What is a UX designer?

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!

What background is required?

No prior experience with design or specific tools is required. All you need is an interest in creating great user experiences for apps, websites, and physical products!

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?

We highly recommend completing the seven courses in this certificate program in the order presented, as the content in each course builds on information from 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.

Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

3 days left! Save on skills that make you shine with 40% off 3 months of Coursera Plus. Save now

Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

This course is part of Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Instructor: Google Career Certificates

1,696,042 already enrolled

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

75,633 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

99%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

75,633 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

99%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Identify common job responsibilities of entry-level UX designers and other teams you might work with.
Understand foundational concepts in UX design, such as user-centered design, the design process, accessibility, and equity-focused design.
Explain why design sprints are an important and useful part of a UX designer’s work.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

14 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

91% of learners achieved a positive career outcome

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your Design and Product expertise

This course is part of the Google UX Design Professional Certificate

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Professional Certificate.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate from Google

There are 4 modules in this course

Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design is the first of a series of seven courses that will equip you with the skills needed to apply to entry-level jobs in user experience design. UX designers focus on the interactions that people have with products like websites, mobile apps, and physical objects. UX designers make those everyday interactions usable, enjoyable, and accessible. The role of an entry-level UX designer might include empathizing with users, defining their pain points, coming up with ideas for design solutions, creating wireframes, prototypes, and mockups, and testing designs to get feedback.

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. No previous experience is necessary. By the end of this course, you will be able to: - Define the field of UX and explain why it’s important for consumers and businesses. - Understand foundational concepts in UX design, such as user-centered design, the design thinking framework, accessibility, and equity-focused design. - Identify the factors that contribute to great user experience design. - Review common job responsibilities of entry-level UX designers and teams that they work with. - Explore job opportunities and career paths within the field of user experience. - Explain why design sprints are an important and useful part of a UX designer’s work. - Describe common UX research methods. - Identify and account for biases in UX research.

Module details

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. In the first part of this course, you'll be introduced to the world of UX and the factors that contribute to great user experience design. You'll understand the job of a UX designer and teams that UX designers often work with. You’ll also get to know more about the expectations of the Google UX Design Certificate.

What's included

17 videos12 readings3 assignments2 plugins

17 videosTotal 57 minutes

Welcome to the Google UX Design Certificate5 minutes
Introduction to Course 1: Foundations of User Experience Design2 minutes
Get started with your Google UX Design Certificate2 minutes
Welcome to module 1 1 minute
The basics of user experience design5 minutes
Design for good user experience 3 minutes
The product development life cycle 5 minutes
Michael: Get started in UX design2 minutes
Jobs in the field of user experience 5 minutes
Job responsibilities of entry-level UX designers4 minutes
Specialists, generalists, and T-shaped designers4 minutes
Erika - Generalist or specialist designer4 minutes
Work in a cross-functional team2 minutes
Juan - A UX design career journey 4 minutes
UX design jobs at different types of companies4 minutes
From certificate to career success2 minutes
Wrap-up: Introducing user experience design 1 minute

12 readingsTotal 74 minutes

Begin the Google UX Design Certificate8 minutes
Helpful resources and tips4 minutes
Characteristics of good user experience8 minutes
Review: Identify good user experience4 minutes
Learn more about the product development life cycle 8 minutes
User experience careers 8 minutes
Most common UX tools4 minutes
Stay current with the UX industry12 minutes
The role of a beginner UX designer8 minutes
Interact with cross-functional teammates 4 minutes
The influence of company size and industry4 minutes
Glossary terms from module 12 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 101 minutes

Reflection: Your journey to become a UX designer 20 minutes
Test your knowledge of the roles you can pursue in UX design6 minutes
Module 1 Challenge75 minutes

2 pluginsTotal 20 minutes

Participant entry survey10 minutes
Identify a good user experience10 minutes

UX designers always put the user first. In this part of the course, you'll be introduced to user-centered design and one of the design frameworks that UX designers use on the job. You'll also learn about design best practices, including the importance of inclusive design and accessibility when designing. In addition, you'll learn how to think across platforms to design seamless user experiences.

What's included

9 videos5 readings3 assignments

9 videosTotal 37 minutes

Welcome to module 21 minute
Universal design, inclusive design, and equity-focused design 9 minutes
The importance of equity-focused design5 minutes
Get to know platforms 2 minutes
Design for different platforms 4 minutes
User-centered design3 minutes
Assistive technology 6 minutes
Elise - The importance of assistive technology4 minutes
Akhil - Thinking about users new to technology3 minutes

5 readingsTotal 16 minutes

Designing cross-platform experiences4 minutes
Who are my users? 4 minutes
Additional resources on designing for accessibility2 minutes
User-centered design and assistive technology4 minutes
Glossary terms from module 22 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 62 minutes

Test your knowledge on equitable design approaches 6 minutes
Test your knowledge on the user6 minutes
Module 2 Challenge50 minutes

UX designers often participate in design sprints to define the direction of a product. In this part of the course, you'll explore the world of design sprints, including the phases of a design sprint and how to plan and participate in one. You'll also learn about retrospectives, which is a way to constructively reflect on a design sprint and identify areas of improvement to implement next time.

What's included

10 videos10 readings7 assignments1 plugin

10 videosTotal 27 minutes

Welcome to module 31 minute
Introduction to design sprints3 minutes
Five phases of design sprints 5 minutes
Benefits of design sprints 2 minutes
Plan design sprints4 minutes
The design sprint brief 3 minutes
An entry-level designer’s role in a sprint 4 minutes
Jason - All about design sprints2 minutes
Design sprint retrospectives2 minutes
Wrap up module 30 minutes

10 readingsTotal 57 minutes

Design thinking: A UX design framework4 minutes
UX design business requirements4 minutes
Phase 1: Empathize with users4 minutes
Phase 2: Define users’ needs4 minutes
Phase 3: Ideate solutions4 minutes
Phase 4: Prototype solutions4 minutes
Phase 5: Test solutions4 minutes
Learn more about design sprints 12 minutes
Common retrospective questions 15 minutes
Glossary terms from course 1, module 32 minutes

7 assignmentsTotal 120 minutes

Test your knowledge on the design thinking framework30 minutes
Test your knowledge on design sprints8 minutes
Test your knowledge on planning a design sprint6 minutes
Self-Reflection: Identify the benefits of design sprints10 minutes
Self-Reflection: Think through a retrospective for a previous project10 minutes
Test your knowledge on design sprint retrospectives 6 minutes
Module 3 Challenge50 minutes

1 pluginTotal 30 minutes

Organize a design sprint30 minutes

As a UX designer, a portfolio is an opportunity to share your skills and experience with potential employers. Throughout these courses, you will complete activities that guide you through the process of creating your own portfolio website.

What's included

3 videos7 readings1 assignment

3 videosTotal 6 minutes

Introduction to UX design portfolios2 minutes
Lisa - Create a UX design portfolio2 minutes
Congratulations on completing Course 1: Foundations of User Experience Design2 minutes

7 readingsTotal 58 minutes

Introduction to the first portfolio project10 minutes
The portfolio project guide checklist10 minutes
Review: Explore UX design portfolios10 minutes
Choose your portfolio prompt10 minutes
Join the community 4 minutes
Course 1 glossary10 minutes
Start the next course4 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 60 minutes

Submit your choice of portfolio project prompt60 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(29,633 ratings)

Google Career Certificates

Google

386 Courses16,603,848 learners

Offered by

Google

Learner reviews

5 stars
85.77%
4 stars
12.18%
3 stars
1.38%
2 stars
0.28%
1 star
0.37%

Showing 3 of 75633

Reviewed on Apr 18, 2023

I'm happy to share that I have completed my first professional course, "Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design".Thank you, Google Instructors and Coursera, for this fantastic learning experience.

Reviewed on Aug 28, 2022

I learned so much about the foundations of UX design, the various roles and processes that UX designers engage in daily. The overlay of videos, readings, and test modules helped solidify my learning.

Reviewed on Mar 26, 2022

It was so cool to learn new skills online and it was so understandable and thankfull to Google team, Courseera and the technology that helped people like me to get new skills flew in the blood stream.

View more reviews