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

Coursera Project Network
Prototypes in Figma: Creating an Initial Low Fidelity Design
Skills you'll gain: User Experience Design, Design Thinking, Figma (Design Software), User Interface (UI) Design, User Flows, Prototyping
4.1
Rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Xbox
Interaction Design and UX/UI Principles
Skills you'll gain: User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Interaction Design, Figma (Design Software), Wireframing, Usability, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, User Centered Design, UI Components, Web Design, User Flows, Prototyping, Mockups, Typography
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
California Institute of the Arts
Web Design: Wireframes to Prototypes
Skills you'll gain: Wireframing, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Mockups, Responsive Web Design, User Interface (UI), Web Design, User Experience, Prototyping, Web Language, Graphic and Visual Design, HTML and CSS, Design Elements And Principles, Typography, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Peer Review, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
852 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Managing the New Product Development Process
Skills you'll gain: New Product Development, Product Development, Product Design, Design Thinking, Engineering Management, Product Management, Product Lifecycle Management, Market Research, Prototyping, Technical Management, Conceptual Design, Innovation, Product Requirements, Target Market, InVision (Design Software), Mockups, Ideation, Wireframing, Leadership and Management, Leadership
Build toward a degree
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Arizona State University
3D Printing Technology Deep Dive and Use Cases
Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, 3D Modeling, Industrial Design, Computer-Aided Design, Manufacturing Processes, Cost Estimation, Design, Product Development, Electronic Components
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
17 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of London
Making Your First Virtual Reality Game
Skills you'll gain: Virtual Reality, Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Prototyping, Virtual Environment, Storyboarding, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Ideation, Usability Testing, Conceptual Design, Computer Graphics, User Research, Interactive Design, UI/UX Research, Interaction Design, User Experience Design, Data Ethics, Development Testing, Experience Design
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
79 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Virginia
Agile Meets Design Thinking
Skills you'll gain: Agile Product Development, User Story, Design Thinking, Agile Methodology, Product Design, Product Development, User Centered Design, User Research, Persona Development, Innovation, Product Management, Discussion Facilitation, Testability
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Michigan
Programming for Designers
Skills you'll gain: Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Interactive Data Visualization, Software Design, Technical Design, Program Development, Data Structures, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Interactive Design, Programming Principles, Computer Graphic Techniques, Python Programming, Graphic and Visual Design, Simulations, Computer Graphics, Computational Logic, Creative Design, Computer Programming, Data Import/Export, Algorithms, Scripting
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Arizona State University
Rapid Prototyping Materials and Tooling
Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing and Production, Mechanical Engineering, 3D Modeling, Computer-Aided Design, Engineering Design Process, Safety Training, Safety and Security
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
19 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Coursera Instructor Network
GenAI for Prototyping Basics
Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, Functional Design, Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence, Mockups, ChatGPT, Design, Usability, Conceptual Design, Canva (Software), Wireframing
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of California, Irvine
iOS Project: Transreality Game
Skills you'll gain: iOS Development, Usability Testing, Apple iOS, Mobile Development, Apple Xcode, User Experience Design, Augmented Reality, Prototyping, Human Computer Interaction, Swift Programming, Interaction Design, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Computer Graphics, User Interface (UI) Design, Debugging
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
10 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Rapid Prototyping of Embedded Interface Designs
Skills you'll gain: Embedded Systems, Human Computer Interaction, Prototyping, User Interface (UI) Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Usability, HTML and CSS, Internet Of Things, jQuery, Mobile Development, Wireless Networks, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Operating Systems
3.7
Rating, 3.7 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks