UX Design Classes for High School Students in NYC

Not a day goes by when a person hasn't visited a website. Has anyone ever looked at one of those websites and thought, “I could make something that works better than that”? That’s not unrealistic. UX Designers are responsible for making websites easier to navigate so that people can find what they are looking for as well as complete purchases or execute services. UX design helps create an effortless experience using a website. In conjunction, UI (user interface) design focuses on how users navigate a website or use a product by setting up the process for how those users interact with that website or product.

To find a career in UX/UI design, a young person will need to gain experience in web design, front-end coding, and visual design. When searching for web design training, prospective students will see plenty of UX and UI design courses since those are compatible disciplines that focus on computer users. Students planning on a future in UX or UI design must consider training for overlapping skills that can help with creating a path to that career.

Because digital media has become an integral part of everyday life, many young people may start thinking about a future of working in technology early on, even if that notion came from a fascination with video games. Choosing to pursue an education in computer science-related areas, including UX and UI design, can give forward-thinking middle school and high school students a head start by learning state-of-the-art technology that can lead to working in an in-demand career. Training from a UX or UI design course or bootcamp can provide a student with learning by doing. This approach prepares young students with newly acquired skills they can use right away.

In order to train for a UX or UI design career in New York City, an interested young person will need to find a school that teaches them how to conduct user research, how to create user scenarios and personas, and how to build user flows while mastering design techniques, software, and technology that is relevant to the tech industry so that an individual can compete in today’s ever-evolving, digitally-driven planet.

There are several schools serving New York City that can help students acquire the user experience and user interface skills needed to stand out in today’s crowded job market.

Why High School Students Should Learn UX/UI Design

For young people who have an interest in UX or UI design, there are options available in New York City. Training in UX/UI design can provide high school students with knowledge of information architecture, persona creation, and qualitative/quantitative research practices. Students must also learn how to create visual prototypes and wireframes using Adobe XD, InVision, or Google Slides as well as web prototyping with JavaScript or Bootstrap. UI Designers focus on both user interface and user design along with learning about visual design using the tools required for the profession, including Sketch, Photoshop, and Illustrator.

Basically, UX Designers focus on what results from a user’s interaction with or experience with a product, while UI Designers are more concerned with the look and feel of a product as well as the actual act of using that product—whatever the results may be. In a nutshell, UX concerns what results from using a product, while UI strictly concentrates on interfacing regardless of those results. If a person finds designing and developing products or concepts compelling, a UX bootcamp could be the training solution that an individual has been looking for in establishing a career path.

Training in UX or UI design can open up opportunities in areas related to design or coding. Students training in UX or UI design should seek internships or part-time work that can provide them with experience or opportunities that will prepare them to take on college courses along with preparing them for the AP Computer Science Exam.

In-Person UX/UI Design Classes in NYC

High school students living in New York City who have been considering training in UX or UI design can find courses tailored for them that include the New School (Parsons), the Flatiron School, or the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). FIT, in particular, offers the UX Design Certificate Program, an eight-week course that introduces those who want to become creative professionals to UX design workflows, research methodologies, ideation processes as well as hands-on development of wireframe, interaction design, prototyping, and usability testing for a well-rounded education in user experience design that can enhance anyone’s career options. FIT also offers UX/UI Master Certification, a 10-week program that focuses on preparing a portfolio for helping students with beginning careers. This program is designed to give students their best chance at finding a career as a User Experience or User Interface Designer. FIT provides a rigorous and adaptable academic program that strives to upend the status quo.

Virtual UX/UI Design Classes

For high school and middle school students who would like to learn about UX and UI design, the Noble Desktop affiliate NextGen Bootcamp offers UX & UI Design Summer Programs NYC for high school students. This program prepares young people through a focus on college-level training to create user-friendly and engaging websites and apps through hands-on projects that are a part of their lessons. This program trains young people in skills for effective user experience design that includes learning Figma, a free prototyping app that helps with developing clickable product designs.

How to Choose a UX/UI Design Class

UX/UI design training can lead to several career paths related to web design. However, some students might have difficulty figuring out where exactly to find the right place for training. They must consider costs and schedules. Anyone interested in learning about UX or UI design can enroll in courses lasting anywhere from an hour to six months with tuition ranging between $42 and $13,495. Skills gained from UX/UI design training can lead to working as UX Designers, UX Researchers, or Digital Designers.

With the dominating presence of the internet and social media, finding a place in today’s digital job market has become extremely competitive. While a career in UX design seems like a good choice for taking advantage of the ever-expanding need for web-savvy talent, becoming a UX or UI Designer requires skills that can help an individual stand out among a crowded field. Because of this, choosing the right UX design school and program is crucial.

Being able to see from the point of view of users represents the most critical aspect of UX design. A UX Designer must be able to see what users see and figure out how to guide those users in accomplishing their goals with as little difficulty as possible. A good UX design program educates students in conducting effective user research followed by testing for finding areas in product or web design where users might become confused or frustrated. A UX Designer must be able to anticipate how long it might take for a user to accomplish an intended goal—or even if that user will be able to accomplish that goal. Essentially, designing an efficient user experience requires patience and constant testing and retesting to improve a user’s journey through whatever tasks they are attempting.

While there are young people living in New York City who would like to learn UX design for pursuing a new career, those same individuals might dread fighting through traffic to get to a classroom somewhere in the city. A live online course could be the right option a person needs for avoiding the stress of getting back out on the road after a long day at work or school. Virtual learning provides hands-on training that gives students many of the same advantages they would get from sitting inside a classroom without needing to leave the comforts of home.

It’s important for UX Designers to learn the skills necessary for solving real-world problems through training that helps with fulfilling user expectations.