User experience (UX) designers are needed everywhere—and not just in tech. Companies like banks, government agencies, and even home improvement stores are focused on maximizing individuals’ engagement with their products and services.
With the average salary of a UX/UI designer hovering close to six-figures—$97,716, according to Dice’s Tech Salary Trends report—the field is an increasingly appealing one. So, for those curious about how to learn the appropriate skills and land a gig in the world of UX or even user interface (UI) design (they’re closely related), Fortune has you covered. It comes down to three simple steps:
- Do your research
- Learn the base skills via a degree, bootcamp, or certification program
- Upskill, upskill, upskill
1. Do your research
Because UX design intersects with so many industries, the skills you need to learn may differ based on the type of company you’d ideally want to work at. While with any position, you need to know the basic competencies around product design, wireframing, and prototyping, the exact programs you need to master may differ.
During this exploratory phase, compare various job postings at companies that excite you—roles in the UX space could include UX and/or UI designer or researcher—and see what skills or experience they require. Some notably may not require a college degree, but many do ask for a portfolio or other showcase of your work and knowhow in the space.
Pay close to attention to the tools and programs the jobs require or prefer candidates to be familiar with. Some of the common tools include Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud products like XD. Others could ask for experience in programs like Axure, InVision, or Sketch or even programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or Python.
2. Learn the base skills via a degree, bootcamp, or certification program
There are dozens of ways to obtain the necessary skills to succeed in UX design. While not as abundant as other specialties, the field is somewhat popular, especially among graduate-level programs.
At Purdue’s Polytechnical Institute, students obtaining a master’s in computer graphic technology can concentrate in UX design, and Georgia Tech offers a master’s in human computer interaction. These are just two examples of the possible degree offerings. Other schools offer similar programs via an online format.
If obtaining a full degree may be too ambitious of a prospect—either because of time or financial restraints—a bootcamp or certificate may be a better pathway.
For about the same cost of one semester in college, bootcamps can provide you with the necessary skills in UX or UX/UI design. Students generally gain all the real-world experience needed with added flexibility. Plus, they may still provide tutoring, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
Other options include enrolling in a certification program offered by companies like Google. Or, if you are still interested in getting the name recognition that comes with a university, many schools offer their own UX design bootcamps in partnership with edX. Some include the Universities of Oregon, Kansas, and Minnesota.
Regardless, all these programs are likely to be cheaper and allow greater flexibility versus enrolling in a four-year or graduate degree program.
3. Upskill, upskill, upskill
Like other careers in the digital space, AI is revolutionizing the world of UX design. And luckily, because UX design is focused on creating an impactful experience for a human user, AI is not going to replace the field. Instead, AI is making UX design easier and more efficient.
AI can help digest vast amounts of user data—including behaviors—and discern patterns, predict needs, and propose changes. Looking even broader, it can automate more mundane tasks for designers like autocompleting prototypes and wireframes. Plus, AI is helping developers make tools and programs more advanced with predictive modeling.
With all of this in mind, upskilling is paramount for UX designers. So, even if you are mid career, it could be worth taking a second look at a bootcamp or certification program to help freshen up your skills, learn new programs, and give you a competitive edge in the industry.
