UX design is a relatively new concept that’s usually used to create electronic devices and applications that are both visually pleasing and useful. It combines the power of researching end users, testing multiple versions of a product, and visually designing the aesthetic and the flow of an experience.
A User Experience Designer can do everything from research to graphic design depending on the project that they’re working on. At a larger company, their role might be more specific like the niche ones we list next. Startups usually hire just one UX Designer and rely on them to do all of the necessary design work for a project on their own.
UX Researchers specialize in researching the user experience and compiling a report of recommendations based on their research. They sometimes work on products that are already built, recommending changes the creator could make, but mostly they do their work in the beginning stages of a new production.
UX Design is mostly used by UX Designers and UX Researchers but other Designers sometimes have a hand in UX as well. A Digital Designer creates the graphics, color scheme, layout, interactive elements, and other branding assets for a project. Then, a UX Designer applies their user research to those designs and tweaks them to fit the product’s goals.
A Design Director works on large scale projects and sets the aesthetic tone for a project. Then, they oversee the Designers working on the project to make sure the final product reflects the desired outcomes.
UX Design is a great place to start if you’re a designer who wants to get into tech, a researcher who wants to be more creative, or a developer who is looking to get out of coding and into the needs of end-users. Whatever your goals, learning UX Design is a great first step, but you’ll also need to learn the tech tools like Sketch and Adobe XD that will help you create the visual aspects your job will require.
