UX Design Foundations

Dis­cov­er what it means to use a user-cen­tered design process and learn the fun­da­men­tals of UX (user expe­ri­ence) design includ­ing the prin­ci­ples of design think­ing, user-cen­tered design and infor­ma­tion archi­tec­ture in this course. Gain an under­stand­ing of the impor­tance of user research, usabil­i­ty test­ing and assess­ment, and the basics of con­tex­tu­al inquiry. By the end of the course, you will be able to describe and apply cur­rent best prac­tices and con­ven­tions in UX design and make use of the fun­da­men­tal prin­ci­ples of UX design.
Course at a glance
  • Learn through interactive group discussions, analytical activities, and assignments.
  • Gain valuable hands-on experience and develop skills in areas such as user-centred design, design thinking, Agile processes, competitive analysis, usability testing, and heuristic evaluation.
  • Aimed at learners looking to get into the design field of User Experience (UX), upskill, or develop new skills, this program will be particularly relevant to those who are graphic designers, digital marketers, computer programmers, business and agency owners, entrepreneurs, and technology startups, as well as managers and team leads who work with designers.
  • Fully online asynchronous course accessible through eClass, the University of Alberta’s eLearning management tool.
What you will learn

Course content covers these career-enhancing skills:

Click on a skill for overview & job postings data

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand the user-centred design process and the principles of design thinking.
  • Differentiate between the Waterfall and Agile methodologies.
  • Identify and apply different research methods in the UX design process.
  • Develop a user persona.
  • Demonstrate how UX and UI both contribute to solving human problems.
  • Understand interaction, communication, and multiscreen design.
  • Evaluate information architecture and discoverability through the lens of industry best practices.
  • Utilize competitive analysis, sketching, wireframing, and prototyping (paper and rapid).
  • Understand concepts in usability testing, heuristic evaluation, cognitive psychology, and biases.
    Course content preview:
    This course has no prerequisites

    Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

    Take note:

    • To participate in the activities of this course, you’ll need to sign up for the free version of the Adobe XD design tool.
    • All required learning materials are provided through eClass at no additional cost.
    Currently counts towards:

    Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

    *If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

    Email

    techprog@ualberta.ca

    When will
    this course be offered?

    New course schedules are released each June and November.

    Scheduled for Fall/Winter:

    Info & Register