Question 1

What is Systems Thinking in the AI Era?

Accepted Answer

Systems Thinking in the AI Era is a 4-course series that teaches the universal framework for understanding how systems work. You'll master 7 universal building blocks + 3 external entities through hands-on discovery labs, real-world case studies, and system design challenges. Whether you're an engineer, data scientist, or technical leader, this develops architectural decision-making skills that let you direct AI tools effectively.

Question 2

How many courses are in the series?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

What are the 7 universal building blocks?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

How does system thinking help me work with AI?

Accepted Answer

AI tools excel at implementation but require human guidance for architectural decisions. 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 lets you direct AI tools effectively—you make the architectural decisions while AI helps with implementation.

Question 5

How much does the course series cost?

Accepted Answer

Each course is $99. Start with the free 8-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.

Question 6

Do I need programming experience?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

How much time does Course I take to complete?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 8

Who is the instructor?

Accepted Answer

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.

How to Design Instagram: The 7 Building Blocks of System Design