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There are 4 modules in this course
Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts is the fourth course in a certificate program that will equip you with the skills you need to apply to entry-level jobs in user experience (UX) design. In this course, you will learn how to plan and conduct a usability study to gather feedback about designs. Then, you will modify your low-fidelity designs based on insights from your research.
Current UX designers and researchers at Google will serve as your instructors, and you will complete hands-on activities that simulate real-world UX design scenarios. Learners who complete the courses in this certificate program should be equipped to apply for entry-level jobs as UX designers.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Plan a UX research study, including the project background, research goals, research questions, Key Performance Indicators, methodology, participants, and script.
- Explain the importance of respecting privacy and user data.
- Conduct a moderated and unmoderated usability study.
- Take notes during a usability study.
- Create affinity diagrams to group and analyze data.
- Synthesize observations from research and come up with insights.
- Develop persuasive presentation skills to share research insights.
- Modify low-fidelity designs based on research insights.
- Continue to design a mobile app to include in your professional portfolio.
To be successful in this course, you should complete the previous three courses in the certificate program. Or, you need to have an ability to conduct user research to inform the creation of empathy maps, personas, user stories, user journey maps, problem statements, and value propositions; as well as an ability to create wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes on paper and in Figma.
Learn how to plan a UX research study! There are seven elements that your plan should include: the project background, research goals, research questions, key performance indicators, methodology, participants, and the script or questions you’ll ask participants. You'll explore each of these elements in detail, and you'll create your own research plan to test the designs you developed in the previous course of the certificate program. You'll also learn how to respect user privacy and data when conducting UX research.
What's included
14 videos15 readings4 assignments1 plugin
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 58 minutes
Introduction to Course 4: Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts•2 minutes
Samar - Working as a self- taught UX Researcher•5 minutes
Jason - My journey to UX•5 minutes
Understand the UX research process•4 minutes
Get to know the seven elements of a research plan •6 minutes
Start building a research plan: project background, research goals, and research questions•7 minutes
Continue building a research plan: KPIs •4 minutes
Continue building a research plan: Methodology•2 minutes
Continue building a research plan: Participants•4 minutes
Finish building a research plan: Script•6 minutes
Make privacy a part of UX practices•5 minutes
Understand privacy issues •4 minutes
Vanessa - Ethics, privacy, and data in the real world •4 minutes
Wrap-up: Planning UX research studies•1 minute
15 readings•Total 86 minutes
Welcome to Course 4•8 minutes
Helpful resources and tips•4 minutes
Research is Part of the Test Phase•4 minutes
Language and communication in UX research•8 minutes
UX research plan template•4 minutes
Example research plan: Project background, research goals, and research questions•4 minutes
Learn more about KPIs •8 minutes
Example research plan: KPIs•4 minutes
Learn more about methodology•8 minutes
Recruit a diverse participant pool •8 minutes
Example research plan: Methodology and participants•4 minutes
Assistive technology for participants with disabilities •8 minutes
Example research plan: Script•4 minutes
Example UX research plans •8 minutes
Glossary terms from course 4, module 1•2 minutes
4 assignments•Total 82 minutes
Module 1 Challenge•60 minutes
Test your knowledge on UX research plans•8 minutes
Test your knowledge on UX research participants and scripts•6 minutes
Test your knowledge on user data and privacy•8 minutes
1 plugin•Total 30 minutes
Identify stages of UX research •30 minutes
Conducting research with usability studies
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
Conducting research with participants to get feedback about your designs is critical. In this part of the course, you'll conduct a usability study, which is a research method that assesses how easy it is for participants to complete core tasks in a design. You'll also explore how to reduce bias and be inclusive when conducting usability studies. And, you'll take notes while observing participants in a usability study.
What's included
18 videos6 readings6 assignments
Show info about module content
18 videos•Total 68 minutes
Welcome to module 2•1 minute
Introduction to usability studies•4 minutes
Conduct moderated and unmoderated usability studies•5 minutes
Introduction to a mock unmoderated usability study •1 minute
Participant A - Mock usability study •6 minutes
Participant B - Mock usability study •4 minutes
Participant C - Mock usability study •5 minutes
Participant D - Mock usability study •5 minutes
Participant E - Mock usability study •3 minutes
Explore usability study best practices: Before the study begins•5 minutes
Explore usability study best practices: During the study •2 minutes
Deana - My job as a UX researcher•3 minutes
Identify biases when interviewing usability study participants •4 minutes
Reduce bias in interviews•5 minutes
Introduction to note-taking methods during usability studies •6 minutes
Use a spreadsheet to take notes•7 minutes
Chikezie - My journey to UX •2 minutes
Wrap-up: Conducting research with usability studies•1 minute
6 readings•Total 42 minutes
Learn more about usability studies •8 minutes
Explore the advantages and disadvantages of usability studies•8 minutes
Learn more about usability study best practices•8 minutes
Learn more about reducing bias in interviews•8 minutes
Review: Take notes during a mock usability study for the Gmail labels feature•8 minutes
Glossary terms from course 4, module 2•2 minutes
6 assignments•Total 94 minutes
Module 2 Challenge•60 minutes
Test your knowledge on the importance of usability studies •6 minutes
Test your knowledge on usability study best practices•6 minutes
Test your knowledge on potential biases during interview moderation•6 minutes
Self-Reflection: Reduce bias in your interviews•10 minutes
Test your knowledge on bias during interviews•6 minutes
Analyzing and synthesizing research results
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
After you conduct a usability study, you'll have a ton of feedback from participants. In this part of the course, you'll analyze and synthesize all of the feedback from your research. You'll gather data and observations in one place, organize the data using an affinity diagram, find themes, and come up with actionable insights.
What's included
8 videos5 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 23 minutes
From observations to insights•2 minutes
Case study: Improving design at Google•4 minutes
Developing insights•3 minutes
Gather and organize data •4 minutes
Patterns and themes in research data•3 minutes
Qualities of strong insights •4 minutes
Utkarsh - Develop insights from usability studies•3 minutes
Wrap-up: Analyzing and synthesizing research results•1 minute
5 readings•Total 20 minutes
Learn more about creating affinity diagrams•8 minutes
Review: Create an affinity diagram for the Gmail labels feature project•2 minutes
Review: Identify patterns and themes for the Gmail labels feature project•4 minutes
Review: Form insights from data for the Gmail labels feature project•4 minutes
Glossary terms from course 4, module 3•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 68 minutes
Module 3 Challenge•60 minutes
Test your knowledge on synthesizing data into insights•4 minutes
Test your knowledge on strong insights•4 minutes
Sharing research insights for better designs
Module 4•5 hours to complete
Module details
It's time to let your hard work shine in the spotlight! You’re ready to share and promote the insights from your research. In this part of the course, you’ll learn techniques for presenting insights to various audiences, and you'll improve your presentation skills to grab your audience's attention. In addition, you'll iterate on your designs, which means making revisions to create new-and-improved designs, based on insights from your research.
What's included
9 videos10 readings6 assignments1 plugin
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 30 minutes
Organize insights for sharing•1 minute
Choose a format for sharing insights•2 minutes
Create a strong presentation •9 minutes
Presentation tips•3 minutes
Heather - Deliver research insights •3 minutes
Modify low-fidelity designs based on insights•6 minutes
How to make research-based design changes•3 minutes
Wrap-up: Sharing research insights for better designs•1 minute
Congratulations on completing Course 4: Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts•1 minute
10 readings•Total 64 minutes
Tips for creating a strong presentation •8 minutes
Overcome stage fright •8 minutes
Tips for giving an effective presentation•8 minutes
Examples of great public speakers •8 minutes
Glossary terms from course 4, module 4•4 minutes
Portfolio project guide for testing prototypes•10 minutes
Review: How to create and deliver a presentation for your portfolio project research•10 minutes
Reflect and connect with your peers•4 minutes
Course 4 glossary•2 minutes
Start the next course•2 minutes
6 assignments•Total 186 minutes
Module 4 Challenge•60 minutes
Test your knowledge on presenting research insights•6 minutes
Activity: Build a research plan for your portfolio project•30 minutes
Activity: Conduct a usability study for your portfolio project•30 minutes
Activity: Turn observations into insights for your portfolio project•30 minutes
Activity: Update your portfolio project research presentation•30 minutes
1 plugin•Total 30 minutes
Present research findings•30 minutes
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Learner reviews
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6,044 reviews
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B
B
5·
Reviewed on Apr 20, 2024
All of the lectures and readings are very helpful, and teaches you about how to conduct a research and synthesize all of the things that you learnt when conducting research. I loveeee it!
E
EA
5·
Reviewed on Feb 6, 2022
The course gives you best practices while doing UX research. With the usability study templates, you are able to summarise all of the participants' key insights and recommendations.
K
KJ
5·
Reviewed on Oct 27, 2022
This course has so many interesting topics which help me to polish my skills as a UX designer and make me feel like a good UX designer. Thanks for providing me with such descriptive topics.
User experience (UX) designers focus on the experience that users have while using products like websites, apps, and physical objects. UX designers make those everyday interactions useful, enjoyable, and accessible. The role of an entry-level UX designer might include coming up with ideas to address user problems, conducting research with users, and designing wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.
If you enjoy talking to and empathizing with people, drawing, thinking creatively, or paying attention to details, a job as a UX designer might be a good fit for you!
Alternatively, you should have experience conducting user research in order to empathize with user needs and determine specific user pain points. You also need to have the ability to create personas, user stories, and user journey maps, as well as draft problem statements and value propositions. You need to know how to create wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes on paper and in the design tool Figma. If you are unfamiliar with any of these topics, they are covered in earlier courses of the Google UX Design Certificate.
What tools or platforms are included in the curriculum?
Figma and Adobe XD are the design tools taught in this certificate program. Spreadsheets, word processing applications, and presentation applications will also be used. Throughout the program, you will create a professional portfolio, using the platform of your choice, to showcase your UX design work.
Which jobs will this certificate help me prepare for?
One of the most exciting parts about joining the field of user experience is the large number of job opportunities available. Nearly every company needs UX designers to help create their digital and physical products. While the need for UX designers continues to grow, there is currently a shortage of UX design professionals to fill those roles.
A career in UX design allows you the opportunity to work as a generalist, finding a role as a UX designer, UI designer, or UX researcher, or as a specialist, like a visual designer or interaction designer. Upon completion of this certificate program, you will be able to search for jobs with all of these titles, and find the role that best suits you.
Do I need to take the course in a certain order?
This is the fourth of seven courses in the Google UX Design Certificate. We highly recommend completing the seven courses in this certificate program in the order presented, because the content and applications in each course build on information presented and practiced in earlier courses.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Certificate?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.