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Design

Posted by Ken Chung
Ken Chung
17,585 Points

Does a Front-End Developer make you a UI/UX designer?

I'm a little confused. As a Front-End Developer, you're developing the front-end of a site using HTML, CSS styling, and Javascript Frameworks to make good looking web pages, stunning user interfaces, and a good user experience overall RIGHT?

  1. What skills and knowledge do you need to be a UI/UX?
  2. Why is UI/UX designer a completely different job compared to front-end developer?
  3. What are the differences between Front-End and UI/UX?
  4. How do you become a UI/UX designer? What technologies do you use?
  5. If I'm a Front-End Developer, can my skills and experience land you a UI/UX job?
  6. What do you actually do as a UI/UX designer? Do you code? Or only design?

I appreciate it if you could clarify this for me, it would be awesome if you could give me a detailed answer, the more the merrier would help me a lot.

2 Answers

Dale Bailey
Dale Bailey
20,269 Points

It depends on a lot of factors generally being a front end developer does not make you a ui/ux designer. A ui/ux designer does not need to know code at all, they could literally draw out a ui on a piece of paper and call themselves a ui designer. If you have made your own ui are you a ui designer? sure the same as cooking your own food makes you a cook/chef however to want it as a career you would need to be exceptional, and be prepared to be called out on it if you don't know your stuff.

In a professional scenario the a ui, ux designer and front end developer work together closely but the front end is essentially following instructions and plans set by ui/ux. A ux (user experience) designer does not have to code either and can be as hands on or off as required and the job role is not exclusive to web/software but extends to all service industries, for example a big company like fast food chain will have ux people for restaurants to get good user experiences which drive customers back.

justin s.
justin s.
1,009 Points
justin s.
justin s.
1,009 Points

One developers, the other designs. So no.