What’s day-to-day life like for a UX/UI Designer in a digital company in Switzerland? Since 2023, Sarah has been shaping the UX/UI approach at Qim info by combining a detailed understanding of user needs with attention to the aesthetics of interfaces, both in internal projects and on client assignments. With a background in graphic design and digital art direction, and a keen eye for digital developments, she transforms complex uses into fluid, intuitive and visually coherent experiences. Portrait of a rigorous, attentive and creative professional.
UX/UI path: from graphic design to interface design
A native of Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, Sarah developed an early interest in graphics and visual creation. After taking a general baccalaureate, she joined Sup de Pub in Lyon, a school specialising in communication, where she began a degree in graphic design, specialising in print media. There she learned the basics of communication and the fundamentals of graphic design: typography, page layout and the creation of visual identities. At the same time, she broadened her knowledge of images through art history and the evolution of graphic design. She is also training in mastering the main design software tools, which are essential for the production of print and digital media.
Her interest soon turned to digital. Web design was an obvious choice for her, thanks to its potential for interactivity and adaptability. She went on to do a master’s degree in digital art direction, again at Sup de Pub, where she specialised in digital interface design.
“Even though I was interested in graphic design, I needed meaning. I wanted to solve concrete problems, not just create pretty pictures.”
Her first internship was in Morocco, in the property development sector, followed by a second with a digital agency in Geneva, where she helped redesign the website for an international airport. This experience was a turning point: Sarah discovered the profession of UX Designer, a hybrid profile combining strategy, ergonomics and design.
What is UX Design?
UX design (User Experience Design) is a user-centred design approach aimed at creating intuitive, ergonomic and high-performing web or application interfaces.
What is UI Design?
UI design (User Interface Design) refers to the design of the visual interface of a website or application. It aims to create clear, attractive and coherent graphic elements to optimise user interaction.
Professional experience in UX/UI: first projects and business interface design
It was while working for a Geneva-based design studio that Sarah forged her experience in UX/UI Design. For nearly five years, she designed interfaces for business applications for clients in the energy, health and tech sectors.
Unlike a showcase website designed for the general public, the goal of these interfaces is to make users’ daily lives easier in their professional environment. This means :
- understanding their work,
- integrating their specific constraints,
- designing interfaces that make their day-to-day tasks run more smoothly.
“End users are not just any old customers. They are professionals with specific expectations, sometimes expressed informally. That’s where UX comes into its own.”
In particular, she is helping to redesign a planning tool for healthcare professionals, with the aim of improving ergonomics, navigation and data management. A teleconsultation project completes this assignment, illustrating the evolution of digital practices in the medical sector. With each assignment, she explores a new professional environment, understands the challenges and creates appropriate responses.
UX/UI design at Qim info: structuring and flagship projects
In September 2023, Sarah joins Qim info, a digital services company based in Switzerland and France, with the mission of contributing to the development of the UX/UI offering. She will join a team at the Qim info Centre of Expertises dedicated to the design of bespoke business applications, where she will bring a user-centred approach to all projects.
Although UX/UI expertise was already mobilised through consultants on assignment, Sarah’s arrival reflects Qim info’s desire to structure this skill internally and give it a more cross-functional scope. She now divides her time between internal projects for Qim info teams and strategic assignments for clients.
As soon as she arrived, she oversaw the redesign of an internal time and activity management tool used by employees. This project involves :
- conducting research into team usages
- identifying friction points in the existing tool,
- designing a solution that is more intuitive and aligned with their expectations.
At the same time, she works with clients from a wide range of sectors, including :
- Energy: optimising industrial tools for greater operational efficiency,
- Insurance: redesign of a customer portal and development of a design system to standardise interfaces,
- Public administration: creation of interfaces for managing alarms and intervention reports.
UX/UI process: research, prototyping and testing phases
Designing an effective interface means first and foremost understanding those who use it. For Sarah, each assignment begins with an exploration phase, involving qualitative interviews designed to identify users’ real needs, habits and expectations, which are often different from those originally imagined.
On this foundation, she develops functional and visual mock-ups, which she then transforms into interactive prototypes. These are tested by target users to observe behaviour, identify areas of friction and refine the design.
“In general, five users are enough to identify 70% of the problems with an interface. This means we can optimise very early on, without waiting for the development phase.
Her method is based on an iterative approach, structured around the principles of user-centred design and ergonomic standards, with a dual objective: to make products that are intuitive, high-performing and visually coherent.
To structure your UX/UI approach effectively, read our article: How to carry out a UX/UI audit in 12 steps.
Figma for UX/UI design: an essential collaborative tool
To design her interfaces, Sarah uses Figma, a tool that has become indispensable in the world of UX/UI design. She uses it to design both the architecture of user paths and the visual appearance of interfaces. With Figma, she can :
- Structuring user paths using clear, prioritised wireframes,
- Designing precise and coherent visual interfaces that comply with graphic charters,
- Creating and maintaining design systems shared between designers and developers,
- Rapidly prototype and test paths in real-life conditions,
- Illustrate directly in the tool, thanks to its integrated vector functions.
“Figma allows me to do everything in one place: design, vector illustration, share, adjust, test… It’s a tool that supports every stage of the design process, from the first sketch to the final prototype.”
She particularly appreciates Figma’s ability to generate clickable prototypes, which are useful for user testing, as well as the wealth of its extensions and its compatibility with front-end development workflows.
Key skills of a good UX Designer according to Sarah
For Sarah, a good UX Designer combines technical skills with a human attitude. Beyond the tools, it’s a way of approaching problems with empathy, rigour and openness. She stresses the importance of active listening: knowing how to understand what users are feeling, even when they are struggling to formulate it clearly.
“I’m a bit of an interface psychologist. My role is to understand what people can’t always express, and to respond with an intuitive solution. You have to be able to read between the lines.”
Understanding the cognitive biases that can influence user feedback is crucial: some people will never say they don’t like an interface, simply so as not to offend the designer.
She also mentions :
- common sense,
- curiosity,
- the ability to observe without judging.
Finally, she stresses the importance of self-analysis: the ability to stand back from one’s own habits and not project one’s own uses onto those of other users. For her, this is one of the pillars of UX design.
UX/UI design training and ongoing technology watch
Convinced that learning is a continuous process, Sarah began Google’s UX design certification shortly before joining Qim info. This comprehensive programme covers all the stages of a UX project: from research to accessibility, design, prototyping, testing and ethics. She is finalising it with the active support of Qim info, which is giving her dedicated time for training. A strong sign of the importance the company attaches to the ongoing development of her skills.
At the same time, Sarah is taking a close interest in developments linked to artificial intelligence, curious about emerging uses that she could incorporate into her design practices. She also keeps a close eye on trends in the sector, including digital accessibility, collaborative tools and emerging graphic styles.
“AI, for example, can become an excellent assistant when it comes to analysing user data. I’d rather adapt to it than be afraid of it.”
In June 2025, she will be taking part in Config, the official Figma conference, organised for the first time in Europe. It’s a great opportunity to meet the international community of UX Designers, find out what’s new on the platform, and learn from each other’s experiences.
Working in UX/UI in Geneva at Qim info: freedom and collaboration
In her day-to-day work at Qim info, Sarah enjoys a great deal of freedom in managing her projects. She emphasises the trust placed in her by her managers and the flexibility she enjoys in organising her work.
“It’s a challenge, but also a source of freedom. I can structure my projects as I see fit and get things done at my own pace.”
She also appreciates the friendly environment, the fluidity of exchanges and the opportunity to contribute to varied and stimulating projects, both on assignment and in-house.
UX/UI career: join the Qim info teams
Sarah’s career embodies Qim info’s focus on user experience. By placing innovation, listening to and developing talent at the heart of its strategy, the company is creating a stimulating environment for UX/UI Designers, and more broadly for all those with a passion for the digital world.
You wish to contribute to high-impact projects in a caring and stimulating environment? Then join a human and ambitious company that recognises the value of your expertise.
