How to become a UX/UI designer?

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people interested in becoming UX/UI designers, and I notice that while talking to people. This is due to a number of factors, including the growing importance of user-centered design in the digital age, the rise of technology and the increasing use of digital devices, and the growing demand for designers who can create intuitive and aesthetically pleasing designs. Will all that, the pay can be quite decent, and that matters.

Where to start?

Becoming a UX/UI designer can be a rewarding career path for those interested in creating user-centered designs for digital products. As a UX/UI designer, you will be responsible for understanding the needs and goals of users and creating designs that meet those needs in an intuitive and aesthetically pleasing way.

To become a UX/UI designer, it is important to start by gaining a solid understanding of the principles of user-centered design. This includes understanding the user research process, user personas, and user journeys. Additionally, it is important to have a strong understanding of design principles, including layout, typography, and color theory.

1. Get a few certificates

One of the best ways to gain these skills is through taking online courses or attending workshops. There are many resources available, such as Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare, that offer courses on user experience design and user interface design. The most popular one is probably the “Google UX Design Professional Certificate” which I completed myself, and while it alone probably won’t land you a job, it’ll definitely bring you closer to becoming a professional. 

Additionally, attending local meetups or conferences can be a great way to network with other designers and learn about the latest trends and best practices in the field.

2. Stay up to date

In addition to gaining the necessary skills, it is also important to stay up to date with the latest trends and tools in the field. This includes familiarizing yourself with design software such as Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma, as well as staying informed about the latest design trends and best practices.

You’re probably tired of hearing about it, but here I have to mention the rise of AI. You simply have to familiarize yourself with AI tools like Midjourney, DALL E, ChatGPT, etc. These tools can be extremely useful to designers, I use them on a weekly basis.

3. Build a portfolio

Finally, it is important to build a portfolio of your work to showcase your skills to potential employers. This can include case studies of your design process, wireframes, mockups of your designs, as well as live examples of your work.

If you are interested in becoming a UX/UI designer, I encourage you to subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on social to stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices in the field. With the knowledge and skills gained from these resources, you will be well on your way to becoming a successful UX/UI designer. See you out there!

Interesting Hyperlinks

Just some links I believe are worth sharing, take a look yourself.

Framer - Webflow alternative with better user experience

CSS Peeper - a must-have Chrome extension for designers to extract CSS

Grids - by far the best desktop Instagram client

SVG Export - I use this every week to extract logos from websites

333+ ChatGPT prompts - a bunch of very useful prompts, nicely categorized