From diagnostic to deliverable.
Version: 2026-03 · A three-layer learning architecture that routes every participant to the right preparation, teaches Claude skills through personally valuable exercises, and surfaces guidance exactly when it’s needed — not before.
The diagnostic routes participants into a personalized prep sequence. Mini-courses build the skills. Exercises produce deliverables students value beyond the course itself.
| # | Layer | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Main courses | The destination. Three 12-week programs built around rapid ship cycles, real portfolio outputs, and AI-first methods. New Venture Planning · Prod-ject Managing · Vibe Coding for Shippers. |
| 02 | Mini-courses | Curated skill bundles that prepare participants for specific main course weeks. Seven mini-courses mapped to track requirements. Completed in 1–4 hours. No hard prerequisites — the diagnostic recommends, it doesn’t gate. |
| 03 | Exercises | Atomic learning units. Each teaches a Claude skill while producing something the student genuinely wants — a resume tailorer, a negotiation coach, a working tool. Available inside mini-courses and à la carte. |
Diagnostic (3-question intake)
│
▼ Track interest · AI familiarity · Business background
Mini-courses (7 skill bundles · 1–4 hrs each)
│ MC1 Claude basics · MC2 Startup vocab · MC3 Marketing
▼ MC4 AI tools · MC5 Coding · MC6 Prompting · MC7 Product
Exercises (25 · à la carte or sequenced)
│ Each teaches a Claude skill
▼ Each produces a personally valuable deliverable
Main courses (12-week program · portfolio outcome)
JIT triggers inside each week surface mini-course
exercises at the moment of felt need
Each course is a 12-week program built around a rapid ship cycle. Every week has an exercise. Two NVP exercises (Ex.14, Ex.15) are now direct course deliverables.
Lean startup · Business Model Canvas · AI-assisted customer discovery, market research, and pitch development.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Foundations — Lean startup, AI orientation |
| 2 | Customer discovery — Personas, synthetic interviews |
| 3 | PMF development — AI advisory board critique |
| 4 | Value proposition — Segment-specific messaging |
| 5 | Market sizing — TAM/SAM/SOM, competitive intel |
| 6 | Strategy — Porter, Blue Ocean, differentiation |
| 7 | Search ads — Ex.14 deliverable |
| 8 | Landing page — Ex.15 deliverable |
| 9 | Fundraising — Kickstarter, investor pitch |
| 10 | Final presentations |
4R Framework · ADRs · AI-assisted roadmapping, stakeholder management, and prompt library development.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4R setup — Results, Roles, Rules, Rhythms |
| 2 | Stakeholder discovery — AI-assisted interviews |
| 3 | AI advisory board — Skeptic, Advocate, Operator |
| 4 | Roadmap & prioritisation — RICE, MoSCoW |
| 5 | Competitive landscape — Market positioning |
| 6 | Stakeholder simulation — Pushback rehearsal |
| 7 | BMC for PMs — Business model fluency |
| 8 | Async communication — Team prompt libraries |
| 9–10 | ADR collection + portfolio |
Build and ship real software using AI-first tools. No traditional dev background required.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Platform setup — Repo, Claude Code, first commit |
| 2 | Architecture design — AI-generated design docs |
| 3–4 | Core feature build — Multi-agent coding |
| 5–6 | External services — MCP connectors, APIs |
| 7–8 | Front-end polish — UI/UX, accessibility |
| 9–10 | Testing & optimization — Debugging, performance |
| 11–12 | Deployment + portfolio — Production, monitoring |
Each mini-course is a curated sequence of exercises around a coherent skill domain. Track column shows which main courses each serves. All are recommended, none are gated.
| ID | Mini-course | Core concepts | Tracks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC1 | Working with Claude (universal foundation) | Projects, file upload, conditional prompting, iterative refinement, meta-prompting, forcing critique, AI transparency, session logging, context architecture | NVP · PM · Vibe | ~3 hrs |
| MC2 | Startup Vocabulary (NVP primary) | Lean startup loop, MVP, pivot, BMC (9 blocks), PMF, TAM/SAM/SOM, SWAG formula, LTV/CAC (3:1 rule), Porter UVP & tradeoffs, Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean | NVP | ~4 hrs |
| MC3 | Digital Marketing (NVP primary) | Keyword Planner, CPC as intent signal, search intent categories, Google Ad anatomy, landing page structure, click funnel logic, conversion basics — Ex.14 & 15 become NVP Wk 7–8 deliverables | NVP | ~3 hrs |
| MC4 | AI Tool Ecosystem (universal) | NotebookLM (upload, query, audio overview), Gamma.app (deck from text), Perplexity (research + citation), Loom (video recording), when to use which tool, combining tools in a workflow | NVP · PM · Vibe | ~2 hrs |
| MC5 | Coding for Shippers (Vibe primary · NEW) | Repo, branch, commit (how often and why), pull requests, merge conflicts (conceptually), reading code without writing it, terminal basics, Claude as coding partner, vibe coding philosophy | Vibe | ~4 hrs |
| MC6 | Prompt Engineering (universal · advanced · NEW) | Prompt libraries (build + organise), system prompts, chaining, multi-agent orchestration, ADR basics, adversarial prompting, meta-prompting, prompt evolution logs — the BLI core principle made explicit | NVP · PM · Vibe | ~4 hrs |
| MC7 | Product Thinking (PM primary · NEW) | User stories, roadmaps, RICE + MoSCoW prioritisation, stakeholder mapping, sprint basics, product discovery vs. delivery, 4R Framework — the PM vocabulary in active use before Week 1 | PM | ~3 hrs |
Each exercise teaches a Claude skill and produces a personally valuable deliverable. Two exercises are now NVP course deliverables. Status legend: NEW = recently added · DELIV = NVP course deliverable · SEQ = part of a mini-course sequence (not à la carte).
| # | Exercise | MC | Tracks | Time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Resume tailorer | MC1 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 90 min | à la carte |
| 02 | Interview coach | MC1 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 90 min | à la carte |
| 03 | Negotiation simulator | MC6 | NVP · PM | 2 hrs | à la carte |
| 04 | LinkedIn optimizer | MC3 | NVP · PM | 90 min | à la carte |
| 05 | Finance analyzer | MC7 | NVP · PM | 2 hrs | à la carte |
| 06 | Decision matrix builder | MC2 | NVP · PM | 60 min | à la carte |
| 07 | Industry researcher | MC2 | NVP · PM | 2 hrs | à la carte |
| 08 | Email template library | MC1 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 90 min | à la carte |
| 09 | Learning accelerator | MC4 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 2 hrs | à la carte |
| 10 | Board of advisors | MC6 | NVP · PM | 2 hrs | à la carte |
| 11 | Context document builder | MC1 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 60 min | NEW · à la carte |
| 12 | Venture sketch | MC2 | NVP | 3 hrs | NEW · SEQ |
| 13 | Competitive landscape map | MC2 | NVP · PM | 2 hrs | NEW · à la carte |
| 14 | Ad copy builder | MC3 | NVP | 90 min | NEW · NVP DELIV · SEQ |
| 15 | Landing page brief | MC3 | NVP | 2 hrs | NEW · NVP DELIV · SEQ |
| 16 | Briefing doc pipeline | MC4 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 60 min | NEW · à la carte |
| 17 | Slide deck from notes | MC4 | NVP · PM | 60 min | NEW · à la carte |
| 18 | First repo + first commit | MC5 | Vibe | 2 hrs | NEW · SEQ |
| 19 | First pull request | MC5 | Vibe | 2 hrs | NEW · SEQ |
| 20 | Vibe code a personal tool | MC5 | Vibe | 3 hrs | NEW · à la carte |
| 21 | Codebase explainer | MC5 | Vibe · PM | 90 min | NEW · à la carte |
| 22 | Prompt library builder | MC6 | NVP · PM · Vibe | 3 hrs | NEW · SEQ |
| 23 | First ADR | MC6 | PM · Vibe | 60 min | NEW · à la carte |
| 24 | Roadmap builder | MC7 | PM | 2 hrs | NEW · à la carte |
| 25 | Stakeholder map + user stories | MC7 | PM | 90 min | NEW · à la carte |
Ex.01 — Resume tailorer (MC1 · NVP · PM · Vibe · 90 min · None → Basic)
Ex.02 — Interview coach (MC1 · NVP · PM · Vibe · 90 min · None → Regular)
Ex.03 — Negotiation simulator (MC6 · NVP · PM · 2 hrs · Basic → Power)
Ex.04 — LinkedIn optimizer (MC3 · NVP · PM · 90 min · None → Basic)
Ex.05 — Finance analyzer (MC7 · NVP · PM · 2 hrs · Basic → Regular)
Ex.06 — Decision matrix builder (MC2 · NVP · PM · 60 min · Regular → Power)
Ex.07 — Industry researcher (MC2 · NVP · PM · 2 hrs · None → Regular)
Ex.08 — Email template library (MC1 · NVP · PM · Vibe · 90 min · None → Basic)
Ex.09 — Learning accelerator (MC4 · NVP · PM · Vibe · 2 hrs · None → Basic)
Ex.10 — Board of advisors (MC6 · NVP · PM · 2 hrs · Regular → Power)
Ex.11 — Context document builder (MC1 · NEW · NVP · PM · Vibe · 60 min · None → Basic)
Ex.12 — Venture sketch (MC2 · NEW · NVP · 3 hrs · None → Basic · mini-course sequence)
Ex.13 — Competitive landscape map (MC2 · NEW · NVP · PM · 2 hrs · Basic → Regular)
Ex.14 — Ad copy builder (MC3 · NEW · NVP DELIVERABLE · 90 min · None → Basic · mini-course sequence)
Ex.15 — Landing page brief (MC3 · NEW · NVP DELIVERABLE · 2 hrs · None → Basic · mini-course sequence)
Ex.16 — Briefing doc pipeline (MC4 · NEW · NVP · PM · Vibe · 60 min · None → Basic)
Ex.17 — Slide deck from notes (MC4 · NEW · NVP · PM · 60 min · None → Basic)
Ex.18 — First repo + first commit (MC5 · NEW · Vibe · 2 hrs · None → Basic · mini-course sequence)
Ex.19 — First pull request (MC5 · NEW · Vibe · 2 hrs · Basic · mini-course sequence)
Ex.20 — Vibe code a personal tool (MC5 · NEW · Vibe · 3 hrs · Basic → Regular)
Ex.21 — Codebase explainer (MC5 · NEW · Vibe · PM · 90 min · None → Basic)
Ex.22 — Prompt library builder (MC6 · NEW · NVP · PM · Vibe · 3 hrs · Basic → Regular · mini-course sequence)
Ex.23 — First ADR (MC6 · NEW · PM · Vibe · 60 min · Basic)
Ex.24 — Roadmap builder (MC7 · NEW · PM · 2 hrs · Basic → Regular)
Ex.25 — Stakeholder map + user stories (MC7 · NEW · PM · 90 min · None → Basic)
The diagnostic runs before any mini-course selection. It produces a recommended quest path — the sequence of exercises most likely to prepare this specific participant for their chosen track.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Track | New Venture Planning |
| AI level | None → Basic |
| Background | New to business |
| Recommended mini-courses | MC1 → MC2 → MC3 → MC4 |
| Quest path (sequenced) | 01 Resume tailorer → 09 Learning accelerator → 12 Venture sketch → 07 Industry researcher → 14 Ad copy builder → 15 Landing page brief |
New Venture Planning · Week 2 — Customer Discovery
Exercise: Use Claude to generate 3 customer personas, then run a synthetic interview with each. Identify the top objection they raise to your idea.
JIT → If this exercise feels unclear, Exercise 02: Interview Coach walks through this exact workflow in 90 minutes — using your own job search as the subject. You’ll come back knowing how synthetic interviews work, and you’ll have a real interview coach set up for yourself.
A participant interested in New Venture Planning with no prior AI experience and a new-to-business background. Here’s exactly what they encounter, in sequence.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic | NVP track · None → Basic AI · New to business. 3 questions, ~2 minutes. Output: a personalized map and recommended quest path. |
| Mini-courses recommended | MC1 (Claude basics) · MC2 (Startup vocab) · MC3 (Marketing) · MC4 (AI tools). Not gated — recommended. The map shows which serve NVP and why. |
| Quest path exercises | 01 Resume tailorer → 09 Learning accelerator → 12 Venture sketch → 07 Industry researcher → 14 Ad copy builder → 15 Landing page brief. Each produces something the student values beyond the course. Total prep time: ~10 hrs over 1–2 weeks. |
| Enters NVP | Wk 1 Foundations → Wk 2 Customer discovery → Wk 3 PMF. The venture sketch from MC2 becomes the Week 1 seed. The ad copy and landing page exercises become the Week 7 and Week 8 deliverables — no extra work required. |
| JIT trigger example | Wk 2 Synthetic interviews → JIT: Ex.02 Interview Coach. The trigger appears inside the Week 2 exercise brief. Students who skipped the mini-course are directed to Exercise 02 — with the personal value case made right there. |
01 · Deliverable first, skill second. Every exercise produces something the student genuinely wants — a working resume tailorer, a negotiation coach, a tool they’ll use after the course. The Claude skill is taught through the act of building that thing, not explained in advance.
02 · Open world, strong quest paths. Nothing is gated. The diagnostic recommends, it doesn’t require. Students who skip preparation hit JIT triggers inside the main course — guidance at the moment of felt need, not before it’s relevant.
03 · The prompt evolution log. Every exercise submission includes the student’s first prompt, two refined versions, and a note on what changed. This is what gets graded — not the final output. It prevents shallow completion and becomes a portfolio artifact.
04 · Course work is exercise output. Two NVP exercises (Ad copy builder, Landing page brief) are now direct Week 7 and Week 8 deliverables. This collapses preparation and coursework into one motion — students don’t do extra work to be ready, they’re already done.
05 · Reference, not curriculum. Concept explanations are reference materials students pull when they hit a gap — not lessons they sit through. This keeps mini-courses action-first and respects adult learners who don’t need to be told what they already know.
06 · The diagnostic is itself a Claude exercise. The intake can be run as a Claude conversation — students describe their background and goals, Claude interviews them and outputs a recommended path. That conversation teaches the first Claude skill before any formal exercise begins.
Big Lever Institute · Curriculum Architecture · 2026-03 · Build, ship, learn.