{"id":6748,"date":"2022-05-30T16:01:02","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T16:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=6748"},"modified":"2024-01-16T11:53:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T11:53:06","slug":"become-a-better-ui-designer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/become-a-better-ui-designer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become a better UI designer: 9 expert tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re a novice UI designer or already have some experience, it\u2019s important to continue honing your craft and improving your skills. The best UI designers are constantly learning, growing and broadening their horizons \u2014 and you can do the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Here are 9 actionable tips on how to become a better UI designer. Start implementing them and you\u2019ll see your UI skills go from strength to strength.<\/p>\n<p>Click these links if you want to go to a specific tip faster:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#get-to-grips-with-ux\">Get to grips with UX<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#design-for-inclusivity\">Design for inclusivity and accessibility<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#explore-and-learn\">Explore (and learn from) different design systems<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#practice-as-much-as-possible\">Practice as much as possible<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#seek-out-and-embrace-feedback\">Seek out and embrace feedback<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#experiment-with-different-tools\">Experiment with different tools<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#take-inspiration\">Take inspiration from UI Design and tech trends<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#stay-curious\">Stay curious and learn continuously<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#level-up\">Level up with a professional certificate in UI design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-ui-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_text&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UI DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in UI Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2 id=\"get-to-grips-with-ux\"><strong>1. Get to grips with UX<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t have good UX without good UI. And, while it\u2019s true that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-vs-ui-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX and UI are two different things<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the best UI designers understand what UX design is and are familiar with the underlying principles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you want to become a better UI designer, brush up on your UX knowledge. Learn about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process that UX designers follow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, from user research and defining the problem through to prototyping and testing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/xd.adobe.com\/ideas\/principles\/human-computer-interaction\/6-concepts-every-ux-designer-should-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">psychology of UX design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, exploring concepts such as Hick\u2019s Law, the Gestalt principles, priming, and the Von-Restorff effect<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/xd.adobe.com\/ideas\/principles\/human-computer-interaction\/user-centered-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User-centred design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and how it informs the decisions a UX designer makes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Having a solid handle on UX will help you to be a more empathetic, user-centric designer\u2014and an excellent colleague for your UX design teammates.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"design-for-inclusivity\"><strong>2. Design for inclusivity and accessibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to be a truly outstanding UI designer, make inclusive and accessible design a priority. This is the only way to design for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">all <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">users, and your work will automatically improve as a result.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>So what exactly do we mean by inclusive and accessible design? As per the University of Cambridge\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com\/whatis\/whatis.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">inclusive design toolkit<\/a>, the British Standards Institute defines inclusive design as:<\/p>\n<p><i>\u201cThe design of mainstream products and\/or services that are accessible to, and usable by, as many people as reasonably possible\u2026 without the need for special adaptation or specialised design.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/doit\/what-difference-between-accessible-usable-and-universal-design\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accessible design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can be defined as:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i>\u201cA design process in which the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Another critical concept is <a href=\"https:\/\/universaldesign.ie\/what-is-universal-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">universal design<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><i>\u201cThe design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Strive to design with inclusivity and accessibility in mind and you\u2019ll not only be a better UI designer; you\u2019ll also make the world a better place.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"explore-and-learn\"><strong>3. Explore (and learn from) different design systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A design system is essentially a collection of UI elements and components that can be reused in different combinations. Designers refer to a design system in order to adhere to style guidelines and standards, ensuring consistency across different designs or products within the same brand. Some of the most well-known design systems include <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/material.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google\u2019s Material Design system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/design\/fluent\/#\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microsoft\u2019s Fluent Design system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and Shopify\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/polaris.shopify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polaris design system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>As a UI designer looking to improve your skills, design systems are a great tool for deepening your understanding of UI design principles and best practices \u2014 and seeing how big brands use them to create designs at scale.<\/p>\n<p>In your quest to become a better UI designer, spend some time exploring different design systems. Here is a great guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/designerup.co\/blog\/10-best-design-systems-and-how-to-learn-and-steal-from-them\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10 best design systems and how to learn from them<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"practice-as-much-as-possible\"><strong>4. Practice as much as possible<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is arguably the best way to become a better UI designer: getting as much practice as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many different ways to practice and apply your UI design skills \u2014 such as volunteering your skills for free, using a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sharpen.design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">design challenge generator<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to come up with project ideas or doing an unsolicited redesign. An unsolicited redesign is where you take an existing product and redesign it. For example, you might choose to redesign the UI of your favourite app.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The more you practice, the more you\u2019ll be able to improve your craft and identify areas that you want to work on. Completing hands-on projects also has the added benefit of helping you to build your UI design portfolio \u2014 which you\u2019ll need in order to demonstrate your skills to employers.<\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-diploma-in-ux-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_panel_pdux&amp;utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2 id=\"seek-out-and-embrace-feedback\"><strong>5. Seek out and embrace feedback<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a newcomer to the field, there\u2019s a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lot <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you can learn from experienced UI designers. If you want to be a better UI designer, be proactive in seeking out feedback on your work \u2014 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">be sure to embrace it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This step might require a bit of networking (which is never a bad thing). Some effective ways to connect with experienced designers include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reaching out to designers at your company (if you\u2019re working)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joining online design communities (you\u2019ll find a list of the best ones <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-communities-that-are-ready-to-welcome-you\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/prototypr.io\/guide-page\/ui-ux-graphic-professionals-best-facebook-linkedin-groups-join\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connecting with designers on LinkedIn<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re connecting with designers out of the blue, lead with a friendly message explaining that you\u2019re new to the field and are hoping to learn from more experienced designers. Once you\u2019ve established a bit of a rapport, you can ask if they would be open to reviewing your work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to getting feedback, make sure you\u2019re clear on exactly what aspects of your work you\u2019d like to have reviewed and critiqued. This will help to keep the feedback focused and valuable. And, of course, be sure to take the feedback on board and learn from it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"experiment-with-different-tools\"><strong>6. Experiment with different tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI designers use a range of tools to create beautiful designs. There are lots of different options out there, so you\u2019ll want to get familiar with those that are considered industry-standard \u2014 and then find the one that works best for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having at least basic proficiency in a variety of popular UI tools will give you an advantage when applying for jobs (most job ads will ask for proficiency in a specific tool). Besides that, exploring a range of different tools will allow you to pinpoint the one that you most enjoy using \u2014 enabling you to do your best UI work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But where to start? We\u2019ve compiled a guide to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/user-interface-ui-design-tools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the most popular UI design tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Check it out and get experimenting!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"take-inspiration\"><strong>7. Take inspiration from UI design and tech trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to be a better UI designer, it\u2019s important to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry. You don\u2019t need to follow every new trend religiously or incorporate it into your own work, but it\u2019s certainly valuable to take inspiration from what\u2019s happening around you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, staying on top of the latest UI and tech trends is as easy as a Google search. Type in \u201clatest UI design trends\u201d and you\u2019ll be inundated with articles and YouTube videos! At the same time, keep an eye on what your favourite brands are doing. If a big brand implements a major design overhaul, you can bet that\u2019s a sign of a new trend on the way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay up-to-date with what\u2019s going on in the industry and you\u2019ll be quick to learn about, and adopt, best practices and trends as they emerge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"stay-curious\"><strong>8. Stay curious and learn continuously<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The digital design field is constantly evolving, and the best UI designers evolve with it. If you want to be a better UI designer, stay curious and get in the habit of continuous learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can, build thirty minutes or so of dedicated learning time into your week. Watch YouTube tutorials to learn new skills, listen to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/player.fm\/podcasts\/Ui-Design\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI design podcasts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and regularly check your favourite UI design blogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some great UI design resources include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uibreakfast.com\/category\/podcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI Breakfast podcast<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uinarrative.com\/podcast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI Narrative podcast<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toools.design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toools.design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014an archive of over 1,000 design resources, updated weekly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/material.io\/blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Material Design blog<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tubikstudio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tubik blog<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"level-up\"><strong>9. Level up with a professional certificate in UI design<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In keeping with the topic of continuous learning, consider levelling up your UI design skills with a professional course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a complete novice, a course will teach you the most important UI design skills, from interactivity and typography to colour, iconography, imagery, and beyond. If you\u2019ve already got some UI knowledge, a formal qualification will improve and affirm your existing skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 12-week online course offered by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The UX Design Institute<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers everything you need to be a better UI designer, including project and portfolio work and an introduction to essential UI tools. You can learn more about the course <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to keep learning about UI design? See what UI designers typically earn in our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ui-designer-salary\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI salary guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you want to improve your UI design skills? Here are 9 simple yet effective ways to hone your craft and become a better UI designer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":6814,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[265],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6748"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9703,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6748\/revisions\/9703"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}