Ask the Expert: Transition from graphic design to UX

In this edition of our Ask the Expert series, Vancouver Film School interviews Jessica Gaffney, a Vancouver-based graphic designer with 10 years of experience in branding, illustration and teaching. 

Jessica discusses her journey and the challenges of transitioning from graphic design to UX design and other creative directions.

The questions used in this interview were suggested by Geneviève Metropolis RGD.

What skills from graphic design are most transferable to UX design, and how do they influence user experience outcomes?

Many graphic design skills are nicely integrated into UX design, such as visual hierarchy, colour theory and typography. Graphic designers also have a great eye for detail, which makes digital interfaces clearer and more user-friendly, helping to make the overall experience more enjoyable. Knowing how to organize content and use design principles like alignment, white space and proportion makes the user journey smoother and more engaging. 

For example, if I want someone to first notice ‘Section A’ on a landing page, I can use my graphic design know-how to draw attention with colour, size and placement. While UX design digs deeper into research, usability and functionality, a solid foundation in graphic design is key for creating functional, visually appealing and intuitive interfaces.

How has the mindset shift from aesthetics-focused design to user-centred design changed a designer's role?

Designers are more than just visual artists—they're problem solvers who must balance visual appeal with functionality, usability and emotional impact, all while working iteratively and using real evidence. In graphic design, my work was all about how things look, but now, in UX design, I'm more focused on how the user will interact with it. This shift has made design a more strategic part of product development, making designers key players in creating user-friendly experiences.

To create a lasting design, the process starts with truly understanding and empathizing with the user. Rather than following trends or focusing on aesthetics, I try to understand the target audience and how they think, speak and act. Design choices are based on real user feedback and insights into how people behave and what they need.

What challenges do graphic designers typically face when transitioning to UX design, and how can they overcome them?

UX design involves really understanding users—what they need, how they behave and their pain points—which often means diving into data and research, areas graphic designers may not have dealt with much before. Adapting to things like Information Architecture (IA), working closely with developers and embracing constant iteration can be challenges for graphic designers who want to transition into UX.

As I was transitioning from Graphic Designer to UX Designer, I found it difficult at first to explore multiple ideas in a sprint-like setting since I was so used to going directly to fine-tuning a high-fidelity design. To overcome this, I learned to never fall in love with an idea and to prioritize the user by empathizing with them. Keeping an open mind and shifting focus from purely visual design to a user-centred approach is key to jumping into UX. Building a strong foundation in user empathy, usability and design principles helps bridge the gap between aesthetics and functionality.

What roles do technology and digital tools play in bridging the gap between graphic design and UX design?

Tools like Figma, Sketch and Adobe XD let designers create interactive prototypes, blending the visual skills of graphic design with the functional side of UX. By working with these tools, graphic designers can start to see how their design choices affect user interactions. 

For collaboration, platforms like Figma, Miro, MURAL and Slack make it easier for designers, developers, product managers and other team members to work together in real time. These tools help graphic designers ease into UX roles by encouraging a team-focused, iterative design process, with feedback from all sides to ensure the design meets user needs, business goals and tech limitations. 

For wireframing and low-fidelity design, tools like Balsamiq, Figma and Axure help designers focus on structure and functionality early on, pushing graphic designers to think more about user flow and functionality, which are key in UX. 

How has the rise of UX design impacted the traditional job market for graphic designers?

To stay competitive in today's job market, graphic designers who focus on logos, typography and layout are encouraged to expand their skills and include more UX-focused skills. The lines between graphic design and UX design are getting blurrier, leading to new hybrid roles like Product Designer or Interaction Designer. Many job listings now look for people with visual design skills and UX skills like wireframing, prototyping and user research. 

Personally, I took a Google UX course this year to build my UX skills and stay ahead. My portfolio used to be all about visually striking designs. It’s now filled with UX case studies showing off the design process, including user testing results, wireframes and what I’ve learned. With more companies focused on delivering user-friendly digital experiences, there’s a growing demand for designers who can do both. By adding UX expertise, graphic designers can open up more career opportunities and be seen as well-rounded professionals who can handle both design's visual and functional sides. 

What are the most significant learning curves for a graphic designer entering the UX field, and how can they be addressed?

Graphic designers wanting to move into UX need to adopt a user-first mindset and focus on making things functional and easy to use. UX design is about solving user problems, focusing on functionality and interaction. Unlike traditional graphic design, which tends to follow a straight path from concept to final design, UX is all about constant iteration—creating prototypes, testing them, gathering feedback and making improvements. It’s important for designers not to get too attached to their first idea, as user testing and multiple rounds of changes are essential in UX.

Graphic designers can explore UX by learning about user-centred design (UCD), which focuses on understanding users' goals, pain points and context. A great resource to dive into is Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Things. By embracing an iterative approach, learning more about accessibility and working with design systems, graphic designers can successfully transition to UX and create designs that are visually appealing and user-focused.

How do designers maintain their unique creative identity while adapting to the systems thinking and constraints of UX design?

As a graphic designer with 10 years of experience shifting to UX, I’ve struggled with keeping my creative identity intact. In graphic design, it’s all about expressing your personal style and making aesthetic choices, but in UX, the focus is on user needs, functionality and problem-solving within certain limits. I’ve learned to channel my artistic eye into improving user flows, smoothing screen transitions and adding micro-interactions that make the interface feel more dynamic instead of just focusing on how things look.

Now, I think more about how a design feels to interact with—how users move through the content, how elements are arranged logically and how everything works together to create a better experience. There’s also room to blend creativity with accessibility by designing something that’s both visually stunning and easy for everyone to use. For example, using contrasting colours that are eye-catching and accessible to colour-blind users or adjusting font sizes and spacing to improve legibility.