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Industry Snapshot: User-Centered Design (UX/UI)

Updated September 19, 2022
UX/UI

User-centered design widely refers to the intersection of two related concepts: UX (user-experience) and UI (user-interface) design. While the difference between the two is minimal, the main stress focuses on the former portion of the term: the user

With user-centered design, we’re talking about technologies that are created with the user in mind. That means the decisions made in the production and development of a new product or technology comes down to the preferences of the user, first and foremost. It’s all about how users interact with their programs and software, and at the forefront of making those decisions lies someone with the skills to identify and implement solutions to these needs.

A user experience designer focuses on how the design of a product can affect the user’s experience with and preference over said product. They’re problem solvers and creatives, analyzing  how an application functions, looks, and feels until they can identify the specific ways individuals prefer to interact with the product. They aim to build a user’s satisfaction and interaction by learning to improve the usability, accessibility, and desirability to offer a great user experience. 

Perhaps you’re in a creative role and thinking of making a switch to the development side of the industry, or you’re a developer looking to flex your creative muscles. The UX industry is changing, and that means the demand for individuals with a unique blend of UX skills is increasing and necessary to be successful.

Opportunities for UX/UI Designers

According to our trusted job market tool, EMSI, there were 81,859 total and 39,247 unique job postings for UI/UX designers, researchers, and architects from August 2021 to August 2022. Out of more than 7,000 UX job postings that advertised salary, the median salary ranged from $100,000 to $115,000. We’ve identified some of the best opportunities you should be aware of while you’re thinking of making a career switch into this rapidly growing field.

Top Companies and Agencies Posting for UX/UI Design Roles in 2022

  • Lee Enterprises
  • Randstad
  • Ad Hoc Team
  • Amazon
  • OneMain Financial

[Source: EMSI]

Top Cities Posting for UX/UI Design Roles in 2022

  • New York, NY
  • Seattle, WA
  • Chicago, IL
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Austin, TX
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Dallas, TX
  • Boston, MA

UX Job Postings by State

UX/UI

[Source: EMSI]

Top Industries for UX/UI Design in 2022

  • Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • Finance and Insurance
  • Information
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail Trade

[Source: EMSI]

Build Your Skills

Our online certificate program in User-Centered Design (UX/UI) aims to ensure a future candidate is well-rounded to take on the needs of the industry. Our courses allow you to gain valuable transferable skills in HTML, Agile software development, CSS, prototyping, and more. This certificate will introduce you to the current industry tools and techniques used for UX and begins with a focus on research methods and information architecture. Through project-based learning work with the current tools, techniques, and methods employed by the industry, you will experiment and create world-class user experiences, design rich complex systems and champion new visions of the future.

Learning Outcomes:

  • A comprehensive overview of User Experience Design, Strategy and Research
  • Learn how to conduct user research, interviews, task flow analysis
  • Develop user personas, make use case scenarios, journey maps, and test concepts apps
  • Work with sophisticated interface designs with engaging animations for interactive web and app experience
  • Set up web analytics, conduct A/B testing, delegate remote testing, analyze questionnaires, and use other methods to validate your designs and improve with feedback

Who Should Enroll:

  • All newcomers to the world of User Experience design and individuals looking to join the world of UX Design professionally
  • Career-changers who want to elevate their career path or leverage their skills
  • Suitable for designers, developers, creative directors, entrepreneurs, and project managers
  • Designers looking to broaden their skill set by incorporating pervasive and ubiquitous computing approaches
  • Developers looking for opportunities to incorporate UX practices into their work
  • App makers, designers, developers, and anyone else on the team of website creators looking to offer a richer experience across many bandwidths    

Additional Resources

Learn even more about user-experience design and discover how you can find your best fit within this growing field.

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