What is the Center for Digital Experiences?
The Center for Digital Experiences (or DX Center) at Pratt Institute is your gateway to hands-on experience in user experience (UX) design and research. Founded in 2019, the DX Center integrates real-world projects into the School of Information’s curriculum, allowing you to apply what you learn in the classroom to real clients and challenges.
From digital product design and usability testing to user research and content strategy, the DX Center provides state-of-the-art facilities and expert faculty guidance to help you build a strong portfolio and gain valuable skills. This is where theory meets practice, preparing you for a successful career in UX.
How to get involved with the Center
There are two ways to get involved with the DX Center:
Enroll in IXD courses: Most of the Center’s projects are integrated into the curriculum, allowing you to gain hands-on experience as a DX Center consultant. For a list of relevant courses, visit our about page.
Graduate Assistantships: The Center also hires graduate assistants to support our various projects. When new opportunities arise, announcements will be made via the School of Information listserv. Keep an eye on your inbox for future openings!
Want to learn more? Browse recent DX Center case studies written by Pratt students and alums »
Research Support
ResearchOps (Research Operations) refers to the processes and tools that support user research activities, including research planning, tool selection, data management, knowledge sharing, and addressing ethical concerns. The DX Center’s ResearchOps program helps streamline and enhance your research efforts.
Participant Recruitment
The Pratt SI Research Participant Pool connects you with participants for user research projects. Powered by Panelfox, the pool can streamline your research process by centralizing participant messaging, scheduling, and incentive distribution.
Want to participate in SI research studies? To join the pool, please complete this short sign-up form .
Research Materials
The DX Center Research Toolkit is a curated collection of templates, guides, and other research materials to help you through every stage of the research process, from planning and conducting studies to analyzing data and presenting findings.
Want to contribute to the toolkit? If you have a resource to add, please complete the resource contribution form .
Design & Research Software
Pratt students can create free professional-level accounts on the following platforms to assist them in the research or design process.
Are we missing anything? Please email us at info@prattdx.org to recommend other platforms or tools that provides free student accounts.
Figma + Figjam
Figma provides free Professional accounts for students. You must apply for verification using the following steps:
- Sign up for an account with your pratt.edu email address.
- Visit Figma’s Education page and click the ‘Get Verified’ button.
If you encounter any issues or questions, review Figma‘s detailed step-by-step instructions or contact Figma directly at education@figma.com.
Miro
Miro provides a free Education plan for students. You must apply for verification using the following steps:
- Sign up for an account with your pratt.edu email address.
- Visit Miro’s Education page and click the ‘Apply as a Student’ button.
If you encounter any issues, review Miro’s FAQ section.
Notion
Students get Notion’s Plus plan for free. You must apply for verification using the following steps:
- Sign up for an account with your pratt.edu email address.
- Visit Notion’s Education page and and follow the steps.
Zoom
Pratt provides Pro Zoom accounts for all students, with no limits on meeting length. To access your account:
- When logging in to Zoom, select the SSO option.
- Enter pratt as the company domain (pratt.zoom.us).
- Log in with your Pratt OneKey credentials.
If you have any issues, contact the IT help desk at services@pratt.edu.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Pratt provides Adobe Creative Cloud accounts for students, including access to Adobe software (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat) and services (e.g., Fonts, Stock Photos). To access Creative Cloud:
- When logging in to Adobe, use your Pratt OneKey account credentials.
- Select School/Business account (not Personal account).
If you have any issues, contact the IT help desk at services@pratt.edu.