Compare Freelance Proposals for a Project
Design a two-sided hiring flow that lets a business compare freelancer proposals, agree on milestones, and fund work safely.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
Freelance marketplaces must turn an incomplete project need into comparable proposals. Price alone does not reflect scope, availability, relevant experience, or payment risk.
User context
Leo needs a developer to build an interactive product demo in six weeks. He has received eight proposals with different assumptions and milestone structures.
Product problem
Clients struggle to compare non-equivalent offers, while freelancers need protection from unbounded revisions and unpaid work.
Objective
Create project posting, proposal comparison, contract clarification, and milestone funding.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Structured project brief with budget and constraints
- Comparable proposal shortlist
- Proposal detail with assumptions and questions
- Milestone agreement and funded start
Screens and states
- Project brief
- Proposal inbox
- Proposal comparison
- Contract review
- Milestone funding
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Leo publishes a brief with deliverables and deadline
- 02
He shortlists three proposals using relevant experience and availability
- 03
He compares scope, exclusions, timing, and price
- 04
He clarifies revision limits with one freelancer
- 05
Both approve milestones and Leo funds the first one
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Show where proposals interpret the brief differently
- Keep private client notes separate from freelancer communication
- Support questions without requiring unpaid speculative work
- Make deliverables, revisions, dates, and acceptance criteria explicit
- Explain funding, release, cancellation, and dispute terms
- Preserve an auditable agreement version
Constraints
- Freelancers and clients may use different currencies and time zones
- Some work cannot be estimated precisely before discovery
- Marketplace fees differ by contract type
- Portfolio examples may be confidential
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Design five desktop screens from project framing through proposal comparison and funded agreement.
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.
Nixie One & Libre Baskerville
Clear interface writing gives people the confidence to understand what changed and decide what to do next.
Nixie One & Libre Baskerville
Clear interface writing gives people the confidence to understand what changed and decide what to do next.