UI Design Patterns for Successful Software
How this course will help your career
What you will learn
- How user interface (UI) design patterns can speed up your design processes
- How to choose user interface design patterns and use them appropriately
- How to organize content to achieve maximum usability
- How to ensure minimal effort is required from the user when moving through the user interface
- How to simplify data entry and reduce errors
- How to use social aspects within your user interface designs
- How to enhance the user experience of a user interface
Have you ever found yourself spotting shapes in the clouds? That is because people are hard-wired to recognize patterns, even when there are none. It’s the same reason that we often think we know where to click when first experiencing a website—and get frustrated if things aren’t where we think they should be. Choosing the right user interface design pattern is crucial to taking advantage of this natural pattern-spotting, and this course will teach you how to do just that.
User interface design patterns are the means by which structure and order can gel together to make powerful user experiences. Structure and order are also a user’s best friends, and along with the fact that old habits die hard (especially on the web), it is essential that designers consider user interfaces very carefully before they set the final design in stone. Products should consist of such good interactions that users don’t even notice how they got from point A to point B. Failing to do so can lead to user interfaces that are difficult or confusing to navigate, requiring the user to spend an unreasonable amount of time decoding the display—and just a few seconds too many can be “unreasonable”—rather than fulfilling their original aims and objectives.
While the focus is on the practical application of user interface design patterns, by the end of the course you will also be familiar with current terminology used in the design of user interfaces, and many of the key concepts under discussion. This should help put you ahead of the pack and furnish you with the knowledge necessary to advance beyond your competitors.
So, if you are struggling to decide which user interface design pattern is best, and how you can achieve maximum usability through implementing it, then step no further. This course will equip you with the knowledge necessary to select the most appropriate display methods and solve common design problems affecting existing user interfaces.
Gain an industry-trusted UX Course Certificate
You earn a verifiable and industry-trusted Course Certificate once you complete the course. You can highlight them on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.

Our courses and Course Certificates are trusted by these industry leaders, who have taken up company memberships with the IDF:
Who should take this course
This is a beginner-level course suitable for newcomers to user interface design and experienced practitioners alike:
- UX and UI designers interested in using the right UI design patterns to create optimal product designs
- Project managers keen on incorporating tried and tested UI design patterns to speed up and optimize the product development process
- Software engineers looking to boost their skill sets and gain a foundational understanding of user interface design
- Entrepreneurs who want to make sure their products have the appropriate user interface for maximum success
- Newcomers to design who are considering making a switch to UX or UI design
Courses in the Interaction Design
Foundation are designed to contain comprehensive, evidence-based content, while
ensuring that the learning curve is never too steep. All participants will have
the opportunity to share ideas, seek help with tests, and enjoy the social
aspects afforded by our open and friendly forum.
Learn and work with a global team of designers
When you take part in this course, you will join a global multidisciplinary team working on the course and the exercises at the same time as you. You will work together to improve your skills and understanding. Your course group will be made up of an incredibly diverse group of professionals, all of whom have the same objective—to become successful designers. It’s your chance to learn, grow, and network with your peers across the planet.
Lessons in this course
- Lessons become available at a schedule of one lesson per week.
- Lessons remain open for you forever and have no deadlines.
- There is no time limit to finish a course.
- You have permanent access to your course material, answers, and classmates for the entire duration of your membership.
- Estimated time to complete: 11 hours 42 mins spread over 8 weeks.
Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 57 mins.
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0.1: Welcome (5 mins)
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0.2: An introduction to IDF courses (14 mins)
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0.3: Let our community help you (1 min)
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0.4: How to earn your Course Certificate (4 mins)
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0.5: Meet your peers online in our discussion forums (6 mins)
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0.6: Meet and learn from design professionals in your area (1 min)
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0.7: Gain Timeless Knowledge Through IDF Courses (11 mins)
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0.8: Mandatory lessons vs. Optional lessons (2 mins)
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0.9: A mix between video-based and text-based lesson content (2 mins)
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0.10: Discussion (7 mins)
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0.11: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 1: Implementing Page Structure
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 24 mins.
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1.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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1.2: Add Structure to Your Designs with Visual Frameworks (19 mins)
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1.3: Exercise to Draw on the Knowledge You Already Have (6 mins)
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1.4: Center Stage – Help the User Focus on What’s Important (14 mins)
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1.5: How to Use Movable Pieces to Support Multitasking (9 mins)
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1.6: Help Users Skim Contents with Titled Sections (13 mins)
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1.7: How to Use Responsive Enabling to Simplify Tasks (9 mins)
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1.8: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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1.9: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 2: Organizing Content for the Best Results
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 51 mins.
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2.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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2.2: How to Implement Slideshows to Grab the User’s Attention (18 mins)
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2.3: Two-Panel Selectors for Easy Access of Content (14 mins)
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2.4: Search for Items with Scrolling Lists, Archive Lists or List Inlays (10 mins)
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2.5: Display Contents the Classic Way with Dropdown Menus (21 mins)
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2.6: Embrace the Mental Models of Users by Implementing Tabs (14 mins)
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2.7: Split the Contents of a Website with the Pagination Design Pattern (14 mins)
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2.8: Exercise to Use Your New Knowledge in a Case Study (6 mins)
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2.9: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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2.10: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 3: Affording Fluid Navigation
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 37 mins.
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3.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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3.2: Implement Global Navigation to Improve Website Usability (16 mins)
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3.3: Help Users Retrace Their Steps with Breadcrumbs (9 mins)
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3.4: How to Apply Search Boxes to Increase Efficiency (15 mins)
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3.5: Take Advantage of Essential Keywords with Tag Clouds (15 mins)
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3.6: Design Patterns for Fluid Navigation – How to Use Inline Linking (8 mins)
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3.7: How to Implement Sitemap Footers to Keep Users Going (13 mins)
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3.8: Exercise to Practice Your Fluid Navigation Design Skills (5 mins)
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3.9: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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3.10: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 4: Simplifying Data Entry
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 36 mins.
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4.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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4.2: Warm-up Exercise to Get Your Thoughts Flowing (5 mins)
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4.3: How to Simplify Data Entry for Users with Autocomplete (13 mins)
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4.4: Giving Your Users Freedom with Editable Input Fields (15 mins)
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4.5: Increase the User’s Sense of Control with the Refined Search Design Pattern (8 mins)
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4.6: How to Implement a Forgiving Format to Accommodate Users’ Mistakes (15 mins)
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4.7: Speed up the User’s Process by Adding an Event Calendar (10 mins)
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4.8: Support Users with Small Clues in the Input Hints Design Pattern (14 mins)
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4.9: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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4.10: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 5: Social Aspects of UI Design
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 40 mins.
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5.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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5.2: Display Achievements to Encourage Website Usage (15 mins)
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5.3: Increase Competitiveness in Users with Leader Boards (8 mins)
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5.4: Improve the User Experience by Experimenting with Language (16 mins)
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5.5: Create a Quick Overview of Opinions by Implementing Starred Reviews (13 mins)
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5.6: Increase Efficiency with the Imported Connections Design Pattern (7 mins)
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5.7: Use Sign-in Reminders to Support Extended Functionalities (12 mins)
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5.8: Attract Users’ Attention with Update Alerts (8 mins)
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5.9: Cool Down with this Exercise on Social Aspects (5 mins)
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5.10: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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5.11: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 6: Dark Patterns
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 48 mins.
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6.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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6.2: Coercing, Manipulating and Tricking Users with Dark Patterns (14 mins)
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6.3: Increase Revenues by Prioritizing Advertisements (12 mins)
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6.4: Harvest Users’ Information with Forced Registration (6 mins)
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6.5: Using Color to Confuse and to Prevent Unwanted Actions (12 mins)
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6.6: Exercise to Question Your Integrity as a Designer (5 mins)
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6.7: How to Get Users’ Agreement with the Opt-in/Opt-out Dance (8 mins)
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6.8: Getting Users’ Long-Term Commitment with a Monthly Charge (14 mins)
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6.9: Sneaking Products into Users’ Shopping Baskets (9 mins)
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6.10: Reduce the Likelihood of Rejection with Implied Consent (13 mins)
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6.11: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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6.12: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 7: The Complete User Interface
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 51 mins.
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7.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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7.2: Analyzing the YouTube Website on Design Pattern Use (14 mins)
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7.3: Exercise to Understand the Design Patterns of Facebook (5 mins)
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7.4: Walkthrough of the Wikipedia Website to Uncover Its Design Patterns (5 mins)
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7.5: Analysis of Design Pattern Use in the EBay Website (5 mins)
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7.6: Learning from One of the Most Popular Websites in the World – Twitter (5 mins)
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7.7: Discussion Forum (7 mins)
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7.8: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 8: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up
To be scheduled.
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8.1: Course Evaluation (1 min)
Learning paths
This course is part of 4 learning paths:
How others have benefited

Nicolas Leclair, Canada
“It's nice to put words and explanation on pattern that we use daily, and that are habits. Using them and having to decide which one to offer to a user are two different things, like driving a car, and building a car. I feel that I am learning to build the car.”

Fausto Albamonte, United States
“The knowledge acquired from the course is something that I'm currently implementing daily in my job, and is going to be the base to build on, as I'm preparing to take more courses with the Interaction Design Foundation. I'm happy to say that I truly enjoyed the course and learnt a lot from it. Interacting with other classmates, sharing ideas and receiving constructive feedback was another positive aspect of this course.”

Gideon Cohen, Canada
“I really liked the section on Perspective Writing. Overall, this is good material that helps orient the nascent interaction designer in the terminology and tools of the trade.”
How to advance your career with IDF courses
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Attend lessons at your own pace
Each week throughout the course, you get access to a new lesson, but you can move through the lessons at your own pace. This means you can learn before you leave for work, or in between breaks — in as little as 15 minutes per day.
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Network online and offline
Network with your fellow course-takers online, through discussion forums inside lessons. You can also connect with your peers offline via IDF’s Local Groups. Local Groups connect you with other designers around your city who share the same passion in UX design as you.
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Advance your career
Get a verifiable and industry-trusted Course Certificate once you’ve scored at least 70% on a course. Highlight your Course Certificates on your résumé, your LinkedIn profile, or your website to showcase your newly mastered skills.
Start advancing your career now
Become a member to take “UI Design Patterns for Successful Software”. Take any other IDF UX courses at no additional cost. Take a concrete step forward in your career path today.