Dynamic User Experience: Design and Usability
How This Course Will Help Your Career
What You’ll Learn
- How to identify and improve static web designs through the use of dynamic web content
- How to make web pages more interactive without sacrificing usability or accessibility
- How to design for progressive enhancement and graceful degradation
- How to employ dynamic designs on touch-screen devices
- How to give on-screen feedback effectively
Web technologies make it easy for websites to become more interactive and behave more like native applications. For instance, content on a website can now be loaded dynamically without the browser having to load or refresh the page. However, mindlessly increasing the interactivity of websites can sometimes damage the user experience rather than improve it. How can a designer make use of dynamic content to improve user experience, while making sure that the website is both usable and accessible?
This course will equip you with an understanding of how the use of Ajax (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) can turn a static webpage into a dynamic one. In particular, we will cover how to use Ajax appropriately, so that you can identify areas of a static webpage that the application of dynamic content can improve. At the same time, this course will teach you how to do so without sacrificing usability and accessibility, and hence achieve the optimal user experience. No technical knowledge of Ajax or coding is required, as this course is more focused on the design, rather than implementation, of dynamic web content. Implementation details are hence mentioned only briefly.
This course has been presented at many international conferences and is built on evidence-based approaches, as well as solid evidence, distilled from over 40 years of experience in the development of interactive systems. The course is taught by the founder and principal consultant of Syntagm, William Hudson, who is also a writer and teacher in the fields of user-centered design, user experience, and usability.
Gain an Industry-Recognized UX Course Certificate
Use your industry-recognized Course Certificate on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.
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Is This Course Right for You?
This is an advanced-level course suitable for anyone who is involved or interested in designing websites:
- UX, UI, and web designers looking to improve the engagement of websites without affecting a site’s usability
- Project managers keen on building products that are interactive but also allowing for accessibility across different browsers and devices
- Software engineers who want to learn how the application of Ajax in their code can best improve usability
- Entrepreneurs looking to build dynamic, interactive websites that work effectively
- Newcomers to design who are considering making a switch to UX or web design
Courses in the Interaction Design Foundation are designed to contain comprehensive, evidence-based content, while ensuring that the learning curve is never too steep. All participants will have the opportunity to share ideas, seek help with tests, and enjoy the social aspects afforded by our open and friendly forum.
Learn and Work with a Global Team of Designers
You’ll join a global community and work together to improve your skills and career opportunities. Connect with helpful peers and make friends with like-minded individuals as you push deeper into the exciting and booming industry of design.
Lessons in This Course
- Each week, one lesson becomes available.
- There’s no time limit to finish a course. Lessons have no deadlines.
- Estimated learning time: 17 hours 15 mins spread over 9 weeks .
Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction
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0.1: Dynamic User Experience: Ajax Design and Usability (6 mins)
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0.2: An introduction to courses from the Interaction Design Foundation (37 mins)
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0.3: Let our community help you (1 min)
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0.4: How to Earn Your Course Certificate (16 mins)
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0.5: Meet your peers online in our discussion forums (5 mins)
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0.6: Meet and learn from design professionals at an upcoming meet-up (1 min)
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0.7: Gain Timeless Knowledge Through Courses From the Interaction Design Foundation (21 mins)
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0.8: Mandatory vs. Optional Lesson Items (7 mins)
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0.9: A Mix Between Video-Based and Text-Based Lesson Content (6 mins)
Lesson 1: About AJAX
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1.1: About Ajax (1 hour 19 mins)
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1.2: Ajax Versus Other Technologies (45 mins)
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1.3: Discussion Forum (6 mins)
Lesson 2: Perceptual Issues
Lesson 3: Engaging Users
Lesson 4: Design Goals and Guidelines
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4.1: Progressive Enhancement (1 hour 13 mins)
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4.2: Graceful Degradation (38 mins)
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4.3: Discussion Forum (6 mins)
Lesson 5: Accessibility
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5.1: Introduction (37 mins)
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5.2: WCAG 2.0 Guidelines (51 mins)
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5.3: The Future (1 hour 16 mins)
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5.4: Discussion Forum (6 mins)
Lesson 6: Search Engine Optimization
Lesson 7: Effective Use of Ajax
Lesson 8: Implementing Ajax Solutions
Lesson 9: Case Study
Lesson 10: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up
Learning Paths
This course is part of 2 learning paths:
How Others Have Benefited
Deepshikha Kamerkar, India
“The lectures have been organised in a way to optimise the productivity of the participants, which is great!”
Carrie Vant, United States
“Great lectures! Well organized information to put into use now!”
Jonalyn Asantor, Philippines
“Knowing the different solutions to achieve the user experience goal is really good thing to know. Nice modules.”
How It Works
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Control your learning.
Lessons are self-paced so you’ll never be late for class or miss a deadline. Learning and life, hand in hand.
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Earn Course Certificates.
Your answers are graded by experts, not machines. Get an industry-recognized Course Certificate to show you’ve put in the work.
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Advance your career.
Grow your professional knowledge by watching Master Classes, networking within our UX community, and more.
Start Advancing Your Career Now
Join us to take “Dynamic User Experience: Design and Usability”. Take other courses at no additional cost. Make a concrete step forward in your career path today.
Advance my career nowFrequently Asked Questions
When I finish a course, do I have to pay extra to get my certificate?
Can I take more than one course at a time?
With a Student membership, you can take a maximum of two courses at the same time. You can still take as many courses as you would like – free of extra charges – just as long as you finish or drop them so that you don’t have more than two ongoing courses.
I missed the enrollment, and now the course is closed. What can I do?
Don't worry if you missed the course. We will re-run it shortly. One of the reasons we continually open and close courses is in order to control the classroom size.
Networking is a large part of our value proposition, so we want just the right number of people inside the courses. That is also why we display the "XX % percent booked" on our course icons.
Do I have to be online at an exact time to study?
No. You can set your own study schedule. There are no "live sessions" since we have members from all timezones around the world. We are a truly global community.
Thus, once you are enrolled, you can take all the time to complete a given course. Every "classroom" in each course will never close, so you’ll have permanent access to your classmates and your course material (as well as your own answers).
Will I receive a Course Certificate?
Yes. You will get a digital industry-recognized course certificate every time you complete a course. Certificates never expire and can be saved as a .jpg file, so it's easy to be shared. Also, there is no limit to how many certificates you can earn during your membership.
You can see an example of a Course Certificate at the bottom of the Course Catalogue.
I have answered questions in a lesson; when will they be marked/graded?
I have updated my name, but my course certificate is not updated — how can I change it?
Don't worry; once you change your name, your certificate will be updated automatically in the next 48 hours.
I have started my course later than the specified date, are my answers still going to be marked?
Sure! We will be marking all your answers for as long as you are an active member.
How are courses graded?
For how long will I have access to the course materials?
You will have access to the course materials for the entire duration of your membership. So, if you pay for a one-year membership, you will have access for one year. Renewing your membership for a second year means you will have access to one more year, and so on.
New lessons are starting before I have completed the previous lesson(s). Am I going to be locked out of these unfinished lessons?
No, you will not be locked out of any lesson or course. You will have access to all course materials throughout your membership, so there is no pressure to keep at the same pace as the specified lesson release dates.
All we recommend is that you try to stick to the same schedule as other participants. The reason is they may have moved on to other lessons, thereby meaning you could miss out on the social aspects of the course(s).
Do I have a specific date to award my certificates?
No, you can generate your certificate as soon as you score at least 70% of the total course points.
When will I receive my Course Certificate?
Course certificates will be given to participants when they have scored more than 70% or more of the total course points. For example, if a course contains ten lessons each with ten questions, you will receive a course certificate when the instructor has awarded you at least 70 points (70% of the total course points).
There is no specified time that certificates will be awarded — instead, they are given to participants as and when they have answered all questions, even if this is long after the official end date.
How do I add my Certificate to my LinkedIn profile?
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add your Interaction Design Foundation course(s) to your LinkedIn profile:
Log in to your LinkedIn account, then go to your profile.
Below your profile description, click on the button Add profile section, choose Recommended and then select Add license or certification.
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3. In the following fields add:
Name – Course name
Issuing organization – The Interaction Design Foundation
Check the field “This credential does not expire”
Issue date - Input the date written on your certificate (e.g., May 2021)
Credential ID – Your membership ID number – it's written on your certificate. (For non-members, you can leave this field blank or, if you prefer, insert the certificate ID, which can be extracted from the certificate link. This ID will begin with "mcc_" and be followed by a string of numbers and letters.")
Credential URL: Input the certificate URL provided on your course page
4. Click the Save button.
Congratulate yourself! Earning the certificate is a great accomplishment and now you can share it with the world!
How do I add the Interaction Design Foundation Membership Certificate to my LinkedIn Profile?
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add your Interaction Design Foundation course(s) to your LinkedIn profile:
Log in to your LinkedIn account, then go to your profile.
Below your profile description, click on the button Add profile section, choose Recommended and then select Add license or certification.
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3. In the following fields add:
Name – Membership Certificate
Issuing organization – The Interaction Design Foundation
Check the field “This credential does not expire”
Issue date - Input the date when you joined our community (e.g., May 2019)
Credential ID – Your membership ID number (it's written on your certificate)
Credential URL: Input the certificate URL provided on your profile page
4. Click the Save button.
It is as simple as that. Now, anyone who visits your profile can see your certificate!
How much will I have to pay for the courses?
After you pay for your membership, you can take as many courses as you want with no additional costs. There are no further charges on top of the membership fee.
Do you provide mostly beginners' or more advanced courses?
How long does it take to complete a course?
You will need approximately 5-8 hours to complete one lesson. Each course has between 3 and 16 lessons.
Once enrolled in a course, you will gain access to a new lesson each week, which you are free to complete without any deadlines and no end date, either.
I scored less than 70% in a course, so I didn't qualify for a certificate. Can I try again?
Yes! Everyone's learning journey looks different, and we'd never stop our members from trying again. To retake a course, just follow these steps:
1. Go to your profile and click on the relevant course you'd like to retake.
2. Underneath your progress bar, you'll see a phrase "UX Courses" with an arrow (>) pointing to a clickable landing page of that course. Click on that link.
3. Once on the landing page, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. You'll see a red button, which you can simply click to drop the course.
4. Head back to our main list of UX Courses, and re-enroll yourself in the course. You'll all set to try again!
Please note that when you drop a course, you will lose any answers and progress you submitted. We advise that you screenshot or save any answers you'd like to reuse.
In some cases, we can open up lessons for members who are retaking a course, so that they don't have to wait for familiar lessons to unlock each week. If you'd like us to do this for you, please get in touch with our support team at hello@interaction-design.org, and we can help you out.
How do I drop a course?
To drop a course, the following should be done:
1. Visit your profile page and click the 'continue lesson...' button for the course you want to drop.
2. Click the course name link breadcrumb near the top of the page that opens (this only appears in unlocked lessons, not upcoming lessons)
3. Click the red 'drop my course now' button at the bottom of the page that opens
