CIW User Interface Designer

Hours: 40 / Access Length: 12 Months / Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

Course Overview:

The CIW User Interface Designer is the second course in the CIW Web and Mobile Design series. In this course, you will learn about the strategies and tactics necessary to design user interfaces, with particular emphasis on creating user interfaces for mobile devices. You will study how to apply essential usability concepts, including clarity, ease of use, simplicity, and detectability. You will learn how information obtained from the client, sales, and marketing is utilized to design and develop compelling visual experience Web sites for multiple platforms, including mobile, tablet, and desktop.

In addition, you will learn more about wireframes, color schemes, tones, design templates, formatting, and typography. This course builds upon your abilities to implement user analysis techniques, usability testing procedures and the vital role of testing to publish and maintain a Web site. Finally, you will study branding considerations and responsive design implementation in relation to the user interface design of Web sites.

Topics Include:
  • Obtain information from the client, including obtaining detailed information from relevant parties (e.g., sales and marketing).
  • Create a wireframe.
  • Deploy appropriate color schemes and tones.
  • Describe and use current typical design templates.
  • Summarize proper use of formatting and typography.
  • Recognize user analysis techniques.
  • Apply essential usability concepts, including clarity, ease of use, simplicity, detectibility and typography.
  • Describe usability testing procedures, including the importance of testing.
  • Design for multiple platforms (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, traditional desktop).
  • Identify elements that make a compelling visual experience.
  • Discuss branding considerations in relation to user interface design.
  • Implement responsive design (e.g., progressive enhancement, feature detection).
  • Design pages for a cloud-based storefront.
Prerequisites:

The CIW User Interface Designer courseware requires an understanding HTML5 and CSS3 coding. Suggested prerequisites are the CIW Site Development Associate course and the CIW Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist course, or equivalent knowledge.

Target Audience:
  • Web designers
  • Internet consultants
  • IT professionals
  • Marketing professionals
  • Web and graphic artists
  • Business professionals

The CIW User Interface Designer course prepares candidates to take the CIW User Interface Designer exam, which, if passed, earns the individual the CIW User Interface Designer certification.

Course Outline:

Introduction to User Interface Design
  • What Is User Interface Design?
  • Evolution of Web User Interfaces
  • Current Trends in Web Design
  • Web Design Team Roles and Responsibilities
  • Web Design Project Management
  • Collaborative Web Design
  • Creating a Web Design Portfolio
  • Creating a Plan for a Web-Based Business Project
User Interface Design Process
  • Choosing a Web Design Methodology
  • Creating a Web Site Vision Statement
  • Creating and Implementing a Web Site Strategy
  • Creating a Web Site Specification
  • Publishing a Web Site
  • Choosing a Web Site Host
  • Securing a Web Site
  • Creating Ethical and Legal Web Sites
  • Creating a Mind Map
  • Using Metaphors
  • Creating Word Lists and Mood Boards
  • Creating a Site Map
User-Centered Web Design
  • User-Centered Web Design
  • The Cognitive Psychology of Web Design
  • Personas and Usability
  • Accessibility
User Interface Design Principles and Legal Guidelines
  • Web UI Design Principles
  • Visual Design Principles
  • Branding
  • Legal Issues Impacting Web Design
Color, Typography, Layout and Wireframing
  • Color
  • Typography
  • Layout
  • Wireframes and Mockups
  • Responsive Web Design
Designing a Basic Web Site
  • Creating a Web Site
  • Part 1: Creating One Site Page
  • Part 2: Creating the Remaining Site Pages
  • Spell- and Grammar-Check the Site
Navigation Concepts
  • Why is Web Site Navigation So Important? Site Structure, Directory Structure and URLs
  • Positional Awareness
  • Primary and Secondary Navigation
  • Navigation Elements
  • Navigation Conventions and Principles
  • Creating a Navigation System
Designing and Developing a Professional Web Site
  • Why is Prototyping So Important?
  • User-Centered Web Design
  • User Interface Design Patterns
  • Optimizing the look and feel of a Web site
  • Focus on Web Forms
  • GET and POST
  • Constructing a Professional Web Site
  • Web Framework
  • User Interface Libraries
  • Web Content Management Systems
  • Additional Web Development Tools
  • Web Hosting Services and Domain Names
Site Publishing, Maintenance, Security, and SEO Strategies
  • Making Sure a Web Site is Ready to be Published
  • Maintaining a Web Site
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  • SEO and Written Site Content
  • SEO and Mobile-Friendliness
  • SEO and Metadata

All necessary materials (online eBook) are included.

Certification(s):

The CIW User Interface Designer course prepares candidates to take the CIW User Interface Designer exam, which, if passed, earns the individual the CIW User Interface Designer certification.


System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

  • Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

  • CPU: 1 GHz or higher
  • RAM: 4 GB or higher
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
  • Speakers / Headphones
  • Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

  • Windows 7 or higher.
  • Mac OSX 10 or higher.
  • Latest Chrome OS
  • Latest Linux Distributions

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

  • Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
  • Latest Mozilla FireFox
  • Latest Microsoft Edge
  • Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

  • Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
  • PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
  • Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.


** The course outlines displayed on this website are subject to change at any time without prior notice. **