The Why’s And How’s of UX/UI Design for Beginners
In the last article, I talked about how I ended up working in UX/UI design and promised to come back with some context of this domain for someone interested in becoming a UX/UI designer. Just like I was. 😌
First, we must distinguish the difference between UX and UI.
As for the abbreviation itself, UX comes from „User Experience”, which means how people interact with the product. The main purpose of the UX Designer is to fulfill most of the needs and wants of the person that will be using your product.
On the other hand, UI comes from „User Interface”, which means the UI designer has to make everything look neat and pleasant.
There are no clear boundaries between these two. Some tasks may require knowledge from both of them. For example, a product might be very good-looking, but if its functionality is not clever, then it’s just a nice-looking product without a purpose.
Why become both UX and UI designers? Or why just one of them?
The answer lies in yourself. It depends on what you’ll like to do more or your ambition to become. If you are good just with aesthetics, and colors and have an eye for making things look nice, maybe you are good at being a UI Designer.
If you understand the reason behind a button or try to see how people will react to them, you may be good as a UX Designer.
But if you are good at both or want to be, being a UX/UI Designer it will be a good fit.
How do you know?
How do you find the answers to the questions above? I suggest starting working with both. It won’t be a waste of time, because it’s good to know both of them, even if you choose just one.
My second piece of advice is to find a mentor to help you. Of course, you can learn all by yourself, but having someone to guide you will save you a lot of time.
If you can’t find a mentor, join a community of UX/UI designers. I recommend doing that anyway because you may find interesting things, tips, tricks, or tools you didn’t hear of.
Another thing you can do is find something to work on. It can be a project based on a personal idea, a project randomized on a website (there are many websites that give you inspiration for project ideas if you need inspiration), or designing your favorite site or app in your own way.
Starting in this field can be done in various ways. You just need to find your path. At first, the amount of new information might feel overwhelming and could discourage you. But it’s important to keep your ambition and motivation intact. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely possible.
As we come to a close, I’d like to encourage you to share your thoughts about this article. I value your impressions, questions, and feedback, and I’m eager to hear from you. If there’s anything else you’d like to know or talk about, feel free to let me know.
Also, if you need help transitioning into a UX/UI role, reach out to Mento Design Academy for a free call to explore if this UX & UI Bootcamp is right for you. Kickstart your career now! You can access the link below for more information.
https://mentodesign.academy?via=mihaela-beatrice
In a while, crocodile!
