Associate Professor, School of Information
Evaluating Designs with Users
What You'll Learn
- Identify different approaches to user testing and their appropriate use
- Design and run an user test effectively
- Analyze and report on user testing
5 Modules
10 Hours
2 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Evaluating Designs with Users
When designing systems that work for users, there is no substitute for watching them try to use the system to see what works and what doesn’t.
In this UX course, you will learn how to design and conduct tests with users that will tell you how effective your design is for helping users do what they need to do, and how they feel about using your system.
This course is part of the User Experience (UX) Research and Design specialization offered on Coursera.
What you'll learn:
Identify different approaches to user testing and their appropriate use
Understand how to design an effective user test
Understand how to run an effective user test to get the most information possible out of each encounter
Analyze and report on user testing
Skills You'll Gain
- Human-Computer Interaction
- UI/UX Research
- User Analysis
- User Experience (UX)
- User Interface Prototyping
- User Research
- User Testing
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Evaluating Designs with Users, an online course that teaches practical methods for usability testing. Learners will design, conduct, analyze, and report user tests through applied assignments and peer review. The course is part of the User Experience Research and Design series.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: What is User Testing?
- Reading: Welcome to Evaluating Designs With Users!
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: Help Us Learn More About You!
- Video: Introduction to User Testing
- Video: Types of Tests
- Video: What To Look For
- Video: What You Learn
- Discussion Prompt: Critical Incident Report
Module 2: User Test Basics
- Video: Recruiting Test Participants
- Video: Task Design
- Video: Think Aloud
- Video: Some Practical Challenges
- Discussion Prompt: Design a Task
Module 3: Getting More Out of User Testing
- Video: Questionnaires
- Video: Interview Data
- Video: Moderating
- Discussion Prompt: Administering the SUS
- Reading: Before You Begin the Next Assignment
Module 4: Analysis and Reporting
- Video: Observing User Tests
- Video: Analysis and Reporting
- Reading: Overview
- Reading: Support Materials
Module 5: User Test Report
- Reading: Support Materials & Test Sessions
- Video: Example User Test
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online
Grading Policy
The course grading is based on quizzes worth 40%, a task design worth 15%, a self-assessment worth 10%, and a test report worth 35%.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
