10 Steps on How to Be a UX Designer
A UX designer, otherwise referred to as a ‘user experience designer’, always prioritizes the customer. In a landscape where the user experience is so important, UX designers are highly sought after. If you are wondering on how to be a UX designer, you need to have a specific set of skills. For anyone interested in this line of work, here is how to be a UX designer in 10 simple steps:
Step 1: Develop your creativity & curiosity
Curiosity about what makes a customer feel or think is important as a reference to how to deliver the best user experience. As a UX designer, you are challenged to think, explore, and learn through observation regarding what an audience likes. We all relate and interact with the world differently. A UX designer goes beyond simply creating a graphical interface. They must understand how the world works, from the perspective of the audience they’re trying to appeal to.
Step 2: Visualizing UX on the fly
UX designers with a visual mind are able to see data and functional information clearly, and are able to decide what’s most likely to work on-screen. Whether you’re choosing an information design for an app or handling an email sign-up for a digital newsletter, your design is going to be what empowers the user to browse more enjoyably. Being able to visualize designs and weigh their merits can help in streamlining to process of delivering a finished UX more efficiently.
Step 3: Having a business mindset
How to be a UX designer is oftentimes focused on one’s technical skill but so much else is involved. Designs have an impact on business, sometimes positive and other times negative. Know where you can tap into user research and data to improve on UX concepts prior to finalizing and submitting. By considering the conclusions your design could have on business, a UX designer begins to grasp the end result their efforts are going to have.
Step 4: Be a team player
Communication is crucial to a UX designer. You will be required to work as a member to a team. If you enjoy working independently, this isn’t the career for you. Delivering an optimum user experience is an ongoing collaboration. Someone who cannot communicate effectively with team members won’t last long in this environment.
Step 5: Get ready to negotiate
The most successful UX designers in the world are those who are willing to negotiate and compromise. Every team member comes to the table believing in a certain approach. When things don’t jive, or someone thinks differently, you need to be able to persuade them and/or open yourself up to being persuaded all in the name of following the best idea.
Step 6: Become a storyteller
How you present your idea to the rest of your team or a client is hugely important into if it’s accepted. As a UX designer, you’ll have to get good at telling a story and crafting a narrative. Persuasion, problem framing, and communicating a vision is what you need to sell your concept. Remember, people oftentimes act on and with emotion. Producing a sound argument with supporting facts is not always good enough for most. You need to appeal to their emotions and that’s where the storytelling component comes in.
Step 7: Wire-framing
A UX designer should be able to take a concept and shape it into something easily seen on-screen. Wireframes take different shapes and sizes, and help to visually express what a finished product may be. There are apps that do this, or a pen and paper work fine. If you can visually represent your work in a prototype format, this helps communicate to others where a user experience is headed.
Step 8: Logical thinking
How to be a successful UX designer follows logical design methods and reasonings. One must compare and contrast different solutions, seeking to find the most appropriate one for the audience. You will be challenged to design, prototype, test, fail, and iterate quickly. No UX designer delivers a top-of-the-line solution with every idea. You will need to discern what works and what doesn’t.
Step 9: Willingness to accept feedback
When you submit your user experience design to your team, sometimes you may receive feedback which is not helpful. Although we all like to feel validated, a UX designer needs to set ego aside and work with the feedback they’re given – no matter how useful or not useful it may be – to come up with more efficient design, as outlined by your supervisors.
Step 10: Knowledge of psychology and behaviour
A UX designer wants to be experienced in current psychology and behavioural science, and they’re also going to want to stay on top of the latest trends. How to be a UX designer does not end at the point in which you are a successful designer. If you’re not on top of the latest and continue to expand your knowledge, you will fall behind. UX design is driven by research and knowledge. The more you have, the better off you’ll be and the more support you can provide across different design projects.
