Claude Code for Non-Developers Training Course

Phase 1 — Introduction to Claude Code — 55 minutes

• Defining Claude and differentiating Claude Code from standard chat interfaces
• The Claude product ecosystem: claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code (CLI), and their interrelationships
• Interface overview: navigating the Claude app, initiating coding sessions, and understanding the workspace
• Claude Code’s operational logic: the describe → plan → act → review cycle
• Permission management: understanding why Claude requests approval before file creation or code execution
• Initial build: instructing Claude to create a simple styled webpage from a single-sentence description
• Refining outputs: applying adjustments such as resizing headers, altering color schemes, or adding navigation elements
• Guided Exercise: Participate in opening the Claude app, starting a Claude Code session, and constructing a personalized “About Me” webpage by describing requirements in plain English. Practice refining results through iterative instructions.

Objective: Establish comfort with the interface and overcome initial interaction barriers.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 2 — Building Real Solutions with Natural Language — 70 minutes

This segment forms the core of the morning. Learners complete four tasks of increasing complexity using only natural language prompts.

• Task 1 — Interactive Dashboard: Instruct Claude Code to build a styled dashboard displaying sample data with charts, statistics, and a clean layout. Practice providing design direction, such as using dark themes, adding sidebars, or ensuring responsiveness.
• Task 2 — Data Analysis: Provide a sample CSV file and request a data summary, trend identification, and extraction of extreme values, followed by chart generation. This demonstrates Claude’s ability to write and execute code on your behalf.
• Task 3 — Document Generation: 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 transforming raw data into polished deliverables.
• Task 4 — Automation Tools: Instruct Claude to build a simple utility, such as a unit converter, quiz application, or budget calculator. This introduces the concept that Claude can create interactive tools, not just static pages.

Following each task, the instructor highlights the underlying actions: files created, code written, and how to interpret the output. Participants document their most effective prompts in a shared Prompt Playbook.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 3 — Advanced Usage of Claude Code — 50 minutes

• The craft of effective prompting: distinguishing between specific and vague instructions
• Live demonstration: Side-by-side comparison of weak versus strong prompts for the same task
• Iteration and refinement: Requesting explanations of choices, undoing changes, or exploring alternative approaches
• Handling uploaded files: Requests such as “read and summarize this document” or “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”)
• Cost and usage understanding: Insights into tokens, context windows, and subscription tiers
• Selecting the appropriate tool: When to use Claude Code versus standard Claude chat
• Guided Exercise: Extend a Phase 2 project by adding two new features using a multi-step prompt chain. Compare before-and-after prompts to identify key differences in effectiveness.

Objective: Progress from basic functionality to consistent, high-quality results.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 4 — Custom Workflows: Live Build Session — 60 minutes

This phase shifts the classroom energy from individual practice to group collaboration. The instructor guides the process, but participants lead by sharing real job-related challenges, suggesting prompt strategies, and debating trade-offs. The objective is to develop prompt judgment by observing an expert navigate uncertainty in real time.

Three workflow archetypes structure the session:

• Transform — Convert input X into output Y (e.g., meeting notes to action items; raw data to summary emails; customer feedback to themed reports)
• Draft — Generate initial versions of content typically written from scratch (e.g., proposals, emails, job descriptions, social media posts)
• Analyze — Interrogate documents or datasets that lack time for detailed review (e.g., long reports, survey spreadsheets, contracts)

Setup and Framing (10 min): The instructor introduces the three archetypes and explains the session structure. Participants submit real workflow challenges via a shared document or chat.

Live Build #1 — Transform Workflow (20 min): The instructor selects a submitted problem and builds it live, with the room contributing prompt ideas, pushback, and refinements. The instructor narrates every decision. The session concludes with a reusable prompt template for the participant whose problem was addressed.

Live Build #2 — Draft or Analyze Workflow (20 min): Same format, different archetype, featuring a different participant’s problem.

Reflection & Share-Back (10 min): Participants take a moment to note one surprising prompting technique, one alternative approach, and one key pattern to retain. A brief group share follows (3-4 speakers). The instructor connects these observations to the broader Prompt Playbook.

Phase 5 — Integrating Claude with Your Tools via MCP — 50 minutes

• Understanding MCP (Model Context Protocol): The universal interface for AI tool integrations
• The importance of MCP: Evolving 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 (requiring no configuration files)

Live Demo: The instructor connects Claude to two services via the Connectors UI and demonstrates cross-tool workflows:

1. “Check my Google Calendar for tomorrow’s meetings and draft a preparation email for each.”
2. “Read the latest updates from our project board and write a status summary.”
3. “Pull data from this connected service and generate a local report.”

Guided Exercise: Participants connect Claude to at least one service. Options are provided to accommodate 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 proceed
• Option B: Add a custom connector by pasting an MCP server URL (a test URL is provided by the instructor)
• 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 regarding project updates and create a summary document.”

Key concepts covered:

• Connector mechanics: OAuth authentication, permissions, and access control
• Managing tool access: Enabling, disabling, and controlling specific connectors per conversation
• Security awareness: Connecting only to trusted services and reviewing tool permissions
• The MCP ecosystem: Locating new connectors, extensions, and community-built servers

Objective: Recognize Claude as a connective layer for existing services, not solely a coding tool.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 6 — Capstone & Future Steps — 65 minutes

Capstone Mini-Project (45 min): Each participant selects one scenario and builds it with Claude:

1. A polished landing page or portfolio site for a team, project, or personal brand
2. A data analysis pipeline: Upload a file, have Claude analyze it, and produce a visual report
3. An interactive tool solving a real workflow problem (calculator, tracker, converter, or quiz)
4. A connected workflow: Retrieve 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 the room to assist with prompt refinement and showcases standout examples to the group.

Showcase and Wrap-Up (20 min):

• 6-8 participants share their projects (2-3 minutes each)
• Next steps: Claude Code CLI for terminal users, VS Code extension for developers, and Cowork for knowledge workers
• The MCP ecosystem: Finding and evaluating new connectors, extensions, and community servers
• Subscription tiers: Free vs. Pro vs. Max — understanding capabilities and use case fit
• Best practices recap: The most effective Prompt Playbook patterns from the session
• Recommended resources: Official documentation, community channels, and Anthropic’s prompt engineering guide
• Participants receive a reference card detailing key prompting patterns, connector setup steps, and a curated list of useful MCP integrations