How to Learn UX & UI Online

If you’re just starting to learn a new skill, you can find dozens of tips and resources online; learning UX & UI design is no different.UX & UI design is the practice of designing digital applications with the user experience in mind. The field combines creative and technical techniques as well as consumer research to craft the optimal experience and successful product. If you’ve always wanted to learn UX & UI design, there are plenty of options at your fingertips. From free tutorials to live classes, your options are outlined here so you can decide how to learn in a way that works best for you. 

What is UX & UI Design?

User interface (UI) design involves the development of a digital application’s interface and how it appears to users. Interface designs need to not only look appealing but also effectively communicate information to audiences. UI Designers create graphic assets and use them to build menus and layouts, among other aspects of a user interface. UI design relies heavily on principles of visual and graphic design.

UI design pairs closely with user experience (UX) design. Rather than building the look of a digital application, UX Designers focus on how an application feels to use. A user’s experience should be simple and engaging in ways that allow them to easily navigate the program. UX Designers conduct focused tests and analyze data to understand their audience’s behaviors.

UX & UI Designers work closely together. The fields also overlap so that it’s not uncommon for one designer to fulfill aspects of each role, particularly at small firms. 

Read more about what UX & UI design is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with UX & UI Design?

There are many skills gained through studying UX & UI design. UX & UI designers learn how to identify and solve problems. They form hypotheses, conduct research, engage with customers, analyze data, and build prototypes. They know how to build a long term project plan, follow through, and iterate. Even if not pursuing UX & UI design as a career, the skills gained through studying the field are useful for Department Managers, Project Managers, and entrepreneurs. 

UI design specifically focuses on creating text, images, and graphics and combining them into a digital interface that must be both visually appealing and functional. These skills are essential for marketers and entrepreneurs looking to build websites, social media content, and other digital media.

UX Designers work closely with customers through focus groups, user surveys, and interviews. Many UX Designers spend more time interacting with the public than with their team of designers. Building the skills needed to understand your audience is useful in any field that works closely with people such as hiring, general management, marketing, campaign strategy, and market research, among others.

UX & UI Designers are ultimately responsible for crafting the experiences of the digital products we use in our everyday lives. They work to ensure those experiences are accessible and enjoyable. Choosing to pursue a career in UX & UI Designer can be exciting as these designers play a large role in influencing how the world around us works.

Live Online UX & UI Design Training

The main perk of live online training is its availability. Students can learn from anywhere they find convenient, provided they have a reliable internet connection. This removes the commute time from a student's schedule and allows them to learn in an environment that they find comfortable. Online courses also often offer more flexible programs than in-person classrooms, which can work well for parents and workers with busy schedules. In terms of engagement, live online classes try to replicate physical classrooms with hands-on projects and live instructors and students interacting together in real time.

There are a number of live online UX & UI design training options. An individual wishing to jump start a career in UX & UI design will need to attend a comprehensive course, likely lasting several weeks. However, short classes, lasting only a day or two, are available. Noble Desktop offers live online courses in Sketch, Adobe XD, and UX design fundamentals. These classes are ideal for beginners wanting an overview of UX design techniques or wishing to learn the fundamentals of an interface design tool.

On-Demand UX & UI Design Classes

On-demand and self-paced UX & UI design training options are often free and ideal for students who prefer to learn at their own pace or are too busy to attend regular training sessions. On-demand training on beginner and advanced techniques for UX & UI design is available through skill-sharing websites such as YouTube, Udemy, and Coursera. However, a disadvantage of this method is that students must rely on self-motivation to progress through the material. They also lack an instructor to turn to for guidance if they encounter any problems. Free training is also often out of date.

Free Intro Courses & Tutorials

If you’re interested in UX & UI design but aren’t ready to dive into a full course, you can start learning for free online. Some ideal places to start include Noble Desktop’s free Intro to Figma and Intro to UI Design seminars. In these introductory courses, you’ll learn what Figma can do and how its features integrate with UI and UX design. You’ll also learn about UI design, how it relates to UX design, and what the visual design process entails. These courses are perfect for giving you an overview of UX & UI design before deciding to attend a full course.

Free online courses are ideal for beginner learners to start their journey as they often feature overviews of a program. You can find additional free courses through skill-sharing websites such as Youtube, Coursera, or Udemy. While these classes can be valuable and cost-effective for beginners, their main purpose is to provide overviews of a program. Professionals looking to comprehensively learn UX & UI design skills to advance their careers will need to attend more advanced, professional development classes. 

Read about more free UX & UI design videos and online tutorials.

Comparing Online Methods with In-Person Learning 

You can learn UX & UI Design through any of three training formats: live online, in-person, and on-demand classes. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and each individual will find that different approaches work best for them depending on their schedule, learning style, and training goals.

Live online and on-demand classes are the most accessible training options. As they are online, students can attend classes from anywhere (with an internet connection) and don't face the time-consuming and sometimes expensive commute required by in-person classes. Students are also free to choose their preferred learning environment, whether that be their home, work office, library, coffee shop, or another favorite study area. Online classes often offer more curriculum options than can be found in the nearest in-person courses. On-demand classes win out slightly in accessibility because they aren't tied to set class schedules. Students with busy lives may choose on-demand training to learn at their own pace.

The downside of on-demand classes lies in engagement. Students are left to their own motivation to advance through coursework and have no one to turn to with questions or for support. When on-demand training does offer an instructor’s contact information for assistance, students may wait days or longer for a reply. Live online and in-person training rank far higher in engagement. Students can ask instructors for immediate feedback, interact with peers, and often receive guidance in job searching or building portfolios. In-person training wins out slightly over live online courses in that some people feel more comfortable initiating engagement with their peers or instructors in a physical setting.

When it comes to affordability, on-demand training wins out again. As these classes are self-led, they are often free. However, it's important to weigh other pros and cons discussed in this section, especially when it comes to engagement or career advancement. The popular adage "you get what you pay for" often holds true when comparing on-demand courses vs. in-person or live online courses. While live online training isn't free, many professional institutions offer free seminars or introductory courses. Additionally, live online classes are often cheaper than in-person training.

If you're looking to advance your career, live online and in-person training offer the comprehensive learning you need. While on-demand training will likely be enough to learn the basics of a skill, self-led learning can't replace the knowledge a professional instructor possesses and passes on to their students. On-demand resources are also often dated and don't hold up to industry standards. Professional instruction is typically necessary to advance your career.

Overall, live online training is the best well-rounded option, offering most of the benefits of both in-person and on-demand classes. Students have no commute and usually have the option of more flexible schedules than with in-person training. Live online training replicates the interactivity of in-person classrooms with live instructors and classmate interaction. Some live online training can be found for free and offers the same self-led benefits as on-demand training. Paid live online training is an excellent and affordable option for professionals looking to advance their careers.

Tips to Succeed when Learning UX & UI Design Online

Online learning can be full of distractions without a dedicated workspace, especially for those learning from home. Children, pets, and other people working or engaging in activities around the home can quickly draw attention away from your studies. So it’s essential for successful online learning that students create a decided workspace that is quiet and distraction-free. For this reason, some students prefer to learn online from a coffee shop or library, but it’s possible to design a calm space at home.

Interacting with your peers and the instructor is important to learning and may be less evident in a virtual environment. While sitting in front of your computer screen, resigning yourself to being on your own can be easy. However, seeking interactions with your peers and the instructor is crucial for motivating one another, overcoming struggles, and making learning an engaging and collaborative process. While you may be alone in your physical learning environment, you’re not alone in your learning experience. Don’t be afraid to engage.

With online learning, you should also plan for troubleshooting. Technology doesn’t always work as expected. The WiFi going down or your student portal crashing are a couple of examples of possible technical issues. Troubleshooting is always unexpected, so plan to start class and turn in assignments early, so you have time to find solutions if anything goes wrong.

Key Insights

• You can learn live online from anywhere with an internet connection.
• On-demand training allows you to learn at your own pace but without professional guidance.
• Free intro courses and tutorials can be a great starting point for learning UX & UI design.
• Live online training offers the closest experience to in-person engagement without the cost of a commute.
• Succeeding with online training involves having a dedicated and distraction-free learning space and remembering to interact with your peers and instructor.
• Noble Desktop offers students a wide range of options for comprehensive online UX & UI design training.

Learn UX & UI Design with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

If you’re interested in learning UX & UI design, Noble Desktop offers several classes for you to choose from. These classes are available both in-person and live online. Classes are small and are taught by instructors who are experts in their fields. Free retake options are also available. 

In Noble’s UX & UI Design Certificate program, you’ll learn both UX & UI design concepts, build a professional portfolio, and gain one-on-one job preparation assistance. This is the perfect course to jump start a new career. Additionally, you may wish to enroll in the Figma Bootcamp. While Figma is taught in the UX & UI Design Certificate, the bootcamp dives in depth into the program. You’ll thoroughly learn the leading application for interface design from beginner to advanced techniques applicable to both UX & UI design. 

Additional classes can be found through the Visual Design and UX Design categories. The UI Design Certificate teaches graphic and interface design for websites and mobile applications. You’ll also learn essential software used by professionals including Figma, Adobe Photoshop, and Illustrator. The Digital Design Certificate teaches design techniques for web, print, and mobile. You’ll learn Figma for interface design along with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for designing digital and print materials. The Visual Design Portfolio Bootcamp teaches interface design through hands-on and multi-project courses. You’ll need to feel comfortable using Figma before enrolling in this course. 

Whether you know you want to start a career in UX & UI design or want to explore how UI design principles can be utilized in more graphically inclined careers, Noble Desktop has the classes you are looking for.