User Research
Understand what users need, and more importantly, why they need it
User Experience Design
User experience designers are responsible for building products that feel effortless to use and meaningfully made. That simplicity and personalization is born from a complex balance of design sensibility, user research, active empathy and technological literacy.
Prime’s immersive User Experience Design program was crafted to help people with interests in design, organization, and technology build the foundational skills to start a career in user experience. Prime worked hand-in-hand with industry employers to ensure that graduates are ready for the challenges of building complex experiences that are valuable for businesses and resonate with users.
Upcoming Course Dates
| Campus | Deadline | Start | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| On Campus or Remote | 11/24 | 1/6 | 4/25 |
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What is User Experience Design?
User experience (UX) is a field that draws from many different disciplines including design, psychology, business, library science, organizational development, and software programming, to make sense of human-centered problems. With a playing field that wide, it’s no surprise that organizations don’t always agree on where the boundaries of UX are. Prime believes that the core of UX is based on expertise and context in a few core areas:
Info Architecture
Structure and organize content based on user goals and business objectives
Interaction Design
Manage how digital elements work together to help users achieve their goals
Usability
Conduct evaluative research to see how designs perform for real users
Visual Design
Control the graphic components of a design to support its use and goals
UX professionals have their own unique blend of experience and expertise in these areas based on how they build their career. If you ask a UXer what they do, you’ll get a slightly different answer depending on who you ask. While the day to day may vary, a career in UX will let you explore:
- People, culture, and behaviors
- Creative strategy
- Many different possibilities (instead of one clear answer)
UX designers produce design artifacts such as:
- Sketches
- Wireframes and storyboards
- Interactive prototypes
- Research documentation (e.g., journey maps, findings reports)
- Communications materials (e.g., strategy roadmaps, stakeholder presentations)
User Experience Designers are integral to modern software development teams. UX designers apply skills from the above areas to serve as advocates for the user and help keep the team centered on the needs of the user. Sometimes designers work alongside developers; other times designers work with product owners and business analysts. Titles vary widely as well—user experience professionals may be labeled as UX designer, information architect, product designer, usability specialist, or interaction designer, to name a few. Prime familiarizes students with the software development lifecycle and how they can exercise their skills in each phase of the process.
What are we looking for?
User experience is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field and practitioners have a wide variety of backgrounds—some with formal training in human factors, psychology, or visual design, to name a few—and many others who have learned the practice through a non-traditional path. The eclectic mix of working professionals in user experience is part of why Prime is focused on celebrating diversity within our cohorts and why our cohorts include a spectrum of experience, backgrounds, and ages.
Applicants come from varied backgrounds but there are a few things that make someone a compelling candidate:- Basic computer skills and digital literacy (you should be comfortable using the web)
- A passion for approaching problems and a willingness to learn from what's already been done
- A growth mindset that practices progress over perfection
- A desire to generate various solutions and consider different ways of communicating ideas
- Related experience in tangential, human-centered fields (e.g., visual design, education, direct client services, etc)
About the Application
Prime's admission process starts with an online application. You'll enter demographic information and answer short-form narrative questions. Once submitted, and if your application meets the requirements, you'll be contacted by Prime to schedule a 1- hour virtual interview where you'll have the chance to sit down with someone from our admissions team to confirm that the program feels like a mutual fit. Generally speaking, you'll know whether you're offered admission within 1 week of completing your application.
Curriculum Overview
Our immersive user experience design program focuses heavily on the broad foundation of skills employers are looking for in UX designers. The curriculum spans the entire end-to-end design process—including up-front user research, wireframing and design, interactive prototyping and evaluation. The breadth of the program arms emerging UX designers with the context they need to build a career. The program is broken into three tiers. Click on each tab in the timeline below to learn more or fill our the form and we'll send you a copy of the syllabus.
By the end of the program you will be:
- Comfortable with ambiguity and discomfort
- Comfortable trying, learning and trying again
- Fluent in visual and interaction design principles
- Experienced with low-and mid-fidelity prototyping
- Experienced in planning, conducting, and reporting on user research
- Familiar with various research methods, including generative and evaluative
- Familiar with basic software development processes (e.g., scoping, Agile)
Introduction to UX
Estimated Time Commitment: Up to 60 Hrs/week
Schedule: M-F, 9am to 5pm plus homework
Getting Started
This is a chance for you to learn and begin practicing with the basic tools of the trade in user experience. This includes a design process model, user-based research methods, and tactical tools like Sketch, Figma, and Axure. We’ll discuss everyday design examples to understand how all these components impact the user experience.
During this phase, you'll be making daily progress on weekly activities, and you’ll get to know your cohortmates, instructor, and cohort advisor through daily sessions.
Goals:
- Understand the foundational principles of visual and interactive design
- Gain familiarity with visual design tools
- Gain familiarity with interactive design tools
- Begin practicing user research methods
- Develop a model for understanding the UX research and design process
- Expanding your professional network
Topics covered:
- Visual design principles
- Usability principles
- UX design process
- UX research methods
- Neworking with professionals
Exploring UX Methods
Estimated Time Commitment: Up to 60 Hrs/week
Schedule: M-F, 9am to 5pm plus homework
Developing Your Skills
This is when you really start practicing what it means to be a UX practitioner as you navigate real projects, sourced uniquely for your cohort. You'll complete four week-long project sprints as you practice research and prototyping methods in a low-stakes setting. You’ll gain experience in creating professional deliverables, including journey maps, annotated wireframes, and usability test reports. You’ll practice communicating your insights and ideas to your team and your client(s), and will experience how design teams operate in various settings. Communication is a recurring theme at Prime; beyond the classroom work, you’ll also participate in public speaking and leadership training with students from all of Prime’s programs.
Beyond the context that you’ll receive from instructors, Prime regularly hosts guests from the industry to share different perspectives on various aspects of user experience design, software development and product management overall.
Goals:
- Navigate the complexities of UX design
- Practice prototyping and presenting
- Gain familiarity with usability and UX research methods
- Connecting with your professional network
Topics covered:
- Prototyping tools & methods
- Qualitative & quantitative research methods
- Findings reports
- Resume writing
- Building your LinkedIn profile
Projects completed:
- Usability Testing & Reporting
- Researching and proposing improvements to 'job tools'
- Feature concepts with tech/development constraints
- End-to-end Design Strategy
Project-based Learning
Estimated Time Commitment: Up to 60 Hrs/week
Schedule: M-F, 9am to 5pm plus homework
Learn Through Real-World Work
The final third of the program is where you’ll combine everything you learned into real projects that showcase your skills. You’ll work in pairs and small teams to solve a design problem for and with real clients. You’ll gain practical experience with the entire design process, from problem definition to prototyping, evaluating, refinement, and execution. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of designing for digital experiences, and the challenges you are likely to encounter when working on a UX team. We will also explore how to define and create concepts for designs that extend beyond a single screen.
Building your skills is important, but without something to show off your work, employers aren’t able to see the impact you could have on their team. Alongside project work, you’ll be collecting artifacts you’ve been creating throughout the program into a portfolio that will help you to put your best foot forward with prospective employers. This work, along with coaching and resume review from Prime staff and volunteers from the community, will get you ready to make a great first impression with employers at career day.
Goals:
- Advance your design skills
- Practice usability and UX research methods
- Engage in an iterative design process
- Leverage your professional network
Practice with:
- High-fidelity prototyping
- Iterative design
- Stakeholder and client presentations
- Professional interviews
- Jobs search best practices
Projects completed:
- Self-defined project
- Final UX Team project
Skills Beyond Design
Prime’s emphasis on communication and collaboration runs through the entire experience. Students learn how to build on their teammate’s abilities. Sessions on effective team-based communication methods help to set the stage for positive interactions. Public speaking and leadership training will help you find your voice and practice critical but often overlooked skills.
Industry Insights
Each week you’ll add to your professional network when Prime hosts a wide variety of friendly speakers from the Twin Cities' design and development communities. Guests share context on their industry and expose you to new, different and sometimes opposing perspectives on the technology, techniques and philosophy shaping modern software. All this will help you to develop your own unique outlook on the field you’re entering.
Career Support
From the start of your program experience, you'll be preparing for your career transition into tech. This includes learning how to establish a productive mentorship relationship, implement effective interviewing strategies, and strategically write a cover letter. Throughout your time at Prime, you will build a resume and a portfolio of work that you can show off with pride. Coaching and feedback opportunities are also integrated so you can get 1:1 insights on your approach!
WELCOME TO THE NETWORK
Success after Prime sometimes depends more on who you know than what you know. At the end of your program, you'll participate in a networking event, a scheduled opportunity to have conversations with multiple individuals who are excited about Prime and eager to speak with you! You'll shake off your networking butterflies and gain confidence in speaking about yourself, your project work, and what you hope to do in your first role post-Prime!
Continued Education
Prime partners help connect students with valuable skills beyond graduation. Improve the inclusive web with free courses from Deque and Frontend Masters, and bolster your resume by pursuing your Digital Accessibility Certification with a partner prep course.
Tuition To Change Your Future
Your tuition supports Prime’s industry-leading instruction staff, excellent student-to-teacher ratio, development of our employer network, and ongoing curriculum development. Tuition covers instruction and access to educational software licenses. Students are responsible for their own transportation, meals, living expenses, and portfolio hosting fees (~$150). You'll want to have some ideas about your personal financing plan for tuition and living expenses while working on your application.
Once accepted and upon your confirming your enrollment, you'll need to have a finalized plan for tuition and expenses.
Lowest Cost
Upfront Tuition
Pay out of pocket or finance on your own.
$17,500
includes $500 discount
For students paying out of pocket with their own funds or planning to secure a personal loan through their bank or various lender options.
Tuition is $18,000Students paying up front receive a $500 discount
$1,500 down payment due on acceptance
$16,000 due upon start of study
Least Upfront Investment
Pay-As-You-Go Tuition
Start learning with a low investment.
$390+
per month (based on credit)
We offer flexible financing with Ascent or Climb that can cover your down payment, tuition and living expenses no matter what your credit score.
Tuition is $18,000$1,500 down payment due on acceptance
Living expenses of up to $5,000 available
3 and 5 year repayment terms are available
Deferred/interest-only payment options available
MSP TechHire Support
We’re proud to partner with the city of Minneapolis, the city of St. Paul, Ramsey County, and Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis to bring Prime to diverse Minneapolis and St. Paul residents who would be otherwise unable to afford the program. The application process screens and verifies eligibility for student aid (household income must be "very low" based on the CDBG income table). Eligible students may receive grants to cover up to 100% of tuition. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis so apply today.
Other Scholarships
Prime provides a number of scholarships to support students seeking to attend our programs. Prime and our partners are committed to building a diverse tech community. To encourage women and people of Color pursuing tech careers, Prime Digital Academy grants a $500 scholarship to members of those groups accepted into the program. Additionally, Prime sponsors a Black Lives Matter in Tech scholarship that provides an additional $1,000 to Black students seeking to study. We are also proud to partner with DEED on a grant supporting study for Minnesota residents of Color aged 18-31.
GI Bill for Veterans
Full-time, on campus study at Prime is eligible for GI Bill support including housing assistance. Check with your VA counselor or connect with Prime if you have questions about what support may be available to you outside of the GI Bill (e.g. VRRAP or vocational rehabilitation programs) as you may be able to receive support thorough those programs as well! GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
MAC LAPTOP REQUIREMENT
Having access to a computer you call your own is a critical part of achieving mastery as a tech professional. To provide a consistent experience we've standardized on Apple laptops (running a current version of OS X). If you aren't sure if your computer meets these specifications or want help selecting a laptop for Prime contact us. Prime will provide you with an external monitor for use in the classroom.
Not Sure How to Fund Your Training?
Paying for a program like Prime is a big deal. Check out all the resources and options open to you in more detail on our funding page.
Prime's Alumni Community
Prime is committed to maintaining real relationships with our alumni and providing support and advice that spans your entire career. Whether you’re swinging into Prime to say hello or touch base with friends on Slack, alumni are part of our community forever.
We provide free co-working space for alumni to ensure that no grad goes through their job search alone. We also operate a weekly session for alumni who are currently job searching called Alum Scrum. These sessions focus on specific interviewing tips and advice on navigating the tricky situations that arise in a job search.
Beyond job search support, Prime encourages alumni to continue to hone their skills through whiteboard challenges, coordinated user group attendance, and keeping in close contact with your classmates as you all make your marks on the local tech industry.
"I arrived at Prime due to a potent mix of curiosity and desperation - I had always been fascinated by coding but I never believed I'd be able to learn it without a LOT OF HELP. I got that help at Prime and a hell of a lot more. The support I received and continue to receive from Prime staff has been life-changing."
"Prime has given me a chance to start over while providing a base of support to grow from. I can now pursue a career where I can exercise my creativity while making a real difference in the world. In addition to being prepared for a career in software development, I have also made lasting friendships with wonderful people!"
"Today was my first day as a UX Designer with a job!!! You guys did such an incredible job preparing us for this field. I tracked with everything they were talking about and I was even able to contribute a couple thoughts and questions in my first meeting with my team. Prime definitely prepared me to hit the ground running!"
Upcoming Cohort Dates
The following upcoming cohort dates are planned. You are encouraged to apply early (even if your cohort's applications aren't open yet) as you may be asked to complete pre-study work depending on your experience. Each row in the table below represents a cohort at Prime and the dates that they'll enter the various tiers of study within the program.
| Format | Hours | Deadline | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On Campus or Remote | M-F, 9am-5pm CST | Nov 24 | Jan 6 | Jan 20 | Mar 3 | Apr 25 |