User Interface Design
ART-40535
User Interface Design
9 Weeks | No Prerequisite
In today’s digital landscape, a well-crafted user interface can mean the difference between a product that’s quickly abandoned and one that users love. User Interface Design equips you with time-tested principles and modern techniques to create engaging, intuitive designs that adapt to any viewing device. By developing a wireframe, a mockup, and a polished, five-page UI project, you’ll gain the hands-on experience needed to move confidently from concept to execution.
Course Details
This course goes beyond theory, focusing on real-world application and critical feedback. You’ll study both exemplary and problematic interfaces to understand what makes certain designs effective and others frustrating. With guidance on information architecture, navigation, aesthetics, and responsive layouts, you’ll learn how to transform abstract ideas into tangible, user-friendly solutions.
By the end, you won’t just know how to design interfaces—you’ll know why design decisions matter. Armed with strategies for planning, prototyping, and implementing design projects, you’ll be ready to craft interfaces that anticipate user needs, streamline user journeys, and achieve your project goals. Whether you’re designing for desktop, mobile, or multiple platforms, this course gives you the skills to deliver a seamless, human-centered experience.
What You'll Learn
- Plan, prototype, and design user interfaces for diverse platforms.
- Apply core design principles that enhance user experience and usability.
- Understand how to select the right tools and methods for each stage of the project.
- Organize and structure information to streamline navigation and content flow.
- Craft clear and intuitive navigation to guide users effectively.
- Utilize visual layout techniques and aesthetics to engage and delight users.
- Address unique challenges posed by mobile interfaces and responsive design.
- Implement user input methods—forms and controls—that support smooth interactions.
- Manage the full lifecycle of an interactive project, from initial planning to final presentation.
- Integrate atomic design principles to build modular, scalable UI systems.
Course Information
Software: Design and prototyping tools (e.g., Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD), Basic image editing software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator). Instructor will provide details.
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design 3rd
by Jenifer Tidwell, Charles Brewer, Aynne Valencia
ISBN / ASIN: 9781492051961
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 1/10/2025
- Early Enrollment Discount: $670 ($695 if enrolled after 12/9/2024)
- Early enrollment advised
- No UCSD parking permit required
- No visitors permitted
Note:
Schedule:
Instructor:
Kristian Secor, M.S., Ed.D. Educational Technology
Developer, educator and author of web and mobile technologies.
Kristian Secor teaches Principle of User Experience, User Experience Design I, and User Interface Design for the User Experience (UX) Design certificate program.
He has taught web design topics ranging from server-side programming to user experience for ten years, and has taught over 200 courses in seventeen topics. He has produced websites for diverse markets such as school districts and sports franchises. He received a master's degree in eMedia from Quinnipiac University and an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership from Argosy University.
