Industry Innovation and Classroom Constraints: Infusing Real-World UX into the University Classroom via iFixit's Technical Writing Project

Brittany McCrigler and Martin Rippens
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Brittany McCrigler: iFixit, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Martin Rippens: iFixit, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

International Journal of Sociotechnology and Knowledge Development (IJSKD), 2016, vol. 8, issue 3, 15-28

Abstract: iFixit's Technical Writing Project provides an example of an innovative academia-industry partnership that introduces students to the field of UX. The project bridges the industry-academia divide by leveraging private-sector flexibility along with UX's transdisciplinary nature in the design of a modular, academically-recognizable service learning project that has been successfully incorporated as coursework across multiple university departments. While gaining hands-on experience in UX design, students are exposed to best practices in information architecture, SEO, usability testing, content strategy, and categorization. At project's end, student work is published on iFixit's wiki-style website, which is accessed by 85 million users annually. Developed and implemented within the constraints of the academic context, innovative programmatic features—such as offering modifiable project scopes and timelines, providing students and instructors with substantive feedback and support from professional staff, and dividing the project into clear milestones—ensure that the project maintains academic rigor while simultaneously meeting the needs of its industry partner.

Date: 2016
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