What is Systems Thinking in the AI Era?

Systems Thinking in the AI Era is a 4-course series that transforms junior engineers from code writers into AI-safe system thinkers. You'll master 7 universal building blocks + 3 external entities through hands-on discovery labs, real-world case studies, and system design challenges. This develops the architectural decision-making skills that make you AI-empowered, not AI-replaceable.

How many courses are in the series?

4 courses total: I: The Seven Building Blocks (available now), II: Content Systems (coming soon), III: Real-Time Systems (coming soon), IV: Business Integration Systems (coming soon). Course I is the required foundation for all other courses.

What are the 7 universal building blocks?

The 7 universal building blocks are: Service (request/response), Worker (background processing), Key-Value Store (caching), File Store (media storage), Queue (messaging), Relational Database (structured data), and Vector Database (AI/similarity search). These interface patterns power Instagram, Netflix, Uber, Gmail, and every system you use daily.

Why are system thinkers AI-safe?

AI can write code, but it cannot make architectural decisions requiring trade-off analysis, business context, and systematic thinking. System thinkers understand when to use which building block patterns, how to compose them for specific requirements, and how to evolve systems over time. This high-level thinking makes you AI-empowered (using AI to implement your architectural vision) rather than AI-replaceable.

How much does the course series cost?

Each course is $50. Start with the free 20-minute preview to experience the transformation, then enroll in Course I: The Seven Building Blocks. Additional courses can be purchased individually as you progress through the series.

Do I need programming experience?

Yes, you should be comfortable reading and understanding code. The course focuses on system design and architectural thinking rather than teaching programming fundamentals. If you can implement features but struggle with architectural decisions like 'How would you design Instagram?', this course is perfect for you.

How much time does Course I take to complete?

Course I contains approximately 8-10 hours of content total, including 12 video lessons, 2 interactive Python labs, comprehensive assessment, and a 3-part system design challenge. Most students complete it in 2-3 weeks at a relaxed pace (2-3 hours/week). All content remains accessible forever.

Who is the instructor?

Kay Ashaolu is a Continuing Lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Information with 10+ years teaching experience, and an Engineering Manager with 15+ years industry experience at Pinterest, AncestryDNA, and Morgan Stanley. He holds degrees from Princeton University (B.S.E. Electrical Engineering) and UC Berkeley (M.I.M.S.). His research focuses on accelerating professional growth for early-career software engineers.

100% FREE PREVIEW

How to Design Instagram: Your First System Thinking Lesson

The free mini-course that shows you exactly how to solve real system design problems

Code writers freeze when asked "How would you design Instagram?" System thinkers solve it systematically. Here's how.

In just 20 minutes, you'll understand why AI has made "code writing ability" table stakes, an assumed baseline everyone has. You'll see how to design Instagram-like features using 5 building blocks, and discover the exact systematic approach that transforms you from confused code writer to confident system thinker.

Watch Free Preview Now

No registration required • No credit card needed • Watch instantly

The Junior Developer Extinction Event

For decades, junior developers followed a predictable career path: Get tasks from seniors → Write code → Gradually increase complexity → Learn system thinking after 3-5 years.

Then AI Changed Everything

AI can translate tasks to code faster than junior developers. If seniors can break down tasks for juniors, they can give those tasks directly to AI. Code writing ability is now table stakes—an assumed baseline everyone has through AI tools.

The Uncomfortable Reality

Code Writer (AI-Replaceable)

"How do I implement this feature?"
"What's the syntax for this operation?"
"Which library should I use?"
Translating requirements into code

AI does this better, faster, without errors

System Thinker (AI-Safe)

"What are the fundamental requirements?"
"Which building blocks fit this pattern?"
"What are the trade-offs?"
Making architectural decisions

AI cannot replicate human judgment

What You'll Learn in This Free Preview

This isn't theory. This is a concrete demonstration of what system thinking actually looks like in practice.

Part 1: Why Code Writing Ability Is Now Table Stakes

The traditional path is broken: Why the old 3-5 year progression to system thinking no longer works
The AI productivity trap: How AI makes you faster at making architectural mistakes
Code writer vs system thinker: The exact questions that determine if you're AI-safe or AI-replaceable
The economic reality: Why this transformation is now mandatory, not optional

Part 2: Solving the Instagram Story Problem

The problem: Design a system where users post photos with captions that followers see in a feed, sorted by recency
Code writer's confusion: Random technology choices without architectural reasoning (MongoDB? Firebase? Redis?)
System thinker's approach: Systematically map 5 requirements to 5 building blocks:
Trade-off analysis: Why File Store instead of database for photos? Why Worker for processing? Learn the "why" behind each decision
Pattern recognition: How this same systematic thinking applies to any system design problem

Part 3: Your Career Survival Path

The transformation framework: Complete overview of the Systems Thinking in the AI Era course series
Why this approach works: Learning universal patterns instead of obsolete technologies
Economic comparison: $50-200 vs $1,500-$20,000 traditional alternatives
Immediate next steps: The exact path to transform from code writer to system thinker

Watch the Free Preview Now

No registration required • 100% free • Watch as many times as you want

The Instagram Story Problem: System Thinking in Action

Here's the problem every junior engineer freezes on: Design a system where users can post photos with captions that their followers see in a feed, sorted by recency. Watch how code writers struggle while system thinkers solve it systematically.

The Code Writer's Confusion

"Should I use MongoDB or PostgreSQL? Maybe Firebase? I heard Redis is fast... Do I need microservices? What about React Native?"

Code writers jump straight to technology choices without understanding requirements. They're guessing, not thinking.

The System Thinker's Approach: Requirements → Building Blocks

System thinkers break it down systematically. Each requirement maps to exactly one building block:

Requirement 1: Users need to upload photos

Building Block: File Store (S3-like storage)

Why: Photos are large binary files. File Store is designed for scalable media storage.

Not Relational DB: Databases are for structured data, not multi-megabyte images.

Requirement 2: Store post metadata and follower relationships

Building Block: Relational Database (PostgreSQL, MySQL)

Why: Users have many posts. Users have many followers. These are relationships.

Perfect fit: Relational DB is built for structured data with relationships.

Requirement 3: Generate feeds quickly for millions of users

Building Block: Key-Value Store (Redis, Memcached)

Why: Computing feeds on-demand is too slow. Pre-compute and cache them.

Performance: O(1) lookup makes feed loading instant instead of seconds.

Requirement 4: Process uploaded photos (thumbnails, formats)

Building Block: Worker (background processing)

Why: Image processing takes time. Don't make users wait.

User experience: Upload succeeds immediately, processing happens in background.

Requirement 5: Mobile apps need to access the system

Building Block: Service (REST API)

Why: Service handles request/response for mobile clients.

Interface: Standard HTTP API that any mobile app can consume.

This is System Thinking

Code writers randomly choose technologies without reasoning.
System thinkers systematically map requirements to building blocks.

This same approach works for designing ANY system - from Twitter to Netflix to Uber. That's what makes you AI-safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you design Instagram using building blocks?

System thinkers break down requirements systematically: (1) Photo uploads → File Store building block for large binary files, (2) Post metadata and follower relationships → Relational Database for structured data, (3) Fast feed generation → Key-Value Store for caching, (4) Image processing (thumbnails, formats) → Worker for background tasks, (5) Mobile API → Service for request/response. Each requirement maps to the appropriate building block based on interface patterns, not random technology choices.

What is the Instagram Story Problem?

The Instagram Story Problem is a real system design challenge: Design a system where users can post photos with captions that their followers see in a feed, sorted by recency. This problem demonstrates the difference between code writers (who randomly choose technologies) and system thinkers (who systematically map requirements to building blocks). It shows exactly how to approach any system design problem with building block thinking.

Why is code writing ability now table stakes?

AI tools like Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, and GitHub Copilot can translate well-defined tasks into working code faster than junior developers. If a senior engineer can break down work for a junior, they can give those same tasks to AI. Code writing ability is now an assumed baseline everyone has through AI tools—table stakes rather than a differentiator. System thinking is now an entry-level requirement, not a senior-level skill.

What makes system thinkers AI-safe?

System thinkers make architectural decisions that AI cannot make. They ask "Which building blocks fit these requirements?" and "What are the trade-offs?" rather than "How do I implement this?" AI can implement any building block perfectly if told which to use, but it cannot make judgments about business context, user needs, growth patterns, and cost constraints that determine which building blocks are appropriate.

How long is the free preview course?

The free preview is 20 minutes total, divided into three parts: (1) Why code writing ability is now table stakes (8 min), (2) Solving the Instagram Story Problem with building blocks (7 min), (3) Career survival path (5 min). No registration required, watch instantly, 100% free.

What will I learn in this free course?

You'll learn: (1) Why the traditional junior developer path is broken, (2) The difference between code writer and system thinker approaches, (3) How to design Instagram-like features by systematically mapping 5 requirements to 5 building blocks, (4) Requirements-to-architecture decision-making that makes you AI-safe, (5) The complete transformation path through the 4-course series.

Do I need to register or pay anything?

No. The preview is 100% free with no registration required, no credit card needed, and no email signup. Watch instantly and as many times as you want. After the free preview, Course I costs $50.

Ready to Complete Your Transformation?

This free preview showed you how to design Instagram-like features. The complete course series teaches you the 7 universal building blocks + 3 external entities that compose every system you'll ever work on - from Netflix to Uber to Slack.

Course I: Universal Building Blocks (Required Foundation)

Master the 7 fundamental building blocks and 3 external entities. Learn systematic pattern recognition, trade-off analysis, and architectural decision-making that AI cannot replicate.

Course II: Content Systems (Coming Soon)

Apply building blocks to Instagram, Netflix, YouTube patterns. Master read-heavy workloads, caching strategies, and CDN patterns for global content delivery.

Course III: Real-Time Systems (Coming Soon)

Learn Slack, Discord, WhatsApp patterns. Master real-time messaging, WebSocket patterns, and low-latency communication architectures.

Course IV: Business Integration Systems (Coming Soon)

Master Stripe, Shopify, Salesforce patterns. Learn payment processing, transaction handling, and enterprise integration that directly impacts business revenue.

Course Pricing

$50

per course

This is more than just videos. You get interactive discovery labs, comprehensive assessments, design challenges where you get AI-powered feedback on your architectural thinking, and a complete learning system that validates your transformation to system thinker.

Start your transformation to system thinker today
Interactive Python labs with hands-on experimentation
AI-powered assessment and design feedback
Lifetime access to all course updates
Less than a technical book, more valuable than 5 years of trial and error
Compare to: $1,500-$4,000 traditional system design courses

At this price with this depth of interactive learning, this is an unprecedented value.

Start with Course I

The Cost of Waiting is Your Career

Every day you remain a code writer instead of a system thinker, you're competing with AI that's getting better while falling further behind engineers developing these skills.

The cost of waiting: Your career trajectory
The cost of acting: $50

Which risk are you willing to take?

Transform to System Thinker - Start Course I