Module 01
What UX actually is (and what it isn't)
Distinguish UX from UI, and defend the difference in a meeting without sounding pedantic.
Not filmed yet
The transcript beside this is the full lesson — read it now, or come back when the video lands.
Check yourself · 6 questions · pass at 70%
- 01
A banking app has polished visuals and consistent spacing, but users routinely transfer money to the wrong account because the confirmation screen buries the recipient's name. What does this best demonstrate?
- 02
Your PM says the team will 'add UX' in the sprint before launch. What's wrong with that framing?
- 03
Which of these decisions shape the user experience? Select all that apply.
Select all that apply
- 04
Why did Don Norman coin the term 'user experience' rather than use existing vocabulary?
- 05
A stakeholder says 'the UX on the settings page is terrible.' What's the most useful response?
- 06
Which statement is accurate?
Revision · 8 cards
These come back on a schedule, spaced to catch you just before you’d forget.
UI, in one phrase
The surface — what you can point at and screenshot.
UX, in one phrase
The outcome — what happened to the person trying to get something done.
Why can't you 'add UX' before launch?
The experience already exists. Unplanned isn't absent — it's just worse.
Who shapes the user experience?
Everyone. Engineering, copy, pricing, support and load time all change it. Much of the job is influence.
Why did Norman coin 'user experience'?
'Interface' and 'usability' were too narrow — he wanted the whole encounter, including packaging and the manual.
Best response to 'the UX is bad'
What were you trying to do, and where did it go wrong? Converts a feeling into a diagnosis.
Is a Figma file the UX?
No — it's an artefact produced in the hope of shaping one. Means, not end.
Can a product have great UI and bad UX?
Routinely. Polished checkout that hides shipping cost until the final step is the classic case.
Signifier