Qualities to become a great UX/UI Designer

What qualities make a great UX UI designer

First of all, you need to know exactly what is UX/UI design since a good definition will help you understand what is expected from you. 

• User interface design can be defined as the design of all the visual elements that the visitor interacts with on the web or app. It is the visual design and an example could be the colors, typography, or layout used.

• User experience design is, on the other hand, how the product and interaction with it are made. It is the interaction design and an example could be the architecture of a website or app.

So now that we’ve got that covered, let’s see what qualities make a great UX/UI designer: 

Strong sense of empathy

One of the biggest qualities of a good design is engagement. And for a design to become engaging, it has to be aligned with the user’s needs so it is important that the designer understands the user. Think about: What does he/she want? What are her/his needs? How will he/she feel about this design? 

If you want to be a good UX/UI designer, one of the qualities you need to develop is your empathy, by doing lots of research on engaging and successful UX/UI designs. It is good to ask for feedback from actual clients and mirror users to understand better their experience. 

Curiosity and eagerness to learn

To become a better UX/UI designer, one of the top qualities you should have is a curious mind, since this quality won’t only help you find new ideas, but will also be very handy when you come up with a problem to solve. 

Don’t be afraid of asking questions and looking for the answers and be curious about innovating in your field. You can also be a part of a UX/UI designers community where learning might be easier and probably more fun. 

Remember to keep yourself updated and always look for that extra pinch that could make you not only better but the best. 

Creativity

Obviously, in the list of qualities a UX/UI designer should have, creativity is a must. But being creative while designing shouldn’t be just about making something that looks amazing, the result should most importantly be helpful and useful. 

Being creative as a UX/UI designer has to do with finding new ways to deliver information and making the complex look simple and even fun. Designers who are creative when approaching problems usually come up with innovative solutions so don’t be afraid of trying new methods and see where it leads you. 

Investigative and analytical mind

When you ask any self-taught UX/UI designer about the research for a design, they will tell you that it is the most important step.

You need to work with a lot of data and information, so being able to collect and work with it without feeling overwhelmed is important. With an analytical and investigative approach, you’ll be capable of finding the best and most useful insights from the research and using them to set a solid basis for your design. 

Good listening and communicating

Following the list of qualities a good UX/UI designer should have, we should take into account that these professional often work along with other teammates or collaborators like brand designers and software developers. So for the work to flow smoothly and get the best result, you need to be a good listener and communicator. These soft skills will make you more open-minded to feedback, suggestions, and critiques which are very helpful for improving and challenging yourself.

Not afraid of programming

Even though programming isn’t one of the technical skills required of a UX/UI designer, it surely is a plus. Knowing the basics can help you, as a designer, understand better the software developers, which means a much more fluent and efficient communication with the team.  

Also, if you know how all the pieces work together, it will be easier for you to approach problems, so being familiar with the tools and software will definitely help you become a better UX/UI designer.

How to become a great UX UI designer