A notebook or document, a small idea, and access to an approved AI tool if you choose to use one. Use fictional or permitted material. Follow the agenda at your pace; the times are planning estimates.
Choose a task worth making easier
Pick one person and one task. Use a fictional service if you are practicing. Write the problem without prescribing the solution.
Practice example
A person organizing a neighborhood book swap needs to list a book, describe its condition, and indicate how to arrange a handoff.
Write a one-sentence problem and three things a successful experience must do.
Sketch the smallest flow
Draw three to five states on paper. Include what someone sees before they begin, during the task, and after success. Add one error state.
Practice example
A simple flow might include a list of available books, a book detail, and an interest form. Use fictional contact details.
Sketch your flow and label the most important action on each screen.
Make a first version
Describe the sketch, the user, the behavior, and your constraints to a design or coding assistant. If you cannot use a tool, create a clickable slide deck or a paper storyboard.
Practice example
Ask for the core task only. Check each control yourself before testing. Clearly label any simulated submission.
Create a prototype with one complete task and a visible success state.
Try it with someone
Give a neutral goal without naming the buttons. Watch where they hesitate. Ask what they expected instead of explaining the interface immediately.
Practice example
Ask a participant to find a book they might like and indicate interest. Use practice data; do not send messages or collect real contact details.
Record three observations, keeping what happened separate from your interpretation.
Choose your next improvement
Fix the issue most likely to block the task. Note what you still have not tested. Save your brief, prototype, and observations together.
Practice example
A clearer label may be more useful than adding a feature. Choose based on what you observed.
Write the next change, the evidence behind it, and how you will check it.
Finish with a useful reflection
What did you make? What can you explain? What did you verify, and what remains uncertain? Keep your work and try the process again on a new example.