Associate Professor, School of Information
Understanding User Needs
What You'll Learn
- Understand user needs assessments and qualitative research
- Learn an end-to-end methodology for qualitative research
- Explore good practices for conducting semi-structured interviews, in-situ observation, and affinity walls
5 Modules
10 Hours
2 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Understanding User Needs
Designing effective interactive systems requires understanding the needs and capabilities of the people who will be using them. In this UX course we will focus on how to interact with users (or potential users) to understand what they need, what they currently do, what they love and hate, and examine human capabilities and behavior as they relate to UX design.
Learners will be introduced to numerous techniques to gather data from and about users.
This course is part of the User Experience (UX) Research and Design specialization offered on Coursera.
What you'll learn:
Find out what user needs assessments are, what qualitative research is, and how the two are related.
Learn an end-to-end methodology for qualitative research that is suited for understanding user needs. The methodology
includes knowledge of semi-structured interviews, in-situ observation, and affinity walls.
Be exposed to good practices for conducting semi-structured interviews, in-situ observation, and affinity walls.
Gain some experience with semi-structured interviews, in-situ observations, and affinity walls.
Skills You'll Gain
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Human Interface Guidelines
- Product Design
- UI/UX Research
- User Analysis
- User Experience (UX)
- 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 Understanding User Needs, a hands-on course focused on qualitative research methods that support the design and redesign of products and services. Learners gain practical experience conducting interviews, observations, and affinity wall analysis to identify user needs, desires, and preferences through real-world practice. 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: Introduction and Qualitative Research Overview
- Reading: Welcome Announcement
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Help Us Learn More About You!
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
- Reading: Course Resources
- Video: 1.1 Introduction to User Needs Assessment
- Video: 1.2 Overview of Qualitative Research
- Video: 1.3 User Needs Assessment Mini-Project
- Reading: Mini-Project Assignment Handout
- Graded Assignment: Learn to Grade: Decide on a Mini-Project
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 1
- Reading: Stop! Did you score a 70% on your first peer assessment?
Module 2: Interview Protocols
- Video: 2.1 Semi-Structured Interviews
- Video: 2.2 Components of an Interview Protocol
- Video: 2.3 Good Practices for Interview Protocols
- Reading: Resource: Interview Protocol Template
- Reading: Interview Protocol Assignment Handout
- Graded Assignment: Learn to Grade: Write an Interview Protocol
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 2
Module 3: Interviews, Observation, and Data Extraction
- Video: 3.1 Sample Interview
- Video: 3.2 Tips for Interviewing
- Video: 3.3 Observing Users
- Reading: A Quick Note on the Upcoming Lecture
- Video: Sample Think-Aloud Protocol
- Video: 3.4 Extracting Data from Interview
- Reading: Interview and Data Extraction Assignment Handout
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 3
Module 4: Affinity Walls and Analysis
- Video: 4.1 Analyzing Qualitative Data
- Video: 4.2 Affinity Walls
- Reading: Affinity Wall Notes From the Previous Lecture
- Reading: Affinity Wall Assignment Handout
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 4
Module 5: Conclusion
- Video: 5.1 Variations on User Needs Assessments
- Video: 5.2 Conclusion
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 5
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
- Reading: Attributions
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online
Grading Policy
The course grade is based on five quizzes worth 25% (5% each), a module 1 project (10%), a module 2 assignment (15%), a module 3 assignment (15%), a module 4 report (20%), and a completion of peer grading (15%).
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
