ISKM01 Information sciences
The course was a theoretical introduction to information science. It covered the history of the internet, information systems, and how technology shapes society. Classes were lecture-based and the course ended with a hard multiple-choice exam.
For me, the course was a real challenge. I prefer practical design work, so long theoretical lectures were hard to follow and preparing for the final exam was tough. As a UX designer, though, I found the topic of technostress very relevant. It was a good reminder that digital products can easily overwhelm users, and that my job is to design simple, low-stress experiences.
ISKM02 DISRI
This course introduced core design concepts like the Double Diamond, user-centered design, and design thinking. It also included guest lectures from professional designers sharing insights from their daily practice. Since I already work as a UX designer, my daily job is mostly about practice. This course was exactly what I needed because it gave me the theoretical foundations I was missing. We looked at design from a broader perspective, and for my final project, I wrote an essay called “Ethics and Design: What to do when a client wants something we disagree with?”. It really showed me the ethical side of my job and inspired me so much that I want to focus my master’s thesis on design ethics.
ISKM03 Literature, market and library processes
Honestly, as a Slovak student who wants to be a UX designer, this traditional library and literature course felt far outside my comfort zone. However, I decided to look at it through a designer’s eyes. For my final project, I did a UX and accessibility audit of the Moravian State Library (MZK). I even created a user persona of a wheelchair user to test how inclusive the physical space, entrance, and digital systems are for people with special needs. In the end, this class turned out to be a great lesson for me: it showed me that UX design and accessibility principles are just as important in physical spaces as they are on digital screens.
ISKM08 Diploma thesis seminar II: structure of the project
In this seminar, I created my diploma thesis proposal focused on “Dark Patterns in the process of digital service cancellation”. As a UX designer, this topic is very important to me because it analyzes how manipulative design forces users to stay in subscriptions against their will. I planned a large project combining user research and a Figma prototype of an ethical cancellation flow. The reader said it is a great PhD research proposal but warned me that it was too massive for a master’s thesis, which taught me a great lesson about project planning and the importance of scoping down my focus to keep it realistic.
ISKM65 User research
This course was amazing and very practical, which is exactly what I expected and wanted from my master’s studies. In my current job, I don’t get to do user research very often, so this was a perfect opportunity to practice the skills I was missing. The instructor, Tereza Kosnarová, was super helpful and shared a lot of great tips from the real world. For our final project, my team of three conducted a study with senior citizens to see if they could recognize AI-generated images. It was a wonderful experience that taught me how to prepare a research plan, ask the right questions, and analyze qualitative data. Working with older people also showed me how important empathy is in design, because they see modern technology like AI completely differently than we do. It really opened my eyes and helped me bring a much more user-centered approach to my UX work.
MIRO board →ISKM73 Commons, p2p and digital identity
I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this course, but it turned out to be really interesting. The classes were quite small and personal, which created a great atmosphere for discussions. The topics felt very philosophical to me, and I learned about concepts like “surveillance capitalism” and how different metaphors change the way we think about data. Even though it was highly theoretical, it gave me a completely new perspective for my UX design practice. It made me think deeply about user privacy, digital identity, and the ethical impact of the platforms we design.