What topics (except the HTML, CSS & JS part) should I learn in order to become a skilled front-end web designer and a UI designer?

Since you’ve already mastered the basic languages of web development (HTML, CSS, JS), you are now basically skilled as a Front-end Designer.

Now, how to be a skilled UI Designer?

• Learn how to interpret the Product Requirement Document
• Learn how to translate the Task Flow Diagram into individual Wireframes and eventually into an Interaction Diagram
• Learn how to transition the designs to the Visual Designer and Front-end Designer/Developer

It’s important to establish the role of a UI Designer in the context of the Design Process.

Based on the Elements of UX by Jesse James Garrett (personally modified), these are the 5 planes:

1. Strategy: Business Objectives, User Objectives
2. Scope: Features, Requirements
3. Structure: Information Architecture, Interaction Design
4. Skeleton: Information Design, User Interface Design, Navigation Design
5. Surface: Sensory Design, Visual Design, Accessibility

You could use this as a guide for the Design Process because the planes build on top of the other-as in a process. UI Design is in one plane and there are 4 other planes to consider.

This could also serve as a guide for the topics to further your knowledge.

Originally published in Quora