UX/UI Designer

What they do

• Conduct user research (interviews, surveys, usability testing)
• Create wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs
• Design visual interfaces (colours, typography, layout)
• Work with developers to implement designs
• Iterate based on user feedback and analytics

Entry pathways

Ways to get into this role in the UK:

• Degree in Graphic Design, HCI, Product Design, or related field
• UX/UI design bootcamps (e.g. General Assembly, CareerFoundry)
• Self-taught with strong portfolio (Figma, Adobe XD projects)
• Foundation degree or HND in Design
• Starting in graphic design or front-end development and specialising

A day in the life

You kick off the day reviewing feedback from a usability test you ran yesterday—five users struggled with the same part of the checkout flow, which is exactly the kind of insight you're looking for. You sketch some alternative designs on paper, then open Figma to mock up a cleaner version. Mid-morning you present your concepts to the product team; a lively discussion leads to a refined direction. After lunch you build an interactive prototype and send it to the dev team with detailed specs. The afternoon is spent on a research interview with a user, learning about their frustrations and goals—this feeds into next week's design sprint.