Navigating Digital Design: UX Designers vs Growth Designers

The digital design landscape is constantly evolving, making it challenging to categorise and define various design disciplines.

Not long ago, the term “web designer” was used to describe a designer’s role, but today, it seems archaic. The shift in focus now revolves around two key roles: UX Designers and Growth Designers.

In this article, we’ll explore the differences between these two roles and help you determine which one is the best fit for your company.

Defining Growth Design and the Growth Designer:

In recent years, “growth” has become a buzzword, often incorrectly replacing marketing or product strategy in discussions. However, growth is a distinct discipline that centres on a product’s overall growth, with objectives beyond just user acquisition.

A Growth Designer is a full-stack product designer who possesses a diverse set of design and analytical skills. They play a strategic role in the growth process, working alongside marketers, product managers/founders, data analysts, and developers.

Their responsibilities include prototyping, wireframing, UI design, UX testing, research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, data analysis, and constant improvement of user journeys, flows, and systems.

Growth Designers ensure that user experience remains a priority while running growth experiments, recognising the potential harm that certain growth tactics may cause to the overall user experience and business.

Understanding UX Designers:

UX Designers, as the name suggests, primarily focus on user experience. They typically possess many of the same skills as Growth Designers, with an emphasis on UX research, analysis, and prototyping.

A strong UX Designer will have sharp analytical thinking and solid business acumen.

The primary difference between UX Designers and Growth Designers lies in their placement within a team structure. Many startups now prefer having a separate growth department with a dedicated designer to expedite growth experiments, leading to job postings for Growth Product Designers or Growth Designers.

In contrast, UX Designers or Product Designers are more commonly hired to build the product.

Choosing Between a UX Designer and Growth Designer:

A proficient designer should be able to continually challenge and optimise their work while maintaining focus on the overall business objective. In today’s competitive market, businesses are encouraging every team member to prioritise growth.

When deciding whether to hire a UX Designer or a Growth Designer, consider the specific skills your company needs and determine if separating growth from product makes sense for your business. Regardless of the title or company structure, design work should always drive growth.

As the digital design landscape continues to evolve, understanding the differences between UX Designers and Growth Designers is crucial.

Remember that both roles contribute to the growth of your business. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your company’s unique needs and objectives.

With the right designer on board, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the ever-changing world of digital design.