Pick up new & fresh digital design skills :-)
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Digital design, also known as User Experience Design or UX Design, is one of the most exciting jobs in technology! Whether you're a high school or college student, someone who works in technology, or anyone just looking to learn some new digital skills, The Makery Group has prepared a fun and free introduction to UX design class for you!
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Research Start the design process by conducting research - get to know your users and identify exactly what they need for the website you'll be designing.
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DesignTake what you've learned about your users and design a homepage for your website - this is where you'll see your creativity come to life!
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TestingGet feedback from real users on your design concepts - Then, build a snazzy design presentation to share your awesome progress!
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Ok, ready to get started?!
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RESEARCH
The first step is getting to know the user of your website!
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Overview User research is the starting point for every designer and we can’t skip this step as it’s the foundation to the design. This is the stage where UX designers identify user needs, pain points and goals. We’ll also identify information about the industry, competitors and what looks good! This information will be summarized in a User Persona - a fictional representation of your ideal customer for the local coffee shop. |
Assignment Step 1 Look at the following coffee websites...Make a list (on paper or just in your head) of what you like and what you don't like. Humphrey Street Coffee Blue Bottle Coffee Dogwood Coffee Shop Step 2 After you have a looked at other coffee shops websites, let's make sure you really know your user. Do this by building your user experience persona! Watch How to Create a User Persona Read How to Create a User Persona Step 3 You can simply write our your User Person information on a piece of paper or type it out in word document...or you can fill create a snazzy version with the free design tool, Canva. Try out out, it's pretty fun. Build a User Persona in Canva Download a User Persona |
What should your user persona look like? Here are some great examples!
DESIGN
DESIGNING THE HOMEPAGE
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Now that you've studied the competition and have built your user persona, it's time to design a concept of the homepage for the coffee shop!
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Lesson 2
Ok, we're going to start designing a homepage!
Ok, we're going to start designing a homepage!
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What should your wireframe design looks like? Here are some great examples!
FEEDBACK
GET FEEDBACK ON YOUR DESIGN WITH REAL USERS!
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To make sure your website design is going to work for your user, it's important to get feedback from real people! You'll share your work with family and friendly, get feedback, then put together a snazzy design presentation of all your awesome work!
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FEEDBACK
Let's see what real users have to say ;)
Let's see what real users have to say ;)
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Summary User testing is a great way to discover improvements with your website! Taking a little time to talk and interview potential users of your website makes sure that what you've design makes sense. You'll learn how to interview your user - this can be your friends, family and can easily be done remotely as well - you pick! After you've interviewed a few users, you'll summarize the feedback and make improvements to your wireframe design. Once you're done, then you can pull all your work (User Persona, Wireframe, Testing) and build a snazzy design presentation. |
Assignments Step 1 Learn how to conduct user interviews, take notes and summarize the improvements you need to make. This can be done with friends, family - you can do it remotely too! Watch User Testing Why & How Read How to Do User Testing Step 2 UX presentations are the ideal time for you to paint a picture of what the design will be like, how it makes people’s lives better, and how it made users feel. This is your opportunity to show off all your hard work, to get other people on board with your project. Your presentation should include:
Read 11 Tips for presenting your UX Designs Watch UX Presentation Examples Design Your UX Presentation in Canva |
What does a UX presentation look like? Here's an example!
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Congrats!
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We're sure that the coffee shop owner is going to love your work ;) You've now learned the fundamentals of User Experience Design - research, design & get user feedback. If you'd like a UX designer to give feedback on your work, or if you'd want to learn more about user experience design, just email us at The Makery - we're here to help :)
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Share This Free Design Class with your friends :)
The Makery's mission is make opportunity for others in the world. To support this mission, we re-invest a percentage of our profits, resources and time into providing free design programs and curriculum for Minnesota's high school students. Together, we are building the next generation of Makers.
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