In partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University, my colleague Laura and I collaborated with university lecturers to co-develop and launch a 12-week UX Design course aimed at introducing students to the principles and practices of user-centred design.
To set the tone for the course, we facilitated an immersive full-day design sprint to kickstart the course. The sprint guided students through the end-to-end design process, from understanding a design brief to ideating, prototyping, and presenting early concepts, within a single day.
Our primary objective was to equip students with practical experience in UX design methodologies, helping them gain confidence in applying design thinking to real world challenges. The initial design sprint was designed to establish a strong foundation, giving participants hands on exposure to collaborative problem solving and iterative design before embarking on solving the brief we set out.
Activities such as icebreakers, team building exercises, the Sailboat technique, and guided design stages, we encouraged students to explore creative approaches to discovery and ideation. This early engagement not only fostered teamwork and communication but also ensured students could apply these methods throughout the remainder of the course.
The collaboration between Barclays and Glasgow Caledonian University offered valuable outcomes:
- Students gained a practical understanding of UX design, building confidence in design tools, research, and prototyping.
- Barclays specialists on accessibility and user research provided insight into current industry standards and challenges.
- The sprint allowed students to immediately translate theory into practice, developing prototypes aligned with the brief.
- This partnership ensuring new designers are equipped with relevant, applied skills.
The successful launch of the UX Design course demonstrates the power of collaboration between educators and practitioners in shaping the next generation of designers. The enthusiasm and creativity shown by the students throughout the sprint reinforced the value of practical, human-centred learning experiences.
This initiative marks a significant step toward embedding design-led thinking within Scotland’s academic landscape, supporting students in developing the skills, mindset, and confidence needed to thrive in the evolving world of UX design.