Intermediate 12 hours English University Certificate
Our recommendation
The University of Michigan's course on user research and design, covering how to plan and run user research and turn findings into better designs. It is a focused, credible grounding in the research side of UX, useful for anyone who wants to design based on real user needs.
Good for: Designers and product people who want to strengthen user research skills.
Less suitable if: You want visual or UI design, or you already run research studies.
Skills you'll gain
User researchUX researchInterviewsUsability testingResearch methodsDesign
Is this course right for you?
A good fit if you…
You want to run user research
You design or build products
You value evidence-based design
Consider something else if you…
You want visual or UI design
You already run research
You want a quick overview
Requirements: Some UX or design familiarity helps; intermediate.
Realistic time: About 12 hours; a few weeks part-time.
About this course
User Research and Design from the University of Michigan covers the research methods that separate intentional UX decisions from guesswork: contextual inquiry, semi-structured interviews, diary studies, surveys, card sorting, and usability testing. Clifford Lampe grounds the methods in their underlying research logic rather than just walking through tool mechanics — you come away understanding not just how to run an interview but what an interview is actually good for versus a survey versus observation.
What you'll learn
Design and conduct semi-structured user interviews
Conduct contextual inquiry and observational research
Design and analyze surveys for UX research purposes
Run card sorting and tree testing sessions
Conduct usability tests and synthesize findings into design recommendations
This course includes
12h
On-demand video
Yes
Certificate
Yes
Mobile access
English
Language
What it costs
Free to audit on Coursera; the certificate needs a subscription (about $49 a month), with financial aid available.
Comparison · LBS
Compare alternatives for User Research and Design
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Issued through Coursera with the University of Michigan. The research skills you build matter most.
Instructor
CL
Clifford Lampe
Coursera instructor
170K+ learners6 courses4.7 instructor rating
Taught by Clifford Lampe, Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information, whose research focuses on social computing and human-computer interaction.