How to Become a UX Designer

First things first, let’s talk about what a UX designer does. Before you dip your toes into the realms of user experience design, you’re going to want to understand what the role entails. To put it simply, a UX designer is responsible for designing websites and applications with a focus on the usability of each of them. For that reason, they have to put themselves in a user’s shoes and consider the experience they have when interacting with the technology. 

If you’re looking into user interface design, you’re going to want to know what you can expect. While every UX designer job is different, there are some common tasks that you can expect to encounter. Let’s take a look at some of the daily activities you may complete:

Next up, let’s talk about how much a UX designer works. While this role comes under a few different job titles, the fundamentals tend to be the same. 

The average salary for a full-time UX designer is £25,000 when you first start out and this number goes up to £40,000 when you have worked in the field for a matter of years. The more you gain your feet in design work, the higher salary you can expect to make. 

Before you decide that this is the career for you, it’s worth knowing that a full-time contract will see you working between 37 and 39 hours per week. You may have to do some evening work, especially if you are working on large-scale digital products.

Think you have what it takes to make it in the world of information architecture? If you’re ready to give your new career a go, you’re going to need to start studying.

Most of the time, you will need a bachelor’s degree in an associated subject, such as graphic design or web design. When you have got that under your belt, it may be worth looking at additional online courses to further enhance your technical skills or even your soft skills. 

Of course, there are plenty of training opportunities out there. You may want to look at online courses tailored to UX design skills, project management, or product design. Take the time to look at what’s out there before you decide on the right course for your new career.

Think you have what it takes to become a UX designer? You will need to have a wide range of skills to succeed in this career, and these skills can be learnt through undertaking a UX design course. To succeed in a career in UX design, you’ll need to following skills and attributes:

If you want to be good at UX design, ensuring that you have these skills is a smart place to start. Keep in mind that you can continue your training when you start your new career. As you move up the job ladder, you will have the chance to learn more about the UX design process and start honing your skill-set. Start small and watch your career flourish. 

Many employers and hiring managers will expect you to have some degree of work experience first. You can learn UX design through your degree and online courses. However, when you have done that, it may be worth taking on some low-level design projects. Doing so will help you bolster your portfolio and gain additional skills along the way. 

The more work examples you can show potential employers, the more likely you are to land yourself a full-time job. Reach out to your contacts on LinkedIn and ask if they have any upcoming UX projects. Put simply, it’s worth putting yourself out there when you start out.

Ready to start your new career as a UX designer? If you think you have what it takes, you may be wondering what the future holds for you. The good news is that the UX design and UI design industries are set to boom. We’re living in a highly technological age, which means that it’s only a matter of time before this sector starts to expand and grow organically. 

Chances are, when you first get started in this field, you will be a Junior UX Designer. However, as you gain experience, you can become a UX Designer and then Senior UX Designer. Who knows? By the end of your career, you may even own a small design agency. The only way is up.