Creative Design, Prototyping, and Testing from Coursera

Designing the customer and user experience is essential to creating great products today. Gone is the old paradigm of “form follows function” model of design. The process must be iterative and follow the best product design and development processes. While designing a great user experience can be a lengthy and expensive process, there are approaches to doing it faster and smarter, without compromising results.

This essential product management course explains key design thinking principles around personas, story mapping, and prototyping. Product managers need to know and appreciate product designer tools and processes. By combining these principles with good scrum processes, you’ll learn to create great products that don’t sacrifice design for functionality or feasibility.

This course enables students to transition from ideas to prototyping and concept testing of their products and services. Students learn how best to effectively translate ideas into marketable offerings so that the best product and service ideas are harnessed and create real value for customers and the organization. Emphasis is placed on an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to engineering design, concurrent engineering, design for manufacturing, industrial design, and the business of new product development. Topics include design methods, modeling and simulation, material and manufacturing process selection, platform and modular design, mass customization, planning and scheduling.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to Creative Design, Prototyping, and Testing

Get acquainted with the learning experience and course format, meet the faculty, and connect with classmates from across the globe.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops ideas into prototypes and concepts for testing of student products or services

Investigates concept generation and selection

Emphasizes an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to engineering design

Taught by Dr. James V. Green and Cait von Schnetlage

Examines robust design considerations

Teaches prototyping and user experience principles

Reviews summary

Practical product design & prototyping

According to students, this course offers a comprehensive introduction to creative design and prototyping, particularly benefiting those in product management or design roles. Learners appreciate the course's practical approach, emphasizing design thinking principles like personas and story mapping, and the iterative product development process. While many find the content highly relevant and immediately applicable to their professional work, some suggest that more advanced topics or deeper dives into specific prototyping tools could enhance the learning experience. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for translating ideas into marketable offerings.

Some topics could benefit from more advanced content.

"While excellent for an overview, I wished for more in-depth coverage on specific, advanced prototyping software."

"For experienced designers, some sections might feel a bit basic, but it's a solid refresher on fundamentals."

"I enjoyed the course, but I think it could use more detailed examples or case studies for the testing and troubleshooting phase."

Content remains relevant despite evolving industry.

"Even with constant changes in design, the core principles taught here are timeless and incredibly relevant to current industry practices."

"It's impressive how the course manages to stay up-to-date with current product management and design trends."

"This course provided me with a strong foundation in using contemporary design thinking for common product development tasks."

Well-structured modules enhance the learning flow.

"The flow from concept generation to testing was very logical and easy to follow, making complex topics digestible."

"Each module built effectively on the last, providing a coherent learning journey through the entire product lifecycle."

"The way the course is structured with clear objectives for each section made it easy to track my progress and understanding."

Highlights the importance of iterative prototyping.

"The iterative nature of design and prototyping was well-explained, which is crucial for modern product development."

"Learning about different wireframing and prototyping models really helped me understand how to refine designs quickly."

"The emphasis on prototyping and testing cycles taught me how to accelerate our product development process without compromising quality."

Introduces core design thinking principles effectively.

"The modules on personas and story mapping were incredibly clear and provided a strong foundation for understanding user needs."

"I learned so much about design thinking, from concept generation to robust design considerations. It’s a great starting point."

"The course did an excellent job of demystifying the design thinking process, making it accessible even for those new to the field."

Focuses on real-world applicability for product roles.

"I found the course extremely useful for my role as a product manager; the concepts are directly applicable to my daily tasks."

"The course's emphasis on taking ideas to marketable products was a game-changer for me. I can immediately apply these strategies."

"This course gave me practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work and the development of new offerings."

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 Creative Design, Prototyping, and Testing with these activities:

Follow online tutorials on user experience design

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Supplement your learning with structured online tutorials covering specific UX design topics.

Browse courses on User Experience

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Identify a specific UX design topic you want to learn more about.
Find and watch online tutorials on that topic.
Follow along with the tutorials and apply the techniques to your own projects.

Practice basic UX principles

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Prepare yourself for the upcoming course by practicing fundamental UX principles, like user-centered design and information architecture.

Browse courses on User Experience

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Read an article on the basics of UX design.
Identify the user persona for a product or service you use.
Create a simple wireframe for a website or app.

Create a UX design resource list

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Organize and share valuable UX design resources with your peers.

Browse courses on Product Development

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Gather a collection of useful UX design resources (e.g., articles, books, tools).
Create a document or online platform to organize the resources.
Share the resource list with your peers or upload it to an online community.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Read Design Thinking for Innovation

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Gain deeper insights into the design thinking process, which is a crucial aspect of product and user experience design.

View Innovation by Design: How Any Organization Can... on Amazon

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Read Chapter 1: What is Design Thinking?
Summarize the five stages of the design thinking process.
Identify a problem you're facing and apply the design thinking process to solve it.

Participate in a UX design discussion forum

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Connect with peers and professionals to discuss best practices, challenges, and trends in user experience design.

Browse courses on UX Design

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Join a UX design discussion forum (e.g., UX Stack Exchange, Dribbble).
Ask a question or share your thoughts on a UX design topic.
Engage in discussions with other members.

Use a prototyping tool

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Enhance your understanding of prototyping tools and techniques by practicing with a real-world example.

Browse courses on Prototyping

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Choose a prototyping tool (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, Proto.io).
Create a prototype for a product or feature you're working on.
Get feedback on your prototype from peers or colleagues.

Design a user interface for a mobile app

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Apply your knowledge to a practical project by designing a user interface for a mobile app.

Browse courses on User Interface Design

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Choose a target audience and define the purpose of the app.
Sketch out wireframes for the app's key screens.
Create a high-fidelity prototype of the app's UI.

Attend a UX design workshop

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Immerse yourself in a real-world UX design setting by attending a workshop.

Browse courses on Product Development

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Identify and register for a UX design workshop.
Attend the workshop and actively participate in exercises and discussions.
Apply the learnings from the workshop to your projects.

Career center

Learners who complete Creative Design, Prototyping, and Testing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and success of new products. They work with engineers, designers, and marketers to ensure that products meet the needs of customers. This course provides a foundation in the principles of product design and development, which are essential for effective Product Managers. Students will learn about user experience design, prototyping, and testing, all of which are critical skills for Product Managers in today's competitive market.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Design Engineer

Design Engineers use their knowledge of engineering principles and design software to create new products. They work closely with Product Managers and other engineers to ensure that products are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of engineering design, including modeling and simulation, material selection, and manufacturing processes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Design Engineer

User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers are responsible for designing the user interface of products. They work with Product Managers and engineers to ensure that products are easy to use and enjoyable. This course provides a foundation in the principles of user experience design, including wireframing, prototyping, and testing.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Designer

Industrial Designer

Industrial Designers are responsible for the design of physical products. They work with engineers and other designers to create products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This course provides a foundation in the principles of industrial design, including ergonomics, materials science, and manufacturing processes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Industrial Designer

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineers design and develop mechanical systems and components. They work with other engineers to ensure that products are both functional and efficient. This course provides a foundation in the principles of mechanical engineering, including dynamics, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mechanical Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineers design and develop electrical systems and components. They work with other engineers to ensure that products are both functional and efficient. This course provides a foundation in the principles of electrical engineering, including electromagnetism, circuits, and electronics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Electrical Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design and develop software systems and applications. They work with other engineers to ensure that products are both functional and efficient. This course provides a foundation in the principles of software engineering, including software architecture, design patterns, and programming languages.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Manufacturing Engineer

Manufacturing Engineers design and develop manufacturing processes and systems. They work with other engineers and technicians to ensure that products are manufactured efficiently and cost-effectively. This course provides a foundation in the principles of manufacturing engineering, including production planning, quality control, and supply chain management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Manufacturing Engineer

Operations Manager

Operations Managers plan and coordinate the activities of an organization. They work with other managers to ensure that the organization's goals are achieved efficiently and effectively. This course provides a foundation in the principles of operations management, including project management, quality management, and supply chain management.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan and execute projects. They work with other stakeholders to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. This course provides a foundation in the principles of project management, including project planning, risk management, and stakeholder management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Quality Manager

Quality Managers ensure that products and services meet customer requirements. They work with other stakeholders to develop and implement quality control systems. This course provides a foundation in the principles of quality management, including quality planning, quality assurance, and quality improvement.

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Supply Chain Manager

Supply Chain Managers plan and manage the flow of goods and services from suppliers to customers. They work with other stakeholders to ensure that the supply chain is efficient and cost-effective. This course provides a foundation in the principles of supply chain management, including inventory management, transportation, and warehousing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Supply Chain Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts work with stakeholders to understand their business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. They work with other stakeholders to develop and implement business solutions. This course provides a foundation in the principles of business analysis, including requirements gathering, process modeling, and solution design.

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Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts work with stakeholders to understand their business needs and develop systems that meet those needs. They work with other stakeholders to develop and implement systems solutions. This course provides a foundation in the principles of systems analysis, including requirements gathering, system design, and system implementation.

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IT Manager

IT Managers plan and coordinate the activities of an organization's IT department. They work with other managers to ensure that the organization's IT goals are achieved efficiently and effectively. This course provides a foundation in the principles of IT management, including IT strategy, IT governance, and IT service management.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Manager