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 ecosystem: claude.ai, Claude Desktop, Claude Code (CLI), and their interrelationships
• Interface walkthrough: navigating the Claude app, initiating a coding session, and comprehending the workspace
• Understanding Claude Code’s logic: the describe → plan → act → review cycle
• Permissions management: understanding why Claude seeks confirmation before creating files or executing code
• Initial build: instructing Claude to create a simple styled webpage from a single-sentence description
• Refining results: iterating with prompts such as “make the header larger,” “adjust the color scheme,” or “add a navigation bar”
• Guided Exercise: Participants will open the Claude app, initiate a Claude Code session, and construct a personalized “About Me” webpage by describing their desires in plain English. They will practice refining the outcome through follow-up instructions.

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

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 2 — Creating Practical Applications with Plain English — 70 minutes

This segment represents the core of the morning session. Participants will complete four progressively 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 direction, such as “use a dark theme,” “add a sidebar,” or “make it responsive.”
• Task 2 — Data Analysis: Provide Claude with a sample CSV file and request it to summarize the data, identify trends, pinpoint highest and lowest values, and generate a visual chart. This demonstrates how Claude writes and executes code on the user’s behalf.
• Task 3 — Document Generator: Instruct 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 can transform raw data into polished deliverables.
• Task 4 — Automation Tool: Instruct Claude to build a simple utility, such as a unit converter, quiz app, or budget calculator. This introduces the concept that Claude can build interactive tools, not just static pages.

Following each task, the instructor will highlight the behind-the-scenes actions of Claude: the files created, the code written, and how to interpret the output. Participants will document their most effective prompts in a shared Prompt Playbook.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 3 — Enhancing Efficiency with Claude Code — 50 minutes

• The craft of effective prompting: contrasting specific versus vague instructions
• Live demonstration: a side-by-side comparison of weak and strong prompts applied to the same task
• Iteration and refinement: instructing Claude to explain its decisions, revert changes, or explore alternative approaches
• Working with uploaded files: tasks such as “read this document and summarize it” or “convert this spreadsheet into a chart”
• Multi-step workflows: chaining requests to generate 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
• Determining when to use Claude Code versus standard Claude chat
• Guided Exercise: Participants will select a Phase 2 project and extend it with two new features using a multi-step prompt chain. They will then compare their initial and refined prompts to identify the factors that improved the results.

Objective: Progress from “it works” to “I can consistently achieve high-quality results.”

Break — 10 minutes

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

This phase shifts the energy in the room. Instead of individual practice, the group builds collectively. The instructor leads the process, but participants guide the direction — identifying real problems from their own roles, suggesting prompt ideas, and debating trade-offs. The aim is to learn prompt judgment by observing a skilled practitioner navigate uncertainty in real time.

Three workflow archetypes structure the session:

• Transform — Taking input X to produce output Y (e.g., meeting notes → action items; raw data → summary email; customer feedback → themed report)
• Draft — Generating an initial version of content typically written from scratch (e.g., proposals, emails, job descriptions, social media posts)
• Analyze — Interrogating a document or dataset that lacks the time for detailed review (e.g., a 40-page report, a spreadsheet of survey responses, or a contract)

Setup and Framing (10 min): The instructor introduces the three archetypes and explains the session’s 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 room contributing prompt ideas, pushbacks, and refinements. The instructor narrates every decision. The session concludes with a working prompt template for the participant whose problem was selected.

Live Build #2 — Draft or Analyze Workflow (20 min): The same format is applied to a different archetype and a different participant’s problem.

Reflection and Share-back (10 min): Participants reflect on one surprising prompting move, one area for improvement, and one pattern to take forward. A quick group share follows, with 3-4 participants speaking. 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 system for AI tools
• 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 (no configuration files required)

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

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

Guided Exercise: Participants will 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) — 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 will 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 in each conversation
• Security awareness: Connecting only to trusted services and reviewing tool permissions
• The MCP ecosystem: Locating new connectors, extensions, and community-built servers

Objective: Participants will view Claude as a connective layer between their existing services, rather than just a coding tool.

Break — 10 minutes

Phase 6 — Capstone Project and 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: uploading a file, having Claude analyze it, and producing a visual report
3. An interactive tool that solves a real workflow problem (e.g., calculator, tracker, converter, quiz)
4. A connected workflow: Pulling data from a connected service, transforming it, and producing a deliverable (e.g., “read my calendar for next week and build a visual schedule”)

The instructor will circulate to help refine prompts and showcase standout examples to the group.

Showcase and Wrap-up (20 min):

• 6-8 participants will share their creations (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 Plans: Free vs. Pro vs. Max — understanding what each tier unlocks and which suits specific use cases
• Best practices recap: The Prompt Playbook patterns that proved most effective during the session
• Recommended resources: Official documentation, community channels, and Anthropic’s prompt engineering guide
• Participants will receive a reference card containing key prompting patterns, connector setup steps, and a curated list of useful MCP integrations