PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATIONS IN MULTIMEDIA:
INTERFACE DESIGNERS

• THE JOB
• COMPENSATION
• REQUIREMENTS
• FINDING THE JOB
  
  

INTERFACE DESIGNERS
California Occupational Guide Number 2006 (part)
Interest Area:  Emerging Occupations
1995

THE JOB

Interface Designers are responsible for creating the product environment, 
and, therefore, the way in which the user experiences the product.  
Interface Designers not only develop icon and other visual symbols and cues, 
but also those parts of the environment that the user experiences with his 
or her other senses, including what the user can hear and touch.  The 
Interface Designer sets the tone and parameters of how the user will 
interact with the program content.  "Interface designers are responsible for 
the cognitive model users develop when working with a product.  This model 
refers to the way users think about it, and about its organizations, its 
workings, and its capabilities ...  Interface designers do more than make 
products "easy to use."  They make them clear, rich, and meaningful... 
Interface design encompasses the disciplines of information design, 
interaction design, and sensorial design."  (Vivid Studios, Careers in 
Multimedia, Emeryville, CA:  Ziff-Davis Press, 1995, p. 170.).

COMPENSATION

Many multimedia specialists do not work as salaried employees for a single 
company over a long period of time.  It is more typical to work freelance as 
an independent contractor, moving from one project to the next, and being 
paid hourly, daily, or per project.

A formal salary survey is not available; however references to annual 
salaries range from $25,000 for beginners to $75,000 for those with 
experience.  Hourly wages range from $40/hr to $100/hr.  All salaries 
depend on the nature of the project and the skill of the specialists.

REQUIREMENTS

Job Skills Needed:

  -- Understanding of visual, sound and video design. 
  -- Knowledge of computer hardware capabilities.
  -- Ability to help develop design concepts that support the goals of the 
     project by participating in brainstorming sessions with other project 
     team members.
  -- Ability to understand the capabilities and expectations of the 
     product's potential users.
  -- Ability to conceptualize and describe the specific actions that the 
     user will be able to perform while using the product and the product 
     functions required to allow these actions.  These are called 
     "functional specifications."
  -- Basic knowledge of cognitive psychology (how people think and 
     perceive).
  -- Ability to work as a member of a team.
  -- Ability to clearly communicate ideas.
  -- Ability to quickly and accurately understand the goals and 
     objectives of the project.
  -- Ability to be organized.



Other Helpful Skills or Characteristics:

  -- Ability to be innovative and provide creative inspiration and 
     direction.
  -- Willingness and ability to frequently seek employment on new projects.
  -- Willingness and ability to join projects without much advanced notice.
  -- Willingness and ability to continually update skills by learning new 
     tools and techniques.
  -- Passion for the work.
  -- A good sense of humor. 
  -- Patience.

FINDING THE JOB

  -- Use contacts from previous projects or professional organizations to 
     get an interview with the project's producer or art director since they
     are the ones most likely to make the hiring decision.
  -- Create a portfolio of your work that demonstrates your versatility, 
     creativity and technical abilities as well as your capacity to work 
     within time and budget constraints.
  -- Customize your portfolio to highlight work you have done that is 
     similar to that of the new project.
  -- Attend multimedia and professional conferences and meetings to generate 
     job leads and to acquire current information about trends, tools and 
     techniques.
  -- Update and acquire new skills through enrollment in continuing 
     education classes and through reading magazines in the field.  Network 
     with other students and faculty.
  -- Those without experience or training should consider interning or 
     volunteering on a project to gain experience and build marketable 
     skills.

Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department,
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916)  262-2162

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