8-Week Project-Based Capstone

Building with AI

A Capstone Course for Creating Real, Useful Prototypes

Use AI as a development partner to analyze a real problem, design a solution, and build a working prototype that adds value to a business.

Designed for students, employees, and business owners ready to build something real.

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Limited to 10 participants | Starts Monday, April 6th

Course Overview

Building with AI is an 8-week, project-based capstone course where participants use AI — specifically Anthropic's Claude Code — as a development and design partner to build a real, working prototype.

Participants define their own project, analyze the problem, design a solution, implement and test it, and deploy a usable version. Projects are intentionally open-ended, but the process is structured to guide participants from idea to demonstration-ready result.

This course emphasizes practical value, not theory or hype.

Relationship to Demystifying AI

Demystifying AI is not a formal prerequisite, but understanding the concepts covered in that course is required to succeed.

Participants who take Demystifying AI first typically:

Scope better projects

Move faster

Make stronger design decisions

Avoid unrealistic expectations

Demystifying AI

Focuses on understanding where AI makes sense

Building with AI

Focuses on building something useful in one of those areas

What This Course Is — and Isn't

What It IS

  • A capstone-style, project-based course
  • Focused on building a real, working prototype
  • Centered on practical business value
  • Supported by AI tools that assist with technical work
  • Designed to produce something you can show and explain

What It ISN'T

  • Not a traditional coding bootcamp
  • Not a theory-heavy AI course
  • Not a promise of production-ready software
  • Not focused on mastering tools for their own sake

What You'll Build

A successful graduate of this course can:

Demonstrate a Working Prototype

Show something real that works

Explain the Business Problem

Articulate what problem it solves

Show Process Improvement

Demonstrate how it improves a workflow

Describe Design Decisions

Explain tradeoffs and choices made

State Limitations Clearly

Know what the prototype can and can't do

Identify Next Steps

Describe how to continue development

Graduates leave with something they can show, explain, and build on.

Tools & Approach

Claude Code

Participants use Anthropic's Claude Code throughout the course as a development partner to:

  • Analyze problems
  • Explore design options
  • Generate and refine code
  • Troubleshoot issues
  • Test assumptions
  • Prepare documentation and demos

Concepts such as context management, skill definitions, agent definitions, MCPs, and APIs are introduced gradually as needed. The goal is familiarity and confidence — not mastery.

GitHub (Simple, AI-Assisted)

GitHub is used as:

  • A place to save work
  • A way to track progress
  • An undo button if something breaks
  • A shareable record of the project

Participants do not need to learn Git in depth. Claude Code handles commits, pushes, and reverts.

Simple rules used throughout:

  • Commit at the end of every class
  • Commit after something works as expected
  • Commit before trying something risky

Who This Course Is For

Students

Building portfolio-ready projects that demonstrate real skills

Employees

Prototyping improvements for their workplace

Business Owners

Exploring proof-of-concept solutions

This course is especially valuable for anyone who wants to demonstrate initiative, problem-solving ability, and practical AI fluency.

8-Week Project-Based Curriculum

From idea to demonstration-ready prototype

Week 1

Project Framing & Working with AI as a Partner

  • Define a real problem worth solving
  • Identify users, success criteria, and constraints
  • Introduce Claude Code as a development partner
  • Set up GitHub repository and first commit
Week 2

Problem Analysis & AI-Assisted Design

  • Break the problem into parts
  • Explore solution options with AI
  • Manage context and scope
  • Refine project definition and design
Week 3

Defining Capabilities & Skills

  • Decide what the prototype needs to do
  • Define clear capabilities and boundaries
  • Use AI to refine skill and feature definitions
  • Begin structured implementation
Week 4

Building the First Working Version

  • Implement core functionality
  • Use AI to generate, explain, and debug code
  • Focus on achieving a working end-to-end flow
  • Save working states frequently
Week 5

Managing Complexity with Agents & Structure

  • Introduce agent-style thinking where appropriate
  • Separate responsibilities cleanly
  • Improve organization and maintainability
  • Continue iterative development
Week 6

Integrations, MCPs, and APIs (As Appropriate)

  • Explore integrations if they add value
  • Use AI to scaffold and understand APIs or MCPs
  • Decide intentionally whether to integrate or not
  • Enhance real-world usefulness
Week 7

Testing, Refinement, and Reality Checks

  • Test with realistic inputs
  • Identify edge cases and failure modes
  • Use AI to generate test ideas and critique behavior
  • Improve clarity and usability
Week 8

Deployment, Demo, and Handoff

  • Prepare a demo-ready prototype
  • Deploy locally or on the web
  • Create clear documentation and handoff notes
  • Present the project, including limitations and next steps

What You'll Walk Away With

A Working Prototype

Something real you built and can demonstrate

Real Experience Building with AI

Hands-on practice using AI as a development partner

Confidence Managing Complexity

Skills to tackle larger projects with AI assistance

A Shareable Project

Something you can show to employers, clients, or colleagues

Your Instructor

David Schamber - Instructor

David Schamber

Founder, Process First Solutions

17+ years building software (from enterprise systems to small tools). Uses AI daily to ship projects faster.

"AI assistants changed everything. What used to take me a week now takes an afternoon. I want to teach you those same workflows."

  • Deployed production apps using Claude Code, Cursor, and ChatGPT
  • Teaches "AI as co-pilot" mindset, not dependency
  • Hands-on, project-based learning approach

Frequently Asked Questions

Demystifying AI is not a formal prerequisite, but understanding the concepts covered in that course is required to succeed. Participants who take it first typically scope better projects, move faster, and avoid unrealistic expectations.

We'll help you define one in Week 1. The key is identifying a real problem worth solving—something that would add value to a business or improve a process. Projects are intentionally open-ended but structured.

The goal is a demonstration-ready prototype, not production software. If scope needs to be reduced, that's part of the learning. You'll leave knowing how to continue development on your own.

Yes. You'll have a working prototype you can demonstrate and explain. It won't be production-ready software, but it will show the concept, solve a real problem, and be something you can build on.

A laptop (Mac/Windows/Linux), internet connection, a Claude Pro subscription (~$20/mo for Claude Code access), and a free GitHub account. We'll help with setup in Week 1.

Yes. Your GitHub repository, your deployed prototype, your documentation—it's all yours. You own it completely and can continue developing it after the course.

Ready to Build Something Real?

Limited to 10 participants. Class starts Monday, April 6th.

Business Attendees

$699

30% off implementation services upon graduation

Level 1 graduate: $599 (save $100)

Register for Business
Bundle Both Courses & Save Big
$999
Level 1 + Level 2 together (save $200+)

Students

$299

Letter of recommendation for standout students

Level 1 graduate: $249 (save $50)

Register as Student

Questions? Email info@goprocessfirst.com