A project is as good as the nature of the person who does it. So the most critical decision comes before the design itself: who you're going to work with. The wrong start is the most expensive correction.
Some signs are obvious from the beginning. Someone whose portfolio is similar, every job is 'modern' but none of them are original; who never mentions the process, research, user; who promises only 'quick and cheap', probably commands a vehicle. These people lack the experience of product development, getting a job on the air and seeing the results.
When choosing the right designer, a few questions reveal everything: Why did you do this job? What alternatives did you eliminate? What happened after publishing it? If the answers point to a process, you are in the right place; you are not coming up with answers like 'for aesthetics'.
The right thing to do with the right man, your brand, your budget, and your time are valued in the hands of the knower, not the experimenter.