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.
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:
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:
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:
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.
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Not quite ready to make the commitment yet? No worries! IxDF offers several resources to whet your appetite for UX design.
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:
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.
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.
IxDF offers a variety of membership options to cater to different needs and budgets. Here are the available options and how they work:
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:
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.
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:
So, why did IxDF stand out for Kristine? The answer lies in her advice for UX professionals considering IxDF:
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:
Osama also shared a few courses that provided a solid foundation in UX principles and 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.
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.
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