Course Curriculum

5 Sections
00

What is a UX Risk and Why Does It Matter?

5 Lessons 37 min
  • Course Overview & Downloads 3 min
  • The Difference Between Hazards and Risks 6 min
  • The Three Fundamental Impacts of Risks 10 min
  • The Four Reasons You’re Probably in a Risky Position Right Now 9 min
  • What is Risk Management and When Do You Do It? 9 min

Resources Provided

  • 0.1_CheatSheet_Design-Risk-Assessment-and-Management (PDF)
01

Anticipate Hazards

4 Lessons 90 min
  • Anticipate Hazards By Knowing Where to Look For Them 9 min
  • Establish Organizational Outcomes with OKRs 10 min
  • Identifying Micro- and Macro-Hazards 10 min
  • Identifying Macro-Hazards with STEEPLE 9 min

Practice Activities

  • Define Objectives, Key Tasks, & Results (Instructions) 20 min
  • Define Objectives, Key Tasks, & Results (Walkthrough) 10 min
  • Identifying Hazards with STEEPLE (Instructions) 17 min
  • Identifying Hazards with STEEPLE (Walkthrough) 5 min
02

Assess Risks

3 Lessons 59 min
  • How to Prioritize Hazards 10 min
  • Demonstration: How to Create a Risk Assessment Matrix 10 min
  • Frameworks Can’t Think; That’s Your Job 9 min

Practice Activities

  • Plot Hazards on a Risk Assessment Matrix (Instructions) 20 min
  • Plot Hazards on a Risk Assessment Matrix (Walkthrough) 10 min
03

Address Risks

3 Lessons 52 min
  • Five Ways to Deal with Risks You Identify 9 min
  • How to Choose A Risk Mitigation Strategy 6 min
  • Demonstration: Visualizing the Impact of Your Chosen Mitigation Strategies 8 min

Practice Activities

  • Visualizing the Impact of Your Chosen Mitigation Strategies (Instructions) 19 min
  • Visualizing the Impact of Your Chosen Mitigation Strategies (Walkthrough) 10 min
04

Adopt Change: Put Your Plan into Action

6 Lessons 42 min
  • Focus on Action, Not Lip-Service 3 min
  • Communicating Changes with Others 10 min
  • Implementing Design & Process Changes 9 min
  • Continuous Evaluation & Monitoring: How to Know If Mitigations Are Working 5 min
  • Overcoming Cultural Resistance to Risk Management 9 min
  • Conclusion 6 min

Learning Outcomes

  • Anticipate design hazards before they surface as real problems
  • Assess and prioritize risks using structured frameworks
  • Choose and apply the right mitigation strategy for each risk
  • Communicate risk decisions effectively to stakeholders outside your immediate team
  • Embed ongoing risk assessment into existing rituals without adding overhead

Course Preview

 to watch NN/g videos

Tools Used in This Course

To complete activities in this course, you will need access to Miro via your browser or the app.

All other resources can be accessed through a standard PDF reader.

Turn Problems Into Solutions

Get buy-in rather than pushback when you raise design risks

  • Translate gut-level concerns into clear risk statements that stakeholders can act on
  • Frame potential risks as business-critical considerations, not extra compliance work
  • Speak about risks in a way that’s compelling to execs, partners, legal, and engineering

Decide which risks matter now, and which can wait

  • Pinpoint the risks most likely to derail users, revenue, or reputation
  • Use concrete likelihood and impact criteria to rank potential risks by priority
  • Align risk assessment work with existing objectives and key results (OKRs)

Integrate risk mitigation practices into your existing team processes

  • Build lightweight risk checks into the rituals you already run
  • Introduce shared language to discuss the five basic risk mitigation strategies
  • Make risk-awareness a team sport, not a one-person effort

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will I have access to this course?
Once purchased, your access will never expire. This ensures you can learn at your own pace and return to review content as often as you'd like, whenever you need.
Will I get personalized instructor feedback on course activities?
No, personalized feedback is not provided for activities completed during the course. Most courses provide answer keys to activities that help learners reflect on their progress and understanding of course materials and examples.
What content can I download?
You can download a variety of resources provided with each course, including templates, how-to guides, cheat sheets, posters, reading lists, and more. Video lessons provided in all courses will not be available for download.
Can I access this course offline or on a mobile device?
Offline access isn't available yet, although we plan to add it. Most courses offer downloadable resources for offline reference.

For the best experience, mobile devices are not recommended.
Is this course eligible for the NNGroup UX Certification Program?
Unfortunately, self-paced courses do not count toward UX Certification. However, learners who complete the final exam will receive a “Recognition of Completion” to demonstrate their achievement.

See our Live Online courses for options that count toward UX Certification.
What can I share with my employer to show I’ve completed the training?
Upon completing a course’s final assessment, you will receive a “Recognition of Completion” showcasing your dedication to learning the topic. This document can be shared with your employer or professional network to demonstrate your new skills and commitment to professional development.