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Introduction to UX Design MasterTrack Certificate Program

Debra Lawton and Frances Trice

4.1

Based on 36 ratings

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Debra Lawton and Frances Trice

User experience is a highly in-demand field which requires a holistic understanding of the design process. This course is a "sample" of the UX Design MasterTrack certificate program. You will have the opportunities to explore core topics in UX including Ethics and Research, User Research, User Testing, and Visual Literacy as four modules.

You can take the opportunity to gain some basic understanding of UX research, and take this course as a pathway to the UX Design MasterTrack certificate program. The assignments you have accomplished in this open course can be carried over to the UX Mastertrack certificate program.

If you would like to continue learning after this open course, please visit our UX Design MasterTrack certificate program website: https://www.coursera.org/mastertrack/ux-design-minnesota

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to the Course

Ethics and Research

This module serves as a preview of the full course Ethics and Research from the UX Design MasterTrack program. You will explore a breadth of ethical concerns and questions that you may encounter in the process of conducting and disseminating research. Topics addressed include: ethics in research setting, use of human subjects, data handling, plagiarism, authorship, publishing, research funding, social responsibility of researchers, collaboration, and professional codes of conduct.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores ethical considerations in UX research, which is standard in industry

Covers visual literacy, a valuable skill for UX designers

Provides an overview of qualitative research for product development

Taught by Debra Lawton and Frances Trice, recognized UX researchers

Coursework can be applied towards the UX Design MasterTrack certificate program

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Reviews summary

Solid foundation for aspiring ux professionals

According to learners, this course provides a solid introductory foundation for aspiring UX professionals. Students highlight its well-structured content and practical, rewarding assignments, especially in user research and user testing. The ethics module is frequently praised as insightful. While it serves as an excellent pathway to the full MasterTrack program, some more experienced learners found it surface-level or too basic, with the visual literacy module sometimes feeling abstract. Overall, it's highly recommended for those new to UX.

Content is well-organized and clearly explained by instructors.

"The instructors were knowledgeable and the content was very well-structured."

"I found the course very well-structured and the content relevant to current UX practices."

"The concepts were explained clearly."

Serves as an ideal entry point for the full MasterTrack program.

"I feel much more confident pursuing the full MasterTrack program now."

"This course serves its purpose perfectly as an introduction to the MasterTrack."

"Truly is a perfect entry point for the MasterTrack program."

"I appreciated the mention of carrying over assignments to the full MasterTrack, which is a nice incentive."

Hands-on activities and assignments enhance skill application.

"The hands-on activities, especially for user testing, were incredibly practical."

"The user testing module was particularly strong, giving practical frameworks for real-world application."

"The assignments were challenging but highly rewarding."

"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."

Builds a strong introductory understanding of UX principles.

"This 'introduction' was a fantastic deep dive into core UX principles."

"Excellent foundational course! It really helped me understand the importance of user research..."

"Truly an 'introduction' in the best sense. It covered a broad range of topics without overwhelming me."

"I found the course very well-structured and the content relevant... A solid foundation."

Visual literacy module received mixed feedback, sometimes abstract.

"The visual literacy module felt a bit abstract compared to the others, but still added value."

"The visual literacy section was a bit confusing and didn't feel as directly applicable..."

"Some parts could be more interactive."

Offers breadth for beginners but can be surface-level for some.

"As an experienced designer, I found some parts too basic, but it was a decent refresher..."

"Felt a bit too surface-level. While it's an intro, I hoped for more hands-on tools..."

"It's a good starting point but don't expect a lot of depth."

"Worth taking if you're entirely new to UX but might not satisfy if you have some prior knowledge."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to UX Design MasterTrack Certificate Program with these activities:

Organize Course Notes and Materials

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Improves organization and retention by consolidating course materials and notes into a structured format.

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Gather all course notes, assignments, and materials.
Create a system for organizing and storing the materials.
Review the materials regularly to reinforce understanding.

Read UX Design for Beginners by Joel Marsh

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Provides a foundation in UX design principles and practices to support understanding of course concepts.

View UX for Business: How to Design Valuable Digital... on Amazon

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Read the preface and introduction.
Read chapters 1-3.
Complete the activities at the end of each chapter.

Watch UX Design Tutorials on YouTube

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Provides additional exposure to UX design concepts and best practices.

Browse courses on YouTube

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Search for UX design tutorials on YouTube.
Watch 5-10 tutorials.
Take notes on key concepts and techniques.

Three other activities

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Show all six activities

Read Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

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Provides foundational understanding of human-centered design principles, enhancing empathy for users.

View Things That Make Us Smart: Defending Human... on Amazon

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Read the preface and introduction.
Read chapters 1-3.
Complete the exercises at the end of each chapter.

Design a Prototype for a Mobile App

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Applies UX research and design concepts to develop a prototype, solidifying understanding of the design process.

Browse courses on User Research

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Identify the target users and their needs.
Sketch out a user flow.
Create a wireframe.
Create a prototype.

Create a UX Portfolio

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Synthesizes learning and showcases UX design abilities, preparing students for professional development.

Browse courses on UX Portfolio

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Gather your best UX design work.
Create a portfolio website.
Write case studies for each project.
Get feedback on your portfolio from other designers.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to UX Design MasterTrack Certificate Program will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

User Researcher

User Researchers are responsible for researching, designing, and conducting user experience research to improve digital products and services. This course is particularly relevant to this role because it provides a strong foundation in user research methods, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to identify and address user needs throughout the product development process.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Researcher

UX Designer

UX Designers are responsible for designing and developing the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of digital products and services. This course is highly relevant to this role because it provides a comprehensive overview of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to create user-centered designs that are both usable and engaging.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Interaction Designer

Interaction Designers are responsible for designing the way that users interact with digital products and services. This course is highly relevant to this role because it provides a strong foundation in interaction design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to create intuitive and engaging user experiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interaction Designer

User Experience Researcher

User Experience Researchers are responsible for conducting research to understand user needs and behaviors. This course is highly relevant to this role because it provides a strong foundation in user research methods, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct user research studies effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Researcher

Design Researcher

Design Researchers are responsible for conducting research to inform the design of products and services. This course is highly relevant to this role because it provides a strong foundation in user research methods, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct design research studies effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Design Researcher

Information Architect

Information Architects are responsible for organizing and structuring information in a way that makes it easy for users to find and understand. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to design and develop information architectures that are both usable and effective.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect

Technical Writer

Technical Writers are responsible for writing and editing technical documentation, such as user manuals, help files, and training materials. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to write and edit technical documentation that is both clear and concise.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns to promote products and services. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to develop and execute marketing campaigns that are both effective and engaging.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for leading and managing sales teams to achieve sales targets. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to lead and manage sales teams effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Customer Success Manager

Customer Success Managers are responsible for building and maintaining relationships with customers to ensure their satisfaction. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to build and maintain relationships with customers effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Success Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts are responsible for analyzing business processes and systems to identify opportunities for improvement. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to analyze business processes and systems effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and executing projects to achieve specific goals. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to plan, organize, and execute projects effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts are responsible for testing software applications to ensure they meet quality standards. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to test software applications effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for managing the development and launch of digital products and services. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a broad overview of the product development process, including user research, design, and testing. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to manage product development projects successfully.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing software applications. This course may be useful for this role because it provides a basic understanding of UX design principles and best practices. By taking this course, you will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to design and develop software applications that are both usable and efficient.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Reading list

We've selected 15 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Introduction to UX Design MasterTrack Certificate Program.

The Elements of User Experience

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Provides a comprehensive overview of the UX design process. It great read for those who want to learn more about the different stages of UX design. This book is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions or by industry professionals.

The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered...

Introduction to UX Design MasterTrack Certificate Program

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Solid foundation for aspiring ux professionals

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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