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PRODUCT PRACTICE TRACK

Become an AI Product Builder

Learn by doing. Design, build, and ship a real AI product in 6+2 weeks. Real skills. Real proof. Real product.

Apply to the cohortSee how it works
6+2 Weeks
Course duration
3 hrs/week
Weekly class time
$450
Course price
1 PVA Credential
On completion
 💡

Apprentices learn to design, build, and ship an AI-powered product by doing it — not by studying it. Over 6+2 weeks, they move from preparation through two build sprints to a live product launch. Deliverable: a shipped, working AI product built on a real Community Based Organization (CBO) need.

At a Glance

ItemDetails
Duration6+2 weeks
Weekly class time3 hours (in person / virtual) per week
Total classroom time18 hours
Course Price$450 per person OR 18 PROVA volunteer hours (1:1 exchange)
Minimum enrollment6 people · Enrollment goal: 9 people
DeliverableShipped, working AI product built on a real CBO use case
CredentialProva (PVA) — awarded on successful product launch
PrerequisiteEntrance exam, post completion of bootcamp, extension, or degree

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By Week 6, apprentices will be able to:

1

Define and scope an AI product opportunity grounded in a real CBO problem

2

Select and configure appropriate AI tools and APIs for a specific use case

3

Build a functional, deployable AI product prototype within a six-week sprint cycle

4

Test and iterate based on real user feedback from CBO stakeholders

5

Present and defend product decisions to a Principal Review panel

6

Publish a completed AI product to your personal portfolio with supporting documentation

COURSE STRUCTURE

Week-by-Week Cadence

Week 1PREP

Problem Space Understanding

Define the problem space. Select CBO use case. Map tools and scope. Deliver: Product Brief, PR/FAQ, JTBD, Journey Map.

Week 2SPRINT 1 WK1

SP1 — Make

Build the minimum functional version of your product. Integrate the core AI component. Demo to a cohort peer.

Week 3SPRINT 1 WK2

SP1 — Studio Critique (Alpha)

Iterate from cohort feedback. Tuesday Studio Critique — 15 min demo each. Thursday Release.

Week 4SPRINT 2 WK1

SP2 — Make

Rebuild with user feedback. Run at least one CBO user test. Add depth, reliability, and polish.

Week 5SPRINT 2 WK2

SP2 — Principal Review (Beta)

Finalize the product for Ship. Thursday Principal Review — external, 25 min each.

Week 6LAUNCH

Ship the Product

Live demo to real or simulated stakeholders. Prova (PVA) attestation filed. Product published to Wheelhouse portfolio.

ASSESSMENT

Five-Dimension Rubric

Weekly self-assessment after every class. Principal Review panel scores the final product on all five dimensions. A score of 3 or higher across all five earns the Prova (PVA) credential.

⚙️

Craft

Is the product doing the AI thing reliably, not just theoretically?

📊

Evidence

Are product decisions grounded in user data from the CBO, or assumption?

🔗

Systems Thinking

Does the product fit into the CBO’s actual workflow?

🎤

Communication

Can you demo and defend the product to someone not in the room?

🚀

Velocity

Are you shipping each week, or accumulating debt that will block Launch?

TIME COMMITMENT

Choose your mode

This course is the real deal. Class meets in person / virtually for 3 hours on Tuesdays, 7pm–10pm. Pick the intensity that fits your life.

Full immersion

Daytime Mode

48 hrs/week

288 hrs total

Monday–Thursday: 10 hrs/day. Friday: 3 hrs. Weekend: 5 hrs. For those who can dedicate full days to the course.

Day job friendly

Night Time Mode

26 hrs/week

156 hrs total

Evenings Mon–Thu, 7–11:30pm. Weekend: 8 hrs. Includes Tuesday class (7–10pm). Designed for working professionals.

Life-committed

Give What You Can

18 hrs/week

108 hrs total

Mon–Thu: 3 hrs/day. Weekend: 5 hrs. Equivalent to a master’s degree level course load.

EVERY CLASS SESSION

3-Hour Class Structure

Hour 1

Housekeeping + Concept

5 min: Admin, announcements, blockers
20 min: Field connection — what did you encounter at your CBO site?
20 min: Concept delivery or tool demonstration
10 min: Discussion · 5 min: Break
Hour 2

Applied Workshop

Structured build time with instructor support.
Prep week: Product Brief workshop.
Sprint weeks: Live build sessions with pair programming or design review.
Review weeks: Structured critique.
Hour 3

Cohort Working Session

One apprentice’s live product challenge on the table each week.
The cohort works on it together.
Instructor present but not directing.
This is the highest-leverage hour.
🎓

Earn a Prova (PVA) Credential

Credential records: the product shipped, the CBO use case addressed, the AI component deployed, and Principal Review acceptance.

Apply to the cohort