GRD 402 - Foundations of User Experience

Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 1
Lab Hours: 4
Practicum Hours: 0
Work Experience: 0
Course Type: Voc/Tech

1. Incorporate UX Design principles

   1. Understand WCAG guidelines and apply them to create inclusive designs
   2. Ensure uniformity in design elements, UI components, and interactions across platforms
   3. Prioritize the needs and goals of users when making design decisions
   4. Incorporate UX Design Principles into product designs
   5. Conduct and analyze usability tests to evaluate a product’s ease of use
   6. Design interfaces that provide clear, actionable feedback for user actions
   7. Create designs that enable users to complete tasks quickly and with minimal effort

2. Integrate user research in design

   1. Recall user research methodologies and their application in design
   2. Observe users in their natural environment to understand how they interact with products in real-world contexts
   3. Design surveys and analyze responses to understand user demographics, behaviors, and preferences
   4. Plan, moderate, and analyze user interviews to gather qualitative insights
   5. Create personas using research data to develop accurate and actionable user personas that represent key user segments
   6. Evaluate competitors’ products to understand market trends and uncover user needs
   7. Map the user experience from start to finish, identify pain points and opportunities for improvement
   8. Integrate research findings into the design process to create user-centered solutions
   9. Assess the effectiveness of user research in shaping design decisions

3. Evaluate Information Architecture (IA)

   1. Understand the principles of Information Architecture (IA) and content organization
   2. Organize and label content in a logical way that makes sense to users
   3. Design high-level maps that show the relationship between pages and sections in a website or app
   4. Design the path users will take to complete tasks within the system
   5. Facilitate card sorting sessions to understand how users categorize information and structure IA accordingly
   6. Develop intuitive and scalable navigation systems to enhance the discoverability of content
   7. Ensure IA can accommodate future growth, new features, and content changes without losing usability

4. Implement Wireframing and Prototyping

   1. Understand wireframing and prototyping tools like Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, or InVision
   2. Create low-fidelity wireframes to outline layout, structure, and functionality without visual distractions
   3. Develop interactive prototypes that simulate user interactions to test functionality and flow
   4. Maintain different versions of wireframes and prototypes to track changes and improve designs over time
   5. Conduct usability tests with prototypes to identify usability issues before final design
   6. Refine prototypes through an iterative process based on feedback and usability testing.
   7. Demonstrate proficiency with wireframing and prototyping tools

5. Incorporate Usability Testing

   1. Understand the principles of usability testing and testing strategies
   2. Develop a clear testing strategy, define goals, and select appropriate participants for usability tests
   3. Design task-based tests to evaluate how well users can complete specific tasks
   4. Moderate usability testing sessions, ask relevant questions, and observe user behavior
   5. Analyze usability testing data, identify key usability issues, and generate actionable insights
   6. Conduct A/B testing to compare variations of design elements and determine the most effective option
   7. Communicate test results to stakeholders and use insights to iterate and improve the design
   8. Assess the effectiveness of usability testing and its impact on design decisions

6. Integrate UI Design and Visual Design

   1. Understand design principles such as color theory, typography, and visual hierarchy
   2. Select appropriate fonts and establish readable text hierarchies
   3. Apply color theory to enhance readability, brand consistency, and user emotions
   4. Ensure design consistency across visual elements, including layout, spacing, and design patterns
   5. Create a clear visual hierarchy that guides users’ attention to important content and actions
   6. Design or select icons that are easily understandable and consistent with the product’s style
   7. Develop responsive designs that adapt to various screen sizes and devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)
   8. Create visually appealing and functional UI designs that improve user experience
   9. Ensure UI designs are effective in communicating the intended message and enhancing user interactions

7. Develop collaboration and communication skills

   1. Understand effective collaboration and communication strategies in a team environment
   2. Create detailed design specifications, style guides, and user flows to communicate design decisions clearly
   3. Engage with business stakeholders, developers, and other teams to gather feedback and align design solutions with goals
   4. Lead collaborative sessions, such as brainstorming or design critique workshops, to generate ideas and align teams
   5. Facilitate the design handoff process by sharing assets, specifications, and prototypes with development teams
   6. Navigate feedback and balance user-centered design principles with business or technical constraints
   7. Present design ideas and rationale to both technical and non-technical stakeholders