VOOZH about

URL: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ux-research-and-information-architecture

⇱ UX Research and Information Architecture  | Coursera

UX Research and Information Architecture 

Ends soon! Keep adding new skills with 10,000+ programs for $239 (usually $399). Save now.

UX Research and Information Architecture 

3,022 already enrolled

Included with

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.9

21 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.9

21 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week

What you'll learn

  • Gain hands-on UX research and IA experience you can showcase in your portfolio and discuss in interviews

  • Explore the fundamentals of UX research, when to use it, types of research methods, and how it aligns with the product development lifecycle

  • Apply UX research techniques to create user personas using affinity mapping and a priority matrix for new development

  • Design an effective information architecture (IA) using card sorting and tree testing for an effective navigation system

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

10 assignments

Taught in English
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Build your Design and Product expertise

This course is part of the IBM UI/UX Designer Professional Certificate
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Professional Certificate.
  • 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 from IBM

There are 4 modules in this course

Unlock job-ready UX/UI design skills and experience in UX research and information architecture (IA).

This course helps aspiring design professionals and web developers gain the in-demand UX research and IA skills to design user-centered digital products. During the course, you’ll build a solid foundation in UX research and learn how it fits into the digital product lifecycle. You’ll explore UX research methods and apply them to conducting user interviews and surveys using Google Docs and Google Forms. You’ll learn to transform user data into actionable insights using affinity mapping. Plus, you’ll analyze data to create user personas and use a prioritization matrix to turn user needs into features. Additionally, you’ll explore IA—a pillar of building efficient navigation and content organization—using card sorting and tree testing. Then, you’ll apply all your new skills in a final project, a great real-world-inspired scenario that showcases your experience of implementing UX research and IA that you can highlight in interviews. If you’re keen to add practical experience in UX research and IA to your portfolio that employers look for, enroll today!

This module introduces the core concepts of UX research and its role in shaping product decisions. You will learn how to define research goals, form hypotheses, and distinguish between UX research and UX design. The module also explores qualitative and quantitative research methods and when to apply them across the product lifecycle. Additionally, you will gain hands-on experience designing and conducting user interviews and surveys using tools such as Google Forms.

What's included

6 videos10 readings3 assignments2 plugins

6 videos•Total 38 minutes
  • Course Introduction•5 minutes
  • What is UX Research?•7 minutes
  • UX Research vs. UX Design•7 minutes
  • Conducting Effective User Interviews•6 minutes
  • Designing Surveys with Google Forms•7 minutes
  • Observational Studies & Field Research•7 minutes
10 readings•Total 117 minutes
  • Course Overview •5 minutes
  • How UX Insights Improve Business Outcomes•10 minutes
  • Types of Research Methods in UX Design•10 minutes
  • Timing UX Research in Product Development•10 minutes
  • Lab: Getting Started with Miro•10 minutes
  • Lab: Mapping Methods to UX Design Stages•20 minutes
  • Lab: Design a Survey Using Google Forms•30 minutes
  • Writing Research Goals and Hypotheses•10 minutes
  • Field Study Best Practices•10 minutes
  • Module Summary: Foundations of UX Research•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 50 minutes
  • Graded Quiz: Foundations of UX Research•30 minutes
  • Understanding UX Research•10 minutes
  • Research Methods in Practice•10 minutes
2 plugins•Total 18 minutes
  • Helpful Tips for Course Completion•3 minutes
  • Activity: When and Why to Conduct UX Research•15 minutes

This module focuses on transforming raw research data into meaningful insights that inform product decisions. You will learn how to analyze qualitative data using affinity mapping and evaluate open-ended responses. The module also covers creating user personas, identifying user needs, and translating research findings into actionable features. Additionally, you will explore prioritization techniques and learn how to communicate insights and recommendations effectively.

What's included

6 videos8 readings3 assignments

6 videos•Total 39 minutes
  • Analyzing Open-Ended Survey Responses•6 minutes
  • Affinity Mapping•7 minutes
  • Creating Personas from Real Data•7 minutes
  • Turning Research Into Features•6 minutes
  • Mapping User Needs to Product Strategy•7 minutes
  • Presenting UX Findings to Teams•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 102 minutes
  • Affinity Mapping Versus Theming•10 minutes
  • Lab: Getting started with Figma•10 minutes
  • Lab: Affinity Mapping Using FigJam•30 minutes
  • Basics of Persona Creation •5 minutes
  • Feature Prioritization Matrix•5 minutes
  • Writing Insight-Driven UX Recommendations•10 minutes
  • Lab: Affinity to Action: Prioritizing Features •30 minutes
  • Module Summary: From Research to Insights•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 50 minutes
  • Graded Quiz: From Research to Insights•30 minutes
  • Practice Quiz: Synthesizing Research Data•10 minutes
  • From User Needs to Design Direction•10 minutes

This module explores how to design intuitive and user-friendly information architecture for digital products. You will learn core IA concepts and compare flat and hierarchical structures for organizing content. The module also introduces methods such as card sorting and tree testing to design and validate navigation systems. By the end of the module, you will be able to create and refine sitemaps that improve usability and align with user mental models.

What's included

6 videos9 readings3 assignments

6 videos•Total 40 minutes
  • What is Information Architecture?•8 minutes
  • Flat versus Hierarchical Structures•6 minutes
  • Card Sorting in Information Architecture•6 minutes
  • How to Build a Sitemap•6 minutes
  • Tree Testing Navigation•7 minutes
  • Real-World IA Redesign Example: Travel Booking Website•7 minutes
9 readings•Total 142 minutes
  • Common IA Mistakes and Mental Models in IA Design•5 minutes
  • Navigation Patterns in Modern Apps•5 minutes
  • Lab: Sorting the Menu Using a Card Sorting Technique•30 minutes
  • Lab: Building a Preliminary Sitemap•30 minutes
  • Analyzing Tree Testing Results: Step-by-Step•5 minutes
  • Lab: Validating Sitemap Using Tree Testing•30 minutes
  • How to Label Navigation for Clarity and Consistency•5 minutes
  • Lab: Refining BlossomRoot a Flower & Plant Store Sitemap•30 minutes
  • Module Summary: Designing Information Architecture•2 minutes
3 assignments•Total 50 minutes
  • Graded Quiz: Designing Information Architecture•30 minutes
  • Organizing Content and Navigation•10 minutes
  • Testing and Finalizing IA•10 minutes

This module provides an opportunity to apply all UX research and information architecture concepts through a complete case study. You will conduct research, synthesize insights, define features, and design a sitemap for a selected product idea. The module also includes a final assessment to evaluate your understanding. By the end, you will produce a polished, portfolio-ready UX project.

What's included

1 video4 readings1 assignment1 app item1 plugin

1 video•Total 6 minutes
  • Course Wrap-Up•6 minutes
4 readings•Total 68 minutes
  • Project Overview•5 minutes
  • Final Project: Redesign UX Research Driven Travel Planning Application•60 minutes
  • Congratulations and Next Steps•2 minutes
  • Team and Acknowledgments•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 60 minutes
  • Final Exam: UX Research and Information Architecture•60 minutes
1 app item•Total 15 minutes
  • Final Submission and Evaluation•15 minutes
1 plugin•Total 10 minutes
  • Course Glossary: UX Research and Information Architecture•10 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

IBM
54 Courses•5,145,074 learners

Offered by

Explore more from Design and Product

Why people choose Coursera for their career

👁 Image

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
👁 Image

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
👁 Image

Larry W.

Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
👁 Image

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

  • 5 stars

    90.47%

  • 4 stars

    9.52%

  • 3 stars

    0%

  • 2 stars

    0%

  • 1 star

    0%

Showing 3 of 21

RN
·

Reviewed on Aug 10, 2025

Clear explanations with helpful examples, good for beginners.

Frequently asked questions

UX research helps designers understand user behaviors, needs, and pain points. It informs design decisions and ensures the product is built keeping real users in mind.

IA involves organizing and structuring content so users can find what they need easily. It includes sitemaps, navigation, and labeling systems.

This course is designed for aspiring UX/UI designers, students, recent graduates, experienced UX/UI designers, graphic or visual designers, web developers, front-end engineers, business professionals, entrepreneurs, and career switchers who want to pursue a UX/UI career or enhance their design skills. It provides valuable hands-on experience you can showcase in your portfolio and discuss in interviews.

No prior experience or degree is required. The course covers foundational research and IA methods through practical, beginner-friendly instruction.

This course lets you apply your UX/UI research and information architecture skills to a real-world scenario, reinforcing what you’ve learned. It provides hands-on experience, strengthens your digital product design and navigation skills, and gives you a portfolio project to showcase to employers.

Completing this course proves you can tackle real design and digital product navigation challenges, highlighting your job-readiness. It also offers you a portfolio project to highlight on your resume and LinkedIn, helping you stand out to recruiters and employers in the data field.

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 Certificate, 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.

Financial aid available,