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Roadmap · Updated May 2026

The UX Designer trek

User research, information architecture, wireframing, Figma, prototyping, usability testing, design systems, and the skills to design products people actually want to use.

Stages
12
Estimated time
6 months
Level
Beginner → Advanced
Maintained by
3 practitioners
01
Stage 01

Design fundamentals

Visual principles, typography, color theory, and the foundational design skills that everything else builds on.

Design PrinciplesTypographyColorBeginner
02
Stage 02

User research methods

Qualitative and quantitative methods for understanding users: interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, and analytics.

User ResearchInterviewsSurveys
03
Stage 03

Information architecture

Organizing content and navigation so users can find what they need — sitemaps, navigation models, and taxonomy.

Information ArchitectureNavigationSitemaps
04
Stage 04

Wireframing & prototyping

From sketches to interactive prototypes. Communicating design intent before high-fidelity work.

WireframingPrototypingFigma
05
Stage 05

Figma mastery

Auto Layout, components, variables, design tokens, and collaborating with developers in Figma.

FigmaDesign TokensAdvanced
06
Stage 06

Usability testing

Planning, facilitating, and synthesizing usability tests that generate actionable insights.

Usability TestingResearchSynthesis
07
Stage 07

Interaction design

Designing interactions that feel effortless: affordances, feedback, error prevention, and the principles behind great micro-interactions.

Interaction DesignMicro-interactionsMotion
08
Stage 08

Design systems

Building and maintaining design systems that scale across products and teams.

Design SystemsTokensDocumentation
09
Stage 09

Accessibility in design

WCAG, accessible design patterns, color contrast, and designing interfaces that work for everyone.

AccessibilityWCAGInclusive Design
10
Stage 10

Data-driven design

A/B testing, analytics interpretation, funnel analysis, and using data to make better design decisions without letting data override judgment.

A/B TestingAnalyticsData
11
Stage 11

Design ops & collaboration

Scaling design teams, design critique culture, developer handoff, and the operational practices that make design work at company scale.

DesignOpsCollaborationProcess
12
Stage 12

Capstone — end-to-end product design

Research, design, test, and document a complete product experience. The portfolio project that demonstrates senior UX capability.

CapstonePortfolioAdvanced

Trek complete. What's next?

You've walked the full roadmap. Now ship the capstone, write about it, and share the path with the next engineer who needs it.

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