Find out everything you need to know about becoming a UX designer.

Job Title – UX designer

Description

A User-Experience (UX) designer has to have a very good understanding of technology, business goals and psychology. Their main task is to conduct user research, interviews and surveys, and then use the gathered information to create sitemaps, wire frames and prototypes.

Typical Job Activities

Works with the internal clients from project outset to fully understand what the business wants and to produce clear creative briefs for the projects
Works with other partners to deeply understand the needs and characteristics of target customers
Provides useful input to other design disciplines
Translates wireframes and detailed requirements into engaging, world-class, user-centred visual design
Develops skills in the latest desktop publishing, print and graphic design techniques, maintaining and enhancing the increasing expectation and requirements of clients with using the full potential of computer design packages (Adobe Creative Suite CS6) and the skills of other team members.
Creates HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) /CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) for interactive element
Consults with and manages stakeholders in terms of required layout and final design to ensure compliance to copyright
Supports developers to build the final output
Provides project oversight to more junior designers – directing on best practise and providing thought-leadership based on experience
Explains the design approach, process and timelines to business stakeholders
Assists Lead Designer/Design Director in developing plans for projects, outlining the key tasks, the people responsible for them and the order in which they will be completed
Monitors progress against initial plans, adjusting/escalating as required
Provides updates on progress to business stakeholders/other members of the team
Partners with stakeholders to facilitate the identification of designs, themes, advertising material (attending ad-hoc meetings etc) to ensure integrated and coordinated delivery and superior customer service
Presents final outputs to senior stakeholders, including executives, and respond to questions and/or challenges

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Educational Requirements

Senior Certificate with matric exemption for a degree course or a diploma
Required: NQF Level 6
Required: Diploma in Graphic Design
Preferred: Relevant B Degree (Fine Arts or Graphic Design)
Essential: Six (6) years’ work experience in Graphic Design- or Agency environment
Deep experience of doing ‘hands-on’ visual design working on multiple, large scale projects across a wide range of platforms and devices – for example, desktop applications, mobile apps (iOS and Android) and web (including transactional sites). The ideal candidate will have a broad spread of abilities across user interviews, persona development, storyboarding, wire framing, prototyping, and usability testing
Experience of acting in team leadership roles, including planning and resourcing for projects, senior stakeholder management (including ability to get buy-in on UI direction) and status tracking and reporting
Experience of wire framing and prototyping using tools such as Axure, Omnigraffle and Flash
Experience of working to brand guidelines

Compulsory subjects: Mathematics and Computer Studies
Recommended subjects: Computer Science and Graphic Design

What natural skills and/or aptitudes do I need for this occupation?

Have good communication skills
Be able to think clearly and logically
Be able to communicate ideas clearly
Have good intellectual abilities
Have initiative
Be creative
Be well disciplined
Work accurately
Have good judgement and decision-making abilities
Have patience and perseverance

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Employment Opportunities

Moderate

Market Competitiveness

Moderate

Income Potential

Moderate

Self-Employment Opportunities

High

International Employment Opportunities

Moderate

Possible Employers

Internet industry
Private organisations
Advertising agencies
Computer software development firms
Design firms
Information technology consulting firms
Interactive software publishers
Internet industry
Media production companies
Any person, group or organisation who needs web pages

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Relevant Contact Details

Computer Users Council of South Africa
https://ita.org.za/ituc/

Information Technology Industry Training Board
https://ita.org.za/

Sapref
www.sapref.com/

Career Progress and Path

Experience in specific field
Work performance

Possible Career Paths

Specialist career in the specific fields
Own Business

Employment Stability

Moderately stable

Reasons to consider this career

I can design new things
I can work with technology
I can create new things
I can work with languages
I can apply my special skills