UI and UX Design Course

Lesson 1 • Core Principles of Good Design

Covers usability, accessibility, consistency, and feedback as foundational principles. Students apply these as evaluation criteria in all later work.

Lesson 2 • Understanding UI vs. UX

Defines UI as visual interface layer and UX as the full user journey. Establishes vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • The Design Process Overview

Maps the end-to-end design workflow from discovery to handoff. Provides a roadmap students follow across all core chapters.

Lesson 1 • Quantitative Research Methods

Introduces surveys, analytics review, and behavioural data interpretation. Balances qualitative findings with measurable evidence.

Lesson 2 • Research Planning and Strategy

Teaches how to define research goals, select methods, and recruit participants. Aligns research scope with project constraints.

Lesson 3 • Synthesising Research into Insights

Transforms raw data into affinity maps, personas, and journey maps. Outputs feed directly into ideation and information architecture.

Lesson 1 • Navigation Patterns and Menus

Covers global, local, and contextual navigation patterns for web and mobile. Students select patterns based on content volume and user context.

Lesson 2 • Card Sorting and Tree Testing

Teaches open and closed card sorting to validate category groupings. Tree testing verifies navigation before visual design begins.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Information Architecture

Explains organisation, labelling, navigation, and search as IA pillars. Connects IA decisions to user mental models from research.

Lesson 1 • User Flows and Task Mapping

Defines user flows as step-by-step paths through tasks before screens are drawn. Ensures wireframes address real user goals identified in research.

Lesson 2 • Sketching and Ideation Techniques

Introduces rapid sketching, Crazy Eights, and thumbnail methods for fast ideation. Encourages quantity over quality to surface diverse layout options.

Lesson 3 • Low-Fidelity Prototype Linking

Connects wireframe screens into clickable prototypes for early usability testing. Validates navigation and task flows before visual design investment.

Lesson 1 • Visual Hierarchy and Emphasis

Guides use of size, weight, contrast, and position to direct user attention. Students apply hierarchy to ensure critical actions are immediately visible.

Lesson 2 • Layout, Grids, and Spacing

Explains column grids, baseline grids, and spacing tokens for consistent layouts. Connects layout decisions to visual rhythm and content hierarchy.

Lesson 3 • Colour Theory and UI Colour Systems

Teaches colour psychology, contrast ratios, and building a UI colour palette. Students create accessible colour systems meeting contrast standards.

Lesson 4 • Typography in Interface Design

Covers typeface selection, type scale, line height, and readability for screens. Typography choices directly affect usability and brand perception.

Lesson 1 • Documenting and Maintaining Systems

Guides writing usage guidelines, do/don't examples, and versioning for components. Documentation enables teams to adopt the system without designer intervention.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of a Design System

Defines design tokens, components, patterns, and documentation as system layers. Establishes why systems reduce inconsistency and speed up production.

Lesson 3 • Responsive and Adaptive Components

Covers how components adapt across screen sizes using auto-layout and constraints. Ensures the system works across mobile, tablet, and desktop contexts.

Lesson 1 • Building High-Fidelity Prototypes

Applies design system components to create pixel-accurate, interactive prototypes. Prototypes replicate real app behaviour for credible usability testing.

Lesson 2 • Prototype Testing and Refinement

Guides structured testing of high-fidelity prototypes to identify interaction failures. Refinement cycles close the gap between prototype and final product.

Lesson 3 • Micro-Interactions and Animation

Teaches trigger-feedback loops, easing curves, and duration guidelines for UI animation. Students design animations that guide attention without causing distraction.

Lesson 4 • Gesture and Touch Interaction Design

Covers swipe, pinch, tap, and long-press patterns for mobile and touch interfaces. Students design gesture-based flows that feel natural and discoverable.

Lesson 1 • Usability Testing Fundamentals

Defines moderated vs. unmoderated testing and when to apply each method. Establishes testing as a continuous activity, not a final-stage check.

Lesson 2 • Writing Test Plans and Tasks

Teaches how to write scenario-based tasks that reveal real usability issues. Well-written tasks prevent leading participants and produce valid data.

Lesson 3 • Analysing and Reporting Findings

Transforms session data into severity-rated issues and prioritised recommendations. Reports communicate findings to stakeholders who were not present.

Lesson 4 • Facilitating Usability Sessions

Covers moderator techniques for keeping sessions neutral and productive. Students practise observation, note-taking, and probing without bias.