User Experience and Interaction Design

Understand the perspectives of users and learn how to create the designs with which they interact. 

User-experience (UX) design is a fast-growing design field that addresses all aspects of UX—from understanding the users to creating the designs with which they interact.

Human-focused interaction design aims to improve aspects of human life through a variety of design mediums. These range from physical consumer objects to digital interactions, such as apps, games, and websites.

Interaction design research envisions how people experience products. It brings that knowledge to life in ways that feel inspired, refined, and even magical.

Our team is engaged in a wide variety of research. This includes:

• designing digital interventions and physical devices for health
• applying psychological principles through tangible interactions
• championing accessible design
• tackling issues related to design ethics.

Our skilled researchers work across digital and physical media to improve the overall experience of design. We are committed to best practice as well as to investigating current and emerging practices in the UX field.

Research topics

Research topic	Staff who can supervise research in this area
Accessible design	Catherine Caudwell, Gillian McCarthy
Design ethics	Catherine Caudwell, Leon Gurevitch
Design for health	Gillian McCarthy, Edgar Rodriguez, Dana Fridman, Nadia Pantidi
Design psychology	Helen Andreae, Gillian McCarthy, Areito Echevarria, Edgar Rodriguez, Dana Fridman
Interactive products	Helen Andreae, Edgar Rodriguez
User experience for government and business	Dana Fridman
Participatory and Experienced -Centered Design	Nadia Pantidi
User experience practice	Dana Fridman, Gillian McCarthy, Edgar Rodriguez, Leon Gurevitch

Academic staff

Name	Research interests
Bert  Aldridge	UX Design emerging tools and methods Design research approaches for digital and non-digital experiences Ethical practices including design processes and data privacy in digital properties and software Design's role in sustainable, environmental and systemic change.
Helen Andreae	The application of psychological principles through designed objects and interactions
Catherine Caudwell	Working with people with disabilities to develop and champion accessible design The role and application of ethical standards and concepts in design practice and outcomes
Areito Echevarria	The application of psychological principles through designed objects and interactions
Dana Fridman	Investigating current and emerging practices for user experience design Designing tools and games for user experience education Culture and experience Digital wellbeing and designing digital interventions for health The digital divide
Leon Gurevitch	The role and application of ethical standards and concepts in design practice and outcomes The digital divide
Gillian McCarthy	The application of psychological principles through designed objects and interactions The exploration of people's experiences managing their health and the design of medical technologies Working with people with disabilities to develop and champion accessible design Investigating current and emerging practices for user experience design Designing tools and games for user experience education Culture and experience Digital wellbeing and designing digital interventions for health
Nadia Pantidi	Co-designing with people to support their resilience and enhance engagement Digital wellbeing and designing digital interventions for health and mental health Investigating current and emerging practices for user experience design Investigating how digital platforms can support sustainability and community resilience Design research approaches for creating digital and non-digital meaningful experiences
Edgar Rodriguez	The application of psychological principles through designed objects and interactions The exploration of people's experiences managing their health and the design of medical technologies The investigation of how physical products can offer tangible aesthetic interactions to address human behaviour Investigating current and emerging practices for user experience design Designing tools and games for user experience education Culture and experience Digital wellbeing and designing digital interventions for health

Design research labs

Smart interactions

This research cluster involves synergies between the School of Design Innovation and strategic research partners. Work in this area combines media design, industrial design, software engineering, electronics, and computer systems engineering.

For more see Smart Interactions.

Study options

The following postgraduate programmes allow you to pursue research in the area of user experience and interaction design:

Master of Design (MDes)

The MDes allows you to further develop your critical thinking and discussion skills, increase your understanding of design, and learn to express your own ideas and conclusions within a theoretical framework.

Find out more about the Master of Design (MDes).

Master of Design Innovation (MDI)

The MDI delves deep into the process of innovation, from conception to design to construction. Through independent research, you'll gain the specialist skills and knowledge you need to be a successful professional in the design industry.

Find out more about the Master of Design Innovation (MDI).

Master of User Experience Design (MUXD)

The MUXD is a conversion degree. It builds on the relevant skills you have developed during your professional career or undergraduate university study, such as problem solving, critical thinking, and verbal and written communication.

Find out more about the Master of User Experience Design (MUXD).

PhD

On our PhD programme, you'll produce an original body of research that expands the design discipline. Your work will be largely independently driven, with two supervisors available to advise you. Typically the PhD is studied on-site, but in suitable cases it may be studied by distance.

Find out more about the PhD.