Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF) — UX courses review
IxDF such a comprehensive, structured and yet affordable learning platform. The last 7–8 months IxDF was pinned as the first website in my browser as top priority. I can say that IxDF courses gave meaning to my furlough time sitting at home for months.
The best in IxDF
I like the structure which the courses give you. You just know what to aim for, what to follow and see the progress clearly. The flexibility is really crucial for me, you can access the material everywhere at any time. Great lecturers and certificates
I learned a lot in the last months. I will list the things which helped me the most:
· UX language and terms — how things are called
· Design thinking methodology and Empathising with the user
· Wireframes
· Persona profiles
· User interviews
· Customer journey maps
· Ideate phase: SCAMPER technique
· LoFi prototypes
· UI pattern and how to use them
· Dark UI patterns
Best courses (for me so far):
Mobile UX — contain more than just Mobile focus
https://www.interaction-design.org/courses/mobile-user-experience-design
Become a UX Designer from Scratch
https://www.interaction-design.org/courses/become-a-ux-designer-from-scratch
Another amazing feature is the member discounted Webinars, really inspiring. I wish I joined more of them.
I like the local communities, although maybe they need a bit “push up” to be more active.
Discussion sections are really good, they really push you to make something and potentially add it into your portfolio. It’s great that there are so many opinions and it is nice to read their reviews and understand their thinking and experience.
Areas for improvement:
· Discussions
I wish there was a way to make people more critical constructively. Most comments are very short and polite (which is not bad) but they don’t push you to develop or think this is not right, this could have been better… I try to comment more constructively. Sometimes I spend weeks answering these questions and very rarely someone comment — maybe because I wasn’t among the first 20 to comment. Flexible time can be really double edged blade. Because I am not answering at the same time as the rest I feel that we don’t really help each other so much. Looking back, I think some of the tasks could have been performed better but no one of course mates said anything.
· Agile and Lean Methodology
For example in my volunteer work I was given User stories and I wasn’t sure how to approach and use them as I didn’t learn Agile or hybrid methodologies.
· Design thinking is a great User Centric approach, just in real world no a lot of companies have the budget to spend so much time and resources so in the end you end up with less time spent on UX…
· Group practice — UX designers do not work in a bubble, there should be opportunity for more people to work together and practice. Even cross functional teams with Project Managers, Researchers, Developers can be great asset
· Design Sprints — touch-based so far but still I feel we can learn a lot more in that field
· As a visual person I am missing a little bit more video/audio on the lectures. I appreciate they shouldn’t be 100% more info graphics, visuals of the described in the lectures
· Buddy programme — I really struggle on some issues and a little question to more experienced people could be really really helpful. Maybe some of the graduates who are working can help.
I do understand that a lot of the above suggestions can be linked with fees, and Overall I am really happy that I took the UX path with IxDF. I feel UX principles are really close to the physical product design. I think it would be great to actually help users of the products that I designed. I hope also that employers are willing to give a chance to someone without a huge amount of experience in the UX.
