UX Design Bootcamps CT

UX is shorthand for User Experience, and, as the name would suggest, refers to determining the way the user experiences a website, application, or product. The actual nuts and bolts of how the user actually makes the application do something comes under the purview of the UI (User Interface) developer; UX design is the more aesthetic and less technical part of the equation requiring that someone determine the look and feel of the application. UX specialists are designers rather than developers because a great deal of creativity and imagination enter into their job’s requirements.

It is an exciting field in which to work, especially for people with creative brains who might feel out of place playing a purely technical role. If you’re seriously planning on making a career in UX design, probably the best way to learn the required skills is through a bootcamp. Bootcamps are geared to students who wish to acquire the skills for which employers are looking. They’re intensive, call for a commitment of time and money, and can even be a highly practical alternative to college. At the end of a good bootcamp, the student should be ready for an entry-level UX design position.

Connecticut Careers for UX Design Bootcamp Graduates

UX Design is one of the fastest-growing job fields in the technology sector, and there is an ongoing demand for qualified job candidates. As there isn’t a thing that gets invented today that doesn’t have some digital aspect to it (consider the ever-growing Internet of Things), UX design opportunities are to be found in just about any industry. While its role in the increasingly technology-driven field of insurance (Connecticut’s primary industry) is rather more obvious than how UX is a factor in manufacturing (another important industry in the state), the fact is that employers in both sectors are in constant need of creative UX talent.

In addition to the possibilities in-state, many Connecticuters work in New York City. The opportunities there for skilled UX designers are even more ample.

UX designers are paid well for their efforts, something that is hardly always the case with creative jobs. In Connecticut, a UX designer can look at an average base annual salary in excess of $105,000, with a significant cash bonus paid at the end of the year as well. In New York City, salaries and bonuses are essentially comparable.

In-Person UX Design Bootcamps in Connecticut

There are a number of teaching modalities suited to the technological bootcamp, the most obvious of which is probably learning in-person. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of UX design bootcamps in the state, meaning that those wishing to obtain an education in the field will need to seek out other options. Fortunately, the possibilities for online instruction abound (see below.)

Options for in-person instruction do exist in New York City, which is within reach of most of the state. Some Connecticuters will doubtlessly want to examine the opportunities available there.

Virtual UX Design Bootcamps

Live online classes have their own advantages which have led many people to prefer them to more traditional learning methods. They offer the convenience of being able to study at home (or any location with a solid internet connection), the comfort of learning on your own, in a familiar space, and the saving of commuting time, something which is especially welcome to people already working one job while preparing for a career shift.

Noble Desktop, the creators of this tool, offers a pair of courses in UX design that are deservedly called bootcamps. Their UX Design Bootcamp provides 30 hours of expert virtual instruction that has students sketching, wireframing (prototyping), and testing a design, which then becomes part of a portfolio they will have to show to prospective employers. An even more intensive online learning experience is to be had from their UX/UI Design Certificate program. That calls for 72 classroom hours, and offers, alongside UX design training, the basics for UI (user interface) construction, the more technical flip-side of the digital design coin.

Interested Connecticuters are also welcome to attend Noble Desktop’s bootcamps live at its New York City campus.

Other possibilities for a virtual UX design bootcamp would include General Assembly’s UX Design Immersive, a 12-week class that equips students with the grounding for their UX design career. Also worthy of consideration is American Graphics Institute’s UX Certificate program, which takes students from the basic principles of design through how to use Sketch, Adobe XD and Photoshop to create appealing visual environments. Students will also graduate with a portfolio of projects to show employers what they can do.

UX Design Classes in Connecticut

Students interested in UX design but who are not ready to commit to (or invest in) a bootcamp will be able to get their feet wet by taking a less intensive class in the subject. This is also an effective way to discover whether the field is right for you. Such classes would include General Assembly’s UX Course, or Noble Desktop’s Sketch in a Day, or Adobe XD in a Day classes that offer students a taste of the subject matter while equipping them with practical knowledge of some of the basics of UX design.

Choosing a UX Design Bootcamp

When you decide to attend a UX design bootcamp, you’re preparing to make a significant commitment. You should make your decision carefully and base it on a number of important factors. The first inescapable question you need to address is cost: what can you afford? Many schools with bootcamps offer a variety of financing plans, which should be investigated thoroughly. Never forget to read the fine print.

Money shouldn’t be the only factor on which to base your decision, however. Time is another: can you commit to a program that will last several months (or more)? And what about scheduling: will you be able to go to school full-time, or only part-time in the evenings and on weekends? Is the schedule of the class you’re considering flexible enough for your needs and other commitments?

Among the other factors to consider are the qualifications of the faculty (do the teachers have professional experience in UX design?), the availability of one-to-one mentoring and coaching, and what sort of job counseling or job guarantees the school offers at the other end of the bootcamp. By paying attention to these variables, you’ll be led to make a choice that is right for you and your needs.