Welcome & Logistics
Opening Session (15 minutes)
Objectives
- Establish workshop goals and expectations
- Validate accounts are ready
- Address any last-minute setup issues
- Get ready to build MCP tools our future selves will thank us for
Facilitator Script
“Welcome to the MCP Compositional Architecture workshop!
Today we’ll learn why the most common MCP implementation pattern – wrapping APIs as tools – creates more problems than it solves, and how compositional skill design transforms MCP from a technical curiosity into a production-grade system.
Before we dive in, let’s do a quick check.”
Quick Account Check (5 min)
Ask the room:
- “Raise your hand if you have Workato Developer Edition access?”
- If <80%: Pause and troubleshoot
- “Raise your hand if you have Salesforce Developer Edition access?”
- If <80%: Pause and troubleshoot
- “Any issues we need to address before we continue?”
- Note: Have backup accounts ready for emergencies
What You’ll Leave With (5 min)
Meet your troubleshooting buddy:
Turn to the person next to you and introduce yourself. Name, what you do, and one thing you’re hoping to learn today.
Give 60 seconds for introductions
“Congratulations – you’ve just met your new best friend for the next two hours. When something breaks, they’re your first call.”
Four takeaways from today:
1. A Working Sandbox Environment
Your Workato and Salesforce sandboxes are yours to keep. Continue experimenting after today.
2. A Mental Model for Separation of Concerns
You’ll understand what complexity belongs with the LLM and what belongs in the backend – and why forcing LLMs to handle the wrong type of complexity is the root of most MCP headaches.
3. Hands-On Composition Experience
You’ll build atomic skills and compose them into orchestrators. Real code, not just theory.
4. Pattern Recognition Skills
You’ll recognize good and bad MCP tool design when you see it.
Ground Rules (3 min)
- Ask questions anytime - Raise hand or type in chat (hybrid)
- Help your best friend - If you finish early, check in on your buddy
- It’s okay to fall behind - Materials are self-paced friendly
- Breaks are real breaks - Step away, refresh, come back ready
Logistics Reminders (2 min)
- Wifi: [network name] / [password]
- Restrooms: [location]
- Breaks: 15 min after demo, 15 min after Unit 1
- Lunch: [if applicable]
Transition to Core Concepts
“Great! Let’s dive into why we’re here. The Model Context Protocol has arrived as a standard for connecting AI agents to tools. But there’s a critical gap between what the protocol provides and what production systems actually need. Let me show you what I mean…”