Can I Learn UI Design For Free?

You can learn a lot about UI design by using free online resources. These resources are particularly useful for things like getting an overview of this field, learning a few basic skills, keeping up with UI design trends, or troubleshooting a specific problem. However, if your goal is to get a comprehensive UI design education so that you can work as a professional in the industry, then live classes are usually a better option. With a live class, you’ll follow a comprehensive curriculum that is designed to give you all the skills and knowledge that you’ll need, and you’ll get guidance and feedback from an expert.

What Free Resources Are Available for Learning UI Design?

You’ll find a wide range of different free resources online that you can use to teach yourself some UI concepts and skills. This includes tutorials, seminars, and forums. Many different websites offer these free resources. For instance, you’ll find dozens of tutorials on YouTube, covering a wide range of different UI design skills. Schools like Noble Desktop also offer free UI design resources like seminars and blog posts. Some on-demand schools also offer certain UI classes for free. In addition, if you’re trying to learn a specific design application, you may be able to find free tutorials specific to that application. For example, Adobe provides many free tutorials for its design programs, which are posted on its website. The Figma website also contains free resources. Finally, there are many online design forums where people with more experience in UI design are often happy to share tips and insights.

You can also find self-teaching resources through professional networks and publications. In an article titled “What Are the Best Ways to Stay Up-To-Date on User Experience and User Interface Design Trends?” LinkedIn suggests following industry-specific online sources. It says, “One of the easiest ways to stay up-to-date on UX and UI design trends is to follow online sources that share relevant content, such as blogs, podcasts, newsletters, and social media accounts. These sources can provide you with insights, tips, examples, and case studies from experts and practitioners in the field.” Sources it suggests include UI Design Daily and UI Breakfast.

While the wealth of free UI design resources will give you a lot of options, the sheer number of options available can also be problematic. It can be time-consuming to find resources that fit your needs, and it can also be a lot of work to verify that your resources are up-to-date and accurate. In a Georgetown University Library article titled “Evaluating Internet Resources,” the author stresses, “Information available on the Internet is not regulated for quality or accuracy. . . . Keep in mind that almost anyone can publish anything they wish on the Web. It is often difficult to determine authorship of Web sources, and even if the author is listed, he or she may not always represent him or herself honestly, or he or she may represent opinions as fact.” As a result, the author says, users need to always evaluate the quality of their information.

How to Make Use of Free UI Design Resources

If you’re interested in learning UI design, self-teaching can be a good starting point because it’s a way to learn some basic skills without committing a lot of time or money to a formal class. Many UI design courses cost thousands of dollars, so you don’t want to sign up for one and then realize that this is not the field for you. Instead, by teaching yourself, you can get an idea of what UI design is all about, maybe even working on some simple projects. If you decide that you do want to pursue this discipline and you want to get more serious about learning, you can take the next step and enroll in a live class. 

If you are trying to teach yourself with free resources, experts offer a number of tips that may increase your chances of success. One is to create a course outline that includes the skills you want to work on and another is to set a schedule for yourself. By taking the learning process seriously, you’re more likely to stay focused and on track. You could also start by gathering the resources that you plan to use, ideally having a mix of different media, such as video tutorials, articles, and hands-on exercises. Another expert tip is to try and keep the learning process fun and engaging by attempting to incorporate resources or projects on topics that interest you. Finally, it can be helpful to try and engage with the UI design community through things like online forums or community events since that community can be a source of advice and support. You could also try learning with a friend as a way to decrease the feeling of isolation that can come with self-teaching.

Limitations of Free Resources

While free resources can be a helpful part of the learning process, they also have limitations. One of the biggest limitations is the fact that free learning resources don’t come with guidance or feedback from an experienced instructor. When you don’t know much about UI design, it can be hard to figure out where to start, what to learn, and whether what you’re doing is right. It can be extremely helpful to have the guidance of an expert instructor who knows about UI design and also understands how the industry works. There are a lot of free online resources that you can use to learn UI design, however, it can be challenging to separate the good resources from the bad, and you might become overwhelmed by just how much material there is. Another thing you may miss out on without an instructor is the opportunity for mentorship, which can be a valuable part of the learning process. 

Some people also find it difficult to stay motivated when they try to learn UI design by teaching themself with free resources. When you take a formal class, there will be schedules and deadlines, and an instructor to be accountable to, which can help you stay on track. In contrast, when you teach yourself, you won’t have any of these things so you’ll need to be more disciplined and motivated, setting your own schedules and making sure you follow them. Because there is no accountability or commitment, self-teaching is often associated with low rates of completion. In general, self-teaching usually works better with students who are independent learners, who are comfortable figuring things out by themselves, and who are good at working alone.

Another thing that can be difficult about teaching yourself by using free resources is that you may feel more isolated. You won’t have the interaction and sense of community that comes with being part of a class. That interaction can enrich the learning process, and it can also be helpful just to be able to talk to other people who are going through the same thing as you. In addition, the interaction that you get with a class can lead to valuable networking opportunities.

What to Do After Utilizing Free UI Design Resources

While learning UI design on your own has some advantages, and some UI Designers are completely self-taught, most people who are serious about learning UI design decide to enroll in a paid class with a live instructor. There are many advantages associated with a live class. One is that you’ll follow a structured curriculum that covers all of the important topics in UI design, such as research methodologies, prototyping, design principles, and usability testing. Most UI design classes cover both theory and its practical application, giving you a well-rounded education that will prepare you to use your UI design skills in real-world situations. Having access to a comprehensive curriculum is a significant benefit. 

Another advantage of a class is that you’ll receive expert guidance throughout the learning process. Most classes are led by experienced instructors who also have professional industry experience. They can answer your questions and provide feedback. They can also share their insights about industry trends, best practices, and challenges that you are likely to encounter. In addition, they can help you network within the field of UI design. Most people find that when they learn from an instructor, they master UI design much more quickly than when they try to teach themselves.

Taking a class also means that you’ll be learning along with a group of peers, which can also help you learn more quickly and more effectively. Most classes involve a high degree of collaboration, with activities such as group discussions, projects, and workshops. These group activities can help broaden your experience and deepen your understanding. They can also help you prepare for collaborative work in the future, which is common in the field of UI design. Finally, peer interactions can lead to networking opportunities, which can also be valuable in the future.

Another benefit of learning UI design by taking a class is that many classes provide career support in addition to a UI design education. If you opt for a longer class like a bootcamp or certificate course that is designed to get you career-ready, then that class will be likely to devote time to working on things that will set you up for success in the professional world. For example, you may work on projects that are similar to what you would work on in a professional UI design job. You might also spend time developing a portfolio, which is a collection of your best work that you can use to demonstrate your skills to potential clients or employers. Some classes also offer access to career support services where you can get advice about your resume and the job search and interview process.

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.