10 skills to check before hiring a UI UX designer

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Are you looking to hire UI UX Designer for your business? If so, you already know cherishing one. They can help your product team make the right product that customers love.

Companies that have hired UI UX Designers in the early stages make a design-first approach, which helps them streamline their vision and thoughts.

UI UX Designers help build a culture of quick experimentation and iterations, reducing risks and saving costs. Prototypes become a platform to validate and test even before development.

Knowing this, it becomes critical to hire the proper UI UX Designer. It is also essential to understand the area of expertise, as each designer has variable skills. 

From our experience interviewing over 1000 candidates and being in the field for the last 12 years, we recommend you check these 10 skills to hire UI UX Designer for your business.

Hard skills of UI UX designer

UI and UX designers require a diverse set of hard skills to create compelling and user-centered digital experiences. These skills encompass various aspects of design, research, and technical proficiency. They are the foundation for crafting seamless digital experiences that delight users and drive business objectives.

UI designing skills

Why to check: The designer’s ability to create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces can significantly impact a product’s success. Therefore, honing UI design skills is critical to any designer’s skillset.

How to check: Reviewing the designs in their portfolio is an effective way to assess their design skills and determine if they have a keen eye for creating clean, visually appealing designs that align with your project requirements.

A well-crafted portfolio can also provide insight into the designer’s creative process, design style, and versatility, all of which are essential factors to consider when choosing a design professional to work with.

User research skills

Why to check: User research is the backbone of user-centered design. Understanding user behaviors, needs, and challenges is crucial for creating intuitive and practical designs that address real user problems.

How to check: During the interview process, ask candidates about their experience with various user research methodologies, such as interviews, surveys, usability testing, and analytics analysis.

Request case studies or examples showing how they have applied user research insights to inform their design decisions in previous projects.

Computer-human interactions

Why to check: Designing user interfaces requires understanding how users interact with digital products.

Candidates should know human-computer interaction principles to create intuitive and user-friendly designs.

How to check: Inquire about their familiarity with principles such as efference, feedback, mapping, and constraints.

Ask them to explain how they apply these principles in their design process and ensure that their designs are user-centric and easy to use.

Wireframe and prototyping

Why to check: Wireframes and prototypes are essential for visualizing design concepts and testing usability before development.

The candidate’s proficiency in creating wireframes and prototypes shows his or her ability to translate ideas into tangible designs and iterate based on user feedback.

How to check: Request examples of wireframes and prototypes from their previous projects.

Evaluate their prototypes’ clarity, structure, and fidelity and inquire about their process for creating and testing prototypes.

A skilled candidate should be able to articulate how they use prototypes to validate design assumptions and iterate on their designs.

Information architecture 

Why check: Information architecture involves organizing and structuring information in a way that facilitates easy navigation and understanding for users.

A strong understanding of information architecture ensures that designs are intuitive and user-friendly.

How to check: Ask candidates about their approach to organizing content and navigation within digital products.

Inquire about their experience with techniques such as card sorting, tree testing, and creating sitemaps.

Review their past projects to evaluate the effectiveness of their information architecture in facilitating user tasks and goals.

You may want to read about the tips to evaluate UI UX Designers

Soft skill of UI UX designer

In addition to technical expertise, soft skills are crucial to a UI/UX designer’s success. These soft skills complement technical proficiency, enabling UI/UX designers to create impactful digital experiences that resonate with users.

Empathy & curiosity 

Why to check: Empathy allows designers to understand users’ needs, motivations, and challenges, leading to more user-centered designs.

Curiosity drives designers to ask questions, explore new ideas, and continuously improve their designs.

How to check: During the interview, ask candidates about specific instances where they showed empathy towards users in their design process.

Inquire about their approach to understanding user needs and how they incorporate user feedback into their designs.

Assess their level of curiosity by asking about their interests outside of work, their approach to learning new skills, and their willingness to explore unconventional design solutions.

Communication & writing

Why check: Effective communication is essential for conveying design ideas, rationale, and feedback to stakeholders, team members, and clients.

Clear and concise writing skills are crucial for creating documentation, design briefs, and user stories.

How to check: Evaluate the candidate’s communication skills during the interview process by assessing their ability to articulate their design process, rationale, and decisions.

Ask them to walk you through a past project, focusing on how they communicated with team members and stakeholders.

Request writing samples or documentation from their previous projects to assess the clarity and professionalism of their writing.

Collaboration

Why check: Design is a collaborative process that involves working closely with developers, product managers, marketers, and other stakeholders.

A UI UX Designer should be able to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, incorporating diverse perspectives and feedback into their designs.

How to check: Inquire about the candidate’s experience working in cross-functional teams and how they approach collaboration.

Ask about specific instances where they collaborated with team members from different disciplines and how they handled conflicts or disagreements.

Assess their communication and interpersonal skills to gauge their ability to build rapport and foster productive working relationships with team members.

Problem-solving & critical thinking

Why to check: Design is inherently problem-solving. UI UX Designers should be able to identify user problems, analyze complex issues, and devise creative solutions that address user needs and business goals.

How to check: Present candidates with hypothetical design challenges or case studies and observe how they approach problem-solving.

Encourage them to walk you through their thought process, including how they define the problem, gather information, generate ideas, and evaluate solutions.

Look for evidence of critical thinking skills, such as logical reasoning, creativity, and the ability to weigh trade-offs and make informed decisions.

Continuous learning

Why to check: The field of UI UX design is constantly strengthening, with new tools, technologies, and trends emerging regularly.

A UI UX Designer should commit to ongoing learning and professional development to stay updated with the industry’s best practices and innovations.

How to check: Inquire about the candidate’s approach to learning and professional growth.

Ask about any recent courses, workshops, or certifications they have completed, as well as their favorite design blogs, books, or conferences.

Assess their adaptability and openness to learning new tools and techniques by asking about their experience with different design tools and their willingness to explore new methodologies and approaches.

Other valuable skills

In addition to hard and soft skills, UI/UX designers can benefit from cultivating various other valuable skills to excel in their roles. These include proficiency in user interface animation, which adds an extra layer of interactivity and engagement to digital products. 

Motion designing skills

Why to check: Motion design can enhance user engagement and delight by adding interactivity and visual interest to interfaces.

Proficiency in motion design tools and techniques can elevate the overall user experience.

How to check: Request examples of animations or interactive prototypes that the candidate has created in past projects.

Evaluate the fluidity, timing, and usability of their motion designs and inquire about their process for incorporating motion into their designs.

Illustration & graphics

Why to check: Illustrations and graphics can enhance the visual appeal and storytelling of user interfaces.

A UI UX Designer with illustration and graphic design skills can create unique and memorable designs that resonate with users.

How to check: Review the candidate’s portfolio for examples of their illustration and graphic design work.

Assess their illustrations’ quality, style, creativity, and ability to integrate them seamlessly into their designs.

Coding knowledge

Why check: While not mandatory, coding knowledge can be advantageous for UI UX Designers, as it allows them to better collaborate with developers and implement their designs effectively.

How to check: Inquire about the candidate’s proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as any experience they have with front-end frameworks or libraries such as React or Angular.

While deep coding expertise may not be necessary, a basic understanding of web development principles and the ability to prototype designs using code can be beneficial.

Marketing knowledge

Why check: Understanding marketing principles and strategies can help UI UX Designers create designs that not only meet user needs but also align with business objectives and marketing goals.

How to check: Ask candidates about their understanding of marketing concepts such as branding, positioning, and target audience segmentation. Inquire about any experience they have with conducting market.

Using AI efficiently

Why to check: In today’s digital landscape, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is revolutionizing various industries, including UI UX design.

AI-powered tools and techniques can streamline design processes, analyze user data, and personalize user experiences, ultimately leading to more effective and engaging designs. 

How to check: Evaluate their understanding of AI’s applications in design and look for evidence of AI integration in their portfolio.

Present hypothetical scenarios involving AI to gauge their problem-solving skills, and inquire about their commitment to staying updated on AI advancements through continued learning initiatives.

You may want to read on: How to Assess UI UX Designer Skills?

Tips to tackle challenges while hiring a UI UX designer

Define clear expectations: 

Clearly outline the role, responsibilities, and expectations for the UI UX designer position.

It ensures alignment between the candidate’s skills and your requirements, reducing the risk of mismatches during the hiring process.

Learn how to present realistic expectations to designers by understanding what UI UX designers actually deliver.

Broaden your candidate pool: 

UI UX design is a multidisciplinary field, so consider candidates with diverse backgrounds and skill sets.

Look beyond traditional design qualifications to include candidates with experience in psychology, marketing, or even coding, as they can bring unique perspectives to the role.

Streamline the recruitment process: 

Streamline your recruitment process by setting clear timelines, minimizing unnecessary steps, and providing prompt candidate feedback.

This ensures a positive candidate experience and helps you secure top talent before competitors snatch it.

Read our custom step guide to streamline the hiring process for UI UX designers.

Prioritize soft skills: 

A UI UX designer must effectively communicate with stakeholders, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and think critically to solve design challenges.

Prioritizing these skills ensures a candidate can thrive in dynamic team environments.

Offer competitive compensation: 

Offering competitive compensation is crucial for attracting and retaining top UI UX design talent.

Research industry standards and adjust your compensation package to remain competitive and appealing to candidates.

Provide growth opportunities: 

UI UX designers thrive in environments that foster growth and development. Highlight opportunities for skill development, mentorship programs, and career advancement within your organization.

Emphasizing these growth opportunities can attract top talent seeking long-term career prospects.

Seek cultural fit: 

Cultural fit is essential for a UI UX designer to thrive within your organization. Look for candidates who possess the necessary skills and align with your company’s values, mission, and work culture.

Conduct behavioral interviews to assess a candidate’s fit with your team dynamics and company culture.

Parting thoughts

Hire UI UX Designer by assessing their hard and soft skills along with additional competencies that align with your project requirements.

By thoroughly evaluating these skills, you can ensure that you onboard a designer who not only possesses the technical prowess but also the empathy, creativity, and adaptability necessary to deliver exceptional user experiences.

Contact us to hire UI UX designers who will surpass every checklist of skills and experience. 

Read on what areas of the business these skills of UI UX designers will help to solve your problems.

Frequently asked questions:

What skills are needed for UI UX designer?

UI/UX designers need design, research, communication, and technical skills, including proficiency in design software, user-centered design principles, and strong collaboration abilities.

Does UI UX require coding?

In UI UX design, coding skills are not always required, but some knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can be beneficial for collaboration with developers and creating technically feasible designs.

What are the technical skills for UI?

UI technical skills include proficiency in design software like Adobe XD, Figma, and Sketch and knowledge of coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Additionally, familiarity with prototyping tools and an understanding of user experience principles are essential.

How do I hire a good UI UX designer?

To hire a good UI/UX designer, identify the necessary skills, review portfolios, and assess relevant experience to find a candidate who can create engaging and user-friendly digital experiences for your target audience.