General Assembly Course Curriculum USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN IMMERSIVE
User Experience Design Immersive Table of Contents 3 Overview 5 Students 6 Projects Frequently 8 Asked Questions 10 Contact Information 2
Overview OVERVIEW THE FRAMEWORK We are constantly surrounded by user experiences, from elevator buttons to our favorite apps. Each and every one of these experiences has been designed, with a great deal of thought given to how we interact with objects, find information, or exchange ideas. At the same time, we re also surrounded by unique problems, struggles, and needless complexity; all of which can be solved by great design. A User Experience Designer is able to create experiences that address the needs of customers in a way that brings them joy and delight. This requires a great deal of empathy, imagination, and skill. The User Experience Design Immersive is built for students to live and breathe user experience design. Composed of classes delivered by top practitioners, workshops meant to build students portfolios, and social events that immerse students into the UX community, UXDI is made for those looking to enter the world of user experience. This ten-week immersive program prepares students to think like designers and approach problems creatively in order to design the next generation of great apps, websites, and digital products. 3
Overview Continued OVERVIEW THE OBJECTIVES By the end of this course, students will be able to: Identify the most effective methods of user research for any given project and how to implement them (User Research). Organize vast amounts of information, from articles in a magazine to items on an e-commerce site, in a way that makes sense to users (Information Architecture). Design the behavior of digital products in order to support user goals (Interaction Design). Communicate the use and function of a digital tool through visual design to ensure that users of that product can effectively interact with it (Visual Design). Utilize the fundamentals of HTML and CSS to create mockups and interactive prototypes in the browser (Front- End Web Development). Articulate your thinking and process via words, written & verbal, and pictures, through sketches, wireframes, and presentations (Design Communication). Utilize business requirements and technical constraints/ abilities in order to design products that can be launched successfully into the world (Solving Business Problems). Work with a team of fellow designers, stakeholders, and programmers in order to create polished, functional products and prototypes (Team Collaboration). 4
Students STUDENTS INDIVIDUALS LOOKING TO TRANSITION Individuals taking this course are looking to transition into the world of user experience design, either as a designer, researcher, or information architect. STUDENT BACKGROUNDS Our students come from many different backgrounds, from graphic designers, to creative directors, architects, web developers, and product managers. We don t expect any previous design or technical experience, just excitement and dedication to learn. 5
Projects PROJECTS PROJECT GOALS UXDI focuses on teaching key UX skills, allowing you to apply those skills to various projects, which will end up serving as the foundation of your portfolio. Over the ten-week period, you will work on five different projects. PROJECT 1 Create the foundation of an app for a fellow classmate through a lean UX process of rapid prototyping and ideation. This project will immediately introduce you to the range of skills required in the UX field, including: User Interviews Participatory Design Sketching Rapid Prototyping PROJECT 2 Practice the fundamentals of User Experience Design by creating the key parts of an e-commerce experience. This project will introduce you to important structural and interactive UX skills, including: Design & Discovery Process Information Architecture Interaction Design Communicating & Presenting Design All Previous Skills PROJECT 3 Create a new app/feature for an existing brand that reimagines how users consume content on a daily basis. This project reiterates skills used during Project 1 & 2, but goes much deeper into the following methodologies: Research & Process Product Management Interface Design Business Metrics & Requirements All Previous Skills 6
Projects PROJECTS PROJECT 4 Apply the UX design process to build out your own personal portfolio in order to display all of the work you ve done throughout the UXDI program. During this project, you ll apply: Building Portfolios Personal Branding Front-End Basics Visual Design Fundamentals All Previous Skills PROJECT 5 Collaborate directly with external clients to apply your UX skills to their existing product in order to create a brand new feature or improve an existing one. During this project, you ll apply: Working with Clients & Stakeholders Project Planning Solving Business Problems Next Steps & Career Path All Previous Skills 7
FAQs FAQS WHY IS THIS COURSE RELEVANT TODAY? What separates a good product from a great product an app that jumps to a user s home page rather than getting pushed to the back of a folder, or a website that people can t wait to share with their friends and family is user experience. User Experience Designers constantly analyze the world around them in a never-ending quest to bring joy, simplicity, and function to everyday experiences. The User Experience Design Immersive aims to get students to think like designers, and equip them with the skills and tools necessary to implement their vision. The field of User Experience Design is also growing rapidly and there s never been a better time to find a job in UX. WHAT PRACTICAL SKILL SETS CAN I EXPECT TO HAVE UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE? By the end of the course, you will be able to: Implement user research tactics to gain a deeper understanding of what users need and want Identify the best ways to organize information on a given site or app Design a digital product that behaves intuitively and brings joy and function to users Utilize visual design in order to make beautiful and easily learnable digital products Explain your process through the use of sketches, wireframes, and presentations Collaborate with design teams to see a project from start to finish 8
FAQs FAQS WHO WILL I BE SITTING NEXT TO IN THIS COURSE? People as passionate about great stuff as you are. Graphic designers, creative directors, journalists, architects, entrepreneurs, and folks just out of college. Individuals looking to enter the world of UX design professionally. Your future best friends. WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO ACCOMPLISH BY THE END OF CLASS? By the end of the course, you will have: Created two-to-three strong pieces of work for your portfolio, including artifacts such as sketches, user research, and working prototypes Learned about UX techniques and strategies from the top UX practitioners currently in the field Networked with some of the best designers, product managers and entrepreneurs in your local community. 9
Contact Info CONTACT COURSE APPLICATION ATLANTA atlanta_admissions@ga.co +1 (404) 334-7858 MELBOURNE melbourne_admissions@ga.co 1300 779-650 AUSTIN austin_admissions@ga.co +1 (512) 823-0359 NEW YORK nyc_admissions@ga.co +1 (917) 722-0237 BOSTON boston_admissions@ga.co +1 (617) 207-6245 SAN FRANCISCO sf_admissions@ga.co +1 (415) 592 6885 CHICAGO chicago_admissions@ga.co +1 (312) 248-6213 SEATTLE seattle_admissions@ga.co +1 (206) 258-7033 HONG KONG hk_admissions@ga.co 852 9473-3608 SINGAPORE singapore_admissions@ga.co LONDON london_admissions@ga.co +44 (0) 20 3818-3251 SYDNEY sydney_admissions@ga.co 1300 779-580 LOS ANGELES la_admissions@ga.co +1 (213) 263-4147 WASHINGTON, DC dc_admissions@ga.co +1 (202) 517-1777 10