Sentido - Software Made Simple Hiring! Full Time UX Design in - Ricebowl

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• UX Designer
  
  

UX Designer Roadmap

You design how products work for humans - research, flows, interfaces, and the reasoning behind them. Entry salaries run $60-85k US, and the gate is a portfolio of 2-3 case studies that show decisions, not just screens. Degree optional; evidence mandatory.

By Carl Mills

• Last updated 10 July 2026
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• free personalized PDF study plan.
  
  

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0/16 items completed 12 critical left

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Critical only

Import File

Stage 1 - Foundations 4 item(s)

• Figma fluency: components, auto-layout, variants, prototyping Critical
• UX principles: usability heuristics, mental models, accessibility (WCAG) Critical
• Visual fundamentals: hierarchy, spacing, typography, colour, contrast Critical
• UX writing basics - words are interface
  
  

Stage 2 - Process 4 item(s)

• Flows & information architecture: map journeys before drawing screens Critical
• Research methods: user interviews, task analysis, when to use what Critical
• Run 3+ usability tests and change designs because of them Critical Evidence-driven iteration is what separates case studies from dribbble shots.
• Work within a design system; contribute a component
  
  

Stage 3 - Working Real 4 item(s)

• Developer collaboration: specs, states, edge cases, what is expensive Critical
• Give and take critique; present decisions with rationale Critical
• AI-assisted design workflows - generation plus your judgement
• Design outcomes: task success, drop-off, what changed after ship
  
  

Stage 4 - Job-Ready Proof 4 item(s)

• 2-3 portfolio case studies: problem -> research -> iterations -> outcome Critical
• At least one real project (nonprofit, startup, redesign with real users) Critical
• Portfolio site + LinkedIn target "Product/UX Designer" Critical
• Portfolio walkthrough practised aloud - decisions, not features Critical
  
  

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UX Designer roadmap FAQ

UX vs UI design - what is the difference and which should I learn?

UI is the visual layer (type, colour, components); UX is the whole experience (research, flows, usability). Junior roles usually want both under "product designer". Learn them together: research to know what to build, visual craft to build it credibly.

Do I need a design degree?

No - UX hiring is portfolio-gated. Two or three case studies showing your process (problem, research, iterations, outcome) beat credentials. Bootcamps help with structure and critique but are not the differentiator; the quality of your case studies is.

Is AI going to eat design jobs?

AI accelerates production (mockups, variants, copy) which raises the bar on the parts it cannot do: problem framing, research judgement, taste and stakeholder persuasion. 2026 juniors who use AI tools fluently while showing strong reasoning are winning the interviews.

What next once the list is green?

Prove it under pressure: take the free Mock Interview, then check your application signals.

Not sure this is your direction?

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