UX designers, UI designers, and visual designers are all vital to the success of a digital project. The difference between these roles may seem subtle, but it can have a big impact on how well your app or website works for its users. UX designers focus on how users interact with the product and how they find information; UI designers create wireframes and mockups that show what each screen will look like; visual designers work within those wireframes to create a cohesive style for the entire product. Each role is equally important to creating an effective user experience—the person in charge needs to understand how people will use your app or site and make sure it's designed in such a way that they'll be able to accomplish their goals without getting frustrated along the way!
You need a designer, but there's so much competition out there. The good news is that hiring a great UX/UI designer is easier than you think. You just have to know what skills to look for and how to test them.
Understand the difference between UX and UI.
UX is about how a user feels when using a product, UI is about how the product looks. UX is about the journey, UI is about the destination. UX is about the experience, UI is about the appearance.
The first step on your journey to hiring an awesome designer is to understand what you’re looking for: someone who can create great experiences or someone who knows how to use Photoshop? Do they need to understand code or do they just need some basic HTML knowledge?
Know what you need from your designer.
The first step to hiring a designer is knowing what you need from them.
UX/UI designers are creative individuals, and their methods for solving design problems vary widely. The best way to find someone who understands your unique needs is by getting specific about them. For example: If you're looking at hiring a UX/UI designer for corporate branding, it may be helpful to know if they have experience with companies like yours or similar ones. A good way to do this could be asking them how long they've worked with companies in your industry and what kinds of projects they've worked on in that capacity before deciding whether or not they'd be right for your team!
Ideally, the candidate should have an understanding of user-centered design techniques.
The candidate should have an understanding of user-centered design techniques and should be able to explain their process and how it works.
The ideal candidate will have experience with user testing and feedback, as well as an ability to make informed design decisions based on data.
It is a good idea to hire a UI designer who also has UX skills.
It is a good idea to hire a ui designer who also has ux skills.
UX design is one of many subfields within user experience design (UXD). UXD focuses on the user's experience with a product or service, including everything from its usability to how it looks and feels. It involves several stages: goalsetting, information architecture, prototyping, testing and iterating based on feedback from users.
Ux designers use research methods such as interviews, surveys and stakeholder involvement to understand what people want from the product before creating wireframes that represent the structure of an interface for users; these should be tested for usability as well as aesthetic appeal.
Hire a specialist, not a generalist.
When you're hiring a designer, it's important to look for someone who specializes in UX/UI. A generalist may be able to do the job, but you'll get better results from a specialist.
If you're looking for a specialty-based team member, here are some skills and knowledge that are useful:
- User centered design principles and methodologies. This means understanding how users interact with products, then applying those insights to create effective experiences.
- User experience design principles and methodologies. This means understanding what makes an experience valuable for your customers, then applying those insights to create valuable experiences for them that meet their needs—and exceed their expectations!
A candidate who has experience working in agile development environments might be a good fit.
The process of hiring a UX/UI designer is tricky and can be time consuming. If you’re thinking about hiring one, here are three things to consider:
- A candidate who has experience working in agile development environments might be a good fit. Agile development environments are fast-paced, collaborative and focused on the end user. If your company does not use an agile methodology, it’s important to make sure your potential hire can adapt to this environment before making them an offer.
- Make sure the candidate has design skillsets that align with what you need for your project's success. For example, if you're looking for someone who creates wireframes and comps—or even just comps—you'll want someone who has strong visual design skills; likewise, if you're looking for someone who specializes in UX research or testing concepts with real users (a technique known as usability testing), then it's likely that person's portfolio will showcase some examples of those activities
The best candidates will have signed work to show you.
It's important to see the designer's best work, but you should also be able to get a sense of their range. You want someone who has experience with all kinds of projects, from micro-interactions to complex applications.
You're looking for someone who has a portfolio that includes both small and large products (such as apps, websites or print material), as well as prototypes or experiments with new ideas.
Look for designers who are interested in keeping up with their skills and staying current on practices in the field.
- Ask the candidate what they are reading, watching and listening to.
- Ask the candidate what conferences they are attending.
- Ask the candidate what books they are reading.
- Ask the candidate what podcasts they listen to.
- Ask the candidate what websites they visit regularly to stay up-to-date on UX/UI practices and technologies
Finding a designer who also has UX skills and understands user centered design can help your project meet its goals
When you're looking for a ux/ui designer, it's important to find someone who also has ux skills and understands user centered design. A good designer will be able to show how they've applied their knowledge of users through their projects, as well as how they'll apply that knowledge on your project.
UX is the process of designing products, systems and services that people can use to achieve their goals. It's an iterative cycle of research and design that continues throughout the life of a product or system until its final release.
UX designers are responsible for defining what customers need from a website or app before creating it; this work involves understanding users' needs and expectations then applying that knowledge so that the final product meets those requirements.
Post your job description.
You should post your job description on relevant job boards, social media platforms, and your personal network.
I recommend posting the position to your company's internal job board as well.
Ask for relevant portfolios.
When you're hiring a designer, it's important to look at their portfolio. The portfolio should showcase their best work and give you a sense of what they're capable of. It should show off your project's specific needs in addition to showcasing the designer's technical skills. The ideal portfolio will include examples of design projects that are similar to yours, as well as samples from industries other than yours (for example, if you sell consumer products online, an e-commerce designer might have experience creating mobile apps). If possible, it also helps if the designer has done work for companies similar to yours—that way he or she can bring valuable insights into how your brand operates at every level.
Check for use of common design tools.
You should also make sure that your potential hire has experience with the most common design tools. It's critical to hire someone who is familiar with these programs, as they will help them create the best designs possible. A good designer should be able to answer questions like:
- Do you use Sketch?
- Have you ever used Adobe XD or Framer Studio?
- Are you familiar with Flinto, Principle or Marvel?
If their answer is yes and they can explain how they've used each tool, then it's likely that your hire will be a suitable candidate for the job.
See if their work aligns with your brand and style.
An important first step in the hiring process is to make sure your prospective designer's work aligns with your brand and style. The best way to do this is by looking at their portfolio. You want to see if their style matches yours, as well as whether their work is consistent throughout the portfolio.
A good UX/UI designer has a solid grasp of design principles, which means they should be able to clearly articulate why certain elements are designed the way they are and how those decisions reinforce or contradict other aspects of their design. A good portfolio will also have clear navigation so that it’s easy for clients (or potential employers) to find what they're looking for.
Ask them to tell you about a problem they solved for a client, and about a mistake they had to fix on a project.
You want to ask them about their experience solving problems. You also want to know if they’ve made any mistakes.
Ask them tell you about a problem they solved for a client, and whether or not it was successful. Ask them to describe a mistake they had to fix on a project, and what they did (or didn’t) learn from that mistake.
If you have time, ask if there are any other mistakes they can share with you.
Interview candidates within the context of your business.
- Interview candidates in person or over the phone. You can use video conferencing tools like Zoom and Skype to conduct interviews, but nothing beats a face-to-face conversation—it gives you a better sense of how candidates respond to you and each other.
- Ask them questions about their work, and how they approach it. If they're applying for an entry level role, ask them to tell you about a problem they solved for a client, and about a mistake they had to fix on a project. If the candidate is an expert with years of experience (such as an executive or manager), ask what's new in their field that excites him/her at the moment; if he/she says "nothing," this may indicate lack of curiosity and ambition—both qualities that are important for ux/ui designers!
Give them a realistic sample project to test their skills, then look at how they approach it.
Once you've identified the UX designer whose style is a good match for your needs, it's time to bring them on board. You're not quite ready yet; before hiring anyone, it's important to give them an opportunity to prove their abilities. That's why we recommend giving potential employees a sample project (a design challenge, if they're working remotely) that tests their skills and teaches you something about how they work.
For this exercise, we recommend giving candidates two options: one that's close enough in scope to what you need done that they can draw on previous experience; another that is completely different from anything they've done before so as not only expose their creativity but also give them an opportunity to think outside of their comfort zone and show off their ability to adapt quickly in unfamiliar situations.
You'll want someone who has already had experience designing something similar so it doesn't feel like too much of a stretch—but still new enough that there's no way for them do just copy-paste something from somewhere else without showing some creativity or thinking outside the box themselves!
It's easy to hire a great designer when you know what you're looking for.
Hiring a designer can be an incredibly frustrating experience. You want to hire someone who is both talented and affordable, but most candidates will pitch themselves as being exactly what you're looking for—and then turn out to be the opposite. This makes it hard to know whether or not you're getting what you pay for.
The best way to avoid having your time wasted is by making sure that all candidates meet your exacting standards before even considering them for an interview. Here's how:
- Know what you want from a designer before hiring one. Asking yourself questions like "What do I want my users' experience on this platform or product to be?" and "How can we make this process as easy as possible?" will help narrow down options and guide conversations with potential candidates."
Conclusion
We've given you a lot of information to think about when hiring a designer, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. By following these steps and being thorough, you can make sure your new hire is the right person for the job. Designers are creative people who will bring their own ideas into your project—so let them! But make sure they know what kind of work environment you want them in so that everyone can work together harmoniously on your projects.
If you want to hire a ui/ux designer, it’s important to find someone who understands how the user interacts with your product and can use that knowledge to create something that will meet their needs. Ideally, this person should also have experience working on agile projects and using user-centered design techniques. Finding such candidates can be difficult because there are not many people who fit this description perfectly! However, if you take the time upfront to research potential candidates thoroughly before reaching out for interviews or hiring them directly—through portfolios or portfolios—you may end up saving yourself some trouble later on down the line when trying to find someone suitable enough for your needs.
Please also check out our other blog posts at the Flatwork.com for more content regarding hiring different professionals, along with information regarding Recruitment, ATS, and more!
