what is a UX designer?
UX designers try to understand how users think and what they want from software or hardware. During the development process of these programmes, UX design acts as the interface between the users and the development team. In the past, users were largely left to their own devices to figure out IT applications. Out of necessity, many user guides were written for laypeople, which were easily accessible within practical reach of the home PC.
Fortunately, that has changed. A good product nowadays is characterised by being intuitive to use and having a straightforward operation, ideally even self-explanatory.
If you don’t succeed with your product, you’ll quickly find yourself at a disadvantage, as the competition is always alert. For you as a UX designer, the focus is on the user experience: How do users interact with an app, for example? What features should the app include, and how satisfied are users with the service in the end? Happy users are loyal customers. The most valued aspects are intuitive applications, easy operation, and quick learning curves for both software and hardware.
It’s therefore in your hands as a UX designer to inspire users and keep them engaged with a product in the long term.
UX designer jobsworking as a UX designer.
A UX designer creates digital products that rely on interactive processes based on user centred problem solving and design thinking. As a UX designer, you work for various companies that focus on digital products. These could include technology firms or IT consulting companies. Some UX designers also work as freelancers, supporting different organisations with app or software development.
Would a job in IT as a UX designer suit your expectations? Then keep reading to find out which skills and qualifications you need to be successful as a UX designer.
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your area of responsibility
The responsibilities of UX designers depend on the size of the company, their level of seniority, and the industry. Here are some of the standard tasks performed by UX designers:
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User research: As a UX designer, your main task is to learn more about the users of a digital product or service. You gain insights into their behaviours, goals, motivations, and user needs. Most UX designers gather user research data through interviews, online surveys, focus groups, and competitor analyses. They compile both qualitative and quantitative data from user research, which informs decision-making throughout the development process.
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Creation of user personas: As a UX designer, you consolidate and interpret the results of user research to develop representative personas. Every piece of user information contributes to the overall picture of the user’s personality. This includes needs, motivations, and potential reactions. The user persona helps designers to gain a clearer understanding of the person the product is intended for and to make adjustments if necessary to enhance the experience.
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Determining the information architecture of a product: As a UX designer, you are the architect of information. This means organising content within a website to help users complete tasks and to inform them about the product. When you create a structure, users can easily find the information they need, which improves their experience and interaction with the digital product.
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Designing wireframes and user flows: Wireframing is one of the key functions of a UX designer when creating the final product. Wireframes are design sketches that illustrate the stages or screens of a website throughout the user journey. As a UX designer, you incorporate various elements such as buttons and images to craft the optimal user flow.
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Creating prototypes: As a user experience designer, you are involved in designing a final interactive version of the pre development product. The prototype allows users to test the key interactions on the digital products. You can also use prototyping tools to create videos that guide users through the features of the user design. From the prototype tests, UX designers identify areas for improvement.
- Conducting user tests: A UX designer carries out user testing after the final product has been launched or a website has gone live.
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who are your colleagues?
As a UX designer working across various industries, your colleagues might include product designers, UI designers, and UX analysts. You may also collaborate with web designers and graphic designers, as well as other specialists such as user researchers, front-end developers, full-stack developers, and software engineers.
types of UX designers.
User experience design is a multidisciplinary role with several specialised areas. Some of the fields that UX designers focus on include:
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UX visual design: As a visual designer, you work with visual elements and graphics to address issues with the user experience. For example, you develop wireframes and prototypes to test products or websites, ensuring a better user experience.
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UX research: As a user experience researcher, you employ various research methods such as conducting focus groups, surveys, and usability tests to understand the user experience of a digital product. After analysing user behaviour, you support the design team in making the necessary adjustments to improve the UX design.
- UX writing: If you specialise in UX writing, you create all the content users interact with when they use an app, access a service, or visit a website. You encourage users to engage with the company's products through your words.
salary as a UX designer.
how much do I earn as a UX designer in a permanent position?
As a User Experience Designer, you earn between 75,400 CHF and 92,000 CHF gross per year, according to the salary analysis. This equates to a monthly gross salary of between 6,283 CHF and 7,667 CHF. On average, the annual gross salary for a User Experience Designer is 76,394 CHF. Half of the salaries surveyed are above 76,000 CHF gross, which means a monthly gross income of around 6,333 CHF. If you're just starting out as a User Experience Designer, you can expect an average gross annual salary of approximately 73,506 CHF, which is about 6,126 CHF gross per month.
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how much do I earn as a UX designer per hour?
According to the hourly rate calculator, the average hourly wage for a UX designer working a 42-hour week is 35.05 CHF.
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in which industry do I earn the most as a UX designer?
The salary of a UX designer depends on their experience and educational qualifications. The location also plays a role, influenced by the current market demand and the cost of living. Urban centres such as Zurich, Basel, or Geneva tend to offer higher compensation packages to reflect the demand for UX designers in those areas. Additionally, the cost of living pushes the figures upwards.
education and further training as a UX designer.
There are various ways to train or further develop your skills as a UX designer.
One option for training as a UX designer is the innovative Master's programme in "User Experience Design" at a university of applied sciences. The course lasts two years.
The requirements for studying are, in addition to good German language skills, the completion of one of the following diplomas:
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bachelor's degree, university or university of applied sciences diploma in a different field of study
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bachelor's degree in Digital Business Management
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bachelor's degree in Information Science
You can find more information here. Another option for further training is attending professional development courses. For example, the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland offers the following course: the one year continuing education programme, Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in "Successfully Implementing Usability and User Experience". The FHNW course covers the fundamental concepts of usability and user experience, usability engineering, and their psychological foundations.
positions as a UX designer.
At Randstad, you can regularly find interesting positions as a UX designer across various sectors. The role of a UX designer is relatively new and is becoming increasingly popular. Due to the high competition in the software and hardware industries, the expertise of UX designers is in greater demand than ever. With Randstad, you have the opportunity to discover exciting job opportunities for UX designers time and again. It’s worth keeping an eye out regularly for new vacancies.
job positions for career changers as UX designers.
As a UX designer, a high level of expertise is essential. You need to be not only creative and empathetic but also have a keen eye for detail and work in a structured and disciplined manner. When it comes to digital products and services, basic knowledge of web development—such as technologies like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript is a must. Users are now accustomed to responsive design that looks good and is easy to use regardless of the device or screen size.
It’s important to understand the specific technological requirements, features, and limitations of frontend design to avoid setting unrealistic expectations for the development team. Why not try submitting a spontaneous application to Randstad?
career opportunities and development potential as a UX designer.
UX designers have excellent opportunities in the technological age to find exciting jobs time and again. In this profession, you have the chance to work with various companies and projects, gaining new experiences all the time. With this wealth of experience, you can, for example, progress to a team leader role and manage your own team. As a team leader, you give instructions, motivate your colleagues, ensure smooth operations, and help achieve set objectives. As a UX designer, you can also deliver training or support start up companies, for instance.
Useful information about your career can be found here.
competencies as a UX designer.
To succeed as a UX designer, you should possess the following skills:
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Empathy: You need to be able to put yourself in others' shoes to identify the ideal way users interact with a website. Only when you understand what the users want can you develop the appropriate solution.
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Strong communication skills: With good communication abilities, you can eloquently present your insights and solutions to your client and customers.
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Teamwork: As a UX designer, you always work with other people. The more productive and harmonious this collaboration is, the better.
- Creativity and analytical skills: To develop new solutions, you should be able to identify and solve problems. A high level of creativity is essential for innovation.
benefits of working as a UX designer at randstad.
There are many good reasons to work at Randstad as a UX designer:
✓ exciting jobs at well known companies
✓ a reliable point of contact whenever you need one; personalised advice matters
✓ attractive employment conditions and good social benefits
✓ further education courses and personal development opportunities
✓ clear information in the myRandstad app
✓ do you have a fixed term contract? Often, there’s the opportunity to secure a permanent position afterwards. Many well known companies also recruit their staff directly through Randstad.
your professional development budget as a UX designer at randstad.
If you work as a UX designer for Randstad, you have access to further training courses. As part of the TempTraining programme from swissstaffing, you can attend training sessions. You will be reimbursed for the course fees later, provided you pass the course exam. Your consultant from Randstad is there to support you if you have any questions. This way, you can also acquire additional language skills or job specific knowledge. And all of this is available during your working hours as a UX designer.
application tips for UX designers at randstad.
Have you found your dream job as a UX designer? It’s not just qualifications and certificates that determine the success of your applications. Careful, error-free, and personalised documents will definitely help you in your job search. Here are a few useful tips to optimise your chances:
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1. find a position as a UX designer
Search through Randstad job vacancies. If you can't find a position that’s exactly right for you, you’re still welcome to get in touch with us personally, without any obligation, or to create a Randstad profile.
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2. apply as a UX designer
The job advert continues: apply online, give us a call, or send us an email.
Make sure your documents are complete:✓ CV with photo
✓ employment references & diplomasYou don't have a CV yet, or only an outdated version? Create a new layout using a free online template.
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3. preparing for a job interview as a UX designer
A good preparation will help you stay calm during the interview as a UX designer. Here are some tips for your job interview.
frequently asked questions.
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the profession of UX designer.
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what does a UX designer do?
A UX designer is the interface between software and hardware developers and the users. Their role is to optimize the use of the app or service and to address the needs and wishes of the users.
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how much do I earn as a UX designer?
As a User Experience Designer, you earn between 75,400 CHF and 92,000 CHF gross per year, according to lohnanalyse.ch. This equates to a monthly salary of between 6,283 CHF and 7,667 CHF gross. The average annual salary is 76,394 CHF gross. Half of the reported salaries are above 76,000 CHF gross, which means an average monthly income of 6,333 CHF gross.
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is being a UX designer a good profession?
A UX designer is an innovative, modern profession that offers exciting insights into psychology, helping User Experience Designers to optimize the experience of using an app or website.
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is UX design difficult?
A UX designer is a demanding profession that requires extensive expertise. Those interested in topics such as psychology, market research, and web development will love the role and see it as more of an interesting daily challenge rather than something difficult.
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do you need experience to become a UX designer?
For the course, certain educational qualifications are required, such as vocational, grammar school, or specialised Matura, or a subject specific HF diploma. Further information can be obtained from the respective universities.
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what requirements do I need to meet to become a UX designer?
To become a UX designer, you should think in a solution oriented and analytical way, and have a strong interest in the technology sector. Good communication skills will assist you when dealing with clients and users throughout the development and research process.
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how do I apply for a vacant position as a UX designer?
Applying for a position as a UX designer is very straightforward: create a Randstad profile and browse our website for UX designer job listings. Then, simply send us your CV and a personalized cover letter. If you need assistance with your application, check out our tips for job hunting! Be among the first to hear about our new job opportunities by signing up for our job alerts. You can find more useful tools to support your application here.
