{"id":14730,"date":"2020-07-08T16:36:32","date_gmt":"2020-07-08T23:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/?p=14730"},"modified":"2023-08-18T09:05:09","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T16:05:09","slug":"boston-massachusetts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/boston-massachusetts\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a UX\/UI designer in Boston"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Boston is a hidden gem of a city when it comes to UX\/UI design. While it might not have San Francisco\u2019s high density of tech companies, New York City\u2019s diversity of industries, or Seattle\u2019s major conglomerates like Amazon or Microsoft, it does have three sectors that have given rise to the demand for UX\/UI designers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three key industries in the Greater Boston Area are healthcare, finance and insurance, and higher education, with each category having significant players such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women\u2019s, and Children\u2019s Hospital, Boston; Liberty Mutual Holdings Company, State Street Bank & Trust Co, and Fidelity; and Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University. As these industries innovate to maintain their competitive advantage, UX\/UI designers<\/a> have gone from being \u201cnice-to-have\u201d employees to vital contributors to the user-friendliness of the products, services, and courses these organizations offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The density of top-tier higher education institutions in Boston has also fueled the city\u2019s transformation into a startup hub in its own right\u2014many companies have set up shop in Boston to take advantage of the talent graduating from some of the world\u2019s most prestigious academic institutions. A large number of college graduates from the area are also choosing to stay in Boston to launch their startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of all that, Boston is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the United States that\u2019s walkable, offers access to world-class healthcare, and is more affordable compared to other tech hubs in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UX designers and UI designers are in high demand, enjoy generous salaries, and get to solve complex and impactful problems. Read on to learn more about how to get a job as a UX\/UI designer in Boston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to become a UX\/UI designer in Boston<\/h2>\n\n\n
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    Design skills.<\/p>\n

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    Practice, practice, practice.<\/p>\n

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    Show that you think about the user.<\/p>\n

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    No name? No problem.<\/p>\n

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    There\u2019s no set path to becoming a UX\/UI designer in Boston, but below are some proven tips to get you closer to that dream UX\/UI design job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Design skills.<\/strong> Regardless of the city or industry in which you choose to work, if you want a career in UX\/UI design, you\u2019ll need to equip yourself with some foundational skills such as creating wireframes, user flows, site maps, and high fidelity prototypes; incorporating user research and feedback into graphic design, visual design, and interaction design; performing user testing and being an advocate for the user; proficiency with design tools such as Figma and Photoshop; and collaborating with stakeholders such as product managers and a larger design team. While many of these skills can be self-taught, introductory design courses<\/a> and in-depth UX design bootcamps<\/a> are a great way to fast-track your learning, get you up to speed on design process best practices, and help you build a job-scoring portfolio.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Practice, practice, practice.<\/strong> Find opportunities to apply user-centric design principles to projects. UX\/UI design is a visual field, so create your own sketches, mockups, and storyboards for how a website, platform, or app can be improved; identify usability problems that can be resolved through UX research and brainstorm possible solutions using design thinking. Even if you have to create your own opportunities through personal projects or unsolicited redesigns, this will give you the chance to practice your skills and show a potential hiring manager your passion and enthusiasm for the craft.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Show that you think about the user.<\/strong> The three dominant industries in Boston are healthcare, finance and insurance, and higher education. The latter has birthed a burgeoning startup scene with companies spanning categories such as artificial intelligence, e-commerce, fintech, and big data. This means that when you\u2019re applying to a UX design job, you\u2019ll need to consider the specific experiences and needs of product owners and the goals of the product or service. Show that you understand an organization\u2019s mission, the characteristics of its users, and be an advocate for both.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. No name? No problem.<\/strong> Many of Boston\u2019s startups, born from Harvard, MIT, Boston University, and Tufts talent, aren\u2019t household names and, given the technical and non-consumer facing nature of their work (AI, big data, DevOps, health and insurance tools for brokers, etc.), are unlikely to be. But just because they\u2019re not widely known doesn\u2019t mean they don\u2019t have compelling opportunities for UX\/UI designers. If you\u2019re looking to be a UX\/UI designer in Boston, don\u2019t write-off a company just because you\u2019ve never heard of it\u2014in 2019 alone, 41 Boston startups raised more than $920 million<\/a>, and many more have a promising future.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      What kind of UX\/UI design jobs are available in Boston?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Boston\u2019s mix of legacy institutions such as universities and insurance firms and the many startups to have come out of those institutions means that there\u2019s a diversity of opportunities for UX designers, regardless of experience or expertise. For example, smaller startups hiring their first lead UX designer can offer qualified applicants a way to flex their creativity and problem-solving skills and have a huge impact on the company. Meanwhile, larger, more established companies with existing design teams can offer more resources and support (such as insight from UX research, data science, and software engineering teams) to UX designers who prefer to work within a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      On the experience spectrum, Boston area companies like Corvus Insurance, LinkSquares, and Accenture all recently posted job listings for junior UX designers (1-3 years of experience), while companies such as Fidelity, VMWare, CVS Health, and MIT sought UX designers with at least 5+ years of experience.<\/p>\n\n\n

      Get To Know Other\tDesign Students<\/h4>
      \"Pete<\/a>

      Pete Bruno<\/p>

      Product UX Designer at Service Management Group<\/p><\/div>

      <\/div>

      Read Story<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>

      \"Bre<\/a>

      Bre Walker<\/p>

      UX Designer at KeyBank<\/p><\/div>

      Read Story<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>

      \"Kelly<\/a>

      Kelly Hart<\/p>

      UX\/UI Designer at Perficient<\/p><\/div>

      Read Story<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      What companies are hiring UX\/UI designers in Boston?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Some Boston-based companies (or companies with Boston outposts) that are hiring UX\/UI designers include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n