Newcomers are always welcome
Just getting started with UX? Don’t worry—we’ve been there too. No matter if you’re here looking for UX flavors to add to your work projects, or if you’re thinking about switching tracks in your career, check out the good stuff on this page that helped us grow as beginners.
Websites
- Nielsen Norman Group: A renowned UX firm's website with a collection of how-to and research articles
- 18F Methods: U.S. government employees' curated collection of UX resources
- UX Matters: Articles on many UX topics including practical, actionable advice and best practices to overviews of broader topics
- Smashing Magazine: Practical articles, many on UX, geared towards web designers and developers
Books (all available through the UA Libraries)
- Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
- Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden's Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience
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Eric Meyer and Sara Wachter-Boettcher's Design for Real Life
- Erika Hall's Just Enough Research
- Kristina Halvorson's Content Strategy for the Web
Podcasts
- UX Podcast: Hosted by UX professionals Per Axbom and James Royal-Lawson, the podcast features discussion on information architecture, UX strategy, and story mapping
- UX Pod: UX consultant Gerry Gaffney talks about UX and its relevance to a wide range of topics from accessibility and banking to robotics and urban design
- User Defenders: UX Design and Personal Growth: Hosted by UX designer Jason Ogle, each episode features a casual and education discussion about UX
- 24 Minutes of UX: By Jesse Anton and Peter Horvath, creators of the 24 Hours of UX event, the podcast is a global, grassroots, community-driven initiative
- Method Podcast (Google Design): The exploration of the design behind Google podcasts and the people who make them
- New Layer: A conversation on everything related to digital product design, with hosts Tanner Christensen and Jasmine Friedl. Discussing design careers, tools, education, critique, and much more.
- UI Breakfast: This podcast features discussions around UI/UX design, products, marketing, and more, all from the perspective of industry experts
- UX Radio: These podcasts focus on IA, UX and Design
- What is Wrong with UX: The hosts, Kate and Laura, drink and fight about what is wrong with user experience design
- Voice of Design: Having the conversations about design we want to have, sometimes with guests. Hosted by Larisa Berger, Erika Hall, and Mike Monteiro
- Human Tech: A podcast at the intersection of humans, brain science, and technology. Your hosts Guthrie and Dr. Susan Weinschenk explore how behavioral and brain science affects our technologies and how technologies affect our brains
- Presentable: Designing the future: The host will use his two decades of experience to discuss how we design and build the tools that shape our digital world
- Crazy One: Stephen Gates teaches you how to be a better leader, have a stronger career, build better relationships with your clients, and more.
Tools
Check out all of our recommended tools on the prototyping & visual design page. Here’s a selection:
- Figma: Powerful vector design tool that lets you collaborate right within your browser. Free education plan for students and educators.
- Color contrast checker by WebAIM: Handy tool to make sure your selected foreground and background colors create enough contrast.
- User interface elements by Usability.gov: Refer to this list of common web components to make sure your design is familiar for users.
University of Arizona campus resources
- University of Arizona Website Accessibility: The University’s web accessibility guidelines, created by Disability Resources.
- University of Arizona’s Brand: The University’s official brand guidelines.