Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/wireframes-low-fidelity-prototypes

As aspiring UX designers, we all know the importance of a strong portfolio. The path to creating one often involves mastering fundamental design skills, and Coursera’s ‘Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes’ course is a fantastic step in that direction. This is the third installment in a certificate program designed to get you job-ready for entry-level UX roles, and it certainly delivers on its promise.

The course kicks off by diving deep into storyboarding and wireframing. You’ll learn how to translate research findings into tangible design ideas, a crucial step in user-centered design. The introduction to both ‘big picture’ and ‘close-up’ storyboards is incredibly helpful for visualizing user flows. The emphasis on drawing initial wireframes, both on paper and digitally, really drives home the benefits of this stage – refining ideas and addressing real user needs before investing heavily in high-fidelity designs.

What truly sets this course apart is its practical, hands-on approach to creating wireframes. The transition from sketching on paper to using the industry-standard tool Figma is seamless. The course provides direct guidance on Figma, making it accessible even for beginners. A particularly valuable segment involves learning about and applying Gestalt Principles like similarity, proximity, and common region. Understanding these principles is key to creating visually coherent and intuitive interfaces, and seeing them applied directly to wireframes makes the concepts stick.

Finally, the course moves into the crucial ‘prototype’ stage of the design process. Building both paper and digital low-fidelity prototypes in Figma is a core takeaway. This allows you to quickly test and iterate on your designs. The inclusion of discussions on recognizing and avoiding bias and deceptive patterns is a responsible and important addition, highlighting ethical considerations in UX design.

Overall, ‘Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes’ is an excellent course for anyone looking to build a solid foundation in UX design. It’s practical, well-structured, and equips you with the essential skills to create compelling wireframes and prototypes for your portfolio. I highly recommend it!

Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/wireframes-low-fidelity-prototypes