| Unit name | User Experience Design Fundamentals |
|---|---|
| Unit code | INOVM0032 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Hinchliffe |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Centre for Innovation |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
In an increasingly digital world, creating intuitive and engaging user experiences (UX) is crucial for the success of digital products and services. This unit introduces the core principles of UX design, emphasising the importance of user-centred design processes. Through direct insights from digital platforms and tech companies, students will explore how UX design shapes the digital landscape, making it an essential skill for innovators in the digital domain.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
‘User Experience Design Fundamentals’ is integral to the Digital Innovation curriculum, providing a critical foundation in understanding and applying user-centred design principles. This unit sets the stage for advanced exploration in digital media, design, and business strategy, ensuring students appreciate the centrality of UX in creating effective digital innovations. It supports subsequent units by equipping students with the skills to incorporate user insights and design thinking into their projects.
An Overview of Content
This unit offers a comprehensive exploration of the principles and processes involved in user experience (UX) design. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to collaborate with digital platforms and technology companies, gaining direct industry insights that inform their learning. The unit emphasizes hands-on application, allowing students to utilise UX design tools and methodologies in real-world projects, thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Personal Development as a Result of the Unit
Through engagement with this unit, students will experience substantial personal development in key areas. In terms of knowledge, they will gain a clear understanding of the fundamentals of UX design and its significant impact on digital innovation. In the realm of thinking, students will develop critical thinking skills, particularly in assessing user needs and designing effective solutions. Additionally, students will acquire practical skills in using UX design tools and methods, applying their learning in project work that prepares them for future professional roles in the digital field.
Learning Outcomes
How You Will Learn
The unit adopts a hands-on, project-based learning approach, integrating real-world industry insights and collaborative design projects. Students will engage in various activities, including participating in company site visits,
To prepare for the summative assessments, students will engage in UX design critiques and usability testing sessions. These activities, alongside interactive UX workshops, provide opportunities for students to practice and refine their skills in user experience design. Additionally, students will participate in peer-led critique sessions where they present their ongoing projects for feedback. These sessions are designed to help students refine their understanding and application of digital innovation tools in practical settings, enhancing their critical analysis, synthesis and problem-solving skills.
These activities are formative in nature, meaning they contribute to skill development and hands-on experience but do not directly affect the unit's final mark. Instead, they serve as crucial stepping stones towards mastering the skills and knowledge required for success in digital innovation.
An Autoethnographic Individual Reflective Critique is a reflective assignment where students analyse their personal experiences related to a project or learning activity. They must situate these experiences within a broader theoretical framework and draw on relevant academic literature to provide a deeper, contextual understanding of their actions and insights.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Regular feedback sessions with UX design experts will refine design concepts and methodologies. An early UX Scenario Outline will guide initial design choices and provide directional feedback followed by a UX Strategy discussion document, designed for assessing preliminary designs and providing constructive feedback.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Team Project, 3000 words or equivalent (75%). [ILOs 1, 2, 3, 4]
Present a detailed UX design solution for a real-world problem, that covers user research, design implementation, and usability testing.
For the Team Project, the word count will be shared across the group.
Individual autoethnographic reflective critique, 1000 words or equivalent (25%). [ILOs 1, 2, 3, 4]
An individual autoethnographic reflective critique on your input into the project.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. INOVM0032).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
