Assessment 1: Digital Creative Output

Digital portfolio of creative project work and professional development. Typically including:

- Digital creative output, typically taking the form on an app, digital prototype or interactive solution
- Primary and secondary research, analysis, and evaluation
- Concept and design development (e.g., research boards, sketches, samples)
- Ongoing annotations and commentary justifying design decisions

Assessment 2: Evaluation Document

A written report, typically taking the form of one of the following:

- User Testing Report
- Business Plan
- Proposal Document

Formative Assessment:

Participation in individual and group design and development reviews, project pitches and one-to-one tutorials will provide ongoing formative feedback for your learning.

You will explore the principles and practices of user experience (UX), user interface (UI), and digital application design through industry-informed creative briefs. You will investigate how users interact with digital products by examining user journeys, pain points, behavioural insights, and emotional responses to design, while considering the role of psychology, flow, and emotional design in shaping intuitive, inclusive, and ethical digital experiences.

You will develop advanced skills in prototyping digital interfaces and applications through hands-on technical workshops using tools widely adopted across the creative industries. You will design and prototype solutions for a range of sectors, exploring how digital experiences can complement or extend physical products, environments, and vehicles, while critically examining the impact of artificial intelligence, automation, and emerging technologies on interface aesthetics, usability, and UX practice.

You will gain a strong understanding of the growing importance of digital experience design within global creative industries. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to produce thoughtful, user-centred digital concepts that respond to real-world needs and evolving industry expectations, preparing you for careers as a UX/UI designer, product designer, strategist, or design leader.

1. Apply interdisciplinary knowledge to produce a creative output or prototype.

Programme Learning Outcome: Application & Problem Solving

2. Conduct research that informs decision-making within the digitally focused project.

Programme Learning Outcome: Research Skills

3. Communicate your project using formats appropriate to the chosen context.

Programme Learning Outcome: Communication

4. Critically evaluate your creative decisions, process, and professional development.

Programme Learning Outcome: Personal Development & Entrepreneurship, Reflection

On this module, typical learning and teaching activities will include:

- Software demonstrations and structured tutorials introducing UX, UI, and digital experience design tools, workflows, and best practice.
- Lectures and seminars exploring user behaviour, psychology interaction design, and emotional responses to digital experiences.
- One-to-one and small-group sessions with teaching staff to support individual skills development, concept refinement, and user-centred thinking.
- Independent study undertaken on campus or remotely, focusing on the research, design, prototyping, and testing of a digital experience concept.
- Guided workshops and learning resources that support the development of interface design, interaction flows, and prototyping skills.
- Reflective practice that encourages experimentation, iteration, and critical evaluation to produce thoughtful, user-centred digital concepts aligned with contemporary creative industry contexts.

- Student Life: https://www.youtube.com/@uniofstaffsstudentlife/videos
- University Careers: https://staffs.careercentre.me/Members
- University Library: https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/library
- Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant
- Specialist Spaces and Workshops
- Smart Zone
- CAD Labs
- Print Bureau

Norman, D.A. (2013) The design of everyday things. Revised and expanded ed. Cambridge, MA:

Portigal, S. and Pollock, B. (2024) ‘Interviewing users : how to uncover compelling insights’. Rego Park: Ascent Audio.

Yablonski, J. (2020) Laws of UX : using psychology to design better products & services. 1st edn. Sebastopol: O’Reilly.

Wells, M. (2023) User Experience Design. An introduction to creating interactive digital spaces. Laurence King Publishing.

Gilbert, R. M. (2019) Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind.Berkeley: Apress

Designing intuitive and engaging digital experiences is central to today’s creative industries. You’ll explore user experience (UX), user interface (UI) and digital design through industry-informed creative briefs. You’ll investigate user behaviour, journeys and emotional responses, applying principles of psychology, flow and interaction design. Through hands-on prototyping and workshops, you’ll develop digital concepts across a range of contexts.