UX Design Classes for High School Students in Houston

UX/UI design refers to two distinct roles that overlap. UX Designers – UX stands for user experience – focus on creating a positive experience for users by finding out how users interact with a product. UI Designers – user interface – focus on how the product looks in terms of colors, fonts, and overall visual consistency.

Both UX and UI Designers use tools in their work, although they use them in different ways. UX Designers use Sketch, Figma, or Adobe XD to conduct research, collect and interpret data, and collaborate with the design team. UI Designers use design tools to create a visual look that aligns with a brand and provides a positive user experience.

The essence of UX/UI design is to create the best user experience possible while keeping the interests of stakeholders in mind. In addition to design skills, empathy, curiosity, problem-solving, and communication skills are also important for successful UX/UI design.

Why High School Students Should Learn UX/UI Design

Why not spend the summer learning skills you can turn into a fun hobby or a possible career? Find out what goes into designing websites and mobile applications in a summer course in UX/UI design.

With UX/UI design skills, you can design websites, online stores, and blogs with unique themes and eye-catching animation. Use your design skills as a hobby for school projects, community events, or to start a side hustle. You might even want to think about a future career in design.

UX Designers can follow different career paths, including lead, senior, or management design roles. They can also specialize in areas like writing or research. UI Designers can become Web Developers or Design Engineers. Salaries for UX/UI Designers vary depending on location and years of experience. Glassdoor.com lists an average annual salary of $90,000 for UX Designers in Houston and $93,000 for UI Designers.

The University of Houston and Rice University both offer UX/UI design programs for students who want to pursue a college degree. Some design firms located in Houston include Designli, Momentum Design Lab, Create Ape, Emote Digital, and Octaria Software Development.

In-Person UX/UI Design Classes in Houston

Many people feel more comfortable taking in-person classes when they want to learn new skills, and you have some choices when it comes to in-person classes in Houston. General Assembly offers a UX Design Bootcamp, Ledet Training offers an Adobe XD 101 training course, and Rice University offers a UX/UI Bootcamp in Houston.

Virtual UX/UI Design Classes

Another option for UX/UI design training is a live online class. These classes run similarly to in-person sessions, with an instructor and students in a classroom, except that some participants join via a video conferencing platform. You can still ask questions and get help from the instructor and connect with the other students. The instructor can take control of your screen, with your permission, to demonstrate techniques to help you understand the material. The big difference between in-person and live online classes is that you can learn UX/UI design skills from your bedroom, kitchen table, or favorite coffee spot without the commute.

NexGen Bootcamp's UX & UI Design Summer Program Online is specially designed for high school students to explore design fundamentals during summer break. The course begins with an introduction to user experience design and visual design principles using Figma, a free design app. The class will move on to user experience design next. Students will learn to conduct interviews, put together user personas and journey maps, and transfer these into Figma to create clickable prototypes for testing their designs. Class instructors will pass on their expertise in building a design career, including creative briefs, workflow, portfolio development, and job search skills. The course includes 45 hours of class time and costs $1,999.

How to Choose a UX/UI Design Class

There are a lot of classes out there to choose from. Beyond deciding between in-person or online, there are other factors to consider. One of these is cost. Is the course within your budget? Do you need to pay all at once upfront or can you make payments? Are there scholarships or loans available?

Another thing to consider is duration. How long does the class last? Does it meet at a time that fits into your summer break or will it work with other responsibilities, like a job or regular chores? Is the class open to all ages? You might feel more comfortable in a class with peers. Finally, what is the level of difficulty of the class? Is the material geared toward beginners or are you expected to have some design knowledge before you start?

Take the time to answer these questions before you sign up for a class. This way you can feel more comfortable with your choice. Also, be sure to check out alumni reviews on Google, Coursehorse, or Yelp. Former students are usually fairly candid about what they liked or didn't about a course.