Introduction
This week marked the beginning of our exciting journey into the world of UX design! Our Thursday sessions from 10 am to 4 pm will equip us with the core concepts needed to excel in this field. The final submission for the course falls on May 9th, 2024, so staying on top of the workload will be crucial.
Course Aims
The course aims to instill a strong foundation in user experience design. We'll delve into the creation of user personas, the art of usability testing, and gain confidence in crafting paper and digital prototypes. Research will be a cornerstone of our process, as evidenced by sketches, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes. Building a strong case for our design decisions through research, benchmarking, and personas will be paramount.
Developing a Growth Mindset
The importance of reflection and keeping a weekly diary (around 500 words) was emphasized. This practice will not only help us track our progress but also develop critical thinking skills, making the final year project a smoother experience.The emphasis placed on research and discovery aligns perfectly with the demands of a dissertation project.
Organizational Tips and Setting the Stage
We were encouraged to embrace sketching as a tool for exploration and leverage the power of folders for effective organization. Taking pride in our work and viewing this module as a stepping stone to the final year project were key takeaways.
Exploring the Design Challenge
The healthcare sector, currently under immense pressure, serves as the design challenge for this course. We were directed to explore IDEO's website for healthcare design inspiration and consider the potential of design thinking in a medical school setting.
Developing a Personal Project Brief
As a precursor to the final year project, where we'll develop our own briefs based on personal interests, we'll be working on a brief related to healthcare. This involves identifying a target audience (individuals and families) and defining their characteristics, such as age, location, access to digital devices, and their ability to utilize them. Mark Cuban's healthcare project exploring the potential benefits of trading medical products from India was presented as a thought-provoking example.
Understanding the Design Process
We were introduced to various design process models, including the Double Diamond (Design Council), human-centered design, d.school Design Thinking, and "The Double Diamond on Steroids." We'll be screenshotting these models for future reference.
The Power of Teamwork
The course recognizes the value of teamwork in fostering effective problem-solving and innovation. We learned about the potential challenges of teamwork, including lack of clarity, trust issues, personality conflicts, communication breakdowns,reduced engagement, and physical proximity. Building trust and understanding the benefits of both team and solo work were identified as key strategies for success.
Defining UX Design
We embarked on a journey to understand the essence of UX design. Key takeaways included: