Designlab
Average Rating4.78
827 Reviews
12 Courses
Designlab is an online training provider that teaches in-demand UX/UI design skills through their UX Academy and short courses. Designlab’s top-tier online programs connect students with expert design mentors, empowering them to launch and advance their career in digital design. Whether students are transitioning into UX design with Designlab’s flagship UX Academy or refining their skills through advanced courses designed for seasoned designers and design teams, Designlab offers meticulously crafted programs to help learners achieve their goals.
With mentorship and community at the core of every course, students benefit from weekly 1:1 video calls in UX Academy and UX Academy Foundations, as well as small peer group sessions in advanced and short courses. Through personalized feedback and guidance, Designlab’s network of experienced mentors helps students navigate the design industry, offering career advice and insights into market trends from a professional’s perspective.
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.
827 Designlab Reviews
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Molly ReederGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 08, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceBest hands on UX course!
Designlab’s UX Academy Foundations course was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with school. I’ve always been a big advocate for trade school and hands on learning. I feel like it not only gives you a better idea of the field that you’re getting into but also allows you to learn so much faster. Foundations perfectly balanced the instruction given and the hands on project work you complete to give you a great experience. I did a lot of research on other UX design bootcamps before ...Designlab’s UX Academy Foundations course was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with school. I’ve always been a big advocate for trade school and hands on learning. I feel like it not only gives you a better idea of the field that you’re getting into but also allows you to learn so much faster. Foundations perfectly balanced the instruction given and the hands on project work you complete to give you a great experience. I did a lot of research on other UX design bootcamps before deciding on Designlab. What stood out to me the most was the fact that the Foundations course existed. It was the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet, build your design skills, and most of all, see if UX/UI design is even something you’d want to pursue further! I’m already planning to apply for UX Academy because I loved everything I learned in Foundations so much and want to pursue a career full time in UX design! I wish I had known about this course sooner because I wouldn’t have wasted the money and time I did spend in college before deciding it wasn’t what I wanted.- Jamie ParkGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 08, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Excellent
The course is designed very well to fit anyone's schedule, has great mentors with real UX experience who provide relevant feedback, in-house lessons, and is extremely affordable. I will be continuing my journey at UX Academy! - Andy XuGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 08, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Rigorous and worthwhile
I loved this course! Great curriculum that will definitely get you up to speed with UI design. I learned a lot of design principles. The mentorship aspect of this class was also amazing. It’s great to have an industry expert you can bounce ideas off of and is willing to give feedback. - Pelin KorogluGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 06, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
I completed UX academy foundations. This course was well organized
I liked how the course was organized. My mentor was really helped me throughout the process, he was always available and answered my all questions. It was also nice to see the other students’ work and make some comments on it. - Jordan JohnsonGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 06, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Informative, Exciting and Good kind of Challenge
I had such a great experience with DesignLab Foundations! They prepare you ahead of time, the courses are well thought out and they really set you up to succeed. I loved getting to meet with my mentor each week and look forwards to the UX Academy. - Jessica GonzalesUX Designer • Student • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 04, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Genuine Mentorship
The best reason for attending UX Foundations course with Designlab is how they are genuinely committed to the fostering of the next generation of designers. The individual mentors are assigned based on student specifications and interests. The format for interaction helps students (even the shyest of learners) to gain valuable insight from practicing designers and experience the more realistic workplace feedback and conversations around design since they work closely alongside you as you...The best reason for attending UX Foundations course with Designlab is how they are genuinely committed to the fostering of the next generation of designers. The individual mentors are assigned based on student specifications and interests. The format for interaction helps students (even the shyest of learners) to gain valuable insight from practicing designers and experience the more realistic workplace feedback and conversations around design since they work closely alongside you as you work on different design briefs. My mentor spent a great deal of time with me to review opportunities to reiterate my work and furthermore become more comfortable talking and analyzing design efficacy in my own work and that of others. Nishant Rai was especially helpful as a mentor since he made ample time to discuss design concerns and demonstrate best practices and more sophisticated techniques. - Sonal PatelGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineNov 02, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
The perfect bootcamp for prospective UX designers!
Having no professional design experience, DesignLab actually provides all the tools needed for a career in UX. The course is constructed very professionally with tons of resources and materials available to their students. I feel very well prepared going into the UX academy and feel confident DesignLab will give me everything I need and more for a career in UX design. So grateful to have discovered DesignLab, cannot recommend it more! - Rebecca CourseyUX Designer • Applicant • 2. UX Academy (Part-time) • OnlineOct 25, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Designlab gave me the support to change my life
I was more than ready for a career change after 17 years in the classroom. I did my research and chose DesignLab for the mentors and group crits. I thoroughly enjoyed the structure and delivery of the curriculum. My mentors were crucial in giving me the encouragement and support I needed to make a life changing career switch. I never actually made it to Career Services because I landed a job before I was done with Phase 2. - Brook S.Graduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 15, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Great Course That Is Well Worth the Price Point
I attended DesignLab's UX Academy Foundations course with the intention of doing the full-time, 4-week course. Unfortunately, my mentor was sick one week which pushed me back to a 5-week course. I was expecting to devote about 20 hours a week to the program, but realistically I probably spent 30 hours a week. The time estimates on the website seemed to be based on the expected time to read and complete the assignments, but didn't take into account the time for project reiterations, mento...I attended DesignLab's UX Academy Foundations course with the intention of doing the full-time, 4-week course. Unfortunately, my mentor was sick one week which pushed me back to a 5-week course. I was expecting to devote about 20 hours a week to the program, but realistically I probably spent 30 hours a week. The time estimates on the website seemed to be based on the expected time to read and complete the assignments, but didn't take into account the time for project reiterations, mentor meetings, crit reviews, and engagement in the Discord channels. I also spent extra time digging deeper into areas that were interesting through outside books or websites. (Not that I had to do that, but felt compelled to because I was so excited about everything that I was learning!) The coursework is really well designed, other than the occasional spelling error, and is a mixture of written lessons, video instructions, short assignments, and full-length projects. The assignments build upon each other and there are some units where you then use all the small projects you have designed to complete a large project. This sort of learning structure worked really well for me. I sincerely enjoyed the course, learned a ton of new things, and am really proud of the projects that I designed.
You are paired with a mentor that you meet with 1-2 times a week, depending on how many weeks you are devoting to the course. My mentor provided great feedback on my designs and taught me new techniques to employ in Figma. She also gave me insight into the industry, the path she took to get where she is, and how to approach the job hunt and interview process. The downside with the mentors is that there doesn't seem to be very much regulation with how they mentor. Some mentors provide written reviews of your work through the platform, giving feedback every 1-2 days, but mine only interacted with me during our meetings. That meant that sometimes I just had to plow ahead in the course without knowing if I'd completed the previous section successfully. It worked out fine in the end, but it did make me wish that DesignLab employed more questions on their mentor matching form in regards to learning style and work ethic.
You also are asked to critique one student project and attend one crit review with other students during the course. Though I thought these were great ideas in theory, the execution was a little wonky. There wasn't enough time in the crit review for everyone to present their work and I felt like it was difficult for students to take advice seriously from some random student that they didn't know. This aspect of the program could potentially be improved by placing students (or promoting them to place themselves) into small groups of 20 that could get to know each other and their design work. This way the critiques would hold more weight for the students.
That said, overall, I highly recommend the course, am impressed with how much content is included at the price point, and think it is useful whether taken alone or used as a prerequisite for the full UX Academy. - Britt ShookGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 12, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Seamless Structure, Great Mentorship
I attended DesignLab's UX Academy Foundations course as a prerequisite for their full-length UX design bootcamp, UX Academy. I studied on a 4-week track, devoting approximately 20-30 hours per week on my coursework. Although the course is intensive, it is extremely well designed with a mixture of lessons, short assignments, and full length projects. Each part of the course builds upon your skills and sets you up for success in the next assignment or project. I never felt unprepared for w...I attended DesignLab's UX Academy Foundations course as a prerequisite for their full-length UX design bootcamp, UX Academy. I studied on a 4-week track, devoting approximately 20-30 hours per week on my coursework. Although the course is intensive, it is extremely well designed with a mixture of lessons, short assignments, and full length projects. Each part of the course builds upon your skills and sets you up for success in the next assignment or project. I never felt unprepared for what was being asked of me. Additionally, you are assigned a mentor that you meet with at least once per week throughout your course and is responsible for providing feedback on each of your assignments and projects. My mentor gave very detailed and thoughtful feedback, and was encouraging, yet challenging. I think this was a crucial aspect to my growth in the course. - Kate H.Student • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 12, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Design Lab - High Quality
Design Lab is rigorous and it serious about preparing you for the UX Academy. I did not expect to learn as much as I did in such a short amount of time, and the format for online learning is the perfect mix of support, content availability, and hands on projects. I am looking forward to the Academy and feel prepared going in. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a career switch. - Shawna SayarStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 11, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Designlab UX Academy Foundations is great!
The Designlab UX Academy Foundations course is great! It helped me prepare for applying to the UX Academy bootcamp. The coursework was well structured and timed appropriately. I have a background in tech product dev but not in design and I think this course is really helpful for those without an artdegree to get a good basis on design principals. The one on one mentoring sessions are great - definately helped me understand concepts more quickly and improve my design process. - Dana HegeStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 07, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Loved it!
I really enjoyed Designlab's Foundations bootcamp! I'm not completely new to design, but I found that I learned a lot! I really enjoyed the projects and found them to be stretching in a good way. I also enjoyed my interactions with my mentor, who was fun and easy to relate to. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to get into design, improve their skills, and get practice doing actual projects! - Alisa KravchenkoGraduate • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 07, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Well-structured course with lots of practice
Overall, I had a great experience as a Designlab student. I come from a completely different background, but I was interested in design for most of my life, so my previous knowledge definitely helped me finish the course in 4 weeks. I chose to do it in 4 weeks because I wanted a more intensive (and intense) experience to help me prepare for UX Academy, and in the end this time limit ended up being perfect for me. There was always work to do without it seeming impossible or discouraging. ...Overall, I had a great experience as a Designlab student. I come from a completely different background, but I was interested in design for most of my life, so my previous knowledge definitely helped me finish the course in 4 weeks. I chose to do it in 4 weeks because I wanted a more intensive (and intense) experience to help me prepare for UX Academy, and in the end this time limit ended up being perfect for me. There was always work to do without it seeming impossible or discouraging. I do recommend everyone who wants to be a full-time student at UX Academy to try and finish Foundations in 4 weeks, because it will only get more intense from there.
My mentor was great at helping me along the way, there were never any delays with feedback and they were especially good at providing me with insights about what working in the industry is like.
The material was well-structured, I liked the order in which the topics were presented, like leaving typography and color for the end so that students could focus on other, more challenging things while working mostly in greyscale. A lot of additional resources were provided like articles, online tools, literature etc. My only criticism is that there was a lot of reading to do which would sometimes slow down the process for me and other students I talked to. I think it would’ve been less tedious if the same information was presented in a video format, especially with stuff like the history of typography or Figma/Sketch tutorials.
In the end, I feel like the course was 100% worth its value. Of course if you’re driven enough you could find the same information for free, but I knew I needed structure, deadlines and lots of practice to motivate me. That’s exactly what I got from Foundations, so I would definitely recommend it to people who want to transition to UX.
- Alycia JohnsStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 06, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
DesignLab was fun, informative and engaging!
I came into this not knowing a single thing about design and by the end of my course I felt like I had a genuine understanding to what design was, in essence, and I saw my progress get better and better each week! The one on one mentorship was crucial to my understanding and building a healthy mindset when it comes to constructive criticism and iteration. The lessons were engaging and fun, not slow and boring or hard to grasp. The assignments were instrumental and helped me progress more...I came into this not knowing a single thing about design and by the end of my course I felt like I had a genuine understanding to what design was, in essence, and I saw my progress get better and better each week! The one on one mentorship was crucial to my understanding and building a healthy mindset when it comes to constructive criticism and iteration. The lessons were engaging and fun, not slow and boring or hard to grasp. The assignments were instrumental and helped me progress more and more with each week and I’m amazed at just how much I was able to learn in a few short weeks.
The only thing I would count as a negative is the time constraints, it is encouraged to just do what you can in the time frame given, but I feel in order to get the most from your one on one with your mentors, it’s good to have a finished product to present to them in order to give appropriate feedback. - Nina LisitsaUX Designer • Student • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineOct 04, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Overwhelming at times, but overall exhilarating and rewarding.
I thoroughly enjoyed the UX Academy Foundations course. I had a rocky start. My first mentor never engaged with me so I had to apply for a mentor switch. The administration staff was quick to help and the process was pretty easy. By the end of the second week, I had received feedback from both weeks and had a great first meeting with my new mentor who has 20 years of experience in the industry.The course is not easy, to say the least. Most of the readings took me longer to com...I thoroughly enjoyed the UX Academy Foundations course. I had a rocky start. My first mentor never engaged with me so I had to apply for a mentor switch. The administration staff was quick to help and the process was pretty easy. By the end of the second week, I had received feedback from both weeks and had a great first meeting with my new mentor who has 20 years of experience in the industry.The course is not easy, to say the least. Most of the readings took me longer to complete than the suggested times, so overall I have been putting in closer to 15 or more hours of work a week in the part-time track, but I still feel like the program is worth it. Now that I am in my final week, I can certainly see how far I have come in the course. I do also want to say that the discord community is an essential part of the program. Get on there, share your work and find a handful of students to check in with weekly. It will really help you all stay on track and stay motivated through some of the tougher weeks. Also, get used to the unexpected. Going into this course, I didn't think I would enjoy the visual design portion but as it turns out, I really did! I specifically enjoyed creating icons in Figma. Last note and suggestion. Learn auto layout. Keep practicing even when it seems like nothing is working out and I promise it will become your friend once you get the hang of it. - dong kStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineSep 27, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
great course lessons
Pros.
- the course lessons would be my number 1 choice. it was easy to understand each content and supported each lessons with reference images and extra information or links to dive in deeper.
- providing estimate time on each course lesson / assignment would take helps managing your time.
- able to work on your pace. does not need to wait for approval from the mentor on each unit.
- submitting assignment and receiving feedback helped to improve the work and learn mista...Pros.
- the course lessons would be my number 1 choice. it was easy to understand each content and supported each lessons with reference images and extra information or links to dive in deeper.
- providing estimate time on each course lesson / assignment would take helps managing your time.
- able to work on your pace. does not need to wait for approval from the mentor on each unit.
- submitting assignment and receiving feedback helped to improve the work and learn mistakes
cons.
- the last unit has to be unlocked by the mentor in order to move on and depending on the pace / situation, there could be a wait time for the mentor to approve. - Alex Y1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineSep 27, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Good introductory course to UX design
I went into this course with very little design experience but had a very helpful mentor that gave me excellent feedback and am now in UX Academy. I do wish there was more videos and some info was dated which required me to look for tutorials and resources outside of the course. I think as long as you have a good mentor, you're in good hands. - Ashley JhoStudent • 1. UX Academy Foundations • OnlineSep 25, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Great bootcamp for UX design
I enjoyed completing the Foundations course from Designlab to see if I will further pursue UX design. Needless to say, I had an overall great experience from the help of my mentor, the layout of the units, and the tutorials they provided for the students. Will definitely recommend if anyone is interested! - Chaela KauzlarichUX Designer • 3. UX Academy (Full-time) • OnlineSep 19, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Helped me make a career switch!
I started with DesignLab’s foundation course, which primarily went into UI and design principles. I loved it so much I applied for the UX academy and got in. I learned so much from the course, my mentor, and the designlab community… not to mention the excellent projects that gave me a bunch of hands on experience which is the best way I learn.
This course is definitely not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of work and for the past 10 months, my free time was primarily doing ...I started with DesignLab’s foundation course, which primarily went into UI and design principles. I loved it so much I applied for the UX academy and got in. I learned so much from the course, my mentor, and the designlab community… not to mention the excellent projects that gave me a bunch of hands on experience which is the best way I learn.
This course is definitely not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of work and for the past 10 months, my free time was primarily doing the coursework, but it was 100% worth it! I got a job as a UX Designer two months after finishing my portfolio.
Thanks DesignLab!!
Designlab Alumni Outcomes
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Designlab Alumni Reviews Summary
Based on 700+ Designlab alumni reviews on Course Report, students consistently praise the hands-on projects, 1-on-1 mentorship from industry professionals, and the comprehensive UX/UI design curriculum. A student shared, "Designlab is a very solid introduction into the world of UX/UI design... Before you know it, you have the confidence to start making your own icons and building a brand." Some critiques, however, mention the reliance on Discord for community interaction, which some found less professional than alternatives like Slack.
Overall Experience
4.8
Instructors
4.7
Curriculum
4.7
Job Assistance
4.3
More Information
Guarantees Job
Job Assistance
Includes Housing
Offers Corporate Training
Accepts GI Bill
Awards
Recent Designlab News
By Jess Feldman
By Jennifer Inglis
By Jess Feldman
FAQs
How much does Designlab cost?
Designlab costs around $8,499. On the lower end, some Designlab courses like 1. UX Academy Foundations cost $499.
What courses does Designlab teach?
Designlab offers courses like 1. UX Academy Foundations, 2. UX Academy (Part-time), 3. UX Academy (Full-time), 4. Data-Driven Design and 8 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. 827 Designlab alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Designlab on Course Report - you should start there!
Is Designlab legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 827 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 827 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.