How I approach a UI Design audit(as a Junior Developer)

Mike Nkomo — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:48:30 +0000

published: true
description: As a self-taught developer learning UI/UX, here's how I break down and review interfaces with a user-first mindset.

tags: ui, ux, webdev, junior, learning

When I started learning web development through FreeCodeCamp, I believed everything had to be built from scratch. Over time, I realized that even professional developers use tools, templates, and systems — especially in user interface (UI) design.

Recently, I came across a LinkedIn article about UI audits, and it made me reflect on how I personally approach reviewing and improving a user interface.

🔍 Step 1: Define the Scope and Criteria

Before diving into any design, I try to slow down and ask:

What part of the product am I reviewing?
Who is the user?
What goal should the design help them achieve?

This helps me stay focused and avoid getting sidetracked by surface-level changes. For example, if the layout works but the user flow is confusing, that’s a bigger issue than tweaking colors.

🎯 What I Look For

With the scope clear, I look at the interface through a beginner’s lens:

Is the purpose of each section obvious?
Is it mobile-friendly and responsive?
Can someone unfamiliar with the product use it without a tutorial?

I also check accessibility basics — like contrast, font sizes, and keyboard navigation.

🚀 Still Learning, Still Improving

As a junior developer, I’m constantly learning. Doing informal UI audits — even on CodePen projects or templates — has taught me how much thoughtful design matters.

If you're new to development like me, don’t be afraid to start small. A user-focused mindset and clear questions can go a long way — tools will come, but thinking is what makes you valuable.

📌 Connect with me:

GitHub: @nkomo-cell
Portfolio: FlexStack Portfolio Generator
LinkedIn: Methuseli Michael Nkomo

Let’s keep building!

FlexStack Portfolio Generator

Mike Nkomo — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:02:12 +0000

title: I Built FlexStack

Hey Devs 👋

I recently launched FlexStack Portfolio Generator – a free and simple tool to create and export clean, responsive portfolios in minutes.

🧰 Features

Dark & light theme toggle
Responsive layout (mobile-friendly)
Instant preview of your portfolio
Export as PDF or HTML
No login, no setup – just fill and go

🔧 Built With

HTML/CSS
Vanilla JS
GitHub Pages for hosting

🌍 Live Demo

👉 [https://nkomo-cell.github.io/FlexStack-Portfolio-Generator/)

💡 Why I Made It

I’ve seen too many developers struggle to get a basic portfolio out there. I wanted to build something:

Fast and frictionless
With clean UI/UX
That anyone can deploy or export in a click

🙏 Would Love Your Feedback

What can I improve?
What feature should I add next?

Thanks for reading 🙌

Let me know what you think in the comments!

🔗 GitHub

https://github.com/Nkomo-cell/FlexStack-Portfolio-Generator

DEV Community: Mike Nkomo