Design Thinking: The Ultimate Guide
How This Course Will Help Your Career
What you will learn
How to apply design thinking to your problems in order to generate innovative and user-centric solutions
How to make use of practical design thinking methods in every stage of your problem, with the help of method templates
How to initiate a new working culture based on a user-centric approach, empathy, ideation, prototyping, and playful testing
How to employ ethnographic and analysis methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and surveys
How to prototype early and fast, as well as test your prototypes so as to reduce risks and accelerate organizational learning
Some of the world’s leading brands, such as Apple, Google, Samsung, and General Electric, have rapidly adopted the design thinking approach, and design thinking is being taught at leading universities around the world, including Stanford d.school, Harvard, and MIT. What is design thinking, and why is it so popular and effective?
Design Thinking is not exclusive to designers—all great innovators in literature, art, music, science, engineering and business have practiced it. So, why call it Design Thinking? Well, that’s because design work processes help us systematically extract, teach, learn and apply human-centered techniques to solve problems in a creative and innovative way—in our designs, businesses, countries and lives. And that’s what makes it so special.
The overall goal of this design thinking course is to help you design better products, services, processes, strategies, spaces, architecture, and experiences. Design thinking helps you and your team develop practical and innovative solutions for your problems. It is a human-focused, prototype-driven, innovative design process. Through this course, you will develop a solid understanding of the fundamental phases and methods in design thinking, and you will learn how to implement your newfound knowledge in your professional work life. We will give you lots of examples; we will go into case studies, videos, and other useful material, all of which will help you dive further into design thinking. In fact, this course also includes exclusive video content that we've produced in partnership with design leaders like Alan Dix, William Hudson and Frank Spillers!
This course contains a series of practical exercises that build on one another to create a complete design thinking project. The exercises are optional, but you’ll get invaluable hands-on experience with the methods you encounter in this course if you complete them, because they will teach you to take your first steps as a design thinking practitioner. What’s equally important is you can use your work as a case study for your portfolio to showcase your abilities to future employers! A portfolio is essential if you want to step into or move ahead in a career in the world of human-centered design.
Design thinking methods and strategies belong at every level of the design process. However, design thinking is not an exclusive property of designers—all great innovators in literature, art, music, science, engineering, and business have practiced it. What’s special about design thinking is that designers and designers’ work processes can help us systematically extract, teach, learn, and apply these human-centered techniques in solving problems in a creative and innovative way—in our designs, in our businesses, in our countries, and in our lives.
That means that design thinking is not only for designers but also for creative employees, freelancers, and business leaders. It’s for anyone who seeks to infuse an approach to innovation that is powerful, effective and broadly accessible, one that can be integrated into every level of an organization, product, or service so as to drive new alternatives for businesses and society.
You earn a verifiable and industry-trusted Course Certificate once you complete the course. You can highlight them on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.
Gain an Industry-Recognized UX Course Certificate
Use your industry-recognized Course Certificate on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.
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Who should take this course
This is a beginner-level course suitable for anyone interested in mastering the powerful and versatile design thinking approach:
- UX, UI, and graphic designers interested in gaining a new approach to solving design problems and generating solutions that work
- Project managers looking for a holistic process that integrates all stakeholders in order to create user-centric solutions
- Software engineers interested in playing a part in idea generation and the design process
- Entrepreneurs looking to empathize with users and build products that fit the market and users’ lives
- Marketers who want to gain a deep understanding of customers
- Stakeholders of a project/company who are keen to get involved in the process of building a product or service
- Anyone who is interested in an innovative problem-solving approach that can be applied to all types of problems in work and in life
Courses in the Interaction Design Foundation are designed to contain comprehensive, evidence-based content, while ensuring that the learning curve is never too steep. All participants will have the opportunity to share ideas, seek help with tests, and enjoy the social aspects afforded by our open and friendly forum.
Learn and work with a global team of designers
When you take part in this course, you will join a global multidisciplinary team working on the course and the exercises at the same time as you. You will work together to improve your skills and understanding. Your course group will be made up of an incredibly diverse group of professionals, all of whom have the same objective—to become successful designers. It’s your chance to learn, grow, and network with your peers across the planet.
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: 27 hours 56 mins spread over 8 weeks .
Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction
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0.1: Welcome and Introduction (10 mins)
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0.2: Build Your Portfolio Project (5 mins)
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0.3: An Introduction to Our Courses (37 mins)
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0.4: Let our community help you (1 min)
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0.5: How to Earn Your Course Certificate (16 mins)
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0.6: Meet your peers online in our discussion forums (5 mins)
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0.7: Meet and learn from design professionals in your area (1 min)
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0.8: Gain Timeless Knowledge Through Courses From the Interaction Design Foundation (21 mins)
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0.9: Mandatory vs. Optional Lesson Items (7 mins)
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0.10: A Mix Between Video-Based and Text-Based Lesson Content (6 mins)
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0.11: Congratulations and Recap (2 mins)
Lesson 1: What Is Design Thinking?
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1.1: Welcome and Introduction (7 mins)
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1.2: What is Design Thinking and Why Is It So Popular? (50 mins)
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1.3: The History of Design Thinking (26 mins)
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1.4: 10 Insightful Design Thinking Frameworks: A Quick Overview (38 mins)
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1.5: The 5 Stages in the Design Thinking Process (48 mins)
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1.6: Design Thinking: How to Solve Problems in an Innovative Way (29 mins)
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1.7: What Are Wicked Problems and How Might We Solve Them? (46 mins)
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1.8: Three Steps to Facilitate Design Thinking in Your Team (15 mins)
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1.9: Essential Design Thinking Videos, Methods and Tools (56 mins)
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1.10: Share Your Initial Thoughts on the Design Thinking Process (7 mins)
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1.11: Congratulations and Recap (4 mins)
Lesson 2: Stage 1: How to Build Empathy With the People You Design For
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2.1: Welcome and Introduction (7 mins)
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2.2: What Is Empathy and Why Is It So Important in Design Thinking? (57 mins)
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2.3: How to Develop Empathy for Your Target Group (47 mins)
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2.4: 9 Ways to Become a More Empathic Designer (24 mins)
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2.5: 10 Techniques to Develop Empathy With Your Users (35 mins)
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2.6: 7 Simple Ways to Get Better Results From Ethnographic Research (21 mins)
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2.7: How to Conduct User Interviews (38 mins)
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2.8: Cultural Probes: How to Design and Use Them (27 mins)
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2.9: Start to Build Empathy With Your Users (7 mins)
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2.10: Build Your Portfolio Project: Empathize (7 mins)
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2.11: Congratulations and Recap (1 min)
Lesson 3: Stage 2: How to Define the Problem
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3.1: Welcome and Introduction (7 mins)
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3.2: The Define Phase in Design Thinking (19 mins)
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3.3: Affinity Diagrams: How to Cluster Your Ideas and Reveal Insights (18 mins)
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3.4: Personas – A Simple Introduction (15 mins)
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3.5: 10 Steps to Create Your Engaging Personas (11 mins)
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3.6: Deep Dive Into How to Construct and Describe a Persona (36 mins)
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3.7: Personas Allow You to Focus on Individuals (47 mins)
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3.8: Empathy Maps – Why and How to Use Them (28 mins)
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3.9: How to Create Your Point of View (POV) Problem Statement (19 mins)
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3.10: Why Are “How Might We” Questions So Important? (15 mins)
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3.11: Stakeholder Mapping: The Complete Guide to Stakeholder Maps (14 mins)
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3.12: Share Your Design Challenge (6 mins)
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3.13: Build Your Portfolio Project: Define (10 mins)
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3.14: Congratulations and Recap (3 mins)
Lesson 4: Stage 3: How to Ideate for Solutions
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4.1: Welcome and Introduction (5 mins)
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4.2: What Is Ideation and Why Is It So Important in Design Thinking? (20 mins)
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4.3: How to Prepare for Ideation Sessions in 5 Steps (28 mins)
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4.4: Learn How to Use the Brainstorming Technique (1 hour 2 mins)
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4.5: Learn How to Use the SCAMPER Ideation Method (22 mins)
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4.6: Learn How to Use the Worst Possible Idea Method (12 mins)
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4.7: Learn How to Use the Challenge Assumptions Method (11 mins)
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4.8: Learn How to Use the Analogies Method (15 mins)
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4.9: Learn How to Use Sketching as an Ideation Method (50 mins)
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4.10: How to Select the Best Idea by the End of an Ideation Session (28 mins)
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4.11: 14 Barriers to Ideation and How to Overcome Them (28 mins)
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4.12: Exercise and Discussion: Share Your Reflections on Ideation (9 mins)
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4.13: Build Your Portfolio Project: Ideate (12 mins)
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4.14: Congratulations and Recap (3 mins)
Lesson 5: Stage 4: Prototyping Your Ideas
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5.1: Welcome and Introduction (6 mins)
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5.2: The Key Benefits of Prototyping (11 mins)
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5.3: Why You Need to Prototype and How to Start Off Right (22 mins)
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5.4: What Is a Prototype? (27 mins)
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5.5: How to Gain Insights From Prototyping: Stage 4 in the Design Thinking Process (25 mins)
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5.6: 5 Common Low-Fidelity Prototypes and Their Best Practices (40 mins)
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5.7: 6 Common Pitfalls in Prototyping and How to Avoid Them (20 mins)
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5.8: From Prototype to Product: Ensure That Your Solution Is Feasible and Viable (56 mins)
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5.9: Discussion (6 mins)
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5.10: Build Your Portfolio Project: Prototype (11 mins)
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5.11: Congratulations and Recap (3 mins)
Lesson 6: Stage 5: Testing Design Solutions
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6.1: Welcome and Introduction (5 mins)
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6.2: Stage 5 in the Design Thinking Process: Test (43 mins)
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6.3: 6 Different Types of Evaluative Research and When to Use Them (26 mins)
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6.4: Why Usability Test? (48 mins)
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6.5: Heuristic Evaluation: How to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation (34 mins)
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6.6: Test Your Prototypes: How to Gather Feedback and Maximize Learning (28 mins)
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6.7: 4 Common Pitfalls in Usability Testing and How to Avoid Them to Get More Honest Feedback (21 mins)
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6.8: Discussion (7 mins)
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6.9: Build Your Portfolio Project: Test (15 mins)
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6.10: Congratulations and Recap (3 mins)
Lesson 7: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-Up
Learning Paths
This course is part of 10 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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Usability Expert Learning PathBecome a Usability Expert through 12 courses in 4 parts
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UI Designer Learning PathBecome a UI Designer through 15 courses in 4 parts
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Front-End Developer Learning PathBecome a Front-End Developer through 8 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
Emma Brazil, Netherlands
“I love the diversity of approaches in teaching. Videos, images, graphs, handbooks, additional articles, multiple choice questions, and discussion topics. It kept me engaged and alert throughout the entire course. It was not just a 'walk in the park' course, and for that, I actually feel like I've learned many new valuable things - patting myself on the back with my completion.”
Mahar Nazir, India
“The instructor's major strengths are her enthusiasm for the subject, her ability to make the material accessible to students of all levels, and her commitment to engaging students in an interactive learning experience. She is also flexible and accommodating when it comes to helping students work through challenging concepts. Her course is well-structured and organised, and she provides a variety of resources to support student learning. She takes the time to get to know her students and is available to answer any questions they may have.”
JINTO KACHIRAYIL MANI, Canada
“The instructors have a deep understanding of the course topic and possess expertise in the subject matter they are teaching. Their knowledge and experience contributed to the credibility and quality of the course.”
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 Thinking: The Ultimate Guide”. 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
