Learn the skills to become a UX/UI Designer. This course covers design concepts, industry tools like Figma, and research methodologies. Get career-focused training, build a portfolio, and receive one-on-one mentoring and prepare for a career in UX/UI design.
Start learning Figma for UI/UX design. Gain a solid understanding of its capabilities, from creating files, to designing on a grid, working with text/photos/colors, creating components, building prototypes, exporting assets, sharing files, creating animations, and more.
Discover the essence of UX Design. From UX vs. UI to usability testing and prototyping, delve into the intricacies of user experience design. Gain practical skills in research, wireframing, and more. Elevate your design game with this comprehensive course.
UX design, which is short for user experience design, is a process that focuses on how users experience or interact with systems, services, or products. It involves analyzing user behaviors, needs, wants, and pain points to build and improve their experience while using a website or mobile app. A recent study found that organizations that invest in a website’s UX design can see a 9,900% ROI. Because companies rely on customers to buy their products or services, it’s essential to consider how easy and efficient these are to use, or else the customer may turn to another brand. Some UX designers survey potential users on their thoughts about the product to learn more about how it should be marketed. Others focus on usability testing for existing websites and apps. These designers monitor user interactions with the page and solicit user feedback for users as they navigate the site. This feedback may involve how users feel about its efficiency and functionality, then creating branding or design elements that are tailored to satisfy these needs.
UX design is a relatively new field that involves creating designs that aren’t just easy to use but are visually appealing. It is an involved process that starts long before the end product makes its way to the hands of the end user. During the UX design process, individual designers or entire teams focus on users’ needs and create products better able to satisfy them. As companies continue to realize the importance of investing in user-centric design, more and more employers will turn to UX designers to create products.
Acquiring UX design training provides you with an in-demand skill set that can be used in a range of careers that involve creating a positive user experience with a product or service. UX design skills are useful when creating products to sell on Etsy, designing video game menus, making elevator panels, and developing dating applications. The skills associated with effective UX design such as critical thinking, visual communication, and research, are transferable to other career paths as well, which can make you a more well-rounded job candidate in many design-related career paths. Additionally, UX design knowledge is a great way to save you time and money. Late-stage design problems like fixing usability bugs can be much more costly and time-consuming to fix at the final stages of the design process once the product launch has already taken place. Those who research user behavior with a service or product early on in the design cycle will be able to spot these concerns much earlier and know which design elements to address to ensure audience members have the best possible experience. Another benefit of gaining UX design knowledge is that it will help you create products that are more accessible for users from all backgrounds, including those who have low bandwidth and may not be able to fully view website content, as well as those who have visual impairments.
If you’re interested in learning UX design, you might be unsure whether it’s worth it to devote your time and money to learning this creative skill set. Effective UX design is a powerful tool that helps users have a worthwhile experience with a service, website, or product. UX design helps create a positive customer journey that ensures users will want to keep interacting with the webpage or product. As services like online shopping and banking become more prevalent, the need for accessible content for these sites continues to rise. UX design is essential for helping spot any usability issues in products or services to ensure users from all backgrounds and demographics can seamlessly order groceries online or pay credit card bills. Those with a background in UX design also contribute to the overall success of their company. Well-executed design leads to fewer customer complaints down the road, which translates into fewer abandoned shopping carts, happier customers, better sales numbers, and increased revenue. Additionally, those who have a good experience with a website or a product leave with a more favorable perception of the brand and are likely to come back to the product in the future and select it over the competition.
Learning UX design is similar to any other skill in that the difficulty associated with learning it depends on several subjective factors. You’ll need to consider variables like how you process information, how much time you wish to spend on your studies, and the level of UX design training you’re hoping to ultimately acquire. Although all learners are different, the training required for UX design is considered fairly advanced since it requires knowledge of a range of related skills such as storytelling, design principles, presentation, and data collection. Some learners may already possess a college or graduate degree in a field related to design, which can expedite the learning process. However, even for these individuals, it will take time and dedication to fully master UX design.
Another important consideration when studying UX design is that this field is relatively new. Therefore, it’s essential to stay on top of current design trends, update existing software, and explore new tools that are constantly being introduced into this ever-evolving field. One of the most effective ways for those in Chicago to stay on top of the current UX design trends and receive hands-on training with the tools and software needed to create user-centric design is to enroll in a class like a bootcamp or certificate program.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a UX Designer, you might be wondering how long it will take you to learn the necessary skills. The good news is that your educational path doesn’t have to be a long one. Even those who don’t have a design-related college degree can acquire the UX design training they’ll need for an entry-level design career in about one to four years. If you studied design in college or graduate school, your path will likely be even shorter and you can become proficient in UX design in as little as a few months. Enrolling in a UX design course in Chicago is one of the most effective ways to expedite your learning process. These classes can be completed in just several weeks or months and provide real-world instruction in the core skills you’ll need to pursue an entry-level UX design position.
As you learn UX design, you may wonder which related skills you can also acquire. It’s common for those interested in learning UX design to explore user interface (UI) design. UI design pertains to the process of creating software or computer interfaces that are easy to navigate and pleasurable to use. This field draws from skills like visual design, information architecture, and interaction design. One of the core differences between UI design and UX design involves appearance rather than structure. UI design focuses on the aesthetics of a product, whereas UX design is more concerned with how users interact with its functional components.
Graphic design is another field that’s closely related to UX design. In graphic design, the visual elements are used to communicate a specific message to audience members. Graphic designs take many forms such as business logos or website layouts. The goal of graphic design is to create a visual asset that conveys meaning and connects with customers. This form of design is used to develop brand identities, promote or sell products, or simplify otherwise complicated information into a form that’s easy to understand and memorable for audience members. To create visual designs, graphic designers utilize design elements like emphasis, balance, proportion, color, size, or contrast. One of the main differences between graphic design and UX design is scope. Graphic designers are more invested in one component of a larger visual experience, its visual aspects, whereas UX designers are concerned with the larger design perspective and how the customer will interact with the entire product.
UX design skills play an integral role in any Chicago industry that has a website or online presence. The city is home to many tech firms and is quickly becoming one of the country’s best locations to pursue a tech-related career. Chicago has a hub for digital startups, 1871, which UBI Global ranked as the best in the world. This incubator has eight university partners and has trained hundreds of IT students. It also hosts over a thousand yearly events. In Chicago, the growing tech industry means there is always a local need for skilled UX designers. Chicago-based companies like Grubhub, Hyatt, Sprout Social, and McDonald’s invest a lot of money in their websites and mobile apps, so they must deliver results. UX designers have a valuable role to play here, ensuring that the released product will provide customers with a positive experience. Even companies that feel they do not need full-time user experience help will work with freelance UX designers to get their product ready for launch.
Another prominent Chicago industry is healthcare. Healthcare is currently one of the city’s top industries due to the concentration of nursing care facilities, insurance carriers, med tech companies, and general hospitals located there. Over 40 national health and medical associations have their headquarters in Chicago, including the American Hospital Association, the American Dental Association, and the American Medical Association. Additionally, the city’s MedTech industry is experiencing rapid expansion, drawing from its many top-tier colleges and universities. Each year, approximately 3,000 students graduate in Chicago in biomedical and engineering fields. Within the healthcare industry, UX design skills are essential to helping patience make more informed decisions, reducing their uncertainty or anxiety, and ensuring they understand diagnoses and treatment options. Effective UX design in digital healthcare allows providers to personalize the care they provide patience, which can lead to a better user experience. Telehealth services rely on UX design to provide a way for patients to connect with doctors. It’s also an effective and safe way to store e-health records, provide remote treatment options for patients, and ensure that the information being presented is high-quality while at the same time accessible.
A UX Designer's work options in Chicago vary widely depending on whether they are working on physical products, webpages, packaging, or experiences. Skilled UX designers may work as UX researchers hired to study user needs, motivations, and behaviors and create services and products that are more intuitive to use. These professionals apply quantitative and qualitative methods and perform extensive research to ensure the end-user has the most enjoyable experience possible. UX researchers make approximately $104,000-$114,000 a year in Chicago.
UX design training is also a great way to prepare for a management role. Those with extensive UX design experience sometimes have the chance to take on more responsibility and serve in a leadership role like a UX manager, creative director, chief experience officer, or chief product officer. Some serve as UX directors. They could also step into a Design Director's role, leading a team of creatives to drive the design of a product or visual project. In Chicago, UX directors are tasked with leading, defining, and developing a cohesive UX strategy that can be used in different digital platforms. This position involves extensive research into the most current tech trends, as well as existing and emerging customer behavior patterns. Chicago-based UX directors earn $92,000-$102,000 annually.
Lead UX designers also hold managerial positions that require extensive training and experience in user-centered design. These individuals oversee the entire UX design process for a specific project or for an entire organization. This senior position offers a competitive pay rate of $125,000-$135,000 a year for those in Chicago.
No matter what UX-related field in Chicago you choose for employment, your understanding of user experience design's best practices will give you valuable insights into understanding consumer behavior, wants, and needs. You will also learn how to use color, contrast, typography, and user interface design to deliver a message, evoke a feeling, engage the imagination, and inspire action.
When you study user experience design, you learn how to take a project from idea to prototype, creating an intuitive, engaging, and compelling user experience. Through the development of audience personas and journey maps, you will learn how to collect user feedback and operationalize it to improve your website, product, or mobile app. While the specific content taught in each UX design class varies depending on the length of the program you select, its difficulty level, and the educational provider offering it. Most programs provide learners with instructions in several core UX design skills and concepts. Beginner-level UX design classes often begin with providing training in fundamental UX design skills such as how to conduct user research and testing, identify problem spaces, and create a responsive design. These programs also cover core design principles like how to work with illustrations, color, typography, and images. While some coursework focuses entirely on UX design, other programs like certificates, which are more in-depth and involved, may also cover UI design concepts as well.
Depending on your selected class, your UX design training may also provide instruction with one or more tools like InVision, Sketch, or Figma. Programs focusing on interface design will likely also require you to know Adobe Photoshop. Those in which prototyping is taught likely will teach you how to use InVision or Sketch. In classes that cover wireframing, you might receive training in either Axure, Illustrator, Sketch, Adobe XD, Marvel, or InVision Studio.
Before you enroll in a UX design certificate program or decide to become certified in this field, you may wonder if either is necessary for getting a job. Typically, employers don’t require those applying for jobs to be certified in UX design to seek employment for open positions. Most employers interested in hiring someone to fill an open position in UX design are more concerned with ensuring a candidate has training in design-related skills necessary for the job rather than that they are certified. However, many established design professionals, including UX designers, indicate that earning certification was a useful credential when making a career change or that it helped them remain competitive within their industry of employment. Certification or certificate study was especially useful for those who didn’t have a four-year college degree in a field related to UX design or who didn’t have prior design-related work experience in that it improved their chances of landing an interview for their first job.
Several UX design certificates and certifications are available from reputable educators. The Nielsen Norman Group UX Design Certification or the Google UX Design Certificate are great options for individuals interested in learning the UX design skills needed to stand apart from the competition during the job interview process. Certificate programs provide learners with hands-on training from industry experts who have real-world experience creating user-centered designs. These courses also provide learners with the opportunity to connect with other students, which can provide a sense of support and community while studying. These courses also often offer students the chance to complete a professional portfolio project. Most UX design jobs require applicants to submit a portfolio during the interviewing process to demonstrate the skills they’ve acquired and how they can be put to use. When enrolled in a certificate program, students often have the opportunity to devote the time needed to compile several portfolio-quality pieces and even receive feedback on their work from their peers or instructors.
Deciding whether to enroll in an in-person or online UX design course is an important choice all learners must make. Each of these training formats has its own unique strengths and benefits that should be considered before making this decision. In-person UX design classes in Chicago are open to learners at all levels, including those who are just getting started in UX design, as well as professionals with years of design experience who are interested in learning how to work with Sketch or other design tools. The small class setting offers students an educational environment in which they can connect with other students, which can provide additional support during the learning process. Those enrolled study fundamental design concepts such as usability testing, wireframing, prototyping, and user experience research. Some courses also prepare students to work with software like Figma, a collaborative design tool, or Adobe XD, which is used for vector design. Depending on the type of program, coursework may focus entirely on UX design or provide learners with more comprehensive design-related instruction in a combination of UX and UI design. One important consideration when enrolling in-person coursework in Chicago is that it will require attending classes that meet in-person at regularly scheduled intervals. This requires having a reliable source of transportation to and from class and living relatively close to a designated training facility.
For those who want to learn UX design but don’t want to waste time or money commuting to each class meeting, live online UX design programs are an excellent alternative. These classes offer learners the same learning benefits and outcomes as in-person programs but don’t require any commuting. Live online classes take place through a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. They provide students with access to a live instructor who has acquired years of industry experience in UX design. Because all coursework is taught in real-time, students can ask questions as they arise and receive immediate feedback or clarification. The best part of live online training is that it doesn’t require leaving home; any learner with a strong internet connection can complete their studies from the comfort of their own home environment. It’s important to consider that live online coursework does require attending classes that meet at regular intervals, which may require schedule adjustments for learners who work full-time or who have other commitments.
Students who prefer learning in the online environment but can’t attend classes that meet in real-time can still gain UX design training through on-demand UX design courses. Unlike live online classes that are taught in real-time, on-demand programs are available asynchronously, which allows learners to determine when they want to complete their lessons, how long they wish to devote to studying, and when to pause or rewind to have additional time with a concept. Self-paced study doesn’t include a live instructor, which means that each learner has the freedom to determine their preferred learning pace and how long it will take to fully master complex material. Some students may prefer to spend an entire weekend studying prototyping, whereas others may opt to devote fifteen minutes each night after work to acquiring this skill. On-demand coursework is available from many top educators around the country such as CareerFoundry, Udemy, Noble Desktop, and Springboard. One of the main benefits of asynchronous UX design classes is the price. Since these courses are pre-recorded, they are typically much more affordable than synchronous training with a live instructor. This means that learners who are just getting started in UX design can receive training without having to invest hundreds or thousands in their studies. However, it’s important to remember that in this type of training, since no live instructor is available, it’s up to the learner to find answers to questions on their own. For this reason, self-paced coursework is best suited for self-motivated learners. These programs offer a good starting point for those looking to acquire basic training in UX design before enrolling in a more structured, live program.
If you’re a Chicago resident who learns best in a traditional classroom environment, you can gain hands-on UX design experience by considering in-person UX design courses in Chicago.
General Assembly's UX Design Short Course is intended for learners seeking introductory-level instruction in core UX design topics, including content strategy, wireframing, UX research, usability testing, content strategy, and prototyping. This hands-on program covers how to work with two popular design platforms: InVision and Sketch. Participants all complete a capstone project that teaches them the skills needed to pursue a UX design-related career. This class is available in-person in Chicago and live online. It costs $4,500 to attend. It takes learners 40 hours to complete this class. General Assembly also offers
In Web Application UX Research, which is available from UX 4Sight, participants receive intermediate-level instruction on how to perform user research with applications for web and app design. Those enrolled become familiar with a range of pragmatic techniques and tools, including how to analyze usability, recruit participants, form hypotheses, and gather data. This program is intended for professionals interested in learning how to better understand their target audience and deliver more effective UX designs with their needs in mind. This class is available in-person in Chicago. Tuition is $996 for this two-day, 14-hour program. This provider also offers a one-day version of this program, Introduction to User Experience. During this beginner-level class, participants have the chance to explore many timely UX skills and topics such as how to perform usability testing and design user interfaces. Hands-on instruction is provided on how to understand user needs and create designs capable of optimizing user interaction. This in-person class is taught in Chicago and is available for those who are looking to break into the field of UX design or take their existing skills further. Tuition is $498.
If you’re interested in learning UX Design but are more comfortable studying remotely, live online UX design training options are available from many top educators around the globe. Live virtual classes let you take lessons in UX design from the comfort of your home, all while having the expertise of an expert instructor and feedback from peers. These provide a much-needed option for non-traditional learners who are interested in changing careers or building complementary skills for their current industry.
DevMountain offers a 13-week, intermediate-level course for those interested in exploring UX design concepts. In its UX Design Remote, participants work with informational architecture, animation, prototyping, and wireframing to complete three projects. This provider also offers UX Design Part-Time Remote for busy professionals who can’t attend full-time training. Those enrolled are taught various UX design skills and concepts, including prototyping tools, visual design principles, and informational architecture. Each of these courses costs $9,900 to attend.
V School’s UX/UI Design is another live online program that covers a range of core UX and UI design principles. Participants devote 12 weeks to exploring a range of visual design concepts, including research, journey mapping, prototyping, wireframing, and research. Learners also are guided on the interviewing process for UX and UI design jobs. All students leave this program with a design portfolio. The cost of study is $2,100.
Noble Desktop currently has several UX design classes available. Their UX & UI Design Certificate is an intensive, 132-hour program that provides you with the training needed to create user-centered designs. This program teaches a range of current UX and UI design concepts such as how to perform user research and testing and conduct prototyping. When enrolled, you’ll learn how to use Figma, which is a collaborative interface design tool. This project-based certificate also includes six supplemental one-on-one training sessions that can be used either for professional development or to revisit tricky concepts raised in class. This live online program costs $3,495 and includes a free course retake for up to a year.
Noble also has training that’s a great option if you’re just getting started in UX design and want to learn the basics. Its UX Design Foundations teaches skills like usability testing, wireframing, research, and prototyping. It takes learners 12 hours to complete this live online program. Tuition is $695 and includes a free course retake for a full year. Noble also has Figma Masterclass. This program helps you learn how to transform the designs you create into interactive prototypes. In the small class environment, you’ll learn how to add animated elements to our designs, optimize advanced prototyping functionality, and use variables to make flexible design systems. This live online program costs $995 and takes 18 hours to complete. It includes a free course retake for up to a year.
For those interested in learning UX and UI design simultaneously, Neoland offers the UX/UI Design Part-Time program. This class teaches students to work with service design methodologies and UX/UI design concepts. Learners also conduct UX research. The design projects completed during this program can be included in students’ professional portfolios.
If you want to learn UX design but aren’t ready to invest hundreds or thousands in your studies, many free online resources are available that can help you get started. Top educators from around the country offer free video content and other training material that covers core UX tools and skills. In these short videos, classes, and tutorials, you’ll learn the basics of UX design that can set you up for a more structured course down the line. Here are just a few free learning options that are currently available in UX design:
Attending a bootcamp for UX design in Chicago is a great option for fast learners who hope to launch a career as a UX Designer.
Noble Desktop offers a Figma Bootcamp. This 12-hour course teaches you how to work with designs and transform them into interactive prototypes. In the small class environment, you’ll work with smart animate to add animated elements to designs. By course completion, you’ll have the skills needed to create components, share files, export assets, make prototypes, and use text and photos. Tuition is $695 for this live online bootcamp. If you want to learn Adobe XD, you can do so in Noble Desktop’s Adobe XD Bootcamp. This class is intended to provide you with beginner-level to advanced training in both UX and UI design. In the live online environment, students create wireframes that will eventually become complete designs for use on desktop screens, tablets, or mobile devices. Instruction is provided on how to extract image assets, work with vector graphics, create high-resolution 2x graphics, and make realistic prototypes. By the end of this hands-on bootcamp, you’ll be familiar with how to share XD files, use XD libraries, and use vector graphics. This 12-hour program is available for $695.
General Assembly’s Product Design Bootcamp is available for those interested in learning the basics of the product design and development lifecycle. This two-day program provides students with hands-on training in the product design journey. The first day covers UX fundamental skills like concept validation, storytelling, and story mapping. During the second day of coursework, learners explore heuristics, sketching, prototype design, and UI patterns. Tuition is $374 for this 14-hour class, which is available in-person in Chicago and live online.
Thinkful’s UX/UI Design Flex Bootcamp is another bootcamp option available for those looking to fully immerse in an online program that covers fundamental concepts needed in UX or UI design. Participants learn how to create wireframes, perform research interviews, and prototype. All learners explore the design principles necessary to think and talk like a Designer. Tuition is $12,350 for those who pay upfront for this intermediate-level bootcamp. This program comes with a tuition guarantee if you cannot find a job within six months of graduating. This program is taught in the live online environment.
If those at your workplace would benefit from learning more about UX design, let Noble Desktop help. Noble offers onsite and corporate UX design training for Chicago residents in a range of in-demand design skills such as UX/UI design and how to work with Sketch, Adobe XD, or Photoshop. Or, if those at your company have a specific need that isn’t met by existing UX design courses, Noble Desktop offers custom courses to be delivered to your employees onsite, online, or at a local training center. If you’re trying to stand out in the competitive Chicago business landscape, building UX design skills in-house with the help of Noble’s expert-led instruction is something to consider. Coursework can be scheduled on nights or weekends to accommodate busy work schedules. You can also sign up employees to take open-enrollment UX design courses through Noble Desktop. Purchasing multiple vouchers will make you eligible for a group discount.
If you’re interested in learning more about the different UX design training options Noble Desktop can provide for the employees at your workplace, don’t hesitate to contact Noble for additional information.