Common Design Challenges for Early-Stage Startups and How to Overcome Them

Building a successful startup requires more than just a great idea—it demands a well-designed product that resonates with users.

However, early-stage startups often face significant design challenges when developing their first prototype, from limited resources to unclear user needs.

To explore the most common design pitfalls and how to overcome them, we spoke with Marina Chernyshova, a Helsinki-based product designer and mentor.

With extensive experience working with startups at various stages—including mentoring at Bocconi for Innovation and Women in Big Data—Marina shares valuable insights on the role of design in early product development, the best tools for collaboration, and practical steps to create a user-friendly prototype without a dedicated designer.

Let’s dive in!

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Hello Marina, could you tell us a little about yourself? What experience do you have working with early-stage startups as well as more mature ones?

My name is Marina Chernyshova, and I’m based in Helsinki. I am a product designer and mentor in this field. Last year, I completed the Women in Big Data international programme as a mentor. I have also mentored through Meander and as part of the B4i – Bocconi for Innovation programme. I primarily work on complex web and mobile apps in the B2B space, but I’m also particularly interested in EdTech and HealthTech.

I have always been involved in multiple startups at various stages, both as a designer and a mentor. I love working with startups because it’s a great way to meet inspiring people full of ideas and enthusiasm. I usually learn a lot from them—both about the field they’re working in and about product development itself.

The workflow with startups is always dynamic and fast-paced, and you can quickly see the impact of your contributions. It’s really valuable to take part in such projects from time to time to avoid burnout from a traditional job.

Do you think a startup necessarily needs a designer, or is it possible to build a first prototype without one?

I believe design can be a strong competitive advantage. A product designer does more than just move pixels—they also conduct design research, which influences other areas of product development. I like participating in interviews with potential users and conducting competitor analysis. Based on that, a designer can create a Customer Journey Map (CJM)—a visual representation of a user’s interactions with your product—and persona cards, which depict fictional characters representing key user segments.

So, in short, having a designer even at an early stage is beneficial, as it provides valuable insights into the market and customers.

However, early-stage startups often lack the resources to hire additional team members. In such cases, the role of a designer can be taken on by a founder or another team member. You don’t need deep professional design skills to create an initial prototype—both research and basic design can be done by anyone who understands the idea, has some familiarity with design tools, and is willing to dedicate time to it. Ready-made templates and assets, such as those available in the Figma community, can also help.

Ideally, I’d recommend hiring a part-time designer. But if that’s not an option, founders can seek mentorship through accelerator programmes, where experienced designers can provide guidance on resources and the first steps in prototyping.

What backgrounds should the people working on the prototype have? Does it always require technical expertise?

Companies often categorise people into rigid roles, which can prevent individuals from fully utilising their skills. But when given the opportunity, hidden strengths can emerge and thrive. Collaboration between specialists from different fields fosters learning and inspiration.

The required skill set depends on the complexity of the product. For instance, if you’re developing something powered by machine learning, you’ll likely need a data scientist. However, even for highly technical products, having visionary people who can find the perfect product-market fit is crucial.

From my experience, there’s no strict requirement for technical backgrounds when working on an MVP. Sometimes, industry-specific experience or personal pain points are more valuable than technical skills alone. Many successful tech products were founded by individuals without technical expertise. For example, Replika AI was co-founded by Eugenia Kuyda, a journalist, and Canva was co-founded by Melanie Perkins, who studied communications, psychology, and commerce.

Ideally, you need both creative and logical thinkers—two different mindsets that work best together. Over time, analytical team members can start suggesting innovative ideas, while creative people gain a better understanding of technical constraints. A multidisciplinary team isn’t about sticking to fixed roles—it’s about breaking those barriers.

What are the most common challenges startup teams face when building their first prototypes?

From my experience, startups in the early stages typically face four major challenges:

1. Lack of a clear vision and well-defined objectives – Without a strong vision and clear goals, MVP development can become unfocused, leading to a product that fails to meet user needs or business objectives.
2. Insufficient user research – Skipping thorough user research can result in a product that doesn’t address real problems, reducing its relevance and appeal. Research provides crucial insights into user behaviours, needs, and pain points.
3. Product overcomplication – Adding too many features too soon can blur the product’s core value proposition and delay development. Feature creep often stems from poor prioritisation and a desire to include everything at once. This can lead to a bloated product that confuses users and makes key functionalities harder to access.
4. Lack of effective collaboration – Misaligned goals, inefficient workflows, and poor communication can result in a disjointed product. In early-stage development, strong collaboration between different teams is crucial. Without it, silos can form, leading to inconsistencies and miscommunication.

Challenges #2 and #3 are closely tied to the work of designers and product managers. Having a designer to guide product development is essential.

How can startups minimise these challenges?

I recommend several strategies:

• Establish a clear vision – Define the problem your product solves, identify your target users, and articulate how your product stands out. Spending time on preliminary research is invaluable—methods like user interviews and personas can help.
• Prioritise features wisely – Creating a Customer Journey Map (CJM) and User Flow helps determine which features should be prioritised in the MVP. After conducting user interviews, CJMs highlight the most critical user pain points, while User Flow maps out the product’s logic and development scope.
• Use effective collaboration tools – Notion, Slack, Monday, and other project management tools help teams stay aligned. Regular check-ins—whether daily or weekly—foster clear communication.

I even wrote an article breaking these techniques down in simpler terms, which is available on Hackernoon.

How should teams organise prototype development? Any tools or programmes that improve transparency and flexibility?

I usually recommend starting with wireframes. To save time, teams can use ready-made assets—like this one—that resemble a real interface but avoid distractions such as colours and fonts. In the early stages, a simple and logical user flow is more important than visual polish. The UI should look good, but design refinements can come later.

Prototypes are much more informative than static screens. They feel closer to the real user experience and allow for more realistic testing, leading to better feedback. Figma has great prototyping features that are easy to learn.

For collaboration, Miro and FigJam work well, while simple task trackers like Trello or Todoist help document discussions and action points.

How should teams collect and implement feedback from early users?

Gathering feedback through surveys, user interviews, and analytics is crucial. Combining qualitative and quantitative insights provides a fuller picture.

Here are my recommendations:

1. Identify common patterns – Don’t act on isolated opinions. If multiple users report the same issue, it likely needs attention. Prioritise feedback based on impact and feasibility.
2. Make small, iterative improvements – Rapid prototyping and incremental updates allow for quick testing and adjustments. Use A/B testing or usability tests before rolling out major changes.
3. Maintain transparency – Keep users informed about updates and show them that their feedback matters. This builds trust and encourages engagement.

I hope my insights make the prototyping process feel less overwhelming. The key is to avoid overcomplicating design in the early stages and to back up your decisions with user feedback.

Wishing all startups resilience on their journey—embrace small challenges, avoid perfectionism, and focus on progress over polish. Even the most mature products always have room for improvement!