Designlab
Average Rating4.78
710 Reviews
8 Courses
Designlab teaches in-demand UX/UI design skills online through 4-week short courses and a 15 to 28-week UX Academy. Designlab courses consist primarily of hands-on projects and 1-on-1 mentorship from expert designers so that students can master the techniques needed to design stunning web and mobile products. The Designlab community of mentors gives students timely feedback on work and Skype with students regularly to help them improve. Mentors include top industry...
Designlab teaches in-demand UX/UI design skills online through 4-week short courses and a 15 to 28-week UX Academy. Designlab courses consist primarily of hands-on projects and 1-on-1 mentorship from expert designers so that students can master the techniques needed to design stunning web and mobile products. The Designlab community of mentors gives students timely feedback on work and Skype with students regularly to help them improve. Mentors include top industry professionals from companies like Twitter, Airbnb, Dropbox, and more. Courses are self-paced, which means students can complete the readings/projects whenever their schedules permit. Designlab is ideal for a developer, product manager, entrepreneur, marketer, aspiring designer, or anyone working on web/mobile products.
To apply for the UX Academy, applicants need to fill out an online application, and schedule a call with a Designlab representative. Applicants should have a love of good design, a grounding in design fundamentals, and commitment and resilience.
Graduates of the UX Academy work with a career coach to get help with their portfolios, job applications, and interview technique. Designlab offers a 6-month tuition-reimbursement guarantee for graduates of the UX Academy who are job hunting.
710 Designlab Reviews
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- MargaretJunior UX Designer • Student • 2. UX Academy (Part-time) • OnlineVerified by LinkedInAug 23, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Junior UX Designer
Overall Designlab is a great program that will get you hired. There is definitely some room for improvement on the education material- some things are a bit outdated, however their mentorship program is what is truly brilliant about the program. I worked with Minnie Kim and I cannot recommend a better mentor. I actually was hired as a UX designer after phase one of the academy because of her guidance and ability to prep me for the real world. She really prepared me for the interview pr...Overall Designlab is a great program that will get you hired. There is definitely some room for improvement on the education material- some things are a bit outdated, however their mentorship program is what is truly brilliant about the program. I worked with Minnie Kim and I cannot recommend a better mentor. I actually was hired as a UX designer after phase one of the academy because of her guidance and ability to prep me for the real world. She really prepared me for the interview process and how the industry is different from the educational world of UX. I actually got hired on my first UX job interview....I started interviewing early to gain experience and was offered a job! The coolest thing is that Minnie is also a grad of Designlab so she was the perfect person to help me navigate through the program. - KatieJunior Product Designer • Graduate • 3. UX Academy (Full-time) • OnlineVerified by LinkedInAug 22, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Brilliant course mentors and networking opportunities
I chose this course for the mentorship and networking opportunities and I wasn't disappointed. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor for UX Academy - he had a wealth of industry knowledge and experience, was encouraging and supportive but also pushed me to produce the best work possible. The opportunities for networking are really valuable and Designlab has a large and very active community. Making the most of this by really engaging with your fellow course mates and Designlab Alumni...I chose this course for the mentorship and networking opportunities and I wasn't disappointed. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor for UX Academy - he had a wealth of industry knowledge and experience, was encouraging and supportive but also pushed me to produce the best work possible. The opportunities for networking are really valuable and Designlab has a large and very active community. Making the most of this by really engaging with your fellow course mates and Designlab Alumni will ensure a far richer leaning experience and also provide much needed support.
I was under no impression that just completing this course would guarantee me a job at the end - it's an intense way of learning and this format won't work for everyone. You need to be self motivated, take ownership of your learning experience and also understand from the start that transitioning your career is not going to be easy. What the course teaches is a solid starting point; it's important to develop your own interests within UX/UI, engage with the wider design community and compliment it with your own learning.
In my opinion the career services content needs improving (this may already be happening as the content for the whole program is regularly being updated and added to); however I found a lot of value in the support provided by my career services mentor who answered all my questions, boosted my confidence and helped me prepare for interviews. As I was lucky enough to find a job within the industry pretty quickly (I come from a background in Industrial design) my career services mentor has been able to continue to provide support as I navigate my first few weeks as a Junior Product Designer. - AlyshiaStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInAug 09, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Foundations course review
I enrolled into DesignLab's Foundations course as someone who had no prior knowledge about the industry at all. I wanted something foundational and something that'll start me off on the right foot and I completed the course feeling just that. The coursework was fairly simple and (in my opinion) definitely not too overwhelming at all for newbies. The coursework was laid out in an easy-to-follow format which encouraged me to keep going, whenever I had a slightly more compl...I enrolled into DesignLab's Foundations course as someone who had no prior knowledge about the industry at all. I wanted something foundational and something that'll start me off on the right foot and I completed the course feeling just that. The coursework was fairly simple and (in my opinion) definitely not too overwhelming at all for newbies. The coursework was laid out in an easy-to-follow format which encouraged me to keep going, whenever I had a slightly more complex question, my mentor whom I was paired up with would answer them for me allowing me to continue my work with more confidence. The readings provided also supplemented my overall knowledge and I was able to apply them for each final project we had for every unit.
Overall, I did realise that this course focused mainly on UI design work and basic design principles and not much user research or testing, which is understandable and I knew that before enrolling. If you were someone with prior design knowledge already and have experience with design tools such as sketch/figma etc. then I would recommend looking into their Academy course instead(which is what I'm doing right now!). - Soma Raj laxmiBusiness Analyst • Student • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInAug 02, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
My 50 cents on Designlab's UX Foundation Program
The course module, content, and curriculum are really good and provides well-structured learning and understanding of the User Interface Visual Design. It is an 8-week self-paced curriculum that one can take before their enrollment in the UX Academy full-time career accelerator program. The exercises included in each unit of the curriculum are well thought in terms of both design and software skills for UI Design. I got a lot of learning and understanding of Visual design and in general ...The course module, content, and curriculum are really good and provides well-structured learning and understanding of the User Interface Visual Design. It is an 8-week self-paced curriculum that one can take before their enrollment in the UX Academy full-time career accelerator program. The exercises included in each unit of the curriculum are well thought in terms of both design and software skills for UI Design. I got a lot of learning and understanding of Visual design and in general about the design field from my Foundation's mentor Ryan Byrne. The admin department is extremely helpful as well. The UX Foundations course definitely differentiates Designlab from all other UX Design Bootcamps in the market as it is the best possible way to check whether one's actual interest and skillset lie in the field or not before jumping on to the entire course and career path. I even received a Diversify scholarship from Designlab's end for my upcoming UX Academy full-time career accelerator program. One can easily apply for the scholarship and check their eligibility even before enrolling for the UX Foundations. It is an absolutely recommended course on my end. The cherry on top is that the fees involved in the UX Foundations are refundable in case one enrolls for the UX Academy full-time career accelerator program. It is an absolutely recommended course from my end in case you are completely new to UX/UI. - Nina Oria-LoureiroUX Designer • Graduate • 3. UX Academy (Full-time) • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJul 22, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
UX Academy
I did Designlab's UX Foundations course and UX Academy. I started out with minimal visual design experience, and I found that the Foundations course really helped me to get a good baseline understanding of visual design. I definitely saw an improvement in my design work by the end of that course and it made it pretty easy to get into UX Academy.
UX Academy focuses more on getting you a foundation in UX research & design with the expectation you have some visual design knowledg...I did Designlab's UX Foundations course and UX Academy. I started out with minimal visual design experience, and I found that the Foundations course really helped me to get a good baseline understanding of visual design. I definitely saw an improvement in my design work by the end of that course and it made it pretty easy to get into UX Academy.
UX Academy focuses more on getting you a foundation in UX research & design with the expectation you have some visual design knowledge already. You end up designing 4 capstone projects in total that become the case studies for your portfolio. They give you suggested project briefs, but you can adjust them a bit and find client work that fits the brief instead.
The best part about the experience is the mentorship and the group critiques. My mentors have been so valuable in helping me understand what steps I should be taking in my career as well as giving me constructive feedback on my projects. It's really nice actually having someone who is working in UX to bounce ideas off of. The group critiques are great because you actually have to defend your design choices, which is great practice for interviews and the actual job.
The main con of Designlab is that you aren't working on real client projects. Not sure if this has changed. They do encourage students to find client work for capstones, but that can be hard to manage depending on the track you are on. I think if they had a network of client opportunities for students to chose from who understand student schedules, that would make UX Academy even better!
In terms of career services, I managed to get a UX Designer position about 3 months after graduating UX Academy. A lot of that success comes from the mentorship I received from my career services mentors. They prepped me for interviews, helped me to tailor my resume, and were just great about keeping me positive and on track.
Overall, I'd highly recommend Designlab's UX Academy! - CelineStudent • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJul 07, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Mentorship and customer service exceeded expectations
The UXA Foundations program acts as a prep for the actual bootcamp itself (UX Academy), and was helpful in ensuring you're on the right track of mastering basic UI and visual design skills. While I feel the curriculum can be improved, the feedback on my assignments + mentorship calls were super helpful in validating my new found knowledge. It's important to realise that there are an abundance of online resources free for you which can make self-learning possible, but that can get overwhe...The UXA Foundations program acts as a prep for the actual bootcamp itself (UX Academy), and was helpful in ensuring you're on the right track of mastering basic UI and visual design skills. While I feel the curriculum can be improved, the feedback on my assignments + mentorship calls were super helpful in validating my new found knowledge. It's important to realise that there are an abundance of online resources free for you which can make self-learning possible, but that can get overwhelming. Being in this course helped structure my learning, so that I know what 'chunks' to focus on and what else to bookmark for later. I also requested for a switch in mentor at the start of my program (mentors are great, just that I had some communication issues) and the team was very efficient in ensuring I get the support I needed. - Mackenzie FitzpatrickGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJul 05, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Amazing experience!
Designlab was an amazing experience! I really enjoyed the self-paced readings/projects. My mentor, chris, was really incredible and informative and guided me so well through the course! The projects were great experience! - Desi DumaloStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJun 07, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
UX Academy Foundations
I come from a small design background, which definitely helped me in this program. My mentor, Sarah, has been absolutely amazing in her critique and just being a genuine person. Throughout my experience at DesignLab, all of my questions were answered quickly and accurately. I rarely had any floating questions they didn't know the answer to. I'm currently going through a career change, and I have never felt more confident than choosing DesignLab. - Irina AdlerStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJun 07, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
UX Academy Foundations
I really enjoyed this well-structured course. It is a foundations of UI/UX design course recommended for anyone starting out in the field and wanting to move on to UX Academy bootcamp program. - AngelaStudent • 2. UX Academy (Part-time) • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJun 07, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Needs Improvement
I was a student in DesignLab for a total of 3 months before I decided to withdraw. There were technical issues with Airtable (program they used to schedule group crits), unreliable mentors (mine would show up late or not at all and rescheduled multiple times), and TONS of materials I could get for free elsewhere (lots of the reading linked to external blogs). NOT worth the $7k they charge. - BryanStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInJun 06, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Data Engineer
An amazing program with great mentors! - Clive CadilloProduct Strategist • Student • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineVerified by LinkedInMay 24, 2021Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Best Intro to UX Design Experience
UX foundations course lays out the basics of UI before diving into the bootcamp.
Overall, the units are nicely laid out and each build upon principles from the previous lesson. The foundations course is self-paced and you the support of their online slack community which is very helpful. The best value for me was the 1:1 mentoring that the course provides; I was fortune to be paired with a great mentor giving me proper guidance as I navigated the course and tips/anecdotes from his exp...UX foundations course lays out the basics of UI before diving into the bootcamp.
Overall, the units are nicely laid out and each build upon principles from the previous lesson. The foundations course is self-paced and you the support of their online slack community which is very helpful. The best value for me was the 1:1 mentoring that the course provides; I was fortune to be paired with a great mentor giving me proper guidance as I navigated the course and tips/anecdotes from his experience within the UX field.
Designlab Alumni Outcomes
Recent Designlab News
Rachel Meltzer
Updated December 15, 2021
If you re a creative problem-solver, then a career in design may be for you! But how do you choose between a career in web design versus a career in user experience (UX) design? Since these two career paths are both user-focused, they have many similarities, but we re breaking down the nuanced differences between web designers and UX designers to help you find the better fit for you! Find out how these two careers differ, what the daily life of web designers and UX designers look like, ...
Jess Feldman
Updated September 01, 2021
User experience (UX) design is an in-demand tech field offering plenty of opportunities for career-changers and upskillers. Nicole of Designlab demystifies the UX design career path from entry-level to senior-level UX design roles, diving deep into the traits of successful UX designers and the typical responsibilities and salaries at each career level. With her many years experience as a design recruiter, Nicole illuminates how new UX designers can stand out in the field ...
Jess Feldman
Updated September 01, 2021
Course Report Course Report Coding Bootcamp News Roundup - August 2021 August was buzzing with news about the benefits of credentialing for alternative, skills-based learning. We re sharing the latest on the Apprenticeship to College Act in Congress, and regional workforce development programs aimed at helping high school students and adult learners find tech roles through bootcamps in their communities. August also brought news of a 25M fundraise, an acquisition, two ...
Liz Eggleston
Updated August 19, 2021
After working for a decade in aerospace engineering, Jack Henstridge wanted to tap into his creative side and shift gears into UX design. After extensive research, he decided to enroll in the UX Academy program at Designlab because of the hands-on curriculum and mentorship opportunities. Jack shares how his Designlab bootcamp experience and portfolio helped him land his first design role as an Associate UX Designer at Travelport before he even graduated! What inspired you ...
Jess Feldman
Updated June 06, 2023
While some tech companies like Slack and Apple have shared that 7-8% of their US workforces identify as LGBTQ, visibility for LGBTQ+ folks in the tech industry remains a struggle. Diversity in entrepreneurship and in the workplace is essential it ensures different perspectives and experiences are represented within a team and encourages new ideas and better problem-solving. With 700,000 tech jobs open in the U.S. today and 87% of IT executives admitting that it has been challenging ...
Lauren Stewart
Updated January 24, 2018
Did you know that by leaving a Verified review of your coding bootcamp experience on Course Report, you re entered to win a 500 Amazon Giftcard? This time, our lucky winner was Gretchen , who graduated from online bootcamp Designlab in April 2017! We caught up with Gretchen to find out about her coding bootcamp experience and why she decided to attend Designlab. Want to be our next Reviews Sweepstakes Winner? Review your Coding Bootcamp experience here! Meet Gretchen What did ...
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Updated June 12, 2023
Most high-salary industries need more diverse workers, and tech is no exception. The conversation about diversity in tech usually focuses on gender, diversity encompasses racial, socioeconomic, cognitive, and experiential differences. Think pieces and diversity reports show large tech companies admitting they have a problem and beginning to address the diversity in tech crisis, but can the industry really change? Even if companies make public commitments to hiring ...
Lauren Stewart
Updated December 30, 2016
It s that time again! A time to reflect on the year that is coming to an end, and a time to plan for what the New Year has in store. While it may be easy to beat yourself up about certain unmet goals, one thing is for sure you made it through another year! And we bet you accomplished more than you think. Maybe you finished your first Codecademy class, made a 30-day Github commit streak, or maybe you even took a bootcamp prep course so let s cheers to that! But if learning to code is still at the ...
Liz Eggleston
Updated April 30, 2015
Dalton Mitchell works as an IT Manager, but struggled with the more aesthetic side of design. Without quitting his job or taking on the financial burden of full-time bootcamps, Dalton decided to join Designlab , a part-time, mentor-driven, online learning platform. Having completed the Design 101 course, Dalton tells us about finding a career path that he loves and how Designlab helped him develop his skills while fitting his learning style, schedule, and price range. ...
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Recent Designlab News
By Rachel Meltzer
By Jess Feldman
By Jess Feldman
FAQs
How much does Designlab cost?
Designlab costs around $7,749. On the lower end, some Designlab courses like 5. UX Research & Strategy cost $399.
What courses does Designlab teach?
Designlab offers courses like 1. UX Academy Foundations, 2. UX Academy (Part-time), 3. UX Academy (Full-time), 4. Design 101 and 4 more.
Where does Designlab have campuses?
Designlab teaches students Online in a remote classroom.
Is Designlab worth it?
Designlab hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 710 Designlab alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designlab on Course Report - you should start there!
Is Designlab legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 710 Designlab alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designlab and rate their overall experience a 4.78 out of 5.
Does Designlab offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Right now, it doesn't look like Designlab 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 Designlab reviews?
You can read 710 reviews of Designlab on Course Report! Designlab alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designlab and rate their overall experience a 4.78 out of 5.
Is Designlab accredited?
While bootcamps must be approved to operate, accreditation is relatively rare. Designlab doesn't yet share information about their accreditation status.