What is digital design?

Digital design is the process of creating content and graphics that end-users will view on a screen rather than on paper or another physical medium. As we move further into a digital world, chances are you read and view items on a phone, tablet, or computer screen far more often than you do on paper. When you use digital design, you're putting the rules and guidelines of design into digital formats. Digital design is a field that's growing rapidly.

Why is it important to learn digital design?

Digital design is different from traditional graphic design, so even if you have experience designing a logo or graphic for a printed page, you need different skills and knowledge tools. Digital design items aren't just meant to be read—they're meant for people to use. Digital media is often interactive, so you need to know how to create interactive graphics and website elements. If you work in design or want to work in design, it's important to be able to design for digital media. The fact that digital design is everywhere these days means that it's helpful have some familiarity with its concepts and terminology even if you're not designing digitally yourself.

What are some careers that use digital design?

You can find a host of careers in the digital design field, and they include web designers, digital graphic designers, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) specialists, and app designers. Digital design is crucial to many different sectors of the business world. You can find jobs as a digital designer working in a corporate environment, designing for a specific brand or project, or you can work for a company that specializes in digital design for various clients. You can also strike out on your own with your design business or consultancy.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn digital design?

Whether you're looking to learn digital design as a springboard to a new career or to advance yourself in your current workplace, you can benefit from learning online. Our courses rely on instruction from some of the best minds and talents in the business, so you'll learn more than just the basics. You'll be able to take what you've learned and apply it where you work now or on your search for a new job.

What are the benefits of taking an online Digital Design course?

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

What Digital Design courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Digital 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 .

Top Digital Design Courses - Learn Digital Design Online

Explore the Digital Design Course Catalog

University of California San Diego
Human-Centered Design: an Introduction
Skills you'll gain: Interaction Design, Human Centered Design, Mockups, Storyboarding, User Experience Design, Design Thinking, Prototyping, Usability Testing, User Interface (UI) Design, User Research, Interviewing Skills
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.8K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Multiple educators
Business Innovation and Digital Disruption
Skills you'll gain: Storytelling, Data Storytelling, Business Strategy, Design Thinking, Brand Strategy, Process Design, Business Solutions, Innovation, Business, Service Design, Presentations, Market Opportunities, Business Modeling, Business Risk Management, Branding, Strategic Thinking, Digital Transformation, Technology Strategies, Business Strategies, Corporate Sustainability
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
46 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The Digital Marketing Revolution
Skills you'll gain: Marketing Management, Marketing, Strategic Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Consumer Behaviour, Global Marketing, Digital Transformation, MarTech, Digital Marketing, Analysis, Business Transformation, Innovation
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Marketing in a Digital World
Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Strategies, MarTech, Marketing Communications, E-Commerce, Price Negotiation, Consumer Behaviour, Product Development, Product Promotion, Innovation, Customer Engagement
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
17K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Xbox
Digital and Print Media Design
Skills you'll gain: Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design, Visual Design, Digital Design, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Design, Design Reviews, Storytelling, User Centered Design, Color Theory
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of California San Diego
Design Principles: an Introduction
Skills you'll gain: Graphic and Visual Design, Usability Testing, User Interface (UI) Design, Design, Interaction Design, User Experience Design, Prototyping, Design Elements And Principles, Human Centered Design, Web Design and Development, Typography, Design Research, A/B Testing
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
California Institute of the Arts
Web Design: Wireframes to Prototypes
Skills you'll gain: Wireframing, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Mockups, Responsive Web Design, User Interface (UI), Web Design, User Experience, Prototyping, Web Language, Graphic and Visual Design, HTML and CSS, Design Elements And Principles, Typography, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Peer Review, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
853 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Multiple educators
Innovación en los Negocios y Disrupción Digital
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Storytelling, Design Thinking, Business Strategy, Business Modeling, Marketing Communications, Data Visualization, Brand Strategy, Project Portfolio Management, Business Planning, Growth Strategies, Technology Strategies, Business Process, Strategic Planning, Digital Transformation, Risk Management, Business, Innovation, Strategic Thinking, Market Opportunities
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
61 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Print and Digital Elements of Design: Branding and User Experience
Skills you'll gain: Color Theory, Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, User Experience Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Digital Design, Design, Design Elements And Principles, Design Reviews, Web Content, Web Design and Development
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
260 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado Boulder
Textual Elements of Design: Fonts, Typography, and Spacing
Skills you'll gain: Typography, Graphic and Visual Design, Design, Graphic Design, Digital Design, Design Software, Design Elements And Principles
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
273 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado Boulder
Basic Elements of Design: Design Principles and Software Overview
Skills you'll gain: Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design Software, Design, Storytelling, Typography, Adobe Creative Cloud, Content Creation, Design Research, Information Architecture, Color Theory
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
978 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Digital Marketing Institute
Digital Leadership and Digital Strategy Execution
Skills you'll gain: Digital Transformation, Strategic Thinking, Experience Design, Leadership, Leadership and Management, Digital Marketing, Business Leadership, Marketing Strategies, Media Planning, Data Security, Strategic Leadership, Risk Management, Information Privacy, Recruitment, People Development, Talent Acquisition, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Customer Service
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
96 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks