What Does a UX Designer Do?
User experience (UX) designers focus on enhancing the interaction between people and products. Discover the benefits of pursuing a career in UX design.
Whenever you engage with a product or service, you're experiencing user experience. This could involve using a mobile app, navigating a website, trying out a physical product like new running shoes, or utilizing a service, such as checking into a hotel or riding public transportation.
User experience (UX) encompasses all elements of this interaction. Recall your last encounter with a new product. Were you able to complete your task successfully? How simple was the process? What emotions did it evoke? UX design aims to create products and services that are not only easy to use but also effective and enjoyable.
By achieving this goal, you cultivate loyal customers who will recommend the product or service to their friends and family.
What is a UX Designer?
A UX designer is responsible for ensuring that a product or service is user-friendly, enjoyable, and accessible. Although many companies focus on designing user experiences, the term is predominantly linked to digital design, particularly for websites and applications. While the specific design process may differ from one product or company to another, the fundamental phases of design typically remain consistent.
The Vocabulary of UX Design
Before we explore the fundamentals of UX design, it's beneficial to clarify some key terms you are likely to encounter in this field. Here are ten essential terms to help you get started:
A/B Testing: A technique for comparing two variations of a product or service to determine which one performs better.
Accessibility: The principle that ensures a product or service can be used by individuals of all abilities, regardless of their circumstances.
Card Sort: An activity in which participants categorize information into logical groups to aid in developing the information architecture.
End User: The individual who will utilize the finished product or service once it is purchased.
Human-Computer Interaction: A discipline focused on the design of computer technology and the relationship between humans and computers.
Information Architecture: The organized structure of information that enhances its clarity and usability.
Mockup: A detailed visual representation of how the final webpage or application is expected to appear.
Persona: A fictional character that embodies your ideal customer, helping you understand their needs, goals, and behaviors.
Prototype: A preliminary model or simulation of the final product used for testing and feedback collection.
User Flow: A visual representation outlining each step a user takes while interacting with a product or service.
Wireframe: A simplified layout of a webpage that omits visual design elements, focusing on prioritizing page components based on user requirements.
UX Designer Tasks and Responsibilities
As a user experience designer, your primary duty is to ensure the overall satisfaction of users with a product. Consider yourself the advocate for customers, consistently seeking opportunities to enhance their experience. Here are some of the tasks and responsibilities you may encounter during the design process:
Understand the User and the Brand: Focus on identifying the problem you aim to solve for the user and how this aligns with the brand's objectives.
Conduct User Research: Determine user needs, goals, behaviors, and pain points. Tools for user research may include surveys, individual interviews, focus groups, or A/B testing. In some organizations, a UX researcher will lead this effort.
Analyze Your Findings: At this stage, create user personas based on your research to help pinpoint the most crucial aspects of the product or service. Begin mapping out the user flow.
Design: As you start developing the design, create site maps, wireframes, or prototypes to provide you and your team with a clearer vision of the final product. At this point, a user interface (UI) designer will incorporate visual and interface elements.
Conduct User Testing: Validate your design by observing how actual users interact with the product or service (usability testing). Identify any design issues and devise solutions.
- Present Your Work: Share your design solutions with your client or company.
Essential Skills for a UX Designer
UX designers utilize a diverse set of technical and workplace skills to successfully launch a product or service (or enhance an existing one). Many of these skills can be transferred from other fields, so even if you’re new to UX design, you may have already developed some. By focusing on these essential skills, you can establish a solid foundation for your career.
Workplace Skills
Communication Skills: Effective communication is crucial for interviewing users and presenting your solutions to clients or management. Consider taking the "Improving Communication Skills" course at UPenn Wharton to enhance your communication abilities.
Empathy:This skill allows you to approach problems and solutions from the user's perspective, ensuring that their needs are prioritized.
Collaboration Skills: Being able to work harmoniously with your team is vital. Collaboration involves accepting feedback, exploring solutions together, and utilizing each team member's expertise.
Critical Thinking:This encourages you to question assumptions and innovate new solutions. You can improve your critical thinking skills through the course offered by UC Davis.
Technical Skills
Research: Conducting interviews, surveys, and observations guides you in making informed design decisions.
Information Architecture: This skill helps you organize and prioritize large, complex sets of information, making it more understandable for users.
Wireframing:Creating a basic framework for a website or app allows you to explore design solutions efficiently.
Prototyping: Prototyping is crucial for testing functionality and identifying potential issues before the final product is developed.
While not mandatory, having basic visual design and coding skills can enhance your understanding of how your design fits into the broader product development process. You can develop these technical skills through the Google UX Design Professional Certificate program.
Types of UX Designer Jobs
UX design is an exciting and ever-evolving field, encompassing various job titles such as UX designer, UI designer, interaction designer, product designer, and service designer.
In a smaller company, as a UX designer, you will likely assume a broader role, taking on responsibilities for every step of the design process. Conversely, in a larger organization, you may specialize in a specific area of UX design, such as information architecture, UX research, usability analysis, UX writing, UX engineering, or interaction design.
As you accumulate experience, you can advance within your specialization to become a UX subject matter expert (SME) or transition into a managerial role, such as project manager, product manager, or director of user experience.
UX vs. UI Design
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design frequently work together, but they represent distinct fields with important differences. While UX encompasses the entire experience a user has with a product or service, UI concentrates on the graphic design and interface elements.
Read more: What Is a User Interface (UI) Designer? Your Guide
Why Pursue a Career in UX Design?
Choosing a career as a UX designer allows you to blend your creativity and analytical skills across various fields that may pique your interest. Your daily tasks and projects will vary, providing continuous opportunities for learning and professional growth throughout your career.
How Much Do UX Designers Make?
According to Glassdoor, the average base salary for a UX designer in the U.S. is $98,616. With additional compensation, such as commissions and bonuses averaging around $6,858 per year, the total average annual pay for a UX designer in the U.S. reaches approximately $105,473. In fact, UX design was recognized as one of Glassdoor’s 50 Best Jobs in America for 2022, based on earning potential, job satisfaction, and the overall number of job openings.
Keep in mind that your earnings can vary based on several factors, including location, industry, company size, and years of experience.
How to Become a UX Designer
UX design is a diverse and ever-changing field, and there isn't a single path to a successful career as a UX designer. Many professional disciplines, such as graphic design, architecture, interior design, software development, and industrial design, have overlapping skill sets that translate well into UX design.
Following these steps can help you establish a strong foundation for your career in UX design:
Take a Course in UX Design: Even without specific prior experience, you can prepare for your career by enrolling in a course or certification program in UX design. Look for a program that teaches the fundamentals, offers hands-on experience with the latest UX design tools, allows you to complete projects for your portfolio, and provides networking opportunities with industry professionals.
Practice Your Skills in Real-World Scenarios: You don’t have to wait to be hired as a UX designer to start gaining experience. Volunteer your skills for a charitable organization, non-profit, or a business owned by a friend or family member. Alternatively, you can redesign a user experience you encountered in the past that could be improved, a process known as an unsolicited redesign. If you're currently working full-time in another field, you can also practice your UX design skills by identifying challenges and designing solutions.
Build a Design Portfolio: While a degree isn’t always necessary for a job in UX design, showcasing your skills through a portfolio is essential. Gather the projects you’ve completed during your coursework, volunteer activities, and unsolicited redesigns. Continuously update your portfolio with your best work as you gain more experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Does UX Design Require Coding?
In general, UX designers do not need to write code as part of their daily responsibilities. While coding skills are not essential for landing a job, having a basic understanding of application development languages such as CSS, JavaScript, and HTML can enhance your ability to communicate effectively with developers. This knowledge may also provide you with a competitive advantage in your job search.
2. Who Gets Paid More, UX or UI?
Generally, UX designers earn higher salaries than UI designers. According to the 2022 Salary Guide by digital creative staffing agency Onward Search, over half of UX designers in the U.S. reported earning at least $104,200, while UI designers had an average salary of $90,000.
Read more: UI vs. UX Design: What’s the Difference?
3. What Are the Most Important Skills in a UX Designer?
UX designers utilize a variety of technical and workplace skills in their design processes. Common skills highlighted in UX designer job listings include interaction design (such as wireframing, prototyping, user flows, and mockups), user research, and proficiency with design software like Adobe XD, Sketch, and InVision.
