The Interaction Design Foundation: What it is and what it does

Do you ever feel lost in a sea of UX resources with no land in sight? Are you struggling to find a structured learning path to hone your design skills? The Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF) could be your lifeline.

Continuous learning is critical in UX design, especially as tools and standards continue to evolve in digital design and development. Let’s discuss what the IxDF is, see some of its popular courses, and learn more about how to boost your UX career by leveraging trustworthy learning resources.

What is the Interaction Design Foundation?

Founded in 2002 and with over 175,000 graduates, the Interaction Design Foundation is the biggest structured online design school globally. It offers a one-stop shop brimming with peer-reviewed UX resources including comprehensive courses, handy templates, and a vibrant community buzzing with design expertise.

IxDF boasts a faculty of legendary UX rockstars – professors and industry veterans who’ve shaped the field from ground zero:

IxDF promises to cater to your journey, whether you’re a UX newbie or experienced in the field.

If you’re new to the game, you’ll get the resources you need to master the fundamentals and get your confidence from zero to one. If you’re an experienced UX professional, you’ll be able to sharpen your skills, stay ahead of trends to become the top percentile of your league.

With a mission to democratize design knowledge, the IxDF is working to build the largest free online collection of resources on UX/UI design to educate and empower UX professionals everywhere.

But IxDF goes beyond just content. They offer exclusive membership plans to join a design community in your country or region where you can connect, collaborate, and learn from your peers — people who have been there, done that, and have the tales to tell.

As a UX mentor myself, I’ve witnessed firsthand the struggles of design learners. Finding a structured yet self-paced learning path can feel like a UX challenge itself.

Sure, design bootcamps offer a solution, but IxDF stands out through its commitment to in-depth, self-directed learning, empowering you to build your UX skill set at your own pace:

Why you should join IxDF

Hopefully, you’re already getting the picture: IxDF offers many benefits and helpful resources. Here are 11 specific resources why you should join the community:

1. Unlimited learning — IxDF offers a flat yearly membership fee that gives you access to their entire course library – no nickel-and-diming for each course you take. Check out a specific topic or explore a wide range of UX subjects, the choice is yours!
2. Engaging learning styles — IxDF caters to different learning preferences. Their courses utilize a blend of in-depth reading materials, crystal clear video lectures, detailed video transcripts, and interactive exercises
3. Structured learning path — No more getting lost in a maze of information! IxDF provides personalized learning paths based on your experience level. If you’re new to UX, you can get started with the fundamentals. But if you’ve already got some experience under your belt, you can sharpen your skills with their intermediate to advanced courses. They offer 10 learning paths curated to different UX-related roles in an organization
4. Master design principles and fundamentals — Go beyond the surface-level jargon. IxDF’s curriculum is crafted by experienced industry veterans who have “walked the walk.” They’ll guide you through design rules, principles, and best practices in a comprehensive manner, giving you real examples, real problems and real solutions
5. Deep dive with their masterclasses — IxDF offers exclusive on-demand masterclasses for members. These in-depth sessions deeply explore specific UX topics, allowing you to focus on areas where you want to upskill the most
6. Develop winning soft skills for the real world — IxDF recognizes the importance of soft skills. They offer seminars and masterclasses on topics like communication, collaboration, and user research, equipping you for well-rounded success
7. Connect with your local UX community — IxDF fosters a vibrant network of design go-hards through local groups. These meetups provide opportunities to connect with fellow UX designers, share experiences, and learn from each other
8. Get personal coaching — Their 1:1 coaching services will help you take your UX journey to the next level with their Design League membership. This premium membership tier offers all the benefits of a regular subscription, plus personalized coaching to help you achieve your design goals faster
9. Save on popular design tools — IxDF partners with leading design software companies like Protopie and Userlytics to offer members exclusive discounts on the tools you use every day
10. Learn from the best — IxDF boasts a faculty of renowned UX professionals and educators who share their expertise and insights with no holds barred. Gain valuable knowledge from UX leaders who have shaped the field
11. Get instructor feedback on your assessments — IxDF goes beyond passive learning. Their courses often include assessments that test your comprehension of the material. For some of these assessments, you’ll receive valuable feedback from instructors on your work, helping you solidify your understanding and identify areas for improvement

How to get started with IxDF

Head over to the Interaction Design Foundation website and explore the wealth of resources available. As of the time of this writing, they’re offering a 50 percent discount on their annual subscription, making it a great time to join the IxDF community.

As mentioned earlier, IxDF caters to all experience levels. Here are some great resources to start with for various scenarios:

• If you’re a graphic designer who is interested in exploring the UX design field, then you can start strong with this IxDF article on How to Change Your Career from Graphic Design to UX Design. This comprehensive guide provides valuable insights on transitioning your graphic design skills into the UX field
• If you’re new to the field and looking to transition, start here — Transition into a UX Career: Top Insights. This article is packed with top tips for a smooth career switch into UX
• If you’re a UX professional with some dirt under your nails but you’re looking to develop your domain knowledge and keep your skills sharp, IxDF offers a vast library of courses designed to deepen your knowledge and upskill you in specific areas. Browse through their course catalog and find the perfect fit for your needs

Bonus tip — IxDF boasts a vibrant online community. You can join their discussion forums to connect with fellow UX designers, ask questions, and share your design challenges. This can be a fantastic way to learn from others and accelerate your growth in the field.

Top 5 IxDF courses and certifications

The Interaction Design Foundation’s courses typically follow a flexible, self-paced format. You’ll have access to video lectures, downloadable resources, and quizzes at your convenience, along with practical exercises and assignments to help you apply your learnings to real-world scenarios.

Additionally, some courses offer peer-to-peer feedback and expert reviews to enhance your learning experience. You’ll also get the chance to build a portfolio-worthy case study as you work through the courses. Upon completion, you’ll gain an industry-recognized certificate.

To get you started, here are five of their most popular courses.

1. User Experience: The Beginner’s Guide

If you’re completely new to UX, this course is a great starting point. You’ll be exposed to the absolute basics to help you understand the impact of UX, and discover how to kickstart your career in the field. You’ll learn:

• UX fundamentals and terminology
• The role of UX in product success
• Practical UX methods and tools
• Fundamentals for building a strong UX portfolio

2. Design for a Better World with Don Norman

This unique course, led by UX design’s “Yoda,” Don Norman, takes you deeply into the broader societal impact of design. You’ll learn how to design for sustainability, address socio-technical problems, and create positive change.

This course is a great way to gain insights from a design legend and learn how to create impactful designs that go far beyond aesthetics. It covers:

• Meaningful measurements & circular design
• Humanity-centered design for complex problems
• Overcoming resistance to change & driving positive behaviors
• The future of design with AI

3. AI for Designers

This comprehensive course is a great gateway to the future of design. You’ll learn how to seamlessly integrate AI tools throughout your workflow to boost efficiency and create intuitive UXs that work flawlessly with AI-powered features.

The course content will take you through the “how” and the “why” of AI design, highlighting ethical considerations and the power of UX design to tackle global challenges. By the end of the course, you will understand:

• The transformative power of AI on design and anticipate future trends
• Key concepts like machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI
• AI applications for every stage of your design process, including UX research, prototyping, and evaluation
• How to integrate AI tools into real-world design projects that will form your portfolio case study, effectively showcasing your newfound expertise in AI-powered design

4. User Research – Methods and Best Practices

This course is a long-standing personal favorite of mine that I strongly recommend all my mentees to take. It’s tailored for intermediate designers who want to learn how to plan, execute, and analyze user research to create products users truly love, covering information such as:

• The power of user research and why it’s crucial for successful product development
• Essential research methods and techniques like usability testing, interviews, and contextual inquiries
• Planning and executing research projects confidently, with practical guidance on project planning, participant recruitment, and data collection.
• Analyzing and transforming your findings into clearly communicated, actionable insights
• Building a strong portfolio that showcases your research skills with a hands-on project and case study

5. UX Management: Strategy and Tactics

This course is great for UX managers and leaders seeking to enhance their team’s performance, UX designers aspiring to take on management roles, and business leaders looking to harness the power of UX for competitive advantage.

It’s designed to help you master UX management to drive business impact. If you’re looking to elevate your UX team’s performance and ROI, I cannot recommend this enough. You’ll learn how to:

• Build a high-performing UX team using effective strategies for hiring, positioning, and empowering UX professionals
• Integrate UX into your organization’s core, fostering a UX-centric culture and creating an organizational mindset that prioritizes UX
• Drive significant business results, aligning UX efforts with business objectives and measuring ROI
• Navigate the complexities of UX management through insights from real-world case studies and expert interviews

Leverage IxDF certifications to propel your career

Upon completing a course, you’ll receive a course certificate as proof of your achievement:

These certificates will help you showcase your highly sought after knowledge and dedication to continuous learning, as it demonstrates your understanding of UX design concepts. Since IxDF certifications are recognized by industry professionals worldwide, earning these certifications can:

• Boost your resume and help you stand out from the competition when applying for UX design jobs
• Demonstrate your expertise, signaling to employers that you have a solid foundation in UX design principles and methodologies
• Enhance your credibility with an indicator of your commitment to professional development in the UX field
• Develop your confidence in your growing skills, giving you that boost of confidence to continue to pursue career advancement

However, while IxDF certifications are valuable, they are not the sole factor in landing a UX design job. A strong portfolio showcasing your design skills and experience is equally important to recruiters, if not more so. Additionally, experience in a specific industry, a unique set of technical proficiencies, and soft skills can significantly influence your job prospects.

Limitations of the Interaction Design Foundation

While IxDF offers a compelling package of resources and benefits, it’s definitely not pixel perfect. It’s important to evaluate your options before committing. Here are some reasons why IxDF might not be the best fit for you.

An IxDF subscription requires an annual membership commitment

IxDF operates on an annual subscription model. This offers the advantage of a flat fee and unlimited access to their course library, encouraging in-depth learning. However, if you prefer a more flexible month-to-month payment option, IxDF might not be the best fit.

IxDF explains that its courses are heavily discounted as each program in other design schools or bootcamps would cost no less than $1000:

Focuses on self-directed learning

IxDF excels in providing a structured learning path and high-quality content. However, their standard membership tier doesn’t include personalized feedback or Q&A sessions with instructors like a typical design bootcamp might offer.

If you crave one-on-one guidance or prefer a more interactive learning environment, you might want to consider IxDF’s premium “Design League” membership, which offers coaching and personalized support, or explore alternative design education platforms that provide built-in Q&A features.

Courses are designed for depth (as opposed to breadth)

While IxDF offers a vast library of courses, some users might find that their focus on in-depth exploration limits the sheer number of topics they might be able to cover within the same time frame compared to some competitors.

If you’re seeking a wider variety of introductory-level courses to explore different areas of UX design before you decide whether to specialize, you would need to supplement your learning with additional resources.

Free IxDF resources

Not quite ready to make the commitment yet? No worries! IxDF offers several resources to whet your appetite for UX design.

Free ebook

You can download their free ebook to get a taste of their teaching style and gain valuable UX insights. It’s a great way to get into the trenches quickly and see if IxDF’s content aligns with your learning goals:

Weekly newsletter for design inspiration

Sign up for their newsletter and join a community of over 300,000 designers. You’ll receive a weekly dose of design inspiration, industry trends, and valuable tips to keep you engaged and informed.

On-demand masterclasses

IxDF offers live, on-demand masterclasses that deeply explore specific UX topics. While these are heavily discounted for members, you might find introductory or free options available. Check out their website for current offerings.

Choosing an IxDF membership option

IxDF offers a variety of membership options to cater to different needs and budgets. Here are the available options and how they work:

• Individual membership — This is the standard membership tier, offering access to the entire course library, community forums, and regular discounts for their masterclasses and design tools
• Design league membership — This premium option provides all the benefits of individual membership, plus personalized coaching and career guidance
• Company membership — Designed for design teams, this membership allows multiple users from the same company to access IxDF resources at a discounted group rate
• Student membership — Full-time students can enjoy significantly reduced membership fees, making IxDF an accessible platform for those entering the UX design field

The Join page on the Interaction Design Foundation website allows you to explore the different membership options and join the community at whatever tier fits you best:

Success stories: What do IxDF learners have to say?

Many members of the Interaction Design Foundation community have spoken out about its benefits and some of the courses they enjoyed the most. I’ve picked out two success stories to share with you from Kristine Gordova and Osama Abaali.

How IxDF fueled Kristine Gordova’s career

In this LinkedIn article, Kristine Gordova, a Senior Product Designer at Skaal, shares her inspiring journey of continuous learning and career growth with the help of the Interaction Design Foundation.

She went from a self-taught UX beginner to a senior UX leader through dedication and ongoing education. Her passion for UX research and strategy continues to drive her, and she’s now venturing into mentoring future UX professionals.

Through IxDF, Kristine completed numerous courses, earning 12 certificates and expanding her knowledge base. What impressed her most was the platform’s ability to cater to different learning needs. Some courses solidified existing knowledge, while others introduced new concepts that challenged her prior perspective.

Kristine highlights several courses in her article that significantly improved her UX skills:

1. AI for Designers — This course explained the potential of AI in design and offered practical guidance on integrating these tools effectively
2. Emotional Design — Aligned with Kristine’s passion for understanding and leveraging user emotions, this course explored how to create designs that resonate on an emotional level
3. Design for a Better World with Don Norman — Learning from the design maestro himself, Kristine gained valuable insights on the social responsibility designers hold
4. Accessibility: How to Design for All — This course has equipped her to create inclusive designs that cater to a wider range of users
5. Journey Mapping — Mastering this skill has allowed Kristine to step into the shoes of users and design seamless experiences

So, why did IxDF stand out for Kristine? The answer lies in her advice for UX professionals considering IxDF:

• Cultivates a structured learning habit — IxDF’s structure encourages consistent learning, a crucial factor in the ever-evolving UX field
• Flexible learning — The yearly subscription offers the freedom to learn at your own pace, taking one or several courses simultaneously
• In-depth learning with webinars — Live and recorded webinars provide opportunities to connect with experts, ask questions, and gain deeper knowledge

Osama Abaali’s inspiring journey from electrical engineer to UX designer

Osama’s story is one of courage, resilience, and a love for learning. In this article from Bootcamp’s Medium publication, this electrical engineering graduate shared how he took a leap of faith and transitioned into UX design, with the Interaction Design Foundation playing a pivotal role in his success.

His dream initially wasn’t to work outside his field of study. However, after graduation, landing a relevant job proved challenging. Undeterred, he leveraged his engineering background and explored new career avenues. UX design, with its focus on user-centered problem-solving, resonated with him.

Finding the right learning program took some trial and error. Osama initially started with Google UX Design course, but he felt the instructors lacked engagement and the course content lacked practical examples. This led him to IxDF, where he was impressed by the:

• Extensive course library — A wide range of courses catering to all experience levels, from beginner to advanced. Lifetime access upon enrollment allows for in-depth learning
• Free resources — Free access to UX design textbooks by leading professionals for members and non-members alike
• Thriving community — Active forums with dedicated channels for various UX topics provided valuable peer support and knowledge sharing
• Cost-effectiveness — The yearly membership offered unlimited courses, making it a budget-friendly option compared to per-course pricing on other platforms

Osama also shared a few courses that provided a solid foundation in UX principles and practices:

1. User Experience: The Beginner’s Guide
2. Design Thinking: The Ultimate Guide
3. User Research: Methods and Best Practices

He commends IxDF for their focus on user-centered design. Their courses have equipped him with the skills to understand user needs, a core principle of UX design.

With the knowledge and skills gained from IxDF, Osama landed his first UX design job at Meezan Bank not long after. He acknowledges the value of his engineering background, particularly in understanding constraints and balancing technical aspects with user needs. He’s now excited to leverage his new skillset and collaborate with diverse teams within the bank.

Osama’s message is clear: a career change is possible with dedication and the right resources. IxDF, with its comprehensive courses and supportive community, can be a valuable companion on this journey.

Is IxDF the right fit for you?

If you’re looking for a trusted companion in UX design, the success stories we’ve spotlighted exemplify how IxDF can empower UX professionals at all levels. It fosters a love for continuous learning and equips you with valuable skills.

Ultimately, the decision to join IxDF depends on your individual learning style, budget, and career goals. To determine whether it’s the right fit for your needs, this article will have helped you carefully consider the benefits, potential drawbacks, and alternative options.

We hope you feel empowered to make an informed choice that propels you forward in your UX design career.