Making a career change into UX/UI is a big decision, and there are a lot of options out there. Both Designlab and CareerFoundry offer bootcamp programs to help aspiring designers transition into the UX/UI design field. While it may seem that Designlab’s UX Academy and CareerFoundry’s UX Design course are similar, there are many differences to help select which is the right course for your goals.
We’ll take a closer look at these two programs, delving into cost, structure, timeline, support, and more.
- Coursework & Structure
- Mentorship
- Community Offerings
- Pricing & Financing
- Graduate Support
- Conclusion
Coursework & Structure
Designlab and CareerFoundry both offer a robust curriculum when it comes to UX/UI education. Structurally, there are similarities in how the material is approached: it’s asynchronous and flexible, fully online, and curated in a way that students can access the coursework when is best for their schedules. Both programs also offer a variety of tracks, so learners can commit to a more rigorous full-time schedule, or choose to work through the materials over a longer period part-time.
Additionally, both programs support the creation of capstone projects through hands-on portfolio development, to ensure that graduates have work to showcase to potential employers upon completion of the course. Below, you can find some comparative examples of key facets of each program.
- Designlab provides a holistic curriculum that encompasses both UX and UI design. This means that all students who graduate from UX Academy will have an understanding of UI design principles and how to incorporate them into their design workflow. CareerFoundry offers UI development; however, it is an optional add-on at the end of the course, and students must select this from a variety of choices to add to their education.
- All Designlab graduates will complete the program with at least three portfolio projects, one of which is end-to-end. While students in CareerFoundry’s program do complete comprehensive case studies, some graduates only have two projects, showcasing a less robust amount of work.
- Designlab offers a fully self-paced option for the bootcamp curriculum. While CareerFoundry does offer two flexible options of part-time and full-time, the longest timeline that is offered is 10 months. At Designlab, students can opt for part-time, full-time, or self-paced up to 18 months, ensuring a variety of different routes to success.
Mentorship & Feedback
Designlab and CareerFoundry both offer support from industry professionals through mentorship programs, which allow students to receive feedback and guidance throughout the curriculum. A mentor can help learners understand what needs to be improved in their project work, and what’s going really well. They will be there during both the process of learning UX/UI and through creating a full UX design portfolio.
While both programs offer robust mentorship, there are significant differences between how Designlab and CareerFoundry approach providing mentors for their students. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key differentiators.
- Students work with an expert mentor at Designlab in a 1:1 capacity, who provides feedback on coursework and also meets with students for video calls at a weekly cadence. CareerFoundry offers a slightly different approach, where students have a mentor and a tutor, with the tutor being the individual who leaves a significant amount of feedback on submitted work. While dual support could have some benefits, the main drawback is that tutors tend to have less industry experience than mentors. At Designlab, all mentors are industry professionals with significant experience in the field, with at least 3-5 years working in UX (and oftentimes more).
- Both programs have a large pool of mentors for students to be paired with, allowing for learners to be matched with someone with whom they’re comfortable and compatible. However, Designlab does have a unique aspect to their matching system for UX Academy in which students are asked about learning and feedback preferences ahead of being assigned a mentor, laying the groundwork for a strong relationship.
- A key difference between Designlab and CareerFoundry is offering Group Crits. Group Crits are a phenomenal way for students to receive feedback from both experts and peers and learn to defend their design decisions in a dynamic environment. All Designlab students are required to attend Group Crits throughout their time in UX Academy. These sessions, led by an industry professional, offer a unique opportunity to receive additional feedback on the progression of coursework.
Community Offerings
Designlab and CareerFoundry both offer a variety of ways for students to connect with one another. This is a highly positive aspect of both programs, as online learning can often feel isolating without a community to tap into. Both bootcamps utilize messaging platforms such as Slack or Discord to connect learners with one another and promote mutual learning. Additionally, both CareerFoundry and Designlab have community events where individuals can learn new skills and tap into useful information. However, there are core differences between the two.
- Both programs have an online community for students, with Designlab using Discord and CareerFoundry offering theirs through Slack. This is a fantastic opportunity for remote learners to connect with their fellow learners. However, Designlab offers some unique aspects in their Discord space, with Community Advocates monitoring Discord channels to help answer questions and offer support throughout the day. Additionally, Designlab holds weekly Study Halls for students in Discord, which are live sessions where individuals needing help or guidance can hop in to receive feedback on their work or ask questions. This adds another layer to the support provided through the community.
- Both Designlab and CareerFoundry have the benefit of free events where attendees can learn more about UX design. However, because CareerFoundry offers a multitude of programs, many of their talks are geared toward areas of development that are potentially not relevant to UX/UI Designers. Since Deisgnlab is exclusively focused on Design, all community events are centered around topics that will be relevant to the world of UX/UI.