Students will be able to design and implement simple, automated workflows that connect multiple AI and non-AI tools.
Key Ideas
Beyond Single Tools: Building AI-Powered Chains
The real power of automation comes from connecting tools to create a seamless workflow.
Input of one tool becomes the output of another.
Introduction to Automation Platforms
Zapier / Make (formerly Integromat): Visual, no-code platforms for connecting thousands of apps. Excellent for beginners.
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces): For more advanced users, APIs allow for direct, custom integrations between tools.
AI-Native Workflow Tools: (e.g., tools that have built-in workflow features) - These are becoming more common.
Example Workflow: From Blog Post Idea to Social Media Campaign
You: Come up with a blog post idea: "The Top 5 Mistakes New Gardeners Make."
AI (LLM): Generate a detailed outline for the blog post.
You: Write the blog post based on the outline.
AI (LLM): Summarize the blog post into 5 key takeaways.
AI (LLM): Rewrite the takeaways as 5 engaging tweets.
AI (Image Gen): Create a unique image to accompany each tweet.
Automation (Zapier): Automatically schedule the tweets to be posted once a day for the next 5 days.
Principles of Good Workflow Design
Start Small: Automate a two-step process first.
Identify the Trigger: What event should start the workflow?
Define the Action: What should happen when the trigger occurs?
Include Human Checkpoints: Don't fully automate everything. Build in steps where you review and approve the AI's work before it goes live.
In-Lesson Activities
Live Workflow Build: Using a tool like Zapier, build a simple, real-time workflow in front of the class. For example: "When I save an article to Pocket, automatically send it to an LLM to be summarized, and then save the summary to a Google Doc."
Workflow Design Challenge: In groups, have students design their own automated workflow for a common creative task. They should create a flowchart that shows the trigger, the tools involved, the actions taken, and any human review steps.
Talking Points
"Think of yourself as a plumber, connecting pipes between different tools to make the data flow automatically."
"A good workflow is like a good assistant. It anticipates your needs and takes care of the routine tasks so you can focus on the important stuff."
"The goal is not 100% automation. It's strategic automation with human oversight."