The Complete Checklist to a Successful UX Career: Aptitude, Career Paths, Courses

This article does not aim to describe the skills that you need to build a successful UX career, although it will list them. It does, however, aim to dwell briefly on the aptitude that you require for UX design. Getting into UX design is not another get-rich-quick scheme. And despite the claims, it’s not for everybody.

As most experienced UX designers will tell you, this career is not about creating art. There is a defined methodology to go about creating UX, or user experiences, that depends upon discovering what most of your users like or prefer. Therefore, having a desire to solve problems and a desire to solve them are at the top of the list of aptitude requirements. It’s extremely useful to be observant and pay attention to detail. And you’ll be golden if you’re meticulously organized.

Aptitude Requirements for a Career in UX Design:

• Desire to Identify and Solve Problems, Breaking Down Problem Statements, and Establishing a Problem-Solving Method
• Ability to Observe and Identify Patterns
• Ability to Ask Logical Questions and Perform Adequate Research to Find the Answers
• Ability to Argue Logically, Compare Alternate Solutions, and Make Decisions Based on Data
• Ability to Organize Research Data and Conclusions
• Ability to Be Creative Within the Parameters
• Ability to Understand Technology and the Changes it Could Bring
• Be Interested in People/Psychology/Sociology
• Curiosity
• Passion

Skills Required UX Designers:

• An Understanding of Psychology, Design and Human Interactions, Sociology and Group Behavior, Business Models
• An Understanding of Graphic Design
• Research Skills
• Ability to Master Software Tools for Design and Project Management (Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch, Balsamiq, Flowmapp, etc.)
• Ability to Make Sketches and Plans/Blueprints for Designs and Complex Ideas
• Collaboration
• Ability to Learn New Skills

Career Paths in UX Design:

• UX Researcher
• Product Management
• Interaction Designer
• Brand, Communication, or Background Designer
• User Interface (UI) Designer
• Prototyping Specialist
• UX Design Testing
• Design Instructor
• UX Manager/Project Manager
• Freelancer/Solo Designer/Contributor

Most UX professionals will tell you that you don’t need to undergo 4 years of university pursuing a design degree or be an expert at developing web code in order to become a UX designer. This fact, along with very attractive pay scales at the top of the ladder, are two reasons why you should pursue a UX Design course whether you’re looking for a mid-career change or are fresh out of college. Even if you don’t end up becoming a design professional, the methodologies of design thinking will be so pervasive, that you’ll find yourself using it all the time.

So, if you’re really interested in picking a creative career that is as intellectually rewarding as it is challenging we recommend that you attend some demo classes to see if this career choice is right for you.

It has been scientifically demonstrated that most people learn best in a social setting where they have the maximum chance of having their work peer-reviewed and of being mentored. The best schools will force you to spend time on creating projects from the get-go and work repeatedly till design concepts are burned into your synapses. “Getting to learn a new methodology and then implement it straight after is the best way to learn, psychologically speaking. Having other creative people and senior professionals around you helps build a positive feedback loop while picking on erroneous understanding early on”, says Harsha Kakkeri, Founder and CEO of Designboat UI/UX School, one of the most popular and industry-recognized UX Design training courses in the country.

Have a question? Request a callback from an expert UX&UI training specialist today.

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Created on Jun 30th 2021 06:59. Viewed 393 times.

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