Are UX Bootcamps Worth It?

1. Articles

Articles are one of the most common types of content to come across online. Although not as in-depth as a guide or book, UX articles are great reading materials as they provide a range of topics catered to UX enthusiasts of different levels. From articles focusing on basic UX principles to those aimed at providing a different perspective, articles are a great way for you to broaden your UX knowledge and perspective.

If you’re interested in reading more articles about UX, do check out our blog. Additionally, here are some other great blog sites:

• UX Planet
• McKinsey
• Justinmind
• UX Matters

2. Books

Contrary to articles, books on UX are much longer but provide more structured and in-depth content, which is also why many UX courses reference materials from them. Although books are a great source of content, they are generally less engaging compared to an interactive course or video and may be more difficult for readers to find what they need at a glance. That being said, if you’re looking for comprehensive and structured content, books are definitely the way to go. Check out this link for a list of UX books that we recommend.

3. Webinars

Webinars are usually short online video workshops or lectures that are mostly free to join. As webinars are usually not more than a couple of hours long, one or two main topics would be covered by the host and/or guest speaker during the session.

Webinars allow industry professionals from around the world to connect and discuss various topics, providing key industry insights to listeners. They are useful for viewers to keep up to date with current trends and practices in the field of UX. If you’re interested, be sure to check out CuriousCore’s intensive list of webinars with various industry experts!

4. Self-paced Short Courses

Self-learning from online resources like videos, books, and articles is great, especially with the number of free resources available online. However, while these are useful in giving you a wider perspective into the world of UX, they do not necessarily always provide you with sufficient skills or experience to be a UX designer. A proper UX course provides a structured, hands-on approach to learning, which is essential to building a strong foundation in UX.

Online UX courses provide a structured approach to providing theoretical knowledge on UX. This gives students a strong foundation as they go through key concepts such as different UX research methodologies (e.g. user interviews, personas, journey mapping) or UI design elements (e.g. typography, visual hierarchy, color).

Online courses are usually more flexible as lessons are pre-recorded and students can start or pause the course whenever they want, providing more time flexibility. However, the drawback is that there is zero interaction with the course instructor and other students, resulting in the lack of discussions or questions, an aspect that is equally important to one’s learning.

5. Live Short Courses

Live courses are classes that are usually organised in-person or in a live virtual meeting room, where teachers and students have the opportunity to communicate and interact with one another through video and voice chat. Having a live lesson allows instructors to interact and better adapt their class to the students’ skill level and background, especially with the diversity of students learning UX.

Live lessons provide better interactivity as it allows students to participate in activities and group works to facilitate their learning and understanding. For example, students can have hands-on practice on crafting a user persona or synthesizing user interview results on a miro board, where instructors can keep track of their understanding and give feedback to make sure that they are on the right track. Another key advantage of live lessons is the ability for students to network with one another or ask instructors for advice or tips about the industry.

CuriousCore’s UX design course

CuriousCore offers a 2-day UX design course designed to impart students with comprehensive UX knowledge in a short period of time. Only 20 students are limited to each class so as to ensure that proper attention is given to each student. The course teaches students key design thinking process and methodologies such as:

• User Interviews
• Affinity Mapping
• Customer Personas
• Wireframing & Prototyping
• User Testing

6. Bootcamps / Part-time UX Courses

Next up are the longer, part-time UX courses, sometimes also labeled as bootcamps. These courses are more expensive and span over a longer time period than the courses mentioned before. Although still containing theoretical content, the curriculum is usually more towards giving students hands-on projects and is focused on helping them secure relevant jobs after they graduate.

The main draw of these courses is to let students experience the research and design process from start to finish, to solve a theoretical problem or brief. Students and their groups are often paired with instructors to provide feedback and coaching along the way. It allows students to practice what they have learned in a simulated working environment, having to juggle with challenges like working in a team or finding real users to interview.

Students get to interview real people, craft real personas, and come up with a solution that can be implemented in real life, which is what many hiring managers look for in prospective employees. However, with so many courses available, it can be daunting for a student to pick the right one, especially with the costs and commitment involved. Check out this article on what you should look out for when choosing a course.

CuriousCore 4-month UX Career Accelerator

Here at CuriousCore, our 4-month UX Career Accelerator course is designed to help students transition into UX similar to the UX courses/bootcamps mentioned above. Our course is online and taken part-time, so as to allow our students to continue working while in the course.

However, unlike many other courses, we take a step further by exposing students to real-world projects with real clients, rather than just working on a theoretical brief. Students will get the opportunity to interact with teams from different companies to collaborate and design a solution that has an actual impact.

Conclusion

Commitment, time, and money spent are definitely big factors for individuals thinking of taking part in a full UX course/bootcamps. However, the results do speak for themselves as graduates from these course/bootcamps are able to craft better portfolios, perform better at interviews, and secure jobs in the field, as compared to one that focuses on self-learning.

So to answer the question if part-time UX course/bootcamps are worth it for aspiring UX designers, the answer is really up to you. There is no doubt that there are many helpful resources online for those wanting to embark on this journey on their own, however, these courses are able to push students further and provide them with a strong foundation and direction for their UX career, from the learning of UX fundamentals to career coaching. They are designed to ensure that students maximise their chances at successfully breaking into the UX industry.

I hope that this article has given you a better insight into the different UX resources available and how you can transition into the industry. If you want to know more about user experience and its industry, do check out our other resources available on our website, such as our articles, weekly webinars, and podcasts. Always remember that learning is a marathon and not a sprint. We wish you the best of luck in your UX journey.

CuriousCore offers both a 2-day UX course and an intensive 4-month career accelerator course for those keen on transitioning into the industry. Click the buttons below to find out more.