What Does a UX Designer Do?

The term user experience (UX) refers to all aspects of the interaction you have with a digital product, service, or physical product. For example, you have a user experience when using a mobile app or website, checking into a hotel, using public transportation, or trying on a new running shoe. Think about the last time you used a new product. Were you able to accomplish your task? How easy was it? How did it make you feel? UX designers seek to make products and services that feel easy, effective, and delightful to use.

If you're ready to start preparing for a job as a UX designer, consider learning from industry experts by enrolling in Google's UX Design Professional Certificate program. In as little as six months, you'll learn to navigate the design process with effective UX strategy, user research, and prototyping.

What is a UX designer?

A UX designer makes a product or service usable, enjoyable, and accessible. Although physical products also have user experiences, the term is most often associated with digital products like websites and apps. While specifics can vary from product to product and by industry, the general phases of the design process tend to remain the same.

Read more: What is a Visual Designer? (+ How to Become One in 5 Steps)

The vocabulary of UX design

Before we dive into the essentials of user experience design, it’s helpful to define a few design concepts you’re likely to encounter while working in the field. Here are 10 to get you started:

A/B testing - A method for comparing two versions of a product or service to evaluate which is more successful

Accessibility - The concept of whether a service or product can be used by people of all abilities, irrespective of their situation

Card sort - A session where participants organize information into logical groups to help determine information architecture

End user - The person who will use a finished product or service once it has been purchased

Human computer interaction - Field of study examining computer technology design and the interaction between humans and computers

Information architecture - The structural design of information to make it more understandable

Mockup - A realistic visual model of what a final webpage or application will look like

Persona - A fictional representation of an ideal customer to help you understand their needs, goals, and behaviors

Prototype - A sample or simulation of a final product used to test and gather feedback

User flow - A diagram that maps out each step a user takes when using a product or service

Wireframe - A web page layout stripped of visual design used to prioritize page elements based on user needs

Did you know?

Don Norman, a cognitive psychologist and designer, coined the term “user experience” in his 1988 book The Design of Everyday Things. Norman became the first official user experience architect during his time at Apple in the 1990s.

UX designer tasks and responsibilities

As a user experience design professional, you’re responsible for users' overall satisfaction with a product. Think of yourself as the customer’s advocate, always looking for ways to improve the customer’s experience. This approach to product development is often referred to as user-centered design. Let’s examine some of the tasks and responsibilities you’ll likely encounter throughout the design process.

1. Understand the user and the brand. Think about what problem you’re trying to solve for the user (and how your design ideas can align with brand goals).

2. Conduct user research. Identify user needs, goals, behaviors, and pain points. Testing designs before full implementation is critical. Tools for user research might include surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus groups, or A/B testing. At some companies, a UX researcher leads this process.

3. Analyze what you’ve learned. At this stage, you’ll build user personas based on your research to help you identify the most important elements of the product or service. Start to map out what the user flow will look like.

4. Design. As you begin to build out the design, you’ll create site maps, wireframes, or prototypes to give you and your team a better idea of what the final product will look like. At this stage, a user interface (UI) designer will add visual elements.

5. Conduct user testing. Validate the design by tracking how real users interact with the product or service (usability testing). Identify any problems with the design and develop solutions.

6. Present your work. Deliver the design solution to your client or company.

Essential skills for a user experience designer

UX designers leverage a wide range of technical and workplace skills to bring a successful product or service to market (or improve upon an existing product). Many of these skills transfer from other fields, so even if you’re new to UX design, you’ve likely developed a few already. Focus on these essential skills, and you can begin to build a strong foundation for a career.

Workplace skills

• Communication skills will help you effectively interview users and present your solutions to clients or management. Consider enrolling in UPenn Wharton's Improving Communications Skills to build effective communication skills.

• Empathy allows you to think about problems and solutions from the user’s point of view.

• Collaboration skills empower you to work in harmony with your team, taking feedback, exploring solutions, and leveraging expertise.

• Critical thinking encourages you to challenge your assumptions and innovate new solutions. Advance these skills with the Critical Thinking course from UC Davis.

Technical skills

• Research, including the use of interviews, surveys, and observation, guides you to make the best decisions in the design process. 

• Information architecture helps you organize and prioritize large and complex sets of information.

• Wireframing (building a skeletal framework for a website or app) enables you to explore design solutions in an efficient way.

• Prototyping is essential for testing functionality and identifying problems.

While not essential for UX designers, fundamental visual design and coding skills can help you understand how your design fits in with the greater product development process. You can gain more foundational knowledge about user experience for free by enrolling in the Georgia Institute of Technology's online course, Introduction to User Experience Design.

Types of UX designer jobs

UX design is an exciting and always evolving field, so you might encounter a number of job titles associated with UX (UX designer, UI designer, interaction designer, product designer, and service designer among them). 

As a UX designer working at a smaller company, you’ll likely have a more general role with responsibility for each step of the design process. At a larger company, you might focus on one specialty or facet of UX design, like information architecture, UX research, usability analysis, UX writing, UX engineering, or interaction design. 

As you gain experience, you’ll have the opportunity to advance within your specialization to become a UX subject matter expert (SMX) or move into a managerial role as a project manager, product manager, or director of user experience.

Did you know that nearly every US industry has seen an increase in AI-related job postings?

Learn to apply AI in your field productively and responsibly by enrolling in Google’s UX Design Professional Certificate.

UX vs. UI design

User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design often go hand in hand, but the two fields have some important differences. While UX encompasses the overall experience a user has with a product or service, UI focuses on the graphic design and interface. 

Read more: What Is a User Interface (UI) Designer? Your Guide

Why pursue a career in UX design?

Working as a UX designer means you can apply your creativity and analytical skills in a wide range of fields that might interest you. Your work will vary from day to day and project to project, allowing you to continually learn and grow throughout your career.

UX designer salary: how much do UX designers make?

According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a UX designer in the US is $110,000 [1]. Keep in mind that how much you earn will depend on a number of factors, including location, industry, company, and years of experience.

Read more: How Much Can I Make as a UX Designer? (2025 Salary Guide)

How to become a UX designer

UX design is a diverse and evolving field, and there’s no one path to a successful career as a UX designer. The overlapping skill sets of many professional fields, including graphic design, architecture, interior design, software development, and industrial design, transition well into UX design. 

Watch this video to learn how Karen, an interaction designer at Google, transitioned from a career in event planning to UX:

Following these few steps can help you build a foundation for a career in UX design. 

1. Take a course in UX design. Even if you have no specific prior experience, you can start getting career-ready with a course or certification in UX design. Look for a course or program where you’ll learn the fundamentals, get hands-on experience with the latest UX design tools, complete projects for your portfolio, and network with others in the industry.

2. Practice your skills in the real world. You don’t need to wait to get hired as a UX designer to start gaining experience. Volunteer your skills for a charitable organization, non-profit, or business of a friend or family member. Alternatively, you could redesign a user experience you’ve had in the past that wasn’t as good as it could have been. This is commonly referred to as an unsolicited redesign. 

If you’re already working full-time in another field, practice your UX design skills by identifying a potential challenge and designing a solution.

3. Build a design portfolio. While you don’t necessarily need a degree to get a job in UX design, you will want to demonstrate your skills through a portfolio of work. Compile the projects you’ve finished in your coursework, volunteer work, and unsolicited redesigns. Continue to add your best work as you gain more experience.  

Start building the skills you need to become a UX designer today

If earning a degree is in your plans, consider reading up on what degree to pursue to identify the right one for you. Or, check out flexible online learning opportunities to earn credentials for your resume below:

Try a course to learn more with Google's Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design. It provides a peek into different UX design careers and the design thinking process.

Earn UX design credentials with Google's UX Design Professional Certificate, in which you'll gain job-ready skills required for an entry-level role.

Dive into your first UX design project and gain hands-on experience with a UX design tool with Coursera's Guided Project, Design a mobile app interface with Moqups.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)