The UX Designer companies want is changing. It’s no longer just about beautiful screens and Figma proficiency. It’s about problem framing, product thinking, decision-making, collaboration, and measurable impact.
AI can generate solutions faster. But deciding which problem is worth solving still requires UX judgment. Here are five questions to ask before opening Figma.
Before you click Apply, take 30 seconds. Check whether your resume, portfolio, case study, LinkedIn and application actually support the role you’re applying for. Then use three final questions to make your application more intentional.
Before you click Apply on your next UX job, run through these 10 checks—from tailoring your resume and selecting the right case study to researching the company, preparing for interviews and setting a follow-up reminder.
The future isn’t AI versus designers. It’s designers who know how to use AI effectively while keeping their UX thinking, judgment and product sense at the center.
You can be great at Figma and still be a weak designer. Figma gives you execution, but product thinking gives you direction. Here’s what starts separating junior designers from senior designers.
AI will change UX. But the bigger shift is what designers do next.
AI can produce faster. Junior designers don’t need to compete with it—they need to learn how to work with it. Build UX thinking, research, judgment, product thinking and AI fluency to turn AI output into better design decisions
AI can make the screen. Your value comes from knowing what to make, why to make it, who it’s for, what to question and what trade-offs to make. Here are the skills junior designers should invest in now
A handrail can be an interface. This example from Naples shows how Braille, accessibility and environmental design can help more people experience the same panoramic view—without an app, screen or button.
Figma is important, but it’s not the whole UX job. The designers who stand out build skills beyond the tool: problem solving, research, questioning, design judgment, product thinking, communication and AI fluency.
Before you send your UX portfolio to a recruiter, run this checklist. From your homepage and case studies to your design thinking, impact, role clarity and final UX checks—make sure your portfolio communicates more than just beautiful screens.