The Shift Toward Intuitive UX Design
Any graphic designer worth their salt can create an image or a design that is pleasing to the eye. But pretty is not enough. These days the standard of excellence is so much more than that. Design should be clever too. It should be engaging and intuitive for the user. There should be logic and insight embedded in every decision that a designer makes.
Starting from the Beginning
Making the shift toward intuitive design takes a lot of research, insight and expertise. Designers can help themselves out by investing in the right education. Ashton College offers a contemporary ux design certificate program that empowers students to build up their analytic and technical design skills. The practical emphasis and accessible learning techniques ensure that students are fully supported on their path to becoming diverse and adept designers. The Ashton College certificate program also places a major focus on user research so that students will understand how to make informed design decisions in the future. There is of course an emphasis on practical experience so that graduates are fully equipped to make positive waves in the world of design.
Accessibility is Everything
Accessibility can no longer be an afterthought for designers. The user should be at the centre of the equation and their diverse needs should be accounted for from the beginning of the design process. On a practical level, accessibility in design means factoring in the size and shape of buttons, the clarity of how information flows and the varying degrees of audio, cognitive or visual impairment that may impact how people engage with a design. A designer can put all their heart and soul into creating a pretty or visually impressive website. But if the people who need to use it cannot easily and efficiently navigate the website, then it is all for nothing. The smarter option is to put thoughtfulness, research and insight into the design so that it is accessible for a variety of users with varying needs and hurdles. Putting in the effort early on also ensures greater longevity for the website or work product and it means fewer edits down the road.
Designing Your Future
How can you tell if a career in user experience design is right for you? Consider the following:
- Are you passionate about clever web design?
- Does the critical flow of a cellphone app make your job drop?
- Does inaccessibility or illogical design irk you?
- Are you curious about the sensibility of the technical world around you?
- Are you motivated to make changes to design and shake up the status quo?
- Do you have a curious mind?
- Are you willing to go the extra mile?
If you said yes to any of the above questions, then a UX design course could be the perfect addition to your resume. By investing in quality education, you will open up a world of job opportunities in user experience design, research, consulting and more. There is no telling what the future holds, but you can begin designing your ideal path whenever you are ready.
