UX/UI Design Foundations

Avocademy was a great place to dive into the world of UX/UI.  Maca and all of the mentors are happy to answer any questions you might have along your journey. They are sincerely committed to helping you succeed. Between the accessible support and weekly talks given by individuals already in the industry (followed by incredibly helpful conversation), you are given the opportunity to gain valuable insight as you progress through the lessons. Overall, the bootcamp provides you with information and tools to create high-quality projects that will make you stand apart when you begin your job search. 

I had a fantastic experience with Avocademy. You get really good one-on-one mentorship. The course can be completed at your own pace in about 6-8 weeks. Very affordable in comparison to other bootcamps. You are connected with other students working the course through a slack channel and can get peer guidance on top of mentor expertise. I have 0 bad things to say about Avocademy. 

This course was awesome! I've been looking to transition my career from Marketing into UX Design. I spent so much time looking for an affordable Bootcamp that wasn't going to cost me an arm and a leg and this one was the one. This course really took you through all the important steps of being a UX/UI Designer. With little to no experience, I was able to increase my knowledge and skill for UX/UI Design within the 6-week program. 

Before I found Avocademy, I had already been learning UX on my own for almost a year. I wasn't a complete newbie when I started with Avocademy, but I felt that I still didn't know a lot even after a year of learning.Avocademy is perfect for so many reasons,1. All the mentors are so attentive. They answered all my questions very promptly over Slack; all the video sessions over Zoom were greatly beneficial. Avocademy mentors really make you feel that they're always there for you, and they truly do want you to succeed - I love and am impressed with how the founder Maca was able to create and implement this kind of company culture across the board. When I studied with other platforms/schools, I felt that a lot of their mentors just wanted to get their job done, but they really didn't care about you;2. All the lessons are so clearly structured, making it super easy for me to follow along. No "beating around the bush," absolutely straightforward and to the point;3. It is SUPER affordable!!! Overall, I have learned so so much with Avocademy. By the end of the course, I was a lot more confident and knew exactly what I needed to do being a UX designer and what else to work on from there on out. I am very grateful for Avocademy and all the lovely mentors. And now, I am more ready than ever to take on my new career as a UX designer. 

Maca is literally the best that there is. The course work is so in depth and she is so thorough in her approach to helping students. There's always availability to be mentored and She even helps with Job placement and building your portfolio. If you have any doubts about which course to sign up for, please don't hesitate any longer because Avocademy is it.

My experience with Avocademy couldn't have been better in helping me learn the foundations needed to make a pivot in my design career. While working full-time, I was able to get through the program at my own pace with access to all kinds of resources that enriched my knowledge of best industry practices.  Maca and the other mentors really took the time to get to know their students independently and were very easy to reach. It's clear to see that Maca and her team care about the next generation of designers. I feel confident in my decision and cannot wait to make a transition in my career as a UX designer.

This course has exceeded my expectations in every way. I have been in the graphic design field for over 13 years and realized long ago that as things become more and more digital, print design is dying fast. Applications like Canva are now replacing the need for companies to hire graphic designers. I started looking into UX/UI a few years ago but was intimidated. The high price of bootcamps sure didn't help. Throughout the pandemic, I was feeling ashamed of myself for letting a year go by without anything new to show for it. I knew I needed to do something fast. I started looking into UX/UI again and reading up as much as I could all over the web & on forums.I was sitting at my computer one boring afternoon and saw an ad that said, "Want to learn UX without paying $15,000?" I was intrigued. I clicked it and immediately signed up to watch an intro video by Maca (owner/mentor at Avocademy). Every single thing she said hit the pain points I had experienced that stopped me from taking the leap in the past. It was as if she was speaking directly to me. I knew I was seeing this video for a reason. I signed up to do a one on one interview with her to find out more. She answered every question I had and after a few emails back and forth, I decided to go for it.I can't say enough good things about my experience. Maca provides incredible information throughout the course (I ended up bookmarking so many pages, videos, etc. that will help me in the future). I even learned more about graphic design from her than I did years ago in school. Not only that, but you have direct access to her throughout the course. She also meets with you every few weeks on Zoom to make sure you are on the right track and is available to message on Slack. The Slack channel also provides an opportunity to interact with other students and exchange tips/tricks. Every week guest speakers from all over the tech field are announced and are available on Zoom.  There is even a "job opportunity" tab you can take advantage of once you complete certain lessons.Avocademy is a solid community of passionate, nonjudgemental people from all walks of life, striving to learn and soak in all they can from mentors/speakers that are the best in their field. I'm so glad I saw Maca's video on that boring afternoon because taking the bootcamp at Avocademy is truly one of the best decisions I've made. I wouldn't have wanted to learn UX design anywhere else. 

For me, Avocademy was worth the time, sweat, and frustration. You must be willing to put in the time, be willing to sweat through some long hours of designing, and deal with the frustration that problem solving can create. I am not going to try to convince you to choose this bootcamp over the hundreds of other courses out there. Only you know your learning style and if you would thrive in a self-paced environment. I needed the self-paced environment. As a firefighter, I work hours that are nothing like a 9-5. I was not able to commit to being in class on certain days and times. I was used to working on my own. My entire graduate school program was self-paced and online (but with deadlines/due dates). The experience: 
Flexible- There are no specific login times. This means you will have to set aside time to get your work done. There are time estimates of how long different activities will take you to complete. Sometimes you will finish quickly and other times you may have to schedule a mentor session and go to bed unable to figure something out (do not worry, you will figure it out in the morning). I found that I usually figured it out once a mentor would get back to me. Remember, there is no micromanaging,  
Mentorship- Maca is an awesome, knowledgeable, and kind mentor/instructor. You can tell that she has a passion for what she does, and she has the experience to back it up. She runs herself until she is exhausted and does not receive enough gratitude.I will say at times it feels like your creativity is being stifled. You must remember that you are creating for the user, not yourself. 

Cost
The idea of spending $7k-$15k for a bootcamp was not appealing to me. I still have student loans from my undergrad and grad school. Why add more debt? 
(2) There are more and more bootcamps popping up that are a similar cost to Avocademy. If you notice these, read about them, and research them. They tend to offer more customizable, more personal, and more budget friendly options. They are often started by experienced designers who are fed up with the high cost of other bootcamps. Do not discount something just because of the cost. Decide between being in a cohort of 30-40 versus 5-15. Do your research. 

Slack- I was able to connect with some of my classmates and collaborate on projects. It is always good to know that you have someone to give your project a second look before you turn it in, to give you a quick tip, or just to talk to. Also, you were able to view other classmates projects to give you a place to start on your own project. 
Curriculum- There are a lot of links to articles for you to read. Sometimes there are videos Maca has recorded. I found this part to be the only downside to self-paced vs live in-class. I wish some of the topics could have been better explained to me. On the flip side, it caused me to have to research certain topics to learn. Research skills are crucial. 
Speakers- There are semi-weekly speakers that come in and talk about their UX/UI experience. These were both helpful and motivating. UX/UI is not a one path journey. These speakers seriously forged their own paths and are willing to answer questions about the process. 
“Real World” Projects & Clients- Most applications require 2-5 portfolio pieces. Luckily there are opportunities to work on extra projects once the initial bootcamp is over. This gives you the opportunity to lead a project or gain experience working in a group. Take advantage of these when you are able to and especially if the topic interests you. 
 Overall, if you are looking for a high quality, flexible, and affordable UX/UI design course, consider Avocademy. 

I don't regret any bit of time, money and effort that went into the Avocademy bootcamp course. Previous to signing up for Avocademy, I really thought I'd try the self-taught right and that was honestly extremely hard to hold myself accountable and I wasn't sure of where to really start building my knowledge. Avocademy really helped me learn the design process and build my first case study for my portfolio piece by piece and have plenty of other opportunities to further build my portfolio. And also what is key to Avocademy is the mentorship that is available. Having someone by your side to help guide you and answer your questions during dedicated 1:1 sessions is great. I never felt rushed through those sessions. Maca always took the time to make sure I was ready for the next step. And on top of it all, Avocademy is AFFORDABLE. Spending $10k on a full-time immersive bootcamp did not appeal to me. I already have a solid professional background built from being in marketing - I just needed a push and some guidance to pivot into UX/UI and I feel pretty prepared for the next chapter. 

The UX Bootcamp with Avocademy is perfect for those looking to either broaden their skillset or transition to a new career. While in the bootcamp, I had the opportunity to implement the wireframing skills I learned for a work project with Microsoft. Not only did I build new skills, but my confidence is also boosted and I look forward to new opportunities. Maca is a great mentor whose guidance and expertise make the course well worth the (time and financial) investment. 

Overall, I am so happy I chose to take this course! I had been wanting to get into design for a while. I had looked into several other options before choosing this one, but they were pretty expensive and some were full time. I loved how flexible this was and having Maca and other mentors really made it even better. From day 1 you really jump right into creating a capstone project for your portfolio.  Avocademy really afforded me the flexibility I needed at a great cost. The mentoring sessions with Maca each week really helped to make sure what I was doing was on the right track and feedback that was provided was helpful and professional. Another great thing about this class is the Slack channel that was created, so it is easy to reach out and get help, but to also connect with other people who are going through the program. There were also webinars set up with different industry professionals throughout the course as well which was awesome to get some insight into the different careers and what companies look for when hiring. One last thing that this class does right is there are outside opportunities to continue practicing the skills we learned in the course. They are real world opportunities to help boost our skills and the portfolio. Would Absolutely recommend this class to people looking to get into UI/UX design! 

I found the course to be straightforward and effective, full of relevant information. I appreciated the course being self-paced with easy access to mentors, along with job placement assistance. 

I have been considering doing a UX course for a while now. Most courses were way too expensive too consider or too long. After weeks of searching I found Avocademy. And I’m so glad I did. Great price and the perfect length. It’s is Avery practical course so you jump right into the portfolio project and learn as you go. I am a learn by doing type of person so this was perfect for me. Maca was so helpful in our mentor sessions, and always quick to reply when I reached out on slack. This was exactly what I needed to jump into my UX career. 

Joining Avocademy is a great deccsion I made. Within 6-8 weeks I was ready with all the tools needed to start on a new career. Maca's one-on-one tutoring sessions were very helpful and the flexibility of the course allows you to complete it at your own time. Not to mention the price was very affordable comparing to competitors with even a better value!

Avocademy is a great course for learning about UX/UI design. I previously had no experience in this field and in as little as 6-8 weeks you are prepped with all the tools needed to embark on a new career. Maca's one-on-one tutoring sessions were very helpful and the flexibility of the course allows you to complete it at your own time. Not to mention the price was very affordable comparing to competitors!

I chose to enroll in Maca's course because I was really unmotivated and couldn't find a job despite applying for a couple months. Now, I'm really glad I made that decision! Her course is pretty affordable compared to other bootcamps, and she helped me realize that I definitely had the skills to become a UX designer, I just needed to present it better. The course itself was very informational and thorough, and by the time I was finished I felt a lot more confident about my resume and portfolio.I do believe that this course's strengths lies in Maca's mentoring. You can tell that she really cares about the students and wants you to succeed. Maca offers really great advice every step of the way. It's specific, reasonable, and actionable. You'll know what you need to do to improve your portfolio and why. Not only is this a great course for people interested in UX, but it's also a good option for those who have UX skills and need a little push.

Avocademy is a fantastic course for anyone who is interested in learning about UX/UI Design. This course doesn’t break the bank like all the other courses I found. Maca (my mentor) was great and super helpful throughout the entire process. Always available to help with any questions or critiques that I needed. She even recorded videos for me to show me some tips & tricks in Figma that wasn’t a part of the actual course! Awesome to have something to showcase in your portfolio once you finish the course and Maca is was there after the course to help with my resume and job applications! If you’re interested in UX/UI Design, please schedule a mentor session with Maca and Avocademy! 

Maca is wonderful! The context alone is so helpful for a beginner. Extremely thorough, and the source material is so varied that you're able to process and apply immediately to the activities that follow. The activities aren't just for learning but they also end up making up your entire portfolio piece. All in all, I learned so much, and having Maca available for questions and feedback really built my confidence by the time I was done. I can't wait to reference and apply the material for future projects!

I had a great experience at Avocademy, learning about UI/UX design and research methods. I chose this course because it was online, self-paced, well structured, and super flexible. Going through entire UX design/research process was great experience. Throughout the course I worked on a capstone project that let me put those skills into action. I was able to design and prototype an iPad application that serves as a public domain sheet music library. In addition to this, having a great mentor throughout the course was awesome. Maca was extremely flexible, understanding, and knowledgeable. Overall, I am glad that I took this course to further my skills in UI/UX design and research.

Avocademy is a great course for anyone looking to start out in UX Design. I like that it is structured, so I can check off my readings and activities along the way. Maca (my mentor) has also been really responsive, and always answers my messages. She is always willing to help, and has even recorded some personal tutorial videos for me to explain how to do something on Figma (the design software). I also feel like her feedback is constructive, professional, and personable, and you can talk to her through video chat, or her new Slack Community group she created (which is also cool to see the other people in the class). Coming into UX, I was really unsure about what I wanted to do and if I could accomplish it. I graduated college last year, had a career change, and didn't know if UX would be for me. I only recently discovered it, and was very overwhelmed about how to get into it. However, I feel like Maca has been so flexible, which has helped me to not feel overwhelmed. She helps to personalize the course to my needs, and is willing to work with me on my time frame. Also, I feel like the value of the course has been really great, especially when you see the price of other competitors. I feel like I am learning a lot, and while it is a lot of hard work, it also feels very rewarding.