Hello, welcome to the working syllabus for the Gray Area UX Workshop!
This is a living document, and will be updated throughout the course of the 4-day long workshop.
Workshop Outcomes and Deliverables:
- An understanding of the product cycle:
1) research and synthesis,
2) iOS app design best practices,
3) taking advantage and utilizing established and new iOS technology,
4) user-testing - A public blog to document your progress through the design process. Examples coming soon.
Schedule & Learning Path
Session A: Discovery
📚 Slides 📚
Monday, June 29th at 4–6:30pm PST, 7–9:30pm EST
Lead by Joelle Fleurantin, Mala Kumar, and James Vanié
- Intro to user research, ethical concerns, and best practices
- In class activity to create UX survey
Learning objectives: Understanding how an individual’s needs, expectations, and attitudes forms the concept of a “user.”
Reading and examples:
- User experience is … using design frameworks to guide solutions
- Emma Boulton’s Research Funnel
- Design Justice Network Principles
- AN OVERVIEW OF SENSE-MAKING RESEARCH: CONCEPTS, METHODS, AND RESULTS TO DATE
Homework:
• Find an individual in your life to conduct the UX interview with. They will become your “user”. This individual should ideally be available for testing your design at the end of the workshop.
• You can use structured or semi-structured methods. Use this survey template.
• If you choose to speak to your user, document and transcribe that interaction (let them know you’re doing this!). Keep your conversation short if you choose this method. Transcription is time consuming. Otherwise, you can send your user a survey.
Session B: Synthesis
📚 Slides 📚
Wednesday, July 1st at 4–6:30pm PST, 7–9:30pm EST
Lead by Joelle Fleurantin, Mala Kumar, and James Vanié
- Synthesizing research into categories based on questionnaire answers, then translating responses into actionable steps
- In class activity to create user personas and flows
Learning objectives: Understanding how to break down results from user research into a step by step flow.
Reading and examples: Coming soon.
Design documentation examples:
- Dionne Sims’s work with Department of Human Services
- Designing a CSA food app in 3 days — a UX case study
Homework:
• Finish user interview synthesis, persona, problem statement, and flows
• Create a Medium account and start posting your work thus far
• Sign up for a Figma account
Session C: Exploration
📚 Slides 📚
Monday, July 6th at 4–6:30pm PST, 7–9:30pm EST
Lead by Evelyn Masso and Steven Ziadie
- Exploring iOS app design and technical features
- In class activity to translate user research and flows into low fidelity wireframes
Learning objectives: Understand how to integrate best practices of creating iOS app interfaces and interesting technical features into wireframes.
Reading and examples: Coming soon.
Session D: Minimum Viable Product — MVP
📚 Slides 📚
Monday, July 8th at 4–6:30pm PST, 7–9:30pm EST
Lead by Sandra Atakora and Nick Simmons
- Creating visual language that goes behind strong and unique brand identities.
- Learn about interface design paradigms, accessibility, and user testing
- In class activity to create a visual language for your app
Learning objectives:
Understand how a visual direction and graphic design principles help to communicate the concept behind your app.
Reading and examples:
Bonus Session: UX Bootcamp Panel
Attend a post-workshop conversation featuring presentations, discussion, and Q&A with UX designers with various educational backgrounds during a session this summer. More info coming soon!
