Course Outline
Phase 1 — Introduction to Claude Code — 30 minutes
- Understanding what Claude is and how Claude Code differs from standard chat interfaces.
- Quick orientation: using the Claude app today (web or desktop); the CLI and other interfaces are covered in the reference card.
- Interface tour: initiating a coding session and understanding the workspace layout.
- Insight into how Claude Code thinks: the describe → plan → act → review loop.
- Understanding permissions: why Claude seeks approval before creating files or executing code.
- Your first build: prompting Claude to create a simple styled webpage from a one-sentence description.
- Iterating on results: examples such as “make the header bigger,” “change the color scheme,” or “add a navigation bar.”
- Guided exercise: participants start a session and build a personalized “About Me” webpage, refining it through follow-up instructions.
Goal: to ensure everyone passes the initial interaction hurdle and becomes comfortable with the interface.
Break — 7 minutes
Phase 2 — Building Real Things with Plain English — 55 minutes
Three progressively complex tasks using only natural language prompts.
- Task 1 — Interactive dashboard: creating a styled dashboard with sample data, charts, and statistics. Practice providing design direction: “use a dark theme,” “add a sidebar,” or “make it responsive.”
- Task 2 — Data analysis: providing a sample CSV file, asking Claude to summarize it, identify trends, find highs/lows, and generate a visual chart. This demonstrates Claude writing and executing code on your behalf.
- Task 3 — Automation tool: building a simple utility such as 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 highlights what happened behind the scenes: files created, code written, and how to interpret the output. Participants document their most effective prompts in a shared Prompt Playbook.
Break — 7 minutes
Phase 3 — Working Smarter with Claude Code — 35 minutes
- The art of good prompting: distinguishing between specific and vague instructions.
- Live demo: a side-by-side comparison of weak versus strong prompts for the same task.
- Iterating and refining: asking Claude to explain choices, undo changes, or try a different approach.
- Working with uploaded files: examples include “read this document and summarize it” or “convert this spreadsheet into a chart.”
- Multi-step workflows: chaining requests to build complex outputs.
- Understanding cost and usage: how tokens, context windows, and subscription tiers function.
- When to use Claude Code versus regular Claude chat.
- Guided exercise: participants extend one of their Phase 2 projects with a new feature using a multi-step prompt, then compare before-and-after prompts to identify key differences.
Goal: to move from “it works” to “I can get great results consistently.”
Break — 7 minutes
Phase 4 — Connecting Claude to Your Tools with MCP — 34 minutes
Pre-class: participants received email instructions to connect Gmail or Google Drive before the session, so classroom time is focused on using the connection rather than authentication.
- 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 users.
- Live demo (one workflow): “Check my Google Calendar for tomorrow’s meetings and draft a prep email for each one.”
- Guided exercise: participants use their pre-connected service (or connect one live) to give Claude a task, such as “Read my recent emails about project updates and create a summary document.”
- Key concepts: OAuth, permissions, managing tool access per conversation, security awareness, and where to find new connectors.
Goal: for participants to see Claude as a connective layer, not just a coding tool.
Phase 5 — Capstone & Wrap-Up — 35 minutes
Capstone mini-project (25 min): Each participant chooses one scenario:
- A polished landing page or portfolio site.
- A data analysis pipeline: uploading a file, analyzing it, and producing a visual report.
- An interactive tool solving a real problem from their workflow.
- A connected workflow: pulling data from the service connected in Phase 4, transforming it, and producing a deliverable.
The instructor circulates to help refine prompts and showcases standout examples.
Wrap-up (10 min):
- Where to go from here: Claude Code CLI for terminal users, VS Code extension for developers, and Cowork for knowledge workers.
- Plans: Free vs. Pro vs. Max — what each tier unlocks and which fits specific use cases.
- Recommended resources: official documentation, Anthropic’s prompt engineering guide, and community channels.
- Participants leave with a reference card covering prompting patterns, connector setup, and useful MCP integrations.
Requirements
Requirements
An understanding of
- Basic computer literacy: navigating files and folders, using a web browser, and installing applications
- A general awareness of AI assistants (e.g., casual experience with ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude is beneficial but not mandatory)
Experience with
- No coding, programming, or terminal experience is needed. This course is specifically designed 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) equipped with a modern web browser.
- A stable internet connection is required.
- A Claude Pro subscription for the session is necessary (a 1-month gift subscription is included with course registration; setup instructions will be provided prior to class).
- While Claude Desktop is recommended, it is not mandatory (the web application at claude.ai is sufficient for all exercises).
- A Google account is recommended for the MCP connectors exercise (for Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar integration), although alternative connector options are available.
Target Audience
- Business professionals seeking to leverage AI for productivity and automation.
- Marketers, operations managers, and analysts aiming to automate repetitive tasks.
- Founders and entrepreneurs who wish to build prototypes without hiring a developer.
- Educators and researchers exploring AI-assisted workflows.
- Anyone curious about Claude's capabilities who lacks a technical background.
Testimonials (1)
That i gained a knowledge regarding streamlit library from python and for sure i'll try to use it to improve applications in my team which are made in R shiny
