Course Outline
Phase 1 — Introduction to Claude Code — 55 minutes
- Understanding what Claude is and how Claude Code differs from standard chat interfaces
- Overview of the Claude product family: claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code (CLI), and their interrelationships
- Interface navigation: using the Claude app, initiating a coding session, and understanding the workspace
- How Claude Code processes requests: the describe → plan → act → review cycle
- Understanding permissions: why Claude seeks approval before creating files or executing code
- Your first build: instructing Claude to create a simple styled webpage from a brief description
- Iterating on results: instructions such as “increase the header size,” “adjust the color scheme,” “add a navigation bar”
- Guided exercise: participants open the Claude app, start a Claude Code session, and build a personalized “About Me” webpage by describing their requirements in plain English. They practice refining outcomes through follow-up instructions.
Goal: ensuring everyone is comfortable with the interface and has overcome the initial learning curve.
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Break — 10 minutes |
Phase 2 — Creating Real Projects with Plain English — 70 minutes
This segment forms the core of the morning session. Participants complete four increasingly complex tasks using only natural language prompts.
- Task 1 — Interactive dashboard: instruct Claude Code to create a styled dashboard displaying sample data with charts, statistics, and a clean layout. Practice providing design direction: “apply a dark theme,” “add a sidebar,” “make it responsive.”
- Task 2 — Data analysis: provide Claude with a sample CSV file and request a data summary, trend identification, highest/lowest value detection, and visual chart generation. This demonstrates Claude’s ability to write and execute code on your behalf.
- Task 3 — Document generator: request Claude to read a data file and produce a formatted report — such as a sales summary, project status update, or meeting recap. This illustrates how Claude transforms raw data into polished deliverables.
- Task 4 — Automation tool: ask Claude to develop a simple utility — a unit converter, quiz app, or budget calculator. This introduces the concept that Claude can build interactive tools, not just static pages.
After each task, the instructor highlights Claude’s background processes: files created, code written, and output interpretation. Participants document their most effective prompts in a shared Prompt Playbook.
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Break — 10 minutes |
Phase 3 — Optimizing Workflows with Claude Code — 50 minutes
- The art of effective prompting: distinguishing specific instructions from vague ones
- Live demo: side-by-side comparison of weak and strong prompts for the same task
- Iteration and refinement: asking Claude to explain its logic, undo changes, or explore alternative approaches
- Working with uploaded files: “summarize this document,” “convert this spreadsheet into a chart”
- Multi-step workflows: chaining requests to create complex outputs (“first analyze this data, then build a dashboard from the results”)
- Understanding costs and usage: how tokens, context windows, and subscription tiers function
- When to use Claude Code versus standard Claude chat
- Guided exercise: participants extend one of their Phase 2 projects by adding two new features using a multi-step prompt chain. They then compare their before-and-after prompts to identify what drove the improvement.
Goal: advancing from “It works” to “I can consistently achieve excellent results.”
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Break — 10 minutes |
Phase 4 — Your Claude Workflows: Live Build Session — 60 minutes
This phase shifts the classroom energy from individual practice to group collaboration. The instructor leads, but participants direct the process by sharing real workplace problems, suggesting prompt ideas, and debating trade-offs. The objective is to learn prompt judgment by observing an expert navigate uncertainty in real time.
The session is structured around three workflow archetypes:
- Transform — converting input X into output Y (meeting notes → action items; raw data → summary email; customer feedback → themed report)
- Draft — generating a first version of documents typically written from scratch (proposals, emails, job descriptions, social media posts)
- Analyze — interrogating documents or datasets that are too time-consuming to review manually (a 40-page report, survey response spreadsheets, contracts)
Setup and framing (10 min): The instructor introduces the three archetypes and explains the session mechanics. Participants submit real workflow challenges from their jobs via a shared document or chat.
Live build #1 — Transform workflow (20 min): The instructor selects one submitted problem and builds it live, with the group suggesting prompts, offering pushback, and refining the approach. The instructor narrates every decision. The session concludes with a working prompt template that the participant who submitted the problem retains.
Live build #2 — Draft or Analyze workflow (20 min): Follows the same format but uses a different archetype and a different participant’s problem.
Reflection & share-back (10 min): Participants reflect on one prompting technique that surprised them, one thing they would do differently, and one pattern they will adopt. A brief group share follows — 3-4 participants speak, not everyone. The instructor connects these observations to the broader Prompt Playbook.
Phase 5 — Integrating Claude with Your Tools via MCP — 50 minutes
- What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)? The universal plug system for AI tools
- Why MCP matters: transforming Claude from a chat assistant into a connected workflow hub
- The Connectors Directory: browsing and adding integrations directly from the Claude app
- Desktop Extensions: one-click installs for Claude Desktop (no configuration files required)
Live demo: The instructor connects Claude to two services through the Connectors UI and demonstrates cross-tool workflows:
- “Check my Google Calendar for tomorrow’s meetings and draft a prep email for each one”
- “Read the latest updates from our project board and write a status summary”
- “Pull data from this connected service and build a local report from it”
Guided exercise: participants connect Claude to at least one service. Options are provided for different comfort levels:
- Option A: Connect a pre-built connector from the directory (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive, or a demo service) — click, authenticate, and go
- Option B: Add a custom connector by pasting an MCP server URL (the instructor provides a test URL)
- Option C: Install a Desktop Extension from the marketplace (for Claude Desktop users)
Participants then give Claude a task that utilizes the connected service — for example, “Read my recent emails about project updates and create a summary document.”
Key concepts covered:
- How connectors function: OAuth authentication, permissions, and granted access
- Managing tool access: enabling, disabling, and controlling which connectors Claude can use per conversation
- Security awareness: connecting only to trusted services and reviewing tool permissions
- The MCP ecosystem: where to find new connectors, extensions, and community-built servers
Goal: participants view Claude as a connective layer between all the services they already use, not merely a coding tool.
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Break — 10 minutes |
Phase 6 — Capstone & Next Steps — 65 minutes
Capstone mini-project (45 min): Each participant selects one scenario and builds it with Claude:
- A polished landing page or portfolio site for their team, project, or personal brand
- A data analysis pipeline: upload a file, have Claude analyze it, and produce a visual report
- An interactive tool that solves a real workflow problem (calculator, tracker, converter, quiz)
- A connected workflow: pull data from a connected service, transform it, and produce a deliverable (e.g., “read my calendar for next week and build a visual schedule”)
The instructor circulates to assist with prompt refinement and showcases standout examples to the group.
Showcase and wrap-up (20 min):
- 6-8 participants present what they built (2-3 min each)
- Next steps: Claude Code CLI for terminal users, VS Code extension for developers, Cowork for knowledge workers
- The MCP ecosystem: finding and evaluating new connectors, extensions, and community servers
- Plans: Free vs. Pro vs. Max — understanding what each tier unlocks and which fits specific use cases
- Best practices recap: reviewing the Prompt Playbook patterns that were most effective during the session
- Recommended resources: official documentation, community channels, and Anthropic’s prompt engineering guide
- Participants receive a reference card featuring key prompting patterns, connector setup steps, and a curated list of useful MCP integrations
Requirements
Prerequisites
Knowledge Requirements
- Fundamental computer skills: navigating file systems, using web browsers, and installing applications
- General understanding of AI assistants’ functions (e.g., casual use of ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude is beneficial but not mandatory)
Experience Requirements
- No coding, programming, or terminal experience is needed. This course is tailored for individuals who have never written code.
- No prior experience with Claude or any other AI tool is required.
Technical Requirements
- Participants must bring a laptop (Mac, Windows, or Linux) with a modern web browser
- A reliable internet connection
- A Claude Pro subscription for the session (a 1-month gift subscription is included with registration; setup instructions are sent prior to the class)
- Claude Desktop is recommended but optional (the web application at claude.ai is sufficient for all exercises)
- A Google account is recommended for the MCP connectors exercise (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar), though alternative connector options are available
Target Audience
- Business professionals seeking to harness AI for productivity and automation
- Marketers, operations managers, and analysts aiming to automate repetitive tasks
- Founders and entrepreneurs looking to create prototypes without hiring developers
- Educators and researchers exploring AI-assisted workflows
- Anyone curious about Claude’s capabilities who lacks a technical background
Testimonials (1)
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