How to Become a UI/UX Specialist

The first step in becoming a UI/UX specialist is to find an educational program which will provide you with a solid foundation upon which to build your career. Although a formal degree is not required, there are benefits to having a degree with respect to getting that first interview, earning the most money possible in the field and securing employment with reputable firms. While you are earning your degree, you also can develop other talents and skills which you will need to succeed as a UI/UX specialist. 

Education for a UI/UX Specialist

Beginning in 2020, a number of colleges and universities began offering a variety of undergraduate programs in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Enrolling in an accredited institution can mean receiving a Bachelor of Science in HCI, an additional major in HCI (dual bachelor’s), a minor in HCI, or a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree.  If the college of your choice does not offer a HCI degree, you will want to focus on related fields, such as Psychology, Computer Science, Design, or Information Science.

Expand and Develop Core Research Skills

1. Interview Methods: In order to become a successful UI/UX specialist, you will need to learn how to communicate effectively with users in an interview format. Formulating relevant questions to ask and practicing the art of interviewing with friends or relatives will give you a head start in this area. Always keep in mind, the job of the UI/UX specialist is to solve problems which users experience. It takes practice to become skilled at asking the right questions, at the right time, from the right people. These communication skills will also help you in working with coworkers to coordinate project tasks. 
2. Survey Creation: Learn how to design and administer surveys centered around usability testing. Learning to poll users as to how digital products and services specifically impact them is tantamount to becoming a UI/UX specialist. Become familiar with and learn to use popular platforms for implementing the mechanics of surveying and polling.
3. Design Knowledge: You will need to acquire the ability to understand design principles and have a working knowledge in the field, in order to effectively communicate with designers. For example, you will need to become adept at wireframing in user interface design for layouts for websites, mobile apps, web apps, print designs, posters, and infographics. There are many free tools available which you can use for wireframing, as well as prototyping. Keep up with existing and new platforms and be able to demonstrate seamless navigation.
4. Data Analysis: Once you have learned how data is collected and used, you will need to understand the basics of data analytics. Having hands on experience with arranging, grouping, calculating, and analyzing data will be required of you as a UI/UX specialist.  

Utilize Online Training Resources & Internships

One of the benefits of choosing a career as a UI/UX specialist is the plethora of informational and training opportunities available online, often free of charge. Platforms like LinkedIn offer networking events and groups, as do other smaller independent websites. Your value as an employee will also be enhanced by seeking out as many in-person internships as possible. Volunteering for firms which specialize in UI/UX related services will boost your value as a future job candidate. Also, successful interning can also lead to a job offer once you have proven your viability as an associate. 

Build Your Portfolio

The most important marketing tool you will have in becoming a sought-after UI/UX specialist is your online portfolio. Your online portfolio will provide potential employers with demonstrations as to your understanding of creating highly effective digital interfaces and flows. A well-constructed portfolio can also make up for a lack of experience by showing proof of what you have been able to achieve. Start out with a section about yourself, in a personable yet professional manner. Highlight unique experiences which afford you valuable perspectives and problem-solving skills. Include detailed design case studies, original designs and redesigns of existing websites and apps. Credible industry blogs, networking groups and educational sites can guide you in the area of building an impressive portfolio. A couple of things to keep in mind while developing your portfolio:

1.  Showcase your ability to empathize with users. Your ability to solve problems will be based on a sensitivity to, and understanding of exactly what end users are experiencing. The degree of empathy of which you are capable, will have a direct bearing on your ability to define and design viable solutions and courses of action. In your portfolio, have a variety of cases for which you determined exactly what the problems were, and how you arrived at your definitions. Highlight your communication skills responsible for eliciting the responses defining the issues at hand, as well as your ability to quantify that input.
2. Outline the process through which you took the problems and moved into the ideation and prototype phases of development. Keep explanations simple and concrete; the easier the solution is to comprehend, the faster it can be shown to implement.  

Job Oulook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/), UI/UX specialists have amazing opportunities in store for the time period spanning 2022-2032. The field is growing by a remarkable 16% per year, which is much faster than the average rate of 6%. In 2022 there were 216,700 jobs, and the median pay per year was $80,730, while the median hourly wage was $38.81. (As a reminder, the “median” amount is not an average, it is the middle value of a dataset. For the U.S. BLS definition go to: https://www.bls.gov/cps/definitions.htm#medianearnings ).

In order to become a top-earning UI/UX specialist, you will need to obtain an education (formal or informal), and combine that with specialized skills, an outstanding portfolio and some form of experience in the field. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a minimum of 19,000 jobs per year over the 2022–2032 time span, make sure one of them is yours!