A user experience (UX) designer plans, designs, and develops web applications using coding and visual design tools. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the website and apps take into account how end-users would communicate with the website or app owners. UX designers help ease the process via the site design, user-friendliness, and smooth linkages between pages or programs.
What does a UX designer do? The job of a UX designer is often confused with that of a user interface (UI) developer. While both positions need to work together, their professional responsibilities have notable differences.
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Read More about a “UX Designer”
UX designers often act as part developers and part designers. They are critical to the success of a company. As such, they are in high demand, mainly in the U.S., Australia, and Europe. That has led to a significant increase in their salary. If you want to take advantage of this trend, read on.
What do UX Designers Do?
The tasks expected of UX designers include:
- Meeting with clients to learn about their preferences for web and application development while considering the UI and UX
- Presenting UI layout ideas and web design plans to clients and teams
- Developing web applications and pages using code and visual design that maximizes UX
- Performing stability tests and analyzing results to identify UX challenges before launching the site or app
- Analyzing user data to determine existing UI applications and assess areas that need further improvement
What Skills and Qualifications Should UX Designers Have?
Education
Most companies look for UX designers with a degree in information design, multimedia design, communication design, or any related field. Most employers would prefer those who seek to further their education and get a master’s degree.
Another notable advantage an applicant can have is a portfolio that showcases his or her past projects. Getting a UX designer certification can increase one’s success in this field as well.
Skills
One of the UX designer’s main tasks is to design and build applications and web pages while factoring in UI compatibility and infusing user-friendly features. To successfully achieve this, he or she must have:
- coding skills
- strong analytical skills
- graphic design skills.
Additional Skills
Since being a UX designer means dealing with several disciplines, one must have excellent communication and leadership skills.
It would also be useful to have a working knowledge of several designer platforms such as Adobe Illustrator, Balsamiq, Adobe Creative Suite, and OmniGraffle.
How Much Does a UX Designer Earn on Average?
A UX designer’s salary would depend on his or her years of experience. According to PayScale, the salary of a U.S.-based UX designer averages at least US$86,000 a year. Those with at least more years of experience can receive US$102,000 a year.
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A UX designer should have a good understanding of user preferences to design applications and web pages that work effectively.
