{"id":13703,"date":"2022-06-20T17:32:04","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T15:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/?p=13703"},"modified":"2023-05-24T12:30:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T10:30:53","slug":"can-you-teach-yourself-ux-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/ux-design\/can-you-teach-yourself-ux-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Teach Yourself UX Design? Here's How"},"content":{"rendered":"

Featuring in Glassdoor’s “Best Jobs in America” list<\/a> year after year, UX design as a career gains more and more traction. As a result, many are left wondering how to enter the field and learn the trade. So, can you teach yourself UX design?<\/span><\/p>\n

While there are many schools, bootcamps, and online courses to help show you the ropes, taking a formal course may not be the best or most feasible option for all prospective UXers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rigid time requirements, commuting to and from a classroom, and difficult financial commitments are just a few reasons some people interested in UX might be questioning whether a formal course is for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, it\u2019s not impossible to teach yourself UX design. After all, the original UX designers that pioneered the field did something very similar to the self-taught designers of today, but with even less resources than are available now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve created this in-depth guide to help you answer the question, \u201cTo school or not to school?\u201d and go over the pros and cons of being self-taught, how to do it, and other options available.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Benefits of teaching yourself UX design<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Challenges of teaching yourself UX design<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. How to teach yourself UX design<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. UX design schools and bootcamps<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Can you teach yourself UX design? Key takeaways<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    1. Benefits of teaching yourself UX design<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Teaching yourself a whole new discipline can seem daunting. But, there are actually a lot of positives that come along with being a self-taught designer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Cost-effective\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    A UX bootcamp can be anywhere from $3,000 to $16,000 USD for 9-28 week programs. By teaching yourself, your only costs would consist of the online design tools, books, and software needed to learn the UX fundamentals and create your design portfolio<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Many of these resources are costs many students in bootcamps end up paying for on top of their tuition anyways. Therefore, teaching yourself UX design is a great option for interested learners on a budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Go at your own pace<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Many aspiring UX designers are already professionals looking to undergo a career change or that have full-time jobs. Becoming a self-taught designer allows you to set your own schedule and develop at your own pace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Therefore, illness, family responsibilities, or second jobs are less likely to interfere with your education, as there is no time limit or rigid schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Freedom of course structure<\/span><\/h3>\n

    The ability to create your own UX curriculum allows you the freedom to put more focus on areas of interest or quickly move through concepts you may already understand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    This can help many product developers, software engineers<\/a>\u00a0or other tech workers who already have a base understanding of UX to expedite their education. Or, perhaps you want to apply for a job in UX research<\/a> or another sub-specialty and need your training to reflect certain, specialized skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Challenges of teaching yourself UX design<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Now that we\u2019ve laid out the benefits, let\u2019s take a closer look at how teaching yourself UX design can be challenging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Limited access to feedback\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    One of the most obvious problems with not attending a formal bootcamp is limited access to professors and other UX professionals that can give you valuable and important critique and advice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Teaching yourself can feel difficult as you may not know where to start, if what you\u2019re doing is correct, or what steps to take next.\u00a0 Furthermore, the wealth of online UX knowledge makes it easy to become overwhelmed or \u201clost in the sauce\u201d, so to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Hard to stay motivated<\/span><\/h3>\n

    For some personality types, the lack of set deadlines, timeframes, or testing schedules can make it hard to stay on track. It requires a lot of discipline to be a self-taught UX designer and it can often take about six months to a full year longer than simply attending an expedited bootcamp.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Additionally, a lot of teaching yourself UX design consists of a lot of reading. That may feel like a long time to keep yourself motivated and working consistently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Isolation from UX community<\/span><\/h3>\n

    One of the benefits to attending an in-person UX course is the interaction, camaraderie, and socialization you get with other aspiring designers and professionals. Teaching yourself can be isolating and you may be more prone to feeling lonely throughout your UX journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Not only might you miss out on precious information about UX events or resources, but you may also lose the opportunity to make some good friends who are going through the same thing you are. We’ve created a full guide explaining why mentorship is key to the UX design industry<\/a> more so than many others.<\/span><\/p>\n

    3. How to teach yourself UX design<\/span><\/h2>\n

    If you\u2019re feeling like being a self-taught designer will work out well for you, you still might not know where to start or how to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The following tips should help give you a better idea of what teaching yourself UX design looks like and how to do it effectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Set a rough schedule and course outline\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Treating your education process as much like a real school (or even like a real job) will be the most beneficial way to approach it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    While there is more room for flexibility, keeping a regular schedule and having an idea of when you want to complete your education experience can give you a concrete goal to work towards and help you stay motivated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Next, you\u2019ll want to <\/span>layout what topics to cover and skills to work on<\/b>. There\u2019s a wealth of UX knowledge out there today and it can be easy to fall down the rabbit hole of information. Here are some topics you\u2019ll definitely want to cover:<\/span><\/p>\n