UX (User Experience) design is about how people feel when using a product. A UX designer makes apps, websites, or tools easy, useful, and even fun.

Example: when ordering food on UberEats, you quickly find restaurants, filter by price, and pay smoothly.

That is UX design at work — removing stress and saving time. A bad UX would be too many steps, hidden buttons, or unclear delivery times.

The second paragraph of an article is sometimes called the “nut graph,” which is short for “nutshell paragraph.” That’s because this is usually where the article gets to the heart of the matter — the main point.

After the first section, the reader is ready to hear what’s truly at stake in this piece of writing. They’re invested. They’re paying attention.

If your piece is long enough to have long, multi-paragraph sections, then you’ll want to use this strategy throughout to make sure you’re holding reader attention in a consistent way.

Usability is about how easy and efficient a product is to use. Good usability means users can reach their goal without confusion.

Example: Google Search has one big search bar in the center — no instructions needed. Bad usability is when you need a manual just to find settings.

Designers test usability by watching real users click, scroll, and sometimes fail, then improve the flow.

A wireframe is a simple sketch of a screen layout, showing where things go before adding colors or images.

Think of it like a blueprint for a house. Before building a new banking app, designers make wireframes to plan buttons for “transfer money” or “check balance.”

Wireframes save time and money by fixing logic early instead of redoing a finished design later.

A prototype is an early version of a product that people can click and test. It feels real but is not fully built.

In Figma, a designer connects screens so testers can “book a flight” like in a real app. If users get lost, the designer changes the flow.

Prototypes help teams test ideas with clients or users before developers write expensive code.

Interaction design is about how users move and act with a product: taps, swipes, clicks, hovers. It makes experiences feel alive.

When liking a photo on Instagram, the heart grows and turns red. That tiny animation confirms your action and feels rewarding.

Without good interaction design, products feel flat or confusing, like a button that doesn’t show if it worked.

A designer archetype is a role type that describes strengths and style, like “Vision Crafter” or “Research Whisperer.”

Example: a Vision Crafter shines in presenting ideas to executives, while a Research Whisperer finds deep insights in user interviews.

Knowing your archetype helps you pick fitting projects, improve weaknesses, and explain your value in job interviews.

A growth plan is a personal roadmap for improving your skills step by step.

Growth plans make progress visible and realistic. Without it, learning becomes random and hard to measure.

Smart designers review their plan every few months with feedback from mentors.

Mentorship is guidance from a more experienced designer. Example: a junior designer might meet with a senior mentor weekly to review portfolio work and discuss tricky projects.

A mentor can also advise on salary talks or career moves.

Mentorship is not only about feedback — it’s about sharing industry shortcuts, avoiding mistakes, and boosting confidence through support.

Interview preparation is the process of getting ready for job talks.

Designers practice telling project stories, showing portfolios, and answering tough questions. “Tell me about a time when research changed your design.”

Preparation also includes mock interviews with mentors or peers. Without it, candidates ramble, forget results, or undersell their impact.

Continuous learning is the habit of never stopping growth. Like reading case studies, or experimenting with AI tools like MidJourney.

In design, what worked five years ago may look outdated today.

Continuous learners stay relevant, while others risk being replaced by new talent who know fresh methods and tools.

A portfolio review is when someone else — mentor, peer, or recruiter — checks your design projects and gives feedback.

In a review, a mentor may say, “Explain the problem clearer in Case Study #2” or “Add results to show impact.”

Reviews highlight blind spots you can’t see yourself. Skipping reviews often means sending unfinished portfolios to jobs.

A growth plan is a personal roadmap for improving your skills step by step. Growth plans make progress visible and realistic.

Without it, learning becomes random and hard to measure. Smart designers review their plan every few months with feedback from mentors.

Leadership is guiding a team toward a goal. A lead designer runs weekly design critiques, assigns tasks, and protects juniors from scope creep.

Leadership is not about being bossy — it’s about making others succeed. In design, strong leaders balance user needs, business goals, and team health.

Poor leadership creates chaos and weak results.

A case study is a story showing how you solved a design problem. Example: “Redesigned an e-commerce checkout, cutting drop-offs by 20%.”

A strong case study explains problem, process, decisions, and results. Recruiters love case studies more than pretty screens because they prove thinking and impact.

Weak case studies only show final UI without context or numbers.

Negotiation is reaching an agreement that works for both sides. A designer may negotiate more time for user testing with a manager who wants speed.

Or negotiate a fair salary at a job offer. Skilled negotiators explain benefits clearly: “Two more days testing will reduce future bugs.”

Without negotiation, designers get overworked or undervalued.

Soft skills are personal skills that make teamwork smooth. Empathy helps you understand users, patience helps you work with slow clients, and problem-solving helps unblock teammates.

Designers with strong soft skills get hired faster than those who only know tools. Without them, projects stall in endless conflicts or miscommunication.

Communication is how you explain ideas and listen to others.

Example: presenting a redesign to stakeholders with simple slides, or writing clear Jira tickets for developers. Good communication builds trust and speeds up work.

Bad communication causes misunderstandings, rework, and frustration. Designers practice by simplifying complex ideas into short, clear messages.

Leadership is guiding a team toward a goal.

Example: a lead designer runs weekly design critiques, assigns tasks, and protects juniors from scope creep.

Leadership is not about being bossy — it’s about making others succeed. In design, strong leaders balance user needs, business goals, and team health.

Poor leadership creates chaos and weak results.

Negotiation is reaching an agreement that works for both sides.

Example: a designer may negotiate more time for user testing with a manager who wants speed. Or negotiate a fair salary at a job offer.

Skilled negotiators explain benefits clearly: “Two more days testing will reduce future bugs.” Without negotiation, designers get overworked or undervalued.

Stakeholder management is working with people who have power in a project: managers, clients, developers.

Example: in a banking app redesign, the compliance officer is a stakeholder who checks legal rules.

A designer manages stakeholders by sharing updates, listening to concerns, and aligning everyone on goals. Bad management leads to delays, endless revisions, and stress.