What is the Fastest Way to Learn UI Design?

If you want to learn UI design and you want to do so quickly, you’ll find a few different options. This article provides more information about some of the quickest learning paths, including details about exactly how long these various options take and what type of training you can expect to receive. Speed may be important to you, however, it is also important to make sure you choose a class that best meets your learning needs.

What Is UI Design?

A user interface (UI) is the point where a user interacts with a web page, app, or other type of digital technology. UI Designers work with all the different elements that make up the interface, like menus, images, and icons, and ensure that these elements are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use, and will suit the needs of users. There is more than one type of interface. The most common is a graphical user interface, which is used on computers and smartphones. However, there are also other types of interfaces including voice-controlled interfaces such as Siri and Alexa.

Ways to Learn UI Design

There are many different ways to learn UI design including free resources, introductory classes, on-demand classes, and certificate programs. Each of these options involves a different time commitment and gives you a different type of education.

Free Resources

The quickest way to get a general understanding of UI design, learn a few basic skills, or research a specific technique, is to utilize free online resources. Many different websites offer free resources. For instance, you’ll find dozens of tutorials on YouTube. Schools like Noble Desktop also offer free UI design resources like seminars and blog posts. In addition, if you’re trying to learn a specific application, you may be able to find free tutorials specific to that application. For example, Adobe provides many free tutorials for its design programs. Finally, there are also online forums where people with more experience in this field are often happy to share information with beginners. While free resources are a quick way to find some quick answers, if you’re planning to work professionally in the field of UI design, free resources are unlikely to be comprehensive enough. Instead, you’ll probably need to enroll in a paid class. Paid classes are generally much more comprehensive. In addition, most come with expert guidance and the assurance that you’re getting accurate and up-to-date information.

Introductory Classes

An introductory class is definitely a fast learning option; most only take a day or so to complete. If you’re looking to learn some UI basics quickly, then this may be the best option for you. Most introductory classes are designed for beginners and cover fundamentals and basic skills. They often come with a variety of flexible scheduling options. In many cases, you’ll find both in-person and live online classes, in addition to weekday, weekend, and evening options. However, introductory classes don’t usually go beyond the basics. If you’re planning to use your UI design skills professionally, then an introductory class may be a good start, but you’ll probably need to take another class too.

On-Demand Classes

If you’re just starting out in UI design and you want to learn some basic skills, or if you’re trying to get a better understanding of whether or not you want to pursue a longer course, then an on-demand class can be a fairly quick way to get what you need. With an on-demand class, the material is pre-recorded and you work through it at your own pace. That means that you decide how fast the course is; if you’re motivated to finish, you can get through it quickly, or if you’d rather work more slowly, that is also an option. An on-demand class is unlikely to be comprehensive enough to prepare you for a professional career in UI design, but it can be a good way to start the learning process. If you decide that you’re serious, you can then invest in a live class and learn more under the guidance of an experienced instructor.

Certificate Programs and Bootcamps

Most certificate programs and bootcamps take weeks or months to complete. For this reason, they might not seem like a particularly fast way to learn UI design, however, when you consider how much you’ll learn, these types of courses do turn out to be fast, relative to the quantity of information and skills that you’ll gain. Certificate programs and bootcamps are immersive, accelerated courses that are designed to help you learn as much as possible in a relatively short amount of time. They are designed for students who want to pursue a career in UI design, but can’t devote years of their time to school. When you complete a certificate program or bootcamp, you’ll gain a comprehensive UI design education in less than a year. In addition, most of these programs are designed to prepare you for a career, giving you the skills and career support that you’ll need to find a job. Overall, a certificate program or bootcamp is a relatively quick way to learn UI design. 

Learn UI Design with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop is based in New York City and offers a number of different UI design-related classes, with both short courses that can help you quickly master the basics, and longer, more comprehensive programs that are intended to prepare you for a career in this field. Its classes can be taken in person at its Manhattan facility or in a live online format. Noble Desktop is licensed by the New York State Education Department. All courses include a certificate of completion and the option of a free retake within one year.

One of Noble’s most popular UI design classes is the UI Design Certificate, which is a multi-week course where you’ll learn about composition, typography, color, interactivity, user interface elements, best practices, and all the other things you’ll need to understand in order to work in UI design. You’ll learn to retouch photos in Photoshop, use Adobe Illustrator’s drawing tools to create graphics, icons, and logos, and create UI designs and prototypes using Figma. You’ll also create a portfolio of website and app designs that you can show to potential employers or clients. This class also comes with eight one-on-one mentoring sessions that you can use to work on challenging concepts, review your portfolio, or receive professional advice about applying and interviewing for jobs.

Noble Desktop also offers a UX & UI Design Certificate. This course covers the fundamentals of both UI and UX design. You’ll learn how to conduct user research and testing. You’ll also learn to design digital products and build clickable prototypes using Figma. In addition, as part of the class, you’ll work on projects that you can include in your design portfolio. The class comes with six one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Another option is the Web Design Certificate, which includes instruction in UI design. In this class, you’ll learn to use Figma for designing UI, you’ll build websites with WordPress, and you’ll work on a variety of coding skills. You’ll also learn how to use Git to track changes in your code and to collaborate with other developers, JavaScript for animation and interaction, and Bootstrap for building layouts. Eight one-on-one mentoring sessions are included.

Noble Desktop also offers classes in Figma, which is a popular UI design tool. The Figma Bootcamp takes a number of days to complete. In this bootcamp, you’ll learn a variety of Figma skills including optimizing designs for mobile, tablet, and desktop screens, extracting image assets, designing on grids, and sharing designs with clients. You’ll also learn to create animations and build interactive prototypes. In addition, the class covers components, and working with team libraries.

Another Figma option is the Figma Masterclass, which will take you from a beginner to an advanced level. In this class, you’ll learn to create UI and UX designs for websites and apps, designing layouts that are optimized for various devices. You’ll also learn to build interactive prototypes, make animations, use components, work with team libraries, and use conditionals.