Teaching the Material as a Course

33.2 12-Week Course Structure

This compressed quarter-length structure covers all core topics with streamlined case studies and focused lab sessions.

Course Schedule Overview

Week one focuses on why AI changes products, with reading from chapters one and two, a product teardown lab, and a reflection post assessment. Week two covers AI capabilities, limits, and mental models, with reading from chapters three and four, a capability mapping lab, and quiz one. Week three addresses AI-native discovery and strategy, with reading from chapters five and six, an opportunity workshop lab, and an opportunity memo draft assessment. Week four explores AI UX and trust design, with reading from chapters seven and eight, a trust audit lab, and a UX flow draft assessment. Week five introduces eval-first requirements, with reading from chapters nine and ten, an eval writing lab, and an AI PRD draft assessment. Week six covers vibe coding and prototyping, with reading from chapters eleven and twelve, a prototype session lab, and a working prototype assessment. Week seven examines retrieval, memory, and orchestration, with reading from chapters thirteen and fourteen, a RAG implementation lab, and an architecture document assessment. Week eight addresses models, routing, and architecture, with reading from chapters fifteen and sixteen, a model comparison lab, and a midterm review assessment. Week nine covers evals and observability, with reading from chapters seventeen and eighteen, an eval suite build lab, and an eval suite assessment. Week ten explores governance, security, and trust, with reading from chapters nineteen and twenty, a risk assessment lab, and a governance plan assessment. Week eleven focuses on launch, metrics, and post-launch, with reading from chapters twenty-one and twenty-two, a launch simulation lab, and a launch plan assessment. Week twelve concludes with capstone demos and postmortems, using case studies for reading and final presentations for the capstone assessment.

Weekly Structure

Each week follows a consistent 3-hour format where hour one provides conceptual foundation via discussion of readings and framework introduction, hour two focuses on application through case study analysis or structured discussion, and hour three involves hands-on lab work applying concepts to student projects.

Lab Session Format

Labs run in computer-equipped classrooms or as synchronous online sessions. Students work on their chosen course project with instructors circulating to provide guidance. Lab sessions begin with a 10-minute demonstration of the week's technique, followed by 40 minutes of guided practice, then independent work with peer collaboration.

Reading Assignments

Students read two chapters per week (approximately 40-60 pages total). Readings are completed before class to enable informed discussion. A brief reading comprehension quiz opens each class session, ungraded but serving as accountability.

Assessment Schedule

The assessment schedule distributes assignments across the quarter. The opportunity memo is due in week three and worth fifteen percent of the grade. The UX flow draft with trust plan is due in week four and worth ten percent. The AI PRD draft is due in week five and worth ten percent. A working prototype is due in week six and worth fifteen percent. The architecture document is due in week seven and worth ten percent. A midterm review occurs in week eight and is worth ten percent. The eval suite is due in week nine and worth ten percent. The governance plan is due in week ten and worth ten percent. The final capstone demo and report is due in week twelve and is worth ten percent.

Instructor Notes

For instructors: The quarter format moves quickly. If students struggle with a topic, consider assigning extra practice problems from the companion website or scheduling optional review sessions. The pace is intentional, building cumulative knowledge that pays off in later weeks. Do not skip early weeks even if students seem eager to reach prototyping; the foundation matters for later integration.

Timing tip: Week 7 (RAG and memory) often surprises students with its technical depth. Prepare supplementary resources for non-technical students and consider pairing them with more technical peers during lab sessions.