Bootcamp template
A bootcamp template is a day-by-day plan for an intensive program where participants learn by building. This one runs a pre-work day and three weeks of weekdays, Foundations, Build and Ship, with a deliverable every day, a 15-minute standup every morning and a final Demo Day on Day 15.
- 0:00Yesterday5 min
- 0:05Today5 min
- 0:10Blockers5 min
The bootcamp: pre-work, then three weeks of weekdays
Each day is one module: a short lesson (10 to 15 minutes), a task list of the day's assignments and a deliverable worksheet participants submit by the end of the day. Each week opens on schedule from your first day. Guides marked "for you" are notes for the facilitator: read them, then remove them before you publish.
- 1
Pre-work
Set up, review the essentials and define the project before Day 1.
- Day 0
Setup & Foundations
- Your Bootcamp Guide (guide for you)
- Welcome lesson
- Essential Background lesson
- Baseline Skills Check (private)
- Define Your Project worksheet
Define Your Project is each participant's north star: what they'll build, who it's for, and what "done" looks like.
- Day 0
- 2
Foundations
Learn the core concepts. Each day builds on the one before. You're the teacher.
- Day 1
Kickoff
- Day 1: Let's Go lesson
- Day 1 content
- Day 1 assignments
- Day 1 Deliverable
- Day 2
Core Concepts
- Day 2 content
- Day 2 assignments
- Day 2 Deliverable
- Day 3
Deep Dive
- Day 3 content
- Day 3 assignments
- Day 3 Deliverable
- Day 4
Apply
- Day 4 content
- Day 4 assignments
- Day 4 Deliverable
- Day 5
Week 1 Checkpoint
- Week 1 Checkpoint lesson
- Day 5 assignments
- Week 1 Checkpoint Review (visible to the cohort)
Before Build week: what clicked, what's still fuzzy, and whether the project scope is still realistic.
- Day 1
- 3
Build
Short lessons, bigger deliverables. You're the mentor: review work and unblock.
- Day 6
Start Building
- Week 2: From Learning to Making lesson
- Day 6 assignments
- Day 6 Deliverable
- Day 7
Core Build
- Day 7 content
- Day 7 assignments
- Day 7 Deliverable
- Day 8
Iterate
- Day 8 content
- Day 8 assignments
- Day 8 Deliverable
- Day 9
Feedback Round
- Day 9 content
- Day 9 assignments
- Day 9 Deliverable
- Day 10
Mid-Bootcamp Reset
- Halfway Check lesson
- Mid-Bootcamp Pulse
- Day 10 assignments
Make this standup a reset: an honest check-in, a progress review and a plan for the last week. Pair anyone behind with someone ahead.
- Day 6
- 4
Ship
Polish, prepare and present. You're the coach.
- Day 11
Polish
- Day 11 content
- Day 11 assignments
- Day 11 Deliverable
- Day 12
Refine
- Day 12 content
- Day 12 assignments
- Day 12 Deliverable
- Day 13
Final Touches
- Day 13 content
- Day 13 assignments
- Day 13 Deliverable
- Day 14
Prep for Demo Day
- Prepare Your Presentation lesson
- Demo Day Prep Checklist
- Demo Day Prep Sheet
Use this morning's standup as a dress rehearsal: a one-minute pitch from each person.
- Day 15
Demo Day
- Demo Day: Show What You Built lesson
- The 120-minute Demo Day session
- Final Reflection & Sprint Review
- What's Next checklist
- Day 11
Bootcamp daily schedule: the 15-minute morning standup
Every weekday morning, before the day's work. It creates accountability and surfaces problems early, so don't skip it, even when things are going well. Copy it into the recurring invite.
| Time | Block | What the facilitator does |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:05 | Yesterday5 min | Each participant, in a sentence or two: what did you work on yesterday? Point to the deliverable they submitted. |
| 0:05–0:10 | Today5 min | What are you working on today? Each person names the day's output, so the group hears the plan out loud. |
| 0:10–0:15 | Blockers5 min | Any blockers? Note them, don't solve them here: take each one to the questions channel or a short follow-up right after. |
Three checkpoints: pre-work, Day 10, Day 15
The final reflection repeats the skill rating from pre-work, so participants see how far they came in their own numbers. Replace [bootcamp topic] with yours.
Baseline Skills Check
- 1What specific skill or output do you want to walk away with?
- 2Rate your current skill level in [bootcamp topic]. (1 to 10)
- 3What relevant experience do you already have?
- 4What's the biggest challenge you expect to face?
- 5How many hours per day can you commit during the bootcamp?
Mid-Bootcamp Pulse
- 1On a scale of 1–10, how valuable has the bootcamp been so far?
- 2Are you on track to finish your project by the final day? Yes, partially, no
- 3What has been the most useful so far?
- 4What would help you most in the remaining days?
- 5Rate the pace: too fast, about right, or too slow?
Final Reflection & Sprint Review
- 1Rate your skill level in [bootcamp topic] now. (1 to 10)
- 2Did you achieve what you set out to build? Fully, partially, or not yet
- 3What was the most challenging part of the bootcamp?
- 4What are you most proud of producing?
- 5Rate this bootcamp overall. (1 to 10)
- 6Would you recommend this bootcamp? (0 to 10)
- 7What would you improve?
Four questions before Day 1
Participants answer these in pre-work. Every daily deliverable moves this project forward, and the final Demo Day presents it.
The daily deliverable: two questions a day
- What did you produce today?
- What was the key takeaway from today's content? (Day 2: what concept was most useful? Day 3: what are you still uncertain about?)
- What did you build, iterate on or polish today?
- What was the hardest part, what changed from your plan, or what's left to finish?
- 1What do you want to build during this bootcamp?
- 2Who is it for? What problem does it solve?
- 3What does "done" look like? Describe the minimum viable version.
- 4What tools or technologies will you use?
Four rules for the facilitator
In a bootcamp, the pace is the product.
A deliverable every day
Lessons set up the task; the task list and the deliverable are where the learning happens. Keep lessons to 10 or 15 minutes, and shorter in Build week.
Never skip the standup
15 minutes, three questions, every weekday morning. If standups include individual check-ins, cap the cohort at 12 to 15 so it stays 15 minutes.
Change your role each week
Week 1 you teach. Week 2 you mentor: review work, unblock, push quality. Week 3 you coach: help people polish and get ready to present.
Build content just in time
Finish Week 1 before Day 1, then write Weeks 2 and 3 while Week 1 runs. Use the Day 10 Pulse to adjust what's left.
Where the cohort works during the day
Short program, focused channels: one for coordination, one for help, one for visible progress.
Build Log
A daily progress feed: what each participant built, what they learned, any screenshots or links. Visible progress keeps everyone moving.
Announcements channel
The day's plan, posted before standup, plus schedule changes and reminders.
Questions channel
Where participants get unstuck: what they're trying to do, what they tried, where they're stuck. Peers answer too.
Cohort directory
Everyone in the bootcamp, so participants can find each other.
Bootcamp template · upcoach.com/templates/bootcamp-template