Homework Hero
A tracker a 5th grader might build for juggling assignments and after-school activities.
Problem framing · lists & states · clear labels
Training catalog · BC-101
Design & Build Your First App
A nine-week, project-based studio in user-centered design and app building for grades 4–8.
Course overview
Builders learn the same process professional product teams use: notice a problem, understand the people it affects, sketch and test ideas, then build and improve a working app. Each student chooses their own project and works within a scaffold that fits their age and experience, so a 4th grader and an 8th grader can both stretch in the same room.
Meet your instructor
Nadia Elinbabi
Educator · UX Designer · Creative Technologist
Nadia believes the best way to learn something is to build something.
She has taught UX design and front-end development at the college level and brings real-world product design and technology experience into the classroom.
Her approach combines creative exploration with practical skills, helping students ask questions, experiment, make mistakes, and create projects of their own.
Small classes. Big ideas. Every builder matters.
Visit nadiasbrain.com ↗Learning outcomes
- Identify a real problem and describe who it affects
- Plan and run simple, respectful interviews
- Generate and compare multiple ideas before choosing one
- Map a user flow and build a paper prototype
- Build a working digital prototype with instructor-guided tools
- Run a usability test and use evidence to improve a design
- Apply basic accessibility (contrast, readable text, clear labels)
- Present work clearly and reflect on the process
What might they build?
Every builder chooses their own project, so the range is wide. These are example directions — the kinds of problems kids spot — not assigned topics or past student work.
Family Recipe Box
Searchable recipe cards for the dishes a family actually cooks — designed for a grandparent's eyes.
Interviewing · layout & hierarchy · accessibility
Pet-Sitting Scheduler
Who fed the cat? A shared chore schedule siblings can't argue about.
User flows · testing with real people · iteration
Book Buddy Log
A reading log that suggests the next book instead of just counting minutes.
Ideation · paper prototyping · usability testing
Plant Parent Helper
Watering reminders matched to each plant's real needs, refined after testing on the family fern.
Research · evidence-based choices · demo storytelling
Lunch Picker
Settles the “what's for lunch?” debate with a family-voted picker.
Spotting friction · simple interactivity · polish
Weekly syllabus
See the full week-by-week timeline →Select a week to expand it.
Week 1Notice a problem worth solving
Builders learn to look at everyday life like a designer — spotting friction, asking questions, and choosing something they care about.
In class
- Studio kickoff & norms
- Problem-spotting walk (at home)
- Pick a project direction
Independent work
30–45 min: observation journal
Artifact
Problem statement card
Week 2Talk to real people
Intro to simple user research: interviewing family or friends and turning what they hear into insights.
In class
- Practice interview in pairs
- Writing good questions
- Insight sorting
Independent work
45 min: two short interviews
Artifact
Interview notes + 3 insights
Week 3Sketch many ideas
Divergent thinking: quick sketches, crazy-eights, and choosing an idea with evidence, not just vibes.
In class
- Crazy-eights sketching
- Idea pitching
- Choosing criteria
Independent work
30 min: refine top sketch
Artifact
Idea sketches & pick rationale
Week 4Paper prototypes & user flows
Mapping how someone moves through an app and building a clickable-on-paper version to test.
In class
- User flow mapping
- Paper prototype build
- First test
Independent work
45 min: test with one person
Artifact
Paper prototype + flow map
Week 5Build it for real — part 1
Using age-appropriate, instructor-guided building tools to turn the prototype into a working first screen.
In class
- Guided build session
- Layout & hierarchy basics
- Debugging buddy time
Independent work
45–60 min: continue build (see platform eligibility)
Artifact
Working first screen
Week 6Build it for real — part 2
Adding the core interaction. Builders work at their own scaffold level — younger builders get more structure, older builders more open choice.
In class
- Core feature build
- Accessible color & text
- Peer review
Independent work
45–60 min: core feature
Artifact
Core feature working
Week 7Test, learn, iterate
Usability testing with a script, measuring what's confusing, and deciding what to change.
In class
- Usability test script
- Live test swap
- Prioritizing fixes
Independent work
45 min: test + fix list
Artifact
Test findings + changes made
Week 8Polish & tell the story
Finishing touches, plus writing and rehearsing a short story about the problem, the process, and what changed.
In class
- Polish checklist
- Story structure
- Rehearsal
Independent work
45 min: rehearse demo
Artifact
Demo script & final build
Week 9Demo Day
Builders present their projects to families and guests, answer questions, and reflect on what they'd build next.
In class
- Live demos
- Q&A
- Reflection & next steps
Independent work
Optional: share with family
Artifact
Demo + reflection
Competency-based assessment
No grades. Builders get feedback on six competencies and reflect on their own growth.
| Competency | Exploring | Developing | Proficient | Extending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Problem framing | Names a topic | Describes a problem | Describes problem + who it affects | Backs problem with evidence from people |
| Research & empathy | Asks questions with help | Runs an interview with a script | Pulls out insights | Connects insights to design choices |
| Ideation | One idea | Several ideas | Compares ideas | Chooses with clear criteria |
| Prototyping & building | Sketch only | Paper prototype | Working screen | Working core feature, iterated |
| Testing & iteration | Shows to someone | Watches someone use it | Records findings | Makes changes based on findings |
| Communication | Shows project | Explains what it does | Tells the problem → solution story | Story + reflection on what changed and why |
Next studio · 6 seats
Ready to build something real?
Nine weeks, six builders, one project your student carries from first idea to Demo Day. Tuition is $280 — a $29 deposit (credited toward tuition) saves a seat, and the remaining $251 is only collected after the cohort fills, on a schedule you authorize.
Enrollment deadline: December 5, 2026. If fewer than six paid deposits come in, every deposit is refunded.