The self-taught UI/UX designer roadmap in 2021

A deep dive guide on teaching yourself UI/UX design from zero knowledge to a full-time role

September 2020 was when I got hired as a UI/UX designer, even without any experience. Despite being a newbie, I still managed to get a 25% pay raise after three months. Yet, just based on my words alone, it seemed that the journey was smooth-sailing: it was only so because of the many hours put into understanding the ever-evolving UI/UX field.

You might be familiar with the Full-Stack Developer Roadmap, which is a very popular roadmap that describes, ideally, how someone should learn to become a full-stack developer. Based on that idea, I decided to create a UI/UX designer roadmap that precisely suits a self-taught UI/UX designer in 2021 (which is what I went through).

While this guide serves to be definitive, it is still non-exhaustive. Technologies and trends are constantly evolving in the UI/UX field. For example, glassmorphism has emerged as a new trend in UI design in 2020.

Another critical thing to note is that this an essential roadmap that requires autoregulation: you will need to tweak based on the job you’re aiming for and your past skillsets. For example, graphic designers can find it easier to learn UI/UX design because of the similarities, but accountants may find it a challenge.

Caveats

Before you go on to learn more about the roadmap, there are some caveats to this roadmap that you should bear in mind while reading:

• You may find yourself learning more on the job. There is only so much you can learn without having the opportunity to apply them constantly. While you are learning on the job, you will find that you can make connections between theoretical knowledge and practical applications faster and easier.
• You don’t have to learn everything. You don’t need to know every software, and neither do you need to have every design guideline memorised. Instead, focus on learning how to learn and maintain a constant state of curiosity towards all things UI/UX. One trend that you may love today may die out the moment you wake up.
• Never stop learning. Ever-changing technologies and…