Changing professions is not as difficult as it is sometimes made out to be, particularly if you have the proper tools to assist you. For many web designers, this is an excellent moment to go into UX design. To begin with, there is the monetary benefit that comes with a job shift. UX design has a tremendous effect on organizations. So, where do you go to discover the appropriate resources to assist you in making a job change? You are reading one right now, after all. Check out web design toronto for more information.
What is User Experience and User Experience Design?
To begin, let us define “User Experience” in a nutshell. Users interact with products, and the user experience (UX) is simply the experience a user has while using that product. So far, so good, right?
UX design is the art of creating things that offer the best possible user experience. If this description seems too wide, it is because the nature of UX design is very broad. Building the best UX requires knowledge of psychology, interface design, user research, and many other areas, but it ultimately comes down to an iterative problem-solving process (but more on that later).
User experience may be divided into three categories: appearance, feel, and usability.
The appearance of a product is about utilizing visuals to establish a feeling of harmony with the user’s beliefs, which builds credibility and trust with the user. It is about making a product that not only looks good, but also looks correct.
Making the experience of utilizing a thing as pleasant and pleasurable as possible is what the feel entails. It is created by carefully designing the interactions between the consumer and the product, as well as the emotions they experience while (and after) using it.
Finally, usability is the foundation of the user experience. Simply said, if a product is not useful, no amount of beautiful looks will save it, and consumers will be filled with rage and frustration. Products should ideally be customized to the requirements of the user and provide functionality in a predictable manner.
What Do Web Design and User Experience Design Have in Common?
The job title “Web Designer” has various meanings, and what a web designer performs is mainly determined by the needs of the customer or project. Some web designers produce just aesthetic designs and/or high-fidelity interactive prototypes of websites, leaving the code to front-end and back-end developers. The majority of web designers, on the other hand, work on both the design and (front-end) development of the website. Some web designers even conduct user research and testing on a regular basis as part of their work (and if you are one of them, you are nearly ready for a career in UX design).
But, regardless of what your work as a web designer involves, here are some elements of web design that are also present in UX design.
The Differences Between Web Design and User Experience Design
User-centered vs. technology-centered
A significant portion of your time as a web designer is spent keeping up with the newest advancements in HTML, CSS, and other coding languages, all of which change and improve at an alarming rate. Which CSS versions are supported by which browsers? CSS animations would work on Safari on a Mac? Let us not even get started on Internet Explorer! As a web designer, you may have a few questions on your mind all the time. However, UX design is unconcerned with technology. Instead, its emphasis is firmly on people—technology is just a tool for users to get what they need. Only by concentrating on people can UX designers develop solutions that address their particular requirements and, ultimately, that consumers are ready to pay for. UX designers do comprehensive user research to learn as much as they can about their consumers, something the majority of web designers would not have had the opportunity to do.
UX is more than just a website
UX design is platform agnostic. Its ideas and methods are used in a wide range of domains other than web browsers, including mobile applications, desktop software, and even physical goods and retail locations. Web design, on the other hand, is inextricably linked to web browsers. This implies that UX designers may find work not just in emerging sectors like digital startups, but also in established and reliable businesses like automakers. There will always be a demand for UX as long as there is a product—and this opens up a whole new universe of possibilities for you.
The Significant Advantage of Web Design Experience When Transitioning to UX Design
Background in web design is important
The most significant advantage of transitioning from web design to UX design is the amount of overlap between the two areas of design. While UX design encompasses more platforms than the web browser, a significant percentage of UX design effort is still performed on products that are at least partly web-based (think of social media websites like Facebook and Twitter, web apps like Dropbox, and services like Google). If you have done any kind of user research or iterative process of constantly updating a website using user data, the overlap between web design and UX design is higher.
Being proficient in design and website code jargon will also offer you a significant advantage; after all, UX design is a collaborative process in which communication is essential. Being able to utilize industry terminology while conversing with your coworkers will undoubtedly put you ahead of someone who comes from a non-design background.
Aesthetics
Your ability to generate attractive aesthetics as a web designer will also be useful when transitioning to UX design. To begin, aesthetics is an excellent tool for supplementing your interactions with internal stakeholders. As a UX designer, you must continually communicate your results and suggestions to internal stakeholders (such as the CEO or product manager), and your ability to produce aesthetically appealing reports and presentations will ensure that your main points are retained.