Design First teaches a practical way to think through a solution before you start building it, so coding is faster, decisions are steadier, and changes cost less.
Why This Course Exists
Sometimes I start coding because it feels like the fastest way to make progress. I have a rough idea of what needs to be built, and I know that the real issues will become obvious as I get deeper into the code.
That instinct isn't wrong. Coding does surface real problems. But when those problems show up late, they tend to be tightly coupled to decisions I've already made. A requirement turns out to be ambiguous. A boundary is in the wrong place. A design choice limits something I now need to change.
At that point, the work isn't stopped, but it starts to slow down. Changes require more effort. What should be small adjustments ripple further than expected because earlier decisions are already embedded. I spend more time fighting earlier decisions than making progress.
Design First exists because many of those issues don't need code to surface. They can be exposed earlier by engaging the problem deliberately before committing to an implementation.
What You'll Learn
You'll learn how to engage a problem deliberately before you start building, so the important decisions are made when they're easiest to change.
You'll walk through how to analyze a problem without over-scoping it, establish purpose and boundaries, and define what "done" actually means. You'll design a solution with enough detail to support implementation without getting bogged down in perfection. You'll also learn how to refine a design through feedback, handle changes without thrash, and keep progress moving as new information surfaces.
You'll be able to recognize the common barriers that cause teams to move into build without design, even when they know better, and how to address those barriers before they turn into rework.
By the end of the course, you'll prepare to code with more certainty, fewer mid-stream reversals, and a clearer path from idea to implementation.
What's Included
Six focused lessons that show how design decisions are made before code exists, and how those decisions shape everything that follows.
The course walks through problem analysis, solution design, review, and refinement using concrete examples drawn from real software work. You'll see the full Design First approach applied end to end before being asked to apply it yourself.
A guided design exercise and workbook are included near the end of the course. The exercise is designed to slow you down and surface important decisions before code exists, and the workbook is meant to be reused whenever you're starting new or higher-risk work.
Total runtime is approximately four hours, including the introduction, wrap-up, and the guided exercise. Lesson lengths vary, with some shorter segments and a few deeper dives, so the material is designed to be worked through deliberately rather than rushed.
Design First is part of the Pre-Coding Preparation pillar of the Mastering Software Developer Productivity series.
Pricing
Early Access Price: $49
Standard Price: $149
When design decisions are deferred, the cost shows up later in uncertainty, slow progress, and rework.
Design First helps you move those decisions earlier, when they are easier to change and easier to reason about.
