UX/UI designer
Sees where users get stuck, builds the system in Figma, and hands off to engineering.
Income range: 4,000,000–25,000,000 UZS / mo
Takeaways
- UX designs the path, UI the system. Hiring filters on a case study, not a Dribbble shot.
- There is no official designer salary series. The role sits inside IT/agencies; do not copy the programmer median.
- Figma is the core tool, but without research and handoff you stay a “drawer.”
UX and UI — two jobs, one seat
UX designs how a person reaches a goal: conversation, scenario, flow, wireframe. UI is the screen’s visual system: type, color, components, states (empty, error, loading).
In a product team both often sit in one person. In an agency you may “just draw a UI kit.” Graphic design (banners, brand books) is another job — a transfer is possible, but the muscle is different.
A fit if you watch people, accept tradeoffs, and hand engineers a clear brief. A poor fit if you only want “pretty” and hate critique.
A day: research to handoff
Standup, Figma, comments, sometimes five users for 20 minutes. Afternoon an engineer says “this state is missing” — you draw it. With a design system a new screen is assembly, not a new button every time.
Handoff: spacing, breakpoints, empty state, error copy. “I sent a PNG” is a 2018 method.
From Figma to a case
01The tool
Figma: auto-layout, components, variants, proto. Official docs are free. Two weeks of drills.
02Not a copy — a teardown
Open a local app (Click, Uzum, MyGov): where is the friction? Write a one-page teardown.
03Three cases
Mobile + web. Problem, three options, the choice, a proto, what changed. Not a Behance shot.
04A team
One real task with a developer or PM. Mentorship, junior, agency.
Tools
- Figma + FigJam (or Freeform)
- Component library / design system
- Maze, Useberry, or a plain interview recording
- WCAG basics: contrast, focus, text size
Uzbekistan market
Search: hh.uz “UI/UX”, “product designer”, Telegram, LinkedIn, agency books. Language: Figma in English, briefs in Russian/Uzbek. Product (fintech, marketplace) asks for a system and research; agencies ask for speed and visuals.
No official standalone salary. The ICT mean does not describe designers. Junior ads often sit near the programmer mode (8M) or below — compare. English adds leverage in product/outstaff.
Remote: a foreign team wants a portfolio, written English, and overlap. Dribbble alone is not enough.
AI, interviews, mistakes
AI (Figma AI, Galileo, Midjourney) speeds a sketch. It does not see the user, does not guarantee image rights, and can break the system. You own the problem, the choice, accessibility, and handoff.
Interview: an 8-minute case; “why this?”; an engineer’s question; sometimes live Figma. Mistakes: only dark fancy shots; no states; “I did Dribbble.”
Education and growth
A degree is not required. A course (offline Tashkent or Interaction Design Foundation) is a tool. Books: Don’t Make Me Think; official Material / HIG.
Growth: product designer, design lead, UX research, or closer to frontend. From graphic design: flow first, gradients later.
Portfolio and the interview
What if I cannot draw?
UI is not painting. Type, grid, and contrast are learned. A hand sketch helps; it is not required.
Adobe XD or Figma?
In 2026 ads Figma is almost the standard. Do not start on XD from scratch.
Junior pay?
No official row. Compare ads; do not read the ICT average as your offer.
Agency or product?
Agency: speed, many brands, less depth. Product: one system and research. Both are junior doors.
Will AI kill design?
It kills the blank-canvas hour, not ownership. System, research, and rights stay human.
Where should the portfolio live?
A simple site or Notion plus a Figma link is enough. Behance is optional.
English?
Reading for docs and UI copy. A foreign team wants written B2 and critique.
How many cases?
Two or three deep ones. Ten shots hurt you.
Figures draw on 2026 sources: Uzbekistan National Statistics Committee (official sector averages, Q1/H1 2026), Flexa and hh.uz vacancy medians, and public IT Park / product-team guides. Not a guarantee — contract type, city, tax, and level change the range. Compare live vacancies yourself.