Unit 2: User Interaction Design | UX Process, Research & Ideation p.

UNIT 2

User Interaction Design

Complete 4-Hour Lecture Notes

UX Process · Research Methods · Ideation Techniques

Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3 Hour 4

UCD & Design Thinking User Research Methods Personas & Journey Ideation & Synthesis
Mapping
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2.1 UX Design Process & User-Centered Design

Hour 1 — approx. 60 minutes

What is User-Centered Design (UCD)?

User-Centered Design (UCD) is a design philosophy and iterative process that places the end-user at
the heart of every decision. Rather than designing what seems logical to engineers or business
stakeholders, UCD ensures the product is shaped around real users' needs, behaviors, goals, and
limitations.

Core principle: "Design for users, not at them." Every design choice must be justified by user
evidence — not assumptions, gut feeling, or internal opinion.

Why UCD Matters: The Cost of Ignoring Users

Designs built without user research fail at a rate far higher than those shaped by evidence. Here are
real-world consequences:
• Healthcare portals that confuse elderly patients lead to missed appointments and medical
errors.
• E-commerce checkouts with too many steps lose 70%+ of carts at the payment stage.
• Government websites with legal jargon and complex navigation prevent citizens from
accessing services they need.
• Mobile apps that don't account for one-handed use frustrate commuters and reduce
engagement.

Insight: IBM research found that every $1 invested in UX returns $100 in value — a 9,900% ROI
— largely by catching errors before development rather than after launch.

The UX Design Process — 5 Iterative Stages

UX design follows the Design Thinking framework — used at Google, IDEO, Apple, and IDEO. It cycles
through five stages repeatedly as you learn more about users. Each pass through the loop produces a
more refined, evidence-based design.

01 02 03 04 05
Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test
Understand users Synthesize research Brainstorm and Build low- or high- Evaluate with real
through research, into a clear, explore many fidelity mockups to users and loop back
observation & actionable problem possible solutions make ideas tangible to improve
interviews statement — quantity first
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The process is iterative, not linear. Findings from testing frequently send you back to Empathize or
Ideate. Expect to complete at least 2–3 full loops before arriving at a validated solution.

Stage Deep Dives

Example: Stage 1 — Empathize: Understanding Real People

Goal: Develop genuine insight into users' lives, motivations, and frustrations.
Methods used: User interviews, ethnographic observation, diary studies, contextual inquiry.
Real example: Designing a hospital check-in app → observe patients in the waiting room. Notice that
many struggle to read small text on their phones, hold coats and bags, and feel anxious about being
late.
Output: Field notes, interview transcripts, observation photos, empathy maps.
Duration tip: Budget 2–4 weeks and 8–15 research participants for a meaningful Empathize phase.

Example: Stage 2 — Define: Sharpening the Problem

Goal: Synthesize research into a clear, specific problem statement — not a solution.
Tool: The 'Point of View' (POV) statement: '[User] needs [need] because [insight]'
Example POV: 'Amara, a busy professional, needs to complete grocery checkout in under 3 minutes
because her lunch break is only 30 minutes.'
Common mistake: Writing a problem statement that is actually a solution: 'Users need a faster
checkout button' is a solution. 'Users abandon checkout due to friction' is a problem.
Output: Problem statement, How Might We (HMW) questions for ideation.

Example: Stage 3 — Ideate: Generating Options

Goal: Generate a large volume of potential solutions. Quantity before quality.
Rules: No criticism during generation. Wild ideas are welcome — they spark real ones.
Techniques: Brainstorming, Crazy 8s sketching, mind mapping, SCAMPER, analogies.
Example: HMW help elderly users feel confident during checkout? → voice input, larger touch targets,
progress indicators, 'pause and resume' sessions, SMS confirmations.
Output: Sketches, idea boards, prioritised shortlist (top 3–5 concepts to prototype).

Example: Stage 4 — Prototype: Making Ideas Tangible

Goal: Build a quick, cheap representation of an idea to test a specific assumption.
Fidelity scale: Paper sketch → digital wireframe → clickable prototype → coded MVP.
Rule of thumb: Use the lowest fidelity that answers your research question. A paper prototype can
answer most layout questions just as well as a polished mockup.
Tools: Figma, Adobe XD, Marvel, InVision, or pen and paper.
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Example: Testing a new checkout flow → build a 5-screen Figma prototype in 2 hours. Do not spend
a week coding it first.

Example: Stage 5 — Test: Learning from Real Users

Goal: Observe real users completing tasks with your prototype to find where it fails.
Method: Moderated usability testing — researcher observes, takes notes, asks follow-ups.
Rule of 5: Testing with just 5 participants uncovers ~85% of usability issues (Nielsen).
What to capture: Task completion rate, time on task, error rate, verbal reactions, emotional cues.
Example outcome: 4 of 5 users couldn't find the 'Edit Order' button during testing → move it above
the fold, increase contrast. Loop back and test again.

Mind Mapping in UX
A mind map is a visual, non-linear diagram used early in the UX process to explore ideas, reveal
relationships between user needs, and map the scope of a problem space before any structure is
imposed.

When to Use What to Map

During Empathize and Define stages — User goals, pain points, features, competitors,
before wireframing edge cases

When the problem space feels foggy or Regulatory constraints, technical dependencies
overwhelming

After an interview session to capture key Emotional triggers and user motivations
themes

During team alignment workshops Opportunities for innovation and differentiation

Example: A team designing a mental health app creates a mind map with 'Emotional Support' at the
centre. Branches extend to: Crisis Management → Hotline integration, journaling, breathing exercises.
Social → peer groups, anonymous sharing. Professional → therapist matching, session booking. Self-
tracking → mood logs, habit streaks, sleep data.

Tools: Miro, FigJam, Mural, Whimsical — or physical sticky notes on a whiteboard. The medium
matters less than the thinking.

Applying UCD in Industry: Real Case Studies

Company UCD Decision & Outcome

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Airbnb (2011) Co-founders photographed NYC listings
themselves after noticing photos were too dark.
Revenue doubled within weeks.

[Link] Replaced dense legal text with plain English and

task-based navigation. 99% of pages now use a
single reading age.

Duolingo Discovered through research that users felt

'guilty' skipping days. Added streak mechanics
and gentle notifications → retention tripled.

Apple iPhone Removed the stylus (used by Palm Pilot

competitors) after research showed users
preferred direct finger touch.

Spotify Wrapped Emerged from user research revealing people

wanted to reflect on their music year — turned
insight into a viral feature.
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2.2 UX Research Methods

Hour 2 — approx. 60 minutes

Why Conduct UX Research?

UX research removes guesswork. It ensures you solve real user problems rather than assumed ones.
Research can be generative (discovering problems) or evaluative (testing solutions). The combination
gives a 360° view of user experience.

Research Type Purpose & Timing

Generative / Exploratory Discover what problems exist and who has them.
Used before ideation. Methods: interviews,
ethnography, diary studies.

Evaluative / Usability Assess whether a design solution works. Used

after prototyping. Methods: usability testing, A/B
testing, analytics.

Descriptive Understand the current state of user behavior at

scale. Methods: surveys, card sorting, analytics
dashboards.

Causal Determine if change X caused outcome Y.

Methods: A/B testing, controlled experiments.

Research Method 1: User Interviews

One-on-one conversations between a researcher and a participant. The most powerful method for
uncovering deep motivations, mental models, and emotional responses.

Structured Interviews Semi-Structured Interviews

Fixed, identical questions for every Guide topics but allow natural conversation
participant

Easier to compare responses statistically Uncovers unexpected, valuable insights

Less flexibility — may miss important Requires skilled facilitation to stay on track
tangents

Best for: large-scale research, multiple Best for: early discovery, complex emotional
researchers topics
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Interview Preparation Checklist
• Define research goals: What 3 questions must you be able to answer after this study?
• Write a discussion guide: 8–12 open-ended questions, grouped by theme
• Recruit representative participants: 5–8 per segment, screened for relevance
• Book sessions: 60–90 minutes each, with 30-min buffer between sessions
• Prepare recording consent forms and privacy notice
• Pilot test your guide with a colleague before the first real session

Asking Better Interview Questions

Weak Question ❌ Strong Question ✅

Do you like using our app? Tell me about the last time you used a food
delivery app. Walk me through what happened.

Would you use a feature like X? How do you currently handle [the situation X
addresses]?

Is this design clear to you? Can you try to complete this task and tell me
what you're thinking as you go?

Do you find the checkout confusing? Describe what went through your mind the last
time you abandoned a purchase online.

Is price important to you? Tell me about a recent purchase where price

played a role in your decision.

Golden rule: Ask about past behavior, not future intentions. People are poor predictors of what
they will do; they are excellent narrators of what they have done.

Interview Analysis: Affinity Diagramming

After 5–8 interviews, extract every notable quote or observation onto a separate sticky note. Then
cluster these notes by theme. Themes that appear across multiple participants are your strongest
insights.
• Step 1 — Download: Immediately after each interview, write down everything you observed
and heard (5 minutes per interview).
• Step 2 — Atomise: Write each distinct insight on its own sticky note. One idea per note.
• Step 3 — Cluster: Group notes by emerging theme on a wall or Miro board. Name each
cluster.
• Step 4 — Prioritise: Rank clusters by frequency (how many participants mentioned it) and
severity (how much it impacts their goal).
• Step 5 — Synthesise: Convert top clusters into problem statements and HMW questions for
ideation.
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Research Method 2: Surveys

Questionnaires distributed to a large group of users to collect quantitative and qualitative data at scale.
Surveys validate hypotheses formed during interviews and reveal patterns across a wider population.

Question Type When to Use & Example

Likert Scale (1–5) Measure strength of opinion. 'How easy was it to

find what you needed? 1 = Very difficult, 5 = Very
easy'

Net Promoter Score (NPS) Single loyalty metric. 'How likely are you to
recommend us? 0–10.' Score 9–10 = Promoters;
0–6 = Detractors.

Multiple Choice Categorise behavior. 'How often do you use the

app? Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Rarely'

Open-ended text Gather rich qualitative data. 'What would make

you use this app more often?'

Ranking question Understand priorities. 'Rank these features in

order of importance to you.'

Rule of thumb: Use surveys to confirm patterns found in interviews — not to replace them.
Target 100+ respondents for statistically meaningful quantitative results.

Survey Design Anti-Patterns (Common Mistakes)

• Double-barrelled questions: 'How easy and enjoyable was the checkout process?' — asks
two things at once. Split into separate questions.
• Leading questions: 'How much do you love our new design?' — implies a positive answer.
Use neutral language.
• Loaded scales: 'Rate your satisfaction: Bad / OK / Good / Great' — skewed positive. Use
symmetric scales.
• Recall bias: Asking people to remember behavior from more than 2 weeks ago produces
unreliable data.
• Survey fatigue: Surveys over 10 minutes see significant drop-off. Keep it under 15 questions.

Research Method 3: Competitive Analysis

A systematic evaluation of competitor products to understand industry standards, identify gaps, and find
opportunities for differentiation. You analyse the UX of similar products — what works, what frustrates
users, and what is conspicuously absent.

Competitor Type Definition & Example

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Direct competitors Solve the same problem for the same audience.
(Uber vs. Lyft; Spotify vs. Apple Music)

Indirect competitors Solve a related need. (Uber vs. public transit

apps; Spotify vs. YouTube)

Aspirational competitors A brand in a different category whose UX quality

you admire. (A banking app aspiring to Airbnb's
onboarding experience)

Analogous competitors Different industry, same underlying behavior. (A

supermarket self-checkout studying airport
check-in kiosks)

Competitive Analysis Framework

For each competitor, evaluate the following dimensions and score them 1–5:
• Onboarding flow: How quickly can a new user reach their first success? Is the value
proposition clear?
• Navigation structure: Is it intuitive? Can users find key features within 2 taps/clicks?
• Visual hierarchy: Does the layout guide the eye to the most important element on each
screen?
• Error handling: Are errors described in plain language? Do they help users recover?
• Accessibility: Font sizes, contrast ratios, screen reader support, keyboard navigation.
• Performance UX: Does it feel fast? Does it communicate loading states clearly?

Competitive analysis answers: 'What already exists, and how can we do it better or differently?'
It prevents reinventing the wheel and reveals underserved user needs.

Worked Example: Food Delivery App Competitive Analysis

Criterion Competitor Insight → Your Opportunity

Onboarding All 3 competitors ask for credit card before showing the
menu. Opportunity: Show food first, capture card at
checkout.

Search None offer search-by-dietary-requirement at top level.

Opportunity: Make 'Vegan / Gluten-free / Halal' a primary
filter.

Order tracking Real-time tracking exists but uses small text. Opportunity:
Large, accessible tracker with live ETA.

Reordering All hide it in order history. Opportunity: Surface 'Your

usual?' on the home screen.

Error messages Generic 'Something went wrong'. Opportunity: Specific,

helpful messages with recovery actions.
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2.3 User Personas & Journey Mapping

Hour 3 — approx. 60 minutes

Creating User Personas

A user persona is a fictional but research-based character representing a key user segment. Built from
real interview and survey data, personas keep the whole team aligned around a shared picture of who
they are designing for. Most projects maintain 2–4 primary personas.

Critical distinction: A persona is NOT a guess or a stereotype. Every attribute must trace back to
research evidence — a quote, a behavioral pattern observed in interviews, or a statistically
significant survey result.

Full Persona Components

• Name & photo: Humanises the data. Makes it easier for teams to reference ('Would Amara be
able to do this?').
• Demographics: Age, occupation, location, family situation — but only if they affect behavior.
• Goals: What does this user want to achieve? Primary, secondary, and background goals.
• Pain points: What specific frustrations, obstacles, or anxieties does this user experience?
• Behaviors: How do they currently solve this problem? What workarounds do they use?
• Tech literacy: Device preferences, comfort level with new tech, number of apps used daily.
• Context: When, where, and in what emotional state do they use your product?
• Representative quote: A verbatim line from interviews that captures their worldview.

AM Amara, 28 RK Raj, 62
Marketing Manager, London Retired Teacher, Birmingham

Goals Goals
• Complete grocery shop in under • Order familiar grocery items reliably
10 minutes • Understand exactly what he's ordering
• Discover healthy recipes that before paying
match her schedule • Get help easily if something goes
• Avoid last-minute stress about wrong
dinner
Pain Points
Pain Points • Small text and low contrast are hard to
• Complicated checkout flows — too read
many steps • Technical error messages don't
• Confusing delivery windows with explain what to do
no flexibility • Feels anxious when the app changes
• Hard to find items when she's in a layout
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hurry
"If I make a mistake, I worry I won't be able to fix it."
"I don't want to think about it. I just want it to
work."

Design test: Before shipping any feature, ask 'How would Amara use this at 7pm with 2 minutes
before she has to leave?' and 'Could Raj complete this without calling for help?' If the answer is
'no' or 'maybe' — iterate.

Anti-Personas: Designing Exclusions Intentionally

An anti-persona defines a user segment you are explicitly NOT designing for. This prevents scope
creep and helps teams make decisive trade-offs.
Example: A mobile-first grocery app might define 'Desktop Dave' as an anti-persona — a power user
who wants bulk ordering via spreadsheet import. Noting him explicitly prevents the team from
overcomplicating the mobile UI to serve him.

User Journey Mapping

A user journey map is a visual timeline showing the steps a persona takes to accomplish a goal, along
with their thoughts, emotions, and pain points at each stage. It reveals exactly where users struggle —
and why.

Awareness Research Sign Up First Use Return

Neutral / curious Hopeful / anxious Excited / confused Frustrated / Loyal / or churned
delighted
User hears about Compares Creates account; Attempts the core Decides whether to
product via ad or alternatives; reads completes task for the first time keep using the
search reviews onboarding flow product

Journey maps track: Stages → Actions → Thoughts → Emotions → Touchpoints → Opportunities

Reading the Emotion Line

The emotion line — charted as a curve showing highs and lows — is the most actionable part of a
journey map. Low points represent design opportunities. High points show what is working and should
be protected.
• Steep drop before 'First Use': Users arrive with high expectations and feel an immediate
crash. Cause: onboarding is too complex or value isn't delivered fast enough.
• Low point at 'Sign Up': Friction in account creation. Fix: reduce required fields, allow social
login, delay account creation until after first success.
• Plateau after 'First Use': Users are neither delighted nor frustrated — they're ambivalent. Risk:
churn. Fix: find what would create a memorable first moment (the 'aha' moment).
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Journey Map: Real Example — Booking a Doctor's Appointment

Stage Emotion & Key Insight → Design Opportunity

Feeling unwell 😟 Anxious → opportunity: surface 'urgent care' option

prominently on home screen

Finding a GP online 😤 Frustrated → 3-step search before finding the right practice →
improve search with location filter

Booking page 😕 Confused → 14 available appointment times with no indication

of doctor name → show doctor profile

Completing form 😣 Overwhelmed → 23 required fields, some irrelevant → reduce

to 8 essential fields

Confirmation 😌 Relieved but uncertain → generic email received → add: what

to bring, parking info, what to expect

Day of appointment 😊 Prepared → optional: SMS reminder with real-time wait time
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2.4 Ideation Techniques

Hour 4 — approx. 60 minutes

What is Ideation?
Ideation is the creative phase where the team generates a wide range of potential solutions to the
defined problem. The goal is quantity over quality — diverge first, converge later. Filtering and refining
comes after generation.

Golden rule of ideation: Defer judgment. Wild ideas spark better ideas. One seemingly
impossible concept often contains the seed of a brilliant, practical solution. NEVER evaluate
during generation.

How Might We (HMW) Questions — The Ideation Bridge

HMW questions bridge the Define and Ideate stages. Each HMW reframes a problem or pain point as
an open opportunity — broad enough to inspire many solutions, narrow enough to stay relevant.

Problem / Pain Point How Might We Question

Users abandon checkout at payment step HMW make the payment step feel effortless and
trustworthy?

Elderly users feel anxious when the layout HMW help Raj feel confident even when we
changes release updates?

Users can't find the item they searched for HMW surface the right product in under 3
seconds?

Users forget to reorder staple items HMW remind users before they run out of things
they love?

First-time users don't know what the app HMW show the value of the app in the first 60
does seconds?

Formula check: If your HMW is so broad it could apply to any product ('HMW make users
happy') — narrow it. If it already implies a solution ('HMW add a faster button') — broaden it.

Technique 1: Mood Boards

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Mood Boards — In Depth
Mood boards are assembled before wireframing to answer: 'What should this product feel like?' They
communicate visual direction without committing to any layout — especially valuable for client
alignment and creative direction sessions.

Element What It Communicates & Example

Colour palette Emotional tone and brand values. Blues/silvers =

trust, technology. Greens = health, growth.
Warm earth tones = comfort, craft.

Typography samples Personality and target audience. Serif = editorial

authority (NYT, Vogue). Sans-serif = modern
clarity (Google, Airbnb).

Photography style Brand world. Bright lifestyle photography =

accessible, aspirational. Dark editorial =
premium, exclusive.

UI inspiration Screenshots of apps or sites with a similar feel

— NOT direct competitors. E.g., 'We want the
navigation to feel as calm as Headspace.'

Textures & patterns Tactile personality. Organic textures =

handcrafted, natural. Geometric patterns =
precision, technology.

Mood Board Workshop Format

• Time: 60–90 minutes with 4–8 stakeholders
• Each person collects 10–15 images independently (15 min)
• Share and explain choices one at a time (20 min)
• Identify overlapping themes and tensions — these spark the best conversations (15 min)
• Create a consensus board: 20–30 final images that tell a coherent visual story (20 min)
• Capture 3 'mood words' that describe the board: e.g. 'calm, precise, warm'

Technique 2: Brainstorming

Brainstorming — In Depth
Effective brainstorming follows explicit rules to prevent groupthink and encourage genuine creative risk-
taking. The goal: 50+ ideas in a 30-minute session with 5–8 people.

Rules of Good Brainstorming HMW Question Structuring

No criticism or evaluation during generation 'How Might We...' reframes problems as

opportunities
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Encourage wild, impossible ideas Not too broad: 'HMW improve the world' →
useless

Build on others' ideas: 'Yes, and...' Not too narrow: 'HMW add a blue button' → too
specific

Aim for quantity, not quality Each HMW becomes its own 10-minute sprint

One conversation at a time 5–7 HMW questions per session is the sweet
spot

Brainstorming Anti-Patterns: Why Sessions Fail

• HiPPO effect: The Highest Paid Person's Opinion dominates. Fix: ideas are written before
anyone speaks; use anonymous sticky notes.
• Premature convergence: The team agrees on the first good idea and stops generating. Fix:
enforce a 'no evaluation in the first 20 minutes' rule.
• Social loafing: Participants let others do the thinking. Fix: 'brainwriting' (everyone writes silently
for 5 minutes before sharing).
• Status quo bias: Ideas cluster around what already exists. Fix: give an 'impossible prompt' —
'If budget were unlimited, what would you build?' — to break the ceiling.

After Brainstorming: Dot Voting & Affinity Mapping

Once generation is complete, the team converges using two techniques:
• Dot voting: Each person receives 5 dot stickers and votes on their top ideas. Ideas with the
most dots get prioritised for prototyping.
• Affinity mapping: Similar ideas are grouped into themes. Common themes signal user needs
that recur across many different solution directions — these are your richest areas to explore.

Technique 3: Sketching & Crazy 8s

Sketching — In Depth
Sketching is the fastest, cheapest form of prototyping. A sketch communicates a UI concept without
investing hours in software. Speed forces divergent thinking; perfection is the enemy.

The Crazy 8s Technique

• Fold a sheet of A4 paper in half three times to create 8 panels
• Set a timer for 8 minutes
• Sketch one UI concept per panel — that's 1 minute per idea
• No labels or explanations during sketching — pure visual thinking
• After time is up, each person presents their 8 ideas to the group in 2 minutes
• Vote on the strongest elements from across the group to combine into a final concept
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Why 8 minutes works: The first 2–3 sketches are predictable ('the obvious solution'). By sketch
5–8, the brain is forced to reach for genuinely new territory. The best ideas are almost always in
the final three.

Types of Sketches in UX

Sketch Type Purpose & When to Use

Thumbnail sketch Quick, tiny layout explorations. Use to generate

volume before committing to a direction.

Annotated wireframe sketch A detailed screen sketch with interaction notes.

Use when presenting to developers.

Storyboard sketch A sequence of 4–8 frames showing a user

journey. Use to communicate the full flow, not
just a single screen.

Decision sketch Two divergent approaches side-by-side. Use to

force a conscious design decision between
competing concepts.

Service blueprint sketch Maps front-stage and back-stage interactions.

Use when the UX involves multiple channels or
touchpoints.

Selecting Ideas for Prototyping

After sketching, use the following criteria to decide which ideas to take forward to Prototype:
• User desirability: Does this directly address a pain point or goal identified in research?
(Weight: 40%)
• Technical feasibility: Can your engineering team build this within the project constraints?
(Weight: 30%)
• Business viability: Does it support business goals — revenue, retention, acquisition? (Weight:
30%)
Ideas that score highly on all three dimensions are your strongest candidates. Discard ideas that
require user behavior change with no clear incentive.

★ Unit 2 — Synthesis & Key Takeaways

Review before the next session

The Full Research-to-Ideation Pipeline

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→ → → → → →
Research Analyse Define Personas Ideate Prototype

Core Takeaways by Topic

Topic Key Principle to Remember

UCD Design decisions must be backed by user

evidence. Assumptions are hypotheses to test,
not facts to act on.

Design Thinking Five stages: Empathize → Define → Ideate →

Prototype → Test. Always iterative — loops are
the point, not a failure.

User Interviews Ask about past behavior, not future intentions.

Probe with 'Why?' and 'Tell me more.' Semi-
structured gives the richest data.

Surveys Confirm patterns at scale. Use symmetric Likert

scales. Never use surveys to replace interviews
— combine them.

Competitive Analysis Evaluate onboarding, navigation, visual

hierarchy, error handling, and accessibility. Build
a feature matrix. Find the gap.

Personas Research-based, not imagined. Keep them to 2–

4. Use them as a test: 'Could Raj complete this
without help?'

Journey Maps Chart emotions, not just actions. Low points are
design opportunities. Fix the highest-severity
drops first.

HMW Questions Bridge Define and Ideate. Not too broad, not too
narrow. Each one becomes its own ideation
sprint.

Mood Boards Align on visual tone before wireframing. Produce

3 mood words. Prevents costly late-stage visual
disagreements.

Brainstorming Quantity before quality. Defer judgment. Use dot

voting + affinity mapping to converge.

Sketching / Crazy 8s Speed forces creativity. Best ideas emerge in

sketches 5–8. Always annotate interactions.

Next: Unit 3 — Information Architecture & Wireframing. We move from research and ideation
into structure: sitemaps, card sorting, wireframes, and the principles of layout and visual
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hierarchy.

Recommended Reading & Resources

• 'The Design of Everyday Things' — Don Norman. The foundational text on user-centred
design. Read chapters 1–3 before the next session.
• 'Don't Make Me Think' — Steve Krug. Essential reading on web usability and navigation
design.
• Nielsen Norman Group ([Link]). Extensive library of UX research articles, templates,
and case studies.
• Interaction Design Foundation ([Link]). Free and paid courses covering
every method covered in this unit.
• Google's People + AI Guidebook. Practical guidance on designing AI-assisted products
around user mental models.