Inside Applied Works’ Workshop with Imperial College London

Crafting the future of UX: Our UX Design for data tools and products workshop

Getting Started

In a buzzing classroom at Imperial College London, a group of multidisciplinary students are doing something surprising: searching for the perfect wedding outfit. They’re diving into the world of user-experience (UX) design, discovering how to map out pains, needs, and gains. This workshop is part of Applied Works’ education programme – where we visit universities to share the fundamentals of good data design.

For Grace Treacher, a designer at Applied Works, the day is all about empowering the next generation of designers. "Understanding users isn’t just a skill; it’s the foundation of everything we do as designers," she says. It’s a philosophy that Applied Works has embraced wholeheartedly, partnering with Imperial University to teach students how to think like UX professionals.”

A deep dive into UX fundamentals

After being introduced to UX design and the role of personas in understanding users, the students moved on to creating their own personas using guided templates. These personas were then developed further using a specific scenario: finding clothes online for a wedding.

Turning problems into possibilities

The workshop didn’t stop at personas. Students then analysed the data from their personas by mapping insights into three categories: pains, needs, and gains. Using affinity diagramming, they clustered the data to identify common themes. This hands-on approach not only gave students practical experience with UX methodologies but also revealed shared challenges and opportunities, helping to shape the direction of the design process with a clear purpose.

Bridging academia and industry

For Applied Works, this workshop is about more than just teaching—it’s about investing in the future of design. By collaborating with universities, we’re bridging the gap between academia and industry, offering students a taste of the real-world challenges they’ll face as designers.

Want us to visit your university?

If your students are running a UX module and would benefit from a visit from industry professionals, contact hello@appliedworks.co.uk.