What User Interface Engineering-UIE does

User Interface Engineering (UIE), now operating as Center Centre, is a UX research, training, and consulting firm founded in 1988 by Jared Spool. The company specializes in developing strategic UX leadership capabilities among mid-to-senior UX professionals through a portfolio of self-paced video courses, live cohort programs, and personalized coaching engagements. Its headquarters are in North Andover, Massachusetts, and the firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment. Notable organizational clients referenced for speaking, workshops, and coaching include IBM, NASA, GE, Fidelity Investments, SAP, GM, Exxon Mobil, and the Obama White House.

The company's core product surface comprises the free Leaders of Awesomeness community (with 55,000+ UX leaders and 250+ recorded talks), on-demand UX strategy video series priced between $19.99 and $227, a $620 all-in bundle, four-week live intensive cohorts, and a 16-week UX Leadership and Influence Program. Distribution occurs through Center Centre's proprietary platforms (essentials, leaders, metrics, ux-research, and visions subdomains), the Maven.com marketplace, and direct enterprise sales. The business model combines one-time course purchases, recurring live cohort enrollments, and bespoke professional services coaching — meaning revenue is a mix of transactional course fees, subscription-style cohort programs, and high-margin consulting.

Center Centre monetizes a horizontal user base (UX practitioners and organizations seeking UX transformation) using a community-led top-of-funnel motion that funnels free members into paid courses and enterprise engagements. A new product line — "UX & Design for Today's AI Functionality" — was launched as a 3-part course, and six-month fellowship programs in Front-End Development and Marketing and Communications have been introduced. Technology is centered on online learning infrastructure (video hosting, live video conferencing) rather than proprietary AI or platform IP.

Name

User Interface Engineering-UIE

Legal name

Center Centre Inc.

Website

https://uie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center Centre (formerly UIE) is a privately-held UX education and training firm founded in 1988, offering online courses, live cohorts, and coaching to help UX professionals develop strategic leadership skills, with a free 55,000+ member community as its primary acquisition channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

UX Training and Education Services

NAICS

Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Experience (CX) & Digital Experience (BPAHAEAC)

Keywords

• UX research training
• UX strategy courses
• Usability consulting
• UX leadership development
• User experience education

Headquarters

HQ city

North Andover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Online Video Courses: Pre-recorded video series sold individually or as bundles. Customers purchase access to 5-9 part video series covering specific UX strategy topics. Revenue recognized upon purchase with instant access to content.
2. Live Cohort Programs: 4-week intensive live courses requiring weekly 4-hour time commitment. Cohort-based model creates urgency and peer accountability. Provides direct instructor interaction and structured learning path.
3. UX Leadership Program: 16-week comprehensive program with monthly enrollment. Step-by-step guidance for selling stakeholders on UX value. Premium pricing for extended engagement and personalized support.
4. Coaching and Consulting: One-on-one coaching sessions with Jared Spool. Virtual coaching tailored to team schedules. Corporate workshops and talks for organizations requiring personalized UX strategy guidance.
5. Course Bundles: All in on Your UX Strategy bundle includes all five advanced courses at discounted package pricing compared to individual purchases. Encourages deeper engagement and higher transaction value.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

User Interface Engineering (UIE), operating as Center Centre, is a UX research, training, and consulting firm that develops and sells online courses, live cohort programs, and workshops focused on strategic UX leadership. It also operates the free "Leaders of Awesomeness" community of 55,000+ UX professionals and delivers personalized corporate talks, workshops, and one-on-one coaching led by founder Jared Spool.

Product overview

Center Centre is a UX education and training company offering a portfolio of online courses, live programs, and community resources focused on strategic UX leadership development. The core offerings include the free Leaders of Awesomeness community, standalone video courses (UX Strategy Video Essentials), instructor-led 4-week intensive courses, a 16-week UX Leadership and Influence Program, and personalized coaching with Jared Spool. Products are delivered primarily through the company's own platform and Maven.com. The company also offers an All in on Your UX Strategy bundle that packages multiple courses together, and free UX strategy articles. The portfolio is structured as individual courses that can be purchased separately or bundled, with community resources provided at no cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leaders of Awesomeness: Free UX strategy community with resources, weekly live talks, over 250+ recorded talks, and connection to 55,000+ UX leaders.
• UX Strategy Video Essentials
• UX Leadership and Influence Program
• UX Job Search Online Course
• All in on Your UX Strategy Bundle

Products and services

• Leaders of Awesomeness
• UX & Design for Today's AI Functionality
• UX Strategy Video Essentials
• Live UX Strategy 4-Week Courses
• UX Leadership and Influence Program
• UX Job Search Online Course
• All in on Your UX Strategy Bundle
• Talks, Workshops & Coaching with Jared Spool
• Fellowship Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of UX professionals have graduated from these programs

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nielsen Norman Group: Founded by UX pioneers Jakob Nielsen and Don Norman, NN/g is the most direct peer — offering UX research, training courses, conferences, and certifications to UX professionals, the same core audience Center Centre targets.
• Interaction Design Foundation: A leading online UX and interaction design education platform offering self-paced courses and bootcamps, directly overlapping with Center Centre's video course and community-led learning model.
• IDEO U: IDEO's online learning arm delivers design thinking and UX courses for working professionals, comparable in audience (mid-to-senior practitioners seeking strategic skills) and course-based delivery model.
• Maven: Cohort-based learning marketplace where Center Centre already lists courses; Maven is both a distribution partner and a direct competitor offering cohort courses across professional and product topics.

Broad incumbents

• General Assembly: Established tech and design training provider offering bootcamps, short courses, and corporate training across UX, product, and data — overlapping on UX upskilling and enterprise workshops, but with a much broader portfolio.
• Coursera: Major MOOC platform hosting UX and design specializations from universities and companies; competes for the same self-paced, video-based learning demand and offers enterprise learning subscriptions.
• LinkedIn Learning: Enterprise-focused video learning library covering UX, design, and adjacent skills; bundled with LinkedIn subscriptions, it competes on accessibility and price for individual UX professional upskilling.

Emerging players

• Designlab: Online UX and design bootcamp offering mentor-led cohorts and short courses, overlapping with Center Centre's live cohort and leadership development programs for working professionals.
• Springboard: Mentor-led online career-focused bootcamp with a UX design track, comparable in audience and cohort-based format but more focused on career changers than senior UX leadership.
• CareerFoundry: Online UX and design training provider offering mentored courses and career-change programs; competes for entry-to-mid UX professionals seeking structured learning and job outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/53748
• Xx.com/UIE
• Facebookfacebook.com/UserInterfaceEngineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about User Interface Engineering-UIE