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An individual who is proficient in XML and petabytes is qualified to work as a software developer. In a similar manner, a medical expert has an in-depth understanding of systolic pressure as well as the aorta. This is a result of the fact that these terms are prevalent in their profession and are used on a daily basis as if they were ordinary language. The reason for this may be found in the fact that. UX design is no different. It presents a range of user experience (UX) terminology, all of which are terms that an aspiring designer such as yourself has to be acquainted with.
It is easy to get lost and lose your way in the design process if you are not familiar with the essential concepts or the language that is used in the design process. Every designer has to have a working grasp of the language that is unique to UX design before continuing on the path toward a career in user experience (UX) design. This is a must before continuing on the path toward a career in UX design. This glossary of related terms has been developed for your reference, so please feel free to browse through it.
Table of Contents
Definitions of Terms Used in User Experience
1. Persona
This is something that is often considered more of a generic marketing phrase, but it is also something that is commonly used in user interface design. A user profile that you create is what’s known as a persona, and you do it in order to have a better understanding of what the audience wants. To put it another way, a persona is a representation of the target audience, and having such a representation helps you to create for a specific audience rather than producing for a broad audience.
It is not a good idea, for instance, to create a website for seniors using design elements that are appealing to millennials since this approach will not work. Because of this, it is very important to have a one- or two-page description of your audience that includes information on their goals, patterns of behavior, background information, attitudes, skills, and working surroundings.
2. End Users
Patients are doctors’ consumers, while clients are the customers of a company that provides services to other people. However, the end users are the primary focus of the work that is done by a user experience designer. These are the people for whom you will be building the product that you are going to be working on. Therefore, a company that specialises in user experience design may have customers, but the people who ultimately interact with the design are known as end users.
3. User research
One of the expressions connected to user experience design that needs very little explanation is “user research.” It includes all of the research that you carry out in an attempt to get a better knowledge of the person who will ultimately be purchasing your product or service. The following is a definition of user research that was supplied by UX Booth: “a multitude of investigative approaches used to add context and insight to the design process.”
The process involves analytical tasks like research, which might be quantitative or qualitative. The primary objective of quantitative research is to get a deeper comprehension of user behavior via the collection of numerical data.
On the other hand, qualitative research is a descriptive endeavor to understand the concerns, reasons, attitudes, and reasoning of the target audience via the use of methods such as interviews. This kind of research is more in-depth than quantitative research.
4. User-Centred Design (UCD)
The term “user-centered design” is often used interchangeably with the term “user experience.” At each and every one of the stages of the design and development process, it lays a strong emphasis on the end user. The final product needs to be a layout that takes into account the wants and preferences of the person who will be using it. In order to achieve this goal, user-centered design (UCD) places an emphasis on continuously analysing, testing, and confirming features that are included inside the product in order to give a configuration that is favorable to users.
5. Experience Architecture
The user’s path from the beginning of the experience to the endpoint that was created for them is mapped out in detail by the experience architecture at each step along the way. It is a combination of many user experiences (UX) and design methods, including the following:
- Information architecture, including the process of creating an information model via sketching and development
- The process of developing a structure and a pattern of actions or behaviors for people who will be utilising a design is referred to as interaction design. This process takes place throughout the design phase.
- The process of assessing how a design will function across a number of different platforms is an essential part of experience design.
7. Breadcrumbs
If you immediately think of the Hansel and Gretel story written by the Grimm Brothers whenever you hear the word “breadcrumbs,” then you are on the right page. Because the word “breadcrumbs” is also derived from a fairy tale and used in the design industry jargon.
Additional navigation aids known as breadcrumbs show site users precisely where they are located within the context of a website. These provide users the option to go back through the different levels of a website that is organised in tiers. In spite of the way that they are secondary, breadcrumbs have been used as a tool since 1995 to aid in making designs more user-friendly.
8. Wireframe
The construction of a wireframe, which is essentially an outline of the structure, is the first step in the design process for any product, website, or app. It is a blueprint of the design, but it does not contain any information, visuals, or interactive components of the design. The purpose of a wireframe is to plan out the functionality of a page in addition to its content and to identify where a design element will be positioned on the screen.
In the early stages of development, before a prototype is built, wireframes are generated in order to determine the fundamental structure of the page that will later have any design components added to it. This structure will be used to determine how any design components will be laid out on the page.
9. Testing using the A/B method
Testing carried out in accordance with the A/B approach is also known as split testing. It is the process of asking people to pick between two distinct versions of your design during which they are given the opportunity to do so. For the purpose of determining which of the two products is more popular with consumers, a representative cross-section of both options is shown to the customers.
The goal of doing parallel testing of many different iterations of a product is to get insight into the ways in which the preferences and behaviors of end users change based on the version of the product they are using. When an operational model of the design has been constructed, it is time to begin the A/B testing phase of the project.
10. Flat Design
The method of creating user interfaces that are known as “flat design” places a focus on the usage of basic, two-dimensional components that are shown in vibrant colors. Nick Babich, who works at UX Planet, refers to the flat design as a “more evolved cousin of minimalism” due to the fact that all of the user interface features are focused on simplicity.
The Internet location of the cloud storage service. The file-sharing platform Dropbox is an excellent example of a flat design. The user interface elements on the website adhere to a principle of simplicity, which directs attention to the following sections of the page:
11. UX flow
A user experience (UX) designer will create a set of stages called a user journey to illustrate where site visitors enter and how they engage with a design. These stages will show where users enter the site. A user’s experience may be segmented into a variety of stages at various points. A user journey may also be referred to as a user experience flow, or UX flow.
It is designed with the two principal purposes mentioned earlier in the sentence in mind. User journeys are a means to trace the steps that customers are now taking when interacting with a service, design, or product. To begin, user journeys are a way to track user journeys, click here. Second, user journeys provide consumers a route that they are able to follow when they interact with a certain design, product, or service. This may be accomplished via the usage of a user flowchart.
How to become a UI/UX designer?
The great majority of outstanding UI/UX designers are self-taught, at least when they first start out in their professions. Now the issue is, how exactly does one go about learning how to develop digital items that are attractive to the eye for their own personal use?
Because there are so many diverse options, there is no one approach to understanding UI/UX design that is fundamentally superior to or inferior to any of the others. This is because there are so many various choices. The only way to go where you want to go in the world of design is to study both the theory and practice of the craft.
Let’s take a look at the numerous steps involved in becoming a user interface and user experience designer so we can have a better understanding of what it takes to get there.
1. You should educate yourself on the foundations of user experience design.
It is crucial that you have a thorough knowledge of the fundamental ideas that underpin user experience design. This is because the user experience, or UX, of a website, is so important to its success of the website.
The goal of user experience design, also known as UX design, is to make the user’s experience as pleasurable as is humanly possible by catering to the user’s requirements and desires in addition to the user’s psychological makeup. This is done in the name of “user experience,” or “UX.”
It is essential to have an understanding of the reasons behind the actions taken by users and the factors that influence whether they remain on a site or navigate away from it in order to create a digital product that satisfies the requirements of the user as well as the requirements of the company. This understanding is necessary in order to create a digital product that satisfies the requirements of the user as well as the requirements of the company.
2. Work on developing your sense of aesthetics
Mastering design principles need more than just having a solid understanding of the fundamentals, which can only go you so far. You may improve your skills in this area by taking a critical look at the layouts of websites and mobile apps that you already like using and then applying what you learn to your own work.
Give a website that you like a few minutes of your time and some thought the next time you go to that website. Think about why you like that website so much and give it some time. Which came first: the choice of typeface, the colour scheme, or the interactive components of the design?
When analysing the layout of the website, it is essential to take into account a variety of different characteristics, such as the visual hierarchy of the site, the amount of space between various components, and the specific photos and symbols that are used. Determine which strategies have proven to be effective and which have not. In order to have a good eye for design, it is something that is really vital to have.
3. Make an investment in design software that is appropriate for the project
In order to go on to the next stage, which consists of putting what you’ve learned into practice, you are going to need to purchase some UI/UX software.
We recommend that you research several market leaders such as Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD to discover which solution is best suited to fulfill your needs. This will aid you in narrowing down your options and make it easier for you to make a decision.
4. You will need to compile a work portfolio
Your education in design will only go you so far if all you do is focus on reading design-related books and articles and following along with instructional videos and guides found online. To become an expert in user interface and user experience design, you must first produce digital goods and begin accumulating a substantial portfolio of your prior work. This is the only way to get to the point where you can call yourself an expert.
Downloading some free user interface kits, which are also known as UI kits, is something that newbie designers should do in order to get their ideas off the ground and running. It is a collection of design components that have been produced in advance and comprise the fundamental aesthetic qualities for a particular user interface design (think buttons, icons, fonts, menus, etc.).
5. Ask customers for their opinions and feedback
It’s conceivable that getting negative feedback may prove to be more beneficial to you in the long run than getting positive remarks would. It is a wonderful approach for increasing your creative capacity, finding new methods and thinking of new and improved things to come up with.
Maintain an attitude that is open to constructive criticism and make use of it to improve the quality of your ideas by actively seeking out and accepting them. This will enable you to improve the quality of your thoughts. It’s a terrific method to collect feedback, and one of the best ways to acquire it is to submit your work to Dribbble in order to get it from the community there.
It’s possible that, in the long run, one of the events in your design career that may eventually prove to be the most advantageous for you is the one in which you were subjected to unfavorable criticism. It is essential to bear in mind that you do not have to completely alter your talents in a single day. You may make gradual improvements over time. Making a daily improvement of one percent may lead to a constant trend toward success, which can be attained by following this strategy.
6. Get experience working in the real world
After you have accumulated a body of work that you are proud of and after you have grown confident in your own abilities, you should seriously consider making the jump into the corporate world and working your way up the corporate ladder.
You will need to put up an online portfolio if you want to work in user interface or user experience design. This portfolio should include examples of your finest work and provide information about the design process that was used to create it.
You should begin your search for an entry-level position in UI/UX design as soon as possible and get the ball moving. It’s okay if you don’t find work right away; the process of looking for work is a great opportunity to build essential soft skills like communicating and explaining the reasoning behind your ideas. It’s okay if you don’t get employed straight away; it happens to the best of us. The experts who work in human resources place high importance on individuals who have these traits in the design field.
7. Network with other designers
Networking is often referred to as the mysterious key that unlocks the door to any sector. Although it is simple to provide advice, putting it into practice is likely one of the most challenging tactics there is.
The truth is that not everyone is comfortable mingling and networking with others; in fact, for many of us, doing so may seem fairly unpleasant. When you go into a room full of seasoned professionals in your field, you could experience some anxiety. This is especially true if you do not yet believe yourself to be a “real” user experience designer.
UI UX Designer Salary
An entry-level UI/UX Designer with less than three years of experience might anticipate earning an annual compensation of around 4.8 Lakhs on average if they are successful in their career. UI/UX Designers who work at the senior level and have 10 to 20 years of experience earn an average compensation of 11.6 Lakhs per year, whilst UI/UX Designers who work at the mid-level and have four to nine years of experience earn an average pay of 8.1 Lakhs per year.
It is possible for designers of user interfaces and user experiences in India to expect a beginning salary of two lakh rupees per year (16.7k per month). You must have a minimum of one year of experience working as a UI/UX Designer in order to be considered for this position. In addition, UI/UX Designers may potentially earn up to 15 Lakhs (or 1.3 Lakhs) in annual pay, which is comparable to a monthly salary of 1.3 Lakhs.
End Note
So, what exactly are you thinking about? Is UX design for you? As you can see, joining the area of user experience design (also known as UX design) as a career requires the development of a diversified skill set in addition to a wide vocabulary. The fact that this is the case is exactly what makes it such an exciting sector to work in.
You will need to do a significant amount of research, put in a significant amount of hands-on work, and find out how to effectively communicate your story if you want to be a user experience designer. Online resources are plentiful for those who are just starting out in the subject of user experience design (UX design).
