UX design oversaturated

Is UX Design Oversaturated in 2023? An In-Depth Look at the Job Market

User experience (UX) design has seen tremendous growth over the past decade, becoming one of the most in-demand skills in the tech industry. However, with more people entering the field every year, some are questioning if UX design is becoming oversaturated. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the current state of the UX job market and examine if there is truly an oversaturation problem.

The Rising Demand for UX Designers

There’s no question that demand for UX design skills has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the UX Design Institute, demand has grown over 100% since 2015. This surge in demand has been driven by:

• The rise of digital products and experiences. As more companies transition to digital-first business models, there is greater need for UX design skills to create intuitive and engaging online experiences.
• Increased focus on the customer experience. With consumers having endless options, delivering a seamless, frictionless customer experience is a key competitive advantage. UX design plays a central role in CX.
• The shift to design-driven development. Rather than designing after a product is built, companies now take a user-centric approach starting with UX design at the initial stages.
• The tech industry’s insatiable need for UX talent. Major tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have been scooping up UX talent for years, further boosting demand.

This soaring demand has led to an explosion of UX jobs across industries. LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report found that UX design was the fastest growing tech job of the year. Software and IT services firms have especially aggressive hiring targets for UX designers.

The Supply of UX Designers Is Also Growing

At the same time, the supply of UX designers has rapidly expanded. Bootcamps and short certification programs have made it easier than ever to gain entry-level UX skills quickly. University design programs are also prioritizing UX curriculum to meet industry demand.

The rise of remote work has further increased the accessible talent pool for employers. They can now hire UX designers from anywhere instead of just tech hubs like Silicon Valley and New York City. This geographic flexibility has attracted more people to UX design careers.

Millennials and Gen Zers have also been pursuing UX design in larger numbers, drawn to its overlap with tech and creative roles. With booming enrollments, UX bootcamps like General Assembly and DesignLab are producing graduates at scale. Self-taught UX designers are also abundant, learning through online courses and communities.

So while demand has accelerated, the supply of UX designers has grown right alongside it. This begs the question: could UX design soon be oversaturated?

Is UX Design Truly Oversaturated?

With demand AND supply surging, it would be easy to assume oversaturation is imminent. However, a closer look at hiring and job data shows UX design still faces a healthy shortage of talent.

LinkedIn’s 2022 Emerging Jobs Report ranked UX design #4 among the top 15 emerging jobs. Hiring for UX roles on LinkedIn increased 96% from 2015 to 2021. UX designer also consistently ranks among the most in-demand tech jobs on job sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and Dice.

The chronic talent shortage stems from the rapid evolution of UX itself. As technology and design best practices advance, demand for specialized skills like UX writing and conversational UI outpaces supply. Employers also seek UX designers with cross-disciplinary abilities in research, data analysis, and product thinking.

High competition for talent concentrates UX hiring among major tech firms who can pay top dollar. Startups and smaller companies continue struggling to land UX talent despite strong hiring demand. This leaves ample open jobs across industries.

Based on data and expert forecasts, UX design still faces a talent shortage for the foreseeable future. By 2025, some estimate the gap between supply and demand will grow to over 1 million unfilled UX jobs. While UX design has grown significantly, current data does not point to oversaturation.

Which UX Skills Are Most In Demand?

UX design covers a wide spectrum of skills and specialties. This variety is another reason oversaturation concerns are overblown — employers seek a diverse range of abilities within UX. Based on 2022 job postings and hiring trends, these skills are most in demand:

• User research — With the shift towards user-centricity, research skills like stakeholder interviews, usability testing, and data analysis are highly sought after.
• Interaction and information architecture — Structuring effective page flows, interfaces, and taxonomies is core to UX. IA skills are scarce.
• Prototyping — Bringing concepts to life with prototypes is essential for UX. Prototyping tools like Figma and Framer are especially valuable.
• Design thinking — UX designers adept at design thinking and frameworks like agile are coveted for their strategic abilities.
• UX writing — Writing compelling microcopy is vital for digital experiences, driving demand for UX writers.
• Accessibility — Experience accessibility across devices and abilities is a priority, requiring specialized UX skills.
• Emerging tech — UX designers skilled in AR/VR, voice, IoT, and other emerging tech are scarce and in demand.

Specialized skills like these make candidates stand out in today’s market. With employers seeking diversely skilled talent, concerns of oversaturation in UX design are unfounded.

Which Industries Have the Greatest UX Hiring Demand?

UX design demand is surging across all industries, not just Big Tech. Here are 5 industries with particularly high demand forecasted for 2023:

• Software & SaaS — Software and SaaS companies were early UX adopters and continue aggressively hiring UX talent to enhance their digital products.
• Finance & Fintech — To stay competitive, finance brands are prioritizing customer-centric digital experiences demanding strong UX design.
• Health Tech — From telehealth apps to wearables, UX considerations are crucial for healthcare technology adoption and effectiveness.
• Retail & Ecommerce — Retailers like Target and Walmart rely on UX design to drive digital sales amidst the ecommerce explosion.
• Automotive — The rise of in-car infotainment systems and autonomous driving puts UX design at the forefront for automakers.

Of course, UX demand remains strong in other sectors like travel, media, government, and more. The breadth of demand across verticals signals overall labor shortage rather than oversaturation.

Preparing for a Competitive UX Job Market

Despite high demand overall, UX design job seekers should still prepare for a competitive market. Here are 5 ways UX designers can stand out from the competition:

• Develop a specialized skillset — Whether it’s UX research, conversational UI, or accessibility, focus your skills on in-demand specialty areas.
• Build a solid portfolio — Showcase your end-to-end design process and thinking on major projects in your portfolio.
• Get hands-on experience — Pursue internships, freelancing, and extracurricular projects to get real-world UX experience.
• Learn in-demand tools — Fluency in tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD gives you an advantage.
• Master soft skills — Communication, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking are hugely valued soft skills.

With the right blend of hard and soft skills, UX candidates can thrive amidst increased competition.

The Outlook for UX Design in 2023 and Beyond

Based on all available data and indicators, UX design still faces robust demand and favorable job prospects for 2023. Hiring is projected to grow over 20% annually for the next 5+ years. And while supply has expanded, demand continues to outpace it.

Certain segments like junior-level jobs may see more competition, but specialized senior roles will remain hard to fill. Salaries for UX professionals should continue rising as talent shortages persist.

Some moderation in demand growth could occur as more companies build in-house UX teams and rely less on agencies and consultants. But overall demand is driven by factors like digitization that show no signs of slowing.

For those considering a career pivot, UX design remains a promising opportunity with strong upside. Aspiring designers should focus on developing specialized skills and gaining hands-on experience to stay competitive.

While the talent pool has grown, data shows UX design is far from oversaturated. Given its integral role in digital experiences, expect UX hiring demand to thrive for the foreseeable future.