Human Centered Design

The semester Human Centered Design focuses on developing your technical, graphic, and research skills to create digital interactive products using advanced technologies, frameworks, and AI. You will apply front-end programming languages and modern design tools, follow a structured design process, and build a professional, future-proof portfolio to launch your career.

You will gain expertise in front-end development, concepting, graphic design, usability research, UX-testing, and interaction design, enabling you to create minimum viable products (MVPs) with a strong user focus. By the end of the semester, you will be professionally competent in front-end development and have a solid foundation in user interaction research. You will be able to turn any concept into a working prototype or MVP, including software and user testing, using tools and frameworks of your own choice.

The semester offers multiple international opportunities. In Spring, you can join an International Week with students from partner universities, or participate in Erasmus-funded international project weeks throughout the year. Collaboration with students from diverse academic backgrounds is a central element.

The semester themes and schedules are dynamic and linked to current events. In Autumn, we usually focus on Dutch Design Week; in Spring, we organize our own international multidisciplinary project, the Dutch Design Charrette in Eindhoven. But in this dynamic work field, you shouldn't be surprised if something new suddenly comes along that you can participate in.

Each semester typically includes the following key components.

• Onboarding – Introductory weeks with small research, design, and development tasks to explore the semester’s methods and community.
• Case Study – Iterative, applied research projects (e.g. Design Thinking) in which you learn to conduct and visually present user-centered research.
• Industry Project – A large-scale group project for a Fontys ICT innovation partner or research group, where you apply your skills in a professional context—either as a student team or as a self-organized digital agency.
• Exhibition – A public showcase during Innovation Insights, where you present your project.

Preparing semesters could be Applied Generative AI, Distributed Software Development, Front End Development, Game Design, Media Creation and Mobile Apps Development. This list is not exclusive. You could include Human Centered Design in practically most study routes.

Follow up semesters might be Complex Software Systems, Enhanced AI Techniques, Game Production and Immersive Experiences. Alternatively, you can follow up this semester with a free study area, e.g. a minor. If Human Centered Design is your semester 7, you continue to your graduation.