This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles of user interface (UI), user experience (UX) design, and product prototyping. Designed for aspiring designers and product managers, the course focuses on practical skills and theoretical knowledge necessary to design intuitive and impactful digital products. By the end of the course, students will be well-equipped to enter the market with a robust portfolio of work showcasing their skills in creating user-centered design solutions.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn to:

1. Understand User Needs: Conduct user research and create user personas and journey maps.
2. Design Principles: Master the fundamental principles of good UI design including layout, color theory, typography, and accessibility.
3. Prototyping: Learn to create low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes to visualize design solutions.
4. Usability Testing: Design and conduct usability tests to validate and iterate on designs.
5. Interaction Design: Understand how users interact with products and learn to design for optimal user experiences.
6. Responsive Design: Create designs that work across different devices and screen sizes.
7. Product Thinking: Develop the ability to think critically about product strategy and business goals as they relate to design.
8. Project Management: Gain skills in managing design projects, including stakeholder communication and timeline management.

Course Equipments for the Market

• Portfolio Development: Hands-on projects that can be included in a professional portfolio.
• Real-World Scenarios: Work on case studies from various industries to gain insights into real-world application of UI/UX principles.
• Team Collaboration: Learn to collaborate effectively with developers, marketers, and product managers.
• Current Trends and Tools: Stay updated with the latest trends in design and technology.
• Client Interaction: Mock sessions on handling client presentations and feedback.

Tools Required

• Figma: For wireframing, user testing, and collaborative design.
• Protopie: For creating highly interactive prototyping and developer handoff.

Textbooks and Resources

1. "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug - A classic book on web usability, essential for understanding user-friendly design.
2. "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman - Provides foundational knowledge in user-centered design. (ISBN 0-385-2677-6.)
3. "About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design" by Alan Cooper - A comprehensive guide to interaction design.
4. "Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience" by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden - Focuses on integrating UX design with product management.