join

Our community grows every quarter, and we would love to have you too! Together we can tackle innovative human-centered design projects and help each other become better UX thinkers. Below are different ways you can be involved in DI.

Our Structure

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Design Fellows

Our fellowship program is a community of UCD students passionate about design and human-centered problem-solving. Fellows will have access to the DI alumni network, a design challenge, and internal events.

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Design Associates

These are mentored teams of experienced designers focused on solving exploratory, out-of-the-box problems or providing innovative solutions for their peers.

Design Fellows

Design Associates

Design Sprint

3 weeks

6 weeks

Time Commitment

2-3 hours per week

4-6 hours per week

Requirements

An interest in human-centered design / user experience and a passion to learn.

Significant knowledge of UX design shown through a portfolio. The portfolio can include UX case studies from internships, DES 112, or personal passion projects.

Quarters Offered

Fall, Winter, and Spring

Fall and Spring

Our General Sprint Process

Each DI project follows the industry’s standard structure. Our design process is split into six sprints: research, ideation, wire-frame iteration, testing, prototyping, and presenting. These projects range from redesign to exploratory themes and come with guidance from a mentor or board members.

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Fall 2023 Recruitment Timeline

MON, OCT 2ND | 6-7PM | WELLMAN 216

Intro to UX + Info Session

Learn about UX basics and what DI has to offer! This is your chance to meet members and learn about Design Interactive, our past work, and how to join.

Applications Open

We'll be releasing both fellow and cohort applications at 7PM PT, so stay tuned!

WED, OCT 4TH | 6-7PM | WELLMAN 216

Cohort Application Workshop

We'll be walking through the application, providing tips and tricks as you tackle the design challenge this week. If you're looking for some guidance, this is the place to ask questions!

FRI, OCT 6TH | 11:59PM

Cohort Applications Due

The cohort application will be due at 11:59PM PT; submit through the application form. 

THURS, OCT 12TH | 11:59PM

Fellowship Applications Due

Sign up to join the Design Interactive community! You must be a UC Davis student to apply.

MON, OCT 2ND - FRI, OCT 6TH

Office Hours

Want additional help? We’ll be holding virtual office hours every day starting October 2nd until the cohort application deadline — feel free to ask us questions, seek guidance for the challenge, or just have someone to talk to about design. Sign up here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be a Design Major?

Absolutely not! We take people of all majors — from Economics to Cognitive Science to Statistics! We give no preference to particular majors, as great design teams are built from diverse backgrounds.

I'm new to design/UX/product design. Should I still apply?

If you are just beginning your UX journey, we strongly encourage you to apply to our fellowship where you'll have the opportunity to interact with other aspiring designers and access help & educational resources we've curated for you!

Am I required to attend Recruitment events to apply?

Attendance is not required to apply, but we still want to get to know you! Talking to a board member is a great networking opportunity and will help you better prepare your application.

What can I expect to learn by being a part of DI?

Whether you're a part of our cohort or fellowship, be ready to —

  • Practice the human-centered design method by being passionate about understanding the user's perspective when developing solutions to problems.
  • Pick up and practice different design techniques (ex. user research, usability testing) and tools (ex. Figma) critical to the field.
  • Work collaboratively in teams, balance opinions and reach agreement, and help support each other's growth.

WINTER 2024

Something big is coming...

Stay tuned for more details on our Instagram!

Built with ♥ by Design Interactive

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Contact Us

Want to collaborate with DI? Please reach out to us at [email protected] or DM our Instagram below.