A UX Designer is a person in charge of creating a user-friendly design of a digital program, such as a mobile application or a website. Their goal is to enhance the user experience of a program and adapt it to a specific target consumer group. That involves aspects such as design, branding, function, and usability.
UX Designers are often confused with UI Designers because their roles tend to overlap in many areas. The important difference is that the UX Designers, unlike UI designers who take care of the visual segment of the design, focus on the entire user experience. They strive to provide value, functionality, and aesthetics of the program at the same time.
Similar Job TItles:
Web Designer, Web Developer, Software Developer, Software Engineer, Software Application Developer, Mobile Developer, Digital Designer, Back End Developer
What Does a UX Designer Usually Do?
UX Designers create a well-rounded design for a digital program that covers all aspects of customer satisfaction. They make the consumer’s interaction with a program useful, simple, and pleasurable at the same time.
Here’s a list of activities a UX Designer typically performs:
- Performs user research
- Determines user profile and the information architecture of a program
- Designs users’ flow
- Creates prototypes and performs user testing
Performs user research
This is a starting point for every Designer, and a necessary step towards creating a foundation for the design of the program. Before starting to work on a project, a UX Designer has to identify the needs of the users and coordinate them with industry standards.
That includes researching consumers’ goals, interests, challenges, and behaviors, as well as competitors, potential barriers, and technical opportunities.
Determines user profile and the information architecture of a program
After performing an in-depth research, it is time to define the target audience for the program. UX Designers must determine which activities the user wants to perform and why. This information will help them focus on the key points of the design.
The next step for UX Designers is to find a way of organizing the delivery of the content across the website or a mobile application. Their job is to make the content accessible and easy to find.
Defines users’ flow
One of the more important aspects of designing a product is the ability to foresee the steps the consumers are going to follow when using a product. To get a better understanding of how to create the most functional design for a program, UX Developers create a map that showcases the users’ journey through the program, from start to finish.
They achieve that by using a flowchart that depicts the entire flow and wireframe that offers a two-dimensional image of consumers’ journey through every individual page.
Creates prototypes and performs user testing
The next phase of the UX Designer’s job is to create a leveled-down version of the program. The goal is to test it, identify the potential flaws, and make necessary changes. UX Developers often make more prototypes for the program that differ in complexity. They allow UX Designers to perform the alterations from the earliest stages of design.
User testing is necessary because it points out potential flaws in the design that need to be fixed before the final version.
After performing several rounds of testing, and approving the final version, UX Developers’ job is far from finished. They have to attend the meetings and collaborate with other Designers to make sure there aren’t any unexpected issues.
Roles a UX Designer Typically Collaborates With
Depending on the structure of the company, a Social Media Manager can work closely with a number of different roles. Here are the most common ones:
| Roles UX Designers Collaborate With | ||
| Marketing Director | IT Director | Computer Programmer |
| Graphic Designer | Brand Manager | Creative Director |
| Marketing Analyst | Digital Marketing Manager | Video Editor |
UX Designer Salary
The average annual salary for a UX Designer in the United States is around $75,000.
Considering factors like experience level, skillset and the organization of the business, a UX Designer’s annual salary can range between $50,000 and $108,000.
What is the UX Designer Pay Difference By Location?
Here is a depiction of the UX Designers’ difference in salaries in major U.S. cities:
| City | Average Annual Salary |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,143 |
| Seattle, WA | $83,499 |
| Denver, CO | $70,774 |
| Austin, TX | $76,583 |
| Washington, DC | $77,286 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $68,765 |
| Boston, MA | $74,510 |
| New York, NY | $79,346 |
What is the UX Designer Pay Difference By Experience?
UX Designer’s salary also depends on their experience level. Here’s a table of average UX Developer’s salaries by experience:
| Years of Experience | Average Annual Salary |
| < 1 | $63,000 |
| 1–4 | $73,000 |
| 5–9 | $84,000 |
| 10–19 | $96,000 |
| 20+ | $98,000 |
UX Designer Job Description Template
[Company Name] is searching for a UX Designer to join our team and provide our clients with functionable and pleasurable design experiences. You have to be a creative and analytical person with a problem-solving nature who is capable of collaborating with other team members to deliver fresh, innovative, and valuable products to our customers.
You will be working with our [insert departments—e.g., Sales, Marketing, Design] team to provide high-quality products and services according to our client’s needs and expectations. You need to have outstanding communication, time management, and process management skills, as well as extensive knowledge in computer science and digital design.
UX Designer Responsibilities:
- Conducting user research and meeting with clients to get information about their requirements
- Creating a range of visual concepts for the design, both on paper and using a software application
- Defining user profiles and creating user site maps
- Collaborating with other designers, engineers, project managers,, and development teams
- Communicating with clients on a regular basis to ensure the design matches their requirements and expectations
- Meeting with project managers to discuss the status of the project and possible changes
- Performing on-site and remote product testing to ensure the quality of the user experience
- Redesigning websites and mobile applications when necessary, to make them more responsive and easier to use
UX Designer Requirements:
- Bachelor/Masters degree in UX design, or a related field
- + years of UX Designer experience, or a related field
- Thorough knowledge of mobile and web designing techniques
- Experience in user and market research
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Strong portfolio of digital work experience
- Advanced analytical mind and problem-solving skills, with an eye for details