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 .

Best Digital Design Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Digital Design Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
L&T EduTech
Fundamentals of Digital Design for VLSI Chip Design
Skills you'll gain: Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Computational Logic, Computer Architecture, Hardware Design, Electronics Engineering, Electronics, Programmable Logic Controllers, Electronic Systems, Semiconductors, Electronic Components, Data Storage, Data Storage Technologies
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
97 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Create and Design Digital Products using Canva
Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Design, Digital Design, Design Elements And Principles, Product Design, Color Theory, Graphic Design, Intellectual Property, Product Promotion, E-Commerce, Digital Assets, Marketing, Marketing Materials
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
1.2K reviews
Advanced · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
Google
Google UX Design
Skills you'll gain: Responsive Web Design, Storyboarding, Wireframing, User Experience Design, UI/UX Research, Usability Testing, Information Architecture, Presentations, User Research, Figma (Design Software), Design Reviews, Persona (User Experience), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Mobile Development, User Story, Cross Platform Development, Data Ethics, Usability, Interviewing Skills, Applicant Tracking Systems
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
92K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM UI/UX Designer
Skills you'll gain: User Story, UI/UX Research, Information Architecture, Design Research, User Research, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, User Experience, Agile Software Development, User Centered Design, Usability Testing, Agile Methodology, Usability, Responsive Web Design, Kanban Principles, Backlogs, User Interface (UI), Figma (Design Software), Wireframing, Design Thinking, Prototyping
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
2.5K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Epic Games
Epic Games Game Design
Skills you'll gain: Unreal Engine, Game Design, Video Game Development, Animation and Game Design, Ideation, 3D Modeling, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Software Documentation, Software Design Documents, User Experience Design, Computer Graphics, Usability, User Interface (UI), User Experience, User Interface (UI) Design, Interactive Design, Virtual Environment, Version Control, Conceptual Design, Prototyping
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
403 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
California Institute of the Arts
Graphic Design
Skills you'll gain: Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Visual Design, Logo Design, Design Software, Digital Design, Creative Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Color Theory, Adobe InDesign, Photo Editing, Photography, Design, Style Guides, Branding, Peer Review, Art History, Design Strategies, Design Research
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
21K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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Explore topics outside of work

Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
Adobe
Adobe Graphic Designer
Skills you'll gain: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Logo Design, Digital Design, Generative AI, Graphic Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Visual Design, File Management, Design Reviews, Project Design, Prompt Engineering, Image Analysis, Presentations, Client Services, Content Creation, Marketing Design, Artificial Intelligence, Branding, Storytelling
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.1K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Adobe
Design Fundamentals with AI
Skills you'll gain: Typography, Logo Design, Digital Design, Creative Design, Visual Design, Branding, Graphic Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Color Theory, Content Creation, Creativity, Generative AI Agents
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
841 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
The University of Sydney
Innovation Through Design: Think, Make, Break, Repeat
Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Innovation, Service Design, Prototyping, Ideation, User Experience Design, Creativity, Product Development, Design, User Feedback
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California San Diego
Interaction Design
Skills you'll gain: Design Research, Interaction Design, User Experience Design, Statistical Analysis, Usability, Ideation, User Research, Graphic and Visual Design, User Interface (UI) Design, Experimentation, Prototyping, Human Centered Design, Usability Testing, Human Computer Interaction, A/B Testing, Human Factors, Collaborative Software, Telecommuting, R Programming, Storyboarding
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
4K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Digital Systems: From Logic Gates to Processors
Skills you'll gain: Computer Architecture, Hardware Architecture, Technical Design, System Design and Implementation, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, Embedded Systems, Digital Design, Computer Hardware, Simulations
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
840 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Meta
Principles of UX/UI Design
Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, Usability Testing, Persona (User Experience), Interaction Design, User Experience Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, User Interface (UI), User Experience, Design Research, User Centered Design, User Interface (UI) Design, Figma (Design Software), Design Elements And Principles, Wireframing, Web Design, Prototyping, Front-End Web Development
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months