What does a UX designer do?

The narrative discusses the evolution of user experience (UX) design as a critical component in building intuitive digital systems and platforms, contrasting the author's early design experiences with their current understanding of the importance of UX tools like wireframes and customer journey maps. Initially unfamiliar with wireframing, the author learned that skipping this step hindered the usability of their designs, emphasizing that UX design slows down assumptions and enhances user empathy. The text highlights the expansive and evolving nature of UX design, which now spans various industries and specialties, and underscores the interconnected roles of UX and user interface (UI) design. UX design focuses on enhancing the overall user experience, while UI design is concerned with the visual and interactive elements of a product. The importance of collaboration between UX and UI designers is illustrated through examples like portfolio websites and product teasers, where both disciplines contribute to creating cohesive and effective digital experiences.