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⇱ Building, Optimizing, and Validating Machine Learning Models | Coursera


Building, Optimizing, and Validating Machine Learning Models

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Building, Optimizing, and Validating Machine Learning Models

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Build and train machine learning models by mapping real-world problems to appropriate ML tasks

  • Optimize and validate models using hyperparameter tuning, cross-validation, and feature analysis

  • Create automated ML pipelines that streamline feature engineering, training, and experimentation

Details to know

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Recently updated!

March 2026

Assessments

15 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer
Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Machine Learning Made Easy for Software Engineers Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 9 modules in this course

Machine learning models rarely perform well without careful design, evaluation, and optimization. In this course, you'll learn how to build machine learning models and systematically improve their performance using proven engineering practices.

You’ll start by learning how to map business problems to appropriate machine learning tasks and train multiple model types using common ML libraries. You’ll explore how different algorithms behave under varying data conditions and learn how to justify model choices based on performance and bias-variance trade-offs. Next, you’ll optimize models through systematic hyperparameter tuning and evaluate the computational cost of different algorithms to choose efficient solutions. You’ll also learn validation techniques such as cross-validation and stratified sampling to estimate model performance reliably. The course concludes by showing how to automate machine learning workflows. You’ll build end-to-end pipelines that streamline feature engineering, model training, and optimization so experiments can be reproduced and improved efficiently. By the end of this course, you’ll understand how to design, optimize, and validate machine learning models that are ready for integration into larger ML systems.

You will analyze business requirements and translate them into appropriate machine learning task types, ensuring correct problem framing before modeling begins.

What's included

3 videos2 readings1 assignment

3 videosTotal 12 minutes
  • Welcome and Introduction3 minutes
  • How to Read a Product Spec Through an ML Lens4 minutes
  • ML Task Families Explained Simply4 minutes
2 readingsTotal 12 minutes
  • From Business Problem to ML Task: A Framing Guide6 minutes
  • Why Machine Learning Projects Fail — and How to Make Sure They Don’t6 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Frame the ML Task for a Factory Productivity Monitoring Feature20 minutes

You will use ML APIs to train and compare multiple algorithms on structured datasets using reproducible workflows.

What's included

2 videos1 reading2 assignments

2 videosTotal 14 minutes
  • Training Models Using Consistent APIs5 minutes
  • Demo: Train Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and Linear SVM10 minutes
1 readingTotal 6 minutes
  • Data Leakage6 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 27 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Exploring Multiple ML Models for Worker Productivity with a Consistent Workflow 20 minutes
  • Practice Quiz: Model Training Patterns and Evaluation7 minutes

You will evaluate model behavior across algorithm families and justify selection decisions using bias–variance reasoning and performance evidence.

What's included

2 videos1 reading1 assignment1 ungraded lab

2 videosTotal 8 minutes
  • Understanding the Bias–Variance Trade-Off5 minutes
  • Demo: Compare Random Forest vs. Gradient Boosting Across Splits3 minutes
1 readingTotal 7 minutes
  • Single estimator versus bagging: bias-variance decomposition7 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes
  • Graded Assessment: ML: Build, Train, Justify Models20 minutes
1 ungraded labTotal 55 minutes
  • Train, Compare, and Justify Models in a Reproducible Pipeline55 minutes

You will examine default hyperparameters and computational complexity to understand how they influence model behavior and training cost.

What's included

3 videos1 reading2 assignments1 ungraded lab

3 videosTotal 20 minutes
  • Welcome and Course Introduction5 minutes
  • What Are Hyperparameters? Understanding Defaults Across Algorithms7 minutes
  • Computational Complexity: Choosing Algorithms That Scale8 minutes
1 readingTotal 7 minutes
  • Three Essential Hyperparameter Tuning Techniques for Better Machine Learning Models7 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 20 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Identify and Compare Defaults Across Algorithms15 minutes
  • Practice Quiz: Defaults and Complexity5 minutes
1 ungraded labTotal 45 minutes
  • Build a Wiki-Style Reference: Defaults + Big-O Complexity45 minutes

You will design structured search strategies, run tuning experiments, and interpret cross-validated results to improve model performance.

What's included

2 videos1 reading2 assignments

2 videosTotal 13 minutes
  • Systematic Tuning: Grid Search, Random Search, and Beyond8 minutes
  • Setting Up GridSearchCV for Random Forests5 minutes
1 readingTotal 6 minutes
  • Comparing Randomized Search and Grid Search for Hyperparameter Estimation in Scikit Learn6 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 35 minutes
  • Graded Quiz: Structured Tuning20 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Tune a Random Forest with GridSearchCV and Save Best Parameters15 minutes

You will benchmark training time, memory usage, and computational cost to select algorithms that meet performance and efficiency goals.

What's included

4 videos1 reading2 assignments1 ungraded lab

4 videosTotal 25 minutes
  • Welcome & Course Introduction Video4 minutes
  • How Algorithm Design Impacts Training Time and Memory7 minutes
  • How to Benchmark Algorithms Fairly and Consistently7 minutes
  • Hands-On Benchmarking: XGBoost vs. Random Forest7 minutes
1 readingTotal 6 minutes
  • Comparing Model Performance and Resource Usage6 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes
  • Graded Quiz: Cost-Effective Algorithm Selection Checkpoint20 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Analyze Sample Benchmark Logs to Determine Cost Efficiency20 minutes
1 ungraded labTotal 45 minutes
  • Benchmark XGBoost vs. Random Forest on a Large Dataset45 minutes

You will implement k-fold and stratified validation strategies to generate reliable performance estimates, especially for imbalanced datasets.

What's included

3 videos1 reading1 assignment1 ungraded lab

3 videosTotal 17 minutes
  • Welcome and Why Model Validation Matters5 minutes
  • Understanding K-Fold Cross-Validation4 minutes
  • Implementing StratifiedKFold in scikit-learn7 minutes
1 readingTotal 8 minutes
  • Stratified Sampling for Imbalanced Data8 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 15 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Build and Evaluate Stratified K-Fold15 minutes
1 ungraded labTotal 45 minutes
  • Fraud Model ROC-AUC with StratifiedKFold45 minutes

You will interpret feature-importance outputs and SHAP explanations to clearly communicate model behavior to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

What's included

3 videos1 reading2 assignments

3 videosTotal 19 minutes
  • Why Model Explainability Matters4 minutes
  • Feature Importance: Global and Local Views5 minutes
  • Generating SHAP Summary Plots10 minutes
1 readingTotal 8 minutes
  • SHAP: A Gentle Introduction8 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 35 minutes
  • Graded Assessment: Validate and Explain ML Models Mastery check20 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Interpret SHAP Outputs15 minutes

You will construct, tune, and package an automated machine learning pipeline that integrates preprocessing, model training, and optimization into a reusable workflow.

What's included

3 videos2 readings2 assignments1 ungraded lab

3 videosTotal 30 minutes
  • Why Automation Improves ML Performance4 minutes
  • Pipeline Fundamentals: Scaling, Encoding, and Workflow Structure15 minutes
  • Automating Model Optimization with GridSearchCV12 minutes
2 readingsTotal 20 minutes
  • Building a Strong Foundation: Preprocessing, Logistic Regression, and Workflow Setup10 minutes
  • Publishing Pipelines as Reusable Modules: A Practical Guide10 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 45 minutes
  • Graded Quiz: Automate ML Pipelines for Peak Performance20 minutes
  • Hands-On Activity: Build, Tune, and Finalize Your Automated Pipeline25 minutes
1 ungraded labTotal 45 minutes
  • Build and Publish a Complete Automated Pipeline Module45 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

This course is designed for learners who already have programming experience and some familiarity with machine learning concepts. It focuses on practical techniques used to improve and validate models in real applications.

You’ll work with common machine learning tools and libraries such as scikit-learn and ML pipeline frameworks used to train, evaluate, and optimize models.

Validation techniques help ensure that a model performs reliably on new data. In this course, you’ll learn methods such as cross-validation and feature importance analysis to assess model behavior and avoid overfitting.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Financial aid available,

¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.