College - Author 1
College of Liberal Arts
Department - Author 1
Graphic Communication Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Graphic Communication
Date
3-2024
Primary Advisor
Hocheol Yang, College of Liberal Arts, Graphic Communication Department
Abstract/Summary
The User Experience, User Interface (UX/UI) industry has grown exponentially in the last couple of years. According to a PubMed Central journal article, Understanding UX Better, UX has attracted an increasing interest in recent years, extending the views on usability. This growth exists both in academic institutions and the technology industry, evidenced by increasing numbers of UX-related degrees at undergraduate and graduate levels and also by high job demand (Marques). With this new emergence, the Graphic Communication (GrC) major, specifically the concentration in UX/UI, has caught the attention of numerous prospective Cal Poly SLO students interested in front-end design and creative technical roles. These students attempt to research the program; however, they find minimal information. What is missing?
The main issue lies in the lack of resources provided for UX/UI students when entering college and unless you seek those outside of club involvement, you will find yourself lost. As a student concentrating in UX/UI and a senior in college, I have struggled to begin processes such as designing a personal creative portfolio, deciding how to best express myself as a valuable candidate to companies for internships or jobs, figuring out how to format a resume for my industry, and choosing which GrC classes to take in order to equip myself professionally and technically. I want to address this issue by creating an information hub for Cal Poly SLO students interested in UX/UI. This would include specific tips and tricks for resume and portfolio design, advice from UX/UI professors and professionals, examples of students’ portfolios for inspiration, club showcases, suggested GrC classes to take, and more. There are many separate platforms and websites that help assist students, but there aren’t any tools that are specific to the UX/UI concentration within the GrC program. Each element is essential to setting up students for success during and after their college experience. UX/UI is a growing industry and has become increasingly competitive with a wide array of interest from computer engineers to designers. It is important to equip prospective and current students with the confidence and skill set to navigate their experience within the UX/UI focus of Graphic Communication.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/grcsp/266