Coding Algorithms with AI

Overview

In this second course in the ‘Coding with AI for MBAs’ specialization, we’ll continue with a contemporary, AI-forward, product-first approach to coding. As an MBA or generalist, this course will help you go from design to code for ‘Controllers’, or ‘algorithms’. Understanding the process of building and maintaining algorithms with AI will both help you build great products yourself as well as make yourself a better collaborator to your engineering-focused colleagues. We’ll be coding in Javascript (JS), but mostly we’ll be focused on the underlying design and engineering principles for building user interfaces. This course was developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and is taught by top-ranked faculty.

Syllabus

Algorithmic User Experiences

This week, you’ll learn how to write algorithms (Controllers) that interact with the View. These are sometimes called ‘front controllers’ and they’re the gateway for connecting what you’ve learned about Views with what you’re about to learn about Controllers. As always, we’ll start by making sure we have a specific end in mind, figuring out our approach, and then iteratively coding, testing, and debugging. (Please note that if you audit this course, only the first module is available and you will not earn a course certificate.)

Analytical Debugging

This is going to be fun. Really. To code is to debug. Ultimately, the thing that makes debugging stressful is when we’re not able to follow a consistent, disciplined process. This week, we’re going to fix that for you, giving you practice and perspective on debugging that you’ll be able to apply to coding and more.

Automating Your Gruntwork with Javascript

Now, we’ll take a look at the core job of Controllers: automating things that computers are better at doing than humans. You’ll see how our case protagonist divests himself of the gruntwork it used to take to get demonstration data on their web application. Instead, he’ll write a Controller that dynamically creates HTML div’s (View elements) from a simple spreadsheet.

Your Web Application

Here you go! This week, you’ll extend your work from course 1 on Views to integrated Views and Controllers. This will help you more fully internalize the four steps you’ve learned and, we hope, have some fun along the way.