UX design encompasses various skills. It has become one of the most meaningful jobs in the industry. UX professionals may work not only in website designing and development companies, but in many other fields too.
Web designers focus more on customers and offer the right solution. With their services, companies don’t have to decide which ecommerce website builder for small business is best for their brand.
If you’re a web designer and wish to change your career, some of your skills can be definitely applied to UX.
What is UX Design?
UX stands for “user experience” and refers to everything that affects a user’s interaction with a certain product or interactive media, such as an application. It aims at providing an optimal level of satisfaction. For instance, when users browse the web, they interact with different websites. The elements of design such as visuals, navigational options, content, and structure create a user experience. Good UX enables visitors to quickly and easily find what they’re looking for. To provide meaningful and enjoyable user experiences, professionals should consider the following criteria:
- Usability. It measures the ease of using a product. UX professionals should understand how well it works and improve it if needed.
- Value. It’s crucial to consider the type of value your clients can receive from using your product and how it can improve their lives.
- Functionality. It refers to what functions your design has and whether it meets the needs and goals of your customers.
- Accessibility. It implies ensuring your product can be used by people with disabilities.
- Credibility. The brand and its services should be trustworthy and credible.
- Desirability. The elements of design should be visually appealing and evoke positive emotions.
UX designers strive to select the right interaction model, conduct surveys, create personas and analyze feedback.
The best web design companies usually have a cross-disciplinary team of web designers, developers, UX designers, and strategists to ensure they offer useful and innovative products.
Is Web Design Similar to UX Design?
Web design involves planning, arranging, and presenting content on the Internet. The aim is to make websites visually appealing and user-friendly.
Some brands prefer to use the best website builder rather than hiring a designer. It’s cheaper and faster. However, a professional can help maintain a consistent brand identity by building a unique custom website.
Designers work with such components as colors, fonts, videos, and graphics. In many website design companies, they also get involved in the front-end development, user research, and testing.
Here are some similarities between the two fields:
- Problem-solving. Web designers solve problems for their customers, and UX designers aim at solving problems for their users. It involves conducting research, choosing the right solution, testing, and collecting feedback.
- Emotional design. UX designers and Web designers both work with emotional design to evoke certain emotions.
- Multi-disciplinary. Professionals in both fields require an extensive set of skills, such as color theory, coding languages, psychology, and more.
Web design vs UX design: Differences
The main difference is that web design services include building websites for the Internet, while UX design can be used in many diverse areas. UX professionals can work not only in tech and development companies, but also in such stable industries as car or electronics manufacturers.
Web design includes:
- Page layouts;
- Graphic design;
- Coding in HTML/CSS;
- Content creation and management.
UX design includes:
- User research and strategy development;
- Creating a meaningful and usable product;
- Collaborating with other professionals;
- Creating wireframes and user flows based on personas.
How to move to UX design
Moving to UX design can be easier if your web design job involved user research. Knowing the principles of design and coding terminologies is a big plus.
Here are several tips for changing your career:
- Get educated. You can get a university degree if you have enough time and money. It’s not necessary to get a job. There are lots of specialized courses that offer high-quality training and one-on-one coaching.
- Find a mentor and collect feedback. It can be helpful to find someone who has enough practical experience to answer your questions, offer advice, and provide feedback on your efforts. Try to find them in your current workplace or online.
- Get practical experience. You can do freelance work for small companies that don’t pay much. Another way is to ask to participate in UX projects in your current workplace.
- Connect to others. Networking is crucial, since the best opportunities are found when other people recommend you for a position. You can do online networking or go to local events.
Create a portfolio. Get inspiration from the portfolios of successful designers and create your own one.
Recommended Reading: UI/UX Design in Filmmaking
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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