When it comes to putting a website together, there are a lot of factors to take into mind in order for it to be both usable as well as successful. Although the overall look may be the thing that pulls users in, it is also necessary that it is designed to intrigue them and keep their attention longer. This is primarily true for retail sites, where companies hope to gain customers through these users.
In order to make sure websites meet the goals of a business, tech teams often contain an employee called a UX designer, also known as a “user experience” designer. In this role, an employee is in charge of making sure that a website will keep up with the needs and wants of a particular audience. This means that the site is full of information that the user cares about and makes them want to learn more about the specific company behind it.
Performing various studies and assessments, UX designers are highly critical members of any tech department, meaning businesses are constantly seeking them out. But what do you need to know in order to land this gig? Where can you begin? As you read, you will be able to see the ins and outs that this title involves, along with ways for you to garner the right skills so that you can put yourself on this career path.
Skills to Learn
Before you can apply to be a UX designer, it is important that you have learned a few basic skills that employers are bound to want in their staff. As with any person who works in web development, you will need to have some sort of understanding in regard to coding languages. This is because codes and scripts are the essential tools that help make sure a website is functional.
The three most important areas of coding a website that you will need to know are HTML, CSS, and scripts such as Java. Aside from that, you may need to learn more about advanced languages like Python or Node.js. While the basics allow you to write on the client side of things, the latter languages let you code on the server, too.
While learning these skills with a web development program like LearningFuze, you can also take a UI/UX design course where you will be able to focus on specialized characteristics. For the field you are interested in, it is important that you know how to translate the user’s goals into the website’s content and design through research and layout techniques. You will also find out the best ways to partner with other designers to enhance communication skills. When taking this course, you will also be trained in using technologies such as Figma and Marvel.
Other Necessary Characteristics
While the learned skills were previously discussed, there are also the skills that are inborn that can make a person a successful UX designer. You can consider the following as the 3 Cs of UX designing:
Creativity
In order to know what an audience is into, you have to think like the audience. UX designers often perform assessments acting as different types of customers who may visit the website. With specific characteristics in mind, they will map out the way these individuals would navigate and interact with a website while also keeping an eye on the time they would stay on each page.
Curiosity
To make sure that a website meets all of the right goals, you will need to keep up with the current trends of your intended audience. This means you have to continue to keep researching even after a website has been launched. You will perform regular audits on the site to see if traffic is continuing to increase or if it is suddenly taking a nose dive. UX designers love learning and are constantly looking for ways that they can help their company improve.
Communication
As mentioned in LearningFuze’s UX course, it is vital that a UX designer knows how to talk with others, as this will best guarantee the website’s success. Not only do they need to know how to partner with other web development team members, but they should be able to talk to their employer. This involves being able to ask various questions regarding their goals, who they want to target, and any prior issues they have gone through with the site. Designers will also need to be clear about the flaws they catch during the design process and consider others’ opinions on how to improve the site.
Is UX the Same as UI Design?
Plenty of people who do not have experience in web design might see these two terms and believe that they are interchangeable. However, this is not the case, and they are often two different employees entirely. As already discussed, UX designers are focused on the interests of the users. In contrast, UI design is concerned with the look and usability of the site.
Standing for “user interface,” UI designers work to make sure a site’s aesthetics represent the brand of their employer. This means adding suitable logos along with appropriate content and themes. As an example, if working for a shop that sells baby clothes, they might use softer colors and rounded fonts, while a law firm might want neutral shades and serif-style text.
Not only that, but UI designers also make sure that the pages on a site are usable, such as links leading to the right areas and ensuring that content is legible and not hidden by pop-up ads. They also have to check that the site is accessible on different browsers and different types of devices.
Even if you are more interested in UX design, building your UI skill set can also be beneficial to help you better collaborate with UI designers or merely open up your employment opportunities. LearningFuze’s specialized UI/UX design course can teach you both in just a few weeks.
How to Get Started
If you want to become a UX designer, then it is important that you get on the right track so that you can find a job in no time. Seeing as LearningFuze can not only teach you the right skills but also connect you to industry professionals, there is no better place for you to start.
Almost every student who has been through the LearningFuze 14-week program has been able to find opportunities with companies that people know and love. Although some might prefer going to a start-up company, other alums have gone on to find spots with Microsoft, Apple, and Nike.
While their main courses focus on the ever-important coding languages, they also offer a part-time class concentrated on UX and UI that can be completed in 12 weeks. This means you can start seeking employment after just three months of education! Instruction in the course includes analyzing the business market, how to work with information architecture (IA), and prototyping.
There are many paths that web development courses can take you down, which helps make this field one of the most secure employment options you can get. For those who have a knack for education while also being imaginative, the world of UX design might be right for you. To learn more about the UX course LearningFuze offers and enroll in their next classes, visit www.learningfuze.com.
