Upon researching some roles in the front-end web development sector from Project Manager, UX Designer, Web Designer, Front-end Developer, Quality Assurance, and Content Manager, I have found that of these roles, I am most interested in becoming a UX Designer. A Project Manager is responsible for identifying the project’s goals, objectives, scope and creating a project plan that outlines the tasks, timelines, and resources required. They have great communication skills as they are responsible for communicating with the project team and stakeholders. They also manage risks and issues, monitor progress and are responsible for every operational project related process from planning to completion. As a role I find it very interesting as it requires a lot of multitasking, planning and organization and although this is a role that interests me I do not see this as a role I would be fit for as an entry level employee as I would prefer to work on my communication skills and become familiar with the industry before considering such a position. The role of a web designer consists of creating the design and layout of a website or web pages. They must have technical skills in HTML, CSS, and Javascript as well as a strong understanding of design and usability concepts. This role was one that at first was interesting to me but upon further thought I have realized that I may not have the skills necessary for this role and would also like to do more beyond the coding and basic layout design. The Front-End Developer position is very similar to that of a web designer but with more skills necessary and more responsibilities. The front-end developer must know more languages and frameworks, as they must ensure responsive design, cross-browser development, handle CMS, and design with web accessibility in mind. They must also be capable of testing and debugging, handle version control and be great problem solvers. Although all these roles appeal to me it is the role of the UX Designer that calls to me most as this position explores and studies the user experience and they are expected to think deeply about the interactions between people and products. I have a deep interest in the way we can build, design and create technology with the user at the forefront as I believe human integration as priority in technological innovations is necessary in the expansion of tech.
Roku has a listing on linkedin for the position “UX Product Design Intern, Players and Remotes” in which the required skills have been listed as:
- Hands-on experience working with Figma
- Familiarity with Design Systems
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Hands-on experience working with User Researchers (or conducting User Research yourself) and utilizing the results of that research to shape your designs
- Familiarity with industrial design
- Obtained or working toward a relevant degree (Interaction Design, Human Factors, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Computer Science, etc.…)
- Endless empathy for the user
Of these skills listed the one’s I would need to look into more would be further research in Industrial Design, and looking more into User Research.