UX Designer

SOFTWAY

Title: UX Engineer II | Department: Product Development

Vision for Product Development

The Product Development Team is dedicated to shaping the future by turning ideas into products that will significantly impact customer lives and propel the organization forward. With a vision to launch a variety of products poised to become major revenue drivers, we are committed to crafting solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. Every product we undertake is a step towards redefining what's possible, ensuring our journey is one of progress, impact, and success.

Overall Purpose of the Position:

As a UX Engineer II, your primary objective is to lead the design and implementation of user-centric interfaces and experiences for our products. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, you will drive the UX/UI design process from concept to delivery, ensuring that our products are visually appealing, intuitive to use, and aligned with user needs and business goals.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

User Research and Analysis: Conduct user research to understand user behaviors, needs, and pain points. Analyze research findings to inform UX/UI design decisions and identify opportunities for improvement.

UX/UI Design: Lead the design of intuitive, visually appealing user interfaces and experiences for web and mobile applications. Create wireframes, prototypes, and design mockups to communicate design concepts and solutions.

Interaction Design: Define user interactions, flows, and navigation patterns to optimize user engagement and task completion. Collaborate with product managers and engineers to translate design concepts into functional, interactive experiences.

Usability Testing: Plan and conduct usability testing sessions to gather feedback on design prototypes and iterate on design solutions based on user feedback. Advocate for user-centered design principles and best practices within the team.

Design Systems and Guidelines: Establish and maintain design systems, patterns, and guidelines to ensure consistency and coherence across products and platforms. Evangelize design standards and best practices to ensure a unified user experience.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with product managers, software engineers, and other stakeholders to align UX/UI design initiatives with product goals and technical requirements. Foster a collaborative, cross-functional team environment focused on delivering exceptional user experiences.

Mentorship and Leadership: Mentor junior UX/UI designers and contribute to their professional growth and development. Provide leadership and guidance on UX/UI design projects, setting high standards for quality and innovation.

Continuous Improvement: Stay updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in UX/UI design. Identify opportunities for process improvement and innovation to enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the UX/UI design process.

Skills and Qualifications:

Proficiency in UX/UI design tools such as Sketch, Adobe XD, or Figma.

Strong understanding of user-centered design principles and methodologies.

Experience conducting user research, usability testing, and data analysis.

Excellent visual design skills with a keen eye for typography, layout, and color.

Solid understanding of interaction design principles and best practices.

Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to present and justify design decisions to stakeholders.

Experience working in an agile development environment and collaborating closely with product managers and software engineers.

Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, or related field. Master's degree preferred.

Certifications:

UX/UI Design Certifications: Certifications from reputable organizations that validate proficiency in UX/UI design principles, methodologies, and tools. Examples include: Nielsen Norman Group UX Certification

Interaction Design Foundation (IDF) UX Design Certification

Certified User Experience Professional (CUXP) by the User Experience Professionals Association (UXPA)

User Research Certification: Certifications focused on user research techniques, methodologies, and best practices. Examples include:

User Research Academy Certification

Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) by Human Factors International

Accessibility Certification: Certifications demonstrating expertise in designing accessible user interfaces and experiences. Examples include:

International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) Certification

Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) Certification by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals

Agile or Scrum Certification: While not specific to UX/UI design, certifications in Agile or Scrum methodologies can be beneficial for working effectively in agile development environments. Examples include:

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) by Scrum Alliance

Professional Scrum Master (PSM) by Scrum.org

Technology Stacks:

Front-end Technologies:

Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for building user interfaces.

Knowledge of front-end frameworks such as React.js, Angular, or Vue.js for developing interactive and responsive web applications.

Understanding of design systems and component libraries to maintain consistency across user interfaces.

Prototyping Tools:

Experience with prototyping tools like Figma to create interactive prototypes and mockups for user testing and stakeholder feedback.

Collaboration Platforms:

Familiarity with collaboration platforms such as Figma, Miro, or Axure RP for facilitating remote collaboration, design reviews, and brainstorming sessions with cross-functional teams.

Version Control Systems:

Knowledge of version control systems like Git for managing design files, tracking changes, and collaborating with developers on design implementations.

User Research and Testing Tools:

Experience with user research and testing tools such as UsabilityHub, UserTesting, or Optimal Workshop for conducting usability studies, surveys, and gathering user feedback.

Accessibility Tools:

Understanding of accessibility evaluation tools like Axe, Lighthouse, or WAVE to ensure designs comply with accessibility standards and guidelines (e.g., WCAG).

Responsive Design Principles:

Knowledge of responsive design principles and techniques to create user interfaces that adapt seamlessly across different devices and screen sizes.

Cross-functional Collaboration Tools:

Proficiency in communication and collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom for facilitating communication and coordination with cross-functional teams.

Behavioral Expectations: Growth Mindset & the Six Pillars of Love:

Growth Mindset: Embrace and foster growth mindsets within the team. Encourage unlearning old ways and re-learning new approaches to creative work. Challenge and dismantle any belief systems that impede embracing new ways of working or delivering work.

Inclusion: Cultivate an inclusive environment across all geographic locations, valuing and integrating diverse ideas and perspectives.

Empathy: Show understanding and consideration for the unique challenges and perspectives of the India team and consulting clients. Build empathetic relationships to support their needs.

Forgiveness: Promote a culture of learning from mistakes and understanding in cross-cultural contexts. Encourage open discussions about failures and lessons learned.

Trust: Build trust through consistent, honest interactions, and reliable leadership, especially when managing remote and international teams.

Empowerment: Empower team members in all locations by providing autonomy, resources, and support for innovative and context-specific solutions.

Vulnerability: Demonstrate vulnerability in leadership, especially in international contexts. Be open about challenges and encourage the team to share their experiences and ideas.

Operating Principles: Embrace and live out Softway’s current operating principles

Prioritize relationships: We forge unbroken trust, achieve customer intimacy and practice

forgiveness

Embrace discomfort: We value feedback as a gift, embrace. Vulnerability and transparency

Wield your influence: We lead with our influence, embody reliable leadership and extend our influence beyond titles

Practice empathic curiosity: We challenge our believed and assumptions

Focus on outcomes: We deliver with purpose, value impact over effort and engage in strategic problem-solving

Take ownership: We embrace mutual accountability, empower and unblock and learn from our mistakes openly.

Experiment: We champion curiosity and courage, advocate for incremental progress and redefine perfection through iteration.

Be Effective: We align for impact, are interwoven in collaboration and strategize for success.

In Person Meetings & Travel Expectations:

In-Person Team Meetings: Regular attendance for in-person team meetings is required. Company Meetings / Retreats: Attendance for all Company-wide Meetings and/or Retreats is mandatory.

Client Visits: Occasional travel for client visits may be necessary. Travel frequency will depend on client requirements and or international travel laws/restrictions.

International Collaboration (India & US): Willingness to travel to India and/or US as requested to collaborate with cross-functional teams is required.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Product Development Manager

Collaboration and Interaction:

Engage with cross-functional teams, clients, and stakeholders, participating in collaborative discussions to contribute ideas to enhance project outcomes and grow the function. Foster a teamwork-oriented mindset, attend regular team meetings, share regular feedback as a mentor, and seek opportunities for knowledge-sharing of insights and best practices. It includes providing regular updates on the function’s performance and strategic initiatives to leadership, and fostering transparency and collaboration.

Adherence to Standards: Consistency in applying coding standards and adherence to Softway's policies.

Professional Development Opportunities:

Advanced UX/UI Design Training: Participate in advanced training programs, workshops, and courses on UX/UI design principles, methodologies, and tools.

Certification Programs: Pursue certifications in UX/UI design, user research, and accessibility to validate expertise and commitment to the profession.

Cross-Functional Skills Development: Gain exposure to other areas of product development, such as product management, software engineering, and data analytics, to broaden your skill set and perspective.

Networking and Community Engagement: Join UX/UI design communities, attend conferences, and participate in industry events to network with peers and stay updated on industry trends and best practices.

Research and Innovation Projects: Get involved in research and innovation projects within the organization to explore new design concepts, technologies, and methodologies.

Evaluation Metrics:

Design Quality and Innovation: Assess the quality and creativity of UX/UI design solutions, considering factors such as usability, visual appeal, and innovation.

User Satisfaction and Engagement: Measure user satisfaction and engagement metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of UX/UI design in driving user adoption and retention.

Collaboration and Leadership: Evaluate collaboration skills and leadership abilities based on contributions to cross-functional team projects and mentorship of junior designers.

Continuous Improvement: Track participation in professional development activities and initiatives to assess commitment to continuous learning and improvement in UX/UI design skills.

Overall Impact: Evaluate the overall impact of UX/UI design efforts on product success and business goals, considering factors such as user feedback, market performance, and stakeholder satisfaction.