What is UX Design?
UX (User Experience) Design is the process of designing highly functional products, websites, mobile applications, and software with the user in mind. The focus of good UX design is to ensure the user experience is intuitive, easy, and relevant. A UX Designer’s “main goal is to continually measure and improve the usability of a product for its users by leveraging research,” explains Terry Million, Design Product Manager at Chegg Skills.
The demand for UX Designers has never been greater as users and search engines expect a large number of high-quality applications across all devices, such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. Despite the growing need, UX Design is reported to be one of the most difficult roles to fill in the tech world. SaaS UX Designers are particularly in demand right now, which means higher salaries for UX Designers. As of May 2023, the average salary for a UX Designer was $98,540.
Types of UX Design Jobs
UX design bootcamp graduates can expect to get jobs like:
- User Researcher
- UX and Web Content Strategy Coordinator
- User Experience Lead
- UX Project Manager
- Information Architect
- UX Architect
- UX Strategist
- UX Engineer
- User Experience Specialist
- UX Consultant
- Digital Experience Architect
- UX Writer or Content Strategist
- Interaction Design
- Front End Designer
- Product Designer
How to Learn UX Design
A UX bootcamp is most likely the fastest, most secure way to get a UX Designer job. Whether you want to take a user experience course online or attend an immersive UX/UI bootcamp, there’s a bootcamp for you, no matter your needs or experience level. Some bootcamps like Designlab and UX Design Institute strictly teach only user interface and user experience while others like CareerFoundry, Flatiron School, and General Assembly teach a wide variety of courses from Full Stack Development to UX Immersives.UX bootcamps range in duration from 9-28 weeks and cost anywhere from $3,000-$13,000.
What Does a UX Designer Do?
UX Design encompasses every part of the process that involves how the user will interact with a product. UX Designers perform user research, card sorting, wireframing, and usability tests, as well as presenting design concepts, meeting with clients, and finding solutions. "UX Designers shape the quality of the users' relationship with a product or service while balancing stakeholder feedback and business objectives," shares Christophe Drayton, UX Instructor at Noble Desktop, "To do so, they invite users in the design process, via qualitative and quantitative research, prototypes, and usability testing to ensure intuitive, accessible, and enjoyable experiences. In other words, UX Designers center their focus on users' needs and goals to design with them, not for them."
Some UX Designers specialize in only one portion of the process, while others might handle both UX and UI (which focuses solely on how an interface looks and “feels”). The UX Designer uses design thinking and is expected to understand the lifecycle of an application and how to develop and test prototypes.
What Kind of Skills Does a UX Designer Need?
UX Design skills overlap with many positions in the tech industry. You’ll find shared or similar responsibilities with UI Designers and Product Managers. UX recruiters want to see prototypes, wireframes, and how you think. They want to be able to assume from your portfolio that you know the technologies necessary to do your job. They’ll also want to see that you have the soft skills to be empathetic with a user, collaborate with your team, and run user testing sessions.
Hard Skills vs Soft Skills for UX Designers
Soft skills are highly-valued and actively sought out when hiring a UX Designer. They want someone who can communicate effectively, work well on a team, and has a commitment to continuous learning. Here are the top soft skills & hard skills that recruiters want to see:
| Hard Skills for UX Design | Soft Skills for UX Design |
|---|---|
|
Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) |
Curiosity |
| Empathy | |
| Prototyping tools such as InVision, Figma, or Sketch | Humility |
|
Wireframing |
Collaboration |
|
Usability testing |
Critical Thinking |
|
Research |
Communication |
Job Market and Salary Insights
UX Designer is an in-demand tech career path, with the overall employment of UX Designer estimated to grow by 16% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average of all other occupations, with 19,000 new jobs added annually.
The median annual salary for a UX Designer was $98,540 as of May 2023. This, of course, varies depending on the industry. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the median salaries for UX Designers in the following industries:
- Finance and Insurance: $121,190
- Computer systems design: $105,950
- Advertising & PR: $71,930
- Retail trade: $66,250
Of course, salary and career growth is also dependent on where you live (large cities and tech hubs tend to pay more), and how many years of experience you have. And while a college degree isn’t mandatory, some companies prefer to hire UX Designers with a degree in computer science or a related discipline.
FAQ Section
How do I know if UX design is for me?
It really depends on your skillset, talents, and aptitudes. If you’re interested in a tech career, UX Design might be a good choice if you’re a “people person,” you enjoy varied and interesting work, you work well with others, and enjoy solving problems. Consider taking a UX Design bootcamp to learn more about the position and if it’s right for you.
How do you start a career in UX Design?
To become a UX Designer you’ll need to learn the skills, thinking patterns, and tools needed to complete the design process from start to finish. You’ll also need to build a convincing portfolio to get a UX job. A reputable UX/UI bootcamp may be the quickest way to move into a UX design career. The possibilities are nearly endless for this growing field!
Is UX Design a good career?
UX Design is an excellent career path to pursue. The need for UX Designers has increased over the last few years, and is now estimated to grow by 16% over the next decade due to our dependence on digital technology and need for a positive user experience. In addition to great pay and flexible work environments, UX Designers are needed by nearly every industry across the globe, such as healthcare, media, manufacturing, marketing, and even the government. It’s also a good path for a career changer, as transferable skills are valued in the UX Design field.
