What is UX/UI Design & What Does a UX/UI Designer Do?

💡 This article has been updated for 2024

Have you noticed how many of the things you experience have been carefully planned for your comfort? We live surrounded by user experiences, both inside and outside of the digital world. It is very rare for a product to be designed without taking our behavior into account, or the way in which we seek information or our perceptions. 

The demand for UX/UI designers in Europe is skyrocketing, presenting an incredible opportunity for creatives passionate about crafting exceptional digital experiences! As businesses across the continent recognize the importance of user-centered design, there's a burgeoning need for skilled professionals in this field. According to Statista, the number of UX/UI job listings in Europe surged by over 40% between 2018 and 2020. A survey by Adobe revealed that 87% of hiring managers consider recruiting more UX/UI designers a top priority. Exciting markets, including Germany, the UK, and France, are leading the charge, offering fantastic roles and competitive salaries.

If you’re considering taking your creative talents to a new role in the tech industry, UX/UI Design is a great place to start! In this article we’re going to look at:

Who knows, maybe you're even the next great UX/UI designer...

What is a UX/UI Designer?

A UX/UI designer is a professional dedicated to finding an easy, intuitive, and friendly way to create a website or app’s interface based on the tastes, needs, and opinions of the users of a product or service. In other words, they’re the person in charge of designing the experience of a client–making sure it’s optimal.

Before continuing, it is important to differentiate between UX and UI, two disciplines that are often confused, probably because they work hand in hand, overlapping often, and because of the similarity of their acronyms.

UI: User Interface

In this context, UI, or user interface, refers to the creation of the interface, which can be visual or developed mainly with languages ​​such as HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. The design choices made when creating an interface are determinant in achieving simplicity, clarity and sympathy. If the website design is confusing or hard to read, the user will run away! 

The UI designer is, therefore, primarily responsible for the visual aspect of the interface and deciding the user’s journey.

UX: User Experience

UX, or user experience, focuses on usability and what the user’s experience throughout the process will be like, focusing on analysis and social relationships. All the touchpoints between user and website are taken into consideration to ensure that the customer has a great time, fully satisfying their quest and having their needs met.

The UX designer focuses on ensuring that the navigation and actions performed by the user are consistent, handling the processes and actions triggered by the user.

In short: the professional in charge of the UI will focus on the design of the product, impacting the first visual impression of the user, while the person in charge of the UX focuses on usability and easy navigation, creating certain emotions and sensations when using the interface. 

Most In-Demand UX/UI Design Skills

Tasks as important as creating experiences that meet the needs of customers, improving the perception of the brand, and creating a solid link with their products often fall into the hands of the UX/UI Designer. Think for a moment about applications like Netflix or Spotify, tools like Google Sheets or Zapier, and digital products like Google Home or Philips Hue. Behind each and every one of them there is an immense amount of user experience work, with the aim of creating an easy, intuitive, efficient, and beautiful application.

Check out: Breaking Down the UX/UI Design Job Description

Creativity, empathy, and listening skills are some of the most important characteristics that a good UX/UI designer must have in order to soak up the user's context, the processes they undertake in their day-to-day life, and their needs. In addition, they should seek to add the following to their toolbox:

Dive deeper: Skills Every UX/UI Designer Needs

The many facets of UX/UI design

Depending on the size of the team, a UX/UI professional may need to develop into a certain role. One of these roles is the UX researcher, who is in charge of analyzing users and helping them understand them by asking who they are, studying their behaviors, and focusing on their needs through interviews, surveys, and research. User experience maps, usability assessments, and analytics reports are often their main projects.

The UX writer, then, is responsible for knowing and defining communication with the user, studying their language to learn how the product should speak in order to connect with the client. The tone and the strategy of communication are usually their tasks, defining the content creation strategy and its presentation to the user.

Another path of specialization is that of Service Design, which seeks to create or improve existing services with the aim of making them more usable, useful, and desirable, as well as more effective. Those who are dedicated to this work pursue the goal of having the best available service in the eyes of both the consumer and the company.

Whatever the final destination of a user experience designer may be, research shows that demand for UX/UI designers continues to grow. If you're looking for opportunities, you've found them!

Most Common UX/UI Design Tools

As UX/UI Design is such a broad corner of the tech industry, there are multiple choices for tools, with some being the industry standard and others being more budget-friendly for the smaller startup.

Generally, we can separate these tools into the following categories:

Wireframing and Prototyping

Wireframing is the blueprint of a digital product, mapping out the skeletal framework of its interface to ensure smooth functionality and user flow. Prototyping, on the other hand, takes this a step further by creating interactive models that simulate user interactions, allowing designers to test and refine ideas before final implementation.

Get started with Figma with this awesome crash course, free on our YouTube channel!

Design Systems and Libraries

Design systems and libraries are essential tools that provide a standardized set of design guidelines, components, and resources. Designers use these systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across their projects, allowing for a cohesive look and feel throughout the user experience. By leveraging pre-built components and adhering to established guidelines, designers can streamline their workflow and focus on creativity and innovation.

User Testing and Feedback

User testing and feedback tools are essential for validating design decisions and ensuring that the final product meets user needs and expectations. These tools allow designers to gather real-world insights and make data-driven improvements, ultimately creating more user-centric and successful designs.

When it comes to choosing which tool to learn, take a look at some job postings for your ideal company, and see if they have anything in common. If you see that all three of your dream companies are looking for Figma rather than Adobe, for example, you have a clear path to becoming a dream applicant.

Don’t panic if you already have your favorite tools! If you’ve used one of the tools from each category, most hiring managers will be confident that you’ll pick up a different one on the job.

Trends for UX/UI Designers in 2024

Now you know the foundations of what UX/UI design is, and what UX/UI designers do, you’re ready to learn the trends! While the day-to-day of UX/UI Designers will look mostly the same tomorrow as it does today, trends will start to shape the future of the niche.

Hyper-Personalization

In 2024, the buzzword for UX/UI designers is hyper-personalization! This is all about creating tailored experiences for users based on their preferences, behavior, and past interactions. Companies like Spotify are leading the way, curating playlists that adapt to each user's unique taste. By leveraging AI and machine learning, designers can now offer even more customized content, making every user feel uniquely catered to.

Voice and Gesture Interfaces

Another exciting trend is the rise of voice and gesture interfaces. With the proliferation of smart devices and wearables, interactions are moving beyond touch. Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri are prime examples of voice interfaces enhancing user experience by providing hands-free control. Gesture interfaces, on the other hand, are exemplified by devices like Leap Motion, which are changing how users interact with digital content through natural, intuitive motions.

Inclusive Design

Inclusivity in design isn't just a trend; it's a movement! Companies are prioritizing user experiences that cater to a diverse audience, including those with disabilities. Microsoft is a standout in this area with its inclusive design toolkit that guides designers in creating accessible products. This trend ensures that technology is usable by as many people as possible, making the digital world a more inclusive place.

Dark Mode Design

Dark mode continues to dominate in 2024, offering users an alternative viewing aesthetic that reduces eye strain. Apps like Twitter and Slack have successfully integrated dark mode, providing users with a more comfortable browsing experience during nighttime or in low-light environments. This trend not only enhances usability but also saves battery life on devices, making it a win-win solution.

Micro-Interactions

Micro-interactions are small animations or design elements that provide feedback or enhance user interaction in subtle ways. Think of the satisfying ripple effect when you tap an icon on Google Material Design interfaces, or the haptic feedback you get from an iPhone when you complete a task. These tiny details add a layer of polish and responsiveness that elevates the overall user experience.

A Day in the Life of a UX/UI Designer

Picture this…

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Start the day with a strong cup of coffee and a team meeting buzzing with exciting ideas and innovative concepts.

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Engage in brainstorming sessions, exchanging thoughts on improving user experience and making interactions delightful.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Dive into sketching and conceptualizing, using sketchbooks, post-it notes, and digital tools for new inspiration.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch break.

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Switch gears to prototype building, transforming static designs into interactive experiences.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Test and tweak prototypes, striving for the perfect balance of aesthetics and functionality.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Collaborate closely with developers to ensure every pixel aligns with your vision and every user journey feels intuitive.

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Wrap up the day with user testing sessions, gathering feedback to fuel design refinements.

6:00 PM: Sign off, buzzing with excitement for tomorrow’s possibilities, knowing every effort makes the digital world more seamless and enjoyable for everyone!

Getting Started in UX/UI Design

As it’s such a wide and flexible professional field, you’d be hard pressed to not find yourself fitting in one of the specializations related to UX/UI. Although caring about the customer experience is the one prevalent quality, roles like web design and UX strategist require radically different skill sets.

Betting on practical and quality training is essential to enter the field, although we want to leave you some initial recommendations to get you started: