UX Design

Master UX principles, user psychology, usability testing, accessibility, intuitive navigation, and user-centered design techniques

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Course Overview

This chapter focuses on UX design, covering essential principles, user psychology, information architecture, and practical techniques to enhance user experiences through thoughtful design.

Lesson 1: Getting Started with UX Design

Time commitment: 20 mins

  • Definition and key components of UX design.
  • The role of UX design in product development and business success.
  • Examples of good and bad UX design and their impact on users.
  • Introduction to the UX design process and methodologies.

Lesson 2: Essential UX Design Principles

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • An overview of the core UX design principles: usability, accessibility, and simplicity.
  • How to apply user-centered design principles to create intuitive interfaces.
  • Best practices for ensuring usability and accessibility in design.
  • Real-world examples demonstrating effective use of UX principles.

Lesson 3: Understanding User Psychology

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Introduction to the psychology behind user behavior and decision-making.
  • Common cognitive biases and how they impact design decisions.
  • How emotional design influences user perception and satisfaction.
  • Case studies on how psychology is applied in UX design.

Lesson 4: How Users See and Process Information

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Key visual processing patterns and their role in design.
  • Understanding how visual hierarchy and layout guide user attention.
  • Techniques for using spacing, alignment, and contrast to improve UI.
  • Practical exercises on creating effective visual hierarchies.

Lesson 5: Defining Use Cases for Your Design

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Definition and importance of use cases in UX design.
  • How to develop user scenarios and personas.
  • Methods for gathering user data to create realistic use cases.
  • Applying use cases to inform design decisions.

Lesson 6: Creating User Flows and Journeys

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Definition and components of user flows.
  • Techniques for mapping user journeys and identifying key interactions.
  • How to use user flows to streamline the design process.
  • Creating user flow diagrams and evaluating their effectiveness.

Lesson 7: Organizing Information Effectively

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Key principles of information architecture (IA).
  • Methods for creating sitemaps, hierarchies, and categorization schemes.
  • Tools and techniques for designing effective IA structures.
  • Practical exercises in building and testing IA designs.

Lesson 8: Using Card Sorting to Organize Content

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Overview of card sorting and its purpose in UX design.
  • Different types of card sorting: open, closed, and hybrid.
  • Conducting card sorting sessions and analyzing results.
  • How to use card sorting data to inform IA decisions.

Lesson 9: Designing Sitemaps for Better Navigation

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Definition and purpose of sitemaps in UX design.
  • Techniques for creating effective sitemaps for websites and applications.
  • Tools for designing and testing sitemaps.
  • Case studies demonstrating effective sitemap designs.

Lesson 10: Principles for Designing Intuitive Navigation

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Key principles of navigation design: simplicity, consistency, and feedback.
  • Best practices for designing menus, links, and navigation elements.
  • Techniques for testing and refining navigation systems.
  • Real-world examples of effective and ineffective navigation.

Lesson 11: Designing Accessible User Interfaces

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Understanding accessibility guidelines and their impact on UX.
  • Techniques for designing accessible forms, buttons, and media.
  • Practical applications of ARIA roles and attributes.
  • Evaluating and testing accessibility in UI designs.

Lesson 12: Usability Testing for Better UX

Time commitment: 30 mins

  • Planning and conducting usability tests.
  • Creating test scenarios and recruiting participants.
  • Analyzing results and identifying usability issues.
  • Using findings to iterate and refine UX designs.

Lesson 13: Introduction to Wireframing

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Introduction to wireframing and its role in the UX design process.
  • Tools and techniques for creating low-fidelity and high-fidelity wireframes.
  • Best practices for structuring content and defining UI elements.
  • Practical exercises in building wireframes for different use cases.

Lesson 14: Applying UX Laws to Your Designs

Time commitment: 25 mins

  • Overview of key UX laws, such as Fitts’s Law, Hick’s Law, and the Law of Proximity.
  • Understanding how these laws influence design choices and user behavior.
  • Techniques for applying these principles to UI and UX design.
  • Practical exercises and real-world examples to reinforce understanding.

Lesson 15: Documenting UX Design Decisions

Time commitment: 20 mins

  • Methods for documenting UX design processes and decisions.
  • Creating design specifications, annotations, and user journey maps.
  • Best practices for keeping documentation organized and accessible.
  • Using documentation to facilitate collaboration and feedback.

Lesson 16: Presenting UX Designs to Stakeholders

Time commitment: 30 mins

  • Preparing and structuring design presentations.
  • Techniques for communicating design intent and rationale.
  • Handling stakeholder questions and incorporating feedback.
  • Best practices for running effective design reviews.

What’s Next?

In the next chapter, you’ll begin your journey into web development with HTML and CSS. Learn how to structure and style web pages, create responsive layouts, and design accessible, SEO-friendly websites. By the end, you’ll build a personal portfolio website to showcase your skills and projects effectively.