Erin KositzkeContact
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UX Education · Curriculum Design · Product Thinking

Designing an Advanced UX Curriculum for Future Practitioners

I built an advanced UX curriculum for Tulane students learning how product design works in practice: carrying one client brief through research, structure, systems, interface design, critique, iteration, and portfolio-ready storytelling.

Type
University course · Advanced UX curriculum
Role
Adjunct Lecturer, curriculum designer, mentor
Scope
Lectures, exercises, critique, assignments, assessment, student work
Status
Taught once; revising for second semester
Tools / Methods
Figma, critique, project briefs, design systems, service design, AI-aware UX practice

Currently revising the curriculum for its second semester as UX practice, product design, and AI-assisted workflows evolve rapidly.

Context

I designed this course as a single, semester-long client simulation. Students chose one client brief at the start and carried it through every module — from scope and research into flows, information architecture, wireframes, design systems, ecommerce UX, critique, iteration, and final portfolio storytelling.

I wanted them to experience UX as a continuous decision-making practice: each assignment built on the last, earlier choices had consequences later, and the final deliverable was a coherent case study, not a folder of disconnected exercises.

The challenge

UX education can become a sequence of disconnected artifacts. I designed this course to simulate how product work actually compounds: students carried one client brief through research, structure, design systems, ecommerce flows, critique, iteration, and final portfolio storytelling.

The real challenge was teaching product judgment, not just deliverables. Students needed to learn how to decide what matters, respond to constraints, and make their work stronger through critique and iteration — all while keeping the same brief alive across every sprint.

Course identity / LMS header
Tulane advanced UX course header banner shown in the learning management system.
The course had its own visual identity and LMS structure, framing a full semester of modules, critique, assignments, and portfolio development.
Semester learning arc · sprint-based curriculum
SPRINT 01
MODULES 01–03
Research + foundations
  • 01Project scope + client brief analysis
  • 02User flows + inclusive design
  • 03Sitemap + information architecture
SPRINT 02
MODULES 04–07
Wireframing + design systems
  • 04Wireframing key user flows
  • 05Scalable design systems + UI components
  • 06High-fidelity mobile-first design
  • 07Prototyping components + screens
SPRINT 03
MODULES 08–11
Ecommerce UX
  • 08Product listing / catalog experience
  • 09Individual detail page experience
  • 10Checkout process optimization
  • 11Post-purchase confirmation + email
SPRINT 04
MODULE 12 + FINAL
Portfolio + assessment
  • 12Portfolio case study + final presentation
  • ★Final assessment: portfolio website case study
Sprint-based modules mirrored a product environment: one client brief carried through research, structure, interface design, ecommerce flows, critique, iteration, and portfolio presentation.
One client brief, carried through sprint-based UX work

I structured the course to feel more like a product team than a traditional class sequence. Students selected one client brief at the beginning of the semester and carried it through sprint-based modules, building on earlier decisions as they moved from research and structure into design systems, ecommerce flows, critique, iteration, and final portfolio storytelling.

The goal was to help students leave the course ready to work: incomplete briefs, evolving constraints, critique cycles, handoff thinking, and decisions that compound over time.

Student workflow artifact · User flow
Student-produced user flow diagram for a library reservation experience, mapping entry points, decision states, availability, login, form submission, and confirmation.
Student user flow mapping a reservation experience across entry points, decision states, availability, login, form submission, and confirmation.
Client brief options

I created four realistic client briefs so students could choose one audience, product challenge, and brand direction to carry through the semester. Each option gave them a defined set of deliverables and constraints to work against from day one.

Bloom & Grow logo
Client brief option
Bloom & Grow
Scenario
Digital plant store · pickup scheduling · care guides
Primary UX challenge
Help customers browse the right plants, schedule low-friction pickups, and access care guidance that reduces confusion and plant loss.
Key deliverables
Browsing flow · pickup scheduler UX · care guide access · mobile + desktop prototype
Tone · Down to earth · friendly · casual
Local Library logo
Client brief option
Local Library
Scenario
Reservation platform · merchandise · kiosk self-service
Primary UX challenge
Create a cohesive digital journey across mobile, web, and in-library kiosk experiences while reducing staff load and improving accessibility.
Key deliverables
Journey map · user flow · sitemap · kiosk interface · mobile + web prototypes
Tone · Welcoming · inclusive · community-centered
MealBox logo
Client brief option
MealBox
Scenario
Meal subscription UX · add-on shopping · delivery tracking
Primary UX challenge
Help users manage weekly meal plans, add grocery items, personalize selections, and track deliveries with fewer support issues.
Key deliverables
Subscription flow · add-on flow · sitemap · wireframes · delivery tracker · mobile/web prototype
Tone · Fresh · simple · helpful
PetPals logo
Client brief option
PetPals
Scenario
Multi-shelter adoption platform · visit scheduling · starter kits
Primary UX challenge
Balance emotional pet discovery with trust-building, clear scheduling, and efficient adoption-support shopping.
Key deliverables
Adoption journey map · booking flow · pet product store UX · high-fidelity prototype
Tone · Heartfelt · supportive · responsible
Teaching framework

I organized the course around six practices that reinforce cumulative decision-making.

Because students worked the same client brief all semester, every module built on the last — earlier choices had to hold up later, and the design system, ecommerce flows, and portfolio story all extended the same product experience.

Cumulative decisions
Earlier decisions had consequences later — scope choices shaped IA, IA shaped flows, flows shaped screens.
Consistency
Students had to maintain consistency across screens and flows as the same client project grew week over week.
Design systems
Design systems were not decorative; they supported repeatable interface decisions across catalog, detail, checkout, and confirmation.
Ecommerce extensions
Ecommerce and post-purchase modules extended the same product experience rather than introducing new clients or assignments.
Critique + iteration
Feedback focused on clarity, hierarchy, usability, and decision quality — and students revised the same client project in response.
Portfolio storytelling
Final presentations required students to explain the full progression — from brief to confirmation email — as one coherent product story.
Student workflow artifact · Wireflow + accessibility notes
Student-produced wireflow diagram showing connected screen structure, CTA logic, reservation steps, and accessibility considerations.
Student wireflow connecting screen structure, CTA logic, reservation steps, and accessibility notes before high-fidelity design.
Surprise sprint: quick-turn brand adaptation

Late in the semester, I introduced a surprise brand-adaptation sprint to mirror a scenario I have experienced in product work: a team is deep into a client build, time and budget are committed, and the client changes brand direction midstream. The assignment tested whether students had built their design systems cleanly enough to adapt without starting over.

The lesson was deliberate: visual polish matters, but scalable structure matters more. Students who had built reusable components, clear type hierarchy, color tokens, and organized Figma files could update their work quickly. Students who had treated each screen as a one-off layout felt the pain immediately.

System artifact · Components + color tokens
Student design system artifact showing reusable button components, states, and a color token table for primary, secondary, and neutral roles.
Student design system showing reusable components and tokenized color decisions — the structure needed to absorb a late-stage brand change.
Rubric excerpt · Quick-turn brand adaptation
Surprise sprint evaluation

Students were evaluated on whether their design system could absorb a late-stage brand change without sacrificing consistency, accessibility, or handoff quality.

Evaluated criteria
  • Brand refresh adaptation
  • UI kit updates
  • Design consistency
  • Accessibility compliance
  • Developer handoff package
  • Documentation and delivery
What this tested
  • Can the design system absorb a new brand direction?
  • Are components reusable or one-off?
  • Does accessibility hold through visual change?
  • Is the file organized enough for handoff?
  • Can students explain what changed and why?
Adapted from the Quick-Turn Design Systems & Brand Adaptation rubric.
Rubric excerpt from the surprise sprint, evaluating how well students could adapt branding across a reusable design system.
AI + next iteration

After the first semester, I began revising the course for a second run because UX practice is changing quickly. The next version will place more emphasis on AI-assisted workflows, faster prototyping, stronger critique habits, and the judgment required to know when automation helps versus when it weakens the work.

Student journey

From uncertainty to defensible design decisions.

I designed the course to help students move from a chosen client brief to structured, explainable design work — carrying the same project through research, structure, screens, ecommerce, critique, and a final portfolio case study they could speak to with confidence.

Student journey
Uncertainty → Defensible decisions
  1. Step 01
    Chosen client brief
  2. Step 02
    Research / problem framing
  3. Step 03
    User flows + IA
  4. Step 04
    Wireframes
  5. Step 05
    Design system + UI
  6. Step 06
    High-fidelity screens
  7. Step 07
    Ecommerce + post-purchase
  8. Step 08
    Critique + iteration
  9. Step 09
    Final portfolio case study
Each assignment built on the last, ending in a portfolio-ready case study students could speak to with confidence.
Final assessment · Portfolio case study + presentation
Semester-cumulative outcome

Students translated their semester-long product work into a portfolio-ready UX case study and short presentation, practicing how to communicate process, rationale, outcomes, and design decisions to hiring managers and stakeholders.

Final deliverables
  • Portfolio case study page
  • Refined high-fidelity prototype
  • 5–7 minute presentation
  • Before/after Figma files for comparison
Case study requirements
  • Problem statement and project goals
  • Research methodology and insights
  • Design process, wireframes, prototypes, and iterations
  • User testing and refinement
  • Final solution and outcomes
  • Lessons learned and next steps
  • Accessibility considerations
  • Key design decisions and rationale
What this prepared students for
  • Presenting UX work clearly
  • Explaining product and design decisions
  • Connecting process to outcomes
  • Speaking to hiring managers and stakeholders
  • Turning classroom work into portfolio-ready evidence
Final assessment summary based on the course assignment.
Summary of the final assessment, showing how students converted sprint-based product work into a portfolio-ready UX case study and presentation.
Final interface example · Student case study outcome
Example final student case study screen showing a polished mobile interface and case-study presentation layout.
Example final student case-study screen translating flow, system, and interface decisions into a polished product presentation.
Outcome

A course built around practical design maturity.

The outcome was not just a set of student deliverables. It was a repeatable curriculum for teaching advanced UX as a practical, judgment-based discipline — one that connects process, systems, critique, and communication.

Why it matters

This course reflects the same leadership I bring to product teams: creating structure from ambiguity, turning complex work into a clear progression, using critique to raise quality, and helping people make stronger design decisions under real constraints.