When I started in the early 2000s, the creative industry in Hungary (and mostly everywhere else) was simple. We had two monikers: Graphic Designer and Programmer.
Graphic Designers "drew" everything that looked like anything and if you needed someone who could code, you hired a Programmer (a creature beyond space and time interpreting designs as an “indicative”).
And that was it.
Then the iPhone arrived and suddenly everyone needed a title that sounds like bling. The goal of this article is to provide clarity on what certain titles actually mean.
But first, let us respect the pioneers.
Graphic Designer
Coined in 1922 by William Addison Dwiggins. It means arranging visuals and text artistically.
Product Designer
Originally meant "Industrial Design" (physical objects) in the 1930s. Now it means "Digital Products" too.
Motion Graphics
Coined in 1960 by John Whitney, who used analog computers to make movie titles move.
User Interface (UI)
Emerged in the 70s/80s with the first GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces).
User Experience (UX)
Coined in the 90s by Don Norman at Apple. He wanted to describe the entire interaction a human has with a system, not just the screen.
The Modern Definitions
Graphic Designer
Communicating messages through typography, layout, and images.
- What they do: Logos, brand identities, billboards, packaging, social media graphics, posters etc.
- Tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign…
Motion Designer
They make graphic design move. They take static assets and use time/pacing to tell a story.
- What they do: Animated logos, explainer videos, title sequences.
- Tools: After Effects, Cinema 4D, Rive…
Illustrator
Unlike graphic designers who arrange existing elements, Illustrators create original imagery from scratch.
- What they do: Custom drawings, mascots, custom icon sets, editorial drawings, digital art.
- Tools: Stylus, Pen & Ink, Illustrator, Photoshop…
Web Designer
Focuses specifically on visual appearance, and usability of websites.
- What they do: Homepages, landing pages, navigation, layouts.
- Tools: Figma, Sketch, Webflow…
UX Designer (User Experience)
Focuses on logic and structure. Identifies pain points and ensures using the product doesn't make you want to check into a mental institution.
- What they do: Wireframes, user flows, research, data analysis.
- Tools: Figma, Balsamiq, Spreadsheets….
UI Designer (User Interface)
Focuses on the surface. They take the UX wireframes and make them pretty.
- What they do: High-fidelity mockups, button styles, interaction states.
- Tools: Figma, Sketch.
Product Designer
A UX/UI designer with business responsibilities. They care about the entire lifecycle of the product, from idea to revenue.
- What they do: Everything above, plus business strategy.
The Corporate Ladder
If you work with a big agency, here is what the titles actually mean regarding workload:
Chief Creative Officer (CCO)
Sits in meetings exclusively. Hasn't opened software since 2015.
Creative Director (CD)
Sits in meetings. Occasionally drops unhelpful critiques on work that was already approved.
Art Director (AD)
Sits in meetings. Occasionally talks to the lead designer to say "let’s revisit this later"
Design Lead
Sits in meetings occasionally. Mostly reviews the team's work. Sometimes opens Photoshop because it’s faster than explaining to an intern what "kerning" is.
Senior Designer
The person actually doing the work.
Junior Designer
An intern that generates extra work for the senior designer.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, an assortment of actual titles as used in the creative industry today
Let's guess together what these people are up to!
- Experiential Marketing Director
- Product Delivery & Operations Leader
- Release Train Engineer
- Fractional CMO
- Full Stack CPG Growth Marketer
- Professor of Usability Engineering
- Client Implementation Consultant
- Hunter Mentality & Pipeline Builder
- Complex Director of CX Management
- Customer Success Expert
- Web Producer
- Knowledge Manager
- Insights & Strategy Lead
- Product Specialist
- Senior UX Architect
- Storytelling Consultant
- Solutions Engineer
- Planning Consultant
- Lead Solutions Architect
- Agile Practitioner & Technical Expert
- Design & Code Architect
- Principal Experience Designer
- Freelance Virtual Assistant (that's a real person btw)
- Freelance Communications Pro
- Freelance Coordinator
- Personal Brand Awareness Specialist
- Communication Specialist
- Back Office Contemporary Artist Graphic Designer
- Creative Designer
- MVP Design Copilot and Design Competitor
- Group Design Director
- Solutions Engineer
- Relationship Builder
- Implusegiver for Strategic Topics
- Thinker. Explorer. Maker.
- Facilitator
- Agile Transformation Specialist
- Implementation Specialist
- Design Experience Strategist
- Experience Designer
- Humanization Lead
- Graphic Designer / UX and UI Designer / Financial Assistant (I just love the synergies here)
- Conversation Architect
- Neuroaesthetic Designer
- Conversational UX Writer
- Head of Ideation
- Omnichannel Experience Architect
- Brand Storyteller
- Value Stream Manager
- Agile Delivery Lead
- Change Management Specialist
- Inbound Funnel Optimizer
- Demand Generation Specialist
- Empathy Manager
Finally, let me list my numerous titles and specializations
While I usually stick to "Designer & Webflow Developer" to keep things efficient, I command substantial cross-functional experience and leverage synergies across a diverse range of high-impact verticals.
- Canine Compliance Strategist: I taught my Beagle to wait for a release cue before eating. If you have ever owned a Beagle, you know this is the equivalent of teaching a bengali tiger to ignore a wounded deer.
- Director of High-Velocity Liquid Throughput: I can process a standard imperial pint in under 3 seconds.
- Senior Loop Optimization Strategist: Currently leveraging 500+ hours of high-intensity iterative failure analysis in Hades II (unrivaled Eris is OP and has to be nerfed).
- Lead Legacy Automotive Data Archivist (EU Region): I can recite the technical specifications of every car model Honda sold in the European market between 2002 and 2025. Ask me about the K20A2 engine.
- Crisis Negotiation Arbiter: I once won a debate against an attorney (my wife). It has not happened since, but the trophy remains.
- Neuro-Philosophy Synthesis Lead: I have consumed every book, blog post, and podcast episode Sam Harris has ever produced or appeared in. I am fully aware of the illusion of free will.
- Analog Propulsion Specialist: I have never owned an automatic. (This is just for my American clients.)
- Head of Velocity Compliance: Despite owning a tuned car, I have never received a speeding ticket.
- Approximate Audio Frequency Analyst: I have perfect pitch, give or take a major second. Close enough to rock and roll.
- Director of Creature Feature Archive: I have watched every monster movie released between 1979 and 2025. I know the difference between a Deacon and a Neomorph, and no, it’s not canon.
- Campfire Ambience Facilitator: I can perform "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" on the guitar with intense emotional weight.
- VP of Polyrhythmic Obsession: For a while I listened to Tool so obsessively that Spotify sent me a warning about server overload. Spiral out.
- Deep State Recovery Expert: My personal record for consecutive unconsciousness is 26 hours. I don't nap; I reconstitute.
I seriously hope this has convinced you to hire me.
