Different Roles in UX and UI Design

The UX and UI design field has fully blossomed over the last few years and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. As the UX and UI design field continues to expand, more roles are being created to fit the needs of the career field. Not only is it an exciting time to watch this field bloom, but it is a perfect opportunity for those wanting to work in the UX and UI design field due to the limitless number of job roles available. Here at the Guac we will dive into the different roles to help you choose the job role that is right for you!

Different Roles in the UX and UI Design Field

Below we have listed the most popular job roles in the UX/UI design field:

UX Researcher

UX researchers utilize qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather data on how users think, feel, and behave when using their products. This data in turn helps researchers and the UX design team to make informed product decisions, create personas, and provide solutions to user concerns (i.e. pain points). Research methods typically include user interviews or surveys, usability testing, discovery interviews, concept testing, and contextual inquiries. This role is perfect for those who are highly data-driven, analytical, empathetic and have the ability to understand human behaviors. 

UX Designer

UX designers focus on the user experience and how a product works and feels for the user, which will ultimately make the product user-friendly and engaging. The goal of a UX designer is to create a product that is usable, functional, and reliable. Other responsibilities include creating wireframe prototypes, providing design critiques and feedback, problem-solving for users, building the foundation of the user experience, and testing the wireframe prototypes before handing them off to the UI designer. UX designers empathize and advocate for users throughout the design process and think of solutions when user concerns arise. This role is perfect for those who are good problem solvers. 

UI Designer

UI designers are responsible for the visual aspects of a product such as the buttons, color schemes, typography, icons, and logos. They also design style guides to help the rest of the design team so that the visuals of the product remain consistent, critique designs, provide continuous feedback, and take the wireframe prototype and turn it into the final product. The goal for UI designers is to create accessible and beautiful interfaces. You may be a great fit for this role if you have a fine eye for detail and like to create visually stimulating products. 

UX/UI Designer

A UX/UI designer is a role that is commonly advertised for smaller companies where employees wear many hats. UX/UI designers typically carry out both UX and UI designer responsibilities such as creating and finalizing the wireframe prototype. In this type of role, you are covering both the user experience and visual aspects of product design. One might like this role if you enjoy both the user experience and design aspect, or have developed UX and UI design skills. 

Product Designer

A product designer is another role in which a person wears multiple hats in the UX/UI design field; additionally, they work on products or services. Responsibilities of this role include knowledge of UX/UI design, designing digital products, project management, and business development. Product designers are in charge of the product pre and post-production (i.e. test post-launch and make decisions regarding improvements) and lead in design critiques and feedback. The goal of this role is to support the product, meet business objectives, consider cost-effectiveness, and look at the overall bottom line. A product designer would be a good fit for those who like seeing a project from beginning to end, are business oriented, or like to work on a product within a larger suite of products (i.e. Uber). 

User-Centered Designer

The basic philosophy of user-centered design includes understanding the context of product use, specifying user requirements, designing solutions to pain points, and continuous evaluation. At each stage of the design process, a designer is taking into account feedback, data, and input from users to keep designs accurate and functional. In this particular field, designers are focused more on the tangible ways users interact with a product. Typical job titles in this field are engineer, designer, researcher, marketer, or stakeholder. This role would work well for those who like to create user-friendly designs and outcomes. 

Human-Centered Designer

Human-centered design is similar to user-centered design but instead focuses more on the emotional and psychological preferences of users. Designers in this type of role must be empathic with users, accurately define problems, develop potential solutions, create prototypes, and consistently test and refine products. Those who favor the human-centered design philosophy notice that it increases growth and helps users to engage better with products. It may be important to note that both user-centered design and human-centered design approaches apply to a vast array of products, not just digital products.  

Disclaimer

As with any company, the roles may be defined differently based on the company, the product you are designing, and the users being served. 

Comparing and Contrasting the Different Roles

As you can see, there are an infinite amount of possibilities awaiting anyone who enters the UX/UI design field. Knowing the different job roles will help you to choose the right path for you and to develop the necessary skills needed to be successful. UX/UI design is a career field that will continue to expand due to the many benefits and growth opportunities available.  

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Author:

Meggen is an SEO content writer who loves hiking, drinking coffee, and traveling. She loves her avocados on toast with egg and bacon.