10 common mistakes to avoid as a junior UX/ UI designer
Being a junior UX designer is probably the most challenging yet rewarding thing you would ever come across as a designer. Not only do you get to work on exciting and worthwhile projects, but you also learn so much in the process. You get to experience firsthand the process of bringing a design to life, from ideation and research to iteration, building, and testing.
A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing
George Bernard Shaw
In this first phase of your career, you’re establishing yourself. You’re meeting new people, making connections, and learning the ropes. You’re also building your network and practising your interviewing and networking skills. This is a great time to explore different paths, develop your skills, and make tons of mistakes. Your biggest mistakes will become your greatest opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.
Here are some mistakes that I made and the ones which you can avoid.
1) Hard work is really the key to success.
Being a designer requires much of you and gives you the rewards that come along with it.
2) Defining the problem clearly, spending adequate time on research and not leaping to conclusions is the key. Research can help you avoid big mistakes.
3) You don’t need a real job to work on your skills…Take up any problem from the real world and try solving it. These are the most significant projects in your portfolio.
4) Look beyond re-designing projects. Only doing re-designing projects will prepare your mind to handle only such projects.
5) Your design is not self-explanatory.
6) Document your design thinking process. It helps you construct your case studies well.
7) Assumptions are good only to an extent. Avoid making too many resulting in divergence. Avoid making users use the features that are not even necessary.
8) Minimal aesthetics are not well appreciated by all.
9) It is never the user’s fault.
10) Get feedback on your design. It is always an iterative process.
PRO TIP — Take it slow and easy. When lost in the UX jargon, using a glossary helps.
That’s what I’ve got. Here’s to all the UX enthusiasts out there. I’d love to hear what other recommendations you have for UX designers.
Feel free to check out my design work or my other articles on design, life and design life.
