Moving from graphic design to UI/UX
Tags: uiweekly, ui, design, graphicdesign
Published: 2023-03-14 01:28:22

"The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity. Usually, growth comes at the expense of previous comfort or safety." — Josh Waitzkin 

A design, according to Wikipedia, is a plan or specification for the creation of a system, object, activity, or process, or the output of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, finished good, or method. 

A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who puts together images, typography, or motion graphics to create a design. A graphic designer creates designs that are major to be printed and published such as brochures, flyers, social media posts, etc

User experience(UX) design is the process of supporting user behavior through usability, usefulness, and desirability provided in the interaction with a product.

User interface (UI) design is the design of user interfaces for machines and software, such as computers, home appliances, mobile devices, and other electronic devices, with a focus on maximizing usability and the user experience.


**Difference between Graphic designer and UI/UX designer**

Graphic Designer
1. Core skills include typography, color theory, an understanding of design principles, visual hierarchy, knowledge of design tools of choice, and course creativity 
2. They design visual elements 
3. They are Brand centered
4. They collaborate with Clients and Art Directors
5. They create logos, images, illustrations, animations, and in some cases motion graphics
6. The annual salary is as follows:
I. Starting-level graphic designers earn from $22,957
II. Junior-level graphic designers earn $29,445 
III. Mid-level graphic designers earn $38,827 
IV. Senior-level graphic designers earn $51,128
V. Top-level graphic designer earns $65,670

UI / UX designer
1. Core skills in visual Interface design, layouts, grid systems, visual hierarchy, typography, color theory, animation, accessibility, and A/B testing
2. They design an interactive interface
3. They are User-centered
4. They collaborate with Developers and Stakeholders
5. They design site maps, wireframes, and prototypes. They create user personas and user journeys
6. The annual  salary of a UI UX designer 
I. 0-3yrs XP- $76,996
II. 4-7yrs XP- $98,732
III. 8-12yrs XP-  $112,203
IV. 13+ yrs-  $123,447



Those are some of the differences between Graphic designers and UI UX designers.

**Why you should move?**
As I have discussed at length above, graphic designers and UX designers share a lot of common skills and attributes which makes a move from the former to the latter quite logical. What hasn’t been discussed, however, is how graphic design skills specifically, can act as a great asset to a new UX designer. If you are a graphic designer and have in-depth knowledge of the principles guiding the field of Graphic design I believe you have an advantage in moving into UI/UX. Typography, color theory, understanding of design principles, visual hierarchy, and course creativity are the skills you will be working with within UI/UX so just embrace the opportunity to broaden your scope of knowledge. Learning and practicing UX and user interface design will allow you to immerse yourself in habits and patterns of human behavior. If you're wondering why people do what they do, UX and UI design is a great career choice. Think about the huge pay rise you will be getting as a UI/UX designer. It's just like having fun and getting paid for that, Isn't that cool?

**Some mistakes and lessons**
1. Putting much attention to creativity rather than usability
Starting up as a UI/UX designer one of the mistakes I made was putting too much attention on how beautiful my design looked rather than the usability I had to learn to put the user into deep consideration when designing. I have learned to think more about the User rather than the brand. Being ready to research to understand user needs is the key to success in this field. There is no point in solving problems that users don’t care about; they won’t pay to solve those problems, and that means your company won’t make money. UX design is very much an iterative problem-solving process, and it is very different from what I was used to doing as a graphic designer.
2. Embracing responsive design
Another mistake was that as a Graphic Designer, I did not use responsive design because the majority of my designs were for print, so I was always thinking about the first page of the UI design alone. I have had to change that mindset. The biggest benefit for graphic designers moving to UX design is that they can make things attractive.
3. Learning and understanding the creative UX process 
This is something I did not take seriously at first but I had to take my time to learn later on. The creative Ux process includes
Discover: This is the start of every project. You start by researching, getting inspired, and gathering ideas that will be relevant to the project.
Define: This is the definition stage, here the designers define an idea extracted from the discovery phase. From this, a clear creative brief can be created.
Develop: This is where solutions or concepts are created, prototyped, tested, and iterated. This process of trial and error helps designers to improve and fine-tune their ideas.
Delivery: The final phase is the delivery stage, where the final project is finalized, produced, and launched. 
4. Don’t be idle
Don’t be Idle, go ahead and practice what you have learned. As the saying goes “Practice makes perfect” but I believe Good practice makes perfect, design fake projects to add to your portfolio you know we can’t get clients/jobs without experience break this cycle by practicing on our own, by creating fake projects for fun.
5. Developing an eye for design
It is essential to develop an eye for good design that will help you filter bad designs. The most effective way to train your eye for design is through inspiration.
Before opening a blank canvas and staring at it for half an hour, know that the only way to be creative is through research. Sometimes the mind can’t create ideas on its own, you have to first look at other designs to start creating your own, especially when you’re a beginner.
6. Getting a Mentor
No man is an Island, you have to learn from others. This is something I learned when I was starting my design career. Another great way to learn design is to find a design mentor or designer friend who is willing to help you by teaching you. They will help you speed up your learning process. The designer would review your work and give comments and criticism whenever possible. They would also give you tips and tricks they learned from their experience. So go ahead, surf the internet you could make use of platforms like Twitter or Linkedin to get in touch with a designer, ask questions and discuss your concerns.
7. Mentoring Others
Mentoring others could be challenging most of the time but it's a good way to build and maintain cognitive skills, it will help improve communication skills, increase confidence, and improve leadership ability.


**IN CONCLUSION**
UI/UX is a very interesting field. If you want to change from graphic design to UX design as a career, It’s not going to be as difficult. You just need to learn those things so that you’re familiar with what a UI/UX designer does, and then you can put some of those techniques to work as you assume your current role. When you think the time is right, you can start networking and lining up some interviews for your new job. I urge graphic designers reading this article to come out of their shells and embrace UI/UX. Learn and practice what you have learned, and remember to add your best designs to your portfolio. Good luck!