Interactive Media 1 & 2
My experience as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Denver.
For three and a half years, I had the privilege of instructing two courses for the Digital Design program at the University of Colorado Denver: Interactive Media 1 & 2. These 3-credit university courses serve as a foundation for students to grasp the fundamental principles of User Experience (UX) design, emphasizing the integration of visual design with a keen awareness of interactions and feedback mechanisms.
This teaching experience has been incredibly enriching, allowing me to grow both personally and professionally. It has been a fulfilling journey, from effectively managing time and aligning expectations with my students to serving as a mentor and embodying the qualities of a positive role model. Drawing on my background as a mogul skiing coach for 11 years, I've applied similar teaching techniques that have proven instrumental in my role as a professor.
In Interactive Media 1, I guide students through the essential UX principles and methodologies. The curriculum centers on pivotal areas like user research, usability heuristics, information architecture, as well as the categorization and labeling of applications and websites. As the semester progresses, I introduce the realm of visual design, also referred to as User Interface (UI) design. Here, the focus shifts towards ensuring consistency in elements such as color application, text formatting, button design and placement, iconography, and visual language. The incorporation of select motion graphic design elements further enhances the understanding of user interactions and feedback mechanisms.
Interactive Media 1
In my Interactive Media 2 course, I shift the focus towards establishing and maintaining consistency. Building on their understanding of User Experience (UX) design principles and concepts, I guide students towards diving deeper into visual design and incorporating motion graphics to emphasize specific interactions for enhanced user feedback.
The semester starts with a group project where they collaboratively design the UX and UI of a responsive enterprise website. The emphasis here lies on responsive design principles and ensuring a uniform experience and visual identity. Concepts like time management and effective task allocation are also central to their learning experience.
For the second project, I present a swift and engaging challenge. Students are tasked with envisioning a future form of interaction design, creating mock-ups for two screens, and highlighting the interaction itself.
In the final project, students conceive an app idea and meticulously flesh out both the UX and visual design. I review their Figma files to ensure they are utilizing components and laying the groundwork for a comprehensive design system. This multifaceted approach equips them with a holistic understanding of UX and UI design principles.