How to Become a UX Designer in 5 Easy Steps — Even if You Have No Experience
How to Become a UX Designer in 5 Easy Steps — Even if You Have No Experience
Have you ever considered becoming a UX designer? If you have an eye for design and a desire to improve clumsy products, you could be a good fit for a career in the field.
UX design is simply an abbreviation for user experience design. It includes the various ways in which people interact with a product or system.
The quality of design can have a significant impact on a consumer's perception of a product. As a UX designer, you can improve a user's experience — and thus potentially impact the product's success.
Interested?
To become a UX designer, you must have the following at the back of your mind:
1. Recognize What a UX Designer Does and Why It Is Important
2. Look for existing and overlapping creative skills, experience, or interests.
3. Determine Your Educational Path and Begin Learning
4. Expand Your Portfolio
5. Start Your Job Search
In this article, we'll look at what UX professional is and what they do daily, as well as dispel some common myths. We'll also show you how to become a UX designer even if you have no prior experience in the field (yet).
Let's get started!
1. Recognize What a UX Designer Does and Why It Is Important
To put it simply, good UX design is essential in today's business.
According to InVision's 2019 report on The New Design Frontier, 81% of surveyed business respondents said their design team positively impacted product usability, while 71% said good design increased customer satisfaction. Another 42% said it increased revenue, and 30% said it resulted in cost savings.
"Companies in the study reported that when design takes center stage, it can have a direct impact on tangible business results, such as revenue, valuation, and time to market," the report's researchers wrote.
These findings support a 2018 McKinsey study on the Business Case for Design, which discovered a strong correlation between high design scores and top-tier business performance across various sectors and industries.
McKinsey also observed that companies with top-tier design scores tended to grow revenues and total returns to shareholders (TRS) much faster than their less-advanced peers. Over the five-year study period, these high-performing businesses experienced 32 percentage points higher revenue growth and 56 percentage points higher TRS growth.
The benefits of investing in quality design are worthwhile, and as a result, businesses are eager to invest in UX. In 2019, Onward Search found that UX designers were the second-most in-demand group of professionals in its survey of in-demand digital talent, with UI designers coming in third.
Analysts at DICE Insights predict that the job market will grow 14.9 percent over the next decade as more companies seek to improve and expand their design portfolios.
With these promising job opportunities and compelling business value, you may wonder what UX designers do all day.
That's an excellent question. You must first understand the role of a UX designer if you want to learn how to become one. Let's examine the day-to-day duties and dispel some myths about this profession.
UX Design on the Job
UX designers work in teams to create meaningful experiences for product or service users. The job typically entails a variety of design initiatives, such as branding, functionality, usability, and the aesthetic look and feel of the product.
UX designers' daily tasks vary depending on where and on which projects they work. However, their general job responsibilities may include the following:
?? ? ? ? Conducting product research through surveys, personal interviews, and user polls
?? ? ? ? Analyzing collected data to determine what works and is important to users
?? ? ? ? Creating "personas" or target profiles based on user interests and characteristics
?? ? ? ? Creating wireframes, models, and product prototypes that allow the development team to continue to evolve the product or service through user testing.
You've noticed that there aren't many design-specific responsibilities listed. This is for a reason: contrary to what the name implies, UX designers aren't solely concerned with how products appear.
Let's dispel some of the myths and misconceptions you may have encountered when researching UX design.
Myth 1: UX Is Only Found in Digital Products
Many people believe that UX design is only concerned with the aesthetics and usability of digital products. In reality, user experience (UX) encompasses all aspects of a customer's or participant's interaction with a service. This means that the value of design does not diminish when a user looks away from their computer screen.
Instead, a UX designer's goal is to take a comprehensive look at how users interact with a company and ensure that each interaction goes as smoothly and positively as possible.
Myth 2: UX Design Is Only About Aesthetics.
Even the most beautiful products can be flawed, unintuitive, and frustrating — in other words, they can provide a poor user experience.
UX design is more than just looks. While visual appeal is an important aspect of successful UX design, it is far from the only, or even the most important, factor. Some of the most important factors for a UX designer are accessibility and functionality, neither of which is directly related to aesthetics.
Myth 3: UX Design Is Exclusively for Users
UX design not only makes a product or service more enjoyable and useful for users, but it also has significant business benefits.
In the best-case scenario, good UX design helps to persuade users to interact with and investigate a company's products and services. Users are pleased, and businesses profit. It's a win-win situation for all parties involved, including the well-known designer.
Myth 4: UX design is a last-minute process
Some people believe UX design is an afterthought: a task to be completed at the end of the process. They believe it can even be avoided in the event of budget overruns or other issues.
That is not the case. Products and services may struggle to find a customer base if UX design is not considered early on. Fixing UX issues that could have been addressed earlier in the process may require far more expense and effort later.
Now that we've established what UX is, why it matters, and what a UX designer does daily, let's move on to how to get into UX design.
2. Look for existing and overlapping creative skills, experience, or interests.
First, you should know that you can succeed in UX design regardless of your educational background.
The truth is that there aren't many college programs that specialize in UX and UI (user interface). UX design professionals frequently upskill and transfer from other fields. Sometimes those backgrounds are clearly relevant, but not always.
According to a 2019 Nielsen Norman Group report, while 82 percent of UX professionals have a college degree, their majors are remarkably diverse and frequently do not directly relate to UX. "Many professionals did not have traditional, UX-related degrees," the researchers write, "which suggests that the field still values experience and soft skills over formal education."
Whatever industry you come from, you most likely have a set of skills that can be applied to UX design. Here are just a few examples of capabilities that you can easily transfer:
?? ? ? ? Research — Because product research is an important part of UX design, having a strong research background can help you succeed in the field.
?? ? ? ? Art and Design — Although UX design isn't all about aesthetics, prior experience in visual design can be beneficial.
?? ? ? ? Critical Thinking — A critical component of successful UX design is critical thinking. How can you improve users' experience if you can't thoughtfully assess their reactions?
?? ? ? ? Communication — For each project, UX designers must communicate with a large group of people, ranging from end users to developers to business leaders. It is essential to be able to communicate effectively.
However, you cannot transfer all of the skills required for UX from other industries. Before pursuing a career in UX design, you will need to further your education. Let's look at how you can learn the skills needed to become a UX designer.
3. Select Your Education Path and Begin Learning
You can change your career path and become a UX professional with the right education. On the other hand, the academic path you take is determined by several personal factors.
?? ? ? ? How much time do I have to study or attend classes?
?? ? ? ? When do I want to finish my career transition?
?? ? ? ? How much money can I set aside for tuition and supplies?
?? ? ? ? Do I prefer working alone or in a group learning environment?
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Nobody approaches skill development in the same way. As you browse the options below, keep your answers to the preceding questions in mind.
University
While it is possible to succeed in the field without an undergraduate degree, it is worth noting that the vast majority of UX designers (82 percent) do. If you don't already have an undergraduate degree, consider getting one and majoring in something relevant like design, computer science, or communications.
However, an undergraduate degree is not for everyone. If you already have a university degree in another field or don't have the time or resources to commit to a four-year program, consider looking into other options.
Self-Directed Education
If you are highly motivated and require flexibility, a self-directed path to UX may be for you. This is frequently one of the least expensive ways to learn because you can use free or low-cost tools and self-guided courses. Independent study is typically preferred by those who prefer to learn at their own pace and follow their own interests.
On the other hand, Self-directed learners lack the structure, guidance, and support that students in more traditional programs take for granted.
This can be significant. You will have to create your own coursework as a self-directed learner. Make sure to do your homework regarding learning materials and courses because not all online resources are created equal!
There are numerous resources available to those interested in learning about UX design. You might even discover that the most difficult challenge is deciding where to begin. Don't be concerned; we'll point you in the right direction.
Platforms for Self-Direction
?? ? ? ? Antony Conboy — Conboy draws on 15 years of experience working at companies such as Vogue, Wired, BBC, Barclays, Ferrari, and Cisco to create his comprehensive YouTube tutorials on UX, UI, and Graphic Design.
?? ? ? ? User Defender Podcast — This podcast, hosted by UX designer Jason Ogle, covers a wide range of industry topics and features interviews with renowned industry experts. Binge away; Ogle's site currently has five seasons archived.
?? ? ? ? Udemy — Udemy offers dozens of UX and UI design courses. This platform is paid, but it frequently hosts large sales.
Books
?? ? ? ? Emotional Design: Why We Love (Or Hate) Everyday Things (Don Norman) — An investigation into how the design of everyday objects compels specific behaviors in their users.
?? ? ? ? Don't Make Me Think (Steve Krug) — A humorous and practical guide to design usability.
?? ? ? ? 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (Susan Weinschenk) — A book that uses science and research to teach UX beginners practical lessons.
Blogs and magazines
?? ? ? ? UX Magazine — An online publication that covers the most recent trends and discoveries in UX design and strategy.
?? ? ? ? Boxes and Arrows — A well-read industry publication focusing on design practice, innovation, and discussion.
?? ? ? ? A List Apart — A design webzine delves into design principles and standards. It focuses on web-based design practices in particular.
Boot Camps
A UX boot camp may be your best option if you want structure and support but don't have the time or resources for a formal degree.
A UX boot camp is intended to provide affordable, accelerated, intensive, skills-based learning. Because these programs are frequently designed for working professionals, they frequently provide part-time, full-time, virtual, and in-person course options. Boot camps, in all cases, offer a formal education complete with instructors, classes, and assessments.
A UX design boot camp also provides structure, feedback, and accountability, which are all important components of the learning process and eventual career success. It can also serve as a platform for aspiring designers to network, build community, make connections in the field, and develop mentoring relationships.
On the other hand, a boot camp is a more expensive academic option than self-directed learning (though not as expensive as going to university). Boot camps are often time-consuming programs, so make sure your schedule can be adjusted accordingly.
4. Build Your Portfolio
You will need a strong design portfolio to demonstrate that you have the skills necessary to perform in your desired role. A strong portfolio is especially important for self-directed learners, who may lack the certifications and in-class projects that students in formal programs would have received.
Let's go over some ideas for expanding your portfolio.
In-Class Projects
Do you know those in-class projects you see in boot camps and college programs? They not only help you learn your craft better, but they also look good in your portfolio. Larger projects, as well as smaller practical assignments, can all help to demonstrate your abilities in various areas of UX design.
Volunteer
Volunteering can be extremely rewarding, and what better way to give back than to do so while advancing your career? You can build a valuable part of your UX portfolio by assisting a nonprofit in improving its design and customer experience.
The first step is to inquire. Contact organizations you know or care about to see if they require or would be interested in free design assistance.
Personal Projects
Your side projects and personal initiatives can be an important part of your portfolio while demonstrating your motivation and effort. Don't worry if you don't have an idea; the articles below should help spark your creative synapses.
·? ? ? ? 20 Project Ideas to Kickstart Your UX Career — UX Design
·? ? ? ? How to Come Up With Sample Projects for Your UX Portfolio — InVision
·? ? ? ? 5 Hidden Sources of UX Portfolio Projects — UX Beginner
5. Start Your Job Search
Now that you've developed your skills and education, it's time to begin looking for a job to make a career change. Here are some things to consider as you plan your job search.
Get Your Application Materials Ready
A strong application is essential if you want to impress interviewers and land your dream job. Take the time to polish your resume and portfolio, and put your best professional foot forward.
·? ? ? ? Inspiring UX Designer Resumes — Case Study Club
·? ? ? ? The Best UX Designer Portfolios — Toptal
·? ? ? ? What Every UX Designer Cover Letter Needs — Case Study Club
Network
Even if you aren't actively looking for work, you should network.
Networking, or making proactive professional connections, is an important aspect of professional development. Meeting new people allows you to stay up to date on industry innovations, get feedback on your projects, and build a supportive professional community. You never know; someone you meet at a conference or trade show might even point you toward your next job!
The good news is that you won't have to work yourself to death looking for networking opportunities.
College programs and boot camps frequently provide formal and informal opportunities to meet new people. If you can't attend formal gatherings, professional organizations, meetup groups, and even online communities can help you connect with UX professionals and learn about exciting job opportunities.
·? ? ? ? How to Develop Your UX Network — InVision
·? ? ? ? How to Network Without Losing Your Soul — UX Power Tools
·? ? ? ? 10 Professional Networking Conversation Starters — Lifehack
Prepare for Interview
Prepare for an interview as soon as you receive a call. Learn more about the company and its design and development approach, and be prepared to talk about yourself and your work. Confidence is beneficial, even if you must fake it until you make it!
Helpful Resources:
What Comes Next?
The field of user experience design is dynamic and expanding, with high demand from businesses across industries. Even if you're already established in your field, you can make the transition with the right combination of skills and education.
Now that you know how to get into UX design, it's time to decide which educational path is best for you. Investigate your training options, select the path that best meets your needs, and then stick to it! You'll be glad you did.