Hire the best UX designers without risk. Toptal is an exclusive network of the top UX designers. Our team hand-picks the best fit for your project with a no-risk trial.
Todd has been a full-time creative professional his entire career. He is a UX designer, Figma expert, video editor, and AI art enthusiast with a one-person studio in Seattle. Todd does app design, motion graphics, web design, UX design, app prototyping, presentations, and illustration. He's trustworthy, fun, friendly, on time, and on budget. His enthusiasm and love of design are infectious.
Bill is a senior UX design manager with 15+ years of experience delivering value through superior design. He excels at leading design teams as a player, coach, and mentor through the end-to-end design process in agile environments. Bill loves building value in fast-moving 0-1 startup-like environments, as well as established products. His focus is helping teams create business and user value using research, storytelling, user flow, visual design, and measurable KPIs for continual improvement.
Gail is a UX design leader with over 11 years of experience. She's highly skilled at uncovering user needs and creating solutions that serve business and user goals. She is most experienced in eCommerce, application software, and customer service. Gail easily solves complex user scenarios by exercising UX strategy skills like user journey maps, user flows, system maps, and service blueprints.
Erin has over 10 years of experience in product design and agile product management, leading various responsive web and native app projects for eCommerce, B2C, and B2B organizations. She works with US and global organizations ranging from startups to large Fortune 500 companies to create inspired and innovative products. She also enjoys helping build new, agile product teams and is well-versed in Agile, Scrum, and Kanban.
Louisa is an experienced UX designer and researcher in product and service design for health, education, business intelligence, and other industries. She is skilled in user research, UX concepts and strategy, information architecture, UX design, UX audits, and usability testing. Louisa cares about why people do things, how they can do those things better, and what we can all do to care for each other, have more fun, and get more out of life.
Ritika is a UX designer at Amazon and a senior product designer at Toptal with over eight years of experience in the design field. She has worked in diverse teams of designers, developers, and managers for Big Tech and startups. With a master's in UX design, she's an expert in creating user-centric products. A detail-oriented UX professional, Ritika enjoys solving complex problems while meeting user and business needs through her interdisciplinary design, research, and management skills.
Dave is a designer with 20 years of experience and deep expertise in digital strategy, UX design, and project management. He has worked for a diverse range of commercial clients, including HSBC, Pfizer, Bupa, and Yahoo!, and for many not-for-profit organizations, including Survival International, UNISON, and the UK Department for Education. As a seasoned practitioner, Dave brings strong commercial instincts and interpersonal skills to his work.
With nearly a decade of experience, Amlan excels in creating scalable and accessible user experiences. As a design manager, he leverages his skills in design sprints, project planning, Figma, design systems, remote work, and strategy. Leading a team of eight designers, Amlan uses agile methods to ideate, prototype, test, and launch concepts that enhance ops efficiency and customer satisfaction. His commitment to excellence helps drive success in the dynamic world of technology development.
Daniyal is an expert in SaaS design, with over 10 years of experience in UX design and strategic planning. His work has improved safety across 75% of America, played a pivotal role in managing 10% of the world's agricultural land, and gained 10+ million downloads on B2C digital storefronts. Throughout his career, Daniyal has demonstrated expertise across a diverse range of domains, including SaaS, healthcare, fintech, dashboard design, social apps, and B2B platforms.
Tania is a UI/UX designer with several years of industry experience in Canada, the US, the UK, and Japan. Her designs focus on creativity, usability, user experience, and user research. She has worked with small and large teams, including teams from Rakuten and Mosquito. Tania has helped individuals, startups, and companies reach their goals with user-focused design.
With over 20 years of experience in user-centered design and a master's degree in information architecture, Carrie has worked in startups through to complex B2B environments. She has a web design and development background and experience in all facets of the UX design process, having worked from inception to delivery and beyond across many projects. With strong stakeholder and team leadership experience, her passion lies in enabling teams to deliver design solutions that hit the mark every time.
UX designers are experts in information architecture, user research, user testing, and prototyping. They apply their skills to create satisfying experiences for users interacting with websites and mobile apps. This guide to hiring UX designers features an overview of relevant skills, job description tips, and interview questions and answers that will help you identify the best candidates for your company.
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Testimonials
Michael is an incredible designer, and has been a great fit for our project. He just gets it in a way that can’t be taught. My goal was to pay Toptal to find me a high quality designer for my project, and that is exactly what happened. It was easy. Being able to see the portfolio work on Toptal’s platform is what gave me the infomation I needed to choose Michael. I have nothing but good things to say about Toptal and am looking forward to using Toptal for other projects in the future.
Edward Daniel
Co-Founder
I've worked very closely with Martina for over a year and have to say she is one of the best people I have ever worked with. Instead of simply following instructions blindly, she thinks through the task at hand, becoming a thought partner to help with whatever the project may be. Besides being super talented at design, she possesses specific qualities that make her exceptional to work with given the fast paced nature of being a startup. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a talented, professional designer who doesn't need much direction to hit the ground running.
Sahil Khanna
Sr. Manager, Marketing
Darko did a great job figuring out the user architecture for our concept, which led him to produce terrific wireframes. His knowledge of usability and design was a perfect match for the outside voice we needed to help jumpstart our project. We would certainly recommend him and work with him again in the future.
Rich Danker
Founder
Carlos has the unique talent of blending both quantitative and qualitative research to keenly identify UX challenges and opportunities. He thinks methodically, emphatically, and holistically to produce data-driven strategies and well-executed designs. Over the past 8 years of working with fully or partially distributed teams, Carlos manages working remotely far better than anyone I've encountered because of his strong communication and presentation skills. He is the first on my list the next time I need a UX designer.
Michelle Krogmeier
Project Manager
Rafael is an amazing designer. His aesthetic sense is spot on, and he seems to be able to anticipate our needs before we even know what they are. He's taken the time to understand both our company and our clientele, and his solutions are consistently in-line with our values, interests, and our customers' needs. He delivers on time (if not earlier), works quickly, is well organized, and very effective. He's a pleasure to work with, and we're very happy to have found him through Toptal.
Ethan Brooks
CTO
How to Hire UX Designers Through Toptal
1
Talk to One of Our Client Advisors
A Toptal client advisor will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2
Work With Hand-selected Talent
Within days, we'll introduce you to the right UX designer for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3
The Right Fit, Guaranteed
Work with your new UX designer for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.
Find Experts With Related Skills
Access a vast pool of skilled designers in our talent network and hire the top 3% within just 48 hours.
From user research to wireframing, Toptal UX designers have all the skills to craft seamless, user-centered digital experiences, ensuring intuitive interactions and interfaces that resonate with your users.
UX Strategy Development and Design Thinking
Design thinking is pivotal in user experience strategy development, with tools like Miro facilitating collaborative ideation and visualization. Our designers craft design strategies aligned with your business objectives, solving complex scenarios and delivering innovative solutions to elevate the user experience.
User Research and Persona Development
Understanding your audience begins with targeted research techniques. Toptal UX designers utilize tools like Figma and Axure to conduct detailed user research and develop personas, ensuring your product aligns closely with user behaviors and needs.
Intuitive Information Architecture (IA)
Toptal designers excel in organizing content to enhance user experience. By leveraging in-depth knowledge and tools like UXPin and Figma, they craft information architecture that ensures logical, user-friendly navigation that aligns with your business goals.
Wireframe Creation and Interactive Prototypes
Before diving into full development, it’s crucial to map out your vision. Our designers use Adobe XD, InVision, and Balsamiq to construct wireframes and prototypes, illustrating the architecture and flow of your application with precision and clarity.
Interaction Design and Microinteractions Enhancement
Seamless interaction is at the heart of user experience. Utilizing tools like Adobe After Effects, our experts refine interaction design, ensuring every touchpoint—from navigation to microinteractions—is intuitive and engaging.
Mobile-First and Responsive Design
Catering to diverse devices requires a mobile-first mindset. Our designers use Figma and Principle to create responsive designs that maintain consistent quality across various screen sizes, ensuring a seamless experience on every device.
Accessibility and Inclusive Web UX Design
Toptal UX experts ensure your products are inclusive and usable across diverse user needs by following WCAG guidelines and utilizing tools like Axe. Through these efforts, they create accessible interfaces that reach all potential users.
Usability Testing and Design Iteration
Our UX designers optimize your product’s user experience by leveraging real-world insights gathered through tools like Maze and UserTesting. By conducting usability tests and iterating designs based on feedback, they enhance your product to achieve peak user satisfaction.
UX Audits and Heuristic Evaluation
Our UX specialists use tools like Inspectlet and Hotjar to conduct thorough audits and heuristic evaluations, uncovering areas for improvement. This approach provides actionable insights to optimize your digital interfaces, driving continuous improvement and effectiveness.
Cross-platform UX Consistency
Leveraging Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, our designers establish design systems that maintain visual and functional consistency across multiple digital environments, reinforcing cross-platform uniformity and strengthening brand loyalty.
FAQs
How do I hire a UX designer?
To hire the right UX designer, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our team will match you with the perfect UX designers for your project.
How much does it cost to hire a UX designer?
The cost associated with hiring a UX designer depends on various factors, including preferred talent location, complexity and size of the project you’re hiring for, seniority, engagement commitment (hourly, part-time, or full-time), and more. In the US, for example, Glassdoor’s reported average total annual pay for UX designers is $122,000 as of October 2024. With Toptal, you can speak with an expert talent matcher who will help you understand the cost of talent with the right skills and seniority level for your needs. To get started, schedule a call with us — it’s free, and there’s no obligation to hire with Toptal.
What exactly does a UX designer do?
A UX designer is primarily responsible for creating and optimizing the user experience for digital products and services. UX professionals undertake, analyze, and implement user research, develop intuitive and responsive interfaces, and ensure accessibility and usability. They also design wireframes and prototypes, and conduct user testing to refine their design concepts.
UX designers collaborate with cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams to align progressive business strategies with user expectations. Enhancing user experiences, satisfaction, and engagement is the number one goal, and skilled UX designers work hard to generate meaningful and fresh end products.
What qualities should I look for in a UX designer?
Because UX design is centered on human behavior, an in-demand UX professional will possess soft skills such as emotional intelligence, empathy, flexibility, and problem-solving. Effective communication skills are essential, no matter how big or small the product team may be. UX designers who have an eye for detail lay the foundation for assets that are user-friendly, adaptable, and accessible. Strong analytical thinking skills help with data-driven design choices, and a practical understanding of relevant design tools ensures long-term user satisfaction.
How quickly can you hire with Toptal?
Typically, you can hire a UX designer with Toptal in about 48 hours. For larger teams of talent or Managed Delivery, timelines may vary. Our talent matchers are highly skilled in the same fields they’re matching in—they’re not recruiters or HR reps. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics, and match you with ideal candidates from our vetted global talent network.
Once you select your UX designer, you’ll have a no-risk trial period to ensure they’re the perfect fit. Our matching process has a 98% trial-to-hire rate, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best fit every time.
How are Toptal UX designers different?
At Toptal, we thoroughly screen our UX designers to ensure we only match you with the highest caliber of talent. Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, fewer than 3% make the cut.
In addition to screening for industry-leading expertise, we also assess candidates’ language and interpersonal skills to ensure that you have a smooth working relationship.
When you hire with Toptal, you’ll always work with world-class, custom-matched UX designers ready to help you achieve your goals.
Can you hire UX designers on an hourly basis or for project-based tasks?
You can hire UX designers on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis. Toptal can also manage the entire project from end-to-end with our Managed Delivery offering. Whether you hire an expert for a full- or part-time position, you’ll have the control and flexibility to scale your team up or down as your needs evolve. Our UX designers can fully integrate into your existing team for a seamless working experience.
What is the no-risk trial period for Toptal UX designers?
We make sure that each engagement between you and your UX designer begins with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to confirm the engagement will be successful. If you’re completely satisfied with the results, we’ll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you’d like. If you’re not completely satisfied, you won’t be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another expert who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial.
Florence is a senior product designer with eight years of experience crafting innovative user experiences and design strategies. Her clients include e-commerce and fintech companies such as Shopware and Nestcoin, and she has successfully designed a fintech app used by over one million users in Nigeria, helping them manage and grow their finances. She is dedicated to delivering results and consistently exceeds design expectations.
As companies increasingly recognize the pivotal role of user experience (UX) in the success of their digital products, demand for skilled UX designers is on the rise. In fact, according to the latest research conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for web developers and digital designers, which includes UX designers, is projected to grow 16% from 2022 to 2032, significantly outpacing the 3% average across occupations.
UX designers play a crucial role in creating intuitive, enjoyable digital experiences for users. Their expertise can help companies attract and retain loyal customers, improve their brand reputations, and increase sales. Yet talented UX designers can be challenging to find and hire, not only because of the complexity of the services they offer—designing the websites and mobile applications that serve as a front door to businesses and their product offerings—but also because of the rare skill sets they possess. Excelling in the field requires a blend of empathy, creativity, and problem-solving skills, along with technical expertise in information architecture, user testing, and prototyping. The scarcity of well-rounded UX designers can lead to a protracted and competitive hiring process.
Hiring a UX designer benefits all types of companies, from startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses to midsize and large corporations. This hiring guide provides a roadmap to inform your search. It includes an overview of relevant skills and attributes, job description tips, interview questions, and suggested answers to help you identify the best candidates for your company.
What Attributes Distinguish Quality UX Designers From Others?
The main task of a UX designer is to create seamless interactions between digital products and end users. By paying close attention to user habits, industry trends, and consumer feedback, a talented UX designer can enhance user satisfaction with a product, while improving its functionality and visual appearance.
When searching for an ideal fit for your company, it’s essential to seek out candidates who consider the design process holistically: From the earliest stages of user research to its culmination in shippable, user-centered software, top candidates are committed to serving the needs of a company and its clients. Operating across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, and public service, top UX designers leverage expertise in visual design, programming, behavioral psychology, and interaction design to build exceptional products.
In your selection process, look for UX designers who are passionate about their work and show the following attributes:
User-centered Approach
UX design is a human-centered practice. While working to fulfill project requirements and strengthen a brand’s identity, UX designers should never lose sight of user needs. They should take steps to improve the user journey by shepherding users across key milestones and touch points in a product experience. By prioritizing the needs and preferences of end users, experienced freelance UX designers ensure digital products and services are functional and easy to use, ultimately building customer loyalty.
Toward this end, qualified candidates should be able to empathize with users—especially around perceived pain points—and be proactive in implementing user feedback in design decisions. Skilled UX designers understand the importance of embracing criticism to make iterative design improvements. Giving users a voice in the product development process leads to better products and more satisfied users, which, in turn, benefits a company’s reputation.
User Research and Testing Skills
Experience with user research and testing is a hallmark of top-tier UX designers. Look for candidates who have experience conducting polls and surveys, evaluating competitors’ products, interviewing users and stakeholders, and conducting A/B testing and usability testing to gather insights into user preferences and behaviors. The best candidates will structure interviews and tests so they are rigorous, free of bias, and yield qualitative and quantitative insights.
A candidate should also be familiar with discipline-specific research methods such as persona development, card sorting, journey mapping, and contextual inquiry. While most candidates are unlikely to be experts in all these techniques, they should understand their purposes—for instance, profiling a target audience to understand their content preferences or organizing information in a way that best serves business goals.
Collaboration and Communication Abilities
As with any client-facing position, the ability to communicate effectively with external stakeholders is a requisite skill for a UX designer. At the same time, UX designers must be able to work well with internal, multidisciplinary teams, which may include marketing leaders, SEO experts, product managers, and software engineers. Knowing how to prioritize and integrate diverse viewpoints is essential to create exceptional products. It is also key to maintaining a positive and productive work environment as shared decisions are made.
When hiring, recruiters should seek candidates who exhibit a collaborative spirit, which can be crucial during the onboarding process when they need to adapt and integrate into various team dynamics quickly. This might also be evident in how they tailor presentations to the communication styles and preferences of diverse stakeholders or show respect for their colleagues by listening actively, carefully managing deadlines, and working to reconcile oppositional views and resolve conflicts.
Mastery of UX Design Methodologies and Tools
UX design is about more than the beauty of the visual elements that appear before users on a screen. Top designers excel at creating seamless user flows and navigation elements, organizing information logically, and developing clear and consistent design guidelines. Look for candidates who are exceptionally creative and have the vision to convey complex ideas in a simple, evocative way.
Qualified designers will show proficiency in the use of tools such as Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, UXPin, and Freehand that can help translate their ideas into tangible designs. In addition, they will be familiar with fundamental design patterns and input and selection controls for macOS, iOS, and Android, and have a working knowledge of commonly applied heuristics for user interface design, including making a system’s status visible through appropriate feedback, preventing errors, and giving users freedom and control in their navigation choices.
Although not necessarily a requirement, basic HTML and CSS knowledge can help UX designers communicate more effectively with engineers, a tremendous asset during the development process. Candidates with these technical skills deserve additional consideration.
Wireframing and Prototyping Experience
Experienced designers use wireframing and prototyping techniques to communicate design concepts in constructive, methodical ways. Successfully visualizing a digital application allows stakeholders and developers to feel confident about the direction of the design project. A dedicated UX designer will present these concepts during design reviews and team meetings to prompt meaningful discussions around product use, development, and implementation.
Understanding the Importance of Business Goals
Talented UX designers understand the importance of executing their design ideas in alignment with business goals. A UX designer who faithfully attends meetings, asks thoughtful questions, and takes the time to review and internalize marketing strategies is likely to deliver mobile app and web designs that drive growth and profitability.
In selecting candidates, look for those who situate user needs in the context of broader business objectives, and rely on empirical data to inform decisions. The candidate’s previous design decisions should be well vetted, thoroughly documented, and tied to specific and measurable outcomes, such as user acquisition rates, customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores, or the average purchase price per customer. This will lay the groundwork for high-impact software products.
How Can You Identify the Ideal UX Designer for You?
To find the right UX designer for your company, it’s important to decide whether you need a junior, mid-level, or senior professional. This decision will hinge on a range of factors, such as your project goals, budget, long-term vision, and workplace culture. To make the most of the screening process, keep in mind the following distinctions:
Junior UX Designers
Junior UX designers typically have up to two years of experience and possess foundational knowledge and skills in user experience design. They have usually acquired a formal education in UX design, human-computer interaction, or a related field and may have completed internships or bootcamps. While junior designers are proficient in UX tools and techniques, they often require the guidance of more experienced colleagues to understand complex projects and ensure alignment with best practices and business goals. However, they may bring a fresh perspective to established teams and generally have the skills to develop wireframes, conduct basic user research and usability testing, and assist with documentation. They are also likely to have a keen awareness of new and emerging technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) and gesture-based interfaces.
Mid-level UX Designers
Mid-level UX designers usually have at least three years of experience. Most have a solid grasp of UX principles and have honed their skills through professional projects. Highly skilled in using design and prototyping tools, they typically have a strong grasp of interaction design, information architecture, and visual design principles. They are capable of independently managing projects and may be particularly useful as additions to a young, growing team because they are able to apply their knowledge to mentor junior colleagues. Look to mid-level designers for complex projects that require oversight of the design process, including conducting user research, creating personas, developing user flows, and producing high-fidelity prototypes.
Senior UX Designers
Senior UX designers are experts in their field, offering a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of user experience principles and best practices. They have typically been in the industry for at least five years, and have a portfolio of successful, high-impact projects to demonstrate their work.
The core difference between senior designers and less experienced colleagues is the strategic mindset they lend to projects. In addition to being adept at creating complex design systems and ensuring consistency across touch points, they contribute to high-level discussions, influence product roadmaps, and advocate for user-centered design at the organizational level. With extensive project management experience, many oversee design projects from inception to launch. They lead design teams, mentor junior and mid-level designers, and set best-practice standards to ensure that all design work supports the overarching business strategy and delivers seamless, intuitive user experiences.
Many companies find that the best hiring strategy is to build a diverse team with talent that spans experience levels. By combining the enthusiasm of junior designers with the technical expertise of more senior professionals, user experience design teams are better equipped to deliver a product that meets or exceeds user expectations.
Strategic Factors to Consider
When evaluating candidates, several strategic considerations are worth noting. First, knowledge of user interface (UI) design principles is an integral part of a UX designer’s skill set. While UX focuses on the overall experience a user has with a product, UI design deals with the specific look and feel of the interface. UX designers with knowledge of fundamental UI design concepts, such as applying visual hierarchies to organize information, tend to be the strongest candidates. They understand how to capture users’ attention and direct it toward key messages and call to actions (CTA) that advance business goals.
Second, it is hard to overstate the importance of creating responsive, mobile-friendly designs. The data analysis firm Statista reports that approximately 59% of global web traffic is generated through mobile devices (excluding tablets). To meet the needs of this massive audience, a capable UX designer should be comfortable developing responsive layouts that remain legible, intuitive, and visually appealing across a range of devices and screen sizes. Knowledge of fluid grids, media queries, and performance optimization strategies allows a UX designer to generate dynamic digital products.
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that accessibility and inclusivity are key components of UX design. A thoughtful UX designer will be committed to implementing protocols for alternative text, color contrast, and semantic markups into their work in alignment with project requirements and the World Wide Web Consortium’s (WC3) latest accessibility guidelines.
How to Write a UX Design Job Description for Your Project
An expertly written job description doesn’t just attract the right candidates; it also sets clear expectations for the role, ensuring a smoother hiring process and better alignment between the designer and your company’s goals. Begin by describing your company’s vision and culture to give candidates a sense of what it’s like to work there.
Next, clearly define the role (e.g., UX Designer, UI/UX Designer, Senior UX Designer, Product Designer, Interaction Designer, UX Researcher) and its significance within your organization. Outline the core responsibilities and expected outcomes, along with the desired years of experience. Provide a detailed list of requirements and responsibilities, focusing on technical skills, experience, and educational background. Clearly state the types of projects the candidate will work on and the impact their role will have on the team and the organization. You should also specify whether you are looking to hire a full-time designer or a freelance specialist for a specific project. Conclude the post with a succinct call to action, encouraging qualified candidates to apply.
Consider the following requirements and responsibilities as a starting point, and consult Toptal’s job description template for more extensive guidance:
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in UX design, human-computer interaction, or related field
Desired years of experience in UX design
Proficiency with design and prototyping tools (Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma)
Solid grasp of user-centered design (UCD), planning and conducting user research, user testing, A/B testing, rapid prototyping, usability, and accessibility concerns
Responsibilities:
Facilitate the client’s product vision by researching, conceiving, sketching, prototyping, and user-testing experiences for digital products.
Design and deliver wireframes, user stories, user journeys, and mock-ups optimized for a wide range of devices and interfaces.
Collaborate with product managers and developers.
Ensure consistency and usability across all platforms.
Make strategic design and user-experience decisions related to both core and new functions and features.
Stay current with industry trends and best practices.
Design and document digital products that meet specific and measurable performance outcomes.
What Are the Most Important UX Designer Interview Questions?
To help you have productive conversations and make well-informed decisions during the hiring process, consider asking the following questions:
Describe a project in which you had to ensure that the user experience was accessible and inclusive for all users, including those with disabilities. What steps did you take to identify potential accessibility barriers, and how did you address them in your design?
An ideal UX design candidate will be well-versed in the relationship between accessibility and the digital experience. Listen for responses that clearly articulate research and product testing conducted with users who have disabilities. Strong responses may also mention accessibility audits of existing designs; the integration of accessible design principles, such as semantic HTML or ARIA screen readers; and efforts to stay abreast of evolving legal requirements and the World Wide Web Consortium’s latest accessibility standards.
Please walk me through the UX design certifications and courses you have taken. How do these learning experiences contribute to your skill set and demonstrate your value as a designer?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning and professional development, particularly in the fast-moving tech sector. An ideal candidate should show evidence that they have pursued certifications and courses from reputable organizations, but their educational background is likely to vary by geography, experience level, and career path. It’s important, however, that candidates can clarify why they chose to pursue a UX specialization, and that the decision stems from genuine passion and aptitude.
A few esteemed certification programs for UX designers include the Google UX Design Certificate, the UX Certification or UX Master Certification from Nielsen Norman Group, and the UX Design Bootcamp from Springboard. While university degrees and certificates can be a valuable part of the learning process, so is hands-on application. In evaluating candidates’ responses, look for answers addressing how their learning experiences informed real-world projects included in their résumés and design portfolios.
Share a project that shows how you focused on the needs and perspectives of users. How did you build empathy for users, and how did this understanding influence your design decisions throughout the project?
While UX design is centered on human-computer interaction, it is the human side of the interaction that tends to be the hardest to predict and satisfy. Skilled designers have a keen understanding of human psychology and take pains to empathize with user needs through interviews, surveys, and user research. Above all, building empathy with users requires the commitment to talk to them about their experiences, listen actively, and evaluate digital artifacts that provide insight into their pain points and goals.
Listen closely to how candidates describe the project they share. Strong responses might describe gathering user feedback from interviews, user tests, customer support tickets, product reviews, or in-app analytics. Qualified candidates should have a method for filtering and prioritizing information before implementing it in design decisions. They may develop personas to profile target users, or create user journey maps to represent customers’ interactions with a product at key touch points. Give preference to designers who can clearly articulate how they prioritize features and make site organization decisions based on insights into user needs and motivations.
How do you work with cross-functional teams to ensure successful project outcomes? Can you provide an example of a situation in which you had to advocate for a particular design decision? How did you handle any disagreements?
In evaluating candidates’ responses, listen for answers that emphasize a collaborative spirit. Is the candidate open and receptive to feedback from team members? Do they show a preference for clear, concise, and inclusive communication? Is there a willingness to compromise when consensus can’t be reached on a single best design choice? Do they use platforms like Asana, Figma, and Jira to communicate and manage workflows?
Also, pay attention to how the designer advocates for their personal viewpoint. Do they show the fortitude to speak candidly when they believe doing so is in a project’s best interest? Can they rally stakeholders around their viewpoint and think creatively to present their ideas in a way others will appreciate? While a strong response should highlight successful project outcomes, evidence of soft skills—such as the care and compassion the candidate extends to colleagues and stakeholders—is equally important.
How do you ensure your designs meet both user needs and business goals?
Look for responses that emphasize collaboration with stakeholders to ensure alignment on project goals and tools to measure success, such as key performance indicators (KPIs), A/B testing, or user satisfaction surveys. Concrete examples of successful past projects, supported by specific metrics or case studies, will demonstrate a candidate’s competency and ability to think strategically.
Why Do Companies Hire UX Designers?
Donald Norman, a former vice president at Apple, popularized the term “user experience” when he applied it to describe the work of his three-person User Experience Office at the company in the early 1990s. By now, his user-centric approach to software design, once a novel way to develop products, has become a business imperative. Companies hire skilled UX designers to generate products and services that place a premium on frictionless interfaces and user satisfaction. UX designers’ expertise in understanding user behavior, combined with their exceptional design skills, ensures that products and services are not only functional but intuitive and user-friendly. This translates directly into increased customer loyalty, reduced churn rates, and higher earned revenue.
As more of our experiences happen in digitally rendered spaces, UX designers also play a crucial role in bridging the gap between users and technology. They apply research methodologies and user tests to gather insights, which guide design and product development decisions. Their wireframes and prototypes lay the groundwork for intuitive products that make it easy for users to navigate interfaces, find important information, and take desired actions. And by prioritizing user needs and pain points in the product development process, UX designers help companies develop features and software updates that resonate more deeply with their target audiences. Their knowledge and skills are crucial for fostering brand loyalty, improving accessibility, and achieving a competitive edge in the marketplace—all compelling reasons to hire a top UX designer.
