The associate professor of communication design participated in a question-and-answer interview examining how the Communication Design Department and Interactive Media graduate program teach UX/UI design to students.
Phillip Motley, associate professor in the Communication Design Department, was recently interviewed by UX Planet, discussing how the School of Communications teaches UX/UI design to its students, both on the undergraduate and graduate levels. UX Planet, a channel on Medium, bills itself as “a one-stop resource for everything related to user experience.”
Published on Feb. 3, Motley’s interview is titled “Technological Progress Means Opportunities to Design New Experiences” and touches on a variety of UX/UI topics and trends. Motley addressed questions relating to defining UX/UI design, how to best educate students, trends in UX design and human-computer interaction, and the important skills needed by future UX design professionals.
In his response to a question about his approach to teaching students, Motley explained that “Elon is heavily focused on engaged and experiential learning practices.”
He noted that the Communication Design Department and Interactive Media graduate program incorporate project-based practices that allow for hands-on activities, providing students a chance to hone their creative and craftsmanship skills. Additionally, students have an opportunity to work directly with clients and community partners on projects. During the interview, Motley also discussed the school’s focus on data, and how data and analytics are infused across the curriculum.
Motley is currently serving a two-year term as a Center for Engaged Learning Scholar, focusing on immersive learning as a high-impact practice.