UX/UI Recruitment Lead
Mentoring and lecturing 20+ incoming interns through weekly workshops/projects centered around UX/UI and digital design practices. Hosting a 10-week design sprint through the academic quarter to provide interns practice of a case study. Collaborate with other CTD board members on general club events and workshops.
project details
Workshop hosting
Teaching Figma basics
team
Creative Tech Design
tools
Figma
year
2021
Why a Creative Tech Design cohort?
Based on previous years, the board noticed it was difficult maintaining retention and enthusiasm from new board members who applied for positions. They either realized UX/UI was not a career path they wanted, the time commitment did not fit their schedule. etc.
From there, the Cohort was born. A free trial for CTD interns to see if UX/UI whole is something that appeals to them before committing to being a board members and pursuing a career in UX/UI. Interns who applied to be on the CTD board are automatically placed the cohort and go through approximately a 10-week long design sprint where they learn the fundamentals of UX/UI design in Figma and conduct a case study where they have the opportunity to redesign an app of their choosing.
01. Setting the Scene
Before initializing the cohort to interested members, me and other club officers not only had to brainstorm what we wanted out of having interns, but what the interns would get out of the cohort as well. The goal of this cohort was to have all participants leave feeling like they learned transferable and applicable skills, whether they were offered an officer position or not.
How do we effectively educate about UX/UI design and research?
How do we inspire fellow students as well as teach?
What should the curriculum look like?
What did I wish I had known when initially pursuing UX/UI?
02. Building the Curriculum
It was important to outline a curriculum that was efficient for lecturing about UX/UI fundamentals, hosting demonstrations on Figma basics, and time for interns to complete their case study. Because the interns are also students, the time frame and structure of the cohort had to be based taking into account their busy schedules.
Cohort Weekly Agenda
Week 1: Introductions
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Introduce ourselves/yourselves
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What is CTD?
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Look up (4) designs on dribbble.com and put in Figma file, spark inspiration to recreate later or for artistic reference
Week 2: What, Why, and How UX/UI?
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Present Dribbble designs and why we like them
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UX/UI
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Design
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Design profiles
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Research
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Development
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Products, interfaces, etc.
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Why UX/UI is a needed aspect of experiencing products
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How we execute UX/UI case studies
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Vocab: User personas, surveys, collecting feedback, wire-framing, prototyping, lo/hi fi’s
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Tools (Figma, Sketch, etc.)
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Activity: Spot the Difference design game
Week 3: Figma 101
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Teach Figma basics
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Creating a frame
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Laying down text, shapes, rounding edges, drop shadow, colors
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Create/copy basic sign up page
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Homework: try your best to copy the assigned design and present next week!
Week 4: Replica Design Office Hours
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Feedback on replica designs
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Detailed critique to help better understand Figma and design principles
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Ask what everyone would like to learn in Figma
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Any suggestions or struggles with Figma so far
Week 5: Figma 101 cont. + Prototyping
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Alignment in Figma demonstration
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Prototyping
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How to connect two frames/object interactions
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Scroll
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Build off of previous redesign task and creating log-in page
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Take log-in page and make a home page
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Home page examples
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Goals: cohesion, being able to properly prototype, learn how to add scroll feature
Week 6: Case Studies
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Introducing case studies
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What is a case study?
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Why we need case studies
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Components of a case study
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Homework: Choose an app/website you use and want to improve functionally and list pain points & come ready to share problem statement
Week 7: Design Sprint
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Sharing problem statements
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Feedback
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Homework: Find users to test your research method on!
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Who uses the app, who doesn’t use the app and why! Ask your friends and family!
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User Personas
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What a typical user looks like
Why they use this app & its specific features
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Week 8: Design Sprint
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Share findings & user personas
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Brainstorm how to convert data to applicable redesign elements
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Homework: Take research & create lo-fis
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Implement user feedback to construct more ideal interface
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Take notes & explain your process!
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Week 9: Design Sprint
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Share lo-fis & feedback
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Start of mid-fis & hi-fis
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Examples
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Homework: Continue working through mid-fis and hi-fis
Week 10: Design Sprint
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Present case study and final interface designs
Cohort Workshop Slides
Click to enlarge
Intern Design Sprint Projects
Click to enlarge
Conclusion
Reaching the Destination
At the end of the cohort, me and the club president(s) select interns that demonstrated excellent efforts towards the cohort and genuine curiosity to learn more about UX/UI. The cohort as a whole was a success in that the club was able to onboard interns to officer positions.
Trials & Tribulations
As this was the first time CTD implemented a cohort, there were many learning curves. In our weekly workshops it was important to me to be able to teach the interns information that stretched beyond a simple Google search, while retaining engagement and consistent attendance. I had to do constant reflection on what I wish I had known or taught at the beginning stages of my UX/UI journey.
Takeaways
Reflecting
Being able to teach and work with the interns every year has been so rewarding and enriching as a student and designer. It allows me to take a step back and ask myself "What did I wish I had known when first learning UX/UI?" and allows me the opportunity to learn along with them as much as I am teaching.
Educating
To see the interns come into CTD without experience in digital design, Figma, or case studies grow as designers and make beautiful prototypes and engage in wanting to learn more has been beyond fulfilling and inspires me to grow as a designer and mentor. It has motivated me to refine my knowledge of digital design to teach others and be a reliable guide to aspiring UX/UI designers!
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