AI Without the Jargon

Getting Productive with Gemini in One Day

A practical, non-technical introduction to AI using Gemini and the Google ecosystem you already know.

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday work rather than a specialist technology reserved for programmers. Writing an email, summarising a document, researching a topic, organising information, preparing a presentation, analysing a spreadsheet, or finding information buried across files can increasingly begin with a simple conversation with AI.

For someone encountering AI for the first time, however, the terminology can make the subject appear far more complicated than it needs to be. This course deliberately avoids that approach. Participants will learn AI by using it: asking questions, improving instructions, working with familiar information, checking results, and discovering where AI genuinely saves time and where human judgement must remain in control.

Gemini is used as the primary platform because it increasingly operates as more than a standalone chatbot. It connects with the wider Google environment, including Gmail, Docs, Drive, Sheets, Slides, Chat and other services. Recent Workspace developments also allow Gemini to work more deeply across applications and information sources, while features such as Deep Research, Gems and Canvas extend it into research, repeatable assistance and content creation.

The emphasis throughout the day is practical confidence rather than technical theory. Participants will learn enough about how generative AI works to use it sensibly, but the majority of the course concentrates on tasks that ordinary office workers, managers, business owners, administrators, educators and professionals can immediately recognise.

The instructor brings over 30 years of industry experience and will approach the subject from a real working-world perspective rather than as an academic AI programme. The content is centred on capabilities that organisations are actually beginning to demand: communicating with AI effectively, accelerating routine knowledge work, researching intelligently, working across business information, recognising unreliable output, and using AI responsibly.

Because this is a one-day introductory programme, the scope is intentionally controlled. Participants will gain a useful working understanding of Gemini and its ecosystem rather than attempting to cover advanced automation, programming, AI development, machine learning theory or enterprise architecture.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

Explain AI, generative AI and large language models in straightforward non-technical terms.
Understand what Gemini can and cannot reliably do.
Navigate the Gemini interface and interact with it confidently.
Write clearer instructions and prompts to obtain more useful results.
Refine AI responses through follow-up conversations.
Use Gemini for writing, summarisation, brainstorming, planning and information organisation.
Work with documents, images and uploaded information.
Understand how Gemini connects with Google's wider productivity ecosystem.
Recognise practical uses of Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Drive, Sheets and Slides.
Understand the purpose of Gems, Canvas and Deep Research.
Recognise hallucinations, incomplete information and other common AI limitations.
Apply basic privacy, security and responsible-use practices when working with AI.
Identify personal and workplace activities where Gemini can realistically improve productivity.

Prerequisites

No technical, programming or AI experience required.
Basic ability to use a computer and web browser.
Familiarity with common office applications.
A Google account with access to Gemini.
Access to Google Workspace applications.
Participants should bring a laptop with reliable internet access.
Availability of individual Gemini and Workspace features may depend on account type, subscription and organisational administrator settings.

Training Outline

Understanding Artificial Intelligence
1. Artificial Intelligence
  1. AI in everyday applications
  2. Generative AI
  3. Large language models
  4. AI assistants
2. What Generative AI Can Do
  1. Generate content
  2. Summarise information
  3. Analyse information
  4. Brainstorm ideas
  5. Assist with research
3. Understanding AI Limitations
  1. Hallucinations
  2. Outdated or incomplete information
  3. Bias
  4. Context limitations
  5. Human verification
Getting Started with Gemini
1. Gemini Interface
  1. Starting a conversation
  2. Conversation history
  3. Model selection
  4. Tools and features
  5. File and image input
2. Communicating with Gemini
  1. Clear instructions
  2. Context
  3. Desired output
  4. Tone
  5. Format
  6. Constraints
3. Improving Gemini Responses
  1. Follow-up prompting
  2. Refining instructions
  3. Correcting responses
  4. Expanding and shortening results
  5. Changing perspective or format
Using Gemini for Everyday Work
1. Writing and Communication
  1. Email drafting
  2. Rewriting
  3. Proofreading
  4. Tone adjustment
  5. Document drafting
2. Summarising and Understanding Information
  1. Long documents
  2. Reports
  3. Notes
  4. Key points
  5. Question answering
3. Thinking and Planning
  1. Brainstorming
  2. Idea development
  3. Task planning
  4. Decision support
  5. Information organisation
4. Research and Discovery
  1. General research
  2. Source awareness
  3. Comparing information
  4. Deep Research
  5. Research reports
Working with Gemini and Google Workspace
1. Gemini in Gmail
  1. Email summaries
  2. Drafting replies
  3. Rewriting messages
  4. Finding information
2. Gemini in Google Docs
  1. Drafting content
  2. Rewriting
  3. Summarisation
  4. Document refinement
3. Gemini in Google Drive
  1. Finding files
  2. Summarising files
  3. Comparing documents
  4. Working with selected sources
4. Gemini in Google Sheets
  1. Understanding data
  2. Formula assistance
  3. Data summaries
  4. Identifying trends
5. Gemini in Google Slides
  1. Presentation creation
  2. Slide content
  3. Presentation refinement
  4. Visual content assistance
6. Gemini Across Workspace
  1. Workspace Intelligence
  2. Cross-application context
  3. Connected sources
  4. Multi-application tasks
Exploring the Wider Gemini Ecosystem
1. Gems
  1. Custom AI assistants
  2. Reusable instructions
  3. Repetitive tasks
2. Gemini Notebook
  1. Source-based AI
  2. Document collections
  3. Question answering
  4. Audio Overviews
3. Gemini Live
  1. Voice conversations
  2. Natural interaction
  3. Mobile AI assistance
4. Google Meet and Chat
  1. Meeting summaries
  2. Notes and action items
  3. Workspace information retrieval
Using AI Responsibly
1. Checking AI Output
  1. Fact verification
  2. Source checking
  3. Recognising uncertainty
  4. Human review
2. Privacy and Confidentiality
  1. Personal information
  2. Business information
  3. Sensitive documents
  4. Organisational policies
3. Responsible AI Use
  1. Bias awareness
  2. Copyright awareness
  3. Transparency
  4. Human accountability
Building Practical AI Working Habits
1. Identifying Suitable Tasks
  1. Repetitive work
  2. Writing
  3. Research
  4. Information processing
  5. Planning
2. Developing Better AI Conversations
  1. Starting clearly
  2. Providing context
  3. Refining iteratively
  4. Reviewing results
3. Moving Forward with Gemini
  1. Personal productivity
  2. Workplace adoption
  3. Continuing experimentation
  4. Keeping skills current

Disclaimer

This training outline is provided as a general framework for the delivery of the programme and is not intended to constitute a fixed, exhaustive or contractually binding syllabus. The trainer reserves the discretion to amend, reorder, expand, reduce, substitute or omit topics where reasonably necessary to reflect participant needs, available training time, organisational requirements, technological developments, product availability or other relevant circumstances. Such adjustments may be made without prior notice where the trainer considers them appropriate to preserve the effectiveness and practical relevance of the programme.

Practical, connected learning

My wider training approach brings hands-on implementation and systems thinking together, connecting technology with real operational needs.

AI Without the Jargon