THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE:

What Is UI/UX Design and How Do I Become a UI/UX Designer?

UI/UX designer profession is extremely popular all over the world. Such a specialist is in demand in many IT fields. They are involved in implementing various digital projects: web apps and sites, mobile apps, corporate products, and large-scale PC programs. In this article, we will talk about the features of this profession and career prospects.

What is UI/UX design?

UX stands for user experience. In other words, it's the user's interaction with the interface and how user-friendly the site or app is. UX design is the process by which the user's experience with a product can be improved.

 

UI means user interface, that is, the design of the site: fonts, colors, buttons, and icons. UI design means working on the graphic component.

Why do we need UX/UI design, and how it affects users?

The main task of this activity is not only to get an attractive site but also to optimize the user experience with it. 

 

Why UX/UI design is needed:

  • competitive advantage: through thoughtful design, the product will be remembered by the audience and stand out from the competition;
  • attracting traffic: a user evaluates the convenience and appearance of the site and, if everything is satisfactory, continues to use it;
  • increase in conversion: a stylish design, quick search for information, clear order form – all this encourages the customer to the target action;
  • recognizability: branded fonts and colors, unique arrangement of blocks and elements makes the site recognizable;
  • increasing trust: simple and clear interface and adaptive design contribute to comfortable work with the app or a web resource, thereby generating the audience's trust;
  • improving product perception: high-quality design encourages customers to learn more about a service or product.

UX/UI design makes the human-system interaction more accessible, contributing to building a good relationship between the company and consumers. This is one of the key criteria for increasing sales and conversions.

What is the difference between UI and UX?

A UI designer is a specialist who is responsible for the design of the site. To what extent the interface design will be attractive to the user depends on this person. This is one of the main requirements for any digital product.

 

As for the UX designer, they work more with logic than visuals. Their functional duties boil down to ensuring that the customer benefits and is comfortable. They need to think about the product to make all components logical and user-friendly.

 

We can say that the one who works with UX is responsible for the functionality, and the one who works with UI is for the visual component. Thus, the UX/UI designer is a versatile specialist whose main task is to combine usability and aesthetics.

UX design

UX design includes:

  • information architecture of the web resource;
  • usability;
  • clear and logical content;
  • responsiveness of the interface to user actions.

To create an effective UX design, you should study the habits and needs of buyers, as well as think and test scenarios for their behavior on the site.

Tasks of a UX designer

What a UX specialist does:

  • Develops a user journey. Here we mean the creation of a certain algorithm of interaction with the program/site to solve a task.
  • Draws the Wireframe, which is a statistical sketch of a particular screen that defines the size and layout of UI elements. The UX designer does not draw the details, so the visual part is limited to b/w coloring and simple shapes.
  • Develops an interactive layout that responds to all user actions. The design helps to determine how the product will work before its creation to identify possible problems and inconveniences for the user. You can test such a layout on real consumers.
  • Checks ergonomics (usability testing). Based on the results, it is possible to determine how user-friendly the interface is for performing tasks. It is common practice when a designer gives a user a device with a prototype and tells them what to do while observing it.

Not less important is an understanding of the basics of graphic design because the activity is closely related to visualization and software development.

Main skills and requirements for a UX designer

UX design applies to different IT directions. So once you have the necessary skills, you will have unlimited opportunities for personal and professional growth in this industry.

 

We've compiled the top five skills you'll need to succeed in UX design based on a study by Adobe, USA.

  • Front-end development: UX specialists who know how to write code are in high demand and rare.
  • Voice interface design: technology is evolving and providing great opportunities for designers to apply their voice design skills.
  • Creating micro-copy: writing text that the customer interacts with while using the product is a rare skill among UX designers.
  • User interface design skills: understanding the principles of customer interaction with the design is essential for improving actual functionality.
  • Understanding research data: necessary to determine whether or not the projects help meet customer needs or what it takes to do so.

UX designer should:

  • study the target audience, including the goals customers have for using the site/app;
  • analyze user behavioral factors;
  • collect and process feedback;
  • develop optimal scenarios, considering the data of analytics;
  • organize and conduct surveys;
  • develop a viable version of a digital product;
  • change prototypes based on test results.

Since working with UX involves all sorts of research, a true pro is objective and does not rely on personal experience and opinion.

UI design

UI design is aimed at how the interface and its elements placed on the web resource look.

 

UI design includes:

  • menu view;
  • sliders;
  • buttons;
  • color palette;
  • readability of fonts;
  • text input fields;
  • arrangement of elements;
  • animations;
  • illustrations, etc.

Thanks to the neat UI design, users can perceive information easier: words do not merge, essential elements stand out well against the general background, and the necessary buttons are always at hand.

Tasks of a UI designer

UI specialists must know the intricacies of graphic design and the basics of programming, know the psychology of color, and have good artistic taste and a sense of style.

 

What are the main tasks of a user interface designer:

  • development of the website pages;
  • correlation of style and graphics;
  • design of individual parts of the site (sliders, transitions, buttons);
  • creation of instructions for the design of a mobile app or web resource;
  • layout.

The main task of a UI designer is to help the audience understand how to use this or that product. That is why they need to have well-developed communication skills and analytical thinking.

Main skills and requirements for a UI designer

The following skills are required to work with UI:

  • Behavioral psychology. A specialist puts themselves in the place of the future user and knows how to look at the app or site through their eyes while it is still under development.
  • Prototyping tools are needed during product development. Available programs: Axure, UXToolbox, Mockplus, Caretta GUI Design Studio, WireframeSketcher Studio, Microsoft Visio, FlairBuilder, DesignerVista mockup tool.
  • Graphic programs. You need to be able to work clearly and quickly with them. The most common are Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop. Figma, Sketch.
  • Color theories. It is important that the designer has a basic knowledge of color and how to apply it.
  • Typography. It's about the proper design of text, font selection, and its location on the page of the web resource.
  • Usability. A complex of aspects that affects the perception of the app by users. This includes the navigation on the site, the overall usefulness, and effectiveness for the user's purposes.
  • Programming, HTML, and CSS. For designers who make up their own websites.

A UI specialist must have the following qualities:

  • logic;
  • the ability to structure, plan work, and analyze;
  • communication skills and the ability to articulate your thoughts clearly;
  • punctuality, self-discipline, and adherence to deadlines;
  • imagination is one of the most important qualities of a UI designer.

The ability to adjust to the client's tastes and solve different problems as quickly as possible is also essential.

Pros and cons of being a UX/UI designer

The advantages of this profession include:

  • demand in the modern labor market;
  • a high level of salary;
  • the prospect of being engaged in interesting work and seeing the results of your work;
  • development of superprofessional skills and, if desired, re-training in related areas;
  • opportunity to work remotely.

Disadvantages and difficulties include:

  • increased responsibility for the end result;
  • the need to organize research among consumers;
  • the need for knowledge from related fields because UX overlaps with UI.

Since the design profession is associated with creating not only aesthetic but also functional IT products, analytical skills are no less important than artistic ones for a specialist.

How to become a UX/UI designer

Taking courses is the easiest way to learn UI/UX design. Practical training is also essential because, without it, a theory is just theory. So you should communicate with teachers (ideally, they should be practicing designers). During your studies, you should pay attention to creating a portfolio to find a job faster.

 

Another option is an independent study. The profession of UI/UX designer implies continuous development, so it is not so important to have a diploma from an educational institution. This will not suit everyone because there is no clear skill acquisition program. If you have the initial skills in this area, you can hire a tutor or try yourself as an assistant designer.

Career opportunities in UX/UI design

Technology does not stand still; new tools, trends, and techniques are constantly emerging. It is important to monitor changes and trends to be competitive, create impressive projects, and keep up with the time.

 

UI/UX design experts predict it will reach a new level in the coming years. In addition, the development of augmented and mixed reality and the emergence of various service robots is expected. There will also be a need to create interfaces and develop scenarios for communication with users.

Average UX/UI designer salary

The profession of UI/UX designer is in demand all over the world. It is especially popular in the USA, Canada, Singapore, the UK, India, Ireland, and Germany. The leader in the salaries for UI/UX specialists is the USA – a beginner can earn about $4,900 per month, and a professional – over $10,000.

 

European countries can compete with America in terms of salaries for user interface designers. So, in Switzerland, a specialist in this field earns $8,660 per month; in the UK – $6,600; in Ireland – $5,660; and in Germany – $5,400. The lowest salaries are in Romania, Croatia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, and Slovakia, from $1,600 monthly.

Conclusion

UX/UI design is a serious and very interesting activity, as well as a demanded and very promising direction.

 

To become a true professional in UI/UX design, you should initially take the time to learn and hone your skills. It is necessary to constantly improve and adapt to trends to earn customers' trust and get a higher salary.

 

The salary of a UX/UI specialist depends on various criteria. First and foremost, these are location, experience and skills, work format, and level of training. If you take the time to improve your knowledge, it will open up opportunities to earn more by upgrading your skills. You will be able to create unique designs and become a sought-after and indispensable professional.

FAQ

What should a UX/UI designer be able to do?

Main responsibilities of a UI/UX specialist:

  • gathering information about the project itself and its audience;
  • planning user scenarios;
  • developing style and instructions for sizes, colors, and fonts;
  • creating prototypes and layouts;
  • drawing interfaces in graphic editors.

What is UI/UX in simple words?

In short, the UX is responsible for the functionality of the interface and the UI – for its visual component.

What does a UI/UX Designer do?

UI/UX specialist combines both roles: designing customer interaction with the interface and its next steps, as well as determining what each of these steps will look like.

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