Designation is now Flatiron School

As of May 2019, Designation is now Flatiron School.

If you graduated from Designation prior to May 1, 2019, please leave your review for Designation. Otherwise, please leave your review for Flatiron School.

To view updated and accurate information, please visit the Flatiron School Course Report page.

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Designation

Average Rating4.8
115 Reviews
3 Courses
Designation is a 24-week program specializing in the fields of UX and UI design with the primary goal to turn you into a hireable candidate for innovative and tech-focused companies. Designation offers a hybrid of both online education and in-person immersion in Chicago. Throughout the 24 weeks of the program, students are treated to guest speakers, sponsored workshops, and lab sessions. While there is no formal grading, students are asked to create portfolio delivera...
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115 Designation Reviews

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  • Roslynn Tellvik
    Roslynn Tellvik
    Product Designer • Graduate • Topaz Cohort • Chicago
    Verified by LinkedIn
    Sep 13, 2017
    Overall Experience
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    Thanks to DESIGNATION I changed careers.

    Changing careers wasn’t easy. But with DESIGNATION on my side I made it happen. I’m now a Product Designer for a startup. I write research plans, conduct interviews and user tests, design new flows, iterate on the UI of the product, and collaborate with every team in our company. In everything I do I advocate for the experience of our users. I love my work. And I look forward to a long career in a creative industry with expanding opportunities.

    My take on selec...

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  • Melvin
    Graduate • Chicago
    Verified by LinkedIn
    Sep 07, 2017
    Overall Experience
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    Get Ready to Grind!

    DESIGNATION was one of the toughest experiences I've ever had, but it changed my life! My cohort graduated in April and I plan to start my new job as a UX Designer on Sept. 18. If you have the drive, patience, and a ton of learning enthusiasm, DESIGNATION will help you on the path of diving in the UX/UI realm and starting a new career.     The...
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  • Matt M.
    UX Designer • Graduate • Chicago
    Verified by LinkedIn
    Aug 18, 2017
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    My DESIGNATION Experience

    My Background:

    Before I attended DESIGNATION, a lot of my design skills were self-taught. I signed up for numerous classes on design at Udemy and Coursera, and I even took a 6 month online UX immersive course at CareerFoundry. Although I was able to utilize those new skills at work, I felt that I was nowhere near prepared to apply it in a fast paced and demanding setting. I needed more experience collaborating, and I wanted to solve more complex problems, s...

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  • Abbigail
    UX Designer • Graduate • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Verified by LinkedIn
    Aug 15, 2017
    Overall Experience
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    Job not guaranteed - BUT HIGHLY LIKELY IF YOU TRUST THE PROCESS

    Let me start by saying a little about my background.

    I worked in PR agencies for 3 or so years then decided to switch into something more creative. I looked into GA and even went through their application process, but it ultimately wasn't for me. DESIGNATION sold me on the client-facing projects that they had to offer as well as the extended length of the program. The 94% job-success rate also was in the 'pro' column. 

    Now that you know what led to my decision, here's h...

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  • Ryan
    UX Designer • Graduate • Quartz Cohort • Chicago
    Verified by LinkedIn
    Jun 30, 2017
    Overall Experience
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    My Experience with DESIGNATION

    My Background:
    I stumbled across this program after my previous industry had crashed and left me with little opportunity. I was forced to pivot and discovered UX design when researching new careers. It sounded awesome! But I had zero experience in design and programming. I also had zero connections in tech to reach out to for advice. A degree in psychology was my closest applicable experience.


    Why DESIGNATION:

    At the time, DE...

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  • Tom
    Tom
    UI/UX Designer • UI Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Dec 31, 2018
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    Embark on the Journey

    Designation was very much like what I’ve read about the archetype of the hero’s journey in the works of Joseph Campbell. Designation was a departure from the ordinary and a chance to learn something new. There were obstacles to leverage and overcome—and new people along the way that taught me something. When finished, I had grown considerably by the experience.

    I transformed from an average graphic designer to a successful and competent UI designer with some UX chops. I learned to ...

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  • MacKenzie Hanaman
    MacKenzie Hanaman
    Product Manager | UX Designer • Student • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Dec 30, 2018
    Overall Experience
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    They'll teach you how to think about design, and that's rare in a curriculum.

    There's no doubt, Designation was  the single best design program I've been through. No program is perfect, and I'd like to see minor changes, but if you can stand to give up the better part of your time for six months, it will absolutely teach you how to critically think about design and prepare you for design roles in a digital economy. 

    My cohort was great and supportive, which was also key to being successful and not something that other programs I've been through utilized as...

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  • Josh Berman
    Josh Berman
    UX Designer • Graduate • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Dec 19, 2018
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    Instructors
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    A stand-out program

    Overview
    I wasn’t doing the thing that I loved, but I didn’t know what that looked like yet—then I found UX. I didn’t want to spend 2 years getting a HCI degree, but I wanted a program long enough that I would have the time to flex my mental muscles. Designation was the longest bootcamp I could find, and on top of the duration I would cap the program off with live client work. I was sold.

    With Designation’s guidance and support, I transformed myself over 6 m...

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  • Sarah Klimek
    Sarah Klimek
    Jr. UX Designer • Graduate • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Jul 24, 2018
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    Designation is a life-changing learning experience

    Summary 
    Designation will give you the necessary tools to succeed as a UX Designer. Before Designation, I studied design in college and had marketing roles in the professional world. I wanted to change my career and become a UX Designer. I chose Designation because of their “learn by doing” concept. I thought it would be the best way to fully immerse myself in the UX/UI design process and build a portfolio for job interviews, which turned out to be true. I learned a lo...

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  • Michelle
    Michelle
    Product Designer • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Jul 02, 2018
    Overall Experience
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    Changed my career in less than 7 months

    Designation took me further in my career in a much shorter amount of time than any formal schooling I’ve had. I got a job immediately after graduation. It propelled from me from a dead-end job to a full-time product design role in a great company within 7 months.

    I did a ton of due diligence and research before committing to Designation. While Designation gives you the chance to work with real clients, what really hooked me was the close network of people posting jobs and giving de...

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  • Dora Duo
    Dora Duo
    Graduate • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Jun 29, 2018
    Overall Experience
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    Great program for career shift

    I joined DESIGNATION for a career change and it definitely helped me a lot. I learned most of the basic knowledge and methodologies of UI/UX design. I think the project-based classes were super helpful and got me a pretty solid portfolio to begin with. 

    Although, after job hunting and working as a product designer. I do have some suggestions for DESIGNATION:

    1. Try to blend UX and UI together. During my job hunting, I’ve seen a lot of jobs that require candidates to be ...
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  • Andy Cho
    Andy Cho
    Experience Designer • Graduate • UX Design Intensive (begins every 6-8 weeks) • Chicago
    Jun 21, 2018
    Overall Experience
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    Hard work pays off

    Before Designation, I graduated with a statistics degree and was working at an advertising agency doing data strategy work. While I enjoyed the work, I felt that I wasn’t quite creating products that were meaningful for people and I wasn’t being creatively challenged. I was doing design before as a side gig/hobby, and as I started to research product and UX design, I felt that it would be great opportunity to make a career transition. I looked at a slew of different programs, ranging from ...

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Designation Alumni Outcomes

Recent Designation News

Imogen Crispe
Imogen Crispe
Updated December 27, 2018
As we near the end of 2018, we're rewinding and reflecting on the most interesting and impactful coding bootcamp news of the year. Come with us as we look at trends, digest thought pieces, break down the 175 million in new funding, and more. We ll also look at our predictions for 2019 and our hopes for the future of coding bootcamps! 2018 Course Report in Numbers We added 89 new schools to our directory You (our readers) applied for 789 scholarships on Course Report and we gave away over ...
Imogen Crispe
Imogen Crispe
Updated January 25, 2018
Designation is a UX/UI bootcamp that has been building up the Chicago design community since 2013, and recently moved into a new WeWork classroom. We asked the Designation team to share their reasons behind the move, how students will fit into the larger WeWork community, and why Chicago is a great city to work in UX Design. Plus, we hear about Designation s future plans to collaborate with WeWork in other cities around the world! Schedule a 30-minute tour of the Chicago campus! ...
Imogen Crispe
Imogen Crispe
Updated December 01, 2017
On the Course Report Coding Bootcamp News Roundup, we keep you up to date with the blossoming coding bootcamp industry. This November, we're covering the WeWork/Flatiron School acquisition, over 2M in funding to various bootcamps, and why tech is booming in "Heartland" cities. Of course we also look at new schools, new campuses, and our favorite pieces to work on this month for the Course Report blog! Plus, is The Iron Yard back from the dead? Read the summary or listen to the podcast ...
Lauren Stewart
Lauren Stewart
Updated November 17, 2023
Do you want to be a front end developer or a back end developer? Understanding your career goals at the end of a coding bootcamp can make it easier to narrow down which school is best for you. This can be a tricky task if you aren t familiar with these terms but no need to worry now that you have this guide. Let s dig into the difference between front end web development and back end development which programming languages you ll learn, which coding schools teach them, and what to expect ...
Liz Eggleston
Liz Eggleston
Updated November 10, 2015
Founded in 2013, Designation offers an immersive bootcamp for aspiring UX and UI designers. Mike Joosse, their new Community Director, tells us about his transition from the design world to Designation, the most important ingredient for a successful UX designer and how Designation prepares students for post-bootcamp careers. Tell us about your background and what you were doing before Designation. I come from a design background. I went to design school a long time ago and ...
Liz Eggleston
Liz Eggleston
Updated October 07, 2015
Welcome to the September News Roundup, your monthly news digest full of the most interesting articles and announcements in the bootcamp space. Do you want something considered for the next News Roundup?  Submit announcements  of new courses, scholarships, or open jobs at your school!   This Week on Course Report Should you learn web or mobile development first? We dive into this question with advice from Atlanta's DigitalCrafts code school!  ...
Liz Eggleston
Liz Eggleston
Updated January 31, 2018
Coding Bootcamps are intensive programs- some require an 80 hour per week commitment, and all demand undivided attention in the classroom. This structure may be necessary to learn a new skill in a short time, but it can also overwhelm students and in some cases, cause burnout. Luckily, at Course Report, we get the opportunity to talk with alumni from coding bootcamps all over the world, and we always ask how they avoided burnout during their courses. We ve compiled the top eight ...
Liz Eggleston
Liz Eggleston
Updated October 02, 2014
Welcome to the September News Roundup, your monthly news digest full of the most interesting articles and announcements in the bootcamp space. Want your bootcamp's news to be included in the next News Roundup? Submit announcements of new courses, scholarships, or open jobs at your school! Bootcamps in the News Udacity Raises Fresh 35M to Expand the University of Silicon Valley In September, Hackbright Academy, Hack Reactor, Dev Bootcamp, Wyncode, Flatiron School & ...
Liz Eggleston
Liz Eggleston
Updated July 09, 2018
With a degree in Advertising Art Direction, Martha Willis was looking for a way to build on her current skillset in pursuit of a web-based career. So she enrolled in Designation , a full-time, immersive design course in Chicago. We get the scoop from Martha about the application process, her new job as a UI Designer, and how she's continued her education after Designation. Remember, the Course Report community is eligible for a 500 scholarship to Designation! What were you doing ...
Liz Eggleston
Liz Eggleston
Updated July 12, 2018
Designation is a digital design-focused school in Chicago that helps students with a technical or design background make the shift to digital design jobs. We talk with founder Kevin Yun about the differences between Designation and other web-development bootcamps, the types of applicants they look for, and why it's important to learn digital design now. Remember, the Course Report community is eligible for a 500 scholarship to Designation! Kevin, tell us about your background ...
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Designation Alumni Reviews Summary

Overall Experience
4.8
Instructors
4.6
Curriculum
4.5
Job Assistance
4.5
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More Information
Guarantees Job
Job Assistance
Includes Housing
Offers Corporate Training
Accepts GI Bill
FAQs

How much does Designation cost?

Designation costs around $15,800. On the lower end, some Designation courses like Design Essentials (Online, Part-time, begins every 6-8 weeks) cost $1,000.

Where does Designation have campuses?

Designation has in-person campuses in Chicago. Designation also has a remote classroom so students can learn online.

Is Designation worth it?

Designation hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 115 Designation alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designation on Course Report - you should start there!

Is Designation legit?

We let alumni answer that question. 115 Designation alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designation and rate their overall experience a 4.8 out of 5.

Does Designation offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?

Right now, it doesn't look like Designation offers scholarships or accepts the GI Bill. We're always adding to the list of schools that do offer Exclusive Course Report Scholarships and a list of the bootcamps that accept the GI Bill.

Can I read Designation reviews?

You can read 115 reviews of Designation on Course Report! Designation alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designation and rate their overall experience a 4.8 out of 5.

Is Designation accredited?

While bootcamps must be approved to operate, accreditation is relatively rare. Designation doesn't yet share information about their accreditation status.

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