Intro to UX: A look back at 5-years of UX Design instruction, pt. 1

One of my UX labs and workshops.

I am a passionate advocate of imparting the User Experience Design craft and discipline on to others, with theory, practical application, best practices, and techniques via instruction, mentorship, workshops and design studios.

And, I learned first-hand, very early in my career, the value of passing the knowledge and craft on to others. I’ve really enjoyed doing so ever since.

Logo from my first solo UX contract

I started venturing down this path through some mentorship of others on the job. Then, about 4–5 years into my career, my former mentor, Thomas Dillmann — who taught me through a year-long apprenticeship and which landed my first UX job at Disney (DIMG) — recommended me to UCLA Extension.

In the 5-years since, I’ve developed and taught several online classes, as part of the User Experience Certificate program.

UCLA Extension logo

Courses to date, include:

• User Experience I: Survey — Online

• User Experience II: Iteration — Online

• User Experience: Software — Online (formerly UX: Toolkit and Development)

• User Experience: Mobile First — Online

• UX Mentorship — Online

I have really enjoyed helping craft the next generation of designers through UX instruction and mentorship, while advancing the UX craft and profession through meaningful work and education. It’s helped me become a better designer and instructor — while reminding me how much there is still to learn!

I took two UX classes with Jedi through UCLA extension. He taught me everything I know about UX design. I highly recommend his classes because he gives helpful, pointed feedback and encourages his students to be self-starters, which is a quality you need to have in today’s job market. I reference the projects we did in his classes all the time at my current job. He’s a great teacher! — Frances P., Graphic Designer at University of Portland

More to come on those experiences, once I’ve completed an exhaustive audit, retrospective and postmortem.

In the meantime, here are a few key stats from my teaching experience:

• Total Instructional Hours (to date) = 878.75

• Total Combined Office/Instructional Hours = 1,258.75

• Average Class Hours per Week = 5

• Total Classes = 25

• Total Students = 267

• Average Class Size = 11 students

• Largest Class = 21 students

• Smallest Class = 4 students

For now, taking some time-off from regular instruction to refresh my course content, do some more mentoring and explore some writing.

If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend teaching at least a course or two somewhere. It really helps to strengthen your own practice and it’s a great way to give back!