DG2S005 - User Experience Design 01 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: DG2S005
Module Title: User Experience Design
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Games and Design
Faculty Sub Group: Design
Module Leader: Stephen Leadbetter
Module Team: Ryan Preece, Sarah Down, Emma Marshman, Rachel Grainger
First Intended Intake: SEP 2023 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100061 - graphic design
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2023
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

Develop a commercial awareness and understanding of user experience design and its role within the creative industries.

Encourage practice and refinement within a range of research methods to gain insights into user behaviours, needs, and frustrations, informing a decision-making process.

Prepare and develop your knowledge of the UX design process by applying theoretical and practical knowledge to design challenges.

Develop and refine problem solving skills by recognising opportunities for innovation and refinement that supports you in developing user-centric solutions

Content Summary

This module will allow you to further develop your design ‘toolkit’ as you are introduced to the extensive world of user experience design, an exciting sector of the creative industries that continues to grow due to the development and adoption of technological products implemented by some of the world's leading design-facing brands and innovators.

You will explore how current design practice is transforming both digital and physical spaces (Mobile Apps, Websites, AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), Packaging, Retail and Public Spaces), supporting you in your understanding and recognising of how commercial designers situate people at the heart of design challenges to produce experiences that are intuitive and a joy to use.

This module develops your analytical skills and encourages you to adopt a human-centred mindset as you explore the many commercially practiced processes, principles, methods, and techniques applied by designers to better understand how people interact and experience the world.

You will learn the importance of prototyping and user testing to better recognise how commercial processes can be utilised to uncover issues, save time, and develop ‘flawless’ experiences.

As well as deepening your understanding of commercial approaches to design challenges, you will also explore the how the principles of human psychology are utilised by design practitioners as a strategic tool to create better interactions with products and services. Through your creative practice, you will be encouraged to explore UX principles such accessibility, usability, and desirability as you develop prototypical solutions to a design challenge.

The module programme encourages innovation through multiple approaches to problem-solving as you are expected to apply taught workshops, methods, and techniques to a brief set by a live client

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 6
Practical classes and workshops 8
Supervised time in studio/workshop 22
Independent Study 100
Directed Study 64
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Select and apply appropriate research methods to understand a specified or defined demographic, identifying opportunities for future innovation.
LO2 Develop innovative design solutions based on research, evidencing core knowledge of UX processes, principles, methods, and techniques through practical application.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Research Plan / Proposal / Project/ Log 1 An insights report that evidences your research findings and analysis. 0 N/A 20 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Creative Designs / Art 1 A digital sketchbook that evidences your design process and response to a design challenge. 0 N/A 80 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Research Plan / Proposal / Project/ Log 1
Creative Designs / Art 1

Reading List

Buley, L. (2013) The user experience team of one: a research and design survival guide. Brooklyn. New York: Rosenfeld Media.

Caddick, R. and Cable, S. (2011) Communicating the user experience: a practical guide for creating useful UX documentation. Chichester: Wiley.

Eyal, N. (2014) Hooked: how to build habit-forming products. London: Portfolio Penguin.

Kalbach, J. (2020) Mapping experiences: a complete guide to customer alignment through journeys, blueprints and diagrams. Second edition. Cambridge: O’Reilly.

Lupton, E. (2011) Graphic design thinking: beyond brainstorming. 1st ed. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Lupton, E. (2017) Design is storytelling. New York, NY: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Nielsen, J. (1993) Usability engineering. Boston: AP Professional.

Norman, D.A. (2013) The design of everyday things. Revised and expanded edition. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press.

Pruitt, J. and Adlin, T. (2006) The persona lifecycle: keeping people in mind throughout product design. 1st edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Snyder, C. (2003) Paper prototyping: the fast and easy way to design and refine user interfaces. San Diego, Calif: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.