new to outsourcing designers in Japan.

Referrals and use of SNS

You can also use your friends and business associates to introduce you to designers. 

The advantage is that the intermediary connects both the company and the designer with a  good understanding of each other, making it easier to match the two parties. 

However, the timing of referrals is dependent on the intermediary and is therefore less reliable. 

Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing sites are web services that provide a place for matching people with open  positions. 

 On the crowdsourcing site, you can post your job openings on  the service page for a certain period of time, and the company will decide who to hire from  among the applicants gathered during that time. 

Crowdsourcing sites are characterized by the large number of registered users and the ease  with which applications can be gathered. 

However, since the posting period is fixed in terms of the distance, it is difficult to control the accuracy of  the recruitment process. 

Things to keep in mind when hiring a  designer on an outsourced basis 

When hiring a designer on an outsourced basis, keep the following points in mind

• Clarify the requested work
• Draw up a contract 

Clarify the requested work 

In the case of outsourcing, clearly define the work you would like to request  to the designer.  By clarifying what kind of design work you have in-house and what kind of work you would  like to request to an outsider, it will be easier to attract applicants with the necessary skills  for the work. 

Draw up a contract 

Prepare a written contract and obtain agreement from the outsourced designer before  starting work. Although you are not obligated to prepare a contract, a written agreement can  help you avoid various problems and risks. 

If you are not comfortable drafting contracts in Japanese, you can use XDesigner for  support. 

If you want to outsource your work to a talented  designer, XDesigner is the place to go. 

In the case of a quasi-assignment contract, the most common cost per month is 300,000 to  500,000 yen. 

If you are looking for a talented freelance designer, contact the agency service "XDesigner”. 

XDesigner is Japan's largest agency service specializing in designers, and holds more than 7,000 freelance designers with specific and expert skills who have passed a rigorous  screening process.

We can introduce suitable  designers based on their portfolio and past project evaluations according to the your  needs. 

Please contact us by clicking on the link  below.

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