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Christine moonlearning

Today, we're going to learn about UX/UI Design Principles.

When looking at UI Design, we can usually tell which design works better, but when you start working on your own designs, it's suddenly not that easy anymore.

What is the secret behind a smooth process and perfect distribution that seems so pleasing to us?

In under two hours, I will show you the UX/UI Design principles and what, how, and why they make a difference.

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Today, we're going to learn about UX/UI Design Principles.

When looking at UI Design, we can usually tell which design works better, but when you start working on your own designs, it's suddenly not that easy anymore.

What is the secret behind a smooth process and perfect distribution that seems so pleasing to us?

In under two hours, I will show you the UX/UI Design principles and what, how, and why they make a difference.

In this course, I combine theory concepts, real-life examples, and final practical exercises to make sure it's not just theory but a skill you can apply to your wireframes web and app designs right away. However, please be aware that this is an overall theory class.

This course is divided into two parts:

Part 1: Principles of User Experience Design

In the first part, we will dive into UX Design principles, this will be loosely based on the Nielsen Heuristics:

  1. Real-world references, mental models, and how to use them

  2. Jakob's Law - why other pages are important to your own

  3. Consistency is key

  4. Hick's Law - working with choice and limitation

  5. The magic number is 4 .

  6. Common page positioning & scanning patterns

  7. Feedback and system status

  8. Error prevention

  9. Error handling

  10. A word on dopamine & ethical design

  11. EXERCISE(+Figma File)> We are building a wireframe with Figma.

Part 2: Principles of User Interface Design

In the second part, we will learn about UX Design Principles. This part is mainly based on Gestalt Theory:

  1. Aesthetic-Usability Effect – Why even bother?

  2. What is Visual Hierarchy?

  3. Law of Prägnanz – Simplicity is key.

  4. Law of Similarity – use colour, size, and shape to create a design system

  5. A little more on text- and touch target size

  6. Law of Proximity – Spacing systems and grids

  7. Law of Common Region – Creating sections and adding structure to your layout

  8. Von Restorff Effect – Drawing attention where you need it

  9. Law of Common Fate – Behavioural prediction

  10. Visceral reaction – Emotion in your design

  11. EXERCISE(+Figma File)> We are transforming a wireframe to UI Design with Figma.

Part 3: A few little extras

As a little gift, here are some extras from my other courses to dive a little deeper into some of the subjects we have touched. Enjoy.

This course is for you if you're new to UX design, want to brush up on your skills.

This is a class by moonlearning.

Enroll now

What's inside

Syllabus

Before we start, let's make sure we understand the terms UX and UI design correctly. And I want to show you where to find the course materials and how to use them.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides hands-on experience with Figma, a widely used tool in the UX/UI design industry, allowing learners to immediately apply theoretical concepts to practical design scenarios
Covers both UX and UI design principles, offering a comprehensive overview of the field, which is beneficial for those seeking a foundational understanding
Explores Gestalt principles, which are fundamental to UI design and visual perception, enabling learners to create more intuitive and visually appealing interfaces
Examines Nielsen's Heuristics, which are industry-standard guidelines for usability, providing learners with a solid foundation for evaluating and improving user experiences
Includes extra materials on 8pt spacing systems and grids, which are essential for creating consistent and visually harmonious designs, enhancing the practical value of the course
Requires learners to have access to Figma, which may pose a barrier for some students who are unfamiliar with the software or lack a subscription

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Reviews summary

Compact ux/ui principles with figma intro

According to learners, this course offers a compact and clear introduction to key UX/UI design principles. Students appreciate the balance of theory and practical application, specifically mentioning the helpful Figma exercises. While the concise format is praised for its efficiency, some mention it provides a foundational overview rather than deep dives, suggesting it's great for beginners or as a quick refresher but may lack depth for more experienced designers. The instructor's explanations are generally found to be clear.
Instructor makes complex principles easy to understand.
"The instructor explains everything clearly and makes the concepts very accessible."
"I found the lectures well-structured and easy to digest."
"Explains key principles in a simple yet effective manner."
Delivers core concepts efficiently in a short time.
"Perfectly compact, gets straight to the point within a short timeframe."
"Loved that it was under 2 hours but packed with useful information."
"Great for getting a quick overview without a huge time commitment."
Successfully blends design principles with practical exercises.
"I really liked how the course combined the theoretical principles with practical exercises in Figma."
"The Figma exercises are super useful to apply the learned principles directly."
"Good balance between explaining the 'why' (theory) and the 'how' (Figma application)."
An excellent starting point for those new to design.
"This course is a great starting point if you are new to UX/UI design principles."
"As someone just getting into UX/UI, I found this very helpful and easy to follow."
"Provides a solid foundation for beginners looking to understand the basics."
Provides an overview, lacks detail for advanced learners.
"It's a good overview but definitely stays on the surface; not a deep dive."
"If you have some background, it might feel too basic."
"Serves well as a refresher, but doesn't introduce advanced concepts."

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/UI Design Principles Compact (Theory + Figma Exercise) with these activities:
Review Basic Design Principles
Reinforce your understanding of fundamental design principles to better grasp the nuances of UX/UI design.
Browse courses on Color Theory
Show steps
  • Read articles or watch videos on basic design principles.
  • Identify examples of these principles in existing designs.
  • Practice applying these principles in simple design exercises.
Review 'Don't Make Me Think' by Steve Krug
Gain a deeper understanding of usability principles to improve your UX design skills.
Show steps
  • Read the book 'Don't Make Me Think' by Steve Krug.
  • Take notes on key usability principles.
  • Reflect on how these principles apply to your own designs.
Figma UI Clone Challenge
Sharpen your UI design skills by replicating existing designs in Figma, focusing on visual hierarchy and Gestalt principles.
Show steps
  • Select a well-designed UI element or screen.
  • Recreate the design in Figma, paying attention to detail.
  • Compare your version to the original and identify areas for improvement.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Review 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Don Norman
Deepen your understanding of user-centered design principles to create more intuitive interfaces.
Show steps
  • Read 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Don Norman.
  • Reflect on how design impacts user experience.
  • Apply these insights to your own design projects.
Design Principle Presentation
Solidify your understanding of UX/UI principles by creating a presentation explaining them to others.
Show steps
  • Choose 3-5 UX/UI design principles from the course.
  • Create a presentation explaining each principle with examples.
  • Present your findings to peers or in an online forum.
Usability Report
Assess the usability of an existing interface and create a report outlining areas for improvement based on course principles.
Show steps
  • Choose a website or app to evaluate.
  • Conduct a heuristic evaluation based on Nielsen's principles.
  • Write a report summarizing your findings and recommendations.
Redesign a Website or App
Apply the UX/UI principles learned in the course to a real-world redesign project.
Show steps
  • Identify a website or app with usability issues.
  • Analyze the existing design and identify areas for improvement.
  • Create wireframes and mockups for the redesigned interface.
  • Prototype your design in Figma and test it with users.

Career center

Learners who complete UX/UI Design Principles Compact (Theory + Figma Exercise) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
User Experience Designer
A User Experience Designer focuses on making digital products usable, enjoyable, and accessible. This involves understanding user needs and behaviors, creating wireframes and prototypes, and conducting user testing. Through its exploration of User Experience design principles, this course helps build a foundation in the core concepts necessary for a User Experience Designer. The course covers essential topics such as mental models, consistency, feedback, and error prevention, which are all crucial for creating effective user experiences. The Figma exercises provide hands-on experience in applying these principles to real-world design scenarios. Anyone aspiring to be a UX designer should consider this course, especially the sections on Jakob's Law, Hick's Law, and ethical design.
User Interface Designer
A User Interface Designer focuses on the visual elements of a digital product, ensuring that it is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. This involves selecting color palettes, typography, and imagery, as well as creating layouts and visual hierarchies. This course gives an overview of User Interface design principles, which helps aspiring User Interface Designers understand the fundamentals of visual design. Core concepts such as visual hierarchy, Gestalt principles, and spacing systems are covered, which are all essential for creating effective and engaging user interfaces. The Figma exercises provide practical experience in transforming wireframes into polished UI designs. The sections on the Law of Prägnanz, the Law of Similarity, and the Von Restorff Effect are particularly useful for someone entering this field.
Web Designer
A Web Designer creates the visual appearance and layout of websites, ensuring that they are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. This course helps introduce the fundamental principles of UX and UI design, which are essential for creating effective websites. The course covers topics such as visual hierarchy, consistency, and spacing systems, all of which are crucial for creating a well-designed website. The Figma exercises provide practical experience in applying these principles to web design scenarios. A web designer can especially benefit from the sections on Jakob's Law, page positioning, and scaling typography.
Mobile App Designer
A Mobile App Designer specializes in creating the user interface and user experience for mobile applications. This course helps build a solid understanding of UX and UI design principles, which are crucial for creating effective mobile apps. The course covers topics such as touch target size, feedback, and error prevention, all of which are essential for creating a user-friendly mobile experience. The Figma exercises provide practical experience in applying these principles to mobile app design scenarios. The sections on Hick's Law, the magic number four, and responsive grids are particularly useful for those looking to design mobile apps.
Product Designer
A Product Designer is responsible for the overall design and user experience of a digital product. This involves understanding user needs, conducting research, creating prototypes, and working with developers to bring the product to life. This course helps build a theoretical foundation in the principles of UX and UI design, which are crucial for creating successful products. The course covers topics such as mental models, visual hierarchy, and ethical design, all of which are essential for a product designer. The Figma exercises provide practical experience in applying these principles to product design scenarios. A product designer should pay close attention to the sections on real-world references, feedback, and the aesthetic-usability effect.
Visual Designer
A Visual Designer focuses on the aesthetic aspects of a digital product, creating visually appealing and engaging designs. This course helps build a foundation in the principles of User Interface design, which are essential for creating effective visual designs. The course covers topics such as visual hierarchy, color theory, and typography, all of which are crucial for a visual designer. The Figma exercises provide practical experience in applying these principles to visual design scenarios. Focus on the sections on the Law of Similarity, the Von Restorff Effect, and scaling typography.
Usability Analyst
A Usability Analyst evaluates the usability of digital products, identifying areas for improvement and recommending design changes. This course may be useful to learn about UX and UI design principles, which can provide a framework for evaluating usability. The course covers topics such as consistency, visual hierarchy, and error handling, which are all important factors in usability. The sections on Jakob's Law, Hick's Law, and the aesthetic-usability effect may be particularly relevant to a usability analyst.
UX Researcher
A UX Researcher conducts research to understand user needs and behaviors, providing insights that inform the design process. This often requires an advanced degree. This course may be useful in understanding the underlying principles of UX design, which can help a researcher formulate better research questions and interpret findings more effectively. The course touches upon topics such as mental models, feedback, and error prevention, which can inform research on user behavior and usability. The sections on real-world references, ethical design, and page scanning patterns may be particularly insightful for a UX researcher.
Interaction Designer
An Interaction Designer focuses on how users interact with a digital product, designing the flow of interactions and ensuring that they are intuitive and seamless. This involves creating prototypes, conducting user testing, and collaborating with developers to implement designs. This course may be useful in providing a foundation in the principles of both User Experience and User Interface design, which are essential for creating effective interactions. The course touches upon key concepts such as feedback, system status, and visual hierarchy, which are all crucial for designing intuitive interactions. The Figma exercises provide practical experience in applying these principles to real-world design scenarios. The sections on Hick's Law, error handling, and the Law of Common Fate may be particularly relevant to an interaction designer.
UI Developer
A User Interface Developer translates designs into code, building the front-end of a website or app. This course may be useful in understanding the principles of User Interface design, which can help a developer better understand design decisions and implement them effectively. The course touches upon topics such as visual hierarchy, spacing systems, and touch target size, which are all important factors in front-end development. The sections on the Law of Proximity, responsive grids, and the eight-point spacing system may be particularly relevant to a UI developer.
Information Architect
An Information Architect organizes and structures the content of a website or app, ensuring that users can easily find what they are looking for. This course may be useful in understanding the principles of UX design, which can inform the organization and structure of information. The course touches upon topics such as mental models, consistency, and visual hierarchy, which are all important factors in information architecture. The sections on real-world references, Jakob's Law, and the Law of Proximity may be particularly relevant to an information architect.
Front-End Developer
A Front End Developer creates the user-facing portion of a website or application, focusing on the visual elements and interactions that users experience directly. This course may be useful to gain a better understanding of UX and UI design principles, which are essential for creating effective and user-friendly interfaces. The course touches upon topics such as visual hierarchy, spacing systems, and responsive design, which are all important considerations for a front end developer. The sections on grids, breakpoints, and scaling typography may be particularly helpful.
Accessibility Specialist
An Accessibility Specialist ensures digital products are usable by people with disabilities. This course may be useful in understanding the principles of UX and UI design. It touches upon topics such as error prevention, feedback, and clear visual hierarchy, all of which contribute to accessible design. The sections on error handling, text and touch target size, and ethical design can further inform an accessibility specialist's work. This role typically requires an advanced degree.
Digital Strategist
A Digital Strategist develops and implements digital marketing strategies to achieve business goals. This course may be useful in understanding the principles of UX and UI design, which can inform the development of effective digital strategies. While a digital strategist might require an advanced degree, the course touches upon topics such as user behavior, visual hierarchy, and ethical design, which can help a strategist create more engaging and persuasive digital experiences. The sections on Jakob's Law, the Von Restorff Effect, and ethical design may be particularly relevant.
Graphic Designer
A Graphic Designer creates visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. This course may be useful because it helps build a foundation in the principles of User Interface design, which are essential for creating effective visual designs in digital spaces. The course covers topics such as visual hierarchy, color theory, and typography, all of which are crucial for a graphic designer working on digital projects. The Figma exercises help in applying these principles to design scenarios. A graphic designer should focus on sections such as the Law of Similarity, the Von Restorff Effect, and visual hierarchy.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in UX/UI Design Principles Compact (Theory + Figma Exercise).
Classic in the field of usability. It emphasizes the importance of intuitive design and user-centered thinking. Reading this book will provide a solid foundation for understanding the UX principles covered in the course. It is highly recommended as a reference text for anyone serious about UX/UI design.
Explores the psychology of design and how it impacts user experience. It provides valuable insights into how to create intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. While not strictly focused on digital design, the principles discussed are highly relevant to UX/UI design. This book is useful as additional reading to deepen your understanding of user-centered design.

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