Understanding the Value of Human-Centered Design from Coursera

Human-centered design is an approach that focuses on human needs, goals, and experiences to frame problems, develop solutions, and coordinate resources. Through a series of videos, activities, and reflection, learners will develop an appreciation for the value and impact of human-centered design as well as begin to understand what investment is required to practice it well. The course prepares learners to collaborate with human-centered design practitioners and deepen their own practice.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to

- Understand concepts around gathering and synthesizing data about human attitudes, behaviors, and circumstances to match research methods to specific goals and subjects and then synthesize data into actionable frameworks that guide the design process,

- Recognize human-centered issues and value understanding people's experiences,

- Extract insights from diverse data for effective design,

- Communicate ideas clearly to build strong connections and create a well-shaped narrative that integrates human empathy to gain buy-in and cooperation for design solutions,

- Create ecosystem maps that identify key stakeholders and strategies to engage stakeholders effectively by considering their unique perspectives and expertise, ultimately leading to inclusive and coordinated actions for successful design implementation,

- Generate varied ideas, create prototypes, set goals, ask precise questions, and nurture a safe environment for innovative thinking and solution exploration.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Introduction and Module 1: How to Navigate Ambiguity

Human-centered design is an approach that focuses on human needs, goals, and experiences to frame problems, develop solutions, and coordinate resources. Through a series of hands-on exercises and group reflection, learners will develop an appreciation for the impact human-centered design can make and begin to understand what investment is required to practice it well. This course is relevant to anyone who works with humans to achieve things for humans, regardless of title or field, and prepares them to collaborate with human-centered design practitioners and deepen their own practice.

How to Work Strategically

Learners explore how to identify needs by gathering data from people and interpreting that data. After understanding the cost of solving the wrong problem, learners discover what kind of data is valuable to gather and what methods might be best suited for gathering that data. Learners then have a hands-on experience gathering that data themselves. Through the gathered data, learners collaborate regarding needs to be interpreted and methods for doing so. Using one of the methods, learners arrive at a problem statement to address in the next module. Finally, learners use their naïve solution and individual goals to reflect on the value of design thinking and how it might apply to their daily work.

How to Understand Needs

Learners explore opportunities by facilitating generation and iteration of ideas. After learning about the relationship between psychological safety, creativity, and evaluation, they are shown methods for facilitating psychological safety for idea generation and prioritization. Learners then use these methods to generate and prioritize ideas. Learners will consider the undesirable cost of building the wrong solution and how strategic failure can reduce those costs. Learners also explore methods of strategic failure that identify and fill gaps in solutions, then apply those to their prioritized idea to refine it. Finally, learners use their naïve solution and individual goals to reflect on the value of design thinking and how it might apply to their daily work.

How to Explore Possibilities

Learners will understand how make their ideas happen once they have the right one. They reflect on their change in thinking since the beginning of the course and reflect on what was formative in this growth. Learners practice how to identify stakeholders. They also learn why stakeholders are important, and what stakeholders’ concerns might be. After mapping out stakeholders and diving deeper into a specific stakeholder’s perspective, learners analyze the utility of narratives and how to make a powerful narrative by considering human needs and organizational constraints. With that information, learners create and present a narrative aimed at their aforementioned specific stakeholder. Learners are presented with an overview to review ideas and strategies they have explored and experienced in the four modules, and then do a final reflection on how these may be applied to their daily work.

How to Coordinate Action

In this module, learners consider how to analyze and guide the collaborative process to ensure diverse perspectives contribute to achieving a shared goal. Learners practice coordinating action between various stakeholders, who each have unique expertise and viewpoints.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores human-centered design across diverse data for effective design

Taught by instructors with expertise in the field of human-centered design

Provides methods for effective data gathering and synthesis

Develops skills in stakeholder engagement and idea generation

Features multi-modal learning materials, including videos, activities, and discussions

Suitable for learners from various backgrounds and disciplines

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 Understanding the Value of Human-Centered Design with these activities:

Practice gathering and synthesizing data

Show steps

Enhance your ability to gather and interpret data, a fundamental skill in human-centered design.

Browse courses on Data Gathering

Show steps

Familiarize yourself with different data collection methods.
Develop a data collection plan for a specific project.

Connect with a mentor who is actively working in the field of human-centered design

Show steps

Gain insights and advice from an experienced professional to support your learning journey.

Browse courses on Mentorship

Show steps

Identify potential mentors through professional networks, online platforms, or industry events.
Reach out to mentors and express your interest and specific areas of interest.
Set up regular meetings or calls to discuss your progress and seek guidance.

Participate in a human-centered design challenge

Show steps

Apply human-centered design principles through a practical challenge, fostering collaboration and problem-solving.

Browse courses on Design Thinking

Show steps

Collaborate with peers to define a design problem.
Develop and iterate on design solutions.
Present and receive feedback on design outcomes.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Explore best practices for stakeholder engagement

Show steps

Enhance your understanding of stakeholder engagement techniques, essential for effective human-centered design implementation.

Browse courses on Stakeholder Analysis

Show steps

Review online tutorials and articles on stakeholder engagement.
Identify and analyze different stakeholder groups.
Develop strategies for engaging stakeholders in the design process.

Attend a workshop on human-centered design tools and techniques

Show steps

Enhance your knowledge and skills by attending a workshop led by experts in human-centered design.

Browse courses on Advanced Techniques

Show steps

Research and identify workshops relevant to your interests and career goals.
Attend the workshop and actively participate in exercises and discussions.
Network with professionals in the field and exchange ideas.
Implement the learnings from the workshop into your own practice.

Volunteer at a local organization focused on human-centered design

Show steps

Gain hands-on experience and contribute to real-world human-centered design projects through volunteering.

Browse courses on Community Involvement

Show steps

Identify and contact local organizations working in human-centered design.
Inquire about volunteer opportunities and align your skills with their needs.
Actively participate in projects and contribute to the design process.
Reflect on your experiences and connect them to the course concepts.

Create a case study on a successful human-centered design implementation

Show steps

Deepen your understanding of human-centered design through a case study, examining its real-world applications and outcomes.

Browse courses on Case Study Analysis

Show steps

Identify a case study of a successful human-centered design project.
Analyze the design process, challenges, and outcomes.
Present your case study and insights to the class.

Develop a human-centered design process framework for your organization

Show steps

Apply your learnings to create a practical framework that can be implemented within your own organization.

Show steps

Assess the current design process and identify areas for improvement.
Research and explore best practices in human-centered design frameworks.
Develop and document a tailored framework for your organization.
Present and advocate for the adoption of the framework.

Career center

Learners who complete Understanding the Value of Human-Centered Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

UX Designer

A UX Designer designs and improves the user experience of digital products, from websites to software to mobile apps. Human-centered design is fundamental to UX Design. This course helps UX designers develop an appreciation for the value and impact of human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Product Manager

A Product Manager manages all aspects of a product, from ideation to launch to maintenance. Human-centered design is essential for Product Managers who need to understand the needs of their users and create products that meet those needs. This course helps Product Managers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Design Researcher

A Design Researcher conducts research to understand the needs of users and inform the design of products and services. Human-centered design is the foundation of Design Research. This course helps Design Researchers develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct human-centered research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Design Researcher

User Experience Researcher

A User Experience Researcher conducts research to understand the user experience of products and services. Human-centered design is essential for User Experience Researchers who need to understand the needs of their users and create products that meet those needs. This course helps User Experience Researchers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Researcher

Human Factors Engineer

A Human Factors Engineer designs and evaluates products and systems to ensure that they are safe, efficient, and effective for human users. Human-centered design is fundamental to Human Factors Engineering. This course helps Human Factors Engineers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Factors Engineer

Service Designer

A Service Designer designs and improves the experience of services, from healthcare to education to retail. Human-centered design is essential for Service Designers who need to understand the needs of their users and create services that meet those needs. This course helps Service Designers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Service Designer

Interaction Designer

An Interaction Designer designs the way that users interact with products and services. Human-centered design is fundamental to Interaction Design. This course helps Interaction Designers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interaction Designer

Information Architect

An Information Architect organizes and structures information to make it easy for users to find and understand. Human-centered design is essential for Information Architects who need to understand the needs of their users and create information architectures that meet those needs. This course helps Information Architects develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect

User Researcher

A User Researcher conducts research to understand the needs of users and inform the design of products and services. Human-centered design is essential for User Researchers who need to understand the needs of their users and create products that meet those needs. This course helps User Researchers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Researcher

Ethnographer

An Ethnographer studies the behavior and culture of people in order to understand their needs and motivations. Human-centered design is essential for Ethnographers who need to understand the needs of their users and create products that meet those needs. This course helps Ethnographers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Ethnographer

Customer Experience Manager

A Customer Experience Manager manages the customer experience across all touchpoints, from marketing to sales to support. Human-centered design is essential for Customer Experience Managers who need to understand the needs of their customers and create experiences that meet those needs. This course helps Customer Experience Managers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Experience Manager

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst analyzes business needs and develops solutions to improve business processes. Human-centered design is essential for Business Analysts who need to understand the needs of their users and create solutions that meet those needs. This course helps Business Analysts develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, executes, and closes projects. Human-centered design is essential for Project Managers who need to understand the needs of their stakeholders and create projects that meet those needs. This course helps Project Managers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager develops and executes marketing campaigns to promote products and services. Human-centered design is essential for Marketing Managers who need to understand the needs of their customers and create marketing campaigns that appeal to them. This course helps Marketing Managers develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Consultant

A Consultant provides advice and expertise to clients on a wide range of topics. Human-centered design is essential for Consultants who need to understand the needs of their clients and create solutions that meet those needs. This course helps Consultants develop the skills and knowledge needed to practice human-centered design.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant