What skills or experience do I need to already have, before starting to learn prototyping?

It can typically help to have some business management skills, such as brainstorming and business plan writing before starting to learn prototyping. This is because the ideas generally need to exist and be in at least the early stages before prototyping begins. It also typically helps to have computer skills, strong reading skills, communications skills, and good people skills. Additionally, graphic design skills can be useful for creating visual images of products so potential customers can see a realistic representation of the item that is being prototyped.

What kind of people are best suited for roles in prototyping?

People who are creative and analytical are typically best suited for roles in prototyping. This is because it generally takes creativity to develop new products, and then analytical skills can be applied to figure out ways to polish it and make it more user-friendly. People who enjoy a challenge can be well suited to this area because it can sometimes take multiple attempts to finally arrive at an end result that delivers a positive user experience. Additionally, people who are enthusiastic about using technology on a daily basis tend to be well suited for prototyping roles.

What are common career paths for someone in prototyping?

People who work in prototyping typically make either digital products or physical products. Some common job titles include prototype engineer, prototype scientist, and prototype technician. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the median annual salary in the US for prototype specialists who worked in software development as of 2017 was $107,600. Prototype specialists also can typically find work in fields like graphic design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and industrial design.

What topics can I study that are related to prototyping?

Some topics you can study that are related to prototyping include UX design, research techniques, and low-fidelity prototyping techniques. Software prototyping techniques could also be explored. You could study technical writing to learn about ways to prepare a written design rationale. You could also study cultural attributes that affect ways to design for specific populations. Creativity and entrepreneurship are related topics you could study if you enjoy the idea of entering into your own business venture with the prototypes you develop. Additionally, you could study specific industries and how they relate to prototyping, such as aeronautics, game design, and metallurgy.

What are the benefits of taking an online Prototyping course?

Online Prototyping courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Prototyping skills. Choose from a wide range of Prototyping courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Prototyping courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Prototyping, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Prototyping Courses - Learn Prototyping Online

Explore the Prototyping Course Catalog

University of California San Diego
Interaction Design Capstone Project
Skills you'll gain: Ideation, Interaction Design, Prototyping, A/B Testing, Usability Testing, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Usability, Mockups, User Research, Innovation, Creativity
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
159 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Virginia
Experiencing Design: Deepening Your Design Thinking Practice
Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Innovation, Growth Mindedness, Creativity, Collaboration, Dealing With Ambiguity, Empathy, Qualitative Research, Data Visualization, Active Listening
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
44 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
3D Printing Capstone
Skills you'll gain: 3D Modeling, Product Design, Design Thinking, Innovation, Manufacturing Processes, Engineering Design Process, Product Development, Design, Complex Problem Solving
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
33 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Epic Games
Blueprint Scripting
Skills you'll gain: Data Management, Scripting, Scripting Languages, Virtual Environment, Interactive Design, C++ (Programming Language), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Computer Programming, Prototyping, System Design and Implementation, Debugging
4
Rating, 4 out of 5 stars
14 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Coursera Instructor Network
User Interface Design: Principles, Prototyping, Practices
Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, User Interface (UI) Design, Usability, User Research, Interactive Design, Design, User Experience, UI Components, User Centered Design, Mockups, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design Elements And Principles
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
17 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of London
Virtual Reality
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Visualization (Computer Graphics), Virtual Environment, Computer Graphics, Prototyping, Interaction Design, Storyboarding, User Interface (UI), Human Computer Interaction, Ideation, Usability Testing, Human Machine Interfaces, Display Devices, Technical Design, Usability, Conceptual Design, User Interface (UI) Design, User Research, Application Development
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Virginia
Design Thinking: Discovery Tools
Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Stakeholder Management, Design Research, User Experience, Persona Development, Service Design, Process Mapping, User Research, Customer Insights, Business Workflow Analysis, Consumer Behaviour, Innovation, Interviewing Skills
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
25 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of California San Diego
Design Principles: an Introduction
Skills you'll gain: Graphic and Visual Design, Usability Testing, User Interface (UI) Design, Design, Interaction Design, User Experience Design, Prototyping, Design Elements And Principles, Human Centered Design, Web Design and Development, Typography, Design Research, A/B Testing
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado Boulder
Basic Elements of Design: Design Principles and Software Overview
Skills you'll gain: Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design Software, Design, Storytelling, Typography, Adobe Creative Cloud, Content Creation, Design Research, Information Architecture, Color Theory
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
977 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado Boulder
M2M & IoT Interface Design & Protocols for Embedded Systems
Skills you'll gain: Internet Of Things, API Design, Amazon Web Services, Application Programming Interface (API), Network Protocols, Microservices, Cloud Applications, Cloud Platforms, Embedded Systems, Serverless Computing, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Software Development, Wireless Networks
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
122 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Minnesota
User Interface Design
Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, User Research, User Interface (UI) Design, Usability Testing, User Interface (UI), Prototyping, Usability, User Experience, User Centered Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Ideation, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience Design, Interaction Design, Qualitative Research, Design Reviews, Design Thinking, Conceptual Design
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Arizona State University
Using Rapid Prototyping in the Engineering Design Process
Skills you'll gain: Engineering Design Process, Engineering Drawings, Prototyping, Drafting and Engineering Design, Mechanical Drawings, Computer-Aided Design, Product Engineering, Technical Drawing
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
21 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks