Good length of each lesson, and open end questions helped me to remember the information really well. I love the videos with Alan Dix — he e...
Get excited to move past what just works well and looks good as you learn to design products and experiences people love. Every morning your alarm goes off, you shuffle to the kitchen, and you start your daily ritual. Still half-asleep, you boil the kettle, scoop the coffee, and add the milk. And out of every mug you own, you reach for the same one. Every single time. We all have things we choose over and over, sometimes without knowing why. It feels like instinct, but that pull comes from emotional design: It's not just what a product does, but how it makes you feel each time you use it. It's why some things earn a place in our lives while others, even when they're just as functional, get forgotten in a drawer. In this course, design legend and author of the bestselling book "Human-Computer Interaction," Professor Alan Dix, shows you how to use psychology to design for emotion, so that the feelings your product evokes are intentional, not accidental.
Make yourself invaluable when you can turn products and experiences that are functional into ones that make people actually feel. In this course you'll learn why people fall in love with some things and abandon others, using Don Norman's three levels of design to make sense of why people respond the way they do. You'll understand the cognitive and affective systems running in every user's head, so you can shape how your work feels before anyone consciously thinks about it. Through Maslow's hierarchy and MacLean's three brains, you'll ground what you build in the instincts, emotions, and reasoning every user carries with them. And with real examples from brands like Apple and Swatch, you'll see how your design choices can earn that connection. AI has made it possible to build more products faster and cheaper than ever, and users are now flooded with endless options. Your timeless, human-centered design skills are what let you look past the screen to the human on the other side, so the people who use what you build feel understood.
Gain confidence and credibility because when you design for emotion, you build things that genuinely serve people, earn their trust, and keep them coming back. Emotion is often treated as the soft, unprovable part of design, but according to Gallup, behavioral economists estimate that up to 70% of consumer decisions are driven by emotion rather than logic. In this course, you'll learn to make the business case for emotional design and trade "it just feels better" for a clear explanation of what's working, why it matters, and what you can do about it. You'll also see why a beautiful design isn't just nice to look at: Research shows people perceive attractive things as more usable, even when their actual experience suggests otherwise. And with downloadable templates like the 5 Principles of Humanity-Centered Design, you'll apply your skills immediately.
Master complex skills with proven best practices and toolkits directly from industry leaders. Meet your expert for this course:
Alan Dix: Author of the bestselling book “Human-Computer Interaction” and Director of the Computational Foundry at Swansea University.
Industry giants trust our courses to train their teams, and prestigious universities integrate our content into their curricula. Add your certificates to your LinkedIn profile, résumé, and job applications.
Good length of each lesson, and open end questions helped me to remember the information really well. I love the videos with Alan Dix — he e...
The lessons are very thought provoking. Simple but complex - when you break them down.
I really liked this lesson. It makes it more obvious that we as designers have a far wider responsibility than just designing the interactio...
Easy communication, natural behavior, real examples from his experience, masters the subject, and also some cuteness.
The delivery of material and including practical examples such as the case study.
Alan Dix is a great lecturer, and his courses are a joy to follow. He is knowledgeable and has a great way of conveying his passion and know...
I think it's a very good and comprehensive course overall. I like that it introduces the students to a number of good models to help us thin...
Because the instructor has knowledge and experience, he can communicate and substantiate this well. Awesome!
Although I was familiar with many of the concepts of the course from previous ones, this course helped me to understand them better and deep...
Industry leaders from companies like Adobe, Google, and NASA teach you real-world skills grounded in industry practice and research.
Learn both AI and the human-centered design skills that AI can't replace.
Add IxDF Course Certificates to your LinkedIn profile and résumé to show you've completed an evidence-based curriculum taught by industry leaders.
Use your new skills to take on higher-value work, qualify for promotions or find a role that fits you better.
Connect with designers in 496 cities across 107 countries. Learn together, get mentored, and build relationships that open doors.
High-impact design and AI skills
Learn from 209 industry leaders
42 evidence-based courses
161 one-hour Master Classes
Industry-recognized certificates
$2,189 worth of toolkits
11,409 active design jobs
10 structured career programs
Global community in 496 cities
$6,649 worth of premium tools
276 ready-made templates
and much more
Design skills are valuable for both you personally and for your company.
For you personally, design skills are important because:
Design roles are growing faster than average. The World Economic Forum ranks human-centered design among the fastest-growing skill areas through 2030.
Employers increasingly expect design skills across roles, not just from designers. Knowing design thinking, user research, or UX principles makes you more competitive in any field.
Designers who combine human-centered skills with AI expertise are in especially high demand.
For your company, design skills are important because:
Design skills help your team increase sales, retain customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Better customer experiences lead directly to better business results.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by 228% (Design Management Institute, Design Value Index).
Design is more than aesthetics. It's how teams make products easier to use, services more efficient, and technology more human. These skills create value across every department.
Design and tech skills can open up career opportunities.
For example, if you’re in a field such as:
Marketing, communication, HR, software development, customer service, business management, healthcare, teaching, and many more.
Why can design skills make you valuable in these jobs and industries?
That's because:
Design skills help your team increase sales, retain customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Better customer experiences lead directly to better business results.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by 228% (Design Management Institute, Design Value Index).
Design is more than aesthetics. It's how teams make products easier to use, services more efficient, and technology more human. These skills create value across every department.
Yes!.
You'll gain fluency in design processes and get job-ready, hands-on skills you can apply immediately.
This course makes it easy for you with templates and step-by-step guides, so you can easily present to managers and clients. All licensed for commercial use.
You’ll also learn to build an impressive portfolio.
Yes!
You’ll always have time for career growth because our course are self-paced and designed to fit into your busy life.
You can learn at your own pace. Anytime and anywhere, whether you're working full-time or juggling life and kids.
You can progress at a speed that feels just right for you.
Yes.
After you finish, you’ll receive an industry-recognized IxDF Certificate to prove you've completed an evidence-based curriculum taught by industry leaders.
Add IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps.
You can download your certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. Certificates are always valid.
Our grading is done by experts, not machines.
We make sure you receive feedback and maximum benefit from the entire process.
That’s also one of the reasons IxDF Course Certificates are credible and industry-recognized.
Yes.
You get unlimited access to all IxDF courses at no extra cost.
For example, if there are 40 courses open for enrollment, you can enroll in all 40 courses at the same time and move from one to another as you prefer. Use our IxDF Career Programs to help you choose the very best courses for you.
If you’re a student member, 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 them so that you don’t have more than two ongoing courses.
Yes.
You get unlimited access to all IxDF courses at no extra cost. Take as many courses as you want without paying extra. You can literally save thousands of dollars.
That's easy.
Add your IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps:
Click “Add profile section” on your LinkedIn
Tap “Recommended”
Select “Add licenses or certifications”
Enter your IxDF Certificate details
Hit “Save”
You can download your IxDF Certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. IxDF Certificates are always valid.
You can see the estimated total learning time just above.
But remember, it’s entirely up to you! You can learn at your own comfortable pace. Anytime and anywhere, whether you're working full-time or juggling life and kids.
Don't worry, we will re-run the course soon.
One reason we open and close courses is to achieve an optimal classroom size. That way, your networking opportunities and learning experience are optimal.
We display the "XX% booked" status on our courses to be transparent about the course availability.
Stay tuned for the next enrollment period. Be sure to sign up early! Meanwhile, you can sign up for another course you find interesting. Remember, you can take as many courses as you want without paying extra.
Our courses, master classes, and career programs cover everything from the fundamentals to advanced topics.
Whether you're completely new to design or an experienced professional, you'll find courses, master classes and career programs at your level.
We can help you in several ways.
Join meet-ups in your city: Join the regular meet-ups in your city in a nearby cafe or office building to have fun and learn with people just like you. You get full access to IxDF Local Groups where you can build your network, find new opportunities, or simply enjoy yourself in the company of people who are passionate about design. The meetings are completely optional and are spread across app. 500 cities worldwide.
You can also get instant help and career advice in the IxDF online members-only forums. Here, you can build your global network through our supportive community.
Yes.
Simply retake the course and keep moving forward!
Everyone's learning journey looks different and it’s about progress, not perfection.
To retake a course, just follow these steps:
Go to your profile and click on the course you'd like to retake.
Scroll down until you see the "Drop This Course" section.
Tap the button that says, “Drop My Course Now.”
Head back to our Courses page page and re-enroll yourself in the course.
You're all set to try again!
NB: Please note that when you drop a course, you’ll lose your progress and any answers you’ve already submitted in the course.
We’d love to hear from you and help you!
Reach out to us at [email protected] or use the online contact form.