FA-0704Software Development

UI and UX Design Foundations

User research, interface design, prototyping and evaluation

Introduction

Why this course

This one-day introduction connects user experience research with interface design and evaluation. A supplied digital-product scenario guides discussion, a small wireframe/prototype exercise and a short usability review.

Participants survey research methods, information architecture, visual systems, responsive/accessibility considerations and team handoff. It is a foundation course, not a promise to conduct a complete research programme or master every design technique in one day.

Learning outcomes

Distinguish UI, UX and their collaboration with product and development teams.
Select suitable research questions and methods for a supplied scenario.
Create a simple evidence-informed user flow and low-fidelity wireframe.
Apply selected hierarchy, typography, colour, layout and reusable-component principles.
Build or inspect a small clickable prototype and identify usability/accessibility issues.
Explain testing, iteration, developer handoff and responsible AI-assisted ideation.

Prerequisites

Basic computer literacy
Familiarity with web or mobile applications
General understanding of digital products
No prior UI/UX design experience is required
Basic knowledge of graphic design concepts is beneficial but not mandatory

Access to a prepared collaborative design tool or a suitable sketching alternative for the guided exercise.

Training outline

6 modules

01UI, UX and human-centred process3 topics

UI objectives, effective interfaces and UX across the product lifecycle; clarify team roles and cross-functional collaboration.
Design thinking: empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test as an iterative approach rather than a rigid guarantee.
Balance user needs, business objectives, accessibility and ongoing learning.

02Research and user modelling4 topics

Define objectives and compare interviews, surveys, observation, contextual inquiry and competitive analysis.
Plan participants and questions; stakeholder views are not a substitute for user evidence.
Organise findings with affinity mapping, pain points and opportunity identification.
Evidence-informed personas, empathy maps and journey maps: goals, behaviours, touchpoints, stages and uncertainties.

03Information architecture and wireframes3 topics

Content categories, hierarchy, navigation, site maps and content relationships.
Task flows, decisions, scenarios and interaction paths.
Compare low-, mid- and high-fidelity representations; sketch and refine a small flow rather than fully designing a product.

04Visual interfaces and design systems5 topics

Hierarchy, spacing, alignment, contrast, typography and readable responsive layouts.
Colour and brand associations depend on context; avoid relying on colour alone to communicate meaning.
Consistent iconography, recognition, grids and whitespace.
Tokens for colour, type and spacing; reusable buttons, forms, cards and navigation.
Component libraries, consistency, collaboration and versioned design decisions.

05Prototyping, responsive design and accessibility4 topics

Static versus interactive prototypes, clickable workflows, microinteractions, transitions and feedback.
Scenario review, stakeholder feedback and refinement of the small prototype.
Mobile-first/adaptive layouts, breakpoints and cross-device consistency.
Keyboard interaction, focus, colour contrast and screen-reader considerations; introduce WCAG 2.2 without asserting conformance.

06Usability evaluation, tooling and handoff6 topics

Define test objectives, participant needs and representative tasks; compare moderated and unmoderated methods.
Observe behaviour, analyse qualitative/quantitative evidence and prioritise improvements.
Heuristic review of consistency and error prevention complements rather than replaces user testing.
Collaborative tools, design specifications, asset management and developer handoff.
AI-assisted ideas, layouts or content are optional aids; review outputs, protect research data and validate assumptions with people.
Review the guided exercise and identify further research, iteration and implementation work.

A programme built around your team.

Share your training goals and requirements.