How to become a UX designer

UX is becoming increasingly crucial as everyday activities like purchasing move from offline to online. UX is at the heart of the growing trend of merchants providing experiences and services that go far beyond their primary product offerings. 

With an estimated worldwide worth of $180 billion, UX design is consistently ranked among the top 25 occupations by Glassdoor. User experience (UX) design is fast expanding and as technology advances and becomes more user-centric, it will only grow in size.

Since you already know that UX is profitable and fast-growing, you might be wondering what UX is and how to start a career in it. In this article, I will outline all you need to know about becoming a UX designer. 

What is UI/UX design? 

UI and UX are often used interchangeably but they are not the same. Most people are confused about the differences between the two terms. 

UX stands for “User Experience” and UX design is the process of creating a product’s user experience. UX is founded on the “Human First Design” methodology, which prioritizes the user’s perspective, actions, and thoughts to create an experience that meets their needs. A UX designer is someone who comprehends the issue, does research, generates ideas, and brainstorms design solutions before producing wireframes that are further developed to produce flawless screens. To confirm that the conceptual and mental models agree, they also help with usability testing.

UI design is the process of creating user interfaces, and UI stands for “User interface.” The main goal is to draw users in by making the displays visually appealing and attention-grabbing. Its usage is limited to the product itself—the concept of a design screen with attention-grabbing hooks. UI design is the result of combining effective visuals, colors, and typography. UI designers use images and screen components to create pixel-perfect designs. They are responsible for how the product looks to the users. 

Both UX and UI are interdependent and connected. Some designers focus on UX while others focus on UI, but a lot of designers do both and are referred to as UX/UI designers. Since the disciplines are related, the pathways to becoming one or the other are similar. 

How much do UX Designers make?

The salary of a UX designer varies depending on several factors including location, the organization they work for, and their experience and skill set. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a UX designer is 105,000 USD per year in the US, 56,000 EUR per year in the UK, 32,000 ZAR monthly in South Africa, and NGN 225,000 monthly in Nigeria. The good news is that UX designers can work remotely, so you can be in Nigeria working for a US company and making 105k yearly. 

What do UX designers do

1. User research

To comprehend user behavior, wants, and motivation, UX designers learn how to organize and carry out user research. They do user research and comprehend the demands, motivations, and behavior of users. 

2. Ideation 

UX design should be able to use the information they gain from their research to come up with useful solutions. A UX designer must be able to think creatively in order to come up with innovative solutions and think widely about complicated challenges.

3. Wire-framing and prototyping

These are essential skills that a UX designer should master in order to give form to concepts and reflect the final design.

4. Design user interfaces

UX designers should understand the subtleties of font, color, artwork, and imagery while expanding on their understanding of usability.

5. Responsive design

UX designers use industry-standard design principles to create websites and apps with varying levels of authenticity. To guarantee a flawless experience, UX designers use grids and constraints in the design phase to make sure projects are responsive across different screen sizes.

6. Communication

It is crucial for a UI/UX designer to have strong communication skills in order to articulate and explain how and why a certain design choice is made. 

7. Product thinking and analytics

To improve the product experience, a UI/UX designer must continuously monitor and assess usability data. Any newly created applications or websites must be tested. If they understand the significance of all the metrics, they can assess the design.

How to become a UX designer

There is no right or wrong method to study UI/UX design; there are several approaches. It ultimately comes down to comprehending and refining successful design concepts via practice.

1. Have the right mindset

Starting a career in a creative field like UX design often calls for a lot of self-discipline and self-motivation in addition to hard work. As long as you have a strong internal drive for achievement, you can overcome all of these challenges.

Before starting, consider if you’re ready to commit. If so, it might be beneficial to locate a UX mentor or accountability partner, or just write an affirmation and post it on the wall of your workspace.

You might write out the reasons you’re making this shift in order to elaborate on this affirmation. Having your initial reasons written down might serve as a useful “reset” button for your mind since it can be easy to forget them while you’re under stress.

For instance, many individuals pursue design training because they like problem-solving and assisting others, or because they want to engage in more creative work every day. As you study, write down your motivation and put it in a conspicuous location.

2. Get a degree 

Many employers and enterprises in the field do not need a formal UX design degree, so keep that in mind when you choose your path. Many successful designers with degrees in other fields—or none at all—have been able to get UX design positions at prestigious businesses.

Although not necessary to kick-start your career in UX design, a degree in design is an invaluable credential to have. If you have the opportunity and the means to attend a design school or get a degree in UX design, then go for it.

3. Apply for a course or boot camp in UX design 

A typical degree often includes a wide range of course requirements outside of UX design. These degrees have historically placed a high value on academic knowledge, but they often lack the real-world experience and portfolio-building opportunities that some other alternatives provide.

Thankfully, there are a growing number of UX boot camps and courses available that offer rigorous programs to help you make the most of your time and energy. These UX courses and boot camps are unique not just because they teach UX design well but also because they are geared at helping you get a job in the field. They often prioritize experiential, hands-on learning, which is beneficial since many employers now place a higher value on proven skills and expertise than just credentials.

While some programs allow you to work at your speed, others offer greater responsibility to make sure you not only finish the program on time but also have the portfolio and abilities necessary to get your first design job.

4. Hone your skills and expand your knowledge

A degree or a course in UX design will not teach you everything you need to know. Making a list of resources that you can consult for guidance and inspiration along the road is one of the greatest ways to begin on the path to becoming a UX designer.

There is a plethora of blogs that might provide insights into the field of UX design, ranging from provocative opinion articles by seasoned designers to an explanation of the fundamental ideas. 

You should also prioritize improving your design skills and there is no better way to do this than practice. 

5. Create a Network

As you continue to study, establish an online presence and connections with others who have been in the area for a considerable amount of time. Spend time learning about their design path and job experience to date and if possible reach out to them for any questions you might have. In addition to gaining a job recommendation, this would assist in establishing a rapport with the community. 

You may also request assistance and feedback from your contacts, show them some of the projects, and obtain professional input on what is excellent and what needs improvement.

6. Build your portfolio 

It is crucial to remember that abstract abilities and knowledge of UX design concepts alone will not get you a full-time or part-time job. Project work showcasing such abilities and problem-solving techniques will also be required. One of the main things hiring managers will look at while evaluating your application is your portfolio of UX designs.

A collection of one’s greatest work that highlights their uniqueness, thinking process, skills, iterations, approaches, and variety is called a design portfolio. In order to attract customers and employment, a designer must have a portfolio to display. Your flexibility, case studies, and any in-depth work relevant to the position or profile are all included in a portfolio. 

A portfolio domain is not required; it may be as basic as a Behance profile or a concept page. 

Remember that hiring employers are searching for more than simply a visually appealing interface when you are assembling your portfolio. They want to see how you identify and assess an issue, do research, generate ideas, and come up with a workable solution.

Working on a wide range of projects will help you to hone your UX design abilities. However, more variety and even more pieces in your portfolio aren’t always better, so there’s more strategy at play here than you may imagine. You would be better off researching the firm you are applying to, refining the goals of your portfolio, and choosing around five items that closely relate to the accomplishments of the organization and the part you will be playing in them.

Your UX portfolio should, nevertheless, be an authentic representation of your personality. Be genuine and intimate. This is evident not just in your biography and photo but also in the way you showcase your work. Each item in your portfolio needs to convey a narrative, including not just the project’s progression but also your distinct abilities, workflow, and inventiveness.

7. Apply for jobs 

You’re almost done with your path to becoming a UX designer at this stage. Finding a job is the only thing left to do.

Sadly, this often depends on a wide range of variables, including how well the organization and culture mesh, the projects you have in your portfolio, and the soft talents you highlight and use during interviews.

It can take weeks to find a job that fits your skills and the career you expected, so do not feel disheartened if you cannot find a job right away. As you look for jobs make sure you continue to hone your skills, refine your portfolio, and update your resume. This will put you in a better position to find and keep a job. 

8. Learn on the job 

It’s critical to keep in mind that a UX designer is always learning. And that’s a good thing because it puts you on a level playing field with even the most informed professionals since you’re all working together to remain up to date on new tools, approaches, and trends. 

Therefore, honing these abilities is a continuous process that both seasoned and aspiring UX designers must do. A variety of resources, including conferences, blogs, books, industry events, and certificate courses, may be advantageous. There’s always something new to learn, and chances are, others are learning just as much as you are so try not to be left behind. 

Conclusion

No career combines empathy and creativity as much as UX design does. All the work you do as a UX designer will be geared toward understanding end users and coming up with design solutions that address their pain points. So if you’re someone who loves making people happy then UX design is the perfect career for you.