Course Outline
Phase 1 — Introduction to Claude Code — 55 minutes
- Overview of Claude and the unique features of Claude Code compared to standard chat
- The Claude product ecosystem: claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code (CLI), and their relationships
- Interface walkthrough: navigating the Claude app, initiating a coding session, and understanding the workspace
- Claude Code’s reasoning process: the describe → plan → act → review cycle
- Understanding permissions: why Claude requests approval before creating files or executing code
- Your first build: instructing Claude to create a simple styled webpage based on a brief description
- Iterating on results: commands like “increase the header size,” “change the color scheme,” “add a navigation bar”
- Guided exercise: participants open the Claude app, start a Claude Code session, and construct a personalized “About Me” webpage by describing their requirements in plain English, practicing refinement through follow-up instructions.
Objective: ensure 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. 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 cues: “apply a dark theme,” “add a sidebar,” “ensure responsiveness.”
- Task 2 — Data analysis: provide Claude with a sample CSV file and request a summary, trend identification, finding of highest/lowest values, and generation of a visual chart. This demonstrates Claude’s ability to write and execute code on your behalf.
- Task 3 — Document generator: ask 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: request Claude to build a simple utility — a unit converter, quiz app, or budget calculator. This introduces the concept that Claude can create interactive tools, not just static pages.
After each task, the instructor explains the behind-the-scenes actions: which files were created, what code was written, and how to interpret the output. 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 between specific and vague instructions
- Live demonstration: side-by-side comparison of weak and strong prompts for the same task
- Iteration and refinement: asking Claude to explain its reasoning, revert changes, or attempt alternative approaches
- Working with uploaded files: “summarize this document,” “convert this spreadsheet into a chart”
- Multi-step workflows: chaining requests to create complex outputs (e.g., “analyze this data first, 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 key differences.
Objective: elevate proficiency 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 group’s energy. Instead of individual practice, the entire group builds together. The instructor drives the process, but participants guide the direction — sharing real job-related problems, suggesting prompt ideas, and discussing trade-offs. The goal is to learn prompt evaluation by observing an expert navigate uncertainty in real-time.
Three workflow archetypes structure this session:
- Transform — convert input X into output Y (e.g., meeting notes → action items; raw data → summary email; customer feedback → themed report)
- Draft — generate a first version of content typically written from scratch (proposals, emails, job descriptions, social media posts)
- Analyze — interrogate a document or dataset too large to review carefully (a 40-page report, a spreadsheet of survey responses, a contract)
Setup and framing (10 min): The instructor introduces the three archetypes and explains the session format. 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 providing prompt ideas, feedback, and refinements. The instructor narrates every decision. The session concludes with a working prompt template that the participant whose problem was selected gets to keep.
Live build #2 — Draft or Analyze workflow (20 min): Same format, different archetype, different participant’s problem.
Reflection & share-back (10 min): Participants take a moment to note one prompting technique that surprised them, one thing they would do differently, and one pattern they will apply. A quick group share follows — 3-4 participants, not everyone. The instructor connects these observations to the broader Prompt Playbook.
Phase 5 — Connecting Claude to 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 within the Claude app
- Desktop Extensions: one-click installations for Claude Desktop (no configuration files required)
Live demo: The instructor connects Claude to two services via 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 varying 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 assign Claude a task utilizing 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 the scope of access granted
- 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
Objective: participants view Claude as a connective layer between all the services they already use, not merely as 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 problem from their workflow (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, assists with prompt refinement, and highlights standout examples to the group.
Showcase and wrap-up (20 min):
- 6-8 participants share what they built (2-3 minutes each)
- Where to go from here: 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 — what each tier unlocks and which fits specific use cases
- Best practices recap: the Prompt Playbook patterns that were most effective during the session
- Recommended resources: official documentation, community channels, Anthropic’s prompt engineering guide
- Participants receive a reference card with key prompting patterns, connector setup steps, and a curated list of useful MCP integrations
Requirements
Requirements
Prerequisite Knowledge
- Basic computer proficiency: navigating files and folders, using web browsers, and installing applications
- General familiarity with AI assistants (e.g., casual use of ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude is beneficial but not mandatory)
Experience Level
- No coding, programming, or terminal experience is needed. This course is tailored for individuals who have never written code.
- Prior experience with Claude or other AI tools is not required.
Technical Requirements
- Participants must bring a laptop (Mac, Windows, or Linux) with a modern web browser
- Stable internet connection
- A Claude Pro subscription for the session (a 1-month complimentary subscription is included with registration; setup instructions will be sent prior to the class)
- Claude Desktop is recommended but optional (the web app at claude.ai supports all exercises)
- A Google account is suggested for the MCP connectors exercise (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar), although alternative connectors are available
Target Audience
- Business professionals seeking to enhance productivity and automation through AI
- 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 interested in Claude’s capabilities who lacks a technical background
Testimonials (1)
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