24 expert recommended UX content, courses and communities
We asked our community of UX experts for their favorite resources.
Once you’ve diligently attempted to read EVERY SINGLE BOOK in this ultimate UX reading list, where do you go next? Who do you turn to for online help? Where can you go to mix with fellow UXers, both online or offline?
We took to our community of UX experts on Twitter to ask them what their favorite resources are for UX content, courses and communities…
Best for online UX content
Our first question for the UXperts: “What helpful or inspirational online content do you keep referring back to in your UX work?”
Here’s a bit more info on the above sites…
NN/g
Also known as the Nielsen Norman Group and rarely as Jefferson Starship, this user experience consultancy, training and research group consists of some of the most famous names in UX: Jakob Nielsen, Don Norman and Bruce Tognazzini. At UserZoom we probably cite their research and articles most frequently.
“We’re currently looking for our ‘Ringo’. Are you the Guru of Mediocre Drumming?”
UXdesign.cc
Another favourite, and not just because we like the sleepy polar bear.
Designer News
We also like to hang out on Designer News a fair bit. It’s a forum for designers to discuss and share interesting things from the design and tech industry.
Interaction Design Foundation (IDF)
Covering all three corners of the content, community and course triangle is the IDF – a nonprofit organization on a mission to make design education accessible to people across the globe. They offer professional-level courses while also giving access to a unique and extensive library of free articles and textbooks.
‘Perfecting your personas’ by Cooper
Once you’ve learnt the basics of personas, move on to perfecting them…
Gerry McGovern
Gerry McGovern is a customer experience consultant and speaker, whose prolific writing is highly recommended.
UX Crash Course: 31 Fundamentals
Joel Marsh’s 2014 new year’s resolution was to post one UX Design lesson every day in January, Here are the results…
UXBooth
UXBooth is a publication by and for the user experience community, aimed at beginner to intermediate UXers.
As for resources on our own blog, I highly recommend keeping our User Friendly Dictionary of UX Terms and Phrases bookmarked, as it covers every complicated UX term in plain english, while providing links to more comprehensive articles.
Online UX courses
We then asked the community, “Are there any online learning centres or courses in UX you’d recommend?”
Interaction Design Foundation
As recommended by our social media manager, Interaction Design Foundation offers a range of online, self-paced UX design courses.
Coursera
Earn a Masters degree in UX design, tailored by university lecturers with Coursera. You can also receive mentor-supported UX design training with Springboard…
Springboard
UX & Web Design Master Course
Joe Natoli’s Udemy course on UX and web design comes highly recommended by the generous Doug Collins…
UX related podcasts
Learn on the move, or while punishing yourself on the cross trainer, with these recommended podcasts…
What is Wrong With UX?
Kate Rutter and Laura Klein drink and fight about what is wrong with user experience design and how to make products suck slightly less.
Why’d You Push that Button?
Hosted by The Verge’s Ashley Carman and Kaitlyn Tiffany, ‘Why’d You Push That Button?’ asks the hard, weird and occasionally dumb questions about how your tiny tech decisions impact your social life.
We also highly recommend the 99% Invisible podcast for more general design related matters delivered with warmth and lashings of vocal fry, and Invisibilia from NPR.
Helpful UX communities
Finally we asked, “Do you belong to any online UX communities or offline local meetups? Which are the most useful?”
UX Community
A series of fun, unconventional and collaborative events for those shaping the future of design.
UX Crunch
UX Crunch hold large UX networking events in London and in the North.
UX Mastery
As recommended by Doug Collins, UX Mastery is a community of UX professionals to help you get started in the industry.
Ladies that UX
Ladies that UX is a monthly meet up that creates a welcoming, transparent community of women that work in UX, who positively promote and teach each other. Meet-ups are nationwide, so click the link above to find out where stuff is happening next.
Give Good UX
Give Good UX is a private Facebook group of 5,000 members. Joe Natoli provides application info below…
IXDA
The Interaction Design Association (IxDA) is a member-supported organization dedicated to the discipline of interaction design. Local groups are linked above.
Interaction Design Foundation
Another shout-out to Interaction Design Foundation, who offer UX meet-ups in over 400 cities across the world.
