A good UX design ensures that the user feels comfortable and enjoys the product from the moment they start using it. When it comes to software apps or webpages, a UX (short for user experience) design ensures just that – that the product is easy and straightforward to use, hassle-free, and satisfying.
If you are looking to up your UX game, here are the best learning resources to get you started in UX – from online courses to blogs and videos, to books.
Best online courses
Invest your time wisely – these are the best online courses to help you learn UX design.
Hack Design
With Hack Design you receive a lesson straight in your inbox each week, crafted by an experienced designer. And it’s totally free! You can also browse the lessons if you are looking to find something in particular, or opt for a bundle of 50 lessons perfect for beginners to get you started.
Coursera: Introduction to User Interface Design
The Introduction to User Interface Design course, offered by the University of Minnesota, will teach you in great depths everything you need to know about the UI design process. UI (User Interface) is an important part of UX as it focuses on the visual appearance of the product. The course is free and includes 13 hours of theory.
Udemy: Adobe XD Professional Course
This course will teach you how to use Adobe XD – probably the most popular tool when it comes to UX. It’s paid but you get lifetime access to all the materials and upon the successful finish of the course, you receive a certificate to acknowledge your mastery in the software.
LinkedIn Learning: Sketch Training and Tutorials
This LinkedIn Training covers everything you need to know about Sketch – another popular UX tool. In 31 lessons you will learn all its features and you can access it for free if you are a new user and take advantage of the free monthly trial.
UX Training
This course is not particularly about tools and techniques but rather a program that in just two days will teach you how to use Lean – a methodology created to help you control the software development cycle. From initial interviews to brainstorming to sketching – everything you need to know to meed the deadlines without the risk of burnout.
Best blogs & videos about UX design
If you prefer to follow your own path and learn by yourself through a selection of blogs and video, instead of courses – here are some of the best to check out.
UX Collective
This blog is all about UX and usability so keep an eye to be up to date with every new trend, learn useful tips and tricks, and discover important tools that will ease your work and up your performance.
Weekly Design
This channel might seem focused a lot on Adobe XD but it also features plenty of useful information about other tools, as well as interviews and interesting discussions. Don’t forget to go through “Design Sucks”- a section that analyzes the flaws and strengths of some popular UIs.
Essential Tools for UX Designers: A Beginner’s Guide
A blog post that talks about all the tools a UX designer would find useful – from prototyping to wireframing. You can find basically every tool you would need – or didn’t know you need.
Why Design Matters
Why Design Matters is a post that will answer that important question but feel free to check out all the other blog posts as well – they offer quite the useful info and clever perspective on art and design.
Best books for UX design
You may find an endless resource of online content but don’t forget the good old book when it comes to UX. Here are some of the best books you should definitely consider reading.
About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design
As this is the 4th edition of this interaction design guide, it’s more than clear that reading is a must. Totally updated, it will offer a thorough guide to interaction design and a broad view of UX, provided by renowned specialists.
Adobe XD Classroom in a Book
If you lack the time to take a course on Adobe XD, this book will guide you through all the details and techniques that will get you started using the tool with ease.
The Ridiculously Simple Guide to Sketch App
Nothing more to say – The Ridiculously Simple Guide to Sketch App will teach you how to use this tool in the most simple way. Even if you a total beginner in coding or designing, you will learn how to do mockups that seem just like the real deal.
Presentation Zen
Presentation Zen is the book if you want to learn how to present your ideas – because the presentation is key when it comes to everything, not only UX. So if you struggle with how to turn the bunch of slides into a captivating presentation, this book might just be what you have been looking for.
