Course map
A friendly but accelerated path toward an AI-native Product Owner with design specialist capability. Start with simple language and clear examples, build real visual craft in layout, typography, color, and composition, then move into interface judgment, tradeoffs, product briefs, AI-assisted output, and startup-ready decision making.
Cadence
16 sessions across four intensive weeks, with 60 to 90 minute guided sessions and deeper self-study material where the craft requires it
Core teaching loop
Notice, name, ask, choose, improve, explain.
Week 2: read interfaces, explain visual foundations, make layout, typography, color, and composition decisions, and use AI to deepen design understanding without outsourcing judgment.
Week 4: turn a small product idea into a 3-screen flow, critique options, write a product/design brief, and explain tradeoffs like an AI-native Product Owner with design specialist capability.
Role architecture
The learner learns to frame problems, define outcomes, choose priorities, write briefs, set acceptance criteria, and explain what should happen next.
The specialist edge is design judgment: reading interfaces, shaping layout, typography, color, and composition, writing clear UX copy, reviewing states, and guiding visual quality.
AI is the multiplier. The learner uses it to learn faster, generate options, critique weak output, prototype ideas, revise decisions, and document product intent.
Week 1
4 sessions
Week 1
Explain design as evidence-based help for people using systems, read one everyday object and one product screen, compare vague and structured AI critique, curate AI output with accept/adapt/reject notes, and produce a small product decision artifact grounded in user, task, context, friction, and evidence.
Artifact: AI-native design observation board and product decision sheet
Week 1
Read one product screen as a user moment, identify screen job, hierarchy, primary action, supporting information, status, friction, and accessibility concerns, use AI critique critically, then create one evidence-backed product decision.
Artifact: AI-native screen noticing board and product decision sheet
Week 1
Map layout, typography, color, composition, density, and accessibility as product-facing visual design fundamentals, critique one screen with AI support, and prepare for the dedicated craft studios that follow.
Artifact: Visual foundations map with layout, typography, color, composition, AI critique, and one product decision
Week 1
Explain layout as attention, content inventory, spacing, grouping, alignment, grid, density, responsive behavior, accessibility, and tradeoff, then build a low-fidelity Figma layout board grounded in a screen job or task brief.
Artifact: Figma layout and spacing studio board with content inventory, mobile and desktop frames, layout guides, auto layout test, AI critique notes, and one product decision
Week 2
4 sessions
Week 2
Explain typography as roles, hierarchy, readability, tone, accessibility, and system reuse, then create a typography audit board and one evidence-backed type decision.
Artifact: Typography audit board with type roles, hierarchy, readability, accessibility, AI critique, and one typography decision
Week 2
Explain color as roles, contrast, state, accessibility, restraint, and product meaning, then create a color role sheet and one evidence-backed color decision.
Artifact: Color role and contrast sheet with palette roles, state meanings, accessibility checks, AI critique, and one color decision
Week 2
Explain composition as whole-screen read, focal point, balance, rhythm, density, visual noise, and product reason, then create a composition critique board and one evidence-backed composition decision.
Artifact: Composition critique board with whole-screen read, focal point, visual weight, rhythm, density, AI critique, and one composition decision
Week 2
Frame a product problem before designing a flow by writing specific user, task, context, and outcome statements, marking evidence and assumptions, then translating the strongest sentence into a user story and acceptance criteria.
Artifact: User, task, context, outcome, user story, and acceptance criteria sheet
Week 3
4 sessions
Week 3
Map one product action across labels, states, disabled/loading/success/error/empty conditions, accessibility risks, and recovery paths, then choose one evidence-backed improvement.
Artifact: Action-state checklist with labels, missing states, and recovery messages
Week 3
Audit and rewrite one product screen as a content system, including user need, copy jobs, plain-language rewrites, accessibility checks, terminology control, tone choices, and one product decision.
Artifact: Interface copy system with rewrite rationale, terminology, accessibility notes, and priority decision
Week 3
Use AI as a disciplined collaborator by briefing clearly, generating meaningfully different options, critiquing assumptions, verifying evidence and risk, revising one artifact, and recording the final human decision.
Artifact: AI collaboration practice log with brief, prompt, options, critique, verification, revision, and decision
Week 3
Generate and compare three meaningfully different product or design options with AI, evaluate tradeoffs using consistent criteria, choose one option with rationale, and record evidence gaps and the next test.
Artifact: Three-option tradeoff sheet with decision table, tradeoff notes, selected option, and next prototype
Week 4
4 sessions
Week 4
Critique a product/design option or AI-generated screen using user goals, evidence, heuristics, severity, accessibility, and AI-output risk, then translate the highest-priority improvements into observable acceptance criteria and readiness standards.
Artifact: Product critique and acceptance sheet with severity, evidence, acceptance criteria, scenarios, accessibility criteria, and Definition of Done
Week 4
Create a connected 3-screen product flow from a chosen option and critique, including screen jobs, transitions, states, branches, recovery, accessibility, system rules, and a concise feature brief that a small team can review.
Artifact: 3-screen wireflow and feature brief with screen jobs, transitions, states, branches, accessibility notes, system rules, success signal, and next prototype
Week 4
Write a concise product/design brief and handoff note that explain why the flow matters, what is in and out of scope, what should be prioritized, what criteria define readiness, what risks remain, and what review conversation should happen next.
Artifact: Product/design brief and handoff note with problem, user story, success signal, scope, priority, backlog-ready items, acceptance criteria, Definition of Done, risks, open questions, readiness status, and review message
Week 4
Present a clear, evidence-aware Product Owner case story that explains user need, product/design decisions, AI collaboration, tradeoffs, standards, flow, brief, limitations, and next decision with confidence and honesty.
Artifact: Product Owner case story and final walkthrough with thesis, evidence visuals, AI transparency, tradeoff narrative, outcome signal, limitations, next decision, and Q&A preparation
