This course is part of the UI / UX Design Specialization

Roman Jaster

Offered By

UI / UX Design SpecializationCalifornia Institute of the Arts

About this Course

76,191 recent views

This course is focused on the early user experience (UX) challenges of research, planning, setting goals, understanding the user, structuring content, and developing interactive sequences. While the concepts covered will translate to many kinds of interactive media (apps, digital kiosks, games), our primary focus will be on designing contemporary, responsive websites. In this course you will complete the first half of a large scale project—developing a comprehensive plan for a complex website—by defining the strategy and scope of the site, as well as developing its information architecture and overall structure. Along the way we will also discuss:
- Different job descriptions in the web design industry and where UX and UI skills fall within this spectrum
 - The difference between native apps and websites
 - The difference of agile vs. waterfall approaches
 - User personas and site personas
 - User testing

The work and knowledge in this course continues in the last course in the UI/UX Design Specialization, Web Design: Wireframes to Prototypes, where you will tackle—finally—wireframes, visual mockups, and clickable prototypes.
This is the third course in the UI/UX Design Specialization, which brings a design-centric approach to user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, and offers practical, skill-based instruction centered around a visual communications perspective, rather than on one focused on marketing or programming alone.

These courses are ideal for anyone with some experience in graphic or visual design and who would like to build their skill set in UI or UX for app and web design. It would also be ideal for anyone with experience in front- or back-end web development or human-computer interaction and want to sharpen their visual design and analysis skills for UI or UX.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 4 in the

UI / UX Design Specialization

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Skills you will gain

Adobe IllustratorAdobe IndesignTreejack

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 4 in the

UI / UX Design Specialization

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.93/5 (116 Ratings)

Roman Jaster

Visiting Faculty, Program in Graphic Design

School of Art

45,862 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(3,404 ratings)

Week

Week 1

22 minutes to complete

Course Overview

Welcome! In this first module I will summarize the assignments and expectations of this course.

22 minutes to complete

1 video (Total 3 min), 9 readings

1 video

Course Introduction3m

9 readings

About this course2m

About the assignments3m

Required tools2m

Instructor Presence and Staff Support 1m

Forum Guidelines2m

Requesting Peer Reviews2m

Academic Integrity2m

Extended free trial offer from Optimal Workshop2m

About CalArts and the Program in Graphic Design3m

3 hours to complete

The User Experience Process

This week I will give you a brief overview of the user experience process that I will teach in this course sequence. We will begin by defining the term "user experience", and then briefly look at the five phases of UX design: Strategy, Outline of Scope, Sitemap, Wireframes, and Visual Mockups. I will also talk about the differences between mobile apps and websites, and the differences between waterfall and agile approaches to UX design. Lastly, I will introduce you to the main project that you will be working on in this course and the one that follows it. You’ll be starting your first assignment at the end of the week. Last, here's something to keep in mind this week: “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”—Steve Jobs

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 39 min), 5 readings, 2 quizzes

9 videos

Introduction to Week 11m

Defining the term "user experience"4m

User-centric design3m

What could possibly go wrong?4m

The UX Phases (part 1)4m

The UX Phases (part 2)3m

Waterfall vs. Agile4m

Web vs. App7m

Project Ideas: Alyson and Bradley5m

5 readings

Job Titles in the Web Industry7m

About Web vs. App optional quiz1m

Project Brief5m

Try it yourself: Research existing restaurants15m

A Final Thought for the Week1m

1 practice exercise

Web vs. App30m

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Asking Good Questions: Determining Strategy

This week is all about strategy. We will talk about how to conduct research in the beginning of a project. And I will tell you about the importance of defining a target audience for your website. We’ll also discuss how to determine user needs and client needs. The strategy that you develop in this first step in the UX process will influence all decisions you make further down the line. That’s why it’s so important to take the time and think about what you want to accomplish, what the goals are, and how they might be measured when the project launches.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 90 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

Introduction to Week 21m

User Research2m

Inspiration4m

Analytics5m

User Needs and Client Needs7m

Target Audience7m

Strategy: Alyson and Bradley16m

Interview with Craig Cooke: Determining success45m

5 readings

Inspirational Websites20m

Try it yourself: User research methods15m

Example User and Client Needs: Pasadena Conservatory2m

User Personas10m

A Final Thought for the Week1m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

What is in and What is Out: Outlining Scope

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 65 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

6 videos

Introduction to Week 357s

Introduction to Outline of Scope3m

Content and Functionality8m

Outline of Scope Example4m

Scope: Alyson and Bradley16m

Interview with Melissa Kuo30m

2 readings

Try it yourself: Sorting content and functionality requirements10m

A Final Thought for the Week1m

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Getting your Ducks in a Row: The Sitemap

Welcome to the last week of this course. With your outline of scope in hand, you will now learn how to transform the content and functionality requirements determined last week into a navigable structure. This structure will be visualized by something called a sitemap. I’ll tell you all about sitemaps and how to create them. Along the way we will also define the term "information architecture". And I will introduce a tool called TreeJack, which will enable you to test your site map on actual users.

3 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 43 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

10 videos

Introduction to Week 445s

Introduction to Sitemaps2m

Information Architecture1m

Sitemap Concerns8m

Sitemapping: an annotated process5m

Sitemap Elements3m

Sitemap Example2m

Treejack Introduction3m

Treejack Analysis5m

Sitemap: Alyson and Bradley10m

5 readings

My Stuff or Your Stuff?5m

Try it Yourself: Test your sitemap using Treejack30m

Other UX tools from Optimal Workshop5m

Next Steps2m

A Final Thought for the Week1m

About the UI / UX Design Specialization

The UI/UX Design Specialization brings a design-centric approach to user interface and user experience design, and offers practical, skill-based instruction centered around a visual communications perspective, rather than on one focused on marketing or programming alone. In this sequence of four courses, you will summarize and demonstrate all stages of the UI/UX development process, from user research to defining a project’s strategy, scope, and information architecture, to developing sitemaps and wireframes. You’ll learn current best practices and conventions in UX design and apply them to create effective and compelling screen-based experiences for websites or apps.

User interface and user experience design is a high-demand field, but the skills and knowledge you will learn in this Specialization are applicable to a wide variety of careers, from marketing to web design to human-computer interaction. Learners enrolled in the UI/UX Design Specialization are eligible for an extended free trial (1 month) of a full product suite of UX tools from Optimal Workshop. Details are available in Course 3 of the Specialization, Web Design: Strategy and Information Architecture.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
What tools or software will I need to complete this course?
Since this is a graphic design course, to complete the assignments you will need access to a desktop or laptop computer with the appropriate software installed. You can't really do graphic design work properly on a smartphone or tablet. Adobe CC software is recommended for these courses, but alternatives are available. Software will be reviewed in greater detail in the first week of the course.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Web Design: Strategy and Information Architecture