Create and evaluate applications for advanced decision making, complicated workflows, and complex domains

Designing complex applications to support domain-specific workflows presents unique challenges. You’ll leave this course with a toolbox of patterns and solutions that can be applied across domains.

Additionally, we’ll expand and adapt existing design processes and UX methods for creating and evaluating complex applications given challenges such as designing with limited domain knowledge and for audiences of various levels of expertise.

Who Should Attend

UX designers or researchers building desktop applications where:

  • Users engage in open-ended workflows that involve deep analysis, comparison, problem-solving, and managing of a large amount of information
  • The user population are experts in their field or have specialized knowledge (especially if you lack prior expertise in the field or industry you are designing for)

What You'll Learn

01 Deeply understand complex applications
  • How complex tasks differ from simple ones
  • Complex app user types and what they need
  • Support highly-trained users with specialized knowledge
  • Designing with limited domain knowledge
02 Explore case studies from a variety of domains
  • Government and public safety
  • Finance and healthcare
  • Enterprise and supply chain
  • Engineering and data science
03 Adapt the design process for complex applications
  • Understand and model the work domain
  • Research methods for studying complex workflows
  • Recruit and test with expert users
  • Quantitatively measuring complex work
04 Use patterns and strategies for complex application design
  • Support advanced decision making
  • Mitigate risks of executing high-impact or high-value tasks
  • Accommodate multiple levels of expertise and experience
  • Navigate massive datasets 
  • Design for multi-step and long-duration processes
  • Provide guidance and just-in-time learning

This Course Includes

  • Templates and guides for field research methods 
  • Small group activities to explore and apply the techniques
  • Extensive reading list to guide you even further in your journey

Why NN/g

What People Say About This Course

  • This is an amazing course to feel validated about working in enterprise, complex apps, or special domains. It identifies the challenges designers face that many B2C products don't have. This course also offers practical tips and best practices to deal with these challenges. It helps shifts the focus on what designers can do if they are in a situation where they can't apply the typical 'design method' while working on projects.

    Amy
  • This was a great course! So much of the available UX out there focuses on web or customer facing apps. It was great to see a course that dives into what I live day-to-day: complicated apps designed for a highly skilled, highly specific group of users.

    Brian
    GreenStone Farm Credit Services
  • This course is the single most useful resource I have found for designers working in complex enterprise contexts. It was like a therapy session, a sanity check and a a masterclass all rolled into one.

    Claire
    Dell
  • For anyone working in a specialized domain, this is a must-attend course. The content is directly relatable to the situations you'll encounter and you will walk away with the knowledge that can be used to immediately improve your tools and your way of thinking.

    David
    Eleven Peppers Studios

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I get the link to the Zoom meeting for the course?

60 minutes before your course begins, your link will be available when you log into your NN/g profile.

Can I watch a recording of the course?

Virtual courses are live events that extend throughout the day and include many periods of interactive exercises. The learning experience cannot be replicated by simply watching recordings after the event. We will not be making course recordings, and making your own recordings is not permitted.

Will I be able to network and get to know other participants?

You'll join a Slack community for both course-related discussion and networking with fellow participants. You'll also be able to use the Slack workspace before, during, and after the event to maintain your connections. You'll be invited to join the Slack community the week before the event starts.

What equipment will I need to participate in NN/g live online courses?

You'll be streaming video and audio to your computer, and also speaking with other participants. Make sure you have:

  • A laptop or desktop (using a tablet is not recommended)
  • A stable high-speed internet connection
  • Speakers or headphones
  • A microphone
  • A webcam
Do I really need a microphone and webcam?

White it's possible to attend our virtual courses without your own webcam or microphone, you will not be able to fully participate in learning activities. Many of our courses use hands-on practice as the primary way of learning design and research techniques. You'll learn more during these activities if you can fully participate, and your collaboration partners can see and hear you. We also recommend using headphones.

Do I have to download any software?

All courses use Zoom and Hightail, a file-sharing service. Some courses require the use of Google Drive apps or Miro. All tools are free to use and do not require you to create an account, but you should ensure your device permissions allow you to access these tools.

  • Zoom is a video conferencing service. Our meetings follow security best practices, including passwords and waiting rooms. We recommend installing the Zoom app, which is free. If you are not able to install the Zoom software, you can also join through Chrome web browser. Test your access to Zoom.
  • Hightail will be used to share downloadable course materials (such as PDF copies of presentation slides). Test your access to Hightail. (If your network blocks you from access Hightail, during the event our conference team will be able to assist you with alternative ways to receive your course materials.
  • Google Drive apps are used for collaborative learning activities. If you are not able to use Google Docs or Sheets, you will be able to download copies of the activity materials, but may not be able to fully participate in group work. Test your access to Google Docs.
  • Miro is an online whiteboarding tool and is used for collaborative learning activities in some courses. You can download the Miro app or open a Miro link in your browser.
Will my internet connection be fast enough?

You will need a stable internet connection with a minimum of 3 Mbps (up and down) in order o participate in 
NN/g virtual courses. Ideally, a faster connection speed of 25 Mbps download and 5Mbps upload is recommended to ensure HD video and audio quality. If you are using a WIFI network, disconnect all other devices from that network to improve the streaming quality. Check your internet connection speed.

Can I join from my phone or tablet?

We do not recommend attending our classes from a small-screen device. Although you will be able to connect to the meeting, it will be difficult to see the detailed examples shared during class. It will also be extremely difficult to participate in collaborative exercises which require typing and interactive documents.