If I Started UI/UX Design in 2024, I'd Do This! | Saptarshi Prakash

Summary

This video script is a comprehensive guide for aspiring UX designers starting their journey in 2024. It covers the basics of UI/UX, free online courses, mastering design tools like Figma, building a portfolio, finding clients, and setting competitive rates. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of staying updated with design trends, leveraging AI tools, and honing communication skills for success in the design industry.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Start with the basics: Learn the fundamentals of UI/UX design, including elements like research, wireframing, and prototyping, as well as design principles and terminologies.
• 📚 Utilize free resources: There are free courses online, such as those by Great Learning Academy and Accenture, which offer certificates and cover the essentials of UX design.
• 🛠️ Master design tools: Figma is recommended as the primary design tool due to its flexibility and accessibility across different devices and operating systems.
• 🔧 Learn through practice: Engage in passion projects and redesign existing apps or websites to hone your skills and showcase your abilities on platforms like Medium, Behance, and Dribbble.
• 💼 Build a strong portfolio: Include case studies that demonstrate your design process and decision-making, which are crucial for potential employers to understand your design thinking.
• 🔎 Know your job type: Be clear about whether you want remote or on-site opportunities, and whether you prefer startups or established companies, before choosing the right platforms to find jobs.
• 🌐 Apply on relevant platforms: Use platforms like AngelList for startup jobs and Upwork or Fiverr for freelance gigs to find your first client or job in UX design.
• 💰 Set competitive rates: Research market rates and adjust your pricing accordingly, ensuring you value your skills without under or overcharging.
• 🤝 Improve negotiation skills: Use polite but assertive approaches when negotiating rates, and keep the conversation open for further discussion.
• 🆕 Stay updated with trends: Learn about current design trends to make your work visually appealing and user-friendly, such as 3D design, minimalism, and bentor box.
• 🤖 Embrace AI tools: Utilize AI to enhance your design process, from generating illustrations with tools like Mid Journey to optimizing interfaces with AI plugins in Figma.
• 🗣️ Develop communication skills: Effective communication is vital for working with clients, developers, and other departments, ensuring your design vision is well-received and implemented.

Q & A

Why is the UX design industry rapidly growing?

The UX design industry is growing because companies across various industries recognize the importance of user-friendly products. Good UX design helps retain users on platforms longer and encourages the purchase of goods or services, which is essential for business growth.

What is the average salary of a UX designer in India according to the script?

According to the script, the average salary of a UX designer in India is around 10 lakh per annum, which equates to approximately 83,000 rupees per month.

What are some free resources mentioned in the script for learning the basics of UX design?

The script mentions two free resources: a course by Great Learning Academy that covers the overall process of UX with wireframing and prototyping tutorials, and another course by Accenture hosted on the Future Learning platform that covers the fundamentals of UX and visual design basics.

Why is Figma recommended as a design tool for UX designers?

Figma is recommended because it works seamlessly on any device with a web browser, making it accessible to a wide range of designers and teams. It also offers flexibility and is used by most designers.

How can a beginner learn to use Figma according to the script?

A beginner can learn Figma by going through its own playlist on the Figma YouTube channel, which explains the tool and its features through a rough approximation of the design process. There are also playlists about Auto Layouts and speeding up the design workflow.

What is the importance of building a strong portfolio for a UX designer?

A strong portfolio is essential for landing a UX design job as it showcases the designer's skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. It should include case studies that explain the design decisions, demonstrating the designer's thought process and ability to solve new problems.

How can a designer find their first client or job according to the script?

Designers can find their first client or job by creating profiles on platforms like Wound.com for startups or Upwork and Fiverr for freelance gigs. They can also search for jobs that match their preferences and apply accordingly.

What are some tips for setting rates as a beginner UX designer?

Beginners should research market rates to ensure they are not overcharging or underpricing their services. They should also be prepared to adjust their rates as they gain experience and work on improving their negotiation skills.

Why is it important for a UX designer to stay updated with industry trends?

Staying updated with industry trends is important because it helps designers make their work more visually appealing, engaging, and user-friendly, which are key to standing out in the competitive design industry.

How can AI tools help a UX designer in their workflow?

AI tools can help UX designers by providing personalized experiences, automating tasks, and offering intelligent recommendations. They can assist with tasks such as generating illustrations, optimizing user interfaces for accessibility, and creating user personas.

What is the significance of communication skills for a UX designer?

Effective communication skills are crucial for a UX designer as they enable them to explain their ideas clearly, collaborate with various departments, and translate their vision into reality, ultimately creating products that users love.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Starting a UX Design Career in 2024

This paragraph introduces the video's purpose: to guide beginners through the journey of becoming a UX designer in 2024. It emphasizes the rapid growth of the UX design industry and its importance in creating user-friendly products. The speaker promises to cover all aspects of starting a career, including free courses, design tools, portfolio building, client acquisition, and salary negotiation. The average salary for a UX designer in India is highlighted, and viewers are encouraged to watch the entire video for bonus tips.

05:01

📚 Learning the Basics and Tools for UX Design

The speaker discusses the initial steps for a UX design beginner, which include understanding UX elements, design principles, and terminologies. Resources such as Design Systems.com and the speaker's previous videos are recommended for learning. Two free online UX design courses are highlighted: one by Great Learning Academy and another by Accenture, both offering certificates. Figma is introduced as the preferred design tool, with resources on how to learn it effectively. The paragraph also mentions auxiliary tools like Protopie and Adobe After Effects for advanced design tasks.

10:02

🎨 Building a Portfolio and Finding Clients

The paragraph focuses on the importance of passion projects for skill development and portfolio building. It advises showcasing work on platforms like Medium, Behance, and Dribbble to demonstrate creativity and problem-solving abilities. The speaker stresses the need for case studies in a portfolio to illustrate the design thinking process. Different job types and platforms for finding clients or jobs are discussed, including startup opportunities on AngelList and freelance work on Upwork and Fiverr. The paragraph concludes with tips on setting competitive rates and effective salary negotiation strategies for new designers.

🌟 Enhancing Skills and Staying Updated in UX Design

The final paragraph offers three bonus tips for aspiring UX designers. First, it encourages learning about design trends to create visually appealing and user-friendly designs. Second, it highlights the importance of AI tools in the design process, such as Chat GPT for generating ideas and Figma plugins for various design tasks. Lastly, it emphasizes the need for strong communication skills to collaborate effectively with clients and other professionals. The speaker also provides resources for learning more about these topics and encourages continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends.

Keywords

💡UX Design

UX Design, short for User Experience Design, is a process that enhances the usability, efficiency, and satisfaction of a product by improving its design. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of UX design in the growing industry, where companies are recognizing the need for user-friendly products to stand out in the market. The script discusses learning the basics of UX design and how it plays a significant role in business growth.

💡Free Courses

Free courses refer to educational resources available at no cost. The script mentions two free UX design courses available online, one by Great Learning Academy and another by Accenture on the future learning platform. These courses are highlighted as valuable starting points for beginners in UX design who may not have the funds to invest in paid courses.

💡Design Tools

Design tools are software applications used by designers to create and manipulate visual elements. The video script specifically recommends Figma, a design tool that works across different devices and operating systems. The speaker discusses learning Figma and other auxiliary tools like Protopie and Adobe After Effects to enhance the versatility of a designer.

💡Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of an individual's work, showcasing their skills and accomplishments. In the context of the video, building a strong portfolio is essential for landing a UI/UX design job. The script advises including case studies that demonstrate the design process and thought behind the work, rather than just the final screens.

💡Passion Projects

Passion projects are personal initiatives driven by enthusiasm and interest in a particular area. The script encourages starting with passion projects to practice and refine UX design skills, such as redesigning existing websites or apps for free, which can later be showcased in one's portfolio.

💡Freelancing

Freelancing refers to the practice of working independently, rather than being employed by a company. The video mentions freelancing as a potential career path for UX designers, offering the opportunity for higher earnings than traditional employment. It also suggests platforms like Upwork and Fiverr for finding freelance gigs.

💡Negotiation

Negotiation is the process of discussing and reaching an agreement. In the script, the speaker talks about the importance of negotiating rates as a freelancer, emphasizing the need to balance competitive pricing with valuing one's skills, and providing tips for effective salary negotiation.

💡Design Trends

Design trends refer to the prevailing styles and approaches in design at a given time. The video script discusses keeping up with design trends such as 3D design, minimalism, and bentor box, which are becoming popular in 2024, as a way to make designs more visually appealing and user-friendly.

💡AI Tools

AI tools are software applications that utilize artificial intelligence to assist with various tasks. The speaker in the video mentions AI tools like Chat GPT, Mid Journey, and Firefly, which are transforming UX design by automating tasks and offering intelligent recommendations, and encourages designers to get comfortable using them.

💡Communication Skills

Communication skills are the ability to effectively convey information and ideas. The video script highlights the importance of strong communication skills for designers, as they are crucial for collaborating with clients, developers, product managers, and other departments, and for translating design visions into reality.

💡Salary Negotiation

Salary negotiation is the discussion between an employer and an employee regarding the compensation for work. The script provides tips for securing an ideal salary, such as expressing gratitude for the job offer, providing a detailed rationale for the desired salary, and using polite but assertive language during negotiations.

Highlights

The importance of UX design in the rapidly growing industry and its role in enhancing user experience to grow businesses.

The average salary of a UX designer in India being around 10 lakh per annum, highlighting the financial benefits of the profession.

The necessity to learn the basics of UI/UX design, including different elements like research, wireframing, and prototyping.

Recommendation to start with free UX design courses available online, such as those by Great Learning Academy and Accenture.

Figma as the recommended design tool for beginners due to its flexibility and accessibility across different devices.

Figma's YouTube channel as a resource for learning the tool through a series of instructional videos.

The significance of hands-on experience with Figma before exploring other auxiliary design tools.

The strategy of starting with passion projects to hone skills and showcasing work on platforms like Medium, Behance, and Dribbble.

The importance of building a strong portfolio with case studies that demonstrate design thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Recommendations on where to find the first client or job, including platforms like AngelList for startups and Upwork for freelance gigs.

Tips on setting competitive rates for design services and the importance of negotiation skills in the industry.

The suggestion to offer to work for free for a small task to prove skills to a specific company as a way to get noticed.

The role of AI tools in transforming UX design by providing personalized experiences and automating tasks.

Examples of AI tools like Chat GPT, Mid Journey, and Firefly that can assist in various design tasks.

The importance of continuous learning and staying updated with design trends to remain competitive in the industry.

The value of strong communication skills in translating design vision into reality and building relationships with clients and teams.

Final advice on working on one's craft, meeting deadlines, and communicating effectively for sustained success in the field.

Transcripts

if I had started my ux design journey in

2024 this is exactly what I would do in

this video I'm going to share everything

everything that a person who doesn't

even know what ux design is can do to

master the skills I've tried my best to

answer all the questions that a beginner

designer has in their minds that is are

there any free courses on the internet

which design tool should I learn how

should I build my portfolio where to get

clients what are some of the best

platforms to get them once I get a

client how will I negotiate the prices

this video will cover everything and yes

at the end there are some bonus tips

that will serve you well in your journey

so without wasting any time let's get

started with the video the most

important thing to answer is why UI ux

design well hear me out the ux design

industry is rapidly growing field with

companies across Industries recognizing

the importance of userfriendly products

companies know that it's not enough to

build a mobile app or website which just

does does the job sure functionality is

the most important thing but it's

2024 technology has advanced in every

product out there does the job the way

to stand out is to redefine how well the

product does the job this is absolutely

essential to grow their business and

design can play a big role here they

need great ux design if they want the

users to spend longer on their platform

and to purchase their goods or services

plus the money is great in this industry

as per ambition box here in India the

average salary of a ux designer is

around 10 lakh perom which comes down to

83,000 rupees per month and then there

is freelancing which can offer you way

more than that basically my point is you

don't need to worry about money in

design industry once you become a

skilled designer I'll tell you how to do

that in this video so you make sure that

you watch this video till the end so

basically that's why you should be

getting into ux design now to start your

journey first you need to learn the

basics of UI ux and by that I mean you

will need to develop a strong design

Foundation I prefer you start with

understanding the different elements of

ux design like research wireframing

prototyping you also need to learn

design principles and terminologies I've

made an in-depth video about this where

I shared 10 ux laws terms and principles

that you must know then there's a

website called design systems.com which

explains the different components of

Design Systems such as style guides

component libraries and documentation

I've talked about more such resources in

my uiux road map videos all these

resources coures are free to use but

they don't offer you a specific

structure to follow for this part

students prefer paid courses but most of

them require you to pay a fee for the

course access the courses are great but

as a beginner we may not have the money

to buy such courses so with a little

research I found two ux design courses

on the internet that are absolutely free

of cost and yes they come with a

certificate too first course is by great

Learning Academy the course starts with

a brief introduction of uiux and teaches

you the overall all process involved in

ux with the wireframing and prototyping

tutorials it'll take you approximately 1

and 1 half hours to complete this free

UI ux course along with its assessment

the second course is by Accenture hosted

on the future learning platform the

course discovers the fundamentals of ux

the basics of visual design and also the

tools that you need to become a ux

designer I have talked more about these

two courses in my free design courses

video so go check that out all right

once you've learned the basics of ux

design you need to learn a design tool

to implement the nor knowledge and try

out what you have learned speaking of

the design tools there are many in the

market but the one that I recommend and

used by most of the designers is figma

figma Works seamlessly on any device

with a web browser be it Windows Mac or

even Linux this flexibility makes it

accessible to a wide range of designers

and teams now how to learn this tool

well figma has its own playlist on their

YouTube channel which has just six

videos explaining what the tool is and

how you can use figma this playlist

takes you on a quick tour of key

features through a rough approximation

of the design process where you design a

mobile app together then you can check

out this playlist where you dive into

figma features and learn how to speed up

your design workflow figma has another

playlist about Auto layouts where you

learn to create fluid and responsive

designs to save time bring designers

closer to Technologies like flexbox the

tutorial will guide you through the

process from a blank anverse to a

completed component once you gain

hands-on experience with figma you can

explore other auxiliary design tools

such as protopie for High Fidelity

prototyping and aobi after effects for

motion design you see the more tools

you're proficient with the more

versatile you become as a designer I

made a video about these tools which you

can check out to better understand them

but remember that these auxiliary design

tools are not must have skills to start

with as such so make sure you're fully

comfortable with figma before getting

onto anything else otherwise you may end

up learning none of them properly now

you have learned the tools and the

skills so what next reaching out to

clients nope first you need to put your

learnings into practice start with

passion projects to hone your skills

redesign existing websites or apps for

free showcasing your creativity and

problem solving abilities and don't

forget to show off your work online

platforms like medium behand and dribble

are excellent for sharing your designs

and insights creating before and after

comparison and video breakdowns of your

Works can give you a real Edge this not

only showcases Your Design skills but

also demonstrates your thought process

now building a strong portfolio is

essential for land a uiux design job

include your best work in this regard

remember that showing the end States or

the screens of your work is not enough

by seeing the screens alone I as a

recruiter wouldn't know if you'll be

able to design if I give you a new

problem statements so it's very

important to tell why you have taken

decision on that design because that

shows how well you can think and if you

are structured in your thinking you

should be able to solve any new problem

that I give you so present your work as

case studies which not only shows the

screens of your design but also explains

why they are made that way for a

beginner I usually recommend two to

three case studies but finally it's not

about the number of case studies that

you have it's about the quality of them

there's no point in having five case

studies if none of them are good I had

created a mock application called split

app as my case study which actually got

me my first job but you know what the

same thing wouldn't have got me a job in

20124 because I had made a lot of

mistakes in the past and the industry

has evolved in 2024 now what was that

I'm not going to talk about it because

I've already done that in a video of

mine basically case studies provide a

deep dive into your design thinking

which potential employers love to see in

your portfolio for more insights related

to building your portfolio you can check

out this video where I have shared some

insights which will be really helpful to

you all right you worked on dummy

projects and you build your portfolio

the next question comes is where to get

your first client or where to apply for

your first design job but before that

you need to answer what kind of job you

want for yourself are you looking look

for a remote or on-site opportunities do

you want to work with startups or

established companies or will you work

full-time or part-time once you're clear

about the type of job that you're

looking for it'll be very easy for you

to choose the right platform to start

for example if you want to work for

startups you can check out wound. comom

it was previously called Angel list.com

you might have heard about it here you

get to see VCB startups who need interns

or employees for their office operations

on wellfound website you'll have to

create a profile and sign in simply

select the jobs Tab and search for ux

designer in the job title you can apply

preferred filters and click on The View

results now choose the job and click on

learn more and after filling your

information you can simply apply it's as

simple as that similarly if you're

looking for freelance gigs you should go

and create your profiles on platforms

like upwork and fiber showcase specific

ux Design Services like wireframing

prototyping or usability testing you

know the stuff which usually clients

want to hire you for use Clear titles

compelling descriptions and attractive

visuals to capture client's attention

once You' have created your profile I

want you to visit their job search page

and enter uiux designer or relevant

title in the job search bar to get the

desired result choose the result that

compel you and apply for the as a

freelancer the flexibility of working

hours and continuous learning

opportunities make the design feel even

more attractive if you want to know some

of the websites where you get highp

paying design jobs you can check out

this video Mind where I have talked

about these websites in detail all right

I'm assuming now that you've got your

first client after doing everything that

I said now as a beginner one of the most

critical aspect is setting your rates

you must strike a right balance between

competitive pricing and valuing your

skills research the market rates to

ensure you're not overcharging on

underpricing you know it's very easy to

do that with internet at our fingertips

just go and search for a typical rate

and you would get see some average

values but don't stop there keep

searching more keep speaking to more

people and then you will get an idea

about how much someone at your level of

understanding and knowledge should be

charging it's also okay to adjust your

rates as you gain experience but make

sure your negotiation skills are up to

the Mark I'm saying this because 58% of

the people are terrible at negotiating

salaries just make sure that you're not

one of them and let me tell you

negotiating is not any rocket science

you just have to keep a few things in

mind while doing so for example express

your gratitude for the job offer and

after analyzing it thoroughly provide a

detailed rational for employers concerns

make sure you're using a polite but

assertive approach when you ask if the

offer can be improved and try to

conclude the negotiation with a question

to keep the conversation open for more

such tips and tricks to secure that

ideal salary you can watch this video of

mine on salary negotiation I've also

created a realer on this topic where I

shared four negotiation tips to help you

secure better deals but to get your

first project you need to do what others

aren't doing so that you get noticed

remember you might even offer to work

for free for a small task if you're

truly passionate about working with a

specific company and want to prove your

skills to them first also when you're

reaching out to potential clients you

can offer to redesign one of their

existing experiences which you can

attach in your cold email this

initiative will tell the recruiter that

you're eager to contribute rather than

simply waiting for a job even after

landing your first client or job it's

crucial to be updated and get better as

a designer because that's the only way

to move forward so here are my three

bonus tips on how you can do that first

tip is to learn design Trends it's

because these trends help you to make

your designs more visually appealing

engaging and userfriendly 3D design

minimalism and bentor box are such

trends that you will see gaining

popularity in 2024 basically these

design Trends are the fusion of depth

and simplicity which is evident in the

work of companies like apple I've

discussed about that and many other

Trends in this video of mine please

check it out to know the upcoming trends

of 2024 other than the video I've also

created a YouTube shot talking about the

upcoming Trends my second tip is to

learn AI tools to make your design

process more efficient I don't need to

tell you how AI is transforming ux

design by providing person light

experiences automating tasks and

offering intelligent recommendations

chat GPD and mid Journey are already

playing a pivotal role in ux design here

are some prompts that you can try with

chat GPT to better understand user

experience and other design related task

describe the ideal user interface for a

travel mobile app suggest a color

palette for a food website describe how

to optimize a user interface of a

finance mobile app or website for

accessibility what kind of user

interface should best suit a dating

platform create a list of must have

features for a user-friendly gaming app

rewrite this UI copy to be more concise

and action oriented describe the typical

day in the life of a 50-year-old Indian

sedentary worker and highlight their

pain points and needs how would a jenz

user react to encountering this

experience this is how chat GPD helps

you build user personas write UI copies

and tools like mid journey and Firefly

can generate illustrations and images

for your design figma also offers number

of AI plugins like Majestic Ando AI

wireframe designer and fig GPD well none

of these are perfect today but the rate

at which AI is progressing very soon

they might be close to perfect so you

make sure that you get comfortable using

them I've talked about some figma

plugins in this YouTube short all right

that was about AI tools now my third tip

for you to get better as a designer is

to work on your communication skills

effective communication is key not just

to working with clients but also to

increasing your chances of clearing

interviews and eventually you will work

with developers product managers

marketing and other departments so being

able to explain your ideas clearly and

collaborate effectively is essential in

short strong communication skills are

the bridge between your design expertise

and a successful user experience they

allow you to translate your vision into

reality build relationships and

ultimately create products that users

love you can watch this video by Chris D

to learn the basic elements of

communication I think it's a great video

so folks this is how I would start as an

aspiring uiux designer in 2024 let me

tell you that this is just a framework

you can modify it as per your needs and

resources all I can say to you is to

work on your craft keep learning and

stay updated with the industry and when

you're working as a freelancer or an

employee always meet deadlines and

communicate effectively with your

clients because that will ensure that

you're are sustaining as an employee so

that was all from my side all the

resources that I have mentioned in the

video will be there in the descriptions

go check them out out if you're

interested in my design Journey you can

have a look at this video where I've

talked about how I got a high-paying ux

design job and if you're looking for

free resources to boost your design

skills don't forget to check out this

video of mine please like and share this

video with your network and hit the

Subscribe button it motivates me to

create more content for you until next

time this is sapta signing off