The Importance of Integrating Art in User Experience Design Education

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, I've always tried to stay involved in the educational side of things. To me, knowledge should be shared and freely given at all times, not just after gaining enough experience. Just like we share a new recipe or a concert date, we should constantly share the knowledge and experiences we gain in our professional lives with those around us and our colleagues.

As someone who shares knowledge, I want to address and discuss a common issue I often see. Many people express interest in user experience design and ask where to start their education. Some even start paid or free courses before contacting me. Today, you can get user experience design (UI/UX) training from platforms like YouTube and Udemy, as well as from many institutions.

But do these trainings really prepare a person for the job in the right way? Does an architect start drawing immediately in school, or do they first learn about art history and major design movements? We need to be honest here. Unfortunately, I often see that the artistic side is not given enough attention.

I agree that user experience involves more math, mechanics, and technical aspects than art. However, even if the technical side is perfect, it's easy to notice when a project lacks color theory and key design movements (which should include a brief art history).

In conclusion, I believe that those who want to enter the field of user experience should understand, either before or after, a brief chronological history of art, design movements, and the human/nature relationship to see how design interacts with nature.