UX design

Steps

How people use things

1. 1 Usability basicsRead the classic ideas of affordances, signifiers and mental models, which explain why some interfaces feel obvious and others confuse.

   • The Design of Everyday Things jnd.orgpaid

     Foundational book by Don Norman introducing affordances, signifiers, mental models, and human-centered design principles.

   • Don't Make Me Think, Revisited sensible.compaid

     Influential guide by Steve Krug outlining core tenets of intuitive navigation, visual hierarchy, and usability testing.

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2. 2 Psychology behind interfacesStudy the cognitive principles and biases that shape attention, memory and decisions, so your design choices rest on how minds actually work.

   • Laws of UX lawsofux.comfree

     A curated collection of psychological principles and cognitive guidelines informing user interface design decisions.

   • The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction interaction-design.orgfree

     Peer-reviewed, open-access textbook and reference work covering key concepts, historical foundations, and methodologies in HCI and UX design.

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3. 3 The design processGet an overview of human-centred design and the Double Diamond, learning when to explore problems broadly and when to converge on solutions.

   • Design Council UK: Double Diamond designcouncil.org.ukfree

     Official guides and framework resources for the Double Diamond design process and systemic design methodology.

   • Design Kit Methods designkit.orgfree

     Free database of human-centered design methods, step-by-step facilitation recipes, and field case studies created by IDEO.org.

   • Stanford d.school Resources dschool.stanford.edufree

     Educational guides, downloadable design thinking bootleg toolkits, and course materials from Stanford University's design institute.

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Understanding users

1. 4 User research methodsLearn to plan interviews, observation and surveys, and to pick a method that answers the question you actually have about users.

   • Nielsen Norman Group Research Library nngroup.comfree

     An evidence-based database containing thousands of research reports and usability studies on user experience.

   • Interaction Design Foundation Courses interaction-design.orgpaid

     Accredited self-paced online courses covering user research, usability evaluation, design thinking, and cognitive psychology.

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2. 5 Synthesis and journey mapsTurn research notes into personas, empathy maps and journey maps that the whole team can use to agree on the real problem.

   • Miro miro.comfreemium

     Collaborative online whiteboard platform used by executive and product teams to facilitate strategic mapping, SWOT analysis, and roadmapping.

   • Mural mural.cofreemium

     Collaborative digital canvas designed for team problem solving, empathy mapping, ideation, and agile design sprints.

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3. 6 Running workshops (optional)Practise facilitating ideation and co-creation sessions, because UX work often means guiding stakeholders toward shared decisions.

   • Gamestorming gamestorming.comfree

     Online playbook and database of co-creation games, visual thinking templates, and group problem-solving practices.

   • Hyper Island Toolbox toolbox.hyperisland.comfree

     Curated open collection of creative collaboration methods, ideation tools, and team facilitation exercises.

   • SessionLab sessionlab.comfreemium

     Workshop facilitation and session planning tool with an integrated library of design thinking activities and exercises.

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Structure and prototypes

1. 7 Information architecture and flowsOrganise content, navigation and task flows so users can predict where things are and finish what they came to do.

   • Boxes and Arrows boxesandarrows.comfree

     Peer-contributed journal dedicated to the practice, innovation, and discussion of information architecture and interaction design.

   • Page Flows pageflows.compaid

     A video-based interaction design archive recording user journeys and interface flows across major digital products.

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2. 8 WireframingSketch low-fidelity layouts quickly to test structure and priorities before spending time on colour, type and polish.

   • Balsamiq balsamiq.compaid

     A low-fidelity wireframing tool facilitating rapid sketching of user interfaces and early interaction flows.

   • Penpot penpot.appfree

     An open-source design and prototyping tool built on open web standards for cross-functional teams.

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3. 9 Interactive prototypesBuild clickable prototypes in a design tool so you can test realistic interactions and hand clear specifications to developers.

   • Figma figma.comfreemium

     A collaborative web-based interface design, prototyping, and design system management platform.

   • Figma Learn help.figma.comfree

     Official educational repository providing tutorials, workflow guides, and video lessons on design tools and prototyping.

   • Penpot penpot.appfree

     An open-source design and prototyping tool built on open web standards for cross-functional teams.

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4. 10 Learning from real patterns (optional)Browse how shipped products solve common screens like onboarding and checkout, borrowing proven patterns instead of reinventing them.

   • Mobbin mobbin.comfreemium

     A comprehensive design pattern library archiving real-world mobile and web interface workflows and screens.

   • UX Movement uxmovement.comfree

     Design publication focusing on how interface design choices affect user behavior, cognitive load, and usability.

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Evaluate and include everyone

1. 11 Usability testingRun moderated and unmoderated tests on prototypes, watching where people stumble and turning findings into prioritised design changes.

   • Maze maze.cofreemium

     A continuous product discovery and user testing platform for evaluating prototypes and user workflows.

   • Nielsen Norman Group Research Library nngroup.comfree

     An evidence-based database containing thousands of research reports and usability studies on user experience.

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2. 12 Accessible designApply accessibility guidance to layouts, forms and content so your product works for people using assistive technologies.

   • W3C Web Accessibility Tutorials w3.orgfree

     Official guidance and practical tutorials on designing accessible and inclusive web user interfaces.

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3. 13 Portfolio and next stepsDocument projects as case studies and keep learning through structured courses and the practitioner community writing about UX.

   • Google UX Design Professional Certificate coursera.orgfreemium

     Comprehensive beginner certificate covering the UX design process, usability research, wireframing, and interactive prototyping.

   • UX Collective uxdesign.ccfree

     An independent design publication offering curated articles, case studies, and critical perspectives on user experience.

   • Smashing Magazine UX smashingmagazine.comfree

     In-depth practical articles, design patterns, and case studies focused on user experience and interface engineering.

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