UX Fundamentals: Practical Usability for Product Design from Udemy

As a designer, no matter whether you’re working on UX or UI, you should always aim to design for the highest possible usability. It is something that all of your clients or team members will expect from every interface you design. A usable interface is easy to use, intuitive and does not require the users to think too much when using them. Knowledge of basic ergonomics and cognitive psychology is something that every designer should master and this course will help you start that journey, through learning:

What usability means in digital interfaces
The basics of cognitive psychology
Why understanding your users is crucial for your interface’s success
Why it’s important to avoid errors and overloading your users
The basic aspects of usable navigation, search, form or animation
How to check if what you designed is usable

Principles of usability

Learn what are the core components and principles of usability, through reviewing numerous real-life examples I prepared for you. Understanding these rules of thumb devised by the pioneers of the industry will help you analyse interfaces and look for aspects that could be refined to achieve a better usability. It will be a great starting point for learning about all aspects of usability.

The building blocks of interfaces

There are certain ground rules of usability in digital interface design and it’s important to understand what makes in interface simple and focused, as well as how to make basic decisions to avoid distressing your users. We will cover best practice in usability for common elements such as navigation, search, microcopy, forms or errors.

Validating the usability of your solutions

Creating an interface that seems usable to yourself is relatively easy. Problems often appear when other people try to understand it or when you “let it soak” for a couple of days and review it from the perspective of usability. Over a couple of lessons we will also explore how to validate interfaces for usability with the use of expert reviews, usability testing and analytics.

What's inside

Learning objectives

What usability means in digital interfaces
Why understanding your users is crucial for your interface's success
The basic aspects of usable navigation, search, form or animation

The basics of cognitive psychology
Why it's important to avoid errors and overloading your users
How to check if what you designed is usable

What usability means in digital interfaces
Why understanding your users is crucial for your interface's success
The basic aspects of usable navigation, search, form or animation
The basics of cognitive psychology
Why it's important to avoid errors and overloading your users
How to check if what you designed is usable

Syllabus

Introduction

Introduction into what you will find over the next 18 lessons of this course and how this knowledge will broaden your design skillset.
P.S. The audio quality is much better in the rest of the lessons!

What does it mean for an interface to be usable and why is it such a crucial aspect of modern product design?

Understand the fundamental principles of usability theory and the underlying psychology around some design concepts. We will also explore why it's necessary to always strive for a simple experience.

Exploring the first 5 out of the 10 amendments for designers created by Jakob Nielsen.

Exploring the second 5 out of the 10 amendments for designers created by Jakob Nielsen.

How do people tend to perceive objects in general?

Making interaction visible and understandable.

The simplest principle of all design is: 'don't make the user think'!

Who will use the interface you design? If something is usable for me, will it be usable for you too?

Explore what good usability means for common web components, such as navigation, search, microcopy, errors and forms.

Wayfinding in the web is not as straightforward as it seems.

Searching and displaying results is a key element of many user experiences.

Tiny elements that make all the difference.

How not to annoy your users with too many uncomfortable situations.

Making forms less of a hassle for the users.

Animation can impact usability, both in positive and negative way.

Understand how accessibility and animation go into play for usable interfaces and learn how to evaluate your interface's usability

Providing a good experience for all users, including those with disabilities.

Is it possible to design perfect interfaces?

An overview of popular methods that help ensure that the usability of your product design is optimal for your audience?.

Heuristic evaluation and cognitive walkthrough as a quick way to evaluate your product dessign.

Get an external perspective on your product.

Utilising the power of quantitative data to detect usability problems.

Wrapping up

Now go and design something amazing!

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores fundamental principles of usability theory and basic design concepts

Examines the 10 amendments for designers created by Jakob Nielsen

Demonstrates a strong foundation in the basics of usability

Provides practical guidelines for designing navigation, search, forms, and animations

Stresses the importance of avoiding errors and cognitive overload

Taught by Michał Mazur, an experienced UX/UI designer and instructor

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in UX Fundamentals: Practical Usability for Product Design with these activities:

Review the book 'Don't Make Me Think' by Steve Krug

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Supplement the learning materials in this course with this book that covers important concepts you'll explore this semester.

View Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense... on Amazon

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Read the book 'Don't Make Me Think' by Steve Krug.
Take notes on the key concepts in the book.
Apply the concepts from the book to your own work.

Review tactile navigation

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Use this time to review the nuances and best practices of tactile navigation to lay a stronger foundation for the course.

Browse courses on Navigation

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Read a journal article about tactile navigation.
Watch a video tutorial on tactile navigation.
Practice tactile navigation on a website or app.

Follow a tutorial on creating usable navigation

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Build a stronger foundation for the course by finding a practical tutorial on creating usable navigation.

Browse courses on Navigation

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Search for a tutorial on creating usable navigation.
Follow the tutorial step-by-step.
Test your navigation on different devices.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Practice identifying usability errors

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Set yourself up for success by committing time to practicing how to identify common usability errors.

Browse courses on Heuristic Evaluation

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Find a website or app with usability errors.
Identify the usability errors on the website or app.
Write a report on the usability errors you found.

Participate in a peer review session

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Engage with a peer and share knowledge while receiving valuable feedback on your work.

Browse courses on Peer Review

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Find a peer who is also taking the course.
Exchange your work with your peer.
Review your peer's work and provide feedback.
Revise your work based on the feedback you received.

Design a prototype of a usable search bar

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Create a tangible item you can use during the course to reinforce your learning and have a better grasp of what a usable search bar should look like in practice.

Browse courses on Search

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Brainstorm ideas for a usable search bar.
Sketch out a prototype of your search bar.
Create a digital prototype of your search bar.
Test your prototype with users.

Attend a workshop on user experience design

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Put into practice the skills you will learn in this course by attending a workshop where you'll get hands-on experience.

Browse courses on Usability Testing

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Find a workshop on user experience design.
Register for the workshop.
Attend the workshop.
Apply the skills you learned in the workshop to your own work.

Career center

Learners who complete UX Fundamentals: Practical Usability for Product Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

UX Designer

UX Designers may have a background in graphic or web design, or they may come from a more technical background in engineering or computer science. They apply psychology and research methods to design user interfaces that are both visually appealing and easy to use. This course provides a solid foundation in the principles of usability and will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a UX Designer.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

UI Designer

UI Designers work closely with UX Designers to create the visual elements of a user interface. They use their knowledge of typography, color theory, and layout to create interfaces that are both visually appealing and easy to use. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a UI Designer, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability.

See salaries and explore the career path for UI Designer

Interaction Designer

Interaction Designers design the way that users interact with a product. They consider factors such as how users will navigate through an interface, how they will interact with different elements, and how they will receive feedback. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as an Interaction Designer, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interaction Designer

Product Designer

Product Designers are responsible for the overall design of a product, including both the user interface and the user experience. They work closely with engineers, marketers, and other stakeholders to create products that are both useful and desirable. A good Product Designer must have a strong understanding of usability principles. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a Product Designer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Designer

Web Designer

Web Designers create the visual layout and user interface of websites. They use their knowledge of typography, color theory, and layout to create websites that are both visually appealing and easy to use. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a Web Designer, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer

Front-End Developer

Front-End Developers are responsible for the user interface of a website or application. They use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create code that renders the interface on the user's screen. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a Front-End Developer, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability. A firm background in the principles of usable design is invaluable for writing clean, straightforward code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Front-End Developer

Usability Analyst

Usability Analysts evaluate the usability of websites and applications. They use a variety of methods, such as user testing, surveys, and analytics, to identify usability problems and recommend solutions. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a Usability Analyst, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Usability Analyst

Information Architect

Information Architects design the structure and organization of information on a website or application. They use their knowledge of user behavior and cognitive psychology to create information architectures that are easy to understand and navigate. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as an Information Architect, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect

Content Strategist

Content Strategists plan and manage the content of websites and applications. They work with writers, editors, and other stakeholders to create content that is both informative and engaging. This course will help you develop the skills you need to succeed as a Content Strategist, and it will also provide you with a strong foundation in the principles of usability. An understanding of usability can lead to creating content that is more readable and comprehensible.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Strategist

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers plan and execute marketing campaigns for products and services. They use a variety of channels, such as social media, email, and paid advertising, to reach their target audience. This course may be useful for Marketing Managers who want to create marketing campaigns that are more effective and engaging.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Project Manager

Project Managers plan and execute projects. They work with stakeholders to define project goals, develop project plans, and track project progress. This course may be useful for Project Managers who want to improve the usability of their projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for software, hardware, and other technical products. They use their knowledge of technical writing principles and usability guidelines to create documentation that is easy to understand and follow. This course may be useful for Technical Writers who want to improve the usability of their documentation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business processes and systems. They use their knowledge of business analysis techniques and usability guidelines to identify areas for improvement. This course may be useful for Business Analysts who want to improve the usability of their business processes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and test software applications. They use their knowledge of software engineering principles and usability guidelines to create software that is both functional and usable. This course may be useful for Software Engineers who want to improve the usability of their software applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data. They use their knowledge of data analysis techniques and usability guidelines to create reports and visualizations that are easy to understand and use. This course may be useful for Data Analysts who want to improve the usability of their data reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst