Beyond SaaS: How non-coders can build university applications with AI assistants

Universities face escalating costs for generic SaaS tools that force institutional workflows into standardized processes. This session offers a practical alternative: empowering non-IT staff to build custom applications using AI coding assistants. I'll present a live case study of a content management system developed entirely through conversational collaboration with Claude AI — no prior programming experience required. The system replaces four commercial tools (workflow management, editorial calendar, analytics dashboard, team collaboration) while providing better customization. My presentation demonstrates the actual build process through conversation logs, shows the working application handling real editorial workflows, and maps liberal arts competencies (clear communication, systems thinking, iterative problem-solving) to development capabilities. Attendees will leave with starter templates, decision frameworks for build-vs-buy choices, and confidence that building custom solutions is accessible to domain experts across campus.