5 Differences between Graphic Designer and UX Designer!
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
-Steve Jobs
Graphic Designer
A graphic designer creates or designs visuals and conveys a message through those visuals using hand tools or computer software.
It is important to figure out how one can become a graphic designer.
One option is to be self taught and acquire the skills required and the other option is to get a Bachelor’s degree relevant to the profile. The Bachelor’s degree is a plus point to stand out in the crowd, but is not necessarily important. It is necessary to know what niche a person is good at or wants to pursue as a graphic designer.
Job Role of a Graphic Designer
To create illustrative graphics, logos or pictures accordingly for website layouts, books and magazine covers, advertisements, brand logos etc.
A graphic designer decides the color palette and fonts for the design.
Skills required
• Tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Adobe XD
• Typography
• Attention to detail
• Diagramming
• Lettering
Other Skills
• Good communication skills
• Drawing and Sketching
• Research Skills
• Time Management
Graphic designing has a wide scope for future, for it is required at every point in every industry. More than certifications and educational qualifications, skills are what matter the most in this field.
UX DESIGNER
A UX Designer designs websites, mobile apps, and software, or even designs for voice, AR and VR devices. Some UX designers focus on service design rather than tangible products, such as designing the overall experience of using public transport or staying in a hotel as well as more hands-on design tasks such as wire-framing and prototyping. Within the UX designer job title, there are specialist roles too.
Despite the variety of offers, some UX designers focus on the interaction between real human users (like you and me) and everyday products and services, such as websites, apps, and even coffee machines. It is an extremely varied discipline, combining aspects of psychology, business, market research, design, and technology.
The demand for UX designers is reflected in both the ‘average UX designer salaries’ and the ‘employment market for UX professionals’.
Job Role of a UX Designer
To make products and technology usable, enjoyable, and accessible for humans. They tend to work as part of a larger product team, and bridge the gap between the user, the development team, and key business stakeholders and advocate for the end user or customer. Whether it is designing a brand new product, coming up with a new feature, or making changes to an existing product or service — the UX designer focuses on what’s best for the user and the overall user experience. They are also responsible for making sure that the product as well as the service meets the needs of the business.
General tasks that a UX designer can be expected to perform
· Conducting user research
· Creating user personas
· Determining the information architecture of a digital product
· Designing user flows and wireframes
· Creating prototypes
· Conducting user testing
UX designers are not typically responsible for the visual design of a product. Rather, they focus on the journey that the user takes and how the product is structured to facilitate this journey.
Tasks that typically fall into the UX designer role
· Personas and information architecture
· User flows and wireframes
· Prototyping and user testing
· Visual design
Skills required
With such a varied range of tasks, UX designers need to have a very diverse skill set. Besides technical and design skills like wire-framing, prototyping and interpreting data and feedback, UX designers also require certain soft skills.
*Wire-framing is a practice which allows UX Designers to define and plan the information hierarchy of their design for a website, app or product.*
Adaptability, communication, empathy, problem-solving and teamwork are all essential soft skills. It is important for them to collaborate effectively with those around them — from clients and stakeholders to developers and fellow designers, all the way through to the end user.
Business knowledge also goes a long way in the UX design industry. It’s important to understand both the goals of the company and the needs of the targeted audience, and to align these well when coming up with design solutions.
