UX designer

The tasks of UX designers depend on the company size, seniority and industry. Here are some standard duties in the role:

• conducting user research: as a UX designer, your main duty is to learn about the users of a digital product or service. You analyze the behaviours, goals, motivations and needs of users. Most UX designers collect user research data through interviews, online surveys, focus groups and competitor analysis. You create qualitative and quantitative data from user research that guides decision-making.
• creating user personas: you consolidate and interpret user research findings to construct representative personas. Each user persona highlights the needs, motivations and potential responses of a targeted demographic. The persona assists designers in getting a clearer picture of the person that the product targets and helps in making adjustments to improve the experience.
• determining the information architecture of a product: as a UX designer, you are the information architect. That means you organize content within a website, guiding users to accomplish tasks and educating them about a product. When you create a structure, users easily find the information they need, optimizing their encounters and interaction with the digital product.
• designing wireframes and user flows: as a UX designer, wireframing is one of your key functions when building the final product. Wireframes are design sketches representing the stages or screens of a website throughout the user journey. You include elements like buttons and images to create the ideal user flow.
• creating prototypes: you design a final interactive version of the pre-development product. The prototype allows users to test the main interactions on digital products. You use prototyping tools to create videos that guide users through the user design functions. From the prototype testing, you identify areas for improvement.
• conducting user testing: as a UX designer, you conduct user testing after releasing the final product or launching a website. This process allows users to interact with the final design, enabling you to analyze usability, intuitiveness and accessibility. Some UX designers use focus groups to provide valuable feedback on areas that need adjustment.

UX designers work in various fields and industries. However, the majority work in IT consultancy or marketing firms. As a user experience designer, you work across different teams, from production to marketing and customer support. Most companies have interactive offices for designers and developers to promote creativity. While you work a desk job, the interactive and climate-controlled work environment boosts productivity and the sharing of ideas.

When you work for a consultancy, expect to be contracted out to different companies to assist on specific projects. Hence, your role may involve travelling to clients' premises. Some UX designers also work from home and accomplish their tasks remotely.

 As a UX designer, you work with diverse professionals in the tech sector. For instance, you work with developers, digital marketing coordinators and software developers. If your job is to improve the user experience for websites, you are likely to work with web developers, front-end developers and full-stack developers. You may also work with marketing managers and social media managers to find strategies that improve user experience and increase sales.

The typical work hours of a UX designer are 39 hours a week. If you work for a company, you are likely to cover the regular business hours with occasional evenings. Unless a project deadline is approaching, UX designers rarely work during holidays or weekends. Freelancers and contractors set their time based on the projects they are working on. For instance, a contractor plans their schedule based on the clients and can work fewer or more hours per week, depending on the role's demands.

The UX design industry is a changing field with a high demand that requires overlapping skill sets to progress. Many professionals possess graphic design, information architecture and software development skills. Hence, as you gain experience, you can specialize in graphic design, web design or user research. If you want to advance in the role, consider becoming a UX expert or consultant before moving to a managerial role, such as product manager, project manager or UX director.

Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits.

• always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
• many training opportunities
• a range of jobs in your area

Becoming a user experience designer is an exciting career with great prospects. UX professionals are in high demand in technology fields. The role also has a lucrative salary.

Yes, UX designers earn a promising salary in Canada. You take home an average salary of $120,147 per year. The earnings increase as you build your portfolio, gain experience and obtain additional certifications.

As a UX designer, you are responsible for creating an optimal experience for users to interact with products. You ensure websites and applications are visually appealing and meet user requirements.

Having a degree is not mandatory for user experience designers. You can start a career in UX without a degree, but many employers require at least a college qualification or bachelor’s degree to sharpen your skills.

To work as a UX designer, you don’t need to know how to code. However, having basic programming skills and a good understanding of software development helps you develop better designs.

Finding a job near you as a UX designer is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the 'Apply' button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Send us your resume, and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.