Have you ever wondered how some websites or apps give you an unforgettable experience while there are others where you struggle to even sign up on the registration page? In case you are thinking about what causes this massive difference, the answer lies in their UI/UX design.
UI and UX designers are the core part of the design and graphic teams that research, evaluate and curate the wireframes to create products like apps and websites. Although it may sound technical, there are no such criteria for designers to have a technical background which means anyone who wants to be a part of these lucrative tech booms can join UI/UX companies.
A career in UI/UX design offers an ocean of opportunities, and according to Glassdoor, the average salary of a UI/UX designer is $85,000 in the U.S.A. If you are a fresher and looking forward to building a career in UI/UX design, here is a guide that will help you understand the path toward becoming a designer in this niche:
Understand the Basic Principles of UI Design
The divine concept of design is to solve problems. Therefore, before getting your hands on design projects, it is imperative to learn the basic principles of design. Not only will it help you in walking into the design world, but it will shape your mind and allow you to think “creatively” whenever you come across a rebuttal.
Start by delving deep into the psychological framework of design, such as how it can look good and why it should look good, as well as what aspects can make it fail. Some of the important UI/UX design studio fundamentals that you must be mindful of our colour, balance, contrast, typography and consistency.
Understand the Creative UX Process
Learning the UX process is all about understanding the creative steps taken by a designer in specific phases. Experts in UI/UX companies classify the UX visual map into four stages of D’s - Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. UX designers have to start researching, evaluating, gathering new ideas and getting inspired by the latest trends and designs. It shall help you create your brief so that you can use it in prototyping and testing to refine the solution before the final delivery.
Reading is an Absolute Must
There’s nothing better than to garner inspiration from the experience of experts and professionals. It is crucial to read a few design articles every day to familiarise yourself with design. There are numerous articles published on the subject every day on the Internet, along with new ideas and tutorials. You can also browse through our blog section, where you will get access to not only design ideas but the latest trends and upcoming updates on UI/UX as well.
Train Your Eye for Design
Practice makes a man perfect - it goes for design too. Simply learning about the design principles is not enough, as you must hone your skills to distinguish between good and bad design, as well as identify both good and bad in it.
A great way to train your eye for design is getting inspired by browsing through the UI/UX design work of experts. You will often be in a situation where your mind might be unable to create new ideas. Hence, an effective way to bring creativity is through extensive research on design projects.
Design Pilot Projects
It goes without saying that without practice and experience, there will be no prospective clients or jobs. However, there is a way for a fresher to gain experience even without jobs or projects in hand. Indulging in dummy or pilot projects can help you in breaking the cycle by redesigning a website or app that you already use. Not only will it help you practice, but it will also allow you to build your design portfolio.
Get Hold of the Latest Design Tools
There are thousands of design tools available out there, but there is no rush to learn about all of them. Scout the best ones that will serve your requirements, pick your favourites, and stay updated with the latest features and trends. You can also subscribe to our blogs and newsletter as we unravel a lot of design details on interface design, prototyping and collaboration.
Seek Mentorship
Giving Mentorship - Mellow Designs
Gaining knowledge on UI/UX design through various articles and using tools is great, but to speed up your learning procedure, you must look for mentorship. Find a design mentor who will be willing to review your work and offer their feedback so that you learn from their experience. Put forward your queries and discuss your concerns either in person or through e-mail to understand their perspective
Concluding Thoughts
Finally, there are many ways to get into the world of UI/UX design as a fresher as the profession is still developing at large. You can also reach out to our UI/UX design studio to explore how we mix technology with graphics and user psychology. Hopefully, the points mentioned above will help you get started on the successful career path of UI/UX design.
