At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our UX & Design team to create user-friendly digital products for global brands.
- Company: Candyspace, a leading digital product design agency with a diverse and inclusive culture.
- Benefits: Flexible working hours, creative environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: We encourage applications from all backgrounds and offer support throughout the hiring process.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by designing products that people love and solve real user needs.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in product design, strong user-centred design skills, and experience with Agile processes.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About Us
Candyspace are experts in designing, building and optimising digital products. We create websites, mobile apps and commerce solutions for ambitious organisations investing in growth and digital transformation. We are trusted to deliver by some of the world’s best-known brands, including ITV, Rolls-Royce, Mazda, Mars and Colgate. Working at Candyspace is about building products that people love. We all work hard to define the sweetspot between customer demand and the needs of the businesses who employ us. And by building products that they all love, we love those products too. To do this you will be part of a diverse and inclusive team of like-minded people, ambitious for themselves and passionate about what they do. You will work on exciting and challenging projects. Candyspace is an equal opportunities employer and we strongly encourage people of colour, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply for roles here. If you need reasonable adjustments at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know and feel free to note which pronouns you use (she/her, he/him, they/them etc).
Role Overview
Candyspace are seeking a logical thinker and creative problem solver to join the ever-growing UX & Design team in London. You will be working alongside a cross functional team of Product designers on projects for global clients, assisting the larger scale product design projects and UX/UI activities. You are knowledgeable in user-centred design, like solving problems and getting deep into the details. You get under the skin of real user needs and balance them with business requirements to create well rounded solutions. You have a creative mind and are not scared to think outside the box to make your ideas stand out, but you combine that with an eye for detail and precision pixels. Ideally you would have 5+ years of experience working in a product team working on large/complex products that have been rolled out. Coming from either in-house or agency working client side on constantly evolving products plus smaller tactical projects. You have experience taking part in pitches, crafting solutions from scoping and proposal stages through to final deployment. You can talk fluently about design principles and architect bespoke approaches or sequences of activities to solve specific user needs and achieve specific client goals. You will be competent in the Agile process of using Jira to manage workflow, rapid prototyping, getting to the bottom of user needs and balance with business needs.
Key Duties And Responsibilities
- User research
- Research advocacy - Understands the value of research and testing and applies insight led thinking in day to day design work.
- Research & validation - Contributes to research activities, writes basic discussion guides and surveys with direction, and understands core research methods.
- Conducting research - Confidently supports and runs interviews, helping participants feel at ease and exploring relevant tangents.
- Synthesis - Organises research data, participates in synthesis sessions and collaborates with seniors to shape insights.
- Problem definition and ideation
- Mapping - Can produce empathy maps, journey maps and service blueprints to align understanding, with guidance on when to use them.
- Ideas generation - Participates in and helps facilitate ideation sessions using structured design thinking techniques.
- Information architecture
- Structural focus - Can abstract away from interface to focus on structure, content hierarchy and relationships.
- IA & navigation - Designs IA first and creates clear navigation systems that support task completion.
- IA diagrams - Produces clear, iterative IA diagrams for simple to moderately complex products.
- Wireframing & prototyping
- Solution design - Designs solutions directly informed by research and clearly linked to user and business needs.
- Wireframing - Uses low and high fidelity wireframes to explore ideas, demonstrate hierarchy and prioritise accessibility.
- Prototyping - Builds interactive prototypes to simulate journeys and support testing.
- UI design
- Look & feel - Develops look and feel options aligned to brand and emotional proposition, with clear rationale.
- Hierarchy & relationships - Creates strong visual hierarchy using typography, spacing, layout and component structure.
- Supporting the UX - Designs UI that supports clarity, usability and reduced cognitive load.
- Design systems - Effectively uses existing design libraries and components to deliver scalable UI.
- Accessibility & inclusivity
- Mindset - Works with an accessibility first mindset and values inclusive design.
- Understanding barriers - Understands different types of user barriers and designs with awareness of WCAG standards.
- Fundamentals - Uses accessibility tools to check colour contrast, hierarchy, touch targets and typographic clarity.
- User empathy & advocacy
- Empathy - Designs with genuine curiosity about people’s needs and avoids assumptions based on demographics.
- Connecting with users - Crafts UI that creates meaningful emotional connection and satisfying experiences.
- Advocacy - Supports inclusive design advocacy and encourages usability testing with diverse users.
Product Designer employer: Candyspace
At Candyspace, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, fostering a vibrant and inclusive work culture in the heart of London. Our team thrives on collaboration and creativity, offering ample opportunities for professional growth while working on exciting projects for renowned global brands. With a strong commitment to diversity and employee well-being, we ensure that every voice is heard and valued, making Candyspace a truly rewarding place to build your career in product design.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Designer
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.
✨Get Involved in Design Communities
Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Candyspace for a Product Designer, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Candyspace before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Designer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Product Designer at Candyspace, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!
Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Candyspace does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Candyspace. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.
Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Candyspace.
How to prepare for a job interview at Candyspace
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Candyspace, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Candyspace might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Candyspace!
✨Show Passion for User Experience
In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Candyspace is looking for.
