Starting a career in UX – Part 1
I’ve been asked many times throughout my career “how can I get started in UX” and thought it would be a great time to turn my advice into a blog. (You can also watch me discuss this topic here if you prefer watching to reading.)
If you’re interested in UX, but are still new to the term, let’s start with a basic example. Software should be easy to understand. Copy needs to be clear. Instructions must have clarity and meaning. Look at the two designs below – what problems do you see?
Here are a few I noticed:
- Delete is the primary action. If the “Delete” button is displayed more prominently than “Save”, it increases the likelihood that a user’s attention will be drawn to “Delete”. Maybe that’s fine if Delete is the primary action for that particular user in that specific situation, but in most cases, encouraging someone to delete rather than save can have serious consequences.
- “Check box to unsubscribe” – okay, great. But, the button below it says “Subscribe” – which is it? Am I subscribing or unsubscribing?
Now, with a little more clarity:
Much better. There are still improvements to be made, but you get the point. Design always happens. Whether it’s intentional or not, whether a company hires a designer or not, whether someone with the title of “designer” works on a project or not, someone makes decisions about how we interact with technology. Good design happens when we make these decisions in a way that understands and fulfills the needs of both our users and our business, in a conscious and deliberate way. Ahem…a trained eye. Everyone who has input into decision-making for a product or touches a product has an impact on that product’s UX. In other words (gasp!), everyone is a designer.
So, what is UX?
UX stands for “user experience.” Nielsen Norman Group defines UX as “encompassing all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” I prefer the shorthand version: “making products suck less”. When we say “user experience,” we’re referring to how people interact with a product. It’s the HUMAN aspect of technology. Technology always has a person behind it, and that person needs to know how to interact with it.
Ever downloaded an app and not understood what it did, or where to tap, or what to do with it? Gone to a website and found yourself stuck on a page with nowhere to go? Clicked a button you weren’t sure what it did, and it resulted in an error you couldn’t undo? Or worse – a button that didn’t do anything, at all. This is bad UX. Good UX should meet the following criteria:
- Value: Does this product give me value?
- Function: Does this product work?
- Usability: Is it easy to use?
- General impression: Is it pleasant to use?
UX is about what users think and feel. It’s about needs, wants, behaviors, and context of use. Empathy is an essential ingredient and understanding user needs is critical for UX designers.
“You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people.” Dieter Rams
Sounds great, but what will I actually do?
UX has no beginning or end. UX is a process: LEARN. Change. Improve. The UX design of a product will (should) evolve as you gain new insights from users. You’re similar to a scientist working on an experiment to keep improving a product. Make a change, test it. Make another change, test it again. It’s never done.You’ll be responsible for at least some of the following:
- Wireframes
- Prototypes
- Interface design
- Understanding users
- Understanding their goals
- Democratizing design
- Removing friction
- Reducing risk
- Designing for…people
And guess what? Remember that whole “people” part? In a tech world that seems to be favoring AI, UX is still very much a people skill. These soft skills are particularly important in UX:
- Managing stakeholders: clients will inevitably have various viewpoints for what you’re designing and what problem you’re solving. It’s your job to get people on the same page and align their vision.
- Communication
- Time management
- Taking feedback
- Facilitation
- Collaboration (design is not a solo job)
- Flexibility (remember that whole “change” and “evolve” thing? Don’t be surprised or annoyed when you have to change a design for the 14th time. You have to adapt to new knowledge.)
Why is UX a great career path?
I personally think UX is the most fun job in tech. And I genuinely believe it’s true. No day is like the previous one. If you like problem solving and puzzles, are naturally curious, and enjoy learning, it’s a fantastic career.
- Growth metrics
- UX design is one of the top five in-demand skills according to a 2020 LinkedIn report.
- Average income
- median salary for a UX designer is $90,478 (Glassdoor’s ‘50 Best Jobs in America for 2020’ report)
- Fun factor
- Career satisfaction of 5.4 on a 1–7 scale (where 1 is completely dissatisfied, and 7 is completely satisfied)
What backgrounds make good UXers?
Here’s a short list of careers that make great foundations for transitioning into UX.
- Graphic design: a lot of the same basic principles for UI design.
- Understanding how code works is vital to design – we can only design what’s feasible. You inherently understand the tech constraints.
- Psychology – understanding human behavior
- Sciences – hypotheses & testing those – the basics of the design thinking process
- Business: how data flows & business objectives
- Naturally curious – always wanting to learn.
- Complex problem solving – always solving new problems, and some are incredibly complex. Lots of systems talking to each other, different sets of users and their goals/behaviors to consider.
*This is not an exhaustive list.
So where do I start?
I get asked this question a lot: should I go back to school, go to a bootcamp, or just dive into freelance work? My biggest advice is to learn everything you can, however you can, as cheaply as you can, then start focusing on getting some projects under your belt.
Don’t assume either will automatically land you a job. Bigger companies are more likely to hire junior designers. You’ll learn 10x as far as you will working as a UX-team-of-one. Learn from others.
Reach out to local startups or nonprofits – send an introductory email to them volunteering to do a UX audit of their app. Redesign it for fun – put it on your portfolio. Explain the problems you found. You can ask for a small fee. I’m very against doing any work for free, but when you’re getting started, sometimes it’s the only option for getting your foot in the door. Once you have a handful of real work in your portfolio, it makes job hunting easier. Dribbble.com posts freelance projects – bid on some. Apply to a lot of companies – keep track of your applications, ask for feedback, measure your success.
As you’re progressing through your career – I like to use a 70-30 rule. Apply for jobs where your skills match ~70%, but that 30% should be a stretch into something you want to learn or get better at. Over time this will make you more rounded (and more valuable).
And network your ass off. Meet as many people in the UX field as possible. Find mentors. Meet local business leaders. Someone, somewhere might have a job for you.
Still having trouble getting noticed? Here are some tips from Sarah Doody: https://sarahdoody.medium.com/why-you-arent-getting-hired-after-your-bootcamp-how-to-pivot-your-ux-job-search-555457b442cb (Pssst! She also created a UX portfolio masterclass: www.bit.ly/6portfolio-tips)
Stay tuned for Part 2!
