Successful user experiences require a sophisticated understanding of human behaviour, user-friendly interface designs, and the ability to translate vague user requirements into coherent digital solutions. A key component of the Microsoft UX Design Professional Certificate, this course, Build Your Design and Product Expertise, explores this complex process by providing students with advanced techniques in information architecture, design ideation, and user research. By creating journey maps, storyboards, and user flow diagrams, participants will use ‘Design Thinking’ to create experiences that are both practical and user-focused. Under the guidance of professionals in the field and supported by practical projects, this course equips students to grasp the intricacies of contemporary UX design and create solutions that address pressing issues.

Module 1 : User Research and Empathy Building

This module focuses on the design thinking process's ‘Empathise’ stage, highlighting how important user research is to producing meaningful user experiences. Learners use a systematic research approach to examine both generative and evaluative techniques, such as user interviews, observations, and empathy mapping. By converting user data into useful insights, learners will explore a variety of research methodologies and cultivate empathy. Through the acquisition of skills like empathy mapping and persona development, participants will be prepared to create solutions that are profoundly influenced by the people they are meant to assist.

Duration: 3 hours

Readings: 8

Videos: 9

Assignments: 6

Module 2 : User Needs Assessment

This module explores the design thinking process's second stage, "Define," where the emphasis moves from gathering data to interpreting it. At this stage, learners learn how to translate raw research findings into clear, actionable user needs that drive design direction. In order to reduce vast amounts of research data into coherent, significant themes, the module focuses on techniques like affinity diagramming and insight clustering. Ultimately, this module equips learners with the critical thinking and synthesis skills required to bridge the gap between user research and design, laying the groundwork for thoughtful, user-centred innovation.

Duration: 3 hours

Readings: 4

Videos: 7

Assignments: 6

Module 3 : Design Ideation

This module examines the design thinking process's ‘Ideate’ stage, where potential solutions are produced by combining creativity, experimentation, and innovation. Learners are led through a variety of ideation techniques intended to foster divergent thinking and push the limits of traditional problem-solving, all while building upon the user needs identified in the previous phase. The emphasis is on producing a large number of ideas, promoting experimentation without passing judgement, and valuing both individual and group creativity.

Duration: 7 hours

Readings: 15

Videos: 28

Assignments: 7

Module 4 : Storyboarding

This module explores the critical step of converting identified needs and user research into organised, visual communication tools that guide design decisions. Through an emphasis on information architecture and storytelling, students will learn how to craft gripping tales that capture user experiences and simplify intricate user interactions. By leveraging techniques such as storyboarding, user flow diagrams, and journey mapping, learners will learn to represent the user's path through a product or service in a clear, intuitive, and visually engaging format.

Duration: 4 hours

Readings: 3

Videos: 10

Assignments: 4

Module 5 : Information Architecture

This module inspects the strategic discipline of information architecture (IA), focusing on how to transform user research and needs into structured, navigable systems that enhance user experience. As the last stage of the design thinking process, it builds on earlier insights to create rational frameworks for arranging content and directing users through digital spaces. By combining theory and practical experience, students will acquire a thorough understanding of how to organise information so that it is clear, easy to access, and in line with user objectives.

Duration: 6 hours

Readings: 8

Videos: 11

Assignments: 8

COURSE OVERVIEW

Platform: Coursera

Duration: 2 weeks

Difficulty: Beginner

Flexibility: Self-paced