UX UI design careers

Research and analysis

Before ever designing a screen or interface, it's important to understand the problem being solved and figure out who the users are. Gathering requirements is a part of the beginning of every project.

Information Architecture

Information architecture encompasses structural design, organization, and labeling of websites, intranets, mobile applications, and social media software. Information architecture aims to organize content so that it is easy to find and use.

Content strategy

Content strategy refers to satisfying business requirements through content creation and distribution. This includes the words on the page as well as the images and multimedia.

Wireframing

A wireframe is a simple illustration of a page's interface. It focuses on the layout, content, function, and behavior. Wireframes should be quick to make and quick to revise, so they do not typically include any styling, color, or graphics.

Prototyping

A prototype is a preliminary version or draft of a product that allows a user to click through the product. It simulates how the software will work before money and time is invested in developing the actual product. A prototype can be either low fidelity with linked-together wireframes, or high fidelity with pixel-perfect mockups.

Usability Testing

Usability testing entails evaluating a product or service by testing it with different users. Participants will try to complete tasks while the UX designer observes, takes notes, and sometimes asks questions. Testing the product with a prototype allows usability issues to be identified and fixed before the product is built.

Accessibility

Accessibility is about designing for everyone. Evaluating accessibility will involve analyzing how well products, devices, services, or environments have been designed for people who experience disabilities. A good UX designer makes sure that their designs are usable by as many people as possible.

Visual Design

Visual design includes the aesthetics of a site and strategic implementation of images, colors, typography, and other elements. Successful visual design engages users and helps to build trust and interest in the brand.

Communication

Communication is vital in any UX/UI role. Designers are responsible for explaining and defending design decisions to their own team as well as to other departments.

Flexibility

Flexibility is vital; you will encounter differing points of view, and feedback and revisions are part of the process. Don't get too attached to your first design, because there may be a better solution or a technical limitation that makes an idea difficult.

Empathy

Empathy is an important skill for any UXer. You'll need to understand what a user's goals are and explore how to help them accomplish their goals.

Curiosity

Curiosity is crucial because learning will be an ongoing process and it's helpful to keep an open mind. UX designers are constantly learning and adapting to new standards and information.

Product Designer

Product designer is an ambiguous role that varies from workplace to workplace. It tends to include all aspects of product design, from user experience to interface design. Product designers and UX designers often hold the same responsibilities and need the same skill sets.

Key skills to know: Content strategy, sketching, prototyping, high-fidelity prototyping, storyboarding, scope definition, user interviews, survey design, data analysis, usability testing

Frontend Designer

Frontend web development brings together programming and layout in order to create a website's visual identity and interactions. A frontend designer programs the interface that UX and UI designers ideated, sketched, and prototyped. Frontend designers often work on diverse teams with UX and UI designers, and they are integral to realizing the UX/UI work. Although programming will not be the focus of this program, you will have the option to specialize in frontend design and start building skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—which will help you to land a frontend job or a UX job that requires frontend skills.

Key skills to know: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JavaScript frameworks

UX engineer

The UX engineer is an emerging, multiskilled role that bridges UX design with frontend development. It is similar to the frontend designer, with a slightly different emphasis. Although most UX designers won't do any major development work, the UX engineer is likely a frontend developer, first and foremost, who has developed their UX skills. (In fact, sometimes the terms "frontend developer" and "UX engineer" are interchangeable.) They usually prototype in HTML and CSS, and they're able to easily communicate and transcribe UX work to development teams and vice versa.

Key skills to know: Strong frontend development expertise, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

T Shaped Designer

a super-skilled UX researcher who also knows enough frontend and UI that they can work alongside their diverse team of colleagues and help where needed

User Experience Researcher

A user experience researcher is someone who empathizes with the user and tries to understand their needs, behaviors, and motivations. A UX researcher is a multiteam player. They usually work alongside an array of other people, from business analysts to marketing teams, as they strive to align organizational goals and user needs. UX researchers often work on diverse teams that include UI and UX designers as well.

Key skills to know: User interviews, survey design, data analysis, usability testing

Interaction designer

Interaction designers focus on how a user interacts with a product and how they experience using it. This role focuses on designing the details of an interface, including movement, animation, user flows, and visual aesthetics.

Key skills to know: Visual design, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, animation

User interface designer

User interface (UI) design establishes the look, feel, and experience of a product. From layout and placement to the visual nitty-gritty such as buttons, colors, and fonts, UI designers occupy a unique niche under the user experience canopy. Many organizations combine UX and UI design into a single role.

Key skills to know: Visual design, user interface patterns, typography, layout best practices, color theory

UX engineer

The UX engineer is an emerging, multiskilled role that bridges UX design with frontend development. It is similar to the frontend designer, with a slightly different emphasis. Although most UX designers won't do any major development work, the UX engineer is likely a frontend developer, first and foremost, who has developed their UX skills. (In fact, sometimes the terms "frontend developer" and "UX engineer" are interchangeable.) They usually prototype in HTML and CSS, and they're able to easily communicate and transcribe UX work to development teams and vice versa.

Key skills to know: Strong frontend development expertise, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

UX Designer

UX designers often perform some or all of the above roles, depending on the size of the company and team structure. It is a multifaceted job title that presents unique challenges. UX designers act as intermediaries; they advocate between different departments, teams, and stakeholders. They communicate complex concepts in terms that others can understand. A UX designer is responsible for knowing how a website or application functions, as well as how a user interacts with it. They must be able to communicate with end users, listen and respond with empathy, and quickly change strategy based on feedback. They are armed with some basic knowledge of information architecture, frontend code, and the capabilities of backend. And they must bridge the gap between functionality and visual design, while responding with agility to critique and remaining flexible and open minded to different solutions.

What questions should UX designer asked themselves?

UX design concerns the way that users interact with an application, website, or other type of product or program. It focuses on the user's onscreen and off-screen experience. And it deals with the following questions: Is it easy and intuitive? Does it save the person's time?