You might be thinking of a highly complex job when reading the words ‘user’, ‘experience’, and ‘design’ in the title of this article, but it's much simpler than that. Being a user experience designer means diving into the world of creativity. You may encounter challenges in the beginning but a career in this field becomes more interesting the more you master the necessary skills.
What exactly is User Experience (UX)?
User Experience revolves around the feelings people experience when using a product, system, or service. The term covers anything from how well a user can navigate the product to how easy it is to use. For example, when you browse a website, how clear the text is and how smooth the process of going through its pages is a form of user experience. Also, the way you interact with any type of product such as sneakers, a suit, or any device falls under user experience since there are many elements that influence the way you use them. User experience design essentially begins by asking questions about the use of a new product such as: Was the product able to get the job done? And, how easy is it to use?
What does a user experience (UX) designer do?
User experience designers improve the interaction between people and products, which means their goal is to make using products and services easy, efficient, and enjoyable. And when that goal is achieved, it certainly plays a big role in gaining loyal customers who would recommend the product or service to their friends and family.
There is no single path to a successful career in UX design since it’s a diverse and evolving field. Your tasks will vary from day to day and from project to project, which will give you the opportunity to learn and develop throughout your career. User experience design requires analytical skills and can be used within a wide range of fields such as graphic design, architecture, interior design, software development, and industrial design.
The tasks of a user experience (UX) designer
When you’re a user experience designer, you’re essentially responsible for each users' overall satisfaction with a product. Let's take a look at some of the tasks and responsibilities you have to take care of during the design process:
1- Understand the product being offered and the mindset of the user: Think about the problem you’re trying to solve for the user, and how that aligns with the goals you are ultimately trying to achieve.
2- Conduct research around the needs of the user: You have to understand the most important needs, goals, behaviors of the user and also what may cause them to be annoyed. In most situations, you have to conduct surveys and undertake individual interviews to get the most useful answers.
3- Design: When you start designing, you will need to create mind maps, wireframes, or prototypes to give you a better idea of what the final product will look like and how people will experience it.
4- Organize user tests: Validate the design by tracking how real users interact with the product or service before delivering the final version. This is categorized under “usability testing” and will help you identify any issues you may need to fix.
Essential Skills for a user experience (UX) designer
User experience designers need to use a wide range of skills to deliver a successful product or service. Focus on these key practical and technical skills to build a strong foundation in the field:
1- Communication skills: Communicating with users effectively and discussing solutions is one of the most important aspects in becoming a successful UX designer.
2- Effective collaboration: Working in harmony with your team, accepting feedback, discussing solutions, and learning from the experiences of others will make working as a UX designer a lot easier.
3- Critical thinking: You have to become comfortable with critical thinking since you’ll have to use it in every single step of the design process in order to come up with innovative solutions.
4- Thorough research: Conducting interviews, fielding surveys, and continuously receiving feedback from users will help you make the best decisions in the design process.
5- Prototyping: Organizing research data and creating a framework of a website, application, or product allows you to explore the most efficient user design solutions.
Now, you may be wondering how to take the first steps into this profession. There’s no need to worry, Misk is able to provide you with the skills required to start your journey as a designer or researcher in the field of user experience design through their intensive UX design course.
You can also learn from the user experience challenge that Monsha’at launched in early 2022. The opportunity gave people the chance to submit ideas to develop and enhance the user experience of the Monsha’at platform. The goal of the challenge is to create a smooth user experience that ensures everyone is able to easily access services and resources and in turn will help passionate entrepreneurs on their journey to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The services of a user experience designer are in high demand now more than ever, as organizations are increasingly recognizing the value and benefits of a user-centered design in products and services alike. This profession includes many creative challenges but it is a journey filled with innovation on many levels.
