Essential Soft Skills for Aspiring UX Designers Part 2

When you think about a UX Designer’s toolkit, what comes to mind? Figma? Sketch? Maybe your favorite user testing platform?

While these tools are essential, there’s a hidden skill set that will truly set you apart as a junior designer: soft skills.

Soft skills, like storytelling, and active listening, are the secret sauce for thriving in team settings, winning stakeholder trust, and turning good ideas into great solutions. Let’s dive into some of the vital soft skills for a Junior UX Designer.

1. Storytelling

Data and deliverables alone don’t inspire action. Storytelling helps you convey the journey behind your designs, connect with your audience, and show the “why” behind your decisions.

• Case studies: Write your portfolio case studies like narratives. Start with the problem (the villain), take your reader through the process (the hero’s journey), and end with the solution (the victory).
• Presentation frameworks: Use structures like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or The Hero’s Journey to make your presentations more engaging.
• Work on delivery: Practice your storytelling out loud. Record yourself presenting your work or rehearse with peers to refine your tone and flow.

2. Persuasion

Whether you’re pitching a design idea, negotiating a solution with a developer, or justifying your approach to stakeholders, persuasion is critical for driving alignment and gaining support.

• Understand your audience: Tailor your pitch to address what matters most to your audience, whether it’s the user experience, business metrics, or technical feasibility.
• Use data wisely: Back up your design choices with research and metrics, but balance it with emotional appeal. People are more likely to act when they feel something.
• Build credibility: Share success stories from past projects. A small win (e.g., improving task success rates by 15%) can build trust in your expertise.

3. Active Listening

Communication isn’t just about speaking; it’s about truly hearing what others say. Active listening helps uncover concerns, understand feedback, and build rapport with teammates and stakeholders.

• Ask clarifying questions: After someone shares feedback, ask, “Can you elaborate on that?” or “What would success look like for you?” to ensure you understand their perspective.
• Paraphrase and validate: Restate what someone has said in your own words to confirm understanding (e.g., “So, you’re saying we should focus more on usability for first-time users?”).
• Practice empathy: Listen with the intent to understand, not just to respond. Imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes to grasp their priorities and challenges.

6. Feedback Giving and Receiving

Feedback loops are crucial in UX Design. Whether it’s user feedback or critiques from your team, how you handle it can make or break your designs.

• Frame your feedback constructively: Use phrases like, “I wonder if…” or “What if we tried…?” instead of blunt statements like, “This won’t work.”
• Ask for actionable feedback: When seeking feedback, be specific (e.g., “Does this navigation flow feel intuitive to you?” rather than “What do you think?”).
• Separate feedback from ego: Remind yourself that feedback is about the work, not about you personally.

Soft skills don’t come with a shiny interface or shortcuts, but they will make your UX career smoother, more impactful, and way more fun.

What soft skill are you working on right now?