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Course

UX Design: User Experience Research Methods

ART-40639

User Experience (UX) Design I - Research Methods
10 Weeks | Prerequisite: Principles of User Experience (ART-40638) or equivalent experience.

Welcome to User Experience: Research Methods, where you’ll take the next essential step in your UX journey. Building on the foundations from the Principles of User Experience course, this class dives deeper into UX research and design methods. You’ll master tools like Agile, iterative, and Waterfall methodologies while honing an analytical mindset crucial for user-centered design.

Through hands-on learning, you’ll conduct user research, analyze findings, and redesign user experiences, producing two case studies that showcase your skills and enhance your portfolio. You’ll gain expertise in professional wireframing and prototyping tools like Axure, creating polished designs that meet industry standards.

This course also emphasizes collaboration and communication. You’ll learn to engage stakeholders, document user behaviors, and create personas to guide informed design decisions. By the end, you’ll understand the core methodologies of UX design, excel in user research, and deliver user-centered prototypes with confidence.

 

What You'll Learn

  • Engage Stakeholders Effectively: Identify roles in UX design and build strong collaborations with key stakeholders.
  • Learn Project Methodologies: Differentiate between Agile, iterative, and Waterfall approaches to drive project success.
  • Conduct Comprehensive User Research: Gather and document in-person and remote user insights to inform design decisions.
  • Communicate User Needs with Personas: Develop and present personas that provide a clear understanding of user behaviors and preferences.
  • Design and Prototype with Confidence: Redesign user experiences and create professional wireframes and prototypes using tools like Axure.
  • Plan and Execute Rollouts: Strategize for development, product launches, and ongoing quality assurance.
  • Deliver Actionable Case Study Recommendations: Analyze real-world projects to identify and propose impactful design solutions.

Course Information

4.00 units
TBD
Notes: Quarters Offered: Spring and Fall.
Equipment/Software: Students should have the latest versions of either OmniGraffle or Axure installed on their computers, as well as the latest version of Adobe Creative Cloud. UCSD DES students are eligible for an Adobe Creative Cloud student discount.
Flexible Enrollment: This course is a Required Course for the User Experience (UX) Design Professional Certificate but is open to all students, even if you're not enrolled in the Certificate Program. Principles of User Experience is the prerequisite for this course. 
Academic Calendar: The Academic Calendar shows the open enrollment dates and term start dates for each quarter. Courses do not necessarily start on the first day of the term.
This course was previously titled: UX 1.

Get more information

This course applies to these programs

User Experience (UX) Design

Course sessions

Please contact the Arts, Humanities, Languages & Digital Arts department at 858-534-5508 or unex-digital@ucsd.edu for information about this course and upcoming sections.