How to Become a UI Designer At Home

Like many professionals working in a post-pandemic world, you may be searching for a career that will allow you to work from home and enjoy a more harmonious balance between your personal life and your job. User Interface (UI) design is just one example of a career that you can do remotely. This career path is ideal for those who are creative, love to solve problems, and can work well in a team environment. Not only does this field provide plenty of remote work opportunities, but you can also learn many of the requisite skills from home as well!

Let’s dive in and learn more about UI design and what steps you can take to start working in this fascinating industry.

What is UI Design?

UI design is the process of determining how a digital product looks while ensuring an intuitive and accessible experience for the user. A UI Designer employs techniques such as composition/layout, typography, and color theory to develop their designs. They often work as part of a larger creative team and can work on projects like websites, mobile apps, and video games. Trello creator Joel Spolsky described quality UI design as “when the program behaves exactly how the user thought it would.”

Something that relies so heavily on a visual experience can sometimes be challenging to understand just by reading about it. However, you can probably identify a good interface when you see one. One commonly used website that employs quality UI is Google Docs. The site automatically backs up any changes you make, so you don’t have to worry about losing your work if you lose your internet connection or your computer freezes. You can also easily access previous versions of your documents if you need to locate an old file. 

Steps to Become a UI Designer at Home

Wanting to begin a new career can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Sometimes, it can be helpful to break a goal down into more manageable pieces to reduce your stress.

1. Identify your learning style. Reflecting on how you learn best is often the first step in selecting which tools will work best for you when you want to gain a new skill. With so many free resources available online, you can potentially learn about UI design entirely independently. However, some people struggle to keep themselves disciplined and need a traditional class to hold them accountable.
   
   
2. Learn to use UI design software. Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD are amongst the most popular programs for UI design. They typically offer free trials, but you’ll eventually need to invest some money to access the necessary features to do your job well. You can search UI jobs in your area to learn which programs are most commonly used before deciding which program you want to purchase.
   
   
3. Practice, practice, practice! Upwork is one example of a website where designers can search for freelance work. While you may not earn much as a beginner, the experience you’ll gain is invaluable.
   
   
4. Build your portfolio. While freelancing, you should be storing your designs in a portfolio. This is a critical step toward finding a job since this is how potential employers can see the full breadth of your work. Adobe Portfolio is the preferred option for many creative professionals, and it is already included in your Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.
   
   
5. Begin the job search. You’ve learned the software, and you’re proud of your portfolio, so now it’s time to land that career! Finding an entry-level UI position may take time, but you can always continue freelancing to earn money and gain additional experience.

UI Design Careers

If becoming a UI Designer sounds appealing to you after reviewing the information above, you’re probably wondering how much money you can earn. Happily, UI Designers earn an average annual salary of over $80,000. This career is also expected to grow at a faster rate than average over the next decade, so you can rest assured that your skills will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable future.

There are also many careers that require experience with UI design but employ other skills as well. A Product Designer is a potential option that may interest you if you’re also curious about researching consumer trends and other marketing techniques. Product Designers are responsible for designing, creating, and testing new products that elicit a positive response from customers. They can also use their skills to improve existing products and attract new customers. These professionals earn $89,000 per year, though this will vary depending on your location and experience. 

Front End Developers create visually appealing interfaces for web pages. They are also responsible for designing the interactive elements of a site, from embedding audio components to adding a drop-down menu. If this sounds like an exciting career path to you, you’ll want to learn more about computer programming and UI design. Front End Developers make an average of $102,000 per year.

Virtual Resources to Learn UI Design

Books are an inexpensive tool that anyone can take advantage of when learning something new. You can search for books at your local library or invest in a few titles so that you can take notes and refresh your memory on core concepts. UI is Communication by Everett N. McKay helps frame design as a more objective process than some people think. It also provides the reader with examples of design makeovers so you can visualize the process of creating effective UI design. Evil by Design by Chris Nodder is a clever book that explains how design and psychology work together to convince consumers to buy a product.

Additionally, there are plenty of virtual tools to help you continue to boost your UI skills. YouTube is a bountiful resource as long as you use it appropriately. The artistic nature of UI design means that trends and industry standards can change quickly. If you’re using YouTube to find UI tutorials, make sure you’re looking at recent videos to avoid learning outdated practices. Udemy offers several free UI tutorials and short courses to help you learn foundational concepts. Envato Tuts+ has plenty of free blogs and how-tos as well. You can also invest in a low-cost monthly subscription if you want access to their complete catalog of video courses. 

All of these resources will certainly provide a solid foundation. However, research shows that project-based learning is the most effective way to master something new. A comprehensive way to acquire this level of training is to enroll in a class or bootcamp that teaches UI design to beginners. In this environment, you’ll receive support from an experienced teacher as you navigate multiple hands-on projects. As a bonus, you may meet a few like-minded peers and build lifelong friendships.

Learn UI Design with Noble Desktop

Are you ready to begin the journey toward a career as a UI Designer? Taking a class with Noble Desktop is a great way to learn fundamental UI skills. The best part? All of their courses are offered remotely, making your goal of changing careers from home a reality. 

If you’d rather take a shorter course to make sure UI is for you, Noble Desktop offers an Adobe XD Bootcamp and a Figma Bootcamp. Both of these courses can be completed in 12 hours and will provide you with a solid understanding of these in-demand UI software tools. You can also take advantage of their one-year free retake policy if you need to refresh your memory. 

For those who are prepared to make a more significant commitment, you can check out Noble’s UX & UI Design Certificate. This part-time program lasts four months, with sessions being held two evenings a week. The program covers UX (user experience) and UI designing in Figma and Adobe XD. Students engage in multiple hands-on projects throughout the course where they can create websites, apps, and wireframes from scratch. This certification also includes one-on-one career mentoring outside of class. Students will receive support developing their portfolios, touching up their resumes, and tips on how to find UI design work from home.