Google User Experience (UX)

Design Certificate

Key Competencies & Job Mapping

Developing talent for in-demand jobs

Nearly two-thirds of all new jobs created since 2010 require

either high- or medium-level digital skills,1 but 1 in 3 American
workers have very limited or no digital skills.2 To help bridge
113K+
in-demand job openings
82%
of Google Career Certificate
that gap, we've trained more than 6 million Americans on in UX design 4 graduates say the program
digital skills to date and invested in building tools and helped them advance their
job search or career within
trainings to help create pathways to high-quality jobs. three to six months 5

Google Career Certificates provide job seekers with access

to more than 1.3 million in-demand jobs3 through rapid
reskilling, without the need for a college degree or prior THE GOOGLE UX DESIGN CERTIFICATE PREPARES
experience in the fields of IT, data analytics, project
LEARNERS FOR IN-DEMAND JOBS SUCH AS:
management, and user experience (UX) design. These
certificates are taught and developed by Google employees
● User Experience (UX) designer
working in these fields, and the content is hands-on,
● User Interface (UI) designer
practical, and rigorous. The certificates can be completed in
● Interaction designer
under six months with less than 10 hours per week.
● Visual designer
● Motion designer
GOOGLE UX DESIGN CERTIFICATE ● Product designer
The Google UX Design Certificate is designed to prepare ● Web designer
learners for entry-level roles in UX design. ● User Experience (UX) researcher

We partnered with industry tools, like Figma and Adobe XD,

and hiring partners to offer resources, provide feedback,
and beta test the certificate content.

1
Brookings, 2017
2
National Skills Coalition, 2020
3
Burning Glass Labor Insights, 2020
4
Burning Glass Labor Insight, February 1, 2020 - January 31, 2021
5
Coursera Learner Data, All time 2
Program overview Course 1
Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

Upon completing the Google UX Design Certificate, Course 2

Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate
program graduates will:
Course 3
● Have a portfolio website that includes 3 end-to-end Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes
projects: a mobile app, a responsive website, and a
cross-platform experience Course 4
Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts
● Dive into working in Figma and Adobe XD, two of the
most in-demand design tools by employers. Course 5
Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma
● Know how to follow the design process: empathize with
users, define pain points, ideate solutions, create Course 6
wireframes and prototypes, test and iterate on designs. Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD

● Understand the basics of UX research, like planning Course 7

research studies, conducting interviews and usability Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs
studies, and synthesizing research results. ___________________________________________________________

CONTENT BREAKDOWN:

374 Videos

User research Wireframe Prototype 228 Readings

235 Quizzes

133 Hands-on Exercises

Test designs Usability studies Create a portfolio

82 Discussion Prompts 3
Course 1 — Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design
SKILLS ACQUIRED:
In this course, we cover foundational UX design terminology and
learners gain a deeper understanding of the role and responsibilities of ❏ Explore the field of user experience (UX)
a UX designer. We also introduce the kinds of jobs learners might ❏ Understand foundational UXD concepts
pursue after completing this program. ❏ Review common job responsibilities of UX
designers and their counterparts
❏ Learn how to participate in design sprints
By the end of this course, learners will be able to: ❏ Start to create an online portfolio and
profiles in online communities
● Define the field of UX and explain why it’s important for
consumers and businesses. TOPICS:
● Understand foundational concepts in UX design, such as
★ Introducing user experience design
user-centered design, the design process, accessibility, and
★ Getting to know common terms, tools,
equity-focused design.
and frameworks in UX design
● Identify the factors that contribute to great UX design.
★ Joining design sprints
● Review common job responsibilities of entry-level UX designers
★ Building a professional presence
and teams that they work with.
● Explore job opportunities and career paths within the field of
CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
user experience.
● Explain why design sprints are an important and useful part of a 50 Videos
UX designer’s work.
● Start to create an online portfolio where they can showcase
their upcoming work. 36 Readings
● Join and participate in online UX communities.
39 Quizzes

8 Hands-on Exercises

13 Discussion Prompts
4
Course 2 — Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate
SKILLS ACQUIRED:
In this course, learners complete the first phases of the design
process for a project that they include in their portfolio. We cover how ❏ Explore common UX research methods
❏ Conduct interviews
to empathize with users and understand their pain points, define user
❏ Empathize with users
needs using problem statements, and propose many ideas for
❏ Define user problems
solutions to those user problems. ❏ Ideate using Crazy Eights, How Might We,
competitive audits, and more
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

● Describe common UX research methods. TOPICS:

● Empathize with users to understand their needs and ★ Integrating research into the design process
pain points. ★ Empathizing with users and
● Create empathy maps, personas, user stories, and user journey defining pain points
maps to understand user needs. ★ Creating user stories and user journey maps
● Develop problem statements to define user needs. ★ Defining user problems
● Generate ideas for possible solutions to user problems. ★ Ideating design solutions
● Conduct competitive audits.
● Identify and account for biases in UX research. CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
● Start designing a mobile app, a new project to include in your
professional UX portfolio. 50 Videos

36 Readings

39 Quizzes

8 Hands-on Exercises

13 Discussion Prompts 5
Course 3 — Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes
SKILLS ACQUIRED:
In this course, learners continue to design a mobile app for their
professional UX portfolio. We start by creating storyboards and getting ❏ Sketch storyboards
❏ Create paper wireframes
familiar with the basics of drawing. Then, we create paper wireframes and
❏ Create digital wireframes in Figma
digital wireframes using the design tool Figma. We also create a paper
❏ Develop paper prototypes
prototype and a digital low-fidelity prototype in Figma. ❏ Develop low-fidelity prototypes in Figma
❏ Identify implicit bias and deceptive
By the end of this course, learners will be able to: patterns

● Develop a goal statement. TOPICS:

● Create two types of storyboards: big picture and close-up.
★ Storyboarding and wireframing
● Understand the difference between low-fidelity and
★ Creating paper and digital wireframes
high-fidelity design.
★ Building low-fidelity prototypes
● Apply the basics of drawing.
● Apply the principles of information architecture to organize a CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
mobile app.
● Create paper wireframes for a mobile app design. 48 Videos
● Develop digital wireframes in the design tool Figma.
● Build a paper prototype to add interactivity to designs.
25 Readings
● Design a low-fidelity prototype in Figma.
● Recognize implicit bias and deceptive patterns in design.
● Continue to design a mobile app to include in your 23 Quizzes
professional portfolio.

13 Hands-on Exercises

8 Discussion Prompts

6
Course 4 — Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts

In this course, you will learn how to plan and conduct a usability study to SKILLS ACQUIRED:
gather feedback about designs. Then, you will modify your low-fidelity ❏ Plan a UX research study
designs based on insights from your research. ❏ Conduct moderated and unmoderated
usability studies
By the end of this course, learners will be able to: ❏ Analyze and synthesize research results
❏ Create affinity diagrams
● Plan a UX research study, including the project background, ❏ Develop persuasive presentation skills
research goals, research questions, Key Performance Indicators, ❏ Understand the importance of respecting
methodology, participants, and script. user privacy and data
● Explain the importance of respecting privacy and user data.
TOPICS:
● Conduct a moderated and unmoderated usability study.
● Take notes during a usability study. ★ Planning UX research studies
● Create affinity diagrams to group and analyze data. ★ Conducting research with usability studies
● Synthesize observations from research and come up ★ Analyzing and synthesizing research results
with insights. ★ Sharing research insights for better designs
● Develop persuasive presentation skills to share
research insights. CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
● Modify low-fidelity designs based on research insights.
● Continue to design a mobile app to include in their 33 Videos
professional portfolio.
23 Readings

22 Quizzes

15 Hands-on Exercises

4 Discussion Prompts
7
Course 5 — Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma
SKILLS ACQUIRED:
In this course, we teach step-by-step tutorials on how to create
❏ Create mockups and high-fidelity
high-fidelity designs, called mockups, in Figma, a popular design tool. prototypes in Figma
Then, we turn those designs into an interactive prototype that works ❏ Apply visual design elements and principles
like a finished product. Learners conduct research to collect feedback ❏ Utilize design systems
about their designs and make improvements. Finally, we cover how to ❏ Explore design critique sessions
share designs with development teams and how learners can highlight ❏ Complete mobile app designs
their work from their professional UX portfolio.
TOPICS:

By the end of this course, learners will be able to understand: ★ Starting to create mockups
★ Applying visual design principles to mockups
● Build mockups and high-fidelity prototypes in Figma. ★ Exploring design systems
● Define and apply common visual design elements ★ Participating in design critique sessions
and principles. ★ Creating high-fidelity prototypes
● Demonstrate how design systems can be used to organize, ★ Testing and iterating on designs
standardize, and enhance designs.
● Understand the role of design critique sessions and feedback CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
while iterating on designs.
● Learn how to hand off finished design projects to 63 Videos
engineering teams.
● Complete mobile app designs to include in a professional
UX portfolio. 43 Readings

34 Quizzes

16 Hands-on Exercises

11 Discussion Prompts
8
Course 6 — Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD
SKILLS ACQUIRED:
In this course, learners design a responsive website using Adobe XD, a
❏ Design in Adobe XD
popular design tool. We cover the design process from beginning to ❏ Apply each step of the design process to
end: empathizing with users, defining their pain points, coming up with create a responsive website
ideas for design solutions, creating wireframes and prototypes, and ❏ Plan information architecture and sitemaps
testing designs to get feedback. By the end of this course, learners ❏ Apply common layouts for web pages
have a new design project to include in their professional UX portfolio. ❏ Design a responsive website to include in a
portfolio as a case study
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
TOPICS:
● Apply each step of the UX design process (empathize, define,
★ Following the design process from
ideate, prototype, test) to create a responsive website.
end-to-end: empathize, define, ideate,
● Develop designs in a popular design tool, Adobe XD.
prototype, test
● Plan information architecture and create sitemaps for
★ Creating wireframes, mockups, and
website designs.
prototypes in Adobe XD
● Apply common layouts for web pages.
★ Documenting design work
● Plan and conduct a usability study to gather feedback
★ Searching for jobs
about designs.
● Iterate on designs based on research insights. CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
● Work with design systems in Adobe XD.
● Add a new design project to their professional UX portfolio. 69 Videos
● [optional] Create or update a UX-focused resume.
● [optional] Learn how to search for and apply to 39 Readings
introductory-level jobs in the field of UX.
44 Quizzes

25 Hands-on Exercises

13 Discussion Prompt 9
Course 7 — Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs
SKILLS ACQUIRED:
In this course, learners design a dedicated mobile app and a responsive
❏ Apply each step of the design process to
website focused on social good. They showcase all that they’ve learned create a mobile app and responsive website
from beginning to end: empathizing with users, defining their pain focused on driving social good
points, coming up with ideas for design solutions, creating wireframes ❏ Design across devices and platforms
and prototypes, and testing designs to get feedback. By the end of this ❏ Prepare design portfolios for job apps
course, learners have a new cross-platform design project to include in ❏ Learn how to interview for UX design jobs
your professional UX portfolio. ❏ Explore freelance work

TOPICS:
This course also prepares learners to land their first jobs as UX
★ Following the design process from
designers. They learn how to interview for entry-level UX design
end-to-end: empathize, define, ideate,
positions and get tips from Google employees based on their own
prototype, test
interview experiences and unique perspectives as hiring managers.
★ Designing for social good
★ Creating wireframes, mockups, and
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
prototypes
● Apply each step of the UX design process (empathize, define, ★ Finding a job in the field of UX
ideate, prototype, test) to create designs for social good.
● Identify the differences between dedicated mobile apps and CONTENT BREAKDOWN:
responsive web apps.
● Understand progressive enhancement and graceful degradation 75 Videos
approaches for designing across devices.
● Build wireframes, mockups, and low-fidelity and high-fidelity 30 Readings
prototypes in Figma or Adobe XD.
● Add a new design project to their professional UX portfolio.
55 Quizzes
● Prepare their portfolio of design work for job applications.
● Interview for an entry-level UX design job.
31 Hands-on Exercises
● Determine if freelance design work is a good career fit for them.

17 Discussion Prompt 10