PROTOTYPING & TESTING

Making Ideas Tangible:
Visualizing, Prototyping, and Testing Ideas in the Real World

Live instructor • Ten week course
Weekly office hours • Fully remote

In design, the act of making an idea tangible is a catalyst for knowledge creation and problem solving. In this course, you will rapidly make your ideas tangible with prototypes in order to test them in the world and measure outcomes to validate assumptions, expose risks and understand the potential to scale.

Who should take this course?

Early to Mid-Level Researchers

Grow your ability to turn synthesized data into compelling narratives that speak to broader audiences and more effectively drive change on teams.

Product Designers


Develop a deeper understanding of user needs and behaviors, create more informed and innovative design solutions, and communicate their insights compellingly to stakeholders

Product Managers


Enhance your capacity to understand user needs, guide the development of user-centered products, communicate effectively with design and development teams

Prototyping & Testing

NEXT COURSE BEGINS: OCTOBER 8, 2024

Upon completing this course, you will be able to effectively make prototypes (both paper and digital), present and critique design ideas, write design briefs, iterate and conduct pilot testing. Throughout it all, you will create compelling narratives to foster empathy and reveal actionable insights.

  • Format: Receive live instruction from AC4D faculty in a remote setting

  • Duration: 10 weeks

  • Time per week: 4 course hours per week, 40 course hours in total; T/TH, 7-9 PM CST

  • Tuition: $4,000 $2,500

  • Location: Remote

This course will enable you to:

  • Define and narrow in on a problem area, identifying test metrics to measure success

  • Conduct a competitive and comparative analysis to understand the existing landscape for the problem area

  • Create rapid prototypes using pen and paper

  • Identify and address any potential deviations or tangents in prototype designs that may arise, while still maintaining a focus on desired "happy path" scenarios

  • Ideate and create digital prototypes using Figma and Figjam

  • Craft a usability testing script to evaluate the ease of use and overall satisfaction of prototypes

  • Conduct moderated and unmoderated user testing, leveraging both in-person interviews and a digital tool Maze

  • Iterate on prototypes based on user feedback

  • Create a portfolio-ready case study presentation to showcase the creation and iteration process and final outcomes

Research & Sensemaking Curriculum

  • Week 1: Introduction to Creating Prototypes

  • Week 2: Paper Prototype Pin-up Session & Refinement

  • Week 3: Identify Improvement Opportunities

  • Week 4: Visualize & Share Early Ideas/Concepts for Opportunity

  • Week 5: Idea Refinement: The Happy Path

  • Week 6: Digital Prototyping Foundations

  • Week 7: Rapid Iteration & Critique

  • Week 8: Digital Prototype Test Presentations

  • Week 9: Final Presentation Working Session

  • Week 10: Final Presentations & Critique

AC4D students, alumni & faculty are Designing for Impact