SmartConstructAI · Learning Plan

Learn Claude Desktop
in 5 Days

A practical, task-based learning plan for construction professionals. Each day builds on the last — 20–30 minutes of focused practice is all you need.

⏱ 20–30 min/day
🎯 Real tasks, real outputs
✅ No coding required
1
Day One
Foundation
Install, Set Up & Have a Real Conversation
Download Claude Desktop, open Cowork mode, select your working folder, and have your first useful conversation. Today is about removing friction and proving Claude works for your work.
  • Download and install Claude Desktop from claude.ai/download
  • Sign in and open Cowork mode — select a project folder
  • Create a CLAUDE.md file with your name, role, and current project
  • Ask Claude to draft one real email or document you actually need today
Day 1 Starter Prompt
"My name is [Name]. I'm a [role] working on [project]. Draft a brief professional email to [recipient] regarding [topic]. Keep it under 200 words."
2
Day Two
Files & Documents
Get Claude to Read & Work With Your Files
Today you'll discover what makes Desktop genuinely different from the web version — file access. Claude can read your actual documents and produce new ones without copy-pasting anything.
  • Point Claude at a document in your workspace — ask it to summarise
  • Ask Claude to produce a formatted DOCX or PDF output
  • Try reading a PDF or CSV file — ask a question about its contents
  • Install the DOCX and PDF skills from Settings → Capabilities
Day 2 Starter Prompt
"Read the file [filename.pdf] in my folder and create a one-page summary as a Word document. Include the key dates, risks, and action items."
3
Day Three
Research & Analysis
Use Claude to Research, Analyse & Structure Information
Claude can search the web in real time, pull in information, and produce structured analysis. Today you'll use it to research something relevant to your work — a supplier, a regulation, a competitor, or a technical topic.
  • Ask Claude to research a topic relevant to your current project
  • Ask it to compare two options and give you a recommendation
  • Ask it to structure the research as a table or formatted report
  • Save the output as a file — note how fast this was vs. manual research
Day 3 Starter Prompt
"Search the web and summarise the current Australian regulations and best practices for [topic]. Format the result as a structured report with headings and save it as a PDF."
4
Day Four
Connections & Apps
Connect an App and Pull Real Data Into Claude
Today you'll set up an MCP connector — a live link between Claude and one of your apps. This is where Claude shifts from a smart assistant to a real productivity tool that works inside your actual systems.
  • Go to Settings → Integrations and connect Google Drive or Gmail
  • Ask Claude to summarise your unread emails or recent Drive documents
  • Ask Claude to find a specific file or thread from your connected app
  • Draft a reply or create a document using data from your connected app
Day 4 Starter Prompt
"Search my Gmail for recent emails from [contact name or project name]. Summarise the key discussion points and any outstanding actions in a brief report."
5
Day Five
Automation & Scheduling
Automate Your First Recurring Task
Today is the payoff. You'll identify one repetitive task you do weekly or daily, and set Claude up to run it automatically. By end of day, you should have at least one scheduled task running without you.
  • Pick one task you do every week — a report, a summary, a check-in
  • Build the prompt that produces the output you want
  • Tell Claude: "Schedule this to run every [day] at [time]"
  • Update your CLAUDE.md with context on your current projects and preferences
Day 5 Starter Prompt
"Every Monday at 8:00am, summarise my unread Gmail emails from the past 7 days, list any action items, and save the summary to a file called weekly-brief.md in my workspace."
By Day 5, You'll Have:
⚡
A Working Setup
Claude Desktop installed, your folder selected, CLAUDE.md configured, and at least 2 skills installed.
🔗
Live App Connections
At least one MCP connector active — Claude reading your emails, files, or project data in real time.
🤖
One Automated Task
A scheduled task running automatically — saving you time every week without opening an app.
Want a guided setup tailored to your construction workflow?
SmartConstructAI delivers hands-on Claude Desktop onboarding for construction teams — remote or on-site.
smartconstructai.com.au