Springboard

I decided take the Springboard UX design course over three months and I learned so much! It's definitely a starting off point, as you complete one project during the course and most UX careers will inquire more experience and material in your portfolio. But I feel like I know enough now to dive into creating my own case studies and build my portfolio. During the course, I was able to keep up with the projects and curriculum while I was juggling other work related projects, which was a huge plus for me. Also, being paired with a mentor was a game changer. It helped me talk about what I was learning so I could better understand why and how the material would be applicable in a real world context. I also really appreciated being able to get one on one feedback on my projects so I could be sure I was headed in the right direction. Some projects and reading materials took longer to get through than I had expected, but that might have been just me as I took a lot of notes! I would definitely recommend this course for anyone who is interested in learning UX! 

To start, I had no experience in UX design. My background was video (production/editing) and graphic design. I wanted to expand my skillset but not break the bank on those other courses so I chose Springboard.

Pros:
- My mentor, Sarah, was amazing. Her background in UX was mind blowing and gave great inputs on my projects and great advice on everything. 
- The Capstone project was really cool to do, it pretty much built my portfolio and the mentor helps you along every step of the way.
- The smaller assignments were great tools to learn about UX design and it really helps grasp some concepts.
- You can work at your pace, finish quicker if you wanted, or finish at a later date than expected.

Cons:
- I don't think the course material is all that great. It's just articles and videos online curated by the staff and I honestly didn't feel I was "learning" much from them.
- The course I took was online, so if you don't put in time and work, you won't get anywhere and waste $$.

Overall:
I think with the Springboard UX Design course, you get what you put in. If you are determined to build a great portfolio and get things done on your own, this will help you grasp the concepts and push something out so you can interview. If you need someone to babysit you and teach you things page by page, this is not for you. Don't take this course expecting them to set you up with a job or anything. Luckily for me, around the time I finished my project, I applied to a position that was looking for someone with my background + UX Design and they were impressed with my portfolio so I didn't need the job counseling that my mentor initially offered. 

I just completed the UX course on Springboard. I found the content excellent. There’s so much relevant material from Mobile UX to lean. All the projects I submitted were used for my capstone project for my portfolio. The community are so helpful and you can see other students work if you’re not sure how to go about a project. My mentor was a fantastic help. It’s such a privilege to get a call every week from an expert in the industry. My mentor Brent was very positive and has so much experience. Any question I had he answered. Really enjoyed the course and so happy with my portfolio! 

I made sure to do my homework before investing any of my time or money into a program. Off the bat, Springboard made me feel like a college freshman again - a little excited, a little scared but overall getting you excited to learn again. Other programs made me feel like I was some sort of sales lead or money bag rather than a prospective student. 

The program itself is very laid back - so you get what you make of it. If you put your whole heart into every section, you will get a lot of information. I also opted for Springboard because it was online and I wouldn't have to quit my job in order to do a career change. It was difficult to balance work, studying and my social life - but their mentor program really does help to push you along if you need the help. The mentor program and community are great! I think without my mentor I wouldn't have been able to push myself as hard. There was an emphasize that she was going to push me, but not micro-manage me. We were both adults so we were able to have a really well balanced relationship. 

I would recommend this program to anyone looking to have some flexibility while doing a career change.

The perfect course on User Experience. Springboard is the perfecet balance of introduction to UX and enhanced experience for intermediate learners. As a professional who has worked in the field for about three years, Springboard provided me the skills and experience I wanted to enhance our UX at my workplace.

The course is centered on a capstone project with a series of lessons centered on adding to and enhancing a presentable portfolio. Springboard matches students with some of the top tier professionals in the industry to coach and provide feedback on the project. My mentor not only provided in-depth feedback, but treated me from the beginning as a professional in a real world setting. I was treated as a UX consultant and professional, as if I were designing for a real client and project manager.

Springboard provided the most detailed and immersive UX course I've found and experienced, and I recommend it to people of all levels, from beginner entry level to experienced professional.

Springboard's UX course really held a ton of value for me. I started the course working towards a promotion to UX Designer at my company. I'd been doing the work, but was just missing the foundations. This course was exactly what I needed. I learned everything I needed to know to build a solid foundation to help me continue to learn and ask the right questions. My one on one mentor was the best mentor I've ever had! It is truly worth it if you are newish to the feild and need a solid base to pair with your experience.

I have to say, even being an online course I didn't felt alone or lost. My mentor was available through email, my student advisor was also available and there is a student community publishing their works, doubts and giving feedback to each others. My mentor is a great profissional in UX field and having time to talk with him was priceless!

I completed my course in 2 months (that is the minimum), the pace was fast! They also organised a summit recently were I got to know most of the people that are the team of Springboard and some of my "colleagues" aswell. I was positively impressed!