How to Become a UX/UI Designer in 2021

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track the job outlook for UX/UI designers. That said, they predict that the number of jobs in web development — including web design — will increase by 13 percent over the next decade. This is “much faster than average,” according to the Bureau.

UX/UI designers earn high salaries. The average salary for a UX/UI designer, according to ZipRecruiter, is almost $90,000 per year. Some jobs — those which require more experience — offer salaries of up to $154,000.

There’s no way to determine exactly what salary you can expect because many factors influence the salaries offered by a company. One of the main factors that influence salary is location. The average UX/UI designer in San Francisco can earn an average of over $105,000 per year, whereas the average designer in Atlanta, Georgia, can expect to earn around the national average of $90,000 per year.

• A love or knack for visual design
• An interest in how other people think
• Humbleness, and a willingness to learn and grow
• The ability to present or sell
• A passion for technology

1. Choose a design career path
2. Learn about design through a UX/UI design bootcamp, self-study, or college
3. Develop and refine your technical skills while building your portfolio
4. Prepare for and start your job search

• Pursue a degree in a design-related subject at a traditional college or university
• Attend a coding bootcamp specializing in UX/UI design
• Learn about UX/UI design through your own studying

• Personal projects
• Freelance work
• Pro bono work
• Internships

1. Wireframing and Prototyping.

   Wireframes and prototypes allow designers to communicate and test their ideas. UX/UI designers should be able to create low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes to showcase their ideas without creating a full design.

2. User Research.

   UX/UI designers should be able to conduct user research to find out what customers are looking for in a particular interface. This research may be conducted through surveys, heatmap research, and other techniques.

3. Branding.

   Every company has a unique brand. The UX/UI designer is in charge of developing a brand which represents the company, which will involve designing logos, colors, and more. The UX/UI designer should be able to create effective branding materials, which will later be passed on to the marketing department.

4. Implementation with Developers.

   UX/UI designers do not stop after a design has been completed. A UX/UI designer should be able to work with the development team to help them implement a specific design. During this process, the designer may be expected to walk through their designs, justify their decisions, and ensure the development team has all the information they need to successfully implement a design.

5. Interactivity and Animation.

   UI designers should be able to create interactive designs which meet user needs. They should also be able to use animation to make designs more aesthetically pleasing for the user. This is important because design is becoming a competitive advantage — the better a design, the more likely a user is to look at a website — and so designers need to be capable of creating an intuitive design.

• Problem Solving.

  One of the most important skills UX/UI designers need is the ability to solve problems, and break problems down into smaller components. UI designers will often have to create a design from scratch, which will involve a lot of problem solving; UX designers need to be able to analyze user problems and come up with ways to solve them.

• Empathy.

  Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they are feeling. As a designer, you need to be able to empathize with your target customer and get to know what they need. This will allow you to develop designs which meet the exact needs of users, and solve any problems users may experience.

• Adaptability.

  Designers need to keep up with the latest trends. As a UX/UI designer, you’ll need to stay on top of design trends and figure out how those trends can be added to your designs. You may also have to adapt to new requirements if a strategic product decision is made.

• Designmodo
• UX Planet
• UX Movement
• XD Ideas
• UXmatters

• Prepare a resume
  Your resume is your first impression. It’s important to create a resume that will show off your experience and skills in a good light.
• Craft your portfolio
  Your portfolio is what matters most to the majority of hiring managers. Unlike many coding positions, most of your skill as a designer can be shown upfront with a portfolio. When building your portfolio focus on projects that show the most skill, and cut out any extra projects. When it comes to portfolios four amazing projects far outrank eight average ones.
• Prepare for a technical interview
  A technical interview gives potential employers the chance to test out your knowledge in the field. While your projects might look good, they want to see how you handle the design and user testing process, and how you will fit into the company’s team.