UX Design Classes & Bootcamps Atlanta

User experience design, or UX design, is what guides a user’s experience with a digital product, website, application, or service from start to finish. It’s all about the overall look and feel users experience when interacting with products and services. A good UX design will give users simple navigation, clear content, and ease of use while delivering a meaningful and relevant experience. It deals with the overall feel of a product, including branding, design, usability, and function. Taking into account the who, what, why, and how of a product or service allows those in this field to strategize ways of designing a user experience that will yield the desired results, whether that means making a purchase, signing up, subscribing, or referring other users.

UX design is a multidisciplinary and user-centric field that people from many backgrounds can call home. You’ll find people who are trained in marketing, psychology, computer programming, and visual design working in this field because UX design takes into account the human psyche and technology. The balance this field achieves grounds users and allows them to easily digest products and services. Fulfilling user needs is the whole point of UX design. It’s often overlooked when it’s done well, and when it’s subpar, users will leave websites, delete apps, leave negative feedback, and return products.

What Can You Do with UX Design Training?

You’ll find that there are a lot of different projects that will benefit from your UX design training. Logo design is a common UX design undertaking. When designing logos, it’s helpful to know what makes a good logo, what makes it memorable, and how to align it with the mission or voice of an organization. It needs to make sense while at the same time exhibiting style and thoughtfulness. Much of the same can be said of landing pages. You don’t want to overwhelm site visitors, but you want to engage them and persuade them to take a specific action. Landing pages must find where the needs of the organization and the needs of the user are being met. You’ll also need to use UX design to figure out how the landing page will solve user problems. Your deep understanding of UX principles will allow your landing pages and logos to better engage with audiences while achieving the business goals of your employer or client.

Other projects that allow UX design to take the lead include building an ecommerce website, creating web and mobile applications, and marketing through digital means. Because UX focuses on the user experience and how an overall project feels, these projects allow you to fully demonstrate your mastery and ability to effectively problem-solve while also exhibiting style and creativity. Applications, whether mobile or web, must be intuitive and user-centered. Moreover, mobile apps must also be native to the operating system they run on. Without these qualities, users will not only be confused and disoriented, they’ll be less likely to interact with the application.

Ecommerce sites benefit most from personalized shopping experiences, simple navigation, and beauty. Without intentional and thoughtful UX deployment, ecommerce sites will suffer. Consumers want to find products and services easily without too many clicks, with clear and concise copy, intuitive and optimized navigation, and fast loading times. While it’s clear to see the role that UX design plays in ecommerce sites, it can be much less apparent in digital marketing. Digital marketing lives in the art of persuasion, meaning it must be largely user-centric to get the best returns without being overly pushy. Many marketing campaigns try to straddle a line where subtlety and persuasion meet, while others are in-your-face and catchy. While many design tools bring digital marketing campaigns to life, it is the UX design that addresses these marketing issues and approaches, enabling them to meet the needs of the user and the creating entity.

What Will I Learn in a UX Design Class?

When you decide to learn the principles, practices, and tools for UX design from a reputable training facility, you can expect to learn a variety of skills that will prepare you for carrying out UX design tasks and a career in the field. You’ll be learning about wireframing and prototyping, commonly used tools, and how to problem-solve and conduct research for improved user-centricity. While every class may not touch on all of these skills, you will find many of these to be core skills that are necessary for succeeding in UX design.

Creating Prototypes

Prototyping is the fourth phase and a key part of the UX design process. It helps designers, teams, and stakeholders get a better idea of what the result could be. It’s interactive and allows design teams to identify any missteps, areas for improvement, and fine-tune a design. Understanding how to implement prototypes is also critical to getting high-quality feedback from testers and focus groups. Without prototyping, there are many errors to correct before releasing a product or service. Well-crafted prototypes make the design process more efficient and cost-effective.

UX Design Tools

UX design professionals use many tools to achieve great designs that are intuitive and user-centric. Some of the more common tools in this field include Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, InVision, and GIMP. These tools are used to wireframe, prototype, design, and edit. These tools help solve the question of what users will see when interfacing with a product or service. While there are many different tools ranging from free to a significant investment, each is designed to navigate a specific part of the UX design process.

UX Research

This skill is critical to the user-centered design process and to creating solutions that are valuable and expected. It involves collecting insights into user pain points, behaviors, and expectations through surveys, observation, and focus groups. UX research helps to pinpoint what users need, which usually lands somewhere between what they say they want and what developers think users want. Conducting research is a practice that should occur throughout the life of a product or service, not just at the outset or during a revamp.

Problem-Solving

Working in UX design requires you to be a great problem solver. The ability to look at a problem and find an effective route to a solution is an integral part of any UX design career. Problem-solving in UX design can sometimes be difficult because you are tasked with meeting the needs of both the organization and the users. While the art of problem-solving is often inherent in some individuals, it is a skill that can be taught. Learning how to ask the right questions that lead to concrete and viable solutions will allow your UX design career to be more fulfilling.

Wireframing

A wireframe is a sketch of what an interactive product could look like. Wireframing can be done by hand on paper or via software to establish a tentative structure, flow, or design solution that reflects both the needs of the users and the organization. These rough drafts are specifically geared toward helping design teams and stakeholders conceptualize user-centered prototypes, products, and services. It’s the bones of a design that can expose weaknesses, design flaws, and breaks in the overall flow of a product.

How Hard is It to Learn UX Design?

Learning UX design comes with a steep learning curve if you don’t have any background in development and design. Having a mentor will have a big impact on the level of difficulty you experience when learning UX design. Keep in mind that you will feel more comfortable with certain design tools and tasks at different times, and that expertise in a skill takes lots of practice and experience. The more projects you engage in and the more questions you ask of seasoned UX professionals, the richer and deeper your understanding and knowledge will become.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning UX Design?

The most challenging parts of learning UX design are data collection and analysis. Analyzing the data you collect can be extremely difficult. There may be a lot of data to sift through, and the use of data analysis or visualization tools may be needed. Gaining real insights from your collected data takes a keen eye and critical thinking. In addition to collecting and analyzing the data, you will also likely need to present your data to support your design choices. The trick to data collection is creating the study parameters and finding study participants who are ideal for the project you’re working on.

How Long Does It Take to Learn UX Design?

The amount of time it takes to learn UX design can vary widely according to your learning style, chosen learning format, how much familiarity you have with the concepts, and how well you retain and apply the information you learn. Some courses can span several weeks or several months. If you decide to take individual concept courses, each course can take a few days or a few weeks. The length of time will be different for everyone. It’s also important to keep in mind that there is a difference between feeling comfortable with software tools, tasks, and principles, and having a professional mastery of UX design. Once you’ve completed a course or certificate program, you’ll have to dedicate many more hours of practice to develop a high-quality portfolio that represents your capabilities and mastery as a UXer. Whether you decide to be self-taught or enroll in a training course, there will always be something to learn. This is a fairly young field that is still evolving, and new tools and practices are being implemented often. Continuing education is a big part of this field.

Should I Learn UX Design in Person or Online?

There are several options for learning UX skills. The two most common options are in-person training and online training. Another common option is on-demand or self-paced instruction. The option you choose should align with your learning goals, your learning style, your schedule, and any other special considerations you may have.

Most people enjoy traditional in-person learning. It’s the traditional standard of education that is most widely accepted. This option requires the student and instructor to be in the same place at the same time. There are many advantages to choosing this learning format beyond it being the standard of learning most people are familiar with and comfortable with. A classroom setting offers many benefits including real-time feedback, peer-to-peer interpersonal relationship development, true hands-on learning, and a dedicated, distraction-free learning space. The drawbacks to this format include increased tuition costs, commuting to class, and class/instructor availability.

While live online learning is very similar to in-person learning, it lacks the same feel of interconnection and interaction that in-person learning offers. Students and teachers don’t need to be in the same physical location for class to happen; however, everyone must keep the same schedule and be present at the same time. In an ever-evolving world, live online classes are becoming increasingly popular. They allow for greater flexibility, real-time feedback and interaction with peers, and you can skip the commute. Many people find the increased freedom of online classes appealing, but hands-on learning looks different in this format. Screen sharing, spotlighting, and even the instructor taking over a student’s screen is how live online, hands-on experience works in addition to the completion of in-class exercises.

Asynchronous or self-paced learning allows students to enroll in a course and go through the prerecorded lessons on their own schedule. Some courses offer lifetime access, while others only allow students access to learning materials for a set time frame. This option works well for people who have busy and unpredictable schedules and no shortage of obligations. Some of the drawbacks of this learning format include a decreased hands-on approach, fewer interactions with peers and chances to build peer networks, delayed feedback and answers, and maintaining focus and accountability in the face of distractions. It can be difficult to avoid procrastination, so it’s recommended that you set a schedule for yourself to make your on-demand learning go more smoothly.

Can I Learn UX Design for Free Online?

To school, or not to school is a common question. There’s no right or wrong way to go about learning UX design. In short, the answer is yes. You can learn UX design for free online. Free online learning is a great option for busy professionals or those who have a lot of obligations that make a traditional education more of a burden than a stepping stone. It’s also a good idea for those professionals who are already working in a related field like software development or graphic design. There are many free online resources including Noble Desktop’s YouTube channel, bootcamps, tutorials, and articles to help you learn at your own pace. Indeed, these resources are helpful, but they aren’t the best method for mastering this professional skill. You’ll have very limited access to professional feedback, no one will be able to answer your questions when they arise, you’ll be missing out on UX community camaraderie, and you’ll have to battle procrastination and decreased motivation.

What Should I Learn Alongside UX Design?

There are plenty of valuable skills to learn alongside UX design that will help deepen your expertise and broaden your skill set. If UX is the right hand, then user interface (UI) design is the left hand. While the two are similar, each solves a different problem for users. UX deals with the overall feel of a user’s experience with a product or service, while UI is focused on the visual and interactive aspects of a product. Gaining a deeper understanding of UI design can help you develop better UX designs because the two are so closely related. They work together to meet the needs and expectations of both users and businesses.

Learning how to make the most of design tools will improve your workflow and deepen your understanding of what UX can really do. There are lots of tools and software to choose from, so Figma is a popular UX design tool that facilitates collaboration, wireframing, and prototyping to make handing off your project to a developer a more seamless process. Adobe XD is a premium design tool that helps turn low-fidelity wireframes into high-fidelity designs and build advanced interactive prototypes. Optimizely will help you gather insights into your designs to keep making them better throughout their lifecycle.

Industries That Use UX Design

User experience is directly related to an organization’s revenue and growth. Giving consumers an experience that encourages them to return and refer others is a major goal of every industry. You’ll see UX design wherever you look in almost every Atlanta industry not only because the city is on an upward trend, seeing exponential growth in a short time, but also because it is attempting to support that growth and continue to attract the top performers from a range of industries. In industries from ecommerce to technology to television and film, UX design is a core part of contributing to the larger economy as a whole.

Ecommerce

Ecommerce is a fairly young industry, yet it has made a huge impact on the Atlanta economy, with no signs of slowing. It includes a diverse supply chain, warehouses, technological professionals, and a varied workforce. Companies like Home Depot and Amazon have distribution centers all over the Atlanta area, and there is still plenty of land to develop. As retailers continue to go through an innovative transformation that is largely based on their ability to adapt to a burgeoning digital era, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are expanding their models and reshaping their strategies. They’re working towards creating a seamless online-offline shopping experience. This industry is digging deeper into what UX design can do for it.

The ecommerce industry took off during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is continuing to see gains post-pandemic. Many retailers were able to improve their revenue and user experience by reconsidering the UX design of their sites. Beyond the visual design of an ecommerce site, there also needs to be simple navigation, optimization for both web and mobile viewing, a seamless shopping experience with personalized recommendations, and fast loading times. Failure to consider these aspects in an ecommerce site will likely equate to site users navigating to another eretailer with a more user-centered design. UX design in this booming Atlanta industry looks like prioritizing functionality, writing user-centered copy, intuitive navigation, and intention.

Finance

The finance industry is composed of organizations that offer financial products and services to consumers, including banks, real estate firms, investment companies, and insurance companies. Atlanta’s finance industry is strong in part due to its growing innovation and increasing population. Adopting digital technology is helping this industry keep up with the changing needs of the digital age. Whether dealing with personal, corporate, or consumer, this industry and its stakeholders are trying to stay ahead of the curve. That’s where UX design comes in.

Well-crafted UX design helps to streamline loan application processes and bill payment systems and to improve the digital customer service experience to create secure, convenient, and valuable digital experiences in many finance industry businesses. You’ll also see UX hard at work on organization websites, regulatory exams, and even in branch offices. Creating a more user-centered flow for this industry helps to increase its revenues and in turn, strengthen the Atlanta economy.

Technology

It’s surprising to many that Atlanta’s tech industry is making large gains very quickly. With schools like Georgia Tech and the Atlanta historically Black colleges and universities community contributing wonderful talent to the job market and injecting a spirit of innovation into the state’s culture alongside a well-developed infrastructure, it has become one of the top breeding grounds for startups in the Southeastern United States. You’ll find popular tech companies Mailchimp and Calendly, and even the tech giant Cox are headquartered here. These companies are thriving and lean heavily on UX to enhance their products and services.

There’s a rich tapestry of technology that includes all organizations that focus on computers, software, electronics, artificial intelligence, and other areas related to information technology in Atlanta’s burgeoning tech scene. You’ll find that there’s a great need for UX design in this industry. It’s highly useful in software, mobile applications, and website development, web and cloud-based tools, platforms, and services, wearable technology, smart devices, and the Internet of Things. As more and more companies are drawn to this soon-to-be top-five tech mecca of the Southeast, the more attractive and noteworthy it becomes to others in this industry.

Television and Film

While Hollywood is still considered the television and film industry’s capital of the world, Atlanta has quickly become a major world-renowned television and film hub in the last several decades. So much so that it’s been dubbed “the Hollywood of the South.” In any given year, hundreds of productions are shot in Atlanta. With the city’s many tax incentives and free talent scouting opportunities, it’s no wonder that Marvel blockbuster hits and Netflix’s Stranger Things have been filmed here. Georgia’s film and television industry brings in $7 billion a year. It includes studios, costume and set production, a variety of writers and editors, and many other key players who bring stories to big and small screens.

Many would argue that this industry is a reiteration of UX design. Television and film are extremely viewer or user-centric. Television and film productions are designed to appeal to audiences and to invest them on an emotional level. UX design principles are applied to just about every aspect of this industry. You’ll find them in the way productions are edited, advertised, marketed, and distributed. Productions are consistent to avoid confusing viewers. A firm understanding of context allows those in this industry to make the connection between the production and the viewer, whether they’re watching at home or in a theater. Accessibility is another UX principle that is regularly applied to television and film. Think closed captioning and color contrasting or correction.

UX Design Job Titles and Salaries

The field of UX design is still young and steadily evolving. Within the field, you’ll find a variety of professionals from a wide range of backgrounds working under many different job titles working towards the same goals. This is a multidisciplinary field that benefits from an understanding of human psychology, visual communication, visual design, copywriting, and other professional skills that focus on human needs. While many of the job tasks are similar, the employer will be the deciding factor in how you apply your design skills and which design tools are necessary to complete and maintain a project. Take a look at a few roles you could find yourself in after learning UX design.

UX Designer

Being a UX Designer means that you are responsible for creating a seamless digital user experience. Your goal is to enhance the overall feeling that a user has when engaging with a service or product’s interface, while also bridging the gap between the user’s needs and those of the organization. A skilled UX Designer can create wonderful user experiences by conducting research and constantly measuring the functionality of a product or service. As a fairly young and evolving position experiencing rapid growth, the job description of a UX Designer can vary widely from employer to employer. As UX Designers manage how a product, service, or website makes a user feel throughout its lifecycle, they’ll often work with UI professionals, Developers, and Project Managers. They’ll conceptualize the user experience, conduct research, consult with focus groups, and get stakeholder input before designing the flow and feel and passing it on to the UI Designer who will ensure that it meets the necessary visual parameters and functions optimally. A UX Designer in Atlanta can earn a salary ranging between $95,000 and $154,000.

UX Researcher

To create something that meets the needs of both the user and the organization, a great deal of research must be conducted. A UX Researcher has a firm understanding of UX design principles and expertise in research and analysis. They design and moderate focus groups, surveys, and other study methods to collect usability data. Their findings are then offered to UX Developers and Designers to help them create user-centric designs for new and existing products, services, or websites. Oftentimes the goal of this position is to foster and improve brand loyalty and user satisfaction through both qualitative and quantitative research. Common job duties include wireframing, analyzing user data, researching end-users, and conducting A/B testing. This fast-growing career can bring in a salary ranging between $112,000 and $183,000 in Atlanta according to your expertise, experience, and employer.

UX Writer

Microcopy is the responsibility of a UX Writer. Microcopy is the words users see on buttons, menus, push notifications, and error messages that help guide them through a digital interface intuitively. It’s what helps the user navigate a website, application, digital product, or service. UX Writers are tasked with finding the balance between an organization’s brand voice and business needs and the user’s needs, expectations, and goals, writing a content style guide, and creating solutions for potential issues end-users may face. Great UX Writers relate to the condition of the user, write concisely, and set the tone. They also use UX design tools like Figma and Sketch to execute their copy. While conducting research isn’t always a must for them, UX Writers benefit extensively from conducting or consulting A/B testing, focus groups, and data analysis to better understand the relationship between copy and users. Atlanta’s UX Writers earn a salary that ranges from $76,000 to $124,000.

UX Strategist

UX Designers who also have strong business acumen can find employment as UX Strategists. They work closely with stakeholders and clients to identify and define business goals to create a strategy for UX content that balances the requirements of the organization with those of the users. UX Strategists spend a lot of time conducting research and analyzing data to identify insights into what users want from the business and what products or services are in-demand. Other job duties include executing competitive analyses, creating storyboards and journey maps, and presenting UX strategies that can be implemented. They’re knowledgeable about business strategy, marketing, and UX design principles. Although this field is still very young, a UX Strategist can earn between $132,000 and $216,000 yearly in Atlanta.

UX Design Classes Near Me

Even in its youth, UX design is showing great promise and establishing itself as a necessary and valuable piece of the digital age puzzle. As the field continues to expand, you’ll benefit from enrolling in a training course to ensure that you have the skills that will help you excel in UX roles. The ever-changing digital landscape demands that those who work in user experience positions keep up with design trends and user expectations. Here are some courses in Atlanta to consider enrolling in to jump-start a career in UX design.

Enrolling in this User Experience Design Training Course offered by NobleProg will give students a foundational understanding of UX design principles, tools, and processes. There are no prerequisites for this training, so it’s a great choice for beginners in Atlanta. Course topics include key UX design principles, UX research, measuring usability, information architecture, visual design, and interface prototyping. Students can schedule this training at one of two Atlanta locations or live online. When taking this course in-person, a training computer with software will be provided to students. Instructors are knowledgeable and work in the design and development field, and class sizes are kept small to foster more individualized and intimate instruction. This course covers nine syllabus areas of the BCS certificate exam.

Adobe XD is a commonly used UX design tool for developing high-fidelity prototypes. Ledet designed this Adobe XD 101 course for Adobe XD novices, so there are no prerequisites; however, it is helpful to have some familiarity with UX design principles. Included in the curriculum are learning the XD interface, creating graphics, organizing content, working with assets and libraries, using effects and repeat grids, prototyping, and sharing design specs. After taking this training course, students will have the skills needed to bring their UX designs to life. All students will need to have access to XD software before the start of class. Students have unlimited retakes throughout the current release version of Adobe XD they were trained on.

The Flatiron School supports students as they learn UX/UI Design to upskill or start a new career in UX design, UI design, or product design. In this beginner-friendly, instructor-led, live online course, students will learn how to develop seamless user experiences and top-tier interfaces that user-centered websites and applications depend on to help drive engagement and improve user satisfaction. The curriculum includes topics like ethical and inclusive design, foundational research, visual composition, interaction, animation, mobile application design, product strategy, and web design. Students will learn modern design tools like Figma and Webflow, and after graduating from the course, each participant will have put together a professional portfolio to demonstrate their UX/UI design skills.

Consider this Noble DesktopUX & UI Design Certificate if you’re looking for a hands-on learning experience from expert instructors. This project-based, certificate program is designed to be career-focused. When you have completed this course, you’ll have compiled an impressive portfolio to show potential employers and received mentoring, preparing you for a new career in user experience or user interface design. You can take this course in-person in New York City or live online from Atlanta. Some of the topics covered in this course include UX and UI design concepts, Figma, UX research, wireframing, and prototyping. During your six 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, you’ll be able to review your portfolio work, get help on challenging concepts, work on your resume and LinkedIn profile, and get advice on your job search. Class sessions are recorded and you have the option to retake this program for free within one year.

If you’re interested in getting your feet wet, you’ll want to check out this UX Design Foundations course by Noble Desktop. You’ll learn what truly drives UX and how to apply the essence of UX to the projects you’re working on. This course is designed to teach you how the UX design process works from the research phase to concept design, how it applies to team members, and the fundamentals of the field. You’ll enjoy the hands-on exercises, engaging lectures, and interactive training you receive as you learn about how UX Designers work, UX research methods, organizing content, usability testing, and how to document your work. This class serves as a point of entry to UX design, making it extremely beginner-friendly. Whether you choose to attend in-person in New York City or live online in Atlanta, you’ll have access to expert instructors, session recordings, and a free course retake within one year.

UX Design Corporate Training

Any organization that wants to provide professional development opportunities to its employees should strongly consider arranging onsite corporate training. Not only does investing in your employees enable you to attract more talented employees, but also it improves the employee retention rate and enhances workplace culture. If your organization has employees who could benefit from learning UX design principles, filling in UX design knowledge gaps, or learning how to improve their workflow with UX design tools and features, consider Noble Desktop’s corporate training opportunities. Onsite UX design skills corporate training ensures high-quality contributions to your organization while equipping your employees with skills that will increase their marketability and knowledge. This investment will not go unnoticed.

Corporate training is offered virtually, onsite at your specified location, or as a publicly listed course. There are discount bulk vouchers available to those who prefer their employees to enroll in one of the open-enrollment public UX design training classes. This is a great option when you’re dealing with multiple schedules. When you choose onsite corporate training, you’ll get an experienced instructor and the ability to customize the curriculum to meet the needs of your organization. Contact Noble Desktop for a free consultation to learn more about your options to invest in your employees with UX design training classes.

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