Certified Usability Engineer

At Fraunhofer FIT, our Certified Usability Engineer training equips you with the essential tools for professional consulting in usability engineering. You will gain hands-on experience with key concepts, methods, and approaches used in usability engineering.

This training sets new standards by combining proven usability and UX methods with future-oriented technologies. Beyond the classic WIMP world (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer), the program covers targeted applications of cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR). Participants learn to create genuine innovations tailored to users’ needs, moving beyond a purely technical approach and toward sustainable product success.

Participants will also practice methods for developing and evaluating interactive products and their development processes according to internationally recognized usability standards ISO 9241-11, -110, and -210. Additional relevant methods and principles of information design and user guidance complete the curriculum.

The instructors of the Usability Engineering and User Experience Design department at Fraunhofer FIT have helped shape these standards through their work in DIN, DAkkS, and the German UXPA. Participants learn directly from the originators and seasoned experts.

Practical and Compact Learning Concept

This one-week program is compact and highly practice-oriented. Its practical focus and in-depth content align with the "Advanced Level" of general IT training structures. Participants assume the role of a Usability Consultant in a fictional (but typical) IT company, pitching ideas to promote ergonomic product design. They learn how to interpret usability concepts effectively and balance theory with real-world business needs, culminating in the implementation of an enterprise-wide usability engineering process.

Universal Knowledge – Applicable Across Industries and Products

The training enables participants to conduct all user-centered design activities in a usability engineering cycle and to integrate them effectively into an existing software development process. The acquired knowledge can be applied across industries and platforms—whether for web applications, medical devices, mobile apps, or desktop software.

Ongoing Support

Even after completing the course, Fraunhofer FIT’s usability specialists remain available to answer questions. Graduates also gain access to a community of usability engineers for practical exchange.

Proven Practical Value

A comprehensive scientific study has demonstrated the high practical value of the training: 82% of participants continue to apply the knowledge and skills they acquired in their jobs on a long-term basis. This outcome is attributed to the program’s strong focus on real-world work scenarios. Read the quality study on the Certified Usability Engineer training (german language).

Module 1: Context of Use Analysis

Usability definition and composition of the context of use according to ISO 9241-11, including the introduction of other usability-related and complementary concepts such as Joy of Use, User Experience, and Accessibility. The module covers methods for analyzing contexts of use and interview techniques, with a special focus on usability engineering methods for conducting semi-structured interviews and their adaptation to various usage contexts, as well as the collection and documentation of valid context descriptions.

Module 2: Deriving User Requirements

Methods for identifying user needs and deriving requirements from contextual descriptions; includes documentation, prioritization, and management of user requirements throughout the project and beyond.

Module 3: (Prototypical) Design

Relevant design-related ISO 9241 standards; Gestalt laws, principles of perception psychology; low and high fidelity prototyping—from paper and pencil sketches to interactive digital prototypes.

Module 4: Testing

Interpretation and application of ISO 9241-110; qualitative methods such as the Critical Incident Technique (according to the ErgoNorm method), Cognitive Walkthroughs, heuristic evaluation by experts; quantitative methods such as the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI), System Usability Scale (SUS), User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and AttrakDiff..

Module 5: Implementing a Usability Engineering Process

Covers roles and interests in IT projects, politics, and industry; arguments for usability, cost-benefit analysis, legal aspects; usability engineering cycle models (ISO 9241-210, ISO TR 18529); IT development models; approaches for establishing an effective usability engineering process in accordance with ISO 9241-210.

Guest Lectures

Industry usability professionals contribute real-world insights.

Prof. Dr. Britta Essing

Diploma in Psychology, Honorary Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhine-Sieg; Head of the Human-Centered Engineering & Design Department at Fraunhofer FIT; Co-founder of the Usability Network Bonn/Rhine-Sieg Association. Member of usability committees at DIN, DAkkS (formerly DATech), and German UPA.

Peter Hunkirchen

Diploma in Business Administration, Head of Usability Engineering & User Experience (UX) Design and Business Development HCED; Lecturer in Usability Engineering & UX at H-BRS Rheinbach; Co-founder of the International Usability and User Experience Qualification Board (UXQB). Member of various usability and UX quality committees (e.g., at DIN, DAkkS, or German UXPA).

Marisa Koopmann 

Usability Engineer, M.Sc., Research Associate in Usability Engineering and User Experience Design at Fraunhofer FIT.

Dennis Paul

Psychologist, M.Sc., Research Associate in Usability Engineering and User Experience Design at Fraunhofer FIT.

Dominik Pins

Media and Cultural Sociologist, M.A., Research Associate in Usability Engineering and User Experience Design at Fraunhofer FIT.