9 Things That Will Help You Become a Better UX/UI Designer

UX/UI design is a field that continually changes and develops. To stay at the top, you should always keep learning new things and developing your skills.

Every professional has tricks that help them grow. This post is a list of the 9 best tips, collected directly from experienced designers working at top UX/UI design agencies.

Nine useful tips to boost your UX/UI design skills

Below are tips to help you grow professionally and improve yourself.

1. Do projects for your pleasure

This advice might be hard to follow because you, like everybody else, are probably very busy with your day job. However, undertaking side projects, where your pleasure not payment is the ultimate goal, can help you to become a better UX/UI designer.

When you are working on a project for a client, you are responsible for the result. It directly depends on you whether the money that the client has invested in the product is going to pay off. So you might want to go with safe solutions, and 100% proven techniques. However, such an approach does not give you any possibility to try out new things and become better at using them. At the same time, when you are designing for pleasure, you are free as a bird. It positively affects both your creativity and your skills. If you are a beginner, side projects like this will be a great addition to your portfolio.

2. Pay attention to details

Each time you download the application, register on the site, make purchases on the Internet, change a password – pay attention to the details.

It’s easy to mindlessly register in the application or go through a digital experience without thinking about them. But if you have a closer look, you notice how much effort the designer spent on the details, creating such a smooth scenario.

Paying attention to design decisions made by other, often reputable companies, both inspires you and teaches you new things.

Practice time: open an app that you use every day. Have a professional look at it, and try to tell three things you like and don’t like about its UX/UI.

3. Go to job interviews

It is a controversial opinion, however, a lot of people say that going to job interviews even if they already have a job, keeps them toned.

They increase your confidence when you receive a job offer, and serves for personal improvement if you don’t.

How it is helpful:

• You can find out what skills are in demand right now;
• You often ask complex questions about product design that may show you where you need to read up;
• Companies usually offer you to solve design challenges that require innovative thinking – great practice!;
• This way you can improve your presentation skills, and be more confident around clients and colleagues;
• You get to hear an honest opinion about your portfolio.

4. Read professional literature

This piece of advice might seem obvious to beginners. However, the problem is that UX/UI designers who have been working in the area for years think they already know everything. It’s indeed getting hard to find worthy books or online courses when your level is advanced. Simply because not so many people can share their experience being at the same level. Anyway, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Try to find something that suits your level.

5. Freelance

Side projects make you expand your professional horizons and some extra money. It’s handy and also enjoyable to work with different clients and companies and see what their principles of work are. Designers who have freelancing experience always stand out from their colleagues because they have worked on different projects across various industries. Many companies encourage their employees to take freelance projects because it brings such a great variety of innovation to the workplace.

6. Systematic practice

Whenever you ask someone how they do something well, they will inevitably answer you with a cliche: “Practice, practice, and more practice.”

Well, that’s true. It is no secret that the more often you do something, the better it turns out. Dive into the world of product design. Hang out where designers were hanging out, and spend most of your time designing, studying, watching lessons, reading, etc. It is essential, especially at the beginning.

Turning your job into your passion and continually thinking about how to make a better design or improve what has already happened, distinguish a great designer from a mediocre one.

7. Don’t be afraid of criticism

Do you think your work is excellent and feel hurt when others disagree with you? This is the wrong approach.

Sharing your work with colleagues and getting their feedback is an important step forward for any design. You should never be ashamed of your work and also distinguish between people who are trying to help and those who are just being toxic. However, a fresh look from the side can suggest the right solution.

Getting feedback can also aid in developing the social skills needed for the designer. For example, you will learn how to explain your choice of design and present your arguments if you do not agree with someone’s review.

If there is no one to share your work with, turn to Reddit. Reddit has several subsections that will help you get feedback for interface design.

8. Do one thing at a time

New trends, tools, design libraries, startups, and product updates are always going to appear. It’s easy to get overloaded when trying to study them all and give up.

So, stop running, trying to master everything all at once. Force yourself to choose what you want to focus on and achieve mastery before moving on to the next brilliant tool or trend of the user interface.

It is essential for professional development because having minimal knowledge in many areas won’t help you to become a better designer.

9. Collaborate

Collaboration and team environment will help you progress a lot. Having daily meetings and working with strategy specialists, stakeholders, and developers, you will learn to work with a team and make sure your ideas fit their goals. You will be surrounded by people who are one step ahead of you and will encourage you to become better, allowing you to ask them questions and learn from them.

Applying these tips regularly and consistently, you will manage to become a better designer. UX/UI is all about improvement, so now you know how to improve yourself to fit the ever-transforming requirements of this industry