How to Become a Freelance Designer

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How This Course Will Help Your Career

What You’ll Learn

Whether freelancing or entrepreneurship is for you
How to set up a successful freelance business
How to market and sell your business services effectively
How to handle all the day-to-day management of a freelancer’s and entrepreneur’s practice

Have you ever dreamed of breaking away from the 9-to-5 grind and becoming your own boss? How about escaping from your office setting—the endless meetings, corporate politics, and other irritations that fill your mind on a Sunday night? If so, have you ever considered how different life might be as a freelancer, or as the founder of your own design agency? Maybe, you’ve even wanted to do all that from the beach or from a trendy coffee shop in an inspiring urban landscape? The truth is that there’s nothing stopping you from doing any of the above. Going into business for yourself as a freelancer or entrepreneur can be a highly rewarding and exciting way to work—this course is here to show you how you can achieve that, and jump the fence that keeps all too many bright and motivated people trapped so tragically in the workaday ennui of being employees.

You are not alone in your desire to work in a way and location of your choice; freelancing is the most rapidly growing business market on Earth. Gone are the days of people’s perceiving self-employment as “not a proper job”; contractor positions are increasingly being held by the best and brightest in the industry through a phenomenon coined “The Rise of the Supertemp”. In the United States alone, freelancing is a $1 trillion industry, according to Upwork.It’s the way to work in many industries moving forward, and you can be part of it! Better still, it will give you a new lease of life which will leave you wondering why you hadn’t done it sooner.

Freelancers and entrepreneurs often get to choose where they work. By redefining the way you work, you can also redesign the way you live. Once you have the contracts, you can set up wherever you have your heart set on—be it Prague, Delhi, Koh Phangan, Cape Town, or Rio, to name just a few. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a ton of savings in the bank—tens of thousands of other freelancers built their freelance businesses from nothing. The founders of the Interaction Design Foundation can attest to this—Mads Soegaard and Rikke Friis Dam built the platform while living in low-cost countries, traveling the world as digital nomads as soon as the internet would allow them to. This enabled them to focus on creating high-quality educational content while having low expenses. It’s an ingenious way of having the best of both worlds (freedom of work and seeing the world), all while keeping the wolves away from the door money-wise. In fact, most of our employees and loyal freelancers now live and work as dedicated and hardworking digital nomads all over the world.

This course will show you how to create a freelance business from scratch—from overcoming your fears, to the practicalities of making a brand name of yourself. We will share knowledge regarding how you can start your own design agency or start working as a freelancer from pretty much anywhere, at any time. You will be able to live the life of your dreams while providing high-quality services and products for the benefit of your clients. We will introduce you to the best and most relevant research, as well as ideas and best practices, derived from others who were once in your shoes but who are now living and working the way they always wanted to.

This course is created and presented by one of the founders of the Interaction Design Foundation, Rikke Friis Dam. Rikke is Editor-in-Chief and in charge of our educational profile. She hires and works closely with highly skilled freelancers and entrepreneurs on a daily basis. So, what are you waiting for? There’s no reason for you to sit in an office, counting down the clock and taking orders unless you truly want to live like that. Your clients can be based anywhere on Earth, and so can you; it’s time to quit dreaming and start doing.

Gain an Industry-Recognized UX Course Certificate

Use your industry-recognized Course Certificate on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.

Our courses and Course Certificates are trusted by these industry leaders:

Our clients: IBM, HP, Adobe, GE, Accenture, Allianz, Phillips, Deezer, Capgemin, Mcafee, SAP, Telenor, Cigna, British Parliment, State of New York

Is This Course Right for You?

This is an intermediate-level course, and while a freelancing or entrepreneurial experience is not required, some form of professional skills is recommended:

UX designers looking to become freelance UX consultants and work on projects from anywhere in the world
Project managers interested in freelancing or building their own products
Software engineers keen on the freedom and rewards of being a freelance software developer
Entrepreneurs, UI designers, web designers, copywriters, photographers, accountants, etc. looking to set up a freelancing business

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

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 industry of design.

Practical Info

Price: Free for Members

Take as many courses as you want for a flat fee.
Self-Paced Online Course with No Deadlines

You’ll never miss a class since there are no deadlines.
Permanent Access to Course Material

You’ll have access to your course material for the entire duration of your membership.
Online Lessons with Optional Meet-Ups

Take our online courses from anywhere. Join optional meet-ups in your city.
21 hours 47 mins over 8 weeks (Estimated)

There’s no time limit to finish a course, so you can take as much time as you need.
Grading by Experts, Not Machines

Our experts grade your answers—that’s why our Course Certificates are credible.
Learn on Any Device

Learn at the office, on your sofa and on the go.
Great Reviews

This course’s content is rated 4.2 / 5 by students.
Well-Liked Instructor

This course’s instructor is rated 4.3 / 5 by students.

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: 21 hours 47 mins spread over 8 weeks .

Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction

Available once you start the course. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 40 mins.

Lesson 1: Are You Cut Out for Freelancing and Entrepreneurship?

Available once you start the course. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 48 mins.

Lesson 2: How to Plan Your Business

Available anytime after Mar 15, 2024. Estimated time to complete: 3 hours 15 mins.

Lesson 3: How to Get Clients – Marketing for Freelance Businesses and Design Agencies

Available anytime after Mar 22, 2024. Estimated time to complete: 4 hours 20 mins.

Lesson 4: How to Sell Your Business Services: Telesales

Available anytime after Mar 29, 2024. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 9 mins.

Lesson 5: How Should You Handle Your Business Clients?

Available anytime after Apr 05, 2024. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 18 mins.

Lesson 6: Entrepreneur and Freelance Skills

Available anytime after Apr 12, 2024. Estimated time to complete: 3 hours 14 mins.

Lesson 7: How to Become a Digital Nomad & Resources for Freelancers, Entrepreneurs and Digital Nomads

Available anytime after Apr 19, 2024. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 3 mins.

Lesson 8: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up

Available anytime after Apr 26, 2024.

How Others Have Benefited

Louis (Levi) Salguero, Australia

“The instructor 'Walked the Walk', not just 'Talked the Talk' because they have been digital nomads and have the track record to prove it; they knew their subject matter extremely well.”

Nicena Fontaine, Canada

“The tone was authentic and real, like having a cup of tea/coffee with a friend who's already been there and sharing the ups and downs. Also, addressing fears and internal obstacles throughout the course was something I've never experienced in other freelance/entrepreneur classes, and that was a real tipping point for me because it externalized my fears and helped me see I'm not the only one.”

Masood Raja, United States

“I think most of the material has been developed with some deep experience behind it so it makes it into a very convincing course.”

See other reviews

How It Works

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.
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.
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 “How to Become a Freelance Designer”. Take other courses at no additional cost. Make a concrete step forward in your career path today.

Advance my career now

Frequently Asked Questions

When I finish a course, do I have to pay extra to get my certificate?

No. When you pay for a membership you get access to all of the courses, with no extra charges or limits. That also means that you will get a certificate for every successfully finished course, at no extra cost.

Can I take more than one course at a time?

With a Professional membership you can take as many courses as you would like, with no further charges. For example, if there are 30 active courses, you can enroll in all 30 courses at the same time and move from one to another as you prefer.

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.

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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?

We do the marking/grading in so-called "sprints" – where we sit down and do all the marking/grading in one go. Your answers will be graded approximately two weeks after you submit your work.

We do this because it is much more efficient than doing one little step every day. It's part of our lean/agile work philosophy, and that approach to efficiency is one of the factors that keeps our membership prices so low.

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?

Open-ended questions are graded by our experts and course instructors – not by machines.

That's one of the reasons that our Course Certificates are credible and recognized by industry leaders.

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.

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

Add licenses and certifications
4. Click the Save button.

Licenses and certifications final

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.

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

LinkedIn: Add license and certifications
4. Click the Save button.

LinkedIn: Uploaded certificate

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?

We provide courses for all levels of mastery and across the full spectrum. If you’re new to design, you can start from our beginner courses and progress all the way up to our advanced ones. If you’re an established designer, on the other hand, you will find some of our lower-level courses provide a good refresher—and the advanced ones, a bit of a challenge.

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

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How to Become a Freelance Designer

Closes in

days

hrs

mins

secs

44% booked

Start course now

How to Become a Freelance Designer

7 days 21 hrs 15 mins 59 secs

Start now

How to Become a Freelance Designer

How This Course Will Help Your Career

What You’ll Learn

Gain an Industry-Recognized UX Course Certificate

Is This Course Right for You?

Learn and Work with a Global Team of Designers

Lessons in This Course

Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction

Lesson 1: Are You Cut Out for Freelancing and Entrepreneurship?

Lesson 2: How to Plan Your Business

Lesson 3: How to Get Clients – Marketing for Freelance Businesses and Design Agencies

Lesson 4: How to Sell Your Business Services: Telesales

Lesson 5: How Should You Handle Your Business Clients?

Lesson 6: Entrepreneur and Freelance Skills

Lesson 7: How to Become a Digital Nomad & Resources for Freelancers, Entrepreneurs and Digital Nomads

Lesson 8: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up

How Others Have Benefited

Louis (Levi) Salguero, Australia

Nicena Fontaine, Canada

Masood Raja, United States

How It Works

Start Advancing Your Career Now

Frequently Asked Questions

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