UXQCC Certified Professional for User Experience – Foundation Level

Typical training format: 2 – 3 days

Build a solid foundation in User Experience and Usability

The UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level provides the essential knowledge and common vocabulary needed to understand usability, user experience and user-centered development.

It covers the key principles behind usable interactive systems — from human perception and mental models to user requirements, prototyping, accessibility and usability evaluation.

The certification is designed as a common foundation for professionals from different disciplines who contribute to the development, design, evaluation or management of interactive products.

On the right, you can see a sample of the UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level badge. Certified professionals may use the badge on professional profiles and résumés.

The learning objectives include

Principles of usability and user experience

What are usability, user experience and customer experience?
How do usability and UX differ from visual and graphic design?
What is user-centered and human-centered design?
What benefits can good usability provide for users and organisations?
What risks and costs can result from poor usability?
Why does usability always depend on users, their goals and the context of use?

Basics of human perception and information processing

Why is human perception subjective?
How do people read and visually perceive information?
How do attention, mental models and previous experience influence interaction?
How do people perceive colours, and which colour vision deficiencies must be considered?
What are the Gestalt principles and how do they influence interface perception?
How can environmental conditions influence usability?

User-centered design process and methods

What is the user-centered design lifecycle?
How are users, goals, tasks and the context of use analysed?
How are user requirements derived and specified?
What are prototypes and mockups, and when are different types appropriate?
What role do design systems and design tokens play?
What is usability evaluation and which methods involve users?
What expert-based evaluation methods are available?
Which questionnaires can be used to assess usability and user experience?
How can AI support UX activities while professional judgment and human responsibility remain essential?

UX in software and product development

How can UX activities be integrated into software and product development processes?
How do user research, requirements, design, evaluation and implementation interact?
Why are iteration and validation important?
What organisational conditions support successful user-centered development?
How can different disciplines work effectively together on UX?

Standards, guidelines, and accessibility

What is ISO 9241 and why is it relevant for usability and UX?
What are the principles of ISO 9241-110?
What is the human-centered design process described in ISO 9241-210?
What are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)?
What role does accessibility play in the development of interactive systems?
What practical value do standards and guidelines provide in projects?

Target audience

The UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level is intended for professionals who contribute to the development, design, evaluation or management of interactive products.

Typical participants include:

- UX Designers and Interaction Designers
- UX Researchers
- UI Designers
- Frontend Developers
- Software and Web Developers
- Product Managers and Product Owners
- Scrum Masters and Project Managers
- Quality Assurance and Software Quality Professionals
- Business and Management Consultants
- Start-ups and Founders
- Teachers and Trainers
- Students and Career Starters in UX
- Marketing professionals working with digital products
Previous experience in software or product development is helpful but not required.

The UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level certificate is the prerequisite for progressing to the UXQCC Advanced Level.

Certification Exam

The UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level examination is based on the official Foundation Level syllabus.

The certification focuses on fundamental knowledge and understanding of usability, user experience, human-centered development, relevant standards and established UX methods.

Candidates may prepare through an accredited UXQCC training course or independently using the official syllabus and appropriate study materials.

The examination is administered by the independent examination provider GASQ.

Book your exam through GASQ

After completing a UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level training, participants will be able to

Training may be delivered by an Accredited Training Provider or a qualified UXQCC Trainer and may be offered on-site, online, in-house or in other suitable formats. The following outcomes describe the knowledge and understanding participants should have gained after completing the training.

Explain the principles of usability and user experience

Explain the differences between usability, user experience and related concepts.
Describe the principles and benefits of user-centered development.
Explain how different users, goals and contexts influence usability.
Describe typical consequences of inadequate usability.

Explain relevant aspects of human perception

Explain why perception is selective and subjective.
Describe relevant principles of visual perception and reading.
Explain the role of mental models and expectations.
Describe important Gestalt principles.
Explain how colour perception and environmental influences affect usability.

Describe the user-centered development process

Explain the activities of a user-centered design lifecycle.
Describe how users, goals, tasks and context of use are analysed.
Explain how user requirements are derived.
Distinguish different types of prototypes and their purposes.
Explain how UX activities relate to software development processes.

Understand usability evaluation

Explain the purpose of usability evaluation.
Distinguish evaluation methods involving users from expert-based methods.
Explain the principles of usability testing, cognitive walkthrough and heuristic evaluation.
Describe the purpose of established usability and UX questionnaires.
Explain how evaluation findings can be analysed and prioritised.

Understand standards and accessibility

Explain the relevance of ISO 9241 for usability and user-centered development.
Describe the interaction principles of ISO 9241-110.
Explain the lifecycle described in ISO 9241-210.
Describe the basic principles and structure of WCAG.
Explain why accessibility is an integral part of usable interactive systems.

Your exam preparation

Prepare for the UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level with the official syllabus, accredited training or self-study.

Official Syllabus

The UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level syllabus defines the knowledge, terminology and Learning Objectives relevant for the certification examination.

[Download Syllabus EN]
[Download Syllabus DE]

Additional Exam Practice

For candidates who want additional practice, a compact preparation booklet with 111 representative questions and answers and an extended glossary is also available in English and German.

English edition
UXQCC CPUE – FL Exam Preparation: 111 Exam Practice Questions and Extended Glossary

[Buy English Edition on Amazon]

German edition
UXQCC CPUE-FL Prüfungsvorbereitung: 111 Übungsfragen und erweitertes Glossar

[Deutsche Ausgabe bei Amazon kaufen]

UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level Mock Exams

Use the UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level Mock Exams to become familiar with the structure, wording and level of the certification examination.

Each mock exam is available in two versions:

Exam version – questions only, for realistic self-assessment under exam conditions.
Exam with answers – includes the correct answers for review and learning after completion.

English

[Download Mock Exam EN – Questions only]
[Download Mock Exam EN – With answers]

Deutsch

[Mock Exam DE herunterladen – Nur Fragen]
[Mock Exam DE herunterladen – Mit Antworten]

For best results, complete the questions-only version first and use the version with answers afterwards for review.

Steps to get your UXQCC certificate

Choose whether you want to attend an accredited training course or prepare independently.
Prepare using the official UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level syllabus.
Register for the certification examination through GASQ.
Complete the examination.
After successfully passing the examination, receive your UXQCC CPUE Foundation Level certificate.

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