Shift Nudge

Get good
at design

UI

Build your
portfolio

2

Create with
confidence

3

Trusted by thousands
of students from top companies

Read the reviews →

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    Shift Nudge is the systematic process to learn the visual skills of interface design, even if you don't have a design background. Perfect for those wanting to enter or advance in the field.

    • Typography
    • Layout Techniques
    • Choosing Colors
    • Design Direction
    • Interface Elements
    • Real World Tactics

    80
    +

    lessons

    1000
    +

    critique videos

    30
    +

    hours of content

    3000
    +

    slack community members


    The amount of people at Figma enrolled in Shift Nudge makes me so happy. Particularly the idea that people can develop and cultivate skills together rather than alone. Doing things in groups is motivating!

    Noah Levin

    Noah Levin

    VP of Design • Figma

    I paid 10s of 1000s of $$ to learn design at a college and the knowledge they shared PALES /pales/ in comparison to what MDS has done with Shift Nudge. Shift Nudge is an unparalleled resource for learning design.

    Joel Hooks

    Joel Hooks

    CEO • Egghead.io

    If you’re one of the many people who has DMd me asking how they can learn UI design, check out Shift Nudge by MDS! Happy to have something to recommend to people! Great work Matt 👏🏻

    Charli Marie

    Charli Marie

    Creative Director • ConvertKit


    What's
    Inside

    This course is absolutely jam-packed with all the best information for creating great visual design for interfaces. No fluff, just practical content tailored specifically for interfaces.

    Start

    Core

    10 Lessons  •  1h 17m

    • Welcome to the Course
    • How Everything Works
    • Pro-Designer Mindset
    • Choosing Design Software
    • UX vs. UI
    • Design Process Overview
    • Using Reference Material
    • Quick Keys Fast Workflow
    • Organizing Design Projects
    • Figma Organization

    Typography

    Core

    11 Lessons  •  4h 32m

    • Font Size
    • Font Weight
    • Hierarchy
    • Titles & Body
    • Callouts
    • Truncation
    • Text Style Definitions
    • Interactive Text
    • Combining Text & Element
    • Start With System Fonts
    • Using Alternate Fonts

    Layout

    Core

    10 Lessons  •  4h 47m

    • The Box Model
    • Grids & Containers
    • Implicit Grid
    • Negative Space
    • Alignment
    • Optics vs. Math
    • High & Low Density
    • Scale, Weight, & Hierarchy
    • Affordance
    • Interactive Layouts

    Color

    Core

    10 Lessons  •  5h 25m

    • Color Picking Methods
    • Contrast & Accessibility
    • Structural vs. Interactive
    • First, Second, Third
    • Strategic Definitions
    • Amount & Modification
    • Gradients
    • Nifty Shades of Grey
    • White & Almost White
    • Secrets of Dark UI

    Style

    Pro

    10 Lessons  •  5h 06m

    • Design Direction
    • Subtlety is Key
    • Corner Radius
    • Borders & Dividers
    • Depth, Lighting and Shadow
    • Opacity & Blur
    • Deconstructing Styles
    • Button Styles
    • Marketing Site Style
    • Form vs. Function

    Imagery

    Pro

    11 Lessons  •  3h 08m

    • Imagery Overview
    • Static Images
    • To Rasterize or Not
    • Dynamic Images
    • Blend Modes
    • Photo Manipulation
    • Resourceful Assets
    • Creating Icons
    • Using Icons
    • Simple Illustrations
    • App Icons

    Elements

    Pro

    11 Lessons  •  3h 14m

    • Introduction
    • Navigation
    • User Input
    • Forms
    • Profile
    • Settings
    • Lists & Cards
    • Detail Screens
    • Sorting & Filtering
    • Modals
    • Tables
    • Design Systems

    Tactics

    Pro

    12 Lessons  •  3h 25m

    • No-stress Experiments
    • Low-Fidelity Designs
    • Mobile-First Responsive
    • iOS Design
    • Material Design
    • Design Doc Organization
    • Leading Design Reviews
    • Prototyping
    • Developer Handoff
    • Pricing & Getting Work
    • Bonus: Figma Variants

    Critique Vault

    Pro

    1000+ reviews

    • Get Started
    • Typography
    • Layout
    • Color
    • Style
    • Imagery
    • Elements
    • Tactics
    • Slack Reviews

    It's official... I'm now a Shift Nudge graduate in Interface Design 🎓🎉 Shift Nudge has not only helped me hone my UI and visual design skills, but it's safe to say that I'm far more confident (and faster) in my craft than when I first started. Thank you MDS for the incredibly well-thought-out lesson structure and nuggets of wisdom.

    Gladys Foo

    Gladys Foo

    Product Designer

    My company just sponsored me to enroll in Shift Nudge to supercharge my visual / UX design skills to create accessible interfaces—and I love that one of the first projects he walks through is a complex cryptocurrency wallet UI. 🤩 I’m 2 hours in and learning a TON!

    Kamala Alcantara

    Kamala Alcantara

    UX Designer

    Unquestionably, this is still one of the best investments I've made in myself and career. Top-notch quality, flexible structure and pacing, and deep insights into how a world-class interface designer thinks—novice or expert, you'll level up in Shift Nudge.

    Eric W Odom

    Eric W Odom

    Freelance Designer


    Hey,
    I'm Matt

    mds headshot

    I earned my BFA in Graphic Design from UGA in 2005 and have specialized in interface design ever since.

    I’ve led projects around the world, served as an adjunct design professor, guest lectured at Harvard, and taught workshops at conferences all over the US. Now, I’m going to teach everything I know about the visual-side of designing great looking interfaces.


    I completed the Shift Nudge Design course, which laid out all the fundamentals of design specifically for UI design, thanks to MDS. The comprehensive content provided a solid foundation, making complex concepts easy to understand. This course has been an invaluable resource, boosting my confidence to continue seeking out more knowledge and challenging myself to improve.

    Tahlia Giann

    Tahlia Giann

    Design • Canva

    24 weeks in the making but finally submitted my last assignment and completed the Shift Nudge program. So I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: Certification of Interface Design from Shift Nudge!

    NoCodeCarlos

    NoCodeCarlos

    Product Designer

    Some time back, I completed the Shift Nudge UI course by Matt D. Smith, and it was truly fantastic! The course provided me with a wealth of design insights and principles for crafting polished interfaces. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to enhance their UI design skills!

    Ubaid Wani

    Ubaid Wani

    UX Designer


    How it
    works

    Shift Nudge is the system I’ve developed over the last two decades, for clients big and small, across dozens of industries, and now thousands of paying customers have it too. It covers the entire design process for creating beautiful interfaces.

    • How to master typography, layout and color specifically for mobile and desktop interfaces.
    • Start off slowly and choose topics you’re interested in or go through every single lesson in detail. I’ve helped thousands of people do both.
    • How to approach your designs with a trusted system so you never have to get stuck again.

    1 – Access

    Gain access to every lesson inside of Notion, all at once. No waiting around for content to slowly drip out.

    1

    2 – Begin

    Go through linearly from start to finish or find the most interesting topics relevant to you right now.

    2

    3 – Absorb

    Watch the videos, read the content, and do the homework. Watch previous design critiques in the vault.

    3

    4 – Share

    Share your designs and ask for feedback from the Shift Nudge Slack community.

    4

    5 – Pace

    There’s no time limit, or schedule to follow. Go through as fast or slow as you’d like.

    5

    6 – Repeat

    You have unlimited access. Revisit topics anytime as you encounter new challenges.

    6


    Well, it is a pleasure to say that I made one of the best decisions in my life and now I am proud to say I have a UI Design certificate, issued by the one and only Matt D. Smith. Shift Nudge has been an invaluable experience for my career development.

    Josa Pimenta

    Josa Pimenta

    Designer

    Making pasta and thinking about how foundational Shift Nudge was during my first product design internship. It's like nothing out there ⚡️🎛️

    Cade Vann

    Cade Vann

    Software Designer

    Shift Nudge is an excellent resource for taking the designers on your team to the next level! I highly recommend all the work Matt does to help designers achieve dopenessss.

    Pablo Stanley

    Pablo Stanley

    Design Founder


    Right
    for me?

    This course is right for anyone who wants to advance their craft of creating beautiful interfaces, whether you're just starting out, or want to take your skills to the next level.

    😃

    Aspiring/Junior Designers

    You’ve made a little progress, but are now ready to fast track your interface design skills. This will give you a roadmap to becoming a pro.

    🎨

    Students or Recent Grads

    You've learned the basics, but not how to directly apply everything to interfaces. This is the situation I found myself in 15+ years ago.

    💻

    Developers

    You’re right at home making things work on the screen and now want to make designs as beautiful as your code. I got you, this is it!

    😐

    Struggling Designers

    You feel stuck and aren’t making much progress as you'd like. You’re ready to take things to the next level. Shift Nudge is your new secret weapon.

    📲

    UX Designers

    You live and breathe user flows, content maps, and wireframes, but now you want to sharpen your visual skills to conquer the world. This is for you!

    🗓

    Project Managers

    You’ve been itching to jump into the creative track, but might not have found the best place to start. This course will give you just what you need to make the transition.


    Feliz de compartir un nuevo logro! I've successfully completed an amazing UI design course 🚀 with Shift Nudge. This course covers from the basics and continues diving deep into the intricacies of the UI design world. It’s a great source of knowledge and an indispensable resource in my design journey. Kudos to MDS for thoughtfully crafting such enriching content and delivering it impeccably.

    Paula Zanini

    Paula Zanini

    Design Director • R/GA

    I’m taking Shift Nudge, which is supposed to be my expertise so my ego and I are having very interesting conversations. It is so humbling to confirm I still and will always have so much to learn—I’m really learning a lot.

    Au

    Au

    Software Designer

    Shift Nudge was huge for my UI skills and one of the best investments I made in my career. I remember using my first paycheck on it, it paid off so much.

    Tyler Nishida

    Tyler Nishida

    Product Designer


    FAQs

    What if I don't like it?

    +

    The last thing I want is for you to be stuck with something you don't like. You've got 30 days to try the whole course and if it's not for you, get your money back. Easy!

    However—and this is important—only join if you intend to do the work. This course is not simply to consume information. It’s designed for you to take action and see results.

    Is there a way I can talk to someone if I get stuck?

    +

    As a Pro member, you'll have access to the exclusive Slack channel where you can reach out for answers, feedback, and support when you need it. There are always people willing to help each other out in this vibrant community.

    What if I don't have a design background?

    +

    It will be more challenging if you have no design experience at all, but the lessons are created in a way that any one can benefit. Not a problem!

    How is this different from other courses on the market?

    +

    The main difference is I (MDS) am the one teaching it. I've lived and breathed everything I'm teaching for a very long time. This is not a surface-level type of design tutorial, it's in-depth and intensive.

    Another thing on my todo list waiting to be done?

    +

    Shift Nudge isn't just a big brain dump of design tactics. It's a complete, efficient SYSTEM for going from nothing to a working, professional interface designer. You can make progress by watching one lesson per day in just 15-30 minutes. Don’t focus on the worst that could happen—focus on the best that could happen once you use the material.

    What if I fall behind?

    +

    Shift Nudge includes lifetime access so you can take a break from the material whenever you'd like. If you're out of town, on vacation, or just swamped for a few days. Pause and resume whenever you need to. There's no way to get "behind" because you get to choose your own pace.

    What if I don't live in the United States?

    +

    People all over the world have used the course and found success. Shift Nudge teaches timeless principles that span across design tools, age, gender, race, and location.

    How much time does it take to do this course per week?

    +

    5-10 hours per week. The more time you put in, the faster you’ll see results. 5 hours is my recommendation, but because Shift Nudge comes with lifetime access, you can go faster or slower if you want.

    What design tool is used for the lessons?

    +

    Shift Nudge was created to be highly useful without the need for using any specific design tool. While the majority of the live designs are created with Figma. You are encouraged to use any tool you'd like, but if you haven't decided on one, we definitely recommend Figma.

    Does this cover apps or websites or both?

    +

    There is a really large variety of content for both responsive websites and mobile apps. Shift Nudge focuses primarily on interface design for applications and less so on big marketing sites. However, there are tons of key principles that can apply to both product and marketing design.

    What is the countdown timer for?

    +

    That’s when enrollment closes. This makes it way easier to manage workload for customer support, easier to support new students getting started and going through the course. Also, encourages cohort waves so more students are on the same page, which makes learning in tandem with others more fun and engaging. This also allows me to be more involved with each enrollment cohort.

    Is there any kind of certificate of completion?

    +

    There is! Once you complete the course you can add a Certificate of Interface Design in the Licenses and Certifications section of LinkedIn. You'll also receive a certificate of completion via PDF with your name and shiny new accolade.

    Do you offer any student discounts?

    +

    There are no student discounts for this course. This is pro-level curriculum that you won’t find at universities AND it costs a tiny fraction of a university tuition. Considering that, the course is already heavily discounted.

    I'd like to join, but need more time. Is that possible?

    +

    If you have a special situation that requires slightly more time to recieve approval or gather funds than the enrollment period allows, please send a message during the enrollment to become eliglible for a 14-day extension.

    Is there any free trial?

    +

    Sorry, there is no free trial. The testimonials from previous students say more about the course than I ever could. If you decide to try it and don't like it there's a 100% money-back guarantee. No risk!

    Are the payments monthly?

    +

    Yes. There are six (6) monthly payments, unless you choose to pay in full with the one-time payment. After the first payment you have access to everything, but there will be 5 remaining payments—one payment per month for five (5) additional payments after joining.

    Can I get an invoice with company details?

    +

    Yes. Once you complete your purchase, reply with the details needed and we'll hook you up.

    Do you offer purchasing power parity?

    +

    PPP is available during individual enrollment periods. If enrollment is open, apply here.


    Want to level-up your visual design craft? I highly recommend checking out Shift Nudge. No matter what industry you're in or what platforms you are designing for, the guiding principles and strategies provided by Shift Nudge are applicable. They're timeless truisms for what makes the visual elements of a design work well.

    Tanner Christensen

    Tanner Christensen

    Designer • Netflix

    I've had the privilege of working with MDS on projects, and he's a very very very good designer. His course will undoubtedly help you become a better designer. Check it out!

    Brad Frost

    Brad Frost

    Developer & Author • Atomic Design

    Attending MDS workshop today and it’s easily one of the best workshops/classes I’ve been to in a long time. Maybe ever. Awesome to see someone’s real, working files!

    Shelby Muter

    Shelby Muter

    Senior UX Designer


    Pro

    As a PRO member, you'll get access to regular LIVE workshops with MDS, plus access to the full catalog of previous workshops. The perfect chance to get design feedback and ask questions along the way.

    MDS

    YOU

    LIVE

    QUESTIONS

    ANSWERS

    GROUP

    Student Designs Here

    Designs

    Here


    Next

    Skip the line and be the first to know when Shift Nudge enrollment is open for registration.