User experience design is where design teams create products that are relevant, meaningful, and provide a positive experience for users. That is an all-encompassing discipline because it impacts the way a user acquires a product, integrates a product, the feeling about the brand, the way the product functions, and how usable the product is.
What Differentiates UX Design Different From UI Design?
People frequently confuse user experience design with user interface design. With user interface design, the focus is usability. However, with user experience design, the focus is on the entire process of getting the product into the customer’s hands, making the product usable, and creating a product that leaves a positive impression in the minds of the users. User experience design starts well before the product is even in the user’s hands. The goal is to create a positive, integrated, and cohesive set of experiences.
What Does a User Experience Designer Do?
According to xd.adobe.com, in short, “learning UX design is important because it humanizes technology or other products and services that are being offered.” They are there to make a product or piece of technology, enjoyable, usable, and accessible for human users. Adobe experts also mention that “today’s users expect a lot from products they use. If a product doesn’t satisfy expectations, people will probably abandon it and move to competitors.”
User experience designers work with multiple teams throughout the design process. They will help the development team, provide explanations to business stakeholders, and will interact with customers. The primary job of the user experience designer is to advocate for what will be in the best interests of the end-user or customer.
User experience designers walk a tightrope. On the one hand, they have to look at a product or service from the overall user’s experience. They also want the product to align with the needs of the business and the vision of the CEO. And the product must be profitable.
Things to Consider When Hiring a UX Designer
Because the work of the user experience designer has so much to do with communication, empathy, and understanding how other people think, they need more than just a tech background to be good at this job. A few characteristics to look for when hiring a UX designer could include:
- A person who is good at explaining what they do and how a product or service works.
- They should have a natural curiosity that reflects their attitude about their work and the products they are working with.
- Look at a candidate’s sketch file. Their levels and folders should be well organized. The element naming should be consistent for each level and folder.
- They should have a firm understanding of the tools they are using and their workflow. Are they accustomed to working on a team or their own? Also, how did they learn UX design?
- Although the focus of the job is user experience, a preferred candidate would also have some user interface experience.
The profile of the UX expert -analytical and adaptable to change
Besides the characteristics mentioned above, having an interest in deepening and understanding problems from the root, and curiosity in finding out why to solve them and how to do it, are fundamental characteristics of a person who wants to train in UX.
You should be curious to know why and how, for example, each design decision impacts people’s behavior and reaction. Also, it would be good to know what research methods to use at each moment of the creative process to anticipate the user and his / her needs.
To specialize in the subject, it is not essential to know programming or design. Still, it is recommended. Having the navigation experience is preferable. It will be easier for you to understand everything. Programming and design are not necessary to know.
However, some people consider that having some programming and design knowledge is necessary to be able to train in this branch. They believe that, as a UX, you must be aware that good design guarantees an adequate visual language. All the work implemented by the development teams must be possible, so having basic programming knowledge will allow you to create viable iterations.
It is challenging to create an application for mobile phones, for example, if you do not have basic knowledge of information display and interaction possibilities on these devices. Specifically, it is not necessary to know how to design them graphically or program them. You should know what can and cannot be done to choose between the options and suggest the optimal one based on the circumstances.
People who want to pursue UX also need to have a calm and open mind for user research. Having excellent communication skills is also a must.
Does Your Business Need a UX Designer?
Even small businesses benefit from UX design. UX design impacts how all customers interact with any company. That includes ad design, social media interaction, and interaction with the website. A customer’s experience influences how they perceive your business and will influence if they purchase from you. Therefore, all companies need to have an excellent user interface and enjoyable user experience design from the start.
All businesses benefit from user experience design. It is what helps convert prospects into customers. Hiring a good designer makes it possible to improve the way your customers feel when they interact with your brand.
Summary
UX experts would have to have the following competencies or skills about UX:
Cross-cutting competences
- Adaptability
- Analysis
- Communication
- Empathy
- Interest to learn
- Open-minded
- Observation
- Critical thinking
- Know how to listen
Technical skills
- Project management
- Information architecture
- Design thinking
- Language and writing skills
- Notions of graphic design and visual communication to be able to make wireframes and prototypes
- Notions of programming (coding)
- Research techniques of users and contexts
Conclusion
A UX designer ensures that the interaction between people and digital products is optimal. It is preferable to know about design and programming, but it is not essential. If you consider employing one, we hope this article was more than useful. Also, we suggest you to read more about UX design on ui-ux-agency.medium.com.
