Claude Code for Non-Developers Training Course

Phase 1 — Introduction to Claude Code — 55 minutes

• Overview of Claude and the distinctions between Claude Code and standard chat interfaces
• The Claude product suite: claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code (CLI), and their relationships
• Interface overview: navigating the Claude app, initiating a coding session, and understanding the workspace
• Claude Code's reasoning process: the describe → plan → act → review cycle
• Permission management: understanding why Claude requests approval before creating files or executing code
• Initial project: instructing Claude to generate a simple styled webpage from a single-sentence description
• Refining outcomes: requests such as "enlarge the header," "modify the color palette," or "add a navigation bar"
• Guided Exercise: Participants launch the Claude app, start a Claude Code session, and create a personalized "About Me" webpage by describing their preferences in plain English. They practice refining results through subsequent instructions.

Objective: Ensure all participants are comfortable with the interface and have overcome initial usage barriers.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 2 — Creating Practical Applications with Natural Language — 70 minutes

This section 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 build a styled dashboard displaying sample data with charts, statistics, and a clean layout. Practice providing design directions: "apply a dark theme," "add a sidebar," "ensure responsiveness."
• Task 2 — Data Analysis: Provide Claude with a sample CSV file and request a data summary, trend identification, detection of extreme values, and generation of visual charts. This demonstrates how Claude writes and executes code on your behalf.
• Task 3 — Document Generation: 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 Utility: Request Claude to build a simple tool—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 backend actions: which files were created, what code was written, and how to interpret the output. Participants record their most effective prompts in a shared Prompt Playbook.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 3 — Optimizing Workflows with Claude Code — 50 minutes

• Prompting best practices: contrasting specific versus vague instructions
• Live demonstration: side-by-side comparison of weak and strong prompts for the same task
• Iteration and refinement: asking Claude to explain decisions, revert changes, or try alternative approaches
• Handling uploaded files: requests like "read this document and summarize it" or "convert this spreadsheet into a chart"
• Multi-step workflows: chaining requests to create complex outputs (e.g., "first analyze this data, then build a dashboard from the results")
• Understanding costs and usage: how tokens, context windows, and subscription tiers function
• Deciding when to use Claude Code versus standard Claude chat
• Guided Exercise: Participants select a Phase 2 project and expand it with two new features using a multi-step prompt chain. They then compare their pre- and post-refinement prompts to identify key differences.

Objective: Progress from basic functionality to consistently achieving high-quality results.

Break — 10 minutes

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

This phase increases engagement by shifting from individual practice to group collaboration. While the instructor leads, participants guide the process—sharing real-world job challenges, suggesting prompt ideas, and discussing trade-offs. The objective is to learn prompt judgment by observing a skilled professional navigate uncertainty in real time.

The session is structured around three workflow archetypes:

• Transform — Convert input X to output Y (e.g., meeting notes → action items; raw data → summary email; customer feedback → thematic report)
• Draft — Generate an initial version of content typically written from scratch (e.g., proposals, emails, job descriptions, social media posts)
• Analyze — Thoroughly examine documents or datasets that lack time for detailed review (e.g., a 40-page report, survey spreadsheet, or contract)

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

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

Live Build #2 — Draft or Analyze Workflow (20 min): Same format, different archetype, and a different participant's challenge.

Reflection & Sharing (10 min): Participants spend time noting one surprising prompting technique, one aspect they would change, and one key takeaway. 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

• Introduction to MCP (Model Context Protocol): The universal integration standard for AI tools
• Importance of MCP: Evolving Claude from a chat assistant into a connected workflow hub
• Connectors Directory: Browsing and adding integrations directly from the Claude app
• Desktop Extensions: One-click installation for Claude Desktop (no configuration files required)

Live Demonstration: 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 one"
2. "Read the latest updates from our project board and write a status summary"
3. "Retrieve data from this connected service and build 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)—simply click, authenticate, and proceed
• 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—e.g., "Read my recent emails about project updates and create a summary document."

Key concepts covered:

• Connector mechanics: OAuth authentication, permissions, and access scopes
• 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: Locations for finding new connectors, extensions, and community-built servers

Objective: Participants view Claude as a connective layer between their existing services, not just 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 their 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, 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 to assist with prompt refinement and highlights standout examples to the group.

Showcase and Wrap-up (20 min):

• 6-8 participants share their builds (2-3 minutes 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
• Subscription plans: Free vs. Pro vs. Max—features unlocked and ideal use cases
• 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 containing key prompting patterns, connector setup instructions, and a curated list of useful MCP integrations