A very practical, hands-on overview of user-centered design for staff involved with the design and development of websites, web applications, and software systems.  
How can you ensure the websites, applications and systems you are developing meet the needs of your users? Through this class, you will learn how the user-centered design process helps you build products that are useful and usable. You will learn what usability is and how the popular development method of user-centered design helps you achieve it.

Objectives:
This four-day workshop is for professionals who want to take their organization’s user-experience skills to the next level. 
At the end of this 4-day course you will:

• Understand what user-centered design is and how it fits into the development process
• Learn about each step in the user-centered design process
• Practice several user-research techniques, including interviewing and customer
  journey mapping.
• Understand the importance of personas and tips for creating them
• Learn more about usable information architectures and how to use card-sorting and tree-test studies to make sure they are user-centric.
• Learn about planning and conducting usability studies and data analysis
• Gain a deeper understanding of design and prototyping activities by practicing and
  trying out design techniques.
• Gain familiarity with key tools of the trade including card-sorting tools, Crazy Egg, TreeJack, style tiles, prototyping tools, mobile design and testing tools.

Approach:
In addition to formal instruction, you’ll be engaged in practical activities and learn through

• Relevant examples
• Hands-on exercises
• Group discussion
• Specific guidelines and techniques
• Time for your questions
• Fun!

Workshop information:
We offer workshops at our offices in Olympia and Seattle or can deliver training on-site at your location. Each attendee will receive a course binder including slides, exercises, suggested readings and resources.