UX Strategy Fundamentals from Udemy

Building a site, app or system that’s useful, usable and valuable is not easy. Why? Because you have to consider any number of user motivations, expectations, environments and possible actions. You have to figure out how to research, test and analyze to figure out what they want, what they need and what they’ll be willing to use.

And it’s likely you’ll have to do it with half the time and budget you really need.

UX Strategy Fundamentals walks you through the process of doing just that, step-by-step. You’ll learn how to make good UX decisions at every step of the design and development process, and you’ll see how those choices impact product quality and scope.

Whether you’re a designer, developer, UXer or are completely new to ALL of this, you’ll leave this course with a practical understanding of what makes great products great. And you’ll also understand the mechanics of making those products run smoothly, efficiently and with less stress. Taken from Joe Natoli's popular UX & Web Design Master Course taken by more than 7,000 students, this laser-focused course uses lectures and hands-on exercises, to teach you:

The Three Crucial Questions you must ask of every client, every project, every time
Simple methods for determining who your users really are
How to figure out which features and functions are truly important (and realistic)
Simple methods and tools for business stakeholder research
How to identify business goals — and get everyone to agree on them
How to identify true user needs — getting beyond what people say they need to what they actually need
How to connect user needs with product strategy
How to generate meaningful product requirements
How to determine and control the scope of any project
How to set the proper expectations for everyone involved and ensure there are no big, expensive surprises later

These are the same principles and methods I’ve used with the largest companies in the world for nearly three decades. I walk you through everything step-by-step and I only focus on what works. You’ll find clear, straightforward advice, simple tools and real-world examples.

UX Strategy Fundamentals will prove to you that strategy work isn’t just for experts, and it does not have to be complicated.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Develop a clear, solid strategy for ux that applies to any kind of product or project
Use a simple method to determine which features and functions are truly important (and possible)
Understand who your stakeholders really are and what you need to know from each of them
Get all players in a project to agree on what constitutes value — both for users and for the business
Separate what people say they need from what they actually need

Uncover the things users don't know they need (but really do)
Connect user needs with product strategy and requirements
Determine and control the scope of any project
Set the proper expectations for everyone involved and ensure there are no big, expensive surprises later

Develop a clear, solid strategy for ux that applies to any kind of product or project
Use a simple method to determine which features and functions are truly important (and possible)
Understand who your stakeholders really are and what you need to know from each of them
Get all players in a project to agree on what constitutes value — both for users and for the business
Separate what people say they need from what they actually need
Uncover the things users don't know they need (but really do)
Connect user needs with product strategy and requirements
Determine and control the scope of any project
Set the proper expectations for everyone involved and ensure there are no big, expensive surprises later

Syllabus

Overview & Guidebook

Introduction

Determining Strategic Value

First: Why Are We DOING This?

Three Crucial Questions You MUST Ask

What's Actually Worth Doing?

What Are We Designing and Building?

What UX VALUE Does it Provide?

Exercise: Who Are Your Users?

Exercise: Determining Strategic Value

Determining User Needs and Business Goals

UX Isn't Just About Users: The UX Value Loop

Business Research: Clients (and Stakeholders) are People Too!

Identifying Business Goals

Exercise: What Are YOUR Business Goals?

User Research: Putting People First

Identifying User Needs

Decision Paths: Connecting User Needs with UX Strategy

Exercise: Create a Decision Path

Determining and Controlling Project Scope

UX-Focused Requirements: An Introduction

Generating Meaningful Requirements

The Three Kinds of UX Requirements

Documenting Requirements (Without Writing a Novel)

Defining and Controlling the Scope of Work

Controlling the Dreaded "Scope Creep"

Exercise: Smart Project Scoping

Planning for User Testing

Why Plan for User Testing NOW?

Creating a Test Plan: Who Are We Testing For?

Prioritizing Browser and Device Support

Decide What to Test: Functionality

Decide What to Test: Usability

Decide What to Test: Errors and Exceptions

Decide What to Test: Compatibility

Decide What to Test: Performance

Decide What to Test: Security

Wrap Up: UX Strategy Takeaways

Things to Remember

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores user experience design principles, which are fundamental in building effective digital products

Taught by Joe Natoli, who is recognized for his expertise in user experience design

Develops an understanding of user needs, which is critical for creating user-centric products

Examines various research methods, which are essential for gathering insights into user behavior

Provides a framework for defining and prioritizing product requirements, which is key for successful product development

Teaches how to manage and control project scope, which is crucial for staying on track and delivering successful products

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 Strategy Fundamentals with these activities:

Follow online tutorials on UX design tools

Show steps

Familiarizes students with essential UX design tools and techniques.

Browse courses on User Experience Design

Show steps

Identify reputable online tutorials on UX design tools.
Follow the tutorials and complete the practice exercises.

Read 'Design of Everyday Things' by Donald Norman

Show steps

Provides a deeper understanding of the principles of UX design.

View Design for a Better World: Meaningful,... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book at a steady pace.
Take notes of key concepts, models, and examples.
Discuss the book's ideas with peers or online communities.

Read 'Lean UX' by Jeff Gothelf

Show steps

Introduces the Lean UX approach to design, emphasizing iterative and user-centered design.

View Who Does What By How Much? on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book thoroughly.
Apply the Lean UX principles to a personal project or existing product.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Attend a UX meet-up or conference

Show steps

Provides opportunities to connect with UX professionals and learn from their experiences.

Browse courses on User Experience Design

Show steps

Research upcoming UX meet-ups or conferences.
Attend the event and actively participate in discussions.

Write a blog post on UX trends

Show steps

Helps consolidate understanding of UX trends and share knowledge with others.

Browse courses on User Experience Design

Show steps

Research current UX trends.
Identify key insights and best practices.
Write a well-structured and informative blog post.

Become a mentor for junior UX designers

Show steps

Helps reinforce understanding by sharing knowledge with others and fostering a supportive learning environment.

Browse courses on User Experience Design

Show steps

Identify opportunities to mentor junior UX designers.
Provide guidance, feedback, and support to your mentees.
Share your experiences and insights to help them grow professionally.

Build a UX portfolio project

Show steps

Provides hands-on experience in applying UX principles to a real-world project.

Browse courses on User Experience Design

Show steps

Identify a problem or opportunity to solve with a UX solution.
Conduct user research to understand the needs of the target audience.
Design and prototype a solution.
Evaluate the design with users and iterate based on feedback.
Document the project and showcase it in a portfolio.

Contribute to an open-source UX project

Show steps

Encourages collaboration, strengthens skills, and gives back to the UX community.

Browse courses on User Experience Design

Show steps

Find an open-source UX project that aligns with your interests.
Review the project's documentation and contribution guidelines.
Identify areas where you can contribute.
Submit a pull request with your contributions.

Career center

Learners who complete UX Strategy Fundamentals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

UX Designer

UX Designers are responsible for the design and implementation of user interfaces for products. They must have a strong understanding of user experience and interaction design principles. This course may be particularly useful to UX Designers as it covers topics such as determining strategic value, identifying user needs, and controlling project scope. This course can help you build a strong foundation in the UX design process and the principles of user-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the planning, development, and launch of products. They must have a strong understanding of user needs and business goals. This course may be particularly useful to Product Managers as it covers topics such as determining strategic value, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of product management and how to apply them to the development of successful products.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts are responsible for analyzing business needs and developing solutions to improve business processes. This course may be particularly helpful to Business Analysts as it covers topics such as determining strategic value, identifying user needs, and developing business requirements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Full-Stack Developer

Full-Stack Developers are responsible for the development of both the front-end and back-end of websites and applications. They must have a strong understanding of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, programming languages, and databases. This course may be particularly helpful to Full-Stack Developers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of full-stack development and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Full-Stack Developer

Front-End Developer

Front-End Developers are responsible for the development of the user interface of websites and applications. They must have a strong understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This course may be particularly helpful to Front-End Developers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of front-end development and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

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

Interaction Designer

Interaction Designers design the way that users interact with products. They must have a strong understanding of human-computer interaction principles. This course may be particularly useful to Interaction Designers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of interaction design and how to apply them to the design of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interaction Designer

Information Architect

Information Architects design and organize the structure and navigation of websites, intranets, online communities, and software applications. This course may be particularly helpful to Information Architects as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and determining and controlling project scope. This course can help you build a solid understanding of the principles of information architecture and how to apply them to the design of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect

UX Content Strategist

UX Content Strategists are responsible for developing the content strategy for user interfaces. This course may be particularly helpful to UX Content Strategists as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and writing clear and concise content. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of UX content strategy and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Content Strategist

User Experience Researcher

User Experience Researchers plan and carry out tests that inform the design of products. They develop research tools and methods to help measure and gauge user experience and interaction. This course may be particularly interesting to User Experience Researchers because it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a foundation in the concepts, methods, and tools of UX.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Researcher

Visual Designer

Visual Designers are responsible for the visual design of products. They must have a strong understanding of design principles and aesthetics. This course may be particularly useful to Visual Designers as it covers topics such as determining strategic value, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a strong foundation in the principles of visual design and how to apply them to the design of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Designer

Back-End Developer

Back-End Developers are responsible for the development of the server-side of websites and applications. They must have a strong understanding of programming languages and databases. This course may be particularly helpful to Back-End Developers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of back-end development and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

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

Mobile App Developer

Mobile App Developers are responsible for the development of mobile applications. They must have a strong understanding of mobile operating systems and programming languages. This course may be particularly helpful to Mobile App Developers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of mobile app development and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile App Developer

Web Developer

Web Developers are responsible for the development of websites. They must have a strong understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This course may be particularly helpful to Web Developers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of web development and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Technical Writer

Technical Writers are responsible for creating documentation for software and other technical products. This course may be particularly useful to Technical Writers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and writing clear and concise documentation. This course can help you build a solid foundation in the principles of technical writing and how to apply them to the development of user documentation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of software systems. They must have a strong understanding of computer science fundamentals. This course may be particularly helpful to Software Engineers as it covers topics such as user research, identifying user needs, and generating meaningful product requirements. This course can help you build a foundation in the principles of software engineering and how to apply them to the development of user interfaces.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer