6 helpful qualities that UX designers should have

We asked ourselves what helpful qualities make a good UX designer. Professional UX design expertise is all well and good, but sometimes it takes more. Our experience has shown that the following six qualities are very helpful in day-to-day practice. Of course, the requirements for UX design vary from project to project. Therefore, our list is by no means exhaustive. If your future UX designer has two or more of these qualities, then nothing can go wrong.

Lean approach

The impressive professionalization and establishment of UX design over the past decades has resulted in a remarkable variety of possibilities and methods. This can be quite confusing at times and raise many questions. Which methods are the right ones? Which team resources should be involved? Which methods actually add value to the project? An experienced UX designer will strive to keep the UX design process lean. Among other things, this means using only those methods that deliver real added value for the project and the users. Unfortunately, UX designers and teams sometimes get bogged down in time-consuming methods that seem promising at first, but are ultimately not that helpful and eat up valuable resources. So often, less is more.

Goals before solutions

Imagine you are a UX designer who has joined a new project team for an innovative digital product. The team and the course of the project have already been determined. You are presented with the new product and you are excited about the idea. The product owner enthusiastically explains the great possibilities that this product offers and already has concrete ideas about the technical implementation and design. Although you are excited about the idea, as an experienced UX designer you see potential problems in the product design that could jeopardize an optimal user experience and possibly even the success of the product. You know that we tend to develop solutions quickly, but in these situations it pays to take a step back. That’s why you will ask specifically about the goals and put concrete implementation details in the background for the time being. What exactly is the product supposed to achieve for users? What goals is the company pursuing? In many cases, a better, simpler and more efficient solution can be found through UX design.

Hands on

A UX designer with a hands-on mentality is not just interested in creating concepts, but is actively committed to bringing ideas to life. This does not necessarily mean rushing into implementation. On the contrary: with UX Design, realistic click dummies can be created quickly and resource-efficiently in order to test the potential of a (new) product or design at an early stage and make adjustments if necessary.

Passion for the industry

A UX designer who is passionate about your industry or product can greatly benefit your project. This often happens because passion leads to increased engagement and commitment – a phenomenon we all know from personal experience. In addition, existing in-depth industry knowledge can be valuable, but this should not be overstated. Bringing new perspectives and approaches to your business can also be extremely beneficial.

Think like an entrepreneur

A competent UX designer puts the user’s needs first and strives for an outstanding user experience. Nevertheless, they do not lose sight of the business objectives, but integrate UX design in a supportive manner. After all, even the most impressive user experience on a new website is ineffective if it does not lead to sufficient conversions and sales. There is a harmonious relationship between UX design and commercial success. However, it should be noted that UX design cannot solve all challenges: A poor product without added value for customers will not be successful even with excellent UX design. UX designers are not magicians 🪄.

Accessibility is always there

Unfortunately, accessibility is not always firmly anchored in projects or is often only considered superficially. However, a first-class UX designer will consider accessibility as a fundamental component of their daily work to ensure a better overall user experience. They will always consider best practices in the implementation and largely adhere to accessibility guidelines (e.g. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), even if accessibility is not a specific project requirement. Many aspects of accessibility can be easily integrated into the ongoing development process without additional effort.