the journey: phase 2 – self-taught resources
ICYMI: In late 2021, I decided to switch my career from marketing to UX Design. After hours of research, I settled on applying to ASU’s Masters in UX Design program. I also began self-teaching through the Google Coursera UX Design certificate. This is the continuation of that journey.
I began my UX Design journey in October 2021. After finding and applying to Arizona State University’s M.S. in User Experience Design, the long wait for updates began. But I didn’t want to wait, so I sought out other resources to begin learning now.
With an open mind and optimistic attitude, I jumped right in and scoured the internet for any info I could find.
First stop, UXBeginner.com
This website was extremely beneficial for me. UXBeginner has lists of books, groups, online courses, free resources, paid resources, and more.
The curated feeds allowed me to dive in however I chose and delivered a lot of insights to my inbox early on. I was able to dive into UX Design principles and gauge if I wanted to learn more about this field (spoiler alert: I did).
Next up, Google Coursera UX Design Certificate
I know a lot of UX newbies talk about this course. While this is not a free option, I have learned so much from the first 3 certificate courses. I feel like I have a better understanding of how the product design process works.
So far I’ve created wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes in Figma, created user personas and journeys in Google Sheets and taken thorough notes from every course. Plus, I’ll get a certificate in the end.
Once I finish all 7 courses, I’ll provide a full review of this certificate!
In the middle, UX required reading.
Along with the courses and self-taught online materials I’ve also been absorbing information via UX design books. You’ll likely find many reading lists floating around the internet if you’re looking for materials.
Here’s what I’ve read so far:
My current reading list:
- Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
- Law of UX by Jon Yablonski
- Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Books I’ve already finished:
- User Friendly by Cliff Kaung & Robert Fabricant – 5 stars, will likely read again. Such a great history of user experience and well-written examples of how improving UX can help the user.
Check out this reading list for more ideas and help getting started with UX!
Final thoughts…
All in all, I find self-taught resources extremely useful. I enjoy consuming materials created and shared by experts. And I’ve loved the Google certificate because I hold Google’s design team at a very high standard.
However, I also know I don’t have a great grasp of many design principles. Or the true product development process. Which is why I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in this field.
If you thrive in a self-paced learning environment, then there are endless resources available for you to break into UX.
What UX design materials are your go-to’s for learning?
