Introduction to UX Design Basics for Non-Web Developers

Course Objectives

Working in a hands-on learning environment led by our expert UX coach, you’ll learn to:

• Understand user interactions and mental models: Participants will learn how users think and process information, gaining insights into user expectations, mental models, and best practices for responding to common UX situations.
• Collaborate effectively with UX professionals: Participants will learn the role of UX in an organization, when to engage UX experts in projects, and how to communicate and collaborate effectively with UX designers and researchers.
• Organize content and design intuitive site layouts: Participants will gain the skills to create user-centric content organization strategies, apply information architecture principles, and design site layouts that are easy to use and navigate.
• Enhance navigation through design principles: Participants will learn to improve website navigation by applying signposting, wayfinding, and navigation patterns, as well as incorporating usability and accessibility considerations into their designs.
• Collect and incorporate user input and feedback: Participants will learn how to design intuitive forms and input methods, collect and analyze user feedback, and incorporate user insights into design iterations to create more engaging and effective digital experiences.

Audience

The intended audience for this course is non-web developers or individuals without a web development background who need to learn the basics of User Experience (UX) design. These participants may come from various industries and roles where an understanding of user-centered design and UX principles can contribute to creating better digital experiences and enhance collaboration with UX professionals.

Roles that would benefit from this course include:

• Product Managers: Individuals responsible for defining product features and requirements, who seek to gain a better understanding of UX principles in order to create user-centric products and collaborate effectively with UX designers and researchers.
• Content Creators and Strategists: Professionals responsible for creating and managing digital content, who want to learn UX principles to improve content organization, layout, and navigation, ultimately creating more engaging and effective user experiences.
• Graphic Designers: Designers with a background in visual design who want to expand their skillset to include UX concepts and best practices, allowing them to create more user-friendly and intuitive designs for digital platforms.
• Marketing and Sales Professionals: Individuals responsible for promoting products or services on digital platforms, who want to learn UX principles to enhance user engagement, conversion rates, and overall user satisfaction.
• Business Analysts and Project Managers: Professionals responsible for defining project requirements and overseeing project execution, who want to gain a better understanding of UX design principles to ensure the delivery of user-centric solutions and effectively collaborate with UX professionals.
• Entrepreneurs and Start-up Founders: Individuals launching their own businesses or digital products, who seek to learn UX principles and best practices to create more engaging, user-friendly, and accessible digital experiences for their target audience.

Pre-Requisites

In order to be successful in the course you should possess:

• Basic computer literacy: Participants should have basic computer skills, such as the ability to navigate and use common software applications, browse the internet, and manage files and folders on their devices. This foundational knowledge will help participants engage effectively with the course materials and hands-on activities.
• Familiarity with digital platforms: Participants should have a general understanding of various digital platforms (such as websites, mobile apps, and desktop applications) and their primary components, including navigation menus, buttons, and forms. This will help them better comprehend the UX concepts and best practices introduced in the course.
• Interest in user-centered design: Participants should have an interest in learning about user-centered design principles and applying them to real-world projects. This motivation will facilitate engagement in the course and enable participants to effectively incorporate the learned concepts into their work or future projects.

Course Agenda

1. Understanding Users and Their Interactions

• How users think
• Mental models and expectations
• Common UX situations and best practices

2. The Role of UX in an Organization

• Importance of UX in projects
• Collaborating with UX professionals
• When to engage UX experts in projects
• Hands-on Activity: User Journey Mapping

• Creating user personas
• Mapping user journeys for a sample website
• Identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement

3. Organizing Content and Designing for Ease of Use

• Content organization strategies
• Information architecture principles
• Designing an intuitive site layout
• Hands-on Activity: Creating a Site Structure

• Brainstorming and organizing content for a sample website
• Developing a site structure and information architecture
• Presenting and discussing the results

4. Enhancing Navigation

• Signposting, wayfinding, and navigation patterns
• Improving navigation through design
• Usability and accessibility considerations
• Hands-on Activity: Designing Navigation

• Creating navigation elements for a sample website
• Testing and refining the navigation design
• Sharing and discussing the results

5. Laying Out Pages for Ease of Use

• Principles of page layout and design
• Visual hierarchy and consistency
• Designing for different devices and screen sizes
• Hands-on Activity: Creating a Wireframe

• Designing a wireframe for a sample website
• Incorporating navigation, content organization, and layout principles
• Presenting and discussing the results

6. Collecting User Input and Feedback

• Designing intuitive forms and input methods
• Collecting and analyzing user feedback
• Incorporating user feedback into design iterations

Course Wrap-up and Q&A