Practical UX : A Hands-On Guide to Getting Industry-Recognized Experience.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thomas, Maigen.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (202 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Herndon, VA : Mercury Learning & Information, 2025.

Summary:

Landing your first UX design job is tougher than ever.Practical UX: A Hands-on Guide to Getting Industry-Recognized Experience provides the missing piece: a proven methodology for gaining real-world experience while you build your portfolio and earn income.

Contents:

Half Title

Title

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Author Note

Introduction

Chapter 1: Find the Right Size Business

What This Process Teaches

Why Accessibility-Focused Evaluation and Design Is Important

Aim Small, Miss Small

How to Right-Size Your First Projects

Get Comfortable Delivering Value

Identifying Potential Customers

Tracking Your Outreach

Creating a "Someday Maybe" List

Follow Your Interests

Why They Say "The Riches Are in the Niches"

Suggestions For Small Businesses You Can Approach

Do you love animals?

Are you into food?

Are you a music fan?

Are you passionate about sustainability and eco-friendly living?

Are you into beauty and fashion?

Do you like education and lifelong learning?

Do you enjoy gaming or geek culture?

Do you love weddings?

Are you a DIYer or love handmade goods?

Do you enjoy physical activities and sports?

Do you love traveling or exploring?

Focus on What You Already Know

Start Local

Find Hidden Businesses Near You

Build Personal Relationships by Connecting in Person

Who Do You Know?

Who Do They Know?

Chapter 2: How to Approach the Business

Understanding Small Business Goals

What Kind of Customers Small Businesses Need

Likely Goals for Small Businesses

Quickly Assessing Success Metrics

The First Impression

Communicating the Value You Bring

Approach with Empathy

Communicating the Value of an Accessible Website

Making Money

Saving Money

Reducing Spending

Getting Comfortable Talking About What You Do

Describe What You Do

Follow a Script

Practice Makes Proficient

Chapter 3: Sell Your Service

Introduction to Selling

Understanding the Importance of Selling

Getting into a Sales Mindset

What You Are Selling

Why Offer a Website Evaluation for 100?.

What Makes This an Easy Yes

How to Ask for the Sale

Be Honest About Your Experience Level

Use Plain Language, Not Industry Jargon

The Most Effective Communication Channels

Contact Form

Email

Phone

In Person

How to Use Social Media to Connect with Small Business Owners

Find the Right Businesses to Connect With

Engage First, Don't Sell Immediately

Slide Into the DMs (Professionally!)

Use Instagram and TikTok Stories for Visibility

Join Small Business Facebook &amp

LinkedIn Groups

Follow Up Without Being Pushy

Say the Words

Go for "No"

Expect Them to Say "No"

Set a Goal: 100 No's

Handling Rejection Gracefully

How to Overcome Objections and Ask Again

Thank Them for Their Time

What to Do If They Say "Yes"

Always Get Paid Before Starting the Work

How You Can Receive Payment

Basic Legal Considerations

Reporting Requirements

Business Structure

Collecting Sales Tax

Written Agreements

Liability Insurance

Limitation of Liability

Example Statement of Limitation of Liability

Chapter 4: Evaluate the Website

Conduct a Stakeholder Interview First

Follow a Stakeholder Interview Template

Timeliness

Completeness

About the Business and Customers

Website Design Questions

Alternatively, Treat This Like Speculative Work

Identify the User Goals

Conduct a Website Evaluation

First Impressions and Seven Basic Requirements

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

Accessibility Statement

Cookie Policy and Consent Notification

Data Storage Policy

Copyright Notice

If the Website Sells Products or Services, Is It Using HTTPS?

Why HTTPS Matters for Every Website

How SSL Certificates Work

How to Check if a Website Has SSL

How to Get an SSL Certificate for Your Website

Troubleshooting Common SSL Issues

Final Thoughts.

Understanding POUR Principles

Perceivable

Operable

Understandable

Robust

Scoring and Prioritizing

Scoring

Priority

Completeness of Assessment

Accessibility Tab

Interactions Do Not Require a User to Use a Mouse. Every Functionality Is Fully Keyboard Accessible

Target Areas and Calls to Action (CTAs) Are Set to Be at Least 44x44 Pixels

There Are Clear, Visible Indicators Set on All Active Elements as They Receive Focus

Pages Have Meaningful Title Text, with Page-Specific Information Going First

Page Titles and Primary Headings (&lt

h1&gt

's) Are the Same or Similar

Pages Have Meaningful Headings for Each Section

Links' Purpose May Be Discerned from Link Text Alone, or the Immediate Context

A "Skip Link" Is Provided at the Very Top of the Page and Is Revealed on Focus

Organization of Navigation Is Logical and Facilitates Users Finding What They Need

Content That Looks like a Heading Is Defined as Such

Heading Structure Hierarchy Does Not Skip Any Levels

Navigation Menus Are Structured Using Lists

Form Controls (Inputs) Are Assigned a Meaningful, Visible Text Label

Groupings of Form Elements Share a Common Group Label

Information Conveyed Through Sensory Characteristics Is Also Supported in Text

Data Tables Are Clearly Assigned Header Columns and/or Rows

Labels and Instructions Are Worded in Text to Provide Users with Adequate Support

Labels and Instructions Are Located in Close Proximity to Their Controls

Required Fields Are Identified as Such in the Label Text

Users Are Not Required to Remember Information Between Pages in a Multi-Step Process

Body Text (and Other Small Text) Should Have a Contrast Ratio of at Least 4.5:1

Large Text Should Have a Contrast Ratio of at Least 3:1.

Link Text Copy Has a Contrast Ratio of at Least 3:1 Against Its Surrounding Text

Foreground/Background Contrast Ratio of Meaningful Graphics Is at Least 3:1

Images Do Not Have Text Embedded in Them

Line Spacing (Also Known as Leading) Is Set to at Least 1.5 in Paragraphs, and Twice as Much Between Paragraphs

Selected Typefaces Are Easy to Read and Render Properly on Mobile

Content Is Designed in Short Blocks of Text That Are Easier to Manage Cognitively

Headings and Form Labels Are Worded So They Are Meaningful to Users

Changes in Language Within the Page Are Specified for Assistive Technologies

Content Is Made Easier to Understand by Leveraging Plain Language Principles

Repeated Elements Are Consistent Throughout the Website

The Number of Steps Required to Complete an Action Are Minimal

Functionalities and Features Are Easily Discoverable

Both Portrait and Landscape Orientations Are Supported

Users Are Informed When Providing Input Triggers a Change of Context

Users Are Informed When Setting the Focus on a Control Triggers a Change of Context

Users Are Provided with a Mechanism to Ask for Time Extensions Ahead of Time

Upcoming Session Timeouts Are Clearly Identified as Such in the Design

Users Can Turn Off, Adjust, or Extend Time Limits When Sessions Are About to Run Out

Options to Postpone or Suppress Interruptions Are Offered. Users Should Be Able to Request Content Updates Rather Than Content Being Updated Automatically

There Are Mechanisms to Save Data and Allow Data Recovery After User Re-Authenticates

Moving and/or Animated Content Can Be Paused, Stopped, or Hidden

Video and Audio Files Are Not Set to Auto-Play

Audio Volume Is Adjustable via a Visible, Labeled Control

Flashing or Blinking Effects Are Slower Than Three Times per Second.

Informational Images Are Provided With Meaningful Alt Text Describing Their Content

Decorative Images Are Identified So They Can Be Ignored By Assistive Technologies

Active Images Are Provided With Meaningful Alt Text Describing Their Purpose

Complex Images Are Given Alt Text and An Extended Full Text Description

Transcripts Are Provided for Audio-Only and Video- Only Content

Synchronized Captions Are Provided for Pre-Recorded Videos

Audio Description Tracks Are Provided for Pre-Recorded Videos

Transcript Content Is Formatted for Scannability and Readability

Tab 1: Wayfinding and Organization

The User Understands Where They Are Within the Website

Menu and Button Labels Have the Keyword(s) First, Forming Unique Labels with Semantic Meaning

Related and Interdependent Form Fields Appear on the Same Screen in All Situations

Progress Is Displayed Throughout Multi-Page Processes

Tab 2: Visibility of System Status

Disabled Fields Are Clearly Discernible from Enabled Fields

Actionable Content Is Obvious

Selected Options Are Clearly Indicated with the Help of Highlights

Table Sorting: It Is Clear What Is Sortable and What Is Currently Sorted

Table Filtering: It Is Clear If a Filter Has Been Applied and What Is Currently Filtered

There Is Feedback for Meaningful User Interaction

Widget Response Time Is Brief and Provides User Feedback

What Is a Widget?

Processes Over Two Seconds Show Progress

Tab 3: Content Clarity and Readability

Form Field Labels Are Arranged in a Readable Vertical Format

Obvious Distinctions Are Made Between Choose One and Choose Many Options

The Website Uses Font Sizes That Are Large Enough to Be Comfortably Read on Standard Displays

The Website Uses Larger Font Sizes for Metrics and Data

Dates Are Clear for All Users, Including International Users.

Metrics Are Labeled Clearly, with Detailed Information About the Data Easily Available as Needed.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781501520860

1501520865

OCLC:

1510189975