User Experience Research and Design Specialization Course Syllabus

Overview: This specialization provides a beginner-friendly introduction to user experience (UX) research and design, guiding learners through the full UX process—from understanding user needs to designing and testing interactive prototypes. Comprising six modules, the program takes approximately 72 hours to complete and is designed for self-paced learning. Each module builds practical skills in UX principles, research methods, design ideation, and evaluation techniques, culminating in a comprehensive capstone project that demonstrates real-world application of UX concepts.

Module 1: Introduction to User Experience Principles and Processes

Estimated time: 11 hours

• Understand the fundamentals of UX design and UX research
• Explore key design principles based on human behavior and capabilities
• Learn best practices for creating usable and accessible experiences
• Incorporate user-centered thinking into the design lifecycle

Module 2: Understanding User Needs

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Assess user needs through qualitative research methods
• Conduct semi-structured interviews to gather insights
• Perform in-situ observations to understand real-world behavior
• Organize findings using affinity walls for pattern recognition

Module 3: Evaluating Designs with Users

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Identify appropriate user testing methods for different design stages
• Design and execute effective usability tests
• Collect and interpret qualitative and quantitative feedback
• Report testing results to inform iterative design improvements

Module 4: UX Design: From Concept to Prototype

Estimated time: 15 hours

• Define and scope design problems based on user needs
• Create user stories and storyboards to visualize solutions
• Develop low-to-high fidelity mockups and interactive elements
• Build functional prototypes for user testing and feedback

Module 5: UX Research at Scale: Surveys, Analytics, Online Testing

Estimated time: 18 hours

• Apply survey methodology to gather UX insights from large audiences
• Use web analytics to understand user behavior at scale
• Conduct A/B testing to compare design variations
• Run remote unmoderated studies for efficient data collection

Module 6: UX (User Experience) Capstone

Estimated time: 20 hours

• Conduct interviews to identify a real user problem
• Apply ideation, inspection, and prototyping methods to develop a solution
• Test the prototype with users and refine based on feedback

Prerequisites

• No prior experience in UX required
• Basic computer literacy
• Willingness to engage in hands-on design activities

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Understand core UX design and research principles
• Use qualitative research methods to uncover user needs
• Evaluate designs through structured user testing
• Design a complete product from concept to interactive prototype
• Apply user-centered design practices to create engaging experiences