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UX/UI design brief #7: Redesigning Renault outdated website (plus free pdf)

Today’s design brief is to redesign Renault’s South African car dealership website. This was an actual real project that I worked on at my digital agency but for Toyota Global. For this brief I have changed names and some details. This is the 7th design brief or practice project for UI and UX designers looking to build a portfolio of credible work. Each detailed client brief is time-boxed, detailed, and crafted realistically enough to give you a hands-on experience of doing a real project. The design brief is meant to help you create realistic work you can add to your portfolio and test if design really is for you.

As is usually the case, I have included the following sections with each design brief:

Timeline (For this to be realistic each brief has a timeline that is as close to real-world work as possible)
Objectives (What is REQUIRED by the client. This part usually trips designers up as they go off designing what is not required)
Platform(Where your designs will live. Understanding these platforms will give a well-considered solution)
Target audience (Users always come first and the design must accommodate the target audience’s pain points)
References (If you are not sure where to start, clients normally give a set of examples or references they like. The closer the design solution is to the references, the fewer revisions a designer will have to do)
Deliverables (Most importantly how the solution should be delivered. These represent what a well-detailed portfolio case study looks like so hit it out of the park)
Recruiter advice (Portfolio advice from creative directors, CEOs and leading design creatives from the biggest companies)

This will help you build your case study much faster as the project objectives and such are provided.

Let’s begin

Client/Brand

Renault SA https://www.renault.co.za

Timeline

1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.

Objectives

We are looking to redesign the official Renault website in South Africa. The site should provide a seamless experience for potential customers to browse our catalogue, book a test drive and purchase vehicles from our dealership. The website will be the primary sales tool for our business, and we want it to be easy to use, informative and visually appealing.

Success Metrics to Consider:
Conversion rate: The percentage of website visitors who purchase a vehicle or schedule a test drive.
User engagement: The amount of time visitors spend on the website and the number of pages they visit.
Search performance: The number of visitors who use the search function and the accuracy of the search results.
Customer satisfaction: Feedback from customers who use the website to purchase a vehicle or schedule a test drive.

This is the current site:

Platform

Please design website screens for desktop (1440px wide and mobile view 365px wide).

Target Audience

John, 35 | Busy Executive
NEEDS
A quick and easy way to search for cars that fit his budget and preferences. He is also interested in finance and insurance options that can be bundled with his purchase. Schedule is very tight and he doesn’t want to be haggled by salespeople at a dealership.

Sarah, 28 | First-time Car Buyer
NEEDS
Needs guidance and information about the car buying process. She also wants to compare different models and prices to make an informed decision. She is not familiar with the technical terms used in the car industry, which can make her feel overwhelmed. She is also on a tight budget and needs to find a car that is affordable but still reliable.

Robert, 50 | Experienced Car Enthusiast
NEEDS
Looking for a dealership that specializes in luxury cars and can provide him with personalized service. He is interested in the latest models and technology features. Robert has high expectations and wants to be treated like a VIP. He is not interested in mass-produced cars and wants a dealership that can provide him with unique and exclusive options.

Specifications/ Limitations

Site must load quickly hence any large interactions must be kept to a minimum.

Reference

Volvo https://www.volvocars.com/za/

Deliverables

• Research and testing conducted
• Wireframes/UI designs of
⁃ Homepage: Welcome message, featured vehicles, search function
⁃ Search results page: List of vehicles that match search criteria
⁃ Vehicle detail page: Vehicle photos, specifications, pricing, reviews, similar vehicles
⁃ Schedule test drive page: Form to schedule a test drive, available dates and times
⁃ Request quote page: Form to request a price quote, additional information
⁃ Contact us page: Contact information, form to send a message
⁃ Checkout page: Vehicle details, pricing, financing options, payment information

Testing and Results section

Show your wireframes to 5 people and ask them using your designs what they think about them, what they would improve, and an overall rating.

Take their feedback, iterate the designs, and have a final round of testing with 5 users. See that you improve your overall rating. If not go back to the drawing board and change your designs and retest

What to do next

Download portfolio project PDFs of all the other existing design projects to do in your own time.

Portfolio Advice from recruiters

I love to see how designers tackle complex problems in their portfolio case studies. It’s important to not only show the final product, but the process that got you there.
– Satish Kanwar, VP of Design at Shopify

I want to see a clear articulation of the problem, the design process, and the impact of the solution. Numbers and metrics are important, but so is the story behind them.
– Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer at Adobe

UX/UI design brief #9: Redesigning the Swedish Tourism Site (plus free download)

Today’s design brief is a redesign of the existing Swedish tourism site. This was an actual real project that I worked on at my digital agency but for the South African Tourism site. Obviously for our purposes I have changed the details to suit a public design brief. This is the 9th design brief or practice project for UI and UX designers looking to build a portfolio of credible work. Each detailed client brief is time-boxed, detailed, and crafted realistically enough to give you a hands-on experience of doing a real project. The design brief is meant to help you create realistic work you can add to your portfolio and test if design really is for you.

As is usually the case, I have included the following sections with each design brief:

Timeline (For this to be realistic each brief has a timeline that is as close to real-world work as possible)
Objectives (What is REQUIRED by the client. This part usually trips designers up as they go off designing what is not required)
Platform(Where your designs will live. Understanding these platforms will give a well-considered solution)
Target audience (Users always come first and the design must accommodate the target audience’s pain points)
References (If you are not sure where to start, clients normally give a set of examples or references they like. The closer the design solution is to the references, the fewer revisions a designer will have to do)
Deliverables (Most importantly how the solution should be delivered. These represent what a well-detailed portfolio case study looks like so hit it out of the park)
Recruiter advice (Portfolio advice from creative directors, CEOs and leading design creatives from the biggest companies)

This will help you build your case study much faster as the project objectives and such are provided.

Let’s begin

Client/Brand

Visit Sweden https://visitsweden.com/

Timeline

1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.

Objectives

We are looking for a redesign for the Swedish tourism website. The site is in need of a refresh and we require it to be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and provide all the necessary information to help visitors plan a trip. Our culture should be reflected across the site especially famous landmarks and common local native words.

“In 2020, domestic tourism accounted for approximately 85% of global tourism spending.” – Source: World Tourism Organization.

Success Metrics to Consider

Number of website visitors
Engagement rate (time spent on site, pages viewed per session)
Conversion rate (number of bookings or inquiries)
Customer satisfaction (rating and feedback)

Platform

Please design website screens for desktop (1440px wide and mobile view 365px wide).

Target Audience

Sarah Johnson, 28 | Adventure Traveler
NEEDS
She is looking for travel experiences that allow her to discover different cultures and trying new foods. Sarah wants to make sure that the travel experiences she books are safe and well-organized, with knowledgeable guides and good equipment.

James Lee, 42 | Family Vacationer
NEEDS
He is looking for travel experiences that are family-friendly, with activities that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. James may be concerned about the cost of family travel, as well as the logistics of coordinating travel for multiple people. He may also be worried about keeping his family safe while traveling to unfamiliar places.

Marie Jensen, 55 | Cultural Tourist
NEEDS
She is interested in visiting museums, historic sites, and art galleries, and may also enjoy attending cultural events like concerts and festivals. She values comfortable accommodations and good food, but is primarily motivated by her desire to learn. Maria may be concerned about language barriers and navigating unfamiliar cities; accessibility and mobility issues.

Specifications/ Limitations

Site must load quickly hence any large interactions must be kept to a minimum.

References

References that our company would like the website to follow in terms of structure and layout. It will be your job to replicate something close to these websites but add your creative flair to it.

Visit Qatar – https://visitqatar.com/
Airbnb Experiences – https://www.airbnb.com/experiences
Lonely Planet – https://www.lonelyplanet.com/
Visit California – https://www.visitcalifornia.com/

Deliverables

• Sketch of conceptual ideas and a sitemap
• Wireframes/UI designs of
⁃ Homepage: This should be visually appealing and provide an overview of the destination and the experiences on offer.
⁃ Things to Do: This section should provide information on the top tourist attractions, outdoor activities, and cultural experiences in the area.
⁃ Places to Stay: This section should provide information on the best hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals in the area.
⁃ Local Food: This section should highlight the local cuisine and provide recommendations for restaurants and food experiences.
⁃ Travel Tips: This section should provide helpful information for travelers, such as visa requirements, currency exchange, and transportation options.
⁃ Booking: This section should allow users to book tours and activities directly from the website.
⁃ Blog: This section should provide fresh and relevant content to attract visitors and improve SEO.

Testing and Results section

Show your wireframes to 5 people and ask them using your designs what they think about them, what they would improve, and an overall rating.

Portfolio Advice from recruiters

What to do next

Download a portfolio project PDF of this design project and all the other existing design projects to do in your own time.

Recruiter Evaluation of a Junior UX researcher portfolio

We will evaluating a Junior UX researcher’s portfolio who transitioned from a UI/UX designer to a UX Designer in 2022. Saba Fathi is a currently a UX Researcher & product person who is very passionate about developing simple yet innovative experiences. We will evaluate the portfolio as a recruiter would when going through design application for a UX role. There are some obvious mistakes that I identified that one should avoid but overall a good portfolio for a Junior designer starting out.

Takeaways:

Ensure you have case study thumbnails that relate to the project and the type of platform you were designing for(App, web etc).
Always use case study headings and subtitles that help the reader understand what the project is about
If you show a design process, try to show how each step in the design process was conducted and how it flows into the next step
Always show numbers for context and credibility. Number of testers, number of survey responses, etc.

UX/UI designer to Principal UX Researcher | UX portfolio review plus takeaways

Today we review Benny Sun’s fantastic design portfolio. What makes it interesting is that Benny transitioned from UX/UI designer to Principal User researcher at Morgan Stanley. He has a background in the educational sector and was a R&D researcher for a Edtech company amongst other things. As usual, I will outline what he does particularly well and share some practical takeaways that you can replicate in your UX portfolio. If you are transitioning to UX or already applying to UX jobs this portfolio review will be insightful.

Let’s begin.

Practical Takeaways

Keep to a consistent look for your UX portfolio projects with clear understandable headings and sub-headings.
Project summaries are super helpful for recruiters who are pressed for time. Include them.
Ensure that your UX portfolio reads well by outlining a design process and show how each step feeds into the next
When showing design screens, sketches or wireframes help the reader by showing annotations and connected userflows.
Always try to be descriptive about how many participants took part in a study and what the results where.

UX Book Review: Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design- Bill Buxton (5 practical takeaways)

This series aims at quickly summarizing UX books you know of and some you may not have read. We will outline 5 main takeaways from each book, how long it takes to read the book and share balanced reviews on the book. Today’s UX book is Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design by Bill Buxton. If you find the insights valuable then you can consider diving deeper into its material.

Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design – Quick Summary
This is a comprehensive guide to incorporating sketching into the design process. Buxton’s insights help designers understand the value of sketching as a tool for creativity, exploration, and communication. The book encourages an iterative, user-centered approach to design, where sketching plays a central role in developing and refining ideas.

Book Reading Time: 12.3 Hours
Amazon Rating: 4.3 / 5

About the author

As a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, he had a 30-year involvement in research, design, and commentary around human aspects of technology. He was a researcher at Xerox PARC, and Chief Scientist of Alias Research and SGI Inc. He has been awarded three honorary doctorates, is co-recipient of an Academy Award for Scientific and Technical Achievement, received an ACM/SIGCHI Lifetime Achievement Award, and is a Fellow of the ACM. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto and Distinguished Professor of Industrial Design at the Technical University Eindhoven.

1. Embrace Sketching as a Core Design Activity

Sketching is not just about drawing; it’s a fundamental part of the design thinking process that fosters ideation, exploration, and communication. Implementation: Incorporate sketching early and throughout the design process. Use it to quickly visualize and iterate on ideas without the constraints of high-fidelity tools. Encourage team members to sketch their concepts and share them for collaborative brainstorming sessions.

2. Use Multiple Representations

Different stages of the design process benefit from different levels of fidelity and forms of representation, from rough sketches to detailed prototypes. Implementation: Use a variety of representations such as hand-drawn sketches, wireframes, storyboards, and interactive prototypes. This approach allows you to explore different aspects of the design, get feedback at various levels of detail, and gradually refine your concepts.

3. Iterate Rapidly and Often

Design is an iterative process where each version of a sketch or prototype should elicit feedback and insights that inform subsequent iterations. Implementation: Adopt an iterative approach by creating quick, low-fidelity sketches and prototypes, testing them with users and stakeholders, and refining them based on feedback. This cycle should be repeated often to ensure the design evolves and improves continuously.

4. Leverage Storytelling and Scenarios

Creating scenarios and narratives helps to understand and communicate how users will interact with the product in real-world contexts. Implementation: Develop detailed user scenarios and stories that illustrate the user’s journey and interactions with the product. Use these narratives to uncover user needs, pain points, and opportunities for enhancement. Storytelling can also make your design concepts more relatable and understandable to stakeholders.

5. Foster Collaboration and Communication

Effective design requires collaboration and clear communication within the design team and with other stakeholders. Implementation: Create an open and collaborative design environment where team members feel encouraged to share ideas and provide feedback. Use sketches and other visual tools to facilitate discussions and ensure everyone has a shared understanding of the design direction. Regularly conduct critique sessions and workshops to gather diverse perspectives and improve the design.

Balanced Reviews on this book

“This book is not about drawing technique. It is about how imagining future products and experieces through thnking and visualizing and inviting and so on with a variety of tools including the use of drawing. The author’s academic tone is a bit laborious. However, there are great insights and articulation within the pages that make it well worth reading. A great inspiration for me.
He desperately needs an editor to cut the text to 50%. And the layout is great and the images are great, but somebody needs to get the image not Photoshop for basic color and contrast fixes.
A must read for collaborative (and rapid) product conceptualization for non-artists and artist alike.”- Amazon review

“As an experienced professional in systems development, I found this book pretty spot on. While there is some discussion on techniques and methods, I found the real point of this book was the value of doing design before building. That’s something we in the IT world could learn from our construction buddies. No one would think of building elaborate buildings without architects (as well as other design professionals) doing the design before ground is broken (with the exception of a very few notable cases). Yet as devs we tend to do it more often than not. As someone stronger in the design side rather than coding, I find myself wishing we did more of it.The book was really more of a treatise of why we need it than how, which is probably more important for many of us.
The writing itself was a bit meandering, and some of the examples were strained and a bit longer than the point it was trying get across.” – Amazon review

“This book provides a very good foundation for all types of designers. The author Bill Buxton is a researcher at Microsoft, with a background in human-computer interactions in disciplines including art, music and film. Although many of the examples are taken from the world of software design, those in other disciplines will undoubtedly recognize the universal principles of good design that can be applied to their own work. Furthermore, as more and more people spend time on computers, smart phones, and e-book readers, it is useful for all design professionals to understand a bit about software design and the ways in which users interact with those increasingly ubiquitous devices. Increasingly, everything from a poster to a building is designed to create an experience, rather than merely serve its functional purpose. Therefore, this book will be useful to anyone in a design-related field, including product designers, graphic designers, architects, interior designers, and film makers, as well as software and HCI designers. Drawings, diagrams, photographs, screen shots, and an accompanying website illustrate the text. Recommended for any design collection.”- Amazon review

“I am an interaction designer for almost 10 years, and I am often disappointed with books on this subject. They are all too basic and tell you the obvious. They don’t add much, except validating what you already know and make you feel good about what you do. This book was different. It gave me a different perspective. It pushed me in exploring alternatives, trying different techniques, and don’t be intimidated by starting from the old paper-and-pencil sketches. I feel that this was one of the few books that I read which effectively help improving my work.” – Amazon review

Recruiter Evaluation of a intern’s portfolio

Today we evaluate Otilia Oandelea’s portfolio and UX work. Otilia is a UX & product design intern with 2+ years of experience and finished the Google UX Design Professional course in 2022. Despite being entry level designer, the portfolio is presented really well. I will highlight what UX recruiters and UX hiring managers look for when evaluating such a portfolio using emojis to indicate my emotions.

Takeaways:
– Ensure that the site is easy to navigate and has links for an About page, Contact details and resume/LinkedIn
-Use clear project imagery and project headings to help guide recruiters and hiring managers
– A project summary upfront is critical because recruiters do not spend long on a single application among hundreds
– Show before and after screens as your recruiter will not have as much project context as you do about what changed
– Showing quotes from usability test participant is great for qualitative feedback around product satisfaction
– Major bonus points for adding a prototype
– If you do not have results or the project is not launched yet, reflections or “what comes next” are a great way to end a project

Recruiter Evaluation of a Teacher’s design portfolio

This a review of Rachel Baek’s portfolio and one of her case studies. I chose this particular portfolio because Rachel was a teacher for 7 years before transitioning to UI/UX designer. Despite being entry level designer, her portfolio is presented really well and case studies have the perfect layout whether you are a UX designer or UI designer. I will show what UX recruiters and UX hiring managers look for when evaluating such a portfolio using emojis to indicate my emotions.

Let’s begin.

Takeaways:
– Use clear project imagery and project headings to help guide recruiters and hiring managers
– A project summary upfront is critical because recruiters do not spend long on a single application among hundreds
– Breakdown your design process and specify what you did especially if it was a team effort
– Show before and after screens as your recruiter will not have as much project context as you do
– Showing handover process is great if you worked with developers
– Major bonus points for adding a prototype
– If you do not have results or the project is not launched yet, reflections are a great way to end a project

UX portfolio review | Self taught UX designer with Google UX Certification

As a UX team manager and recruiter, I will be reviewing a Google Certification Course case study from Kevin, a self-taught UX designer based in Illinois. He decided to enroll in the Google UX Design Certificate Program in hopes of enhancing the limited amount of UX knowledge he already had. He studied Creative Technologies, which is an interdisciplinary major that covers several topics such as motion graphics, interactivity, and web design.

I will approach the UX portfolio the same way we normally do when hiring for a entry level designer.

Let’s get into it.

In conclusion

The Google Course definitely seems to give students a good basic UX education framework to help them build a portfolio. This case study was decent but incomplete which introduces doubt in a recruiter’s mind. There are certain sections that needed more information and some that did not make sense.

Takeaways:

Have descriptive project headings so that recruiters know which one may be relevant to them.
Always have a good summary of the problem, designer project role, project type, and when the project was done.
For any UX method used, detail why the method was picked, what the deliverables were, and how this influenced the next steps.
Show iterations, sketches, wireframes alongside sitemaps and user flows.
Detail how testing is conducted, how the feedback was incorporated and if the final design was retested

Recruiter Evaluation of Bre Huang’s Portfolio Case Study

Today, I will visually take you through how recruiters evaluate a portfolio case study. This a portfolio review of Bre Huang’s internship case study titled Uber Scooters Platform. I chose this case study because despite being an entry level project, it is presented really well. Bre is a product designer, illustrator, and animator based in San Francisco and working at Uber Design.

Let dive in.

Conclusion:
I would bring in Bre for a design interview. From this case study alone, Bre Huang’s strengths lie in the graphical and user interface side of things. And that’s not a bad thing as their passion visibly lie there. Despite having done usability testing there was no section dedicated to it nor the iteration based on user feedback. There is a lot more focus on icons and illustrations. A UI role would definitely be better suited but they may be trying to move in UX so I would not mark the application down based on that..

Key takeaways:
– Have a good summary for recruiters who do not have much time
– Avoid text heavy sections. They will not be read fully.
– Show sketches, photos, rough wireframes if you have them
– Present screens in a coherent manner through use numbers, annotations, and use of arrows
– Include relevant projects in the portfolio for recruiters to make an informed decision

A day in the life of a junior UX designer at a digital agency and what they should be doing

I want to share with you what a typical day at a digital agency looks like for a junior UX designer and what they should be doing from a team manager’s perspective. I am fortunate to have been a UX designer for two digital agencies and now lead a team in a product company as a UX manager. As a team manager, I am partly responsible developing my UX designers’ skills and each day feeds into a particular career goal that we would have established upfront when they started.

My own experience starting as a junior UX designer for a small local digital agency was not as supportive as that. Later when I moved to a global agency, I had more help and a larger team to bounce ideas off. Let’s explore some external factors that can influence what a junior UX designer role might look like.

What influences a junior UX designer’s day
Firstly, the size of the company you join will influence what you do everyday. I was the only UX designer in a team of six comprising of the CEO, a co-founder, a project manager, and two part-time developers. My role took on many hats and responsibilities to the point that I was more of a digital designer doing both the UX and UI work. Over time, we rapidly added more team members and by the time I left, we had a total head count of 30. Moving to a bigger agency meant working with other designers whom I could bounce ideas off, more structure organizationally, and it also meant I could focus on solely UX activities.

Secondly, the size of the clients and project budget will influence what you do daily. Small agencies do not typically get huge contracts from big-name clients so most of the projects you start on will usually have a small budget and require quick turnaround. It’s important to point out that small project budgets influence the tools you can use on the job and the design process you employ. You have to be scrappier to deliver good work, withstand deadline pressure, and take on tasks that are not in your job description. So your typical day might look vastly different from a junior UX designer who started at a global digital agency with a larger headcount, and larger project budgets.

Thirdly, the UX maturity of the organization will influence what you do and how you deliver your work. By UX maturity, I am referring to how much the leadership has bought into delivering client projects that have a human-centered design approach to them. If a company understands the need for UX design in its development process and its ROI on the business, then a junior UX designer is more likely to have the time and money to do their UX practices properly. If not, you may have to employ a leaner version of a UX process.

Now let’s look at what a typical day for a junior designer in a digital agency looks like.

A day in the life of a junior UX designer at a digital agency

8:00 am

Commute to work on the train/taxi and try to avoid heavy early morning traffic.

8:30 am

In the office, drink coffee while reading emails and catching up with team members. Sometimes we would have breakfast at a small coffee shop across from our office. On Fridays, we get treated to an in-office breakfast bought by the company. Yay!!
Manager tip: Intentionally spend time with your teammates. This will help develop an easier and more amicable working relationship on projects.

9:00 am

Team meeting on work currently in progress, new work that just came in, and any enhancements on launched projects. If any project is late, we make sure to communicate with the client the expected delivery date. Daily meetings are run by a scrum master who keeps track of all projects.

Manager Tip: Project allocation is done by managers or scrum master so you only need to worry about estimating your delivery timelines. Make a prioritized to-do list of specifically what you will be doing that day so that you don’t get overwhelmed or distracted during the day. A sense of accomplishment will also come with ticking things off the list and help generate momentum to knock off more work.

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Each day is slightly different depending on what is being worked on. However in most cases, iterating on designs, setting up surveys, gathering data, and attending client meetings. Mornings usually have the most meetings.
Manager Tip: Set up Google Calendar to notify you of upcoming meetings ten minutes before so that you are never late. For small agencies data can come from the client, Google Analytics tracking on existing sites (to understand current conversion rates and user behavior), and testing with users provided by external recruitment companies (to get qualitative feedback).

12:00 pm
Lunchtime for an hour. It is great chance to eat something, go for a walk, and take in some fresh air. At the second agency I joined there was a food cafeteria so one could get free food and sometimes you could buy food.

Manager Tip: Free food is a super common perk at design agencies. Really helps out junior UX designer who are looking to save money on lunches.

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Afternoons are great for uninterrupted focus time, design workshops, and reviews/critiques of client projects with developers, project managers, and the CEO. For team workshops, we use whiteboarding to generate ideas or map out sitemaps of proposed sites. Because it’s a digital agency, a lot of the work is responsive web design and sitemaps are a common deliverable. Sitemaps help developers think about the architectural framework for the site at an early stage. Some work is research based and delivered as presentation slides while wireframes and prototypes can be presented on a shareable URL link.

Manager Tip: Most juniors get anxious presenting/speaking to the team or client. The feeling is normal and does reduce the more practice you get. Very rarely will a junior designer be left unsupervised or unsupported. Usually junior will shadow senior designers to upskill more rapidly. The open plan setup of most agencies allow for easier collaboration and mentorship. Each project will require cross-function collaboration to deliver great work. Always ask questions and develop the ability to ask for help when you get stuck. No one is going to ridicule you for asking. It is more important for the business that no one gets stuck and we can launch a project on time.

3:30 pm

Mid-afternoon snack/ tea break to keep your energy up and take a break from the screen.

Manager Tip: There will be times when there is free time between projects. Use this time to do an online course to improve one or more of your on-the-job skills. This could be a software tool, communication skill, presentation skill, or even writing-related. Always put your hand up to help team members if you find yourself available and free.

5:30 pm

Commute home

Overtime

Sometimes overtime is needed to do non-billable work like creating client pitches for new contracts. Because this is a vital part of the business in generating revenue and growth, it is prioritized at certain times of the year depending on the agency size. You may help with proof-reading or the design of the final pitch deck. Employees are paid for overtime, get dinner, and may also get a travel allowance for commuting home at night. Working on client pitches can be fun and a bonding time as most of the team will also be present.

Outside the office

Team socials are held quarterly or at the end of the year. Flexi-time is a big thing in digital agencies meaning that you can come in early and leave early if you fulfill your 8 working hours. Or you might want to start a bit later in the morning, however, your start time will be determined by when your first meeting is going to be.

One can also attend meetups, trainings, and conferences during the year where you can network with other designers in the industry. Your company can pay for these as it’s part of your career development unless if there is no budget for it. Make sure to ask during interviews whether the budget is allocated to staff development.

In conclusion

Being a UX designer in the design field is lots of fun and hard work. As a junior designer, you do not need to feel anxious about knowing what to do or how to do it because you are starting a new role. Team leads and project managers will give you guidance and support through projects. There is a lot of room for growth and your goal should be to learn like a sponge.

Make sure you ask in interviews about the size of the team, budget for design tools, flexi-time, career development, and mentorship.