Course Outline
DAY 1
Module 1 — Fundamentals, Prompting Techniques, and Personalization for Government Use
Analyze Claude’s capabilities beyond standard chat interfaces. Determine its comparative advantages, optimal application scenarios versus other AI systems, and methods to tailor the tool to individual user profiles.
Topics:
• Market positioning of Claude and distinguishing features among leading AI models in 2026
• Overview of model families: Fable, Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku; selection criteria for each
• Probabilistic nature of AI outputs, risk of hallucinations, and mitigation strategies
• Differences between service tiers and benefits of paid accounts for government applications
• Effective prompting principles: emphasis on context over syntax; foundational structures; guidelines for initiating new versus continuing existing chats
• Custom Instructions tailored to user profiles: defined roles, priorities, and communication tone
Exercises:
• Exercise 1 — Construct a comprehensive prompt to address a formal complaint
• Exercise 2 — Configure Custom Instructions aligned with specific user profile requirements
Module 2 — Projects, Artifacts, and Skills in Government Workflows
Leverage Projects to establish persistent workspaces with dedicated knowledge bases, including manuals, technical specifications, and regulatory standards. Utilize Artifacts as integrated production environments within the chat interface. Develop reusable workflows through Skills.
Topics:
• Projects: persistent workspaces with history and specialized knowledge repositories
• Distinction between Project Instructions and Profile Preferences: complementary functions
• Team and Enterprise-level sharing capabilities for collaborative environments
• File upload protocols: support for PDFs, Excel files, and image formats
• Artifacts: generation of documents, dashboards, and interactive prototypes within the chat interface
• Web Search functionality: access to real-time information with verifiable citations
• Skills: definition and deployment of repeatable procedural tasks
Exercises:
• Exercise 3 — Design a functional Project tailored to specific user requirements
• Exercise 4 — Generate a functional Artifact aligned with user needs
• Exercise 5 — Create a functional Skill applicable to user workflows
DAY 2
Module 3 — Cowork, Agents, and Microsoft 365 Integration for Federal Operations
Transition from viewing AI as a conversational tool to deploying it as an operational partner capable of background processing of routine data.
Topics:
• Claude Desktop: installation procedures, system requirements, authentication methods, initial configuration, and key differences from browser-based access
• Claude in Chrome: official extension deployment, permission settings, practical use cases, limitations, and security best practices
• Claude Mobile: mobile application usage, cross-device synchronization, and secure remote work protocols
• Cowork overview: functionality, operational scope, and appropriate use cases for government agencies
• Microsoft 365 Connector integration: connectivity with Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams
• Multi-step task automation: search, read, summarize, draft, and distribute workflows
• Scheduled Prompts: implementation of automated recurring tasks
• MCP (Model Context Protocol) and the broader Connectors ecosystem
• Current limitations of Cowork and workarounds for operational continuity
Exercises:
• Exercise 6 — Establish a Cowork project and organize its directory structure
• Exercise 7 — Configure a complete Cowork project with Skills, instructions, and folders. Test the configuration against a complex task scenario.
Module 4 — Claude Integration within Microsoft 365 Applications for Government Efficiency
Utilize Claude alongside Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, to accelerate document analysis, writing, review, and preparation by leveraging existing agency data.
Topics:
• Excel: data analysis, formula generation, table cleanup, indicator interpretation, and executive summary development
• Word: document review, rewriting, structuring, proposal drafting, report generation, meeting minutes, and professional correspondence
• PowerPoint: content transformation into presentation narratives, script creation, message refinement, and audience-specific adaptation
Exercises:
• Exercise 8 — Analyze an Excel spreadsheet using Claude to produce an executive summary with conclusions and recommendations
• Exercise 9 — Convert a Word document or set of notes into a structured PowerPoint presentation outline
