As a designer, if you think about the skills you need, you might only consider the ability to use design tools like Figma. However, for UX designers, these skills are more important than design tools. Here are some hard and soft skills that are essential for UX designers

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1. Design Thinking

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Design thinking is an important mindset for UX designers. Rather than focusing on the problem itself, they should concentrate on providing users with solutions that can enhance their experience. This requires a UX design-oriented mindset that considers what the user needs. It's a crucial role because it empowers designers to respond to users’ changing environments and behaviors.

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2. Decision mapping

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decision mapping provides overview of how to approach and solve problems. By utilizing personas and user journey maps, designers can put themselves in the users' shoes and think about the problems they face and the process of finding solutions. This enables them to come up with better designs.

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3. Communication

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Communication skills are essential as thinking from the perspective of users, not just designer ourselves, and requires extensive research. Effective communication with users and the team improves their design thinking. They need to interact with users, understand their thoughts and behaviors, and collaborate with the team to achieve the desired outcomes.

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4. Flexibility

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As user needs and the environment continually change, the ability to adapt flexibly to diverse demands and issues is crucial. Especially, the UX industry is rapidly changing, influenced by technological advancements, device innovations, and evolving user behavior patterns. Therefore, adaptability is essential in order to cope with these changes effectively.

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