Job description: DESIGNER

Between autonomy, passion and creativity, design is a profession that young graduates love. Do you want to retrain or make a career in this profession but are hesitant to take the plunge? PaySika does it for you! 

In this issue, we give the floor to Theryx NDOUKEN, Designer, who was kind enough to share his experience with us. 

1- Where does your passion for graphic design come from? 

Since I was a child, I have been molded into this universe. My father set up a video editing company, where he recorded ceremonies such as birthdays, graduations, funerals, etc. and printed them on a DVD.  

So, after observing for a few years how my uncles edited videos, I started to take an interest in the process. My interest evolved as I went along, and I started playing around with tools like Photoshop to create fun graphics. I started using Photoshop professionally (getting paid) when I was in college. 

2- In concrete terms, what does the job of a designer consist of? 

Graphic design is more about bringing an idea to life. You could think of it as breaking down a complex problem into a simple solution using tools such as text, imagery, colors, etc. to represent the solution. The idea can come from the customer or the company. The end goal of a graphic designer is to communicate the idea in the simplest and clearest way possible to a specific audience using a variety of methods and tools.  

To start a career in design, you must first choose the field you want to go into. This can be illustration, UX, motion design, graphic design, etc. You can take training at a bootcamp or take an online course or even find free learning resources on YouTube.  

And yes, you can make a living as a designer. As with any other career, the salary can vary depending on your experience and where you work. 

3- What are the qualities of a good designer?  

I would say that knowing how to communicate and articulate one’s thoughts is one of the main qualities.  

Creativity and attention to detail, active listening, empathy, curiosity, attention to detail and, finally, being able to tell stories through one’s work. Technical skills and tools can be easily acquired. 

4- Which tools to use? 

It depends on the field you’re working in. For example, a motion designer will use a different tool than a UI designer or illustrator. Most designers start their careers using Adobe Creative Cloud tools and the most well-known software is Adobe Photoshop.  

Personally, I use Affinity, which is a package that contains tools similar to Adobe Creative Cloud, and it’s a bit cheaper because it’s a one-time payment. I use  my Paysika virtual card to pay for my subscription (which is super easy and straightforward by the way). It costs about $100 and you own the license. I also pay for my Figma and Envato subscriptions with my PaySika credit card. 

5- What’s the difference between a UX, a UI and a web designer? 

UX stands for user experience, UI stands for user interface, and a web designer is sort of an old name for a UI designer. What these three specialties have in common is that they ensure that users are not confused when using digital products such as websites or mobile apps.   

Specifically, the UI designer focuses on the visual aspects (colors, text, buttons, icons, etc.) of the interface and the UI designer focuses on the overall interaction that users have with the product, including how they feel about the product. A web designer focuses on the web, but there is a lot of overlap between all of these profiles. 

6- What advice can you give to young people who want to become designers? 

Be curious, explore your creativity, try a lot of things. Always be willing to learn new things. Becoming a good designer takes time, so you have to be patient with yourself and trust the process. 

7. Is it possible, finally, to have a special little drawing on one of your creations? 

Here is the link to my page to get an idea of my creations: https://sociable-success-507376.framer.app/