How to Become a UI Designer

About UI Designer

UI Designers are technicians that are in charge of creating software that allows users to have a seamless experience or contact with computers. The world is changing quickly, and so is the technological arena. Most of us spend a significant amount of time on other technological gadgets. However, have you ever noticed that when you use your smartphone and scroll through your pictures or tap buttons, a visual element is created that shows that you made a move on the phone? This is designed by a UI Designer. If you want to become someone who aims to improve the user's experience while using technological devices, you can pursue a career as a UI Designer. As a UI Designer, you will be responsible for the screens that the user will navigate. You have the ability to design a user interface and decide how a user will interact with the device. Students interested in becoming UI designers can enroll in a Computer Science Engineering programme.

According to LinkedIn India, UI developer jobs are among the fastest-growing, with a 75% increase in job postings month over month. A UI developer's average salary in India is INR 8,75,000, or INR 449 per hour. Freshers in the UI Development sector start at INR 5,00,000, while experienced candidates can earn up to INR 18,00,000. To be eligible for a career in user interface design, one should be familiar with HTML, CSS, jQuery, and JavaScript. After earning a degree in Computer Engineering, such as a BTech, BCA, MTech, MCA, or a specialisation course such as a B.Tech. in Computer Science. All of these programmes require a valid JEE mains score.

To become a UI Developer, one must complete some Professional Certifications in addition to degree courses. Salesforce, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Google, Salesforce, Intel, and others are among the top companies that hire UI developers. The demand for UI Developers is growing by the day, and every industry is hiring them because they need them to make creative software to engage and enhance customer user experience.

Why Become a UI Designer?

UI developers are currently in high demand, and it is one of the fastest-growing jobs. The demand for UI developers is expected to increase by 14.9% over the next ten years. UI developers can earn a high salary, which increases with experience and skills. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for UI developers is INR 6,00,000, with the potential to earn INR 12,00,000.

A career in UI is a promising one because the field of UI will never be out of work. A UI Developer will always be needed to create innovative web pages and other software. UI Designer has a positive career impact; UI Developers are sought after to create websites and other software. They have a high earning potential. Candidates who have completed their graduation can pursue higher education. Candidates can pursue MTech/MCA/MBA/MSc.

In addition, candidates gain coding skills, which is one of the most valuable in today's tech world. You can also start your own business where you will be your own boss and work on your own terms. You can also work as a freelance UI developer. Lastly, you also build a strong network of industry leaders.

Responsibilities of a UI Designer

A career as a UI Designer necessitates proper design skills as well as a focus on how well the software engages the user positively. The design method necessitates market research into how consumers use the software. The responsibilities of a User Interface Designer include gathering user specifications, designing graphical elements, and implementing navigation modules. User Interface Designers should be familiar with design software and wireframing tools.

UI Designer's responsibilities are listed below. Go through the pointers to gain a better understanding of the job profile.

• Make products

The primary responsibility of a User Interface designer is to create an end product that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. UI and UX design are two distinct functions that may or may not be performed by the same person. The creation of a high-quality product is critical to satisfying customers and retaining their trust so that they will continue to rely on you. Quality goods contribute significantly to long-term sales and productivity.

• Collaboration

To identify and execute creative product strategy, graphics, and interface solutions, UI designers collaborate with the product development team and engineers. A safe and adaptable environment makes developers feel more at ease, allowing them to communicate more easily and effectively. Co-workers who work well together can take complete control of their jobs and drive goals and objectives.

• Build from the ground up

They handle all aspects of visual design, from initial concept to final delivery to the development or engineering team. They practise the art of interface design, ensuring that each page or site flows smoothly into the next. UI designers create products from the ground up in order to consider making them with ready-made software in the future. The project starts from the beginning, embarking on some action or process with no prior planning or understanding.

• Create various types of web design

Web design is important because it influences how the audience perceives the brand. UI designers can influence them to stay on your page and learn about the business or to leave and go to a competitor. Designers of user interfaces will put their creativity to good use. They will specialise in web development, delving into the beautiful worlds of design, typography, spacing, iconography, and more.

• Create systems

The purpose of system design is to analyse a system or its parts in order to define its goals. It is, in fact, a problem-solving strategy that fortifies the process and ensures that nearly all of the system's components are working effectively and efficiently to achieve their goal. UX designers use online resources such as screen readers to help them with their work. They create and manage wireframe layout and configuration.

• Enhance the user experience

The user experience is critical because it attempts to meet the needs of the customers. It intends to continue providing positive interactions that will keep a consumer loyal to a product or brand. As a result, having a positive user interface allows you to identify the consumer experiences that are most important to business performance. UX programmers calculate and improve applications to improve the user experience by investigating various solutions to end-user problems.

Eligibility to become UI Designer

UI Developers are in charge of testing the user interface's behaviour and performance. Some of the steps to becoming a UI developer, as well as the skills required, are listed below:

Candidates for the position of UI developer must have completed their 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics as major subjects.

• Having Computer Science as an additional subject in 10+2 will give you an advantage when it comes to becoming a UI developer.
• Following the completion of the 12th grade, candidates must pursue a bachelor's degree in any technical specialisation, such as BSc in UI, BTech in Computer Science, MCA, and so on.
• Students should select subjects that include Physics, Chemistry, and Math because these subjects serve as a foundation stone for those who wish to pursue UI Development as a career.

Mentioned below are the eligibility criteria for An UI Designer. Check out the eligibility criteria required for UG, and PG candidates.

Types of Job Roles UI Designer

The job market for UI designers is extremely active. Candidates with the necessary skills and procedures will undoubtedly excel in the field. Candidates must maintain their earnings in order to advance in their careers. They must learn new skills that will help them advance in their current position, develop effective communication skills, conduct proper research and come up with their own solutions, look for opportunities to showcase their skills, accept feedback, and be accountable for their own career advancement. 

The following job positions in the field are discussed in order of their career progression:

• Internship as a UI Designer: An internship programme as a UI Designer is a common path to the career. Candidates who complete appropriate class projects are likely to land good internships in this field. Candidates for UI Design Internships must be proficient in one or more UI design tools, understand the UI process, create a portfolio of their work, and write and design a well-written and designed resume and cover letter. The roles and responsibilities of a UI design intern include creating a design that reflects a visual design language or brand guidelines to improve usability, testing interaction flows and mocks, and using research to accurately communicate product functionality to the team.
• Junior UI Designer: Junior UI Designers are expected to work directly under the supervision and direction of senior-UI designers and mid-level designers, where they are assigned various tasks and report directly to senior-UI designers. Senior team members provide complete guidance to junior UI designers. The Junior UI designer is in charge of providing project blueprints. They must be able to collaborate with both external and internal clients to understand detailed requirements and design complete user experiences that are accessible. They must be able to effectively and intelligently iterate their designs and solutions.
• Mid-level UI Designer: Mid-level UI designers are in charge of more tasks than junior UI designers. They must be proficient in one or more branches of UI by this point in their career. Mid-level UI designers must work with vendor products to influence and align UI as much as possible, understand the realism of work products/vendors, and document and present ideas and reasoning for design decisions. Mid-level UI designers must work in domains such as interaction/UI, visual design, research to test with users, and many others.
• Senior UI Designer: Senior UI designers are in charge of directing and supervising the work of junior UI designers, mid-level UI designers, and interns, as well as working on projects with the UI lead. The senior UI designer is expected to analyze things from a broader perspective and manage projects, if necessary, communicate effectively with clients and stakeholders about your team's design decisions, and understand and handle multiple tasks as well as potential projects without becoming overwhelmed.
• UI Lead: UI Lead is the top-individual contributor in the company before design management roles. As lead UI designers, they are responsible to lead design projects, establishing and updating UI design processes, and mentoring junior designers. The lead UI designer is required to be involved in the hiring process of the other team members, manage entire UI design projects and team, have expert-level understanding and communication of UI, and mentor more junior members. 

Employment Sector/Industry for UI Designer

There are numerous job opportunities for UI Designers in various industries. The following are some of the most important sectors/industries that require a UI Designer:

• Corporate Business
• Multimedia Companies
• Publishing House
• Marketing Firms
• Government Sectors
• MNCs
• Colleges/Universities
• NGO’s

Top Recruiters in a UI Designer

The top recruiters in India for a UI Designer are listed below:

• Clay Tech
• Veeco Instruments Inc.
• Apple Inc.
• Mercedes-Benz
• Hidesign
• AniWebDesigns LLC
• Intellect Design Arena Limited
• Design Cafe
   

Pay Scale/Salary of UI Designer

A UI Developer's salary can be competitive in the early stages because the salary is primarily determined by the candidate's performance. The average salary ranges from INR 3,000,000 to INR 450,000.

Salary ranges for various job roles and positions, as well as gender and specialisation, are provided below based on levels of experience.

Books & Study Material to Become UI Designer

• "Fundamentals of Creating a Great UI/UX" by Creative Tim
• "Refactoring UI" by Steve Schoger & Adam Wathan
• "Laws of UX: Using Psychology to Design Better Products & Services" by Jon Yablonski
• "Don’t make me think" by Steve Krug
• "100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People" by Susan Weinschenk
• "The Principles of Beautiful Web Design" by Jason Beaird
• "Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design" by Jenifer Tidwell, Charles Brewer, Aynne Valencia
• "Designing with the Mind in Mind" by Jeff Johnson

Pros of becoming a UI Designer

• Start a new career quickly.
• Learn to work with others.
• Create a strong technology professional network.
   

Cons of becoming a UI Designer

• Motivation and hard work are required.
• Rapid-fire learning style.
• Keeping up with evolving web technologies.