Are you a graphic design student in college or looking to freelance as a UI designer? Whether you work in other creative fields and want to branch out into interface design, or you want to enter the industry, there are many ways to do so.
Taking the first step is important, and we’ll show you how to do that in this article.
What is an Interface Designer?
An interface designer is responsible for designing how software and websites look and are used. They work on all types of software, such as mobile apps, websites, computer software, and software installed on smart technologies. There are also industrial uses in airplanes, cars, and machinery software for this profession. The terms user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are often used interchangeably.
It is the art of providing users with information and utility that is as simple as possible to increase user satisfaction. With technology constantly updating, many websites and software must update over time to meet growing needs and provide value while keeping up with new trends in design.
1. Find Short Courses
Learning a new skill is at your fingertips in the age of the Internet. Your first step should be to find and complete some short courses to get started with interface design. This allows you to get a feel for the industry and do the work necessary to see if you’ll enjoy it before spending a lot of money on higher education. Many of these courses are on-demand and self-paced, allowing for a great deal of flexibility.
The Become a UX Designer course by Career Foundry is a great way to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts.
This course provides a free, self-paced structure for you to discover if you enjoy interface design, with the option to enter a full program later. Similarly, if you want to learn online but prefer a live classroom environment where you can freely ask questions, the Intro to UX Design livestream powered by General Assembly is perfect. They conduct scheduled live classes and do Q&As for additional support.
2. Learn Important Design Principles
In interface design, there are a number of principles that are extremely useful to use, but the first two laws should be noted. Using the interface should not cause any harm to the user’s work, and it should be as simple as possible.
The rest of the principles of interface design are super easy concepts to grasp. First of all the design should be simple and properly organized according to its purpose. It should be simple in design and function. This includes not cluttering the overall design too much and not adding things irrelevant to the main function or purpose that may distract the user. The design should provide feedback to users when errors occur, if they are under maintenance, or if a change occurs in the software.
For designs that allow people to create art, music, or any similar digital creation, the application must be forgiving and allow human or computer-related mistakes and errors to be handled easily and quickly. Needed Above all, design and programming must be consistent. Nobody likes an inconsistent schedule.
3. Invest in Design Tools
If you want to become an expert UI designer, then having the right tools can increase your learning curve and give you an upper hand in the industry. The first of these devices is a computer with high specifications, so it can run design software without any problems during programming. It is best to look for a PC with extra RAM and a high quality CPU. To go with this base equipment, you’ll need a comfortable workspace, a desk, and a comfortable desk chair that’s set up ergonomically.
For software, there are many different options available. Adobe XD, for example, is ideal for collaborative work within UI design, from initial idea to handoff. Similarly, the Figma UI design tool allows collaboration with communication features such as providing comments and feedback. There is also a free trial to test the software before making a decision.
Want to make prototyping and manufacturing an easier process? Sketch is a vector editor with combined capabilities that can do a lot for you.
The only limitation of this software is that it is Mac compatible only. However, it holds the advantage of being properly designed to work perfectly with Mac computers. With these tools, you’ll be on your way to working as a design professional. Want to learn more about tools you can use? Here are the top tools you must master as a UI/UX designer.