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    • Software Design

    Software Design Courses Online

    Learn software design for developing robust applications. Understand design patterns, object-oriented principles, and user-centered design.

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    Explore the Software Design Course Catalog

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Michigan

      User Experience Research and Design

      Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, Surveys, Qualitative Research, Usability Testing, User Experience Design, User Experience, User Research, User Story, Prototyping, Wireframing, User Centered Design, Survey Creation, Sampling (Statistics), Design Research, Interaction Design, Ideation, A/B Testing, Conceptual Design, User Interface (UI), Test Case

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.2K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • D

      DeepLearning.AI

      AI For Everyone

      Skills you'll gain: Data Ethics, Market Opportunities, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Artificial Intelligence, Team Building, Machine Learning, Strategic Thinking, Data Science, Needs Assessment, Deep Learning, Business Ethics, Artificial Neural Networks, Engineering Management

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      48K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Build Dynamic User Interfaces (UI) for Websites

      Skills you'll gain: Responsive Web Design, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Web Design, Design Reviews, Usability Testing, Wireframing, User Research, User Centered Design, User Interface (UI) Design, Mockups, Prototyping, Figma (Design Software)

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.7K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      IBM Back-End Development

      Skills you'll gain: Istio, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Application Deployment, NoSQL, Kubernetes, Bash (Scripting Language), MongoDB, Shell Script, Software Architecture, Django (Web Framework), Development Environment, Object-Relational Mapping, OpenShift, Git (Version Control System), Cloud Applications, Flask (Web Framework), Jupyter, Grafana

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      49K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Data Science Fundamentals with Python and SQL

      Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, SQL, Descriptive Statistics, Jupyter, Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Probability Distribution, Pandas (Python Package), Data Visualization Software, Statistics, Data Visualization, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Databases, Stored Procedure, Web Scraping, Relational Databases, Python Programming, Data Structures, Data Science, GitHub

      Build toward a degree

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      72K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere

      Skills you'll gain: Data Ethics, Data Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Google Sheets, Spreadsheet Software, Analytical Skills, Data Sharing, Data Cleansing, Data Processing, Data Visualization Software, SQL, Data Management

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      115K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • C

      California Institute of the Arts

      The Language of Design: Form and Meaning

      Skills you'll gain: Design Reviews, Design, Graphic Design, Design Elements And Principles, Visual Design, Peer Review, Typography, Creative Design

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      888 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Leeds

      Foundations of Software Testing and Validation

      Skills you'll gain: Test Case, Software Testing, Software Quality Assurance, Quality Assurance, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Test Planning, Verification And Validation, Acceptance Testing, System Testing, Unit Testing, Functional Testing, Usability Testing, Integration Testing, Performance Testing, Software Development Life Cycle

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      354 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate

      Skills you'll gain: User Experience Design, User Story, Ideation, Usability, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, User Research, Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Competitive Analysis, User Flows, Persona Development

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      16K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Introduction to Data Science

      Skills you'll gain: SQL, Jupyter, Data Literacy, Data Mining, Peer Review, Data Modeling, Databases, Stored Procedure, Relational Databases, Database Design, Query Languages, Data Science, Database Management, Big Data, Data Cleansing, Data Visualization Software, GitHub, Business Analysis, Cloud Computing, Data Analysis

      Build toward a degree

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      99K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments

      Skills you'll gain: Software Configuration Management, Embedded Software, Embedded Systems, Git (Version Control System), Version Control, System Programming, Build Tools, Software Development Tools, C (Programming Language), Development Environment, Software Design, Hardware Architecture, Debugging, Command-Line Interface

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      639 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      D

      DeepLearning.AI

      AI-Powered Software and System Design

      Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Software Design Patterns, Database Systems, Software Architecture, System Design and Implementation, API Design, Large Language Modeling, Software Development, Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Secure Coding, Application Programming Interface (API), Performance Tuning

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      133 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    Software Design learners also search

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    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular software design courses

    • User Experience Research and Design: University of Michigan
    • AI For Everyone: DeepLearning.AI
    • Build Dynamic User Interfaces (UI) for Websites: Google
    • IBM Back-End Development: IBM
    • Data Science Fundamentals with Python and SQL: IBM
    • Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere: Google
    • The Language of Design: Form and Meaning: California Institute of the Arts
    • Foundations of Software Testing and Validation: University of Leeds
    • Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate: Google
    • Introduction to Data Science: IBM

    Skills you can learn in Software Development

    Programming Language (34)
    Google (25)
    Computer Program (21)
    Software Testing (21)
    Web (19)
    Google Cloud Platform (18)
    Application Programming Interfaces (17)
    Data Structure (16)
    Problem Solving (14)
    Object-oriented Programming (13)
    Kubernetes (10)
    List & Label (10)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Software Design

    Software design is the process of creating a plan to guide the development of a software solution based on an assessment of user requirements determined through research and testing. It is a very important phase of the software development lifecycle, as software design provides the foundation for subsequent coding and implementation by programmers and software engineers.

    The software design process may encompass many aspects including planning for software architecture, design of user interfaces and other visual elements, and the selection of software design patterns and other components. Application security is another critical consideration for software design, and implementing secure practices as early as possible in the software development lifecycle can help ensure that the final product provides adequate protections for business and customer data.‎

    An understanding of software design principles can be a terrific asset for a career in software development, as it provides an overarching view of the entire software development lifecycle. In some ways, you can think of the software designer as the architect whose vision directs the work of a team of engineers and construction workers. According to Glassdoor, software designers in the U.S. earn an average annual salary of $92,046 - significantly more than software programmers, whose average salary according to Glassdoor is $76,526.‎

    Certainly. Taking online courses on Coursera has become an incredibly popular way for students from around the world to learn about a wide range of computer science topics, including software design. Top-ranked schools like the University of Alberta, the University of Colorado, and the University of Minnesota offer individual courses as well as Specializations spanning multiple courses covering software design and related topics such as application security and software design patterns. And, since you can view lessons and complete coursework on a flexible schedule, you can build these valuable, job-ready skills regardless of whether you’re a student or a mid-career professional looking to upgrade your skill set.‎

    The skills and experience you might want to acquire before starting to learn software design would include practical knowledge and work experience in all kinds of software development work, from websites to apps to network maintenance and more. You may already have skills or experience in designing, developing, and installing software for enterprise information systems via an internship or job role.‎

    Some of the common career paths for someone in software design might include starting out in junior roles in web design and development, and possibly moving into creative director roles for gaming systems (if on the creative side), or software analysis manager, if more geared to the operational side of the business. Software design workers could also possibly branch off into deeply analytical roles like computer science engineer, or information research scientist, depending on the company and industry.‎

    The kind of people best suited for roles in software design are computer science enthusiasts, who love programming and are excited about creating new software possibilities. These people are often creative, focused, and cerebral individuals who know programming languages such as Java, SQL, and Python. These languages are important to know as a software designer’s work may include developing software projects and programs for external clients or internal company usage. They might also write code, create charts and diagrams to represent the software, and may even supervise a team of programmers.‎

    Learning software design may be right for you if you love design challenges, love working with new software tools, and are interested in building a lucrative career in software design. You may be able to earn a good income in software design, as jobs for software developers are expected to rise by over 20% in the next decade, according to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you find passion in work that involves designing computer systems, projecting network capabilities, and determining performance interfaces, then learning software design may be a good step in the right direction.‎

    Online Software Design courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Software Design skills. Choose from a wide range of Software Design courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Software Design, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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