Understanding User Needs
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Understanding User Needs
This course is part of User Experience Research and Design Specialization
Instructor: Kentaro Toyama
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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
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There are 5 modules in this course
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.
What's included
3 videos6 readings3 assignments1 peer review2 discussion prompts
3 videosβ’Total 18 minutes
- 1.1 Introduction to User Needs Assessmentβ’8 minutes
- 1.2 Overview of Qualitative Researchβ’6 minutes
- 1.3 User Needs Assessment Mini-Projectβ’4 minutes
6 readingsβ’Total 60 minutes
- Welcome Announcementβ’10 minutes
- Course Syllabusβ’10 minutes
- Help Us Learn More About You!β’10 minutes
- Course Resourcesβ’10 minutes
- Mini-Project Assignment Handoutβ’10 minutes
- Stop! Did you score a 70% on your first peer assessment?β’10 minutes
3 assignmentsβ’Total 23 minutes
- User Needs Assessment and Qualitative Researchβ’20 minutes
- Peer Review 1 Self-Checkβ’1 minute
- Learn to Grade: Decide on a Mini-Projectβ’2 minutes
1 peer reviewβ’Total 60 minutes
- Decide on a Mini-Projectβ’60 minutes
2 discussion promptsβ’Total 20 minutes
- Introduce Yourselfβ’10 minutes
- Lesson 1β’10 minutes
What's included
3 videos2 readings3 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt
3 videosβ’Total 20 minutes
- 2.1 Semi-Structured Interviewsβ’2 minutes
- 2.2 Components of an Interview Protocolβ’7 minutes
- 2.3 Good Practices for Interview Protocolsβ’10 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 20 minutes
- Resource: Interview Protocol Templateβ’10 minutes
- Interview Protocol Assignment Handoutβ’10 minutes
3 assignmentsβ’Total 22 minutes
- Interview Protocolsβ’20 minutes
- Peer Review 2 Self-Checkβ’0 minutes
- Learn to Grade: Write an Interview Protocolβ’2 minutes
1 peer reviewβ’Total 60 minutes
- Write an Interview Protocolβ’60 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Lesson 2β’10 minutes
What's included
5 videos2 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt
5 videosβ’Total 40 minutes
- 3.1 Sample Interviewβ’14 minutes
- 3.2 Tips for Interviewingβ’10 minutes
- 3.3 Observing Usersβ’7 minutes
- Sample Think-Aloud Protocolβ’4 minutes
- 3.4 Extracting Data from Interviewβ’5 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 20 minutes
- A Quick Note on the Upcoming Lectureβ’10 minutes
- Interview and Data Extraction Assignment Handoutβ’10 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 21 minutes
- Interviewing Tipsβ’20 minutes
- Peer Review 3 Self-Checkβ’1 minute
1 peer reviewβ’Total 60 minutes
- Data Extraction Exerciseβ’60 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Lesson 3β’10 minutes
What's included
2 videos2 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt
2 videosβ’Total 15 minutes
- 4.1 Analyzing Qualitative Dataβ’3 minutes
- 4.2 Affinity Wallsβ’12 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 20 minutes
- Affinity Wall Notes From the Previous Lectureβ’10 minutes
- Affinity Wall Assignment Handoutβ’10 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 21 minutes
- Affinity Wallsβ’20 minutes
- Peer Review 4 Self-Checkβ’1 minute
1 peer reviewβ’Total 60 minutes
- Affinity Wall Report Submissionβ’60 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Lesson 4β’10 minutes
What's included
2 videos3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
2 videosβ’Total 7 minutes
- 5.1 Variations on User Needs Assessmentsβ’5 minutes
- 5.2 Conclusionβ’2 minutes
3 readingsβ’Total 30 minutes
- Post-Course Surveyβ’10 minutes
- Attributionsβ’10 minutes
- Keep Learning with Michigan Onlineβ’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 20 minutes
- Whole Courseβ’20 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Lesson 5β’10 minutes
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Reviewed on Jul 16, 2019
I really like this lecturer, he gives lots of good examples and analogies for the principles taught in this course. Well done.
Reviewed on May 16, 2020
A very good course in building the idea to a person regarding how the process of the building an product should go starting from user needs .
Reviewed on Oct 11, 2020
This course has really exceeded my expectations, each of the exercises that are raised lead you to a complete understanding of the strategies to follow to understand the needs of the user.
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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.
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