User Interface (UI) designer is a person who designs the interface in the software. It aims to create an attractive and user-friendly interface or easy to use.
A focus on UI design is all of the visual elements that make up the appearance of an interface. Examples include visual aspects on websites or applications, such as menus, text, layout, animations, icons, buttons, colors to typography.
These elements provide facilities for user interaction with a product. In essence, UI designers focus on aesthetics, good color selection, and other visual things that can make a product more pleasing to the eye.
Skills Needed by UI Designers
If you are interested in exploring this profession, here are some skills you need to master to become a reliable UI designer.
Soft Skills
- Good communication and product presentation skills.
- Able to work as a team
- Have empathy, and put yourself in the position of the user/user.
- Accuracy and good analytical skills.
- Good problem solving based on user research results.
Hard Skills
- Have knowledge of how to make wireframing or mock-ups as the initial design of website or application designs.
- Able to master the application of UI mockup design and prototyping.
- Mastering branding, color theory, design patterns, and typography.
- Good design skills.
- The ability to understand and visualize the flow or user flow in using sites and applications.
UI Designer Tasks
What are the real duties and responsibilities of a UI designer? Here are some descriptions of the work UI designers need to do on a daily basis:
- The UI Designer needs to wireframe or make a basic sketch of the mockup design.
- Work closely with UX designers to help identify user needs and overall product aesthetics.
- Arrange and create interactive design elements such as menus, tabs, widgets, buttons, sliders, page navigation, layouts, icons, illustrations, and animations.
- Determine the color palette, typography, images, and other visual elements that can be the final design to be ready to be developed into an application or website.
- Collaborating with developers, UX researchers, copywriters, and product managers in developing products to the final stage.
- Ensure every element can function properly.
- Make improvements to visual elements based on suggestions from the user experience.
How to Become UI Designer
After you know about UI Designers, now the question is how to start a career for beginners in the field of UI design? Below are some steps you can follow on how to become a UI Designer
1. Enrich Skills in the Field of Design
Participate in training, webinars, and workshops related to UI UX design in order to deepen knowledge.
Although this profession can ideally be done by people with a background in design, information technology, computer science, and so on, it is possible for people with other educational backgrounds to have a career in UI design.
As long as you have the will to learn and enrich your skills, you too can start your career in UI and UX design.
If you really like designing, hone your skills and adapt them to the realm of design in the UI field. You can attend several pieces of training, webinars, and workshops related to UI and UX design to deepen your knowledge in this field.
In addition, you need to be diligent in enriching your abilities by practicing and listening to various courses which are also very helpful for those of you who want to start a career in the UI field.
2. Learn the Basics of UI Design and master the tools
Able to master at least 1 UI design application. Understand the fundamental methods, theory, and practice of UI design.
To become a reliable UI designer, you certainly have to master the tools used.
Even at a beginner level, you can be expected to master at least one UI design application, such as Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch, and prototyping tools such as InVision.
A UI designer must also understand the basic methods, theory, and practice of UI design. Examples include color theory, typography, icons, buttons, and more that form the basis of UI design.
This theory and understanding will help you gain deeper insight into the job you are in.
3. Finding Reference Sources
Learn from various media such as books, websites, Youtube, or Dribble and Behance websites.
To start a career in UI/UX, you need to diligently look for lots of references for inspiration. In this way, you can learn a lot from various media such as books, websites, YouTube, and various existing content-sharing platforms.
For reference, you can look to Dribble or Behance as platforms for designers to share their digital works.
4. Update Design Trends
Always keep abreast of trends and can adapt to user needs.
Following trends in the design world is a mandatory thing that you should know. Over time, design trends will also follow the existing developments.
This is useful so that the designs created are always up to date with trends and can adapt to the needs of today’s users. Your clients will also be oriented towards up-to-date designs to be applied to products.
5. Join the Community
Adding new connections, and exchanging ideas in exploring the same professional field.
The next way you can start a career in UI is by joining a community.
In addition to adding new connections, you can also exchange ideas in exploring the same professional field. You can add insight into your field of work through various sources, including friends in your community.
You can also join the UI/UX designer community from sources such as forums, join Facebook groups, or take advantage of other social media.