Google UX Design Certificate: Is It Worth It? [$92,000 entry-level]

Google UX Design Certificate is an online program that teaches you how to create helpful, meaningful, and intuitive user experiences for websites and mobile apps.

With so many courses and certificates available today, it can be difficult to decide whether or not the Google UX Design Certificate is worth pursuing.

What is Google UX Design Certificate?

Google UX Design Certificate is a program to help you build the skills necessary to start UX design.

Whether from a computer-science background or an entirely different field, Google UX Design Certificate can help you build fundamental skills in UX design.

The program covers all the essentials that any UX designer should know, from user research to design thinking and UX strategy.

Google UX Design Certificate is offered through Coursera, one of the world’s most well-known online course providers.

“Google Career Certificates are designed to prepare you for an entry-level role in job fields like data analytics, digital marketing & e-commerce, IT support, project management, and UX design.

Upon completion of a Google Career Certificate, like this one, certificate graduates in the U.S. will have the option to share their information with top U.S. employers that are hiring entry-level professionals, like Deloitte, Macy’s, Infosys, Walmart and of course, Google.

Employer consortiums are currently available in the U.S., Canada, India, Singapore, Indonesia and are coming to more countries soon. The employers included will vary by country.”

Coursera, Google 2023

Content of Google UX Design Certificate

Google UX Design Certificate is divided into seven courses, namely:

1. Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design
2. Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate
3. Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes
4. Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts
5. Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma
6. Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD
7. Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs

Here’s a brief detail on what to expect and learn from each course.

Course #1: Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

Founded in UX design, this course for beginners teaches you about Google’s UX Design methodology. A Google UX Designer Course is provided for this course and offers many hands-on, project-based tasks.

It is an introductory course to User Experience Development. In addition, it teaches the value of UX design in a user and business environment.

It also summarizes the entire concepts learned during the other six courses. While it takes approximately eight hours to cover all the material of the course, the time needed to get started may vary.

Course #2: Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate

In Course #2, you will learn the arguably most important part of any UX design process: user understanding and research.

The key to success in UX design is not how you design your project but how you can relate and empathize with your users. This is why this course will deal with user research so that you’ll learn how to gain an understanding of your target audience.

Course #3: Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes

Wireframing is the process of building web page layouts and showing how they interact with each other. It will give you a clear picture of what you’re designing.

Also, wireframing is used to present your ideas to your team or clients. Hence, building wireframes correctly is a crucial part of UX design.

Course #4: Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts

Research in UX design does not begin and end with user research, which is where you get to know the behavior of your target users.

As you progress with your design, you should also learn how your users interact with your design – and this is where UX research comes into play.

UX research is learning about how your users use your product (i.e., usability, convenience, etc.)

Course #5: Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma

In course #5, you’ll learn how to build mockups and convert them into prototypes your users can try out early on. As the course title suggests, you’ll understand this skill using Figma.

Course #6: Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD

Now that you’ve learned how to design mockups and prototypes, it’s time to learn responsive web design.

Responsive web design means creating a layout that fits different screen sizes. Since we use different screen sizes nowadays (i.e., standard desktop, tablet, and mobile), responsive web design is necessary for any UX designer.

Course #7: Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs

Now that you’ve learned all the necessary skills in UX design, this final course will primarily deal with how to get your first job in UX design.

By the end of the course, once you’ve passed all of its course exams, you will have your professional certificate as a UX designer! Time to put together your UX portfolio!

How hard is Google UX Design Certificate?

The Google UX Design Certificate is not too difficult to obtain.

However, it does require some effort and dedication to learn the material. The certificate can be completed in a few months if you are willing to put in the work.

Additionally, the Google UX design Certificate can be used to further your career in the field of user experience design. Therefore, if you are looking to improve your skills and advance your career, the Google UX Design Certificate may be a good option for you.

How Much is Google UX Design Certificate?

Google UX Design Certificate only costs $39 per month, making it a very affordable option for anyone who wants to learn UX design scenarios. And yes, this includes the certification!

Of course, how much money you will spend depends on how many months it’ll take you to learn the course. Still, it is said that Google UX Design Certificate, on average, takes only 4 months. You’ll only spend $156 to learn and be a certified UX designer!

What About UI (User Interface)

UX design and UI (User Interface) design are two distinct but closely related fields involved in creating digital products.

UX design involves creating the overall experience of using a digital product. This includes understanding the user’s needs, goals, and behaviors and designing the product in a way that is intuitive and easy to use. UX designers conduct user research, create user personas, develop user flows and wireframes, and test and iterate on designs to ensure that the product meets the user’s needs.

UI design, on the other hand, focuses specifically on designing the visual and interactive elements of a digital product, such as buttons, icons, typography, and color schemes. A UI designer is responsible for creating the overall look and feel of the product and ensuring that it is visually appealing and easy to use. They use design tools such as Sketch, Figma, or Adobe XD to create mockups, prototypes, and final designs.

And while UI designers focus on the visual and interactive aspects of a digital product, UX designers focus on the overall user experience. Both roles are essential in creating successful digital products.

Is Google UX Design Certificate Worth It?

The Google UX Design Certificate can be a valuable asset for those looking to improve their career prospects in the field of user experience design.

The certificate can help you stand out from other candidates and demonstrate your dedication to the field.

Additionally, the Google UX Design Certificate can help you earn a higher salary. Therefore, if you are considering a career in user experience design, the Google UX Design Certificate may be worth your while.