Part of our series What does a ___ actually do?, plain-English guides to the careers students ask us about most.
Think of the last app that annoyed you: a button you couldn’t find, a form that wiped everything when you made one mistake. Fixing that kind of problem is a UX/UI designer’s job. UX (user experience) is about how something works: whether people can do what they came to do without getting stuck. UI (user interface) is how it looks: the layout, colours, buttons and text. Many designers do both.
What the job involves
Working with user researchers to understand what people need and where they struggle.
Gathering requirements from the business: what the product has to do, and by when.
Sketching ideas, then building clickable prototypes in tools such as Figma.
Testing prototypes with real users and changing the design based on what happens.
Writing clear specifications so developers build what was designed.
Making sure designs are accessible, for example to people using screen readers.
Explaining design decisions to managers and clients, often with evidence from testing.
A typical day
A designer working on a banking app might start by watching recordings of five users trying to send money abroad. Three of them got lost on the same screen. The rest of the morning goes into redesigning that step in Figma: fewer fields, clearer labels, a progress bar. In the afternoon they walk the developers through the new version, agree what can ship this month, and set up another round of testing for next week.
It is a team job. In the US occupational survey, 81% of web and digital interface designers said working as part of a team is extremely important.
Where they work
UX/UI designers work at technology companies, banks, airlines, government digital services, design agencies and startups, anywhere that runs a website or an app. You could work in an office, from home or at a client’s business. In the UK, typical hours are 37 to 39 a week.
Is it a good fit for you?
This work mixes three interest types. It is Investigative (research and analysis), Artistic (visual design) and Conventional (detail, consistency and following standards). It could suit you if:
You redesign things in your head, from menus to forms to school timetables.
You enjoy art or design, and also like solving logical problems.
You are curious about why people behave the way they do.
You can hear “this doesn’t work” about your design without taking it personally.
Common tools include Figma and Adobe Illustrator. Some knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript helps you build prototypes and talk to developers.
How to become a UX/UI designer
Route | What it involves |
|---|---|
University degree | UX design, product design, graphic design, human-computer interaction (HCI), or digital media and web design |
Degree apprenticeship (UK) | Digital User Experience (UX) Professional, Level 6: work and study together over about four years |
College course | Digital media design or digital product design, which can lead to a trainee role |
Moving across | Some designers start in graphic design, research or development and build up a UX portfolio |
In the UK, a degree usually needs 2 to 3 A levels or equivalent. Whatever route you take, build a portfolio. Employers want to see how you think: the problem, what you tried, what failed and what you changed.
Where to study in the GCC
Few universities in the region offer a degree called “UX design”, but several design degrees include interaction or digital design. Details are from each university’s official page.
University | Programme | What the university states |
|---|---|---|
BA (Hons) Communication Design | 3 to 4 years; interaction design (UX/UI) is one of four areas of study | |
BFA in Kinetic Imaging, interaction and game design concentration | Also offers a BFA in Graphic Design | |
Bachelor of Design | Developed with MIT and Parsons School of Design; accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education | |
BFA in Graphic Design | Offered by the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises |
Top universities worldwide
Looking beyond the Gulf? These are the top eight for art and design in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
Rank | University | Country |
|---|---|---|
1 | Royal College of Art | United Kingdom |
2 | University of the Arts London | United Kingdom |
3 | The New School | United States |
4 | Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) | United States |
5 | Pratt Institute | United States |
6 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States |
7 | Politecnico di Milano | Italy |
8 | The Glasgow School of Art | United Kingdom |
QS has no separate ranking for UX. This list covers art and design overall, so look closely at each school’s interaction or digital design courses. Rankings mostly reflect research reputation, so read them alongside the course details.
What UX/UI designers earn
From official government wage statistics, converted to US dollars and rounded:
Country | Lower end | Upper end |
|---|---|---|
United States | $54,000 | $202,000 |
Canada | $44,000 | $112,000 |
The figures run from the 10th to the 90th percentile of web and digital interface designers in the US, and of the Canadian software developer group that interface designers are classified under. The UK does not publish a figure for this role, and no GCC government publishes pay by job title.
Try it now
Shadow working designers. A Learning Lab’s UI/UX Product Design Shadowing Program covers user experience, interface design and product strategy.
Fix an app you dislike. Pick one screen that confuses people, redesign it in Figma (free for students), then watch three friends try both versions. That is a portfolio piece.
Learn basic HTML and CSS so you understand what developers can build easily and what is hard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between UX and UI?
UX is the whole experience: can people find what they need and finish the task? UI is the visual layer: buttons, colour, type and spacing. In smaller teams one person usually does both, which is why job adverts often say “UX/UI”.
Do I need to code?
You don’t need to be a developer, but basic HTML, CSS and JavaScript help you make prototypes and work well with engineers. Some designers who enjoy coding later move into front-end development.
Is UX design the same as graphic design?
They overlap, and many UX designers start in graphic design. The difference is that UX is measured by whether people can use the thing, and that means research and testing as well as making it look good.
Torn between art and tech? The HawkNest career assessment matches your interests and strengths to careers like this one.
More in this series
Sources: O*NET OnLine, Web and Digital Interface Designers; National Careers Service, User experience (UX) designer; Skills England, Digital user experience professional; pay from US BLS (May 2025) and Canada Job Bank (2025), converted at ECB rates of 1 October 2026.
