CT390 · FALL 2026 · SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN
Rapid Prototypingwith AI
This course explores methodologies for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate design ideation and testing. Students learn to use LLMs, generative AI, and vibe coding for rapid concept development and prototyping. Emphasis is placed on effective AI-assisted workflows and understanding the ethical, legal, and environmental implications in the design process.
COURSE INFORMATION
The details, in one place
DATE & TIME
Wednesdays, 6:30PM–9:20 PM (in person)
SECTION
65A
PROFESSORS
Hedy Deng & David Mendez
PRE-REQUISITE
CT 201 Digital Content Design
CLASSROOM
Feldman Center, Room 315
SCHOOL
School of Art & Design
CREDITS/HOURS
2 credits; 1 lecture & 2 lab hrs
MINOR
AI-Assisted Design
OFFICE HOURS
- Friday 5 – 7 PM
- Saturday 10 AM – 12 PM
- Sunday 10 AM – 12 PM
COURSE GOALS
Five things you leave with
A mental model of the web
How modern web software is built, versioned, and deployed.
AI-assisted development as design
Specification, art direction, critique and iteration. You are the art director; the agent executes.
The design system → code pipeline
Tokens, styles, components, layout — including generating the design system itself with AI.
Industry-standard tooling
Git, GitHub, VS Code, React, Next.js, Tailwind, shadcn/ui, Vercel, Supabase.
Production-fidelity prototypes
Prototype at production fidelity, and collaborate with engineers using shared vocabulary.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Apply AI technologies to accelerate prototype creation and testing.
Articulate and address ethical considerations, copyright issues, and the potential social impacts associated with using AI in rapid prototyping.
Develop and iterate on low- to mid-fidelity prototypes using an AI-assisted creative workflow.
Integrate AI-generated content, including visuals, microcopy, and UI text, into prototype designs effectively.
Utilize testing techniques and AI-driven data analytics to validate prototype effectiveness.
WEEKLY OUTLINE
Course Syllabus
The weekly outline is subject to change according to pedagogical needs. Every session runs 6:30 – 9:20 PM, in person.
Week pages unlock on evenings before each session.
WK
DATE
TOPIC
MILESTONE
01
09/02/26
Introduction
02
09/09/26
Your First Webpage & Git Basics
03
09/16/26
Enter AI Coding
04
09/23/26
Static App I — Designing with an Agent
05
09/30/26
Static App II — Building and Deploying
06
10/07/26
Full Stack App I — Build and Ship a Chat App
07
10/14/26
Full Stack App II — Tools and Previews
08
10/21/26
Animations & Interactivity
09
10/28/26
Midterm Work Session
10
11/04/26
Sharpening Your Tools & Accessibility
11
11/11/26
Authenticated App I — Databases
12
11/18/26
Authenticated App II — Production Readiness
13
11/25/26
Final Project Work Session
14
12/02/26
Final Presentation Review
15
12/09/26
Final Presentations