Some companies, like Google and Etsy, are starting to hire UXEs, but it’s clear that the position is still evolving. After much research and personal experience, I’ve narrowed down what the role of a UXE entails, the skills needed to succeed, and the responsibilities associated with it.
If you're considering a role in UX Engineering, this post should give you a clearer understanding of the requirements.
What Is a UX Engineer?
A UX Engineer (UXE) is a front-end engineer who collaborates with both design and engineering teams. They bridge the gap between design and development by turning design into code, often working on the UI component layer of an application rather than delving deeply into middleware or backend tasks.
Where Do UX Engineers Fit?
UX Engineers operate at the intersection of design and front-end engineering:
UX Engineer = UX & visual design knowledge + front-end development skills
How Are UX Engineers Different From Front-End Engineers?
While a UXE is essentially a front-end engineer, they focus heavily on UI design and user experience principles. UXEs typically:
Prototype and create UI components.
Update the user interface.
Ensure accessibility and technical feasibility of designs.
What Is a Design System?
One of the primary responsibilities of a UXE is working with Design Systems. But what exactly is a Design System?
A Design System is a collection of guidelines and components that define a brand's identity across multiple products. It includes three key elements:
Design Language: Visual design assets and branding guidelines.
Component Library: Reusable coded components (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
Style Guide: Documentation of both the design language and component library.
Breaking Down Design Systems:
1. Design Language
This includes visual assets like:
1) Color palette.
2) Accessibility guidelines.
3) Typography scale.
4) Animation library.
2. Component Library
The components coded in frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular to bring the design language to life.
3. Style Guide
A documented reference of the system’s design language and component library. A great example of this is the IBM Carbon style guide.
What Does a UX Engineer Do?
The UXE role varies between companies, but here are some common responsibilities:
Translate the Design Language into a living component library.
Prototype designs and turn them into high-fidelity UI components.
Improve collaboration between the design and engineering teams.
Build the style guide website for the design system.
Qualifications for a UXE Role
The qualifications for a UX Engineer vary, but primarily include front-end development skills combined with UX design knowledge.
UX Design Skills
UXEs need to understand the basics of design principles, including:
Text alignment (e.g., why text is often left-aligned).
Line width (e.g., why text lines shouldn't be too long).
Color contrast (e.g., dark text on light backgrounds is preferred).
Legibility (e.g., how to make text over images readable with overlays or drop shadows).
UI Design Tools
Familiarity with popular design tools is helpful:
Sketch
Adobe Creative Suite
Figma
Experience in one of these tools usually transfers well to others.
Front-End Development Skills
Since UX Engineers are, at their core, front-end developers, a solid understanding of the following is required:
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Build Tools: Webpack or Gulp.
CSS Pre-Processors: Sass or Less.
Version Control: Git and related tools.
Testing & Debugging: Tools like Jest, Enzyme, and Sentry.io.
Responsive Design: The ability to build responsive components.
Accessibility: Ensure compliance with W3C standards.
Soft Skills
A UXE must communicate effectively with designers, developers, and product managers. Other essential soft skills include:
Written Communication: Documenting the component and style guide.
Proactivity: Taking initiative in prioritizing tasks.
Empathy: Understanding the needs of users.
Conclusion
UX Engineering allows you to combine a love for design with the technical rigor of development. As the role continues to evolve, it’s important to clearly understand the responsibilities and skills required to excel. If you’re passionate about bridging design and engineering, then UX Engineering might be the right career path for you!
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