Shift Nudge
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
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
Freelance Designer
Hey,
I'm Matt
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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.
😃
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.
🎨
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.
💻
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!
😐
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.
📲
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!
🗓
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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.
This will NOT work if...
- If you're not interested in learning interface design inside and out.
- You’re looking for a magic bullet without putting in the challenging work of understanding the principles to fully execute visually beautiful work from start to finish.
- You’ve never done any type of design and expect to be a top-level expert by the end of the course. This course will point you in the direction not take you to your absolute final destination.
- You’re simply looking for motivation or inspiration. You need to be after results and be willing to put in the hardwork.
- You’re unemployed and don't have enough savings to invest in the course. Please don't expect this to be a saving grace if you don’t already have the means to join.
This WILL work if...
- You’re ready to invest in yourself to learn a systematic process to make your interface designs look amazing.
- You’re patient, deliberate, and methodical. You’re committed to spending the time to build a successful skill set you can use in all of your new design projects.
- You're ready to have a reliable framework and approach for your visual design process.
- You’re looking for a full system instead of an overwhelming amount of random tactics.
- You have access to a computer and have internet connection.
- You're ready to look behind the curtains at a solid methodical design process.
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 ↗
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 ↗
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 ↗
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.
Student Designs Here
Designs
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