How to Become a UX Designer

UX Designer

A UX designer is involved in the development of a product; their focus is on how the user will experience it. This could be anything – an application, a website, a television or even an experience in a restaurant or hotel. A UX designer will analyse how the user will feel after using their product... Read More »

UX Designer Courses
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A UX designer is involved in the development of a product; their focus is on how the user will experience it. This could be anything – an application, a website, a television or even an experience in a restaurant or hotel. A UX designer will analyse how the user will feel after using their product and offer changes related to their findings. 

When analysing a product, whether that be a pre-existing product or a prototype for a new one, a UX designer will ask questions like “is this product easy to use?”, “is it pleasant to look at?” and “is this the most efficient it could be?”. The answers to these questions will enable the user to have the best possible experience with the product. While doing this, the UX designer must ensure that the product goals are met and that it is likely to turn over the desired amount of money.

A UX designers typical duties will include: 

  • Conducting research into what users do on platforms and what they wish they could do. This could be done through analysing data or hiring the public to take part in User Testing. 
  • Using target audience research and data to create personas – these are hypothetical people who might be using the service – and describing why they might be doing it. 
  • Showcasing the information received and analysed through flowcharts. 
  • Creating prototypes of the model that will be used in the final product. 
  • Doing some parts of the visual design, although this is more likely to be undertaken by the UI designer. 
  • Refining products that have already been launched
  • Gathering analytics and discussing them with the team.

A UX designer does not need to be a graduate, but a degree in tech, design or a software-related field could be beneficial. Knowledge of software like Photoshop and Javascript is essential, and all UX designers must have excellent research and communication skills. 

What degree is most commonly held by an UX Designer?

  • BA / M of Graphic Design
  • BA / M of User Experience Design
  • BA / M of UX Design
  • BA / M of Industrial and Product Design
  • BA / M of Computer Science
  • BA / M of Design
  • BA / M of Design and Visual Communications, General
  • BA / M of Human Computer Interaction
  • BA / M of Information Technology

Career Transportability across Countries

UX designing can often be done remotely, as typically someone will only need access to software to complete their work. With this in mind, companies are often very happy to hire foreign nationals, making it a great career for working abroad. UX designers are also very in-demand; so a professional is likely to be able to get work abroad. 

What is the Salary of an UX Designer?

Experience Average salary | year
AU$ UK£ US$
Web Designer $45,000 £38,310 $70,000
Mid-level $60,000 £68,405 $124,990
Design Manager $72,000 £90,302 $165,000

What skills are needed to become an UX Designer?

  • User Interface Design
  • Web Design
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Graphic Design
  • Interaction Design
  • Photoshop
  • wireframing
  • Illustrator
  • Information Architecture
  • User Experience
  • InDesign
  • HTML
  • CSS
  • User Experience Design
  • User-centered Design
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Usability Testing
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • User Research
  • Typography
  • Social Media
  • Logo Design
  • Microsoft Office
  • inVision
  • User Experience (UX)
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UX Designer Courses

People learning how to become a UX designer find that taking supplementary courses helps them get their foot in the door with the career. Some courses, like this Introduction to UX, are also a great first step for people who are thinking about becoming a UX designer but want to learn more about the profession.
  • Introduction to UX and Accessible Design

    Explore the world of user interfaces and accessible design and discover how you can start a career as a UX designer

    Find out more
  • Creating a Great User Experience for Mobile Apps

    Discover the essentials of user experience and bring your product to life by designing your own mobile app

    Find out more
  • Digital Skills: User Experience

    Learn about why user experience UX is important the research and design basics and the tools and testing techniques used in UX

    Find out more
  • Create Accessible Interfaces

    Learn how to program inclusive creative interfaces for disabled users while meeting legal accessibility requirements

    Find out more
  • Programming with GUIs

    Learn what a Graphical User Interface is and write your own GUI-based applications with this practical course for teachers

    Find out more

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How to Become a UX Designer
UX Designer Courses

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