10 Exciting User Experience Careers You Probably Didn’t Know Existed
User experience or UX, is an increasingly important part of digital product design. As technology becomes more advanced and widespread, companies are beginning to recognize the importance of creating products that are not only useful but also enjoyable to use. This shift has led to the emergence of user experience careers as a separate field with its own set of responsibilities and specialist roles. If you’re interested in a career in UX, check out these 10 exciting user experience jobs you probably didn’t know existed.
User Experience Researcher
A user experience researcher is someone who conducts qualitative and quantitative research to find out what users want from a product. This type of research often includes conducting online surveys, moderated group discussions, and usability tests. User experience researchers may specialize in a particular area of research, such as focus groups, usability testing, or interviewing. Their work can either help inform the design process by providing insights on what features are necessary and what features are preferred, or it can inform the product roadmap by providing data on what features should be removed or improved. Because of this, user experience researchers usually work closely with product managers and designers.
UX Designer
A UX designer is responsible for the look and feel of a product. This includes everything from creating high-level sketches to wireframes to mock-ups of proposed features. The UX designer’s job is to ensure that a product is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and pleasant to use. A UX designer often has a background in graphic design or computer science and is extremely creative. The UX designer’s work includes everything from creating personas and journey maps to designing the website and app interface. They will also produce high-fidelity mockups that can be used as the foundation for the product’s visual design. The UX designer will often collaborate with the visual designer, product manager, and other stakeholders to ensure that all of their ideas are incorporated into the final product.
UX Engineer
A UX engineer is a hybrid of a UX designer and a product engineer. The UX engineer’s job is to take the product requirements and translate them into an actual design. This includes creating wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to represent the design and show how it will function. The UX engineer will also work closely with other engineers to translate the design into an actual product. The UX engineer’s work often uses the visual designs created by the visual designer as a foundation for the interface and user experience. They will create actual interfaces that can be used in the product, such as a prototype for a mobile app or mock-ups for a website.
UX Writer
A UX writer is responsible for creating content that informs and educates users about a product. This includes everything from writing FAQs to creating video scripts and white papers. The UX writer’s job is to ensure that customers are satisfied and know how to use a product. The UX writer’s work often begins before the product is even released. They will work closely with the product manager to identify what users need to know about a product and how they can get the most out of it. The UX writer’s work may also extend post-launch as they continue to create educational content and conduct interviews to identify areas of improvement.
Digital Product Manager
A digital product manager is responsible for managing the product from the initial design all the way through to its end-of-life. This includes everything from conducting research and creating the product roadmap to managing the product backlog. The digital product manager’s job is to ensure that a product meets its business goals and is a useful and enjoyable product for customers. The digital product manager’s work often begins before the product is even created. They will work closely with the user experience team to conduct research on what customers want and what will be useful for the business. The product manager’s work also includes creating personas and journey maps to identify potential challenges and opportunities. The product manager’s work will continue throughout a product’s lifecycle as they monitor the product and make improvements based on real-world use.
User Research Lead
A user research lead is responsible for managing the team of user researchers. This includes creating the research plan and conducting interviews and usability tests to identify potential challenges and opportunities. The user research lead’s job is to ensure that products meet their business goals while being useful and enjoyable for customers. The user research lead often begins their work before a product is even created. They will work closely with the product manager to create the research plan and identify what customers need. The user research lead will continue to work with the product manager and user experience team throughout the product development process.
UX Designer / Researcher Hybrid
A UX designer / researcher hybrid combines the responsibilities of a UX designer and a user experience researcher. The hybrid job combines the creative aspect of a designer with the data-driven approach of a researcher. This person will often spend time conducting research and creating mock-ups and prototypes as well as designing visual interfaces. The hybrid job is ideal for someone who is equally interested in designing a product and testing it to see if it meets its goals. This person will work closely with both the product manager and the user experience team to ensure that a product meets both the business and user goals.
Virtual Reality Experience Designer
A virtual reality experience designer is responsible for creating virtual environments and experiences that are designed to be interactive and immersive. This is often done in a virtual reality environment using tools like Unity or Unreal. The virtual reality experience designer’s job is to create high-quality virtual environments that are realistic, engaging, and immersive. The virtual reality experience designer’s work often begins before a product is even created. They will work closely with the product manager to create the product roadmap and decide what products should be made and in what order. The virtual reality designer’s work also includes working with engineers to create the actual product.
UX Design Lead
A UX design lead is a senior-level position responsible for managing a team of UX designers. They are often responsible for managing multiple teams and an entire product. The UX design lead’s job is to create a positive user experience across all products. The UX design lead will often create the product roadmap to identify which new products and features should be created. They will also manage the product backlog, directing the UX designers on what they should be working on. The UX design lead will also oversee the creation of a product, reviewing designs and providing feedback.
UX Tester
A UX tester is responsible for conducting usability tests to identify issues and improvement opportunities. This is often done by observing customers using a product and asking them to complete a set of tasks while using the product. The UX tester’s job is to ensure that products are easy to use and solve real-world problems. The UX tester’s work often begins before a product is even created. They will work closely with the product manager to create the product roadmap and decide what products should be created. The UX tester will also work with the user experience team to create the test plan. The UX tester will observe customers using a product and ask them to complete a set of tasks while using the product. The tester will then identify areas of improvement and create a report with their findings. The UX tester will also work with the product manager to suggest solutions to any issues identified during the testing phase.
