Skills Bootcamp in UI/UX Design

Weeks 1-2: Induction / Let’s Talk About Signs! 

• Ice-breaker activity
• Introduction to the concepts of UI and UX
• The Semiotics of UX/UI
• Understanding signs as phenomena: what and how does UX signify?
• Discovering the interface and its user 

Weeks 3: Prototyping / Sketching / Flows

• The five planes method for developing a project: strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, and surface
• Design ideation, processes, sketching, and the concept of the wireframe
• Refining ideas, sketching user flows
• Sitemaps, drafting user experiences

Weeks 4-5: Software

• Introduction to Figma: what is software’s role in the design process?
• Building 2D wireframes by thinking three-dimensionally: surface, skeleton, structure, scope, strategy
• Figma and building wireframes
• HTML/CSS and the structure of a website

Week 6: Research week

• The user as imaginary and what this means. User research, HCI, defining the user
• User Personas and the importance of accessible design
• Accessibility and how to implement it through the UI/UX process, designing for everyone

Week 7: Design principle

• What does good design do and how do we find it? How do we recognise good design? C.R.A.P., finding our own design limitations
• UX laws and design elements: typography, colour theory, and design principles Making the correct design choices and making the incorrect design choices effectively

Week 8: Design jam 1: An app from scratch

• This week will be project based in which participants will develop an application UI/UX from the ground up through active learning tasks and a real-world organisation brief
• Developing your portfolio

Week 9: Design jam 2: A website from scratch

• This week will be project based in which participants will develop a website UI/UX from the ground up through active learning tasks and a real-world organisation brief
• Developing your portfolio

Week 10: Post-design

• Post-launch analysis
• The next steps in your design journey
• Finalising your portfolio

Week 11 - 12: Employability tuition and job interviews

• CV writing, job applications, LinkedIn profile, interviews, job search, becoming self-employed
• Job interviews

Week 13 onwards (up to 6 months): Signposting to jobs and employability guidance

• Applicants should be available to attend the complete course from 19 June to 8 September 2023
• Applicants will need to have regular access to a desktop or laptop computer with an internet connection. Key details:
  • This can be either a laptop or a desktop. It doesn’t matter which one, but it should have enough RAM and memory to support your studies. In addition, your computer will need a working microphone, speakers and web camera. Some parts of the bootcamp will make use of Virtual Machines, for which you will need to download and install the free VMWare Player (for Windows) or VMWare Fusion (for Mac OS). If you don’t have access to a computer, please apply anyway and let us know of the problem, so we can see what we can do to help.
  • The right operating system. As a PC user, you need to make sure that you have the correct operating system, such as Windows 10 or 11 or OS X. Newer versions tend to work faster.
  • Useful software. You will need a good office suite, such as Microsoft Office. A good web browser, like Google Chrome, is also important. It can also be helpful to have an antivirus installed.
  • Reliable internet access. For an online course, a decent internet connection is essential so you can keep up with your work. A high-speed Wi-Fi connection can be obtained either at home (preferred for the best study setting) or via an outside source, such as the library, a quiet restaurant, etc.
  • Computer or software specifications:
    • 250 GB hard drive or higher
    • 8 GB RAM or higher
    • 2.0 GHz Intel or AMD processor
    • Windows 10 or MAC OS 10.10 or later
    • Google Chrome 96, Firefox 48, Safari 11 or later
    • Anti-virus program
    • Before you begin, it’s important to make sure that your computer is in tip-top working order and is properly equipped. You need to be prepared for any situation that could arise; for example, most classes have pre-recorded video lectures or live video chats, and if your speakers or headphones don’t work, you will struggle to participate.

• Unemployed applicants should be committed to securing a job interview and or attending an interview arranged by the graduate team by 13 October, and continue to engage with employability activities in order to move into/return to a role that utilises the skills acquired in this Skills Bootcamp within 6 months of completion of the course.
• Self-employed applicants should be committed to submitting a plan in writing confirming how they will utilise skills gained during this course to gain a job interview by 13 October 2023 and securing new opportunity/contract that utilises the skills acquired in this Skills Bootcamp within 6 months of completion of the course.

Note: Are you aware that you can only participate in one Skills Bootcamp during the fiscal year running from April 2023 to March 2024? While you can apply for more than one Bootcamp, should you be offered multiple places, you may accept only one.

To be eligible to join this course applicants must meet all the following criteria:

• must be aged 19 or older
• have the right to work in the UK. This can be checked on gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
• meet residency requirements - applicants should be UK nationals or other person with a right to live and work in the UK without any immigration restrictions who have been ordinarily resident in the UK, or the British Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) for at least the previous 3 years on the first day of learning.

Note: If you are unsure if you meet residency criteria, please refer to the information provided on the AEB Funding Rules page.

• Agree to provide mandatory personal data and supplementary information on their employment outcomes for up to 8 months following completion of the Skills Bootcamp.

Be either

• unemployed within the last 12 months, or
• career changers/returners/redeployed, or
• self-employed/employed

As a free course with places limited to 45, our application process will ensure the training is made available to those who will benefit most from the opportunity.

To apply please complete all steps below:

1. Familiarise yourself with the Privacy Notice for Skills Bootcamps, Skills bootcamps privacy notice Q&A, IoC Privacy Statement, ILR Privacy Notice and CU HE Corporation Student Privacy Notice.
2. Review the Learner Declaration as you will be required to sign it as part of your online applivation form.
3. Complete the online application form*.
4. Prepare documents to evidence your identity and age, current address, residency and right to work in the UK. The acceptable forms of ID and documentation to evidence all the above are below:
   • Identity and age - Valid passport. A photo driving licence. A proof of age card such as the PASS card from the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme.
   • Current address - Valid UK driving licence. Recent utility bill (gas, electricity, water, or landline phone) Council tax bill. Recent credit card or bank statement.
   • Continuous residency - Documentary evidence of continuous residence in the UK – find a list of accepted documents here.
   • Right to work in the UK:
     1. If you are British and hold UK or Irish Citizen passport or Irish passport card your will not need to provide any additional evidence for this. Right to work share code.
     2. f you are required to hold a Visa to work in the UK you will be asked to evidence of your right to work in the UK with a "right to work share code". If possible, please obtain this code before submitting your application via the government website: https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work

* If you are required to hold a Visa to work in the UK you will be asked to evidence of your right to work in the UK with a "right to work share code". If possible, please obtain this code before submitting your application via the government website: https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work.

The deadline for applications is 9am on Tuesday 30 May 2023. We’ll contact selected applicants by the end of the day on Monday 5th December to arrange a short online call to check eligibility.