If you're a startup, what you really want is people who can do all of the above. And even better if that person is you.
Obviously that is optimal, but I'd say if you are a startup you should get funding that will help you get the right people on your team instead of a jack of all trades.
> if you're a startup who can only hire 5-6 people
> you don't have that luxury.
Startups, any feedback on what has worked for you?
For many applications, design is relatively small as a portion of the project. UI, however, is ongoing.
They're not completely separate concepts. As a programmer, I can manage my own PC and Network. A user experience designer should be able to do graphic design just as easily. Different skills, but none the less related.
The idea that you can hire your way into good design / good user experience is pretty tough to implement though. If your founding team doesn't have a great visual and user experience designer to begin with, how are you going to evaluate the new hire? It's like a nontechnical founder hiring a software engineer. Can be done, but fraught with danger.