Using Rapid Prototyping in the Engineering Design Process (Coursera)

Using Rapid Prototyping in the Engineering Design Process (Coursera)

Hello, everyone! Welcome to this course on Using Rapid Prototyping in the Engineering Design Process. This is part of the Rapid Prototyping and Tooling specialization. In this course, I’ll cover the engineering design process and how it can be used to solve open-ended problems. I’ll discuss the different stages of prototyping and why it is advantageous to produce prototypes rapidly. I’ll then discuss engineering drawings and how to communicate information about 3-dimensional objects on 2-dimensional mediums such as paper or a computer screen.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Finally, I’ll end this course by discussing computer-aided design, also known as CAD, and how it can greatly assist in making prototypes.
By exploring many examples from different robotics projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on, by the end of this course, you should have a better understanding of the engineering design process and where rapid prototyping fits into it, as well as some tools to help you with developing high-quality prototypes. There’s a lot of awesome content to cover, so without further ado, let’s dive into the world of rapid prototyping!
Course 1 of 3 in the Rapid Prototyping and Tooling Specialization.

What You Will Learn
You will understand the basics of rapid prototyping and its relationship to the engineering design process.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Course Introduction
Hello, everyone! Welcome to this course on Using Rapid Prototyping in the Engineering Design Process. This is part of the Rapid Prototyping and Tooling specialization. In this course, I’ll cover the engineering design process and how it can be used to solve open-ended problems. I’ll discuss the different stages of prototyping and why it is advantageous to produce prototypes rapidly. I’ll then discuss engineering drawings and how to communicate information about 3-dimensional objects on 2-dimensional mediums such as paper or a computer screen. Finally, I’ll end this course by discussing computer-aided design, also known as CAD, and how it can greatly assist in making prototypes. By exploring many examples from different robotics projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on, by the end of this course, you should have a better understanding of the engineering design process and where rapid prototyping fits into it, as well as some tools to help you with developing high-quality prototypes. There’s a lot of awesome content to cover, so without further ado, let’s dive into the world of rapid prototyping!

WEEK 2
Module 1: What Is the Engineering Design Process?
In this module, you will learn about the engineering design process and how it can be used to solve open-ended problems.

WEEK 3
Module 2: Prototypes
In this module, you will learn about the different types of prototypes and the advantages to producing them rapidly.

WEEK 4
Module 3: Visual Thinking and CAD
In this module, you will learn about the challenges and best practices when conveying information about a 3-dimensional object on a 2-dimensional surface and how CAD can aid in the prototyping process.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Systems Engineering (Coursera) Coursera
MathWorks

Systems Engineering (Coursera)

Systems Engineering provides a broad overview of how systems engineering helps you develop complex projects that meet program objectives in an efficient way. You will learn how system architectures are developed and described, how to communicate the needs, requirements, and constraints throughout the project, how to optimize the design through trade studies, and how to know the system does what it’s supposed to in the end.

Oct 5th 2026
1 Week
Human-Centered Design: an Introduction (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, San Diego

Human-Centered Design: an Introduction (Coursera)

In this course, you will learn how to design technologies that bring people joy, rather than frustration. You'll learn several techniques for rapidly prototyping and evaluating multiple interface alternatives -- and why rapid prototyping and comparative evaluation are essential to excellent interaction design. You'll learn how to conduct fieldwork with people to help you get design ideas. How to make paper prototypes and low-fidelity mock-ups that are interactive -- and how to use these designs to get feedback from other stakeholders like your teammates, clients, and users. Armed with these design-thinking strategies, you’ll be able to do more creative human-centered design in any domain.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Managing the New Product Development Process (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Managing the New Product Development Process (Coursera)

This course covers the product development process in detail. With the opportunity defined, learners begin with ideation techniques such as Design Thinking to create new product concepts. Learners define the tools to create product specifications that meet customer requirements, then conceptualize different ways of meeting those requirements. Learners conclude by exploring prototyping and the techniques used to down-select to a concept that is then carried through launch.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Engineering and Product Design Processes (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Engineering and Product Design Processes (Coursera)

Welcome to “Engineering and Product Design Processes!” In this short course, you will learn how engineering design processes and product design processes are carried out. After the course, you will be familiar with the steps in both design processes. You will also be familiar with the main goal of each design process, as well as their similarities and differences.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts (Coursera) Coursera
Google

Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts (Coursera)

Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts is the fourth course in a certificate program that will equip you with the skills you need to apply to entry-level jobs in user experience (UX) design. In this course, you will learn how to plan and conduct a usability study to gather feedback about designs. Then, you will modify your low-fidelity designs based on insights from your research. Current UX designers and researchers at Google will serve as your instructors, and you will complete hands-on activities that simulate real-world UX design scenarios. Learners who complete the seven courses in this certificate program should be equipped to apply for entry-level jobs as UX designers.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Design Research para Estratégia e Inovação (Coursera) Coursera
FIA Business School

Design Research para Estratégia e Inovação (Coursera)

Nossas boas-vindas ao Curso Design Research para Estratégia e Inovação.Neste curso, você aprenderá sobre os principais elementos da Design Research (DR) aplicada à geração de inovação e estratégia. Tal método é fundamental para a criação de produtos, serviços e sistemas que atendam às necessidades humanas. No entanto, apesar de sua utilidade, a DR é amplamente negligenciada por muitas instituições e executivos. A DR, em essência, orienta as equipes para descobrir insights e desenvolver experiências de usuário que gerem valor.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
VLSI CAD Part II: Layout (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

VLSI CAD Part II: Layout (Coursera)

A modern VLSI chip is a remarkably complex beast: billions of transistors, millions of logic gates deployed for computation and control, big blocks of memory, embedded blocks of pre-designed functions designed by third parties (called “intellectual property” or IP blocks). How do people manage to design these complicated chips? Answer: a sequence of computer aided design (CAD) tools takes an abstract description of the chip, and refines it step-wise to a final design.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector (Coursera) Coursera
University of Virginia

Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector (Coursera)

Do you work for a nonprofit or in the social sector? Are you struggling to solve the problems and meet the needs of the people you serve? Come learn more about how design thinking, a human-centered approach to problem solving, can help you truly understand an issue, generate ideas worth testing and iterate to find solutions that make a real difference. Through global stories from areas as diverse as government, health care, and education, we’ll show you the tools, techniques and mindset needed to use design thinking to uncover new and creative solutions in the social sector.

Sep 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Foundations of Objective-C App Development (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Foundations of Objective-C App Development (Coursera)

An introduction to the Objective-C programming language. This will prepare you for more extensive iOS app development and build a foundation for advanced iOS development topics. Objective-C programming requires a Mac laptop or desktop computer. An iOS device is optional if the learner is willing to working exclusively with the simulator. Some learners have been able to work with an OS X virtual machine on Windows, but explaining how to do that is beyond the scope of this course.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma (Coursera) Coursera
Google

Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma (Coursera)

Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma is the fifth course in a certificate program that will equip you with the skills you need to apply to entry-level jobs in user experience (UX) design. In this course, you will follow step-by-step tutorials to learn how to create high-fidelity designs, called mockups, in Figma, a popular design tool. Then, you’ll turn those designs into an interactive prototype that works like a finished product. You’ll conduct research to collect feedback about your designs and make improvements. Finally, you’ll learn how to share your designs with development teams and highlight your work in your professional UX portfolio.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks