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Creating User Experiences

94-minute Design Course

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About this Course

Join us as we learn the basic principles of User Experience Design and how it shapes everyday interactions with products. By structuring products around users’ needs, we can ensure that the products do their job. You will learn how to meet users where they are, think through intuitive experiences, and create products that more effectively meet both your goals and your end users’ goals. This course will help you think more critically through the steps and decisions a user makes while interacting with your product. If you’re considering a career in User Experience (UX) or want to learn more about it, this course will expose you to how to design and plan around the people who use your product.

What you'll learn

  • What is UX Design, & why is it important?
  • What is a user?
  • How to design for different user personas
  • Determine product goals
  • Understanding a user’s journey

Intro to User Experience (UX) Design

Welcome! In Stage One, we’ll focus on the big picture of UX: what it is, why it matters, and how it can help your users as they interact with your product.

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Understanding Our Users

Imagine throwing a surprise party for a total stranger—it would be almost impossible to create a pleasant experience for someone you didn’t know! In the same way, it’s crucial to understand your users. It’s important to see where they’re coming from so that you can build the best experience possible.

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Strategy: Determining Goals for your Product

Your users aren’t typing a URL into their browser because they think it’s fun: they have goals in mind! When you go shopping online, you have different goals, like looking for sales or buying some new pants. Your users are also trying to meet their goals by using your product, so it’s important to find ways to help them reach their goals—while simultaneously reaching yours.

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Planning Your Users’ Journey

We’re in the home stretch! Let’s combine the users and their goals to make a user flow, which is the route we want users to take through the product.

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Teachers

  • Alena Holligan

    After starting out in fine art and moving into graphic design, Alena found her passion for programming over 15 years ago and has never looked back. Alena enjoys community and is excited to introduce people to the wonderful world of PHP and the Portland Tech Community.

    When not at her computer, Alena enjoys exploring Portland with her friends and family, including her 3 young children. She also enjoys the Symphony, Cooking, Books, Yarn and Yoga.

  • Kaleigh Veca

    Kaleigh Veca is a UX Architect at Designsensory, a digital agency in Tennessee. She works daily to make sure that her company’s clients can give their users the best possible experience, backed by research and created with the users’ unique needs in mind. With a love of camping, flannel shirts, and hiking, she happily resides in Knoxville, TN, a stone’s throw away from the Smoky Mountains. Twitter: @kveca

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