What a Junior/Middle/Senior, etc. designer should be able to do

Designers often ask what level of designer I am? What is the difference between Junior/Middle/Senior designers. Today I will try to help you define and understand the differences between them, and what you need to do to become a Junior, Middle or Senior designer, and what kind of salary each of them can qualify for.

Why do designers need to be separated?

Companies use the division of designers to make it easier for you to determine what you need to do in your career to reach the next level. It's also easier for them to tie the salary to each designer.

Important to know:  Different companies need different skills for Junior/Middle/Senior designers, because there is no set of skills for all existing companies. The differences between them can be both large and small.

How to understand what set of skills you need in order to get to the company you are interested in?

1. Look in the job posting for the skills required by the employer for the position you are interested in.
2. Ask HR/Recruiter in an interview or in personal messages, "What skill list do you need for this position?"
3. Look at the skills of designers working for the company you are interested in using Linkedin, look at those designers for whose position you are applying.

Junior UI/UX Designer

Salary fork for this position:

In the U.S. including taxes: от $7000 per month

Briefly about experience and position in the studio

Has begun to study the profession, understands what a designer does, has the rudiments of design skills. Works at the level of "redrawing other people's work", "looking for pages and copying them". No ready-made cases or running projects in the portfolio, only unreleased prototypes and layouts. This person has the right mindset and a great attitude - he is ready to grow, develop, and is happy for any feedback.

In the studio so far does delegated atomic tasks, for example, draws individual blocks or parts of the user scenario, but under the responsive guidance of senior designers, does not make the design concept, does not interact independently with clients, but begins to communicate under the supervision of senior designers

1. Visual Design

• The right mindset about the visual - he understands the balance between functionality and aesthetics
• There is a basic taste that matches the studio's and art director's sense of beauty
• Technically knows how to assemble a layout and work with typography, but needs a senior designer's review
• Can use style guides

2. Working with interfaces

• The right mindset about interfaces - he understands the pains of the user and the importance of designing the interface exactly for the needs and objectives of the client
• Has a conceptual understanding of interface structure, multi-step product design, cross-platform — - knows that it is important and that it is up to him to master it

3. Design Tools

• Knows the basic functionality of Figma

4. Product orientation

• The person is focused on making design for people and for business, to improve products, to fix users' pains, to help businesses grow and be more successful; the person doesn't claim to just want to do art or drawing

5. Communication

• Can explain his decision to colleagues or clients simply and clearly, and ask the right questions about the topic

6. Self-Reliance and Responsibility

• Able to take on a separate and atomic part of a project at once under the mentorship of an art director - for example, a separate block on a website or in an app
• Already involved in projects at the idea and solution generation level

7. Striving for development

• Burns with the idea of evolving in design
• Greedy for feedback from art director and adequately accepts it
• At the same time able to seek development outside (courses/literature/design blogs) of the studio, rather than sitting with an art director only, waiting for new thoughts to be put into him

Middle UI/UX Designer

Salary fork for this position:
 In the U.S. including taxes: from $10000 per month

Briefly about experience and position in the studio

Has experience as a designer, but no large number of completed cases in production (from 3+) or expert level of competence - that is, he can not teach others to do it perfectly without edits and without mistakes

Interacts with clients, does tasks without detailed description and can help senior designers and art director with design concepts. Directs Junior designers.

It starts its journey in product orientation - it thinks about product metrics, asks the client relevant questions about the business - about operational processes, about the business model, about why and exactly why such tasks are now facing the business. Uses all this knowledge to make decisions in product design - is guided not only by flair, but mostly by data. Here it is worth saying that data is cool, but it is sort of intertwined with the form, everything is connected to each other. Explain?

1. Visual Design

• Designs composition and layouts without complexity or need for refinement.
• Understands the principles of typography and visual composition
• Works with the grid, makes minimal errors - after it does not need to make a lot of adjustments that take up the time of the artdir

2. Working with interfaces

• Understands how to work with whole scenarios, keeps track of logic and details - which helps him not miss anything
• Owns the design of either web+mobile web or mobile apps - so that you need to make minimum errors after his work
• Understands the principle of cross-platform interfaces and does not need to explain what it is, as well as to perform double-checks
• Uses at least one framework for design - for example, customer journey map or jobs to be done
• Interested in research, at least interviews or feedback to make interface decisions
• Solutions are based on functionality and product objectives, not just aesthetics
• Sees and projects most use cases and corner cases

3. Design Tools

• Confidently owns Figma
• Prototypes, understands the importance of the prototype and the relevance of its use
• Knows animation at the level of "show the developer how the curtain opens"

4. Product orientation

• Collects customer journey and any landing in terms of product needs - that is, can identify customer pains, the competitive advantages of the product and display these parts on the site in an understandable structure and logic
• Understands that his decisions affect some metrics, takes it into account when working
• Without loss of energy and motivation, removes those design solutions that do not solve the problems of the product
• Can conduct interviews with users under the supervision of a senior specialist

5. Communication

• Is able to present his/her experience/work
• Systematically constructs his speech
• Able to communicate in a transparent, timely and logical manner - timely warning of problems, shifting deadlines
• He has experience in communicating directly with the client: briefing him on the tasks, presenting the work

6. Self-Reliance and Responsibility

• Stably shows results in the work on current projects
• Can estimate how much time he needs for the task and complete it within the set time frame

7. Striving for development

• Self-experimentation is being built up
• Actively studies literature/courses, knows popular designers and target tg channels
• Not afraid of Challenges Happy to give feedback, knows how to draw conclusions from it

8. Peeple Management

• Can figure out what part of the job to give to the jung, how much time it will take him to do it, and substitute execution.

Senior UI/UX Designer

Salary fork for this position:

In the U.S. including taxes: from $12500 per month

Briefly about experience and position in the studio

A specialist who can talk about several cases to illustrate the mastery of each competency from the list below. Focuses on product goals, research, and metrics. UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS? This specialist may begin to have a specialization.

At the studio as independently as possible, with little or no supervision from the art director. Can help Junior and Middle designers. Can think through the logic of the product. Already learning how to lead one not complicated project.

Starts his way into publicity - can run a company channel, Facebook, Instagram, publish work on Behance. You can ask the art director about the topic.

1. Visual Design

• Works with visual design so that there is absolutely no need to edit and spend time on it: composition, form, color, typography, and layouts
• There is a great deal of foresight that he uses to decide on layouts
• Can not only use, but also create style guides

2. Working with interfaces

• Can design both web, mobile web, and apps
• Uses systems and frameworks for design - does his design process include things like customer Whether he uses a jobs to be done approach to better understand users' pains
• Designs based on research, analytics, and user needs
• Can conduct UX research or suggest alternative types of testing

3. Design Tools

• Confidently owns Figma
• Knows prototyping tools for mobile apps at a level where edits from seniors are no longer needed
• Great animation, can teach it to Middle Designers
• Can work with any of the following: 3D, illustrations

4. Product orientation

• Independently organizes and conducts interviews with users - initiates the study himself, says what respondents are needed and writes questions, the manager can take care of the organization of the meeting
• Can determine the product metrics that are affected, itself
• Makes design decisions based on metrics
• His work often refers to product goals, to research, and to metrics
• Communicates with the customer at the level of metrics and user needs

5. Communication

• Is able to build a transparent and trusting relationship with the team and the client, who perceives the signor as an expert
• Can negotiate
• Able to walk away from a meeting with clear steps

6. Self-Reliance and Responsibility

• Stable in his design process and yet able to be flexible in projects without sagging efficiency - meaning he can take on extra responsibility, but his current design process will remain cool and allow him to make quality solutions
• He thinks about how to make his work more efficient - for example, understanding what parts of the work should consist of, what is always important and what can be omitted, exploring new tools, asking for advice from senior designers
• Can already participate in upsells: proposes ideas and presents them to customers and manages their implementation

7. Striving for development

• Has a vision for development - can start to specialize or figure out what track he chooses - expert or managerial
• Comfortable in various challanges, always ready to take on challenges
• Knows what's trendy and where to look for cool solutions
• Great at taking feedback, practicing giving feedback to younger kids himself

8. Peeple Management

• Develops 1-2 designers. Does not teach you how to move pixels and fonts, but teaches you how to think
• Allocates or helps with the allocation of tasks to designers

Team Lead

Salary fork for this position:

 In the U.S. including taxes: from $13000 per month

Briefly about experience and position in the studio

This person may develop a particular specialization - for example, he is the best at designing mobiles, or he is particularly good at working with a certain type of product.

This person can go to a confab or stream on some topic in design and everyone will say "wow" from how cool and experienced he is. The questions of "what to talk about" and "what the theme should be" are helped by the artdir. Can lead one uncomplicated project, developing people on it and doing it well.

Despite the fact that he's a specialist and it's an expert track, he has a cool communication skill and can handle junks and middles.

1. Visual Design

• Works with visual design: composition, form, color, typography, and layout, so that he does not need edits from older people; he can already teach this work to others
• There is a great deal of insight that he uses to make decisions about layouts, which he transmits to younger designers to enrich them.
• Can not only use, but also create guides
• Notices mistakes in visual design work and explains them clearly, on facts and rules, not just feelings

2. Working with interfaces

• Designs complex scripted products - multi-stage services, heavy operational products, saas with a lot of functionality
• Specializes in a particular type of product or industry
• Uses a large number of frameworks for design - has a clear, well-established process of work, knows what tools help him
• Conducts large-scale UX studies - studies with more than 15 respondents, and considered not atomic scenarios, and the product as a whole, owns the alternative types of testing

3. Design Tools

• Owns Figma and can simply and clearly teach it to designers, makes sure that designers use Figma functionality effectively
• Specializes in one of the design tools that extends the studio's capabilities: for example, 3D or illustration. There can be absolutely any specialization that will be applicable and useful to the studio
• Brings new tools to the team, explains their essence and principle of work, helps to master them

4. Product orientation

• A master at interviewing users
• A master at defining product metrics
• He doesn't need to redo design solutions because he forgot about metrics or business goals
• Can talk to the client on a business level

5. Communication

• Feels confident in communicating with the client - can gently pochelp him, offer alternative solutions
• Easily negotiates with team members as part of work on a project, can even help someone negotiate
• Organizes meetings, moderates them, and helps everyone walk away with conclusions

6. Self-Reliance and Responsibility

• Супер самостоятельный специалист, может быть гибким и не нарушать сроки
• Super self-starter, can be flexible and not break deadlines
• Initiates changes in work processes himself, can resolve the issue with the client and the team himself - for example, if he does not like the way the team plans, he will propose a new scheduling system, if he does not like that the client is slow to respond - he will find a way to motivate him to respond faster
• Continuously optimizes its work
• Participates in sales, defending ideas and discussing the financial side of the project

7. Striving for development

• Determined to specialize, as an expert - is working on it and can tell you how he plans to work in the future
• Can get feedback and give it, both to the team and to the art director, without cuts and grimaces
• Makes up new challenges for himself

8. Peeple Management

• Can work with 3-4 designers, as part of helping them develop at the level of thinking and decision-making
• Easily distributes tasks and does not make mistakes in the planned load

Art Director

Salary fork for this position:

 In the U.S. including taxes: from $14500 per month

Briefly about experience and position in the studio

Can be responsible for one or more projects completely and ensure high quality of work on them, helps designers set tasks. Has many (10+) solved cases in his portfolio in different industries and types of projects, can plan the time of projects because he determines their volume and is well aware of the studio resources - understands who to hire for which project, understands how many people he needs to perform the task

Responsible for people, their growth and well-being - state, mood, motivation. Also, helps them determine what specialization to choose and what topics to speak with in public.

The more projects he can lead at the same time, or the more complex these projects are, the higher his money is.

Concerned about the public field of the studio - the work is wrapped up in understandable cases, monitors the publication of the studio's work, invests in the growth of knowledge of the brand in every way.

1. Visual Design

• There is a great observation and undeniable taste, there may appear a note of author's style, which distinguishes the studio from others in the market
• Can explain in simple language the principles of working with visual design
• Notices mistakes in visual design work and explains them clearly, on facts and rules, not just feelings

2. Working with interfaces

• Expertise in design frameworks and research - can teach this and verify the results
• Great for designing multi-scenario products - helps you see all use cases and corner cases

3. Design Tools

• Brings new tools to the team, explains their essence and principle of work, helps to master them
• Analyzes designers' toolkit - removes ineffective old stuff, adds new stuff
• Helps kids specialize in an instrument

4. Product orientation

• Can teach interviews, as well as find mistakes and give feedback
• Can help any designer determine product metrics
• For the client is a true partner and advisor on business issues

5. Communication

• Builds transparent and humane communication with the client and team members
• Can defend design concepts to the client, present the results of any work to the client
• Can teach communication with the client and with the team, as well as give feedback on the matter to other designers Conducts retrospectives with the team to discuss project results and suggest changes

6. Self-Reliance and Responsibility

• Is able to lead 3 or more projects in parallel
• Leads the project from the point of sale, in which he acts as a leader, justifying decisions on the project and discussing the financial side of the project
• Takes full responsibility for the quality and deadline of the project
• No problem finding contractors - for example, for tasks in 3D or any other function that is not in the studio
• Can solve any problem on the levels of "the client is upset" or "the designer is depressed".
• Responsible for the financial part of the project at the level of estimates: protects them, corrects, agrees Steadily brings new ideas to the studio

7. Striving for development

• Always on the cutting edge of news, excellent knowledge of current trends in design and products, can teach this to designers
• Can develop other designers in all the competencies described in this document - that is, he understands what tools to offer to whom to develop
• Brings new challenges to the team, constantly increasing the depth and level of challenges he can solve

8. Peeple Management

• Can manage a team - hire, develop, reward, and fire
• Keeps track of the condition of the designers, has a hand on the pulse, determines who to assign to what project, who it is time to move, takes care of their well-being and development, intelligently allocates resources
• The ability to organize people, to achieve goals through teamwork
• Is able to identify and use best practices
• Is able to develop system solutions to improve the work of the team, increasing its efficiency
• Helps lyds and siniors choose a topic for public speeches