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What do students learn in this course?
What do students learn in this course?
In this class, students will interact with an organization that provides a problem that translates into a design deliverable. The partner organization will provide the context of the problem and design specifications to guide the work of the students throughout the semester. As part of the Theme Year initiative, Introduction to UX Design students worked with a client to assess and redesign an interface related to the future of work.
Course Overview:
Students learned the basics of user experience (UX) design, including theories behind UX practice, common tools for assessment and presentation, and practices common in UX work. Students implemented the principles of UX in the context of problem-solving.
Fall 2024 faculty: James Rampton
Project Outcomes
A Seamless Start: Reimagining MiMaizey for Better Onboarding
Student(s): Alex Warren
Project Overview:
I worked to improve the user onboarding experience for the online tool MiMaizey, an AI-driven personal assistant designed to help students answer campus-related queries.
My final deliverable was a high-fidelity prototype made up of 5 key screens. Specifically, to improve the relevance of MiMaizey’s responses to user prompts, I developed an enhanced onboarding process that includes detailed prompt examples in key query categories, transparency regarding Canvas permissions, and simple feedback and error reporting channels.
This was the first UX project I completed in which I improved upon an already-existing product, and this made my experience particularly impactful. Regarding the ""Future of Work,"" I realized how much AI-driven tools can impede access for individuals with disabilities, leaving behind a key segment of the population who deserve support. I successfully diagnosed and remedied key accessibility issues such as poor color contrast and font legibility. I also reflected on the importance of brand identity in an ever-digital world where first impressions and aesthetics are imperative.
The skills I learned through this project have been paramount to my success beyond coursework. I've advocated for small tweaks to student organization websites and even led a large-scale redesign for one of them. Further, my increased interest in accessibility, largely as a result of this project, led me to complete more accessibility-focused courses (such as SI 311 026). Overall, I feel that the future of work must include discussions of accessibility from the beginning, not as an afterthought.
MI•MAIZEY
Student(s): Lauren Beck
Project Overview:
The university of Michigan Technology Services tasked students to complete a redesign of the UM-GPT services available to students. I combined the UM-GPT service with MI-Maizey to create a chat bot to support students with general campus information, as well as specific course information from Canvas.
Intro to UX took us through the entirety of the UX/UI design process. From user research, client briefs, and low to high fidelity ideation, the goal was to focus on storytelling in design.
Overall, this experience taught me the entirety of the design experience as conducted by one person. Each step of creation and ideation taught me a new skill that I have brought into all other projects. This project in particular was particularly fulfilling as it's impact exists close to home - with the user base being the UM student population. Designing for your own demographic is always challenging, since it can be difficult to escape your own views of what a product should be as a digital designer. This project was the perfect opportunity to truly explore what it is like to be a student and design with us in mind.
Mi-Maizey/UM-GPT redesign
Student(s): Aalleyah Fysudeen
Project Overview:
I helped improve Mi Maizey's usability by identifying and solving navigation and clarity issues, ensuring students could more easily find relevant academic and campus resources through the GPT interface.
This project deepened my understanding of designing intuitive AI interfaces that prioritize usability, accessibility, and user trust. I focused on improving the layout, visual hierarchy, and interaction flow of Mi Maizey to reduce cognitive load and make information easier to find. Through iterative design, wireframing, and feedback sessions, I learned how to translate complex functionality into a clean, student-friendly experience.
UM-GPT redesign
Student(s): Jessica Yang
Project Overview:
I worked on redesigning the University of Michigan’s new generative AI platform to better meet student and faculty needs, focusing on usability, feature enhancements, and integration with existing tools.
This project significantly deepened my Figma skills, particularly with Auto Layout and component systems. Beyond technical growth, it also greatly enhanced my understanding of user-centered design for AI tools. It was an extremely exciting opportunity to be able to work with a real client versus a hypothetical one, having my design recommendations considered for implementation in an actual product made the experience especially rewarding.
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