Step-by-Step Worksheet

Master Claude
From Zero to System

Work through each step in order. Every section has action items and a place to capture your own answers before moving on.

8 Steps Account Setup Prompting AI Operating System Projects & Skills Connectors

Workbook based on the information shared by Drake at AI Foundations. Scroll down for video.

How to use this worksheet: Read each step, complete the action items, then fill in your written responses before moving to the next step. The goal is to leave this with your personal Claude setup fully built, not just an understanding of the features.
01

Account & Plan

Pick the right plan and get in the door

Action Items
  • Go to claude.ai and create an account (Google or Apple sign-in works)
  • Review the plan options: Free (good for testing), Pro at $20/month (recommended once you're using it consistently)
  • Start free. If you hit the message limit within a week, that's your signal to upgrade.
  • Locate the model selector in the chat bar. Sonnet = everyday tasks. Opus = complex reasoning, coding, ambitious projects.
Write It In
Which plan did you choose and why?
Which model will you default to for your daily work?
02

Prompting That Works

The GCAO framework — stop asking like everyone else

The Framework
G
Goal
What outcome do you actually want? Be specific.
C
Context
Who are you? What have you tried? What's the situation?
A
Action
The exact task you want Claude to perform.
O
Output
Format, length, restrictions, what NOT to include.
Action Items
  • Identify one task you do repeatedly that you currently do manually or inconsistently
  • Write a GCAO prompt for that task in the space below
  • Send it. If the output isn't right, iterate. Add "give me 6 more variations of #2" or "make it shorter and more direct."
  • Keep going until you get something you'd actually use
Write Your First GCAO Prompt
Goal:
Context:
Action:
Output format:
Remember Keep talking to it until you get what you want. One prompt is the beginning, not the end. Iterate.
03

Web Search & Vision

Real-time research and image analysis

WEB SEARCH Turn on via the plus sign button in the chat bar
  • To activate, click the plus sign button in the chat bar and select Web Search — it turns blue when it is on.
  • Use it to research a competitor, a prospective client's company, or a tool you're evaluating.
  • Keep it on. It prevents Claude from generating outdated or inaccurate information.
Your Turn
What will you specifically use web search for in your business?
VISION Upload images via the plus sign button
  • Click the plus sign button and select a screenshot, photo, or document to upload.
  • Try it with a landing page, your LinkedIn banner, a piece of content, or a design you want feedback on.
  • Ask Claude for specific, actionable feedback rather than a general reaction.
Your Turn
What did you upload and what did Claude flag?
04

Artifacts

Build real tools with one prompt

Action Items
  • Go to the sidebar, click Artifacts to see templates and existing builds
  • Think of one tool or calculator that would save you or your clients time. Could be an ROI calculator, a quiz, an intake form preview, a decision framework.
  • Write a prompt describing exactly what inputs and outputs you want. Be specific.
  • Send it using Opus for better code output
  • Once built, hit Publish in the upper right and copy the link — it's now shareable
Write It In
What artifact will you build? Describe the inputs and outputs it needs:
Where will you use or share it? (client intake, LinkedIn, strategy call follow-up...)
05

Your AI Operating System

Custom instructions — set once, runs forever

Where to Find It
  • Go to the bottom left corner, click your profile icon, then Settings, then General.
  • Find the box labeled "Personal preferences Claude should consider."
  • Paste your completed profile there and hit Save Changes.
The 5 Sections to Fill In
  • Identity — Who you are, what you do, who you serve
  • Communication Style — Tone, format, what to avoid
  • Goals and Priorities — What you are focused on right now
  • Daily Structure — Time constraints and non-negotiables
  • Avoidances — What you never want to see in a response
Draft Your AI OS — Answer Each Section
1. Identity (Who are you, what's your business, who do you serve):
2. Communication Style (tone, format, what to avoid):
3. Goals & Priorities (what you're focused on right now):
4. Daily Structure & Non-Negotiables:
5. Avoidances (what you never want to see):
Test It After saving, open a new chat and ask: "What are my top priorities right now?" or "What should I be working on this week?" If Claude nails it, your OS is working.
06

Projects

Dedicated workspaces with permanent context

How Projects Work
  • Open sidebar → click Projects → New Project
  • Each project has: uploaded files (SOPs, brand guidelines, client docs) + its own custom instructions layered on top of your personal ones
  • Use one project per major area: a client account, a program, a content channel, a business unit
  • You can invite team members to a project so everyone is working in the same context
Plan Your Projects
List 2–3 projects you need to create (e.g. Client Content, Proposal Writing, Program Delivery):
What files will you upload to your first project?
What are the project-level custom instructions for that project? (What should Claude always do in this workspace?)
07

Skills

Train Claude to run your repeatable tasks perfectly, every time

How Skills Work
  • Open sidebar → search tab → Customize → Skills → Create New Skill
  • Use "Create with Claude" — it will walk you through building the skill with you
  • Set an activation command so you can trigger it with a single phrase (e.g. "proposal" or "content brief")
  • A skill is an SOP with examples. Anything you do more than twice should become a skill.
Identify Your First 3 Skills
What tasks do you repeat consistently that follow a predictable format or structure?
Skill 1 — Task:
Activation phrase:
Skill 2 — Task:
Activation phrase:
Skill 3 — Task:
Activation phrase:
The Rule If you've explained the same thing to Claude more than twice, stop and make it a skill. You should be invoking, not repeating.
08

Connectors

Plug Claude into the tools you already use

How Connectors Work
  • Open sidebar → search tab → Customize → Connectors
  • Connect Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Slack, GitHub, or custom MCP servers
  • Set approval rules: for listing/reading actions, auto-approve is fine. For creating, editing, or deleting, always require approval.
  • Once connected, Claude can pull from multiple tools and synthesize in one response
Plan Your Connections
Which tools will you connect first? (circle or mark which apply)
Gmail Google Calendar Google Drive Slack GitHub Custom MCP
What's a specific task you want Claude to do using a connected tool?
✓

Your Full Stack

How all four layers work together

🔲 Custom Instructions (AI Operating System) Foundation — always running
📁 Projects Workspace — knowledge + context
⚡ Skills Processes — repeatable tasks
🔌 Connectors Integration — Claude takes action
Final Reflection
Which of the 8 steps do you still need to complete?
What's the single most valuable thing Claude can now do for you that you were doing manually?

You're Not Using a Chatbot Anymore

Most people open a blank chat and type a question. You just built a system. Custom instructions running in the background. Project workspaces with your knowledge loaded. Skills that run your repeatable tasks. Connectors pulling from your actual tools. That's the difference between using AI and running your business through it.

Want to go deeper?

Watch Drake's complete "Master Claude" training at AI Foundations to unlock even more advanced techniques.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE →
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