UX Design Classes for High School Students in Washington, D.C.

UX/UI design involves two different but overlapping roles—UX Designers and UI Designers. UX Designers focus on creating a positive user experience by understanding how users interact with a product, while UI Designers focus on the product's visual look and consistency in terms of colors, fonts, and other design elements.

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

The main goal of UX/UI design is to create the best possible user experience, while also taking into account the interests of stakeholders. In addition to design skills, empathy, curiosity, problem-solving, and communication skills are also important to be a successful UX/UI Designer.

Why High School Students Should Learn UX/UI Design

Why not spend your summer learning some new skills that could become a fun hobby or a potential career? If you're curious about what goes into designing websites and mobile applications, consider taking a summer course in UX/UI design.

UX/UI design skills open doors. You can create websites, online stores, and blogs that get noticed. You can use your design skills as a hobby for school projects or community events, or even start a side hustle to earn some money. You might even decide to pursue a future career in design!

There are several career paths open to UX Designers, including lead, senior, or management design roles. Some people choose to specialize in writing or research. UI Designers can use their skills to become Web Developers or Design Engineers. Pay for UX/UI Designers varies from location to location and years of experience. Glassdoor.com lists an average annual salary of $99,000 for UX Designers in Washington, D.C., and $102,000 for UI Designers.

George Washington University, American University, and Howard University all have UX/UI design programs for students who want to pursue a college degree. Some design firms located in D.C. include Lounge Lizard, Design in DC, Surf, Digital Silk, Emerge, and Smart Sites.

In-Person UX/UI Design Classes in Washington, D.C.

People often prefer more traditional classroom settings when they learn new skills. George Washington University offers a 24-week, part-time UX/UI Design Bootcamp covering user-centered design. Students will learn about research methods, design thinking, prototyping, wireframing, and storyboarding, plus how to create web prototypes with HTML and CSS. The course helps students build a design portfolio for job searches. Tutoring and career services are also available. The GW program costs $12,245.

Virtual UX/UI Design Classes

If you are interested in learning UX/UI design skills, you might want to consider taking a live online class. These classes are similar to in-person sessions, with an instructor and some students in a physical classroom, and others joining from anywhere through a video conferencing platform. You can still interact with the instructor and other students, ask questions, and receive individualized assistance. The instructor may even take control of your screen to demonstrate techniques, with your permission, to help you better understand the material. The best part about live online classes is that you can learn from the comfort of your own home, without having to worry about commuting to a physical location.

High school students can explore design fundamentals with NextGen Bootcamp's UX & UI Design Summer Program Online. This live online course is designed for teens and young adults to take during the summer break to maximize their summer learning. The course includes an introduction to the Figma design tool, plus user experience design and visual design principles. Students also learn to conduct interviews, put together user personas and journey maps, and create interactive prototypes for testing their designs. Class instructors will help students start a design portfolio and pass on their expertise in building a design career. The course includes 45 hours of class time and costs $1,999.

How to Choose a UX/UI Design Class

When looking for UX/UI design training, you'll find a lot of options to choose from. However, beyond deciding between in-person or online classes, there are a few other factors that you need to consider to make the right choice. One is cost. Make sure the course fits within your budget and research any financial aid options such as scholarships or loans. It's also essential to know if you need to pay the full amount upfront or if you can make payments.

Another factor to consider is the duration of the class. Find out how long the class lasts and if it fits into your schedule. Does it meet at a time that works for you, especially if you have other responsibilities like a job or household chores? Can you take the class part-time or does it only meet full-time? You should also find out if the class is open to all ages or if it's designed for a specific age group.

Lastly, consider the level of difficulty of the class. You need to determine if the material is suitable for beginners or if it requires some prior design knowledge. You should answer these questions before signing up for a class to feel comfortable with your choice. Additionally, you can check out alumni reviews on platforms like Google, CourseHorse, or Yelp. These reviews can give you an idea of what former students liked or didn't like about the course.