AI Literacy for Non-Developers: A Coach’s Workshop Using Micro-Apps and Gemini

Half a day to demystify AI: teach coaches to build micro-app prototypes with Gemini

Are you a coach who feels overwhelmed by client stress, short on time for new tools, and unsure which AI you can actually trust? This workshop blueprint gives you a practical, coach-led half-day plan to help non-technical professionals gain AI literacy, use Gemini for guided learning and prompts, and prototype simple micro-apps that solve everyday stressors — without writing production-grade code.

Why this matters in 2026

Micro-apps and AI-guided learning moved from novelty to everyday practice in late 2024–2025. Individuals like Rebecca Yu built personal apps in days for narrow needs; by 2026, coaches and wellness teams are deploying similar micro-solutions to reduce client friction and scale support. At the same time, the community learned the hard lesson of AI slop —AI output that feels generic or inaccurate—so workshops must teach quality controls, guardrails, and human-in-the-loop review.

"Once vibe-coding apps emerged, I started hearing about people with no tech backgrounds successfully building their own apps." —Rebecca Yu (Where2Eat)

What attendees will walk away with (top-level)

• A clear mental model of how large multimodal models like Gemini can support coaching tasks (scripts, scheduling, micro-interventions).
• A working micro-app prototype (usable demo) that addresses a specific coaching pain-point (stress tracker, micro-break scheduler, quick CBT prompts).
• Prompt templates, QA checklists, and a rollout plan that protects client privacy and minimizes AI slop.
• Measurement ideas: how to track client engagement and short-term outcomes.

Who this workshop is for

Non-developer professionals: coaches, care coordinators, wellness managers, and small-team leads who want practical AI skills without the jargon. Ideal group size: 8–20 participants to keep sessions hands-on and coach-led.

Workshop length & setup

Format: Half-day (4 hours) — in-person or virtual. Required tech: laptops, a shared Google Drive or Notion workspace, and accounts for one low-code micro-app builder (recommendations below). Optional: access to Gemini via the web app or an integrated workspace.

Recommended low-code/no-code tools

• Glide or Google AppSheet — fastest for spreadsheets-to-apps prototypes.
• Notion + Make (Integromat) — for lightweight workflows and automations.
• Bubble or Adalo — for slightly more flexible UI without heavy code.
• Figma (for prototyping screens) + FigJam for collaborative design exercises.

Curriculum overview — Exactly what to run (4-hour timeline)

0:00–0:20 — Opening: pain-mapping & goals

• Icebreaker: each participant names one recurring stressor from their workday.
• Collect and cluster stressors on a shared board (decision fatigue, scheduling burnout, overwhelm between sessions).
• Set success criteria: what does a useful micro-app do for each person? (e.g., reduces decision time by X minutes; increases check-ins to clients by Y%).

0:20–0:50 — Short primer: AI for coaches (practical, not theoretical)

• Explain how Gemini and modern LLMs help: guided learning, step-by-step explanations, content generation, and simple decision logic.
• Introduce key concepts: prompts, context windows, temperature, and hallucination. Keep it concrete: show a quick Gemini demo that converts a 3-line brief into a 7-step micro-intervention.
• Quality controls: why human review, better briefs, and guardrails prevent AI slop (2025–26 learning).

0:50–1:20 — Idea selection & sprint planning

• Each participant picks one stressor to solve with a micro-app (solo or in pairs).
• Define the MVP: a single user flow completed in under 3 screens or one automatable email/chat reply.
• Plan the prototype: data source (Google Sheet, Notion table), triggers (button, scheduled action), and output (notification, PDF checklist, personalized prompt).

1:20–2:30 — Build sprint (hands-on)

• Use a template: provide a Glide/AppSheet starter with sample data so everyone can focus on modification.
• Use Gemini for three focused tasks: generate user-friendly copy, create conditional logic (if X then Y), and draft brief onboarding text. Provide starter prompts (see below).
• Coach circulates to keep teams on track and enforce the MVP constraint.

2:30–3:00 — QA, guardrails, and privacy

• Teach a short QA checklist to catch AI slop and harmful suggestions:
1. Factual check for any claims or resources the app suggests.
2. Tone check: empathetic, non-therapeutic, and coach-appropriate.
3. Data minimization: do we collect only what we need?
4. Consent and disclaimers: clear language telling users this is a coaching tool, not clinical therapy.
• Make a plan for human-in-the-loop reviews before using the prototype with real clients.

3:00–3:30 — Test & iterate (peer feedback)

• Pairs swap apps and run a 5–7 minute test using a short script.
• Feedback prompts: Did the app reduce friction? Was the language clear? Did any output feel automated or inaccurate?
• Make one quick iteration per piece of feedback.

3:30–4:00 — Demo, measurement & next steps

• Rapid demos (2–3 minutes per team): show the user flow and explain measurement plans.
• Share a simple measurement template: engagement rate, completion rate, self-reported stress change (pre/post micro-session), and qualitative notes.
• Wrap-up: assign follow-up actions: user tests, finalize templates, and compliance check.

Sample prompts and templates (copy-and-paste friendly)

Below are curated prompts to use with Gemini during the workshop. Short, structured briefs reduce slop and produce reliable outputs.

1) Generate empathetic onboarding copy

Prompt:

"Write a 3-sentence onboarding message for a coaching micro-app that helps users schedule 5-minute stress breaks. Tone: calm, encouraging. Include a one-sentence privacy note saying this tool is for coaching and not therapy."

2) Create conditional logic for a stress triage

Prompt:

"Create a simple if-then flow with three branches for a stress check: 'low' (score 1–3), 'medium' (4–6), 'high' (7–10). For each branch, suggest a 30–60 second micro-action and a follow-up question for the coach. Output as a bullet list."

3) QA checklist for coach review

Prompt:

"Generate a 5-item QA checklist for a coaching micro-app that uses AI-generated suggestions. Items should include facts, tone, privacy, and escalation triggers. Keep each item one sentence."

Two practical micro-app prototypes coaches can build in a half-day

Micro-Calm: 60-second stress triage + micro-actions

• Data source: Google Sheet with user ID, last check-in, and stress score.
• Flow: user opens app → rates stress 1–10 → app suggests a 1-minute grounding prompt (generated by Gemini) → optional scheduled check-in.
• Measurement: percent of users who complete the micro-action and self-reported stress change after one week.

Mini-Sync: frictionless session prep + follow-up

• Data source: Notion session notes synced with recurring reminders.
• Flow: coach selects a client brief → Gemini drafts a 3-point agenda and two micro-homework suggestions → coach tweaks and sends.
• Measurement: time saved per session prep and client completion of micro-homework.

Quality control & ethics — non-negotiables

In 2026, consumers expect transparency. Here are quick rules to protect clients and your practice:

• Always disclose AI involvement. Make clear what parts of the app are AI-generated.
• Data minimization. Only collect what you need for the micro-app to function.
• Human oversight. Coaches must review AI-generated advice before sending to clients if there is any potential harm.
• Escalation paths. If a user scores 'high' on risk or expresses self-harm, the app should display emergency resources and notify the coach per local regulations.
• Local compliance. Check local laws (e.g., EU AI Act impacts and privacy regulations) and professional coaching limits (avoid clinical therapy claims).

Measurement: what to track and how to interpret it

Simple metrics produce actionable insight without heavy analytics setups:

• Engagement rate: percentage of invited users who try the micro-app at least once.
• Completion rate: users who finish the recommended micro-action.
• Self-reported change: pre/post single-item stress score (0–10).
• Coach time saved: average minutes saved per session prep or follow-up.
• Qualitative feedback: two open-text prompts about usefulness and clarity—code responses for themes.

Case studies & examples (real and hypothetical)

Where2Eat: a micro-app origin story (real-world trend)

Rebecca Yu’s Where2Eat illustrates how a narrow, personal need can drive quick app creation. The lesson for coaches: start with a tightly scoped problem and build for that use-case alone. A one-off micro-app that solves one task reliably is more valuable than a broad, half-finished product.

Mini-case: a coach builds 'Micro-Calm' (hypothetical)

Scenario: A workplace well-being coach runs a pilot with 30 employees. After a half-day workshop, the coach launches Micro-Calm as a Glide app with Gemini-generated grounding scripts. Within two weeks, engagement is 40%, completion rate 68%, and average reported stress dips by 1.2 points after use. Coach time for follow-up drops because the app standardizes immediate check-ins.

Advanced strategies & 2026 trends to incorporate

As you scale beyond prototypes, consider these 2026 trends:

• Multimodal guidance: Gemini-style multimodal models now handle text, audio, and short video snippets. Use audio micro-sessions for on-the-go coaching.
• On-device inference: For sensitive client work, explore on-device or client-side models that reduce data sharing.
• Guided learning pathways: Use Gemini Guided Learning to build personalized skill tracks for clients (already popular among marketers and learners in 2025).
• Micro-app marketplaces: Expect internal 'micro-app stores' in enterprises where vetted coach-built micro-apps circulate to teams.
• Quality-first prompt engineering: Structured prompts, templates, and automated QA pipelines will separate high-value tools from AI slop.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Pitfall — over-scoped apps: Keep it tiny. Focus on one user flow per micro-app.
• Pitfall — no human review: Always review AI outputs before sharing with clients.
• Pitfall — ignoring privacy: Default to minimal data retention and clear consent language.
• Pitfall — measuring nothing: Even a one-sheet tracking Excel is better than nothing. Track the 3 core metrics above.

Trainer tips — how coaches can run this workshop confidently

• Bring templates: a Glide starter, a Notion session table, and a Google Sheet mapping CSV export — reduce setup friction.
• Lead with empathy: start by naming stressors and normalizing small wins to keep momentum.
• Timebox relentlessly: the MVP constraint is the workshop’s most powerful tool.
• Document decisions: capture prompts, guardrails, and QA notes in a shared folder for post-workshop follow-up.

Follow-up playbook (30/60/90 days)

• 30 days: Run a small pilot with 10–30 users and gather quantitative + qualitative feedback.
• 60 days: Implement one major iteration based on pilot data; add a consent/terms page and finalize escalation flows.
• 90 days: Decide path to scale: keep as a private micro-app, move to an internal marketplace, or hand off for professional development into a product with stronger security.

Closing: why coaches should run workshops like this now

In 2026, the competitive edge for coaching teams is not raw AI access — it's the ability to translate AI into safe, useful micro-tools that reduce client friction and scale small interventions. A half-day, coach-led workshop teaches non-developers how to do exactly that: turn a recurring stressor into a measurable micro-solution. You'll leave with a working prototype, guardrails to prevent AI slop, and a small measurement plan to prove impact.

If you want to run this workshop with your team, we’ve packaged a starter facilitator kit: agenda slides, Glide starter templates, and Gemini prompt bundles. Click below to request the kit, book a coach-led session, or join our next open cohort.

Call to action

Ready to run this in your practice? Request the facilitator kit, book a coach to run a live half-day workshop, or sign up for a guided cohort and get the Glide templates plus Gemini prompt library. Start building micro-apps that actually reduce stress — not more AI slop.

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