User Experience Design

Aims of the course

• To gain knowledge of the principles of User Experience (UX) Design.
• To develop awareness about UX Design methods and tools.
• To understand the importance of empathy in UX Design.
• To experiment how to creatively build ideas and tell compelling stories.
• To develop a user-centred, inclusive mindset applicable in both personal and working life.
• To connect with a group of like-minded colleagues and UX Design leaders from major worldwide businesses.

Course content overview

Nowadays, in a time everyone is required to continuously acquire new skills, it is extremely relevant to make sure that we understand the importance of having a user-centred, inclusive mindset, what being a UX Designer means and what tools are available to efficiently craft meaningful experiences.

This course will emphasise the central role of thinking creatively with empathy, and the importance of understanding different methods to approach problem solving, innovation, and establish a working practice that helps to craft inclusive experiences.

The UX Design course will stress the importance of inclusion and diversity in the creative process, storytelling, pitching and advocating about ideas to influence peers by delivering inclusive experiences across different countries.

With this course participants will be able to transition in to UX Design roles, approach life with a more empathetic, inclusive attitude, and infuse the UX Design mindset to colleagues and friends.

Target Audience

• Those interested in learning more about design thinking, creativity, innovation, and storytelling.
• Those considering becoming User Experience Designers or approaching User Experience Research.
• User Experience Designers and User Experience Researchers in training.
• No prior UX Design experience is necessary, although participants would normally be working within organisations or working professionally with organisations.

Welcome week (Week 0)

Purpose:

• personal introductions
• introducing the course
• useful reading
• personal objectives

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should have: 

• become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
• test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
• learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
• contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies 

Teaching Week 1: Introduction to UX Design: the importance of meaningfully connecting with people

Purpose:

The focus of this week is to explore what UX Design is, the relevance of connecting with people and the overall core skills of a User Experience Designer.

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, participants should have:

• knowledge and understanding of the principles of UX Design
• knowledge and understanding of the importance of connecting with people according to the principles of inclusion, diversity, and equity
• taken part in a practice session with a fellow participant to experiment how to meaningfully connect with other individuals

Teaching Week 2: The relevance of UX Design: approach, methods and applications

Purpose:

The focus of this week is to comprehend the approach and available methods and to familiarize with them across multiple applications in different scenarios.

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, participants should have:

• a deeper understanding of UX Design approach and methods
• knowledge and ability to clearly justify how and when to use methods, according to project goals, timing and budget
• taken part in a learn by doing session with a fellow participant with a practical challenge

Teaching Week 3: Deep dive into UX Design methods and tools: WWWWWH, what, who, where, when, why and how

Purpose:

This week will deep dive into methods and tools and will explore the “what, who, where, when, why and how” of UX Design by helping participants to recognize which tool fits best their specific goals in collaboration with co-workers.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week, participants should have:

• knowledge and understanding of the methods and tools and their applicability
• learnt how to apply tools and methods sessions through applied exercises
• knowledge and understanding of how to prioritise choices for creating inclusive experiences

Teaching Week 4: Industry case studies

Purpose:

The focus of this week is to illuminate participants with case studies and allow them to discover how to apply user-centred research  into user-centred design and create inclusive products and services.

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, participants should have:

• greater awareness on how to communicate ideas, the art of storytelling and to influence peers and customers with compelling stories that evoke emotions
• deeper understanding of the mindset, the job as a UX Designer in a large organization
• understanding on how to connect with companies and what to offer for a possible career change or new job opportunity in UX Design

Teaching Week 5: Becoming a UX Designer: opportunities and challenges

Purpose:

This final teaching week focuses on the practical aspects of becoming a UX Designer, what are the opportunities offered in the market, what are the challenges and how to get ready to land a job in the UX Design market.

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, participants should have:

• knowledge and understanding of the practical aspects of being a UX Designer
• understanding the importance of a portfolio, the benefit of being a UX Designer, and how the job market is eager to recruit UX Designers
• grasp the significance of UX Design in several business sectors and job market dynamics
• reflections from industry case studies 

Week 6: what next?

• assessment of student learning
• assessment of student satisfaction
• encouragement of further study

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.  

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences. 

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course. 

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours of self-study time, for example, reading materials, although this will vary from person to person. 

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material). 

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the VLE so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (using discussion boards etc).

Fees

The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes. 

Concessions

For more information, please see our concessions information page. 

Alison Fordham Bursary

University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses. 

Application criteria:

• applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
• applicants who can demonstrate financial need 

For more information, please see our bursaries information page.

A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.