How can I take my values, ideas, and experiences and make them into great products? Which features should I prioritize? In this beginner project-based course, you’ll learn how to create products that people love. We’ll follow industry best practice of understand user needs (user interviews), build iterative prototypes (wireframes, user journeys, entity relationship diagrams, scoping), and do the work to validate your idea (user testing). This course teaches you how to get the right idea, that you will then ultimately build during the “week long intensive” – our word form of a hackathon – following completion of SPD 1. The lessons learned will apply to your work in other classes, too.
This course also teaches the “success skills” necessary to become a well-rounded product developer, including using professional communication best practices, building healthy habits, and getting feedback from industry contacts and peers.
None
Course Delivery: hybrid | 7 weeks | 14 sessions
Course Credits: 3 units | 37.5 Seat Hours | 75 Total Hours
Students by the end of the course will be able to ...
Product Objectives:
- Develop product ideas using one's experiences, values, and hunches
- Evaluate product ideas using PEST Analysis, Competitive Analysis, and User Interviewing
- Create the required documents to specify the design of a product, including user journeys and wireframes
Communication Objectives:
- Be timely in communication and use the proper communication channel
- Adopt a professional business communication style that is actionable and has an appreciative tone.
Course Lesson Schedule tab of Tracker
Course Dates: Wednesday, August 19 – Wednesday, October 7, 2020 (7 weeks)
Class Times: Monday, Wednesday at 9:30am–12:15pm (14 class sessions)
Hybrid sections are a mixture of online and in person components. In person sessions include labs and group work as noted on your schedule. These sections will run according to the Hybrid Delivery Policy: make.sc/hybrid-delivery-policy
| Class | Date | Topics | In-Person Labs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed, Aug 19 | Product: Introduction to SPD & Finding Problems | |
| 2 | Mon, Aug 24 | Professionalism: Produtivity & Communication | |
| 3 | Wed, Aug 26 | Industry Analysis | Agile Standups I |
| 4 | Mon, Aug 31 | Professionalism: Habit Formation | |
| 5 | Wed, Sept 2 | Product: User Interviews | Agile Standups II |
| - | Mon, Sept 7 | Holiday- Labor Day | |
| 6 | Wed, Sept 9 | Product: User Interviewing Lab (Study & Productivity & Wellness) | Habit Formation |
| 7 | Mon, Sept 14 | Product: Generating New Solutions | |
| 8 | Wed, Sept 16 | Professionalism Procrastination & Time Sinks | Agile Standups III |
| 9 | Mon, Sept 21 | Product: scoping & user journeys | |
| 10 | Wed, Sept 23 | Finding Joy in Coding | Paper Wireframing |
| 11 | Mon, Sept 28 | Product: Wireframes & Design | |
| 12 | Wed, Sept 30 | How to Build a Beautiful Portfolio | Agile Standups IV |
| 13 | Mon, Oct 5 | Professionalism: Email Fundamentals | |
| 14 | Wed, Oct 7 | Publish Party |
Course Dates: Wednesday, August 19 – Wednesday, October 7, 2020 (7 weeks)
Class Times: Monday, Wednesday at 9:30am–12:15pm (14 class sessions)
| Class | Date | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed, Aug 19 | Product: Introduction to SPD & Finding Problems |
| 2 | Mon, Aug 24 | Professionalism: Produtivity & Communication |
| 3 | Wed, Aug 26 | Industry Analysis |
| 4 | Mon, Aug 31 | Professionalism: Habit Formation |
| 5 | Wed, Sept 2 | Product: User Interviews |
| - | Mon, Sept 7 | Holiday- Labor Day |
| 6 | Wed, Sept 9 | Product: User Interviewing Lab (Study & Productivity & Wellness) |
| 7 | Mon, Sept 14 | Product: Generating New Solutions |
| 8 | Wed, Sept 16 | Professionalism Procrastination & Time Sinks |
| 9 | Mon, Sept 21 | Product: scoping & user journeys |
| 10 | Wed, Sept 23 | Finding Joy in Coding |
| 11 | Mon, Sept 28 | Product: Wireframes & Design |
| 12 | Wed, Sept 30 | How to Build a Beautiful Portfolio |
| 13 | Mon, Oct 5 | Professionalism: Email Fundamentals |
| 14 | Wed, Oct 7 | Publish Party |
Course Dates: Wednesday, August 19 – Wednesday, October 7, 2020 (7 weeks)
Class Times: Monday, Wednesday at 9:30am–12:15pm (14 class sessions)
| Class | Date | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed, Aug 19 | Product: Introduction to SPD & Finding Problems |
| 2 | Mon, Aug 24 | Professionalism: Produtivity & Communication |
| 3 | Wed, Aug 26 | Industry Analysis |
| 4 | Mon, Aug 31 | Professionalism: Habit Formation |
| 5 | Wed, Sept 2 | Product: User Interviews |
| - | Mon, Sept 7 | Holiday- Labor Day |
| 6 | Wed, Sept 9 | Product: User Interviewing Lab (Study & Productivity & Wellness) |
| 7 | Mon, Sept 14 | Product: Generating New Solutions |
| 8 | Wed, Sept 16 | Professionalism Procrastination & Time Sinks |
| 9 | Mon, Sept 21 | Product: scoping & user journeys |
| 10 | Wed, Sept 23 | Finding Joy in Coding |
| 11 | Mon, Sept 28 | Product: Wireframes & Design |
| 12 | Wed, Sept 30 | How to Build a Beautiful Portfolio |
| 13 | Mon, Oct 5 | Professionalism: Email Fundamentals |
| 14 | Wed, Oct 7 | Publish Party |
| Assignment | Date Assigned | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Areas of Interest Worksheet | Wed, Aug 19 | Mon, Aug 24 |
| Blog Post - Section 1 | Mon, Aug 24 | Mon, Aug 31 |
| Blog Post - Section 2 | Wed, Sept 9 | Mon, Sept 21 |
| Blog Post - Section 3 | Mon, Sept 21 | Wed, Sept 30 |
| Intensive Product Idea and Pitch | Wed, Sept 30 | Wed, Oct 7 |
| Blog Post - Final Draft | Wed, Sept 30 | Wed, Oct 7 |
- Blog Post - Due Last Lesson SPD 1.1 Blog Post: Identifying and Solving Problems - link has the fully fledged assignment. Work on this assignment throughout the course instead of saving it for last minute. This blog post will serve as a valuable portfolio to demonstrate your skill to recruiters. This Blog Post/Writing Rubric will be used to evaluate your work. We will have a peer editing session on Oct 3rd in class for you to give and get peer feedback on your writing. Click on these instructions on how to allow people to make edit suggestions directly to your Medium post.
- Intensive Product Idea and Pitch - Due Last Lesson: Term 1 ends with a one week "intensive" solely focused on designing, coding and shipping your own original product.
Course Attendance, Progress Tracker & Schedule
To pass this course you must meet the following requirements:
- Complete all sections of the Software Product Development Blog Post Assignment (see Writing/Blog Post Rubric)
- Actively participate in class and abide by the attendance policy
- Make up all classwork from all absences
Any additional resources you may need (online books, etc.) can be found here. You can also find additional resources through the library linked below:
- Program Learning Outcomes - What you will achieve after finishing Make School, all courses are designed around these outcomes.
- Grading System - How grading is done at Make School
- Code of Conduct, Equity, and Inclusion - Learn about Diversity and Inclusion at Make School
- Academic Honesty - Our policies around plagerism, cheating, and other forms of academic misconduct
- Attendance Policy - What we expect from you in terms of attendance for all classes at Make School
- Course Credit Policy - Our policy for how you obtain credit for your courses
- Disability Services (Academic Accommodations) - Services and accommodations we provide for students
- Student Handbook - Guidelines, policies, and resources for all Make School students
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