User experience (UX) design refers to the process a Designer (or design team) follows when creating a product or service. At the most basic level, every product or service has an end-user, and that user has an experience. When you visit a website, buy a car, or order pizza, you’re using a product or service someone created. UX Designers are responsible for making your experience a positive one.

UX design is typically contrasted with user interface (UI) design, but the two are directly related. UI Designers may be more responsible for interactivity, but UX Designers often have to create functionality. Whereas a UX design role requires knowledge of wireframes, prototypes, and information architecture, a UI design position often demands expertise in areas like typography, color, and animation. Some design professionals learn the entire process, taking on the role of UX/UI Designer.

You might think everyone who studies UX design gets a straightforward UX Designer position, but this isn’t the case. Aside from the UX Designer role, those who study this field can take on titles like:

When researching UX design careers, you should also look for titles like UX Engineer, Experience Designer, and Information Specialist. Some of the highest-paying roles in the UX design field emphasize the words “experience” or “information” in online job listings.

A Broad Range of Opportunities

As a far-reaching multidisciplinary field, the employment outlook for UX design pros looks better than ever. While the need for design roles in 3D, graphics, and web remains strong, UX design demand has increased. In fact, Glassdoor lists UX Designer at number 24 on its 50 Best Jobs in America for 2022 survey.

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Among design roles, many professionals also report UX as one of the best-paying. If you get certain certifications, attend conferences, and join organizations, you can increase your value to employers as well.

How to learn about this complex field is another question altogether. UX Designers use tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma, as well as other resources common to design pros. While you can find valuable videos and articles about design online, like the Get Started In Design tutorial from Noble Desktop, you’ll ultimately need formal hands-on training.

College Vs. Bootcamp Educational Model

The relative newness of UX design as a career path means college programs emphasizing it are few and far between. Today’s UX Designers who hold degrees range from disciplines like Design to Computer Science, Industrial Design, and even Psychology.

Available UX degrees are expensive, often in excess of $100,000, and most of these are graduate programs requiring applicants to hold a related bachelor’s degree. For many, UX degrees are simply out of reach.

A top alternative is the bootcamp or certificate learning model. These immersive programs offer in-depth UX design training in a condensed time frame, at a fraction of the cost of lengthy university programs. Many bootcamps are hosted online, so students can learn from the comfort of home or office.

Consider the following courses from Noble Desktop:

  • UX & UI Design Certificate—Ready to learn the entire UX/UI process? The 102-hour UX & UI Design Certificate is the program for you. Available on a part-time basis over four months, this certificate is ideal for students and busy professionals alike. The course covers UX fundamentals like sketching, wireframing, and prototyping, along with UI design concepts like proximity and continuity. You’ll design layouts and prototypes with Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma, and dive into user research and testing, as you create a professional-level portfolio.
  • UX Design in a Day—If you’re not yet able to commit to a certificate program, you might want to begin with a class like UX Design in a Day. This hands-on course provides six hours of instruction, including topics like information architecture, sketching, and prototyping, among others.

As the UX design field becomes more and more popular, workshops like this one can fill up quickly. Contact Noble Desktop to be waitlisted if sessions are currently full.

  • Figma Bootcamp—One of the most popular programs for UX and UI design is the cloud-based Figma tool. This 12-hour bootcamp gives students a thorough education in the Figma platform, including prototypes and animations. Students can save by taking the Figma Bootcamp as part of the UX & UI Design Certificate.
  • Adobe XD Bootcamp—Another set of essential UX design tools is the Adobe Creative Cloud. Adobe XD is perfect for designing both UX and UI design, and the Adobe XD Bootcamp delivers hands-on training. You’ll learn about prototyping tools, repeat grids, and component states in this 12-hour course.

Other Tools for UX Designers

When you start a career in UX design, you ultimately need to learn numerous skills and build an arsenal of favorite tools. You can get in-depth training in some of the best ones, like Adobe XD and Sketch, through Noble Desktop courses. Here are a few others to consider:

  1. Qualaroo—UX/UI design begins with research and testing, and this tool helps you find the way. Create surveys, conduct market research, and get feedback, all through a single collaborative platform.
  2. Webflow—A software as a service (SaaS) company, Webflow helps UX pros design, build, and launch responsive websites.
  3. Maze—When it comes to testing, Maze has it all: prototype, A/B, usability and remote testing are all available in minutes through this UI design tool. Recommended especially for UX/UI Designers.

Additional popular UX/UI design tools include InVision, UXPin, and Proto.io.

Testimonials from UX Graduates

Students who have attended Noble Desktop UX courses say they appreciated the flexibility and affordability of the bootcamp model, adding it trained them well for real-world projects.

“The UX/UI Design Certification process did a beautiful job of introducing me to the field, ” says one graduate. Another reports, “This is a great way to learn about the field of UX Design, as well as preparing you to begin your new career.”

Others emphasize not only the efficiency of the bootcamp model but also that they chose Noble after comparing them with multiple course providers: “After doing considerable research into online UX courses, ” adds one graduate, “I am so happy I chose Noble Desktop. I was able to get a variety of instruction in a short amount of time for an affordable price.”

For more information, check out UX design classes from Noble Desktop.