What Do User Experience Designers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for user experience designers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what user experience designers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
User Experience Designers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about user experience designers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
User Experience Designers develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.
Popular Job Titles For User Experience Designers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Web Developers
- Back End Software Engineers
- Front End Developers
- Back End Engineers
- Front End Software Engineers
- Front End Engineers
- Back End Developers
- Java Back End Developers
- Full Stack Web Developers
- Web Application Developers
- PHP Developers
- JavaScript Engineers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for user experience designers can be found.
Best Industries for User Experience Designers
User Experience Designers Jobs By Industry
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 26.1%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 7.8%
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services: 6%
- Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services: 5.4%
- Software Publishers: 4.5%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 3.8%
- Other: 46.4%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of user experience designers can be found working in the Computer Systems Design and Related Services sector. In 2023, about 26.1% of all jobs for user experience designers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (7.8%), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (6%), Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services (5.4%), Software Publishers (4.5%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (3.8%).
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Degree Options for User Experience Designers
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What Do User Experience Designers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what user experience designers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work user experience designers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that user experience designers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for user experience designers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's User Experience Designers
Based on 75,187 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for User Experience Designers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 39,275 | 52% |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 27,633 | 37% |
| Computer Science | 25,664 | 34% |
| React.js (Javascript Library) | 24,329 | 32% |
| Front End (Software Engineering) | 23,949 | 32% |
Top 5 Common Skills for User Experience Designers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 24,626 | 33% |
| Problem Solving | 14,500 | 19% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 12,927 | 17% |
| Management | 11,116 | 15% |
| Writing | 8,513 | 11% |
Based on 75,187 job postings related to user experience designers, javascript (programming language) was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 52% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for cascading style sheets (css), computer science, react.js (javascript library), front end (software engineering) and agile methodology were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for user experience designers, followed by problem solving, troubleshooting (problem solving), management, writing and leadership.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Programming Language) | 39,275 | 52% |
| Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) | 27,633 | 37% |
| Computer Science | 25,664 | 34% |
| React.js (Javascript Library) | 24,329 | 32% |
| Front End (Software Engineering) | 23,949 | 32% |
| Agile Methodology | 23,196 | 31% |
| HyperText Markup Language (HTML) | 22,434 | 30% |
| Application Programming Interface (API) | 21,271 | 28% |
| Java (Programming Language) | 19,330 | 26% |
| Software Engineering | 19,291 | 26% |
| Amazon Web Services | 18,358 | 24% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 17,528 | 23% |
| Software Development | 16,841 | 22% |
| Angular (Web Framework) | 15,231 | 20% |
| Git (Version Control System) | 14,913 | 20% |
| Node.js (Javascript Library) | 14,687 | 20% |
| RESTful API | 14,233 | 19% |
| Back End (Software Engineering) | 13,373 | 18% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 13,286 | 18% |
| Scalability | 13,074 | 17% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 24,626 | 33% |
| Problem Solving | 14,500 | 19% |
| Troubleshooting (Problem Solving) | 12,927 | 17% |
| Management | 11,116 | 15% |
| Writing | 8,513 | 11% |
| Leadership | 7,671 | 10% |
| Mentorship | 7,425 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 7,197 | 10% |
| Innovation | 7,068 | 9% |
| Research | 6,892 | 9% |
| Operations | 6,720 | 9% |
| Self-Motivation | 6,354 | 8% |
| Planning | 6,006 | 8% |
| Information Technology | 5,431 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 5,393 | 7% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 4,627 | 6% |
| Safety Assurance | 4,090 | 5% |
| Teamwork | 3,808 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 3,688 | 5% |
| Mathematics | 3,529 | 5% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for User Experience Designers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Web Developers | 12,189 | 15.3% |
| Back End Software Engineers | 11,598 | 14.5% |
| Front End Developers | 10,165 | 12.7% |
| Back End Engineers | 5,680 | 7.1% |
| Front End Software Engineers | 5,840 | 7.3% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was web developers, with 5,633 unique job postings. Back end software engineers were second, with 5,215 postings, followed by front end developers, back end engineers and front end software engineers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to user experience designers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Web Developers | 12,189 | 15.3% |
| Back End Software Engineers | 11,598 | 14.5% |
| Front End Developers | 10,165 | 12.7% |
| Back End Engineers | 5,680 | 7.1% |
| Front End Software Engineers | 5,840 | 7.3% |
| Front End Engineers | 4,639 | 5.8% |
| Back End Developers | 4,824 | 6% |
| Java Back End Developers | 2,346 | 2.9% |
| Full Stack Web Developers | 2,602 | 3.3% |
| Web Application Developers | 2,534 | 3.2% |
| PHP Developers | 3,027 | 3.8% |
| JavaScript Engineers | 2,094 | 2.6% |
| Ruby on Rails Developers | 2,235 | 2.8% |
| Front End Web Developers | 1,640 | 2.1% |
| Full Stack Engineers | 1,550 | 1.9% |
| Ruby on Rails Engineers | 1,699 | 2.1% |
| JavaScript Developers | 1,308 | 1.6% |
| Front End React Developers | 1,285 | 1.6% |
| Lead Java Developers | 1,328 | 1.7% |
| Wordpress Developers | 1,214 | 1.5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for user experience designers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for user experience designers.
How much do user experience designers make?
User Experience Designers: How do you become one?
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