Adapted from an original story by the College of Architecture + Planning.
Have you ever been frustrated by an app and thought, “Who can make this thing work better?” That’s a question for UI/UX designers, professionals who devise an app’s look and feel, known as user interface (UI) and an app’s navigation, known as user experience (UX).
Students in the College of Architecture + Planning’s Multi-Disciplinary Design program had a chance to step into an app designer’s role—and present their findings to professionals at Adobe.
Led by Sebastian Frith, visiting assistant professor, juniors in the Intro to Digital Design class reimagined popular apps by addressing challenges faced by users and exploring new features to create a unique and user-friendly experience. Student teams showcased their design processes, highlighting user personas and overall interface development to a team of designers at Adobe as part of their final presentation.
Over the semester, the course explored the essential tools, methods and mindsets used in modern UI/UX design to understand design systems, build interactive prototypes and evaluate usability and accessibility. Students also engage with industry tools such as Figma and explore emerging technologies, including AI-assisted design.
Frith emphasized the value of collaborating with Adobe as part of the course experience.
“Visiting Adobe’s Lehi office gives students a tangible sense of what it means to work within a professional design environment,” he said. “Hearing classroom critiques echoed by industry practitioners and design leaders reinforces the credibility of that feedback, helping students recognize that the expectations and standards they encounter in class directly reflect real-world design practice.”
The groups tested a user’s experience by evaluating the ease with which people completed a task without instruction. The subjects had various levels of familiarity with the app. Based on their findings, the students made updates and retested its usability. For example, one group recommended changes to the search function in Mountain Project, a popular app for rock climbers.
As students presented their designs, Adobe designers provided feedback on presentation techniques, design processes and overall usability. Students reflecting on the experience expressed appreciation for the direct feedback and recognition of their design approaches.
“The feedback on UI and presentation skills was very helpful, and it was wonderful to meet with some real designers in the field!” said Ben Davie, whose group improved the Airbnb app. “Visiting the Adobe campus was super inspiring! I especially loved the outdoor courtyard glass tents and the moving artwork throughout the building.”
The day concluded with a tour of Adobe’s headquarters and opportunities for students to connect with staff members. The visit highlights both the career pathways available to graduates of the program and the partnerships the division continues to develop with industry leaders.
To learn more about Intro to Digital Design and opportunities to collaborate, contact Sebastian Frith at sebastian.frith@utah.edu.
Header photo by Paulina Sylvester/CAP
