UI Designer

UI Designer Job Profile

What Is a UI Designer?

UI Designers work on both the front-end and the back-end. They ensure that users find their way around an application as intuitively and pleasantly as possible. To do this, they design the interface between the user and the application.

A well-designed user interface should be beautiful to look at, efficient, and easy to use — allowing users to operate it without problems or confusion. UI Designers bridge the gap between user experience research and the visual, interactive reality of a product.

What Does a UI Designer Earn?

The average salary for a UI Designer in Germany is approximately €40,500 per year. Salary increases with level of education, experience, industry, and company size.

By education level:

• Bachelor’s degree: ~€36,440 (starting)
• Master’s degree: ~€40,500
• PhD: over €47,700

By company size:

• Start-up: ~€37,660
• Medium-sized company: over €40,000
• Large company: ~€45,350

By industry: The automotive industry pays the highest, with average annual salaries between €42,150 and €46,250. Medical and energy industries are close behind. Trade and logistics offer the lowest salaries (€35,700–€39,000).

By state: Hesse offers the highest average (€42,250–€46,380), followed by Baden-Württemberg. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt are at the lower end (€33,500–€34,700).

Freelance: UI Designers earn approximately €75/hour → ~€610/day (8-hour day). Note that freelancers cover their own insurance, hardware, and holidays.

What Is a User Interface?

In simple terms, a user interface is the interface between people and software or computers. Examples of user interfaces include:

• A remote control for a television
• Control elements on various devices
• The graphical interface of a software application

Types of user interfaces:

• Command Line Interface (CLI): The CLI is the command line or the command line of a user interface on the computer. The command line takes input from the user via a text line.
• Graphical User Interface (GUI): The GUI is the graphical user interface of a software. It is usually operated with a mouse and keyboard, on mobile devices also via a touchscreen.
• Tangible User Interface (TUI): In TUI, the user interacts with a physical input or output medium.
• Text User Interface (TUI): With the Text User Interface, which is also abbreviated TUI, the user interface consists of pure text. In contrast to the Command Line Interface, the Text User Interface uses a screen or a screen window completely.
• Voice User Interface (VUI): The VUI is a voice-controlled user interface. These enable both voice input and voice output. Common examples of this type of interface are the voice assistants from Google, Amazon, and Apple.

What Are the Tasks of a UI Designer?

UI Designers are responsible for the visual and interactive layer of digital products:

• Creating visual design systems (typography, colour palettes, icon libraries, spacing)
• Designing responsive layouts for web and mobile
• Building interactive prototypes for user testing
• Developing and maintaining component libraries (design systems)
• Collaborating with UX Designers on information architecture and user flows
• Working with developers to ensure accurate implementation
• Conducting design reviews and quality checks
• Ensuring accessibility compliance (WCAG standards)

What Skills Does a UI Designer Need?

Technical:

• Design tools: Figma (primary), Sketch, Adobe XD
• Prototyping tools: InVision, Figma, Axure
• Basic understanding of HTML and CSS
• Knowledge of design systems and component libraries
• Accessibility standards (WCAG)
• Motion design basics (Lottie, After Effects) — increasingly valuable

Soft skills:

• Visual thinking and aesthetic sensibility
• Attention to detail — pixel-perfect execution
• Communication — presenting and defending design decisions
• Collaboration — working closely with UX designers, developers, and product managers
• Empathy — understanding how users interact with interfaces

How to Become a UI Designer

A degree in graphic design, communication design, human-computer interaction, or a related field provides an ideal foundation. However, many successful UI Designers are self-taught, building their skills through online courses and personal projects.

Proficiency in Figma is now considered a baseline requirement by most employers. A strong portfolio demonstrating visual design quality, component systems, and design thinking across multiple projects is essential for any UI Designer role.

What Is the Difference Between UI and UX?

UI design focuses mainly on the interaction between humans and machines. This includes both the usability of a website, but also the interface of an app or mobile application. UI designers focus exclusively on this named interface. Less relevant is the user’s experience and the flow between interfaces.

UX and UI designers work closely together to measure and improve user experience and usability. In the process, they constantly test new designs to correct errors. UI designers have knowledge of front-end development and graphic design. Visual aspects in particular are important, while UX designers are more focused on user experience.

The focus in UI design is on visual touchpoints that allow the user to interact. They create combinations of fonts, colour palettes, buttons, animations, and images. UX design encompasses the entire user experience from first contact to last. They create structural design solutions that the user has throughout the journey with the product. UX design aims to delight with efficiency, while UI design aims to delight with design.

How Does a Good UI Designer Portfolio Look Like?

Creating a good and attractive portfolio is a great way to showcase your ideas and talents in design. A well-designed portfolio attracts clients and ensures better chances at the job interview. Especially for freelancers, a descriptive portfolio is helpful in creating a welcoming impression for potential clients. Basically, a good portfolio design is always a question of taste.

Below you will find 5 examples of a good portfolio design:

1. Mengdi Zhang The design is kept very minimalistic, and you can immediately find all the important information you need. Via the menu bar, you have the possibility to learn more about the designer. In general, the design is very simple and does not look cluttered.

2. Jared Bartman In this design, more focus is placed on colours. Here, too, the coherent colours and the few words provide a clear overview. The reader knows immediately what it is about.

3. Simon Foster This design is a good example of creativity. With almost no words, you still get a quick overview of the creator of this portfolio. For example, the focus here is on mobile design. If you want to learn more, click through the menu items at the top of the page.

4. Tom Parkes In this portfolio, the focus is clearly more on the text. There are no images and especially the vertical headline stands out. Nevertheless, the portfolio follows a clear structure and everything is clearly legible and structured. Also a good example of a special portfolio design.

5. Run Wild A very inspiring portfolio design. Little text, a meaningful image, and a CTA that encourages the reader to learn more about the creator. Here, clearly more emphasis is placed on emotions and only in the second step do you learn more about the brand behind it. Another option that is also nice to look at.