Everything you need to know about how to become a UX designer

There is a growing need for UX designers. Here is all the information you need to become a UX designer, from training requirements to salaries.

UX design is essential for every website and every visitor to it.

People must be able to navigate a website, regardless of what it intends to do. UX design defines the complete web experience because it determines how we engage with products and services on a site.

Any webpage, including blogs, landing pages, and "Forgot Your Password," needs to be clear to ensure that visitors get the most out of their time on the site.

The need for UX designers is growing as websites are being created that are better and better. Anyone who is unsure of how to become a UX designer only needs the right training and experience; nevertheless, before we get into the specifics, it is crucial to comprehend the basics of UX design and what UX designers perform.

UX designers: what are they?

In web design, a user experience (UX) designer improves how users navigate a website. Before creating or reworking aspects to be more user-friendly, UX design investigates how possible site visitors will interact with products and services.

Designers carry out various key responsibilities, including the following, to produce a positive user experience:

• Talking about ideas with clients: Designers need to assess their goals and ideas in order to realize the client's vision while preserving a positive user experience. This requires understanding what clients want for their customers.
• Researching the field and target users: Because there is no one-size-fits-all design style, UX designers must investigate diverse target audiences to determine how they wish to interact with a given sort of site. Those looking for information on a not-for-profit website have different goals than dropshipping site visitors. The best designs for that user base can be produced by designers once they are aware of the target demographic.
• New feature creation: To improve the user experience, UX designers come up with and implement a variety of new features. Developing a chatbot, for instance, enables users to communicate directly with customer care for assistance with their search.
• Building prototype websites and conducting testing: After completing the aforementioned activities, UX designers construct prototype websites and conduct testing to guarantee each component works properly and produces the greatest user experience possible.

A user experience is created by every interaction with a product, including those with customers:

• Utilizing a mobile app
• Browsing the product options on a website
• Using actual objects, such as putting on a new pair of sneakers
• A movie theater ticket purchase
• Booking an Airbnb

Consider the last time you experimented with a brand-new good or service. Did you find what you were looking for if you were exploring an online store to make a purchase? Was it simple to browse the site without any problem by scrolling and clicking? Was the checkout procedure easy to understand and seamless?

If the response is affirmative, you had a positive user experience.

Getting started as a UX designer

Understanding graphic design, UX research, and digital products is necessary for becoming a UX designer, coupled with a number of technical abilities.

Web programming or design are common entry points for UX designers, although anyone interested in the field can pursue it. The process of becoming a UX designer from scratch will be covered in detail in this section.

1. Get a foundation in UX design

Mastering the fundamentals is the first step in mastering UX design. Two strategies exist for doing this. The first is to pursue a degree that includes website design in its curriculum. For businesses and clientele searching for designers with school credentials, degrees in web development, computer programming, or computer science typically teach web design.

However, these degrees frequently don't offer in-depth understanding of web design in particular. We advise gaining a foundational understanding of UX design through online classes, tutorials, or design boot camps. These offer specially selected content for budding UX designers and are frequently instructed by professionals in the field.

2. Learn about UX design software

To create and maintain user experiences, UX designers employ a variety of design tools. For example, Sketch, Adobe XD, Photoshop, Illustrator, InVision Studio, Figma, Axure, and Marvel are tools for wireframing, which is the schematic structuring of visual elements on a web page.

Popular prototype tools that let UX designers turn wireframes into actual web pages include Sketch and InVision. Keep in mind, though, that Sketch is only offered for macOS.

3. Create a portfolio and submit applications for various UX positions

Before building an online portfolio, it's important to focus on one area of expertise because UX designers work in many different industries. UX research, graphic and interface design, usability testing, and product design are a few of the most popular UX design careers.

It's time to build an online portfolio that you can include with applications for UX design employment and freelance possibilities once you've gotten comfortable with various technologies and improved your UX talents.

Don't stuff all of your prior designs onto an online portfolio because it's not just a visual resume. It's not always better to have more. Instead, highlight your greatest work while designing your portfolio to reflect your personality, way of thinking, and style as a UX designer.

Your decisions should be guided by your experience as a UX designer and your research on the companies to which you are applying. Adapt your portfolio to the business sector of the firms and place an emphasis on your prospective contributions.

4. Network

As a UX designer, networking with both new and more seasoned designers is beneficial. Networking improves professional possibilities and job opportunities in addition to assisting you in finding mentors.

Learn about the newest trends, find useful tools, and build trusting partnerships with seasoned UX designers. One excellent strategy to learn about opportunities or share prospects with coworkers is to network with other UX designers.

It's a good idea to start networking in design forums like Designer Hangout, and UX Design on LinkedIn.

5. Keep up with new abilities and tools

The journey as a UX designer doesn't end when you land a job. To advance your knowledge and create novel solutions to novel design problems, keep up with the most recent trends and tools. Platforms for visual web development like Quarkly enable you to stay current on all things design and modify your work to anticipate client needs.

What abilities do UX designers require?

If you're coming from a related industry, like web programming or graphic design, there's a strong possibility you already have a few talents that will be useful in a UX design career.

Here are a few profession-specific abilities a UX designer should possess:

• Utilization of design tools and procedures: UX designers regularly work with programs like Photoshop, Figma, and Sketch. They utilize wireframes, mockups, and prototypes (static designs for demonstrational purposes). These tools enable designers to picture how a product will look and build a user experience that matches. Before devoting time to a design, offering clients mockup options helps guarantee their satisfaction with the finished product.
• Understanding user research and testing: Because UX designers work with people, it's important to know who you are designing for and why. Is it a teen-targeted product or a senior-targeted service? You must create prototypes based on research and test them to make sure the user experience is seamless, practical, and entertaining.
• Communication abilities: UX designers seldom work by themselves or alone with UI designers. Working in teams with web developers, graphic designers, and software engineers, among others, is a common requirement for UX designers. Additionally, you'll speak with customers to learn what they desire. Higher productivity and a better final product are the results of effective communication, which guarantees a seamless workflow and streamlines the design process inside and between teams.
• Pay close attention: UX designers are in charge of producing designs that may include subtle interactive components or dynamic motion visuals. The user experience could be made or broken by a single little error. You must therefore pay close attention to every aspect of the UX process and have a keen sense of design. Websites must be trustworthy and functional in addition to looking attractive. That entails no typos, broken links, or faulty redirects.
• Basic coding expertise: UX designers frequently collaborate with web developers who are proficient in coding languages like JavaScript and SQL as well as coding technologies like HTML and CSS. Back-end web development is concerned with the "behind-the-scenes" functions, such as servers and databases, while front-end web development works with the visible components of a website. In order to effectively collaborate and produce a seamless UI/UX experience, UX designers must comprehend front-end and back-end web development. They do this on a regular basis.

Salary and employment forecast

UX designers are in greater demand. Web developers and designers are expected to see a 23% growth rate between 2021 and 2031, which is significantly faster than the average growth rate for all occupations, which is 5%. UX designers made an average salary of $95,460 as of 2021.

UX designers were highly concentrated in Washington, New York, and California, with average yearly wages of $141,170, $119,770, and $108,310, respectively. These states have the highest rates of employment for designers and the highest wages in the US.

The industry with the highest average wage, earning $147,470 annually, was software publishing.