Beyond Figma:
Unpacking the True Role of a UX Designer
When people hear the term "UX Designer," many immediately envision someone sitting in front of a screen, endlessly tweaking wireframes in Figma. While Figma (or any design tool) is a powerful resource, it’s merely a means to an end—not the end itself. Reducing the role of a UX Designer, especially that of a Senior UX Designer or UX Design Lead, to a "wireframe maker" is not just incorrect—it undermines the entire purpose of the discipline.
A UX Designer is so much more than a tool operator. Our work goes far beyond aesthetics or layouts. At its core, UX design is about creating meaningful, user-centered solutions that align business goals with user needs. It’s about being a facilitator, a strategist, and a problem-solver—bridging the gap between the complexity of business challenges and the simplicity users crave.
The UX Designer as a Facilitator
A UX Designer’s role begins long before opening Figma. We start by understanding the "why" behind a product. What problem are we solving? For whom? And why does it matter? This involves deep collaboration with stakeholders, researchers, engineers, and business teams to uncover insights and frame the problem correctly.
We facilitate workshops to align teams, conduct user research to empathize with the audience and synthesize findings to identify opportunities. Our job is not to dictate solutions but to guide teams toward them, ensuring that every decision is rooted in user needs and business strategy.
The UX Designer as a Strategist
A Senior UX Designer or UX Design Lead doesn’t just work in the project; they work on the project. This means defining the vision and strategy, establishing roadmaps, and aligning cross-functional teams. It’s about ensuring that the design process is not an isolated effort but an integral part of achieving broader business goals.
Designers at this level understand that it’s not enough to create a solution that looks good—it must work seamlessly for users and deliver measurable value for the business. We’re constantly balancing form and function, creativity and data, intuition and insight.
The UX Designer as a Problem-Solver
True UX design is about problem-solving, not just creating screens. It’s about understanding the nuances of user behavior and addressing pain points in innovative ways. It’s about prototyping, testing, and iterating until we arrive at a solution that meets both user expectations and business objectives.
This requires a combination of empathy, analytical thinking, and creativity. We dive into user journeys, identify bottlenecks, and propose actionable improvements. And yes, sometimes this work culminates in wireframes—but those wireframes are just the tip of the iceberg.
Why This Misunderstanding Matters
When UX Designers are seen as "just Figma operators," it devalues their contributions and limits their impact. It also perpetuates the cycle of businesses failing to invest in proper UX processes, leading to products that frustrate users and miss opportunities.
UX design is a critical discipline that drives innovation, solves real-world problems, and delivers tangible results. Recognizing this can transform how organizations build products and how designers contribute to their success.
The Call for Change
It’s time to move beyond the misconception of UX design as "just wireframing." As designers, we must advocate for our role as facilitators, strategists, and problem-solvers. We must educate teams and stakeholders about the depth and value of UX design.
The beauty of UX lies in its complexity and its ability to make the complex feel simple. And that’s something no tool, not even Figma, can accomplish on its own.
