Design for a Better World with Don Norman
How This Course Will Help Your Career
Don Norman, the father of user experience, puts it bluntly when he says, “the world is a mess.” So, how do we clean up this mess? Through design. Let’s learn how to design for a better world with Don Norman.
What You Will Learn
How to design for sustainability and beyond.
How to use circular design to shape the circular economy.
How to use humanity-centered design to address complex socio-technical problems.
How to use incrementalism to tackle large-scale projects.
How to use incremental modular design to overcome challenges of large, complex projects.
How we measure progress and why it is important to change the metrics.
How to incorporate meaning in the way we measure and communicate data.
Why designers must move into leadership roles.
How to overcome resistance to change and mobilize people to act towards a common goal.
How we can use new technologies such as artificial intelligence to redesign and address problems.
“Because everyone designs, we are all designers, so it is up to all of us to change the world. However, those of us who are professional designers have an even greater responsibility, for professional designers have the training and the knowledge to have a major impact on the lives of people and therefore on the earth.”
— Don Norman, Design for a Better World
Our world is full of complex socio-technical problems:
Unsustainable and wasteful practices that cause extreme climate changes such as floods and droughts.
Wars that worsen hunger and poverty.
Pandemics that disrupt entire economies and cripple healthcare.
Widespread misinformation that undermines education.
All these problems are massive and interconnected. They seem daunting, but as you'll see in this course, we can overcome them.
Design for a Better World with Don Norman is taught by cognitive psychologist and computer scientist Don Norman. Widely regarded as the father (and even the grandfather) of user experience, he is the former VP of the Advanced Technology Group at Apple and co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group.
Don Norman has constantly advocated the role of design. His book “The Design of Everyday Things” is a masterful introduction to the importance of design in everyday objects. Over the years, his conviction in the larger role of design and designers to solve complex socio-technical problems has only increased.
This course is based on his latest book “Design for a Better World,” released in March 2023. Don Norman urges designers to think about the whole of humanity, not just individual people or small groups.
In lesson 1, you'll learn about the importance of meaningful measurements. Everything around us is artificial, and so are the metrics we use. Don Norman challenges traditional numerical metrics since they do not capture the complexity of human life and the environment. He advocates for alternative measurements alongside traditional ones to truly understand the complete picture.
In lesson 2, you'll learn about and explore multiple examples of sustainability and circular design in practice. In lesson 3, you'll dive into humanity-centered design and learn how to apply incremental modular design to large and complex socio-technical problems.
In lesson 4, you'll discover how designers can facilitate behavior-change, which is crucial to address the world's most significant issues. Finally, in the last lesson, you'll learn how designers can contribute to designing a better world on a practical level and the role of artificial intelligence in the future of design.
Throughout the course, you'll get practical tips to apply in real-life projects. In the "Build Your Case Study" project, you'll step into the field and seek examples of organizations and people who already practice the philosophy and methods you’ll learn in this course.
You'll get step-by-step guidelines to help you identify which organizations and projects genuinely change the world and which are superficial. Most importantly, you'll understand what gaps currently exist and will be able to recommend better ways to implement projects. You will build on your case study in each lesson, so once you have completed the course, you will have an in-depth piece for your portfolio.
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Is This Course Right for You?
This course addresses a broad spectrum of professionals and is a practical handbook for anyone seeking systemic change.
In particular, this course will benefit:
Designers looking to apply their skills outside traditional roles.
Entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the economic opportunities in sustainable and circular design.
Professionals in government and non-government agencies looking to improve the results of their work in various sectors such as education, healthcare and climate policy.
Anyone interested in working on large socio-technical problems and looking to design a better world.
Learn and Work with a Global Team of Designers
You’ll join a global community and work together to improve your skills and career opportunities. Connect with helpful peers and make friends with like-minded individuals as you push deeper into the exciting and booming design industry.
Lessons in This Course
- Each week, one lesson becomes available.
- There’s no time limit to finish a course. Lessons have no deadlines.
- Estimated learning time: 13 hours 5 mins spread over 7 weeks .
Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction
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0.1: Welcome to Design for a Better World (17 mins)
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0.2: Build Your Portfolio: Case Study Overview (6 mins)
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0.3: Let Our Community Help You (1 min)
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0.4: How to Earn Your Course Certificate (16 mins)
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0.5: Expand Your Network and Grow Your Skills in Our Online Forums (5 mins)
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0.6: Meet and Learn From Design Professionals in Your Area (1 min)
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0.7: Gain Timeless Knowledge Through Courses From the Interaction Design Foundation (21 mins)
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0.8: Mandatory vs. Optional Lesson Items (7 mins)
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0.9: A Mix Between Video-Based and Text-Based Lesson Content (6 mins)
Lesson 1: The World Is Artificial and the Way We Measure It Is Wrong
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1.1: Welcome and Introduction (3 mins)
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1.2: What Can Designers Do to Make the World Better? (10 mins)
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1.3: Anything Artificial We Can Design Better (14 mins)
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1.4: Use More Meaningful Measurements in Design and in the World (54 mins)
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1.5: Discussion Exercise: Use Stories to Complement Data (14 mins)
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1.6: Build Your Case Study: Identify Changemakers around You (8 mins)
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1.7: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 2: How to Design For Sustainability and the Circular Economy
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2.1: Welcome and Introduction (3 mins)
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2.2: Recycling is Not Enough. Let's Design for Reuse (18 mins)
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2.3: Sustainability Is Not Enough (23 mins)
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2.4: Design Products That Are Sustainable, Robust and Resilient (26 mins)
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2.5: Use Circular Design To Reverse Harm (30 mins)
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2.6: How Designers Can Help Companies Design for the Circular Economy (59 mins)
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2.7: Discussion Exercise: Which Is Better—Paper, Plastic or Cloth? (12 mins)
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2.8: Build Your Case Study: Analyze Sustainability and Circular Practices (7 mins)
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2.9: Congratulations and Recap (11 mins)
Lesson 3: How to Apply Humanity-Centered Design to Solve Global Challenges
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3.1: Welcome and Introduction (13 mins)
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3.2: Why Should We Practice Humanity-Centered Design? (22 mins)
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3.3: The Five Principles of Humanity-Centered Design (51 mins)
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3.4: How to Use Incrementalism in Humanity-Centered Design for Complex Projects (21 mins)
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3.5: How to Apply Incremental Modular Design to Global Challenges (23 mins)
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3.6: Incremental Design in Practice (15 mins)
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3.7: Why Should Designers Become Leaders? (30 mins)
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3.8: Discussion Exercise: What Education Does a Designer Need? (7 mins)
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3.9: Build Your Case Study: Find out the Structure and Operational Practices (8 mins)
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3.10: Congratulations and Recap (7 mins)
Lesson 4: How Designers can Drive Positive Behaviors
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4.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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4.2: How to Tackle Human Resistance to Change (18 mins)
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4.3: Why Do We Not Act on Climate Change? (20 mins)
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4.4: Human Behavior Is the Problem and the Solution (46 mins)
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4.5: Beyond Climate Change: Where Can Designers Make An Impact? (15 mins)
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4.6: Discussion Exercise: Beyond Climate Change (6 mins)
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4.7: Build Your Case Study: Evaluate the Impact of the Changemakers (8 mins)
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4.8: Congratulations and Recap (6 mins)
Lesson 5: How Can Designers Build a Brighter Future
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5.1: Welcome and Introduction (2 mins)
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5.2: Designers as Conductors of Change: Bring Experts Together to Solve Complex Problems (17 mins)
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5.3: What Are The First Steps to Design a Better Future? (44 mins)
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5.4: How Can Designers Adapt to New Technologies? The Future of Technology in Design (22 mins)
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5.5: Discussion Exercise: AI Technologies as Collaborators! (7 mins)
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5.6: Build Your Case Study: Trim, Tune and Submit! (13 mins)
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5.7: Congratulations and Recap (7 mins)
Lesson 6: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up
Learning Paths
This course is part of 7 learning paths:
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UX Designer Learning PathBecome a UX Designer through 21 courses in 4 parts -
Interaction Designer Learning PathBecome a Interaction Designer through 18 courses in 4 parts
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Visual Designer Learning PathBecome a Visual Designer through 16 courses in 4 parts
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Product Manager Learning PathBecome a Product Manager through 16 courses in 4 parts
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Marketer Learning PathBecome a Marketer through 11 courses in 3 parts
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User Researcher Learning PathBecome a User Researcher through 12 courses in 3 parts
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Executive Learning PathBecome a Executive through 10 courses in 3 parts
How Others Have Benefited
Nena Gačić, Croatia
“The instructor excels at effectively communicating complex ideas in a clear and concise manner, making it easy for students to understand and grasp the material.”
Alexandre de Oliveira Lot, Brazil
“The videos were amazing and concise, and the text was direct and very well written! The readings available to download and some templates were really helpfull too. Don is an amazing figure and an awesome teacher.”
Øyvind Brande-Lien, Norway
“This is a hot topic and a very critical both to the designers seeking more meaningful work and to the solutions we are going to create. Great balance of methods and theory.”
How It Works
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Control your learning.
Lessons are self-paced so you’ll never be late for class or miss a deadline. Learning and life, hand in hand.
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Earn Course Certificates.
Your answers are graded by experts, not machines. Get an industry-recognized Course Certificate to show you’ve put in the work.
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Advance your career.
Grow your professional knowledge by watching Master Classes, networking within our UX community, and more.
Start Advancing Your Career Now
Join us to take “Design for a Better World with Don Norman”. Take other courses at no additional cost. Make a concrete step forward in your career path today.
Advance my career nowFrequently Asked Questions
When I finish a course, do I have to pay extra to get my certificate?
Can I take more than one course at a time?
With a Student membership, you can take a maximum of two courses at the same time. You can still take as many courses as you would like – free of extra charges – just as long as you finish or drop them so that you don’t have more than two ongoing courses.
I missed the enrollment, and now the course is closed. What can I do?
Don't worry if you missed the course. We will re-run it shortly. One of the reasons we continually open and close courses is in order to control the classroom size.
Networking is a large part of our value proposition, so we want just the right number of people inside the courses. That is also why we display the "XX % percent booked" on our course icons.
Do I have to be online at an exact time to study?
No. You can set your own study schedule. There are no "live sessions" since we have members from all timezones around the world. We are a truly global community.
Thus, once you are enrolled, you can take all the time to complete a given course. Every "classroom" in each course will never close, so you’ll have permanent access to your classmates and your course material (as well as your own answers).
Will I receive a Course Certificate?
Yes. You will get a digital industry-recognized course certificate every time you complete a course. Certificates never expire and can be saved as a .jpg file, so it's easy to be shared. Also, there is no limit to how many certificates you can earn during your membership.
You can see an example of a Course Certificate at the bottom of the Course Catalogue.
I have answered questions in a lesson; when will they be marked/graded?
I have updated my name, but my course certificate is not updated — how can I change it?
Don't worry; once you change your name, your certificate will be updated automatically in the next 48 hours.
I have started my course later than the specified date, are my answers still going to be marked?
Sure! We will be marking all your answers for as long as you are an active member.
How are courses graded?
For how long will I have access to the course materials?
You will have access to the course materials for the entire duration of your membership. So, if you pay for a one-year membership, you will have access for one year. Renewing your membership for a second year means you will have access to one more year, and so on.
New lessons are starting before I have completed the previous lesson(s). Am I going to be locked out of these unfinished lessons?
No, you will not be locked out of any lesson or course. You will have access to all course materials throughout your membership, so there is no pressure to keep at the same pace as the specified lesson release dates.
All we recommend is that you try to stick to the same schedule as other participants. The reason is they may have moved on to other lessons, thereby meaning you could miss out on the social aspects of the course(s).
Do I have a specific date to award my certificates?
No, you can generate your certificate as soon as you score at least 70% of the total course points.
When will I receive my Course Certificate?
Course certificates will be given to participants when they have scored more than 70% or more of the total course points. For example, if a course contains ten lessons each with ten questions, you will receive a course certificate when the instructor has awarded you at least 70 points (70% of the total course points).
There is no specified time that certificates will be awarded — instead, they are given to participants as and when they have answered all questions, even if this is long after the official end date.
How do I add my Certificate to my LinkedIn profile?
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add your Interaction Design Foundation course(s) to your LinkedIn profile:
Log in to your LinkedIn account, then go to your profile.
Below your profile description, click on the button Add profile section, choose Recommended and then select Add license or certification.
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3. In the following fields add:
Name – Course name
Issuing organization – The Interaction Design Foundation
Check the field “This credential does not expire”
Issue date - Input the date written on your certificate (e.g., May 2021)
Credential ID – Your membership ID number – it's written on your certificate. (For non-members, you can leave this field blank or, if you prefer, insert the certificate ID, which can be extracted from the certificate link. This ID will begin with "mcc_" and be followed by a string of numbers and letters.")
Credential URL: Input the certificate URL provided on your course page
4. Click the Save button.
Congratulate yourself! Earning the certificate is a great accomplishment and now you can share it with the world!
How do I add the Interaction Design Foundation Membership Certificate to my LinkedIn Profile?
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to add your Interaction Design Foundation course(s) to your LinkedIn profile:
Log in to your LinkedIn account, then go to your profile.
Below your profile description, click on the button Add profile section, choose Recommended and then select Add license or certification.
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3. In the following fields add:
Name – Membership Certificate
Issuing organization – The Interaction Design Foundation
Check the field “This credential does not expire”
Issue date - Input the date when you joined our community (e.g., May 2019)
Credential ID – Your membership ID number (it's written on your certificate)
Credential URL: Input the certificate URL provided on your profile page
4. Click the Save button.
It is as simple as that. Now, anyone who visits your profile can see your certificate!
How much will I have to pay for the courses?
After you pay for your membership, you can take as many courses as you want with no additional costs. There are no further charges on top of the membership fee.
Do you provide mostly beginners' or more advanced courses?
How long does it take to complete a course?
You will need approximately 5-8 hours to complete one lesson. Each course has between 3 and 16 lessons.
Once enrolled in a course, you will gain access to a new lesson each week, which you are free to complete without any deadlines and no end date, either.
I scored less than 70% in a course, so I didn't qualify for a certificate. Can I try again?
Yes! Everyone's learning journey looks different, and we'd never stop our members from trying again. To retake a course, just follow these steps:
1. Go to your profile and click on the relevant course you'd like to retake.
2. Underneath your progress bar, you'll see a phrase "UX Courses" with an arrow (>) pointing to a clickable landing page of that course. Click on that link.
3. Once on the landing page, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. You'll see a red button, which you can simply click to drop the course.
4. Head back to our main list of UX Courses, and re-enroll yourself in the course. You'll all set to try again!
Please note that when you drop a course, you will lose any answers and progress you submitted. We advise that you screenshot or save any answers you'd like to reuse.
In some cases, we can open up lessons for members who are retaking a course, so that they don't have to wait for familiar lessons to unlock each week. If you'd like us to do this for you, please get in touch with our support team at hello@interaction-design.org, and we can help you out.
How do I drop a course?
To drop a course, the following should be done:
1. Visit your profile page and click the 'continue lesson...' button for the course you want to drop.
2. Click the course name link breadcrumb near the top of the page that opens (this only appears in unlocked lessons, not upcoming lessons)
3. Click the red 'drop my course now' button at the bottom of the page that opens
