Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers

Overview

This University of Colorado Boulder specialization is aimed squarely at people who've never studied design formally but need to produce decent visual work — marketers, small-business owners, teachers, anyone making a flyer or a deck. It's hands-on with real tools, teaching Adobe Photoshop and InDesign alongside the underlying principles: layout, color theory, and visual storytelling. Over 43,000 learners have used it as a practical, no-jargon entry point into graphic design.

Who it's for

Non-designers — marketers, entrepreneurs, educators — who need to create visually competent materials without years of formal design training.

Key skills

• Core design elements and principles
• Layout design and color theory
• Adobe Photoshop and InDesign basics
• Visual storytelling