1.2: Visualizing Your Workspace

Time to Complete: 15-20 minutes
Prerequisites: Module 1.1 complete, basic familiarity with file systems

Start this module in Claude Code: Run /start-1-2 to kick off the interactive experience.

Overview

Set up a visual workspace to see your project files in real-time alongside Claude Code for a seamless split-screen workflow.

Key takeaway: A visual workspace lets you watch files appear and update as Claude works.

Why Visualization Matters

Working with Claude Code in a terminal feels like working blind. You ask Claude to create documents, but you can’t see what’s happening.

The solution: Open a visual editor alongside your terminal. Now you can:

Watch files appear as Claude creates them
Read documents while Claude is working
Verify everything is organized correctly
Always know exactly what’s happening

This transforms Claude Code from a mysterious black box into a transparent tool you can watch and verify in real-time.

Choose Your Tool

Nimbalyst (Recommended)

Best for: Claude Code users who want the smoothest experience

Nimbalyst - Visual workspace for Claude Code

Nimbalyst is a free, purpose-built wrapper for Claude Code with:

WYSIWYG markdown editing - See formatted text, not raw markdown syntax
File diffs - See exactly what Claude changed when editing files
Hidden folder visibility - Can see the .claude/ folder (unlike Obsidian)
Session management - Manage multiple Claude Code sessions
Integrated with Claude Code - Edit your markdown and work with Claude Code all in one tool without switching to the command line

Download: https://nimbalyst.com/for-product-managers?ref=carlvellotti&utm_source=carlvellotti&utm_medium=ccforpms&utm_campaign=partner

Obsidian

Best for: Users who want a standalone note-taking app

Obsidian is a free, popular markdown editor with:

Clean, distraction-free interface
Wikilinks ([[filename]]) for connecting notes
Graph view to visualize note connections
Large plugin ecosystem

Limitations:

Cannot display hidden folders like .claude/ - you’ll use Finder/Explorer for those
Requires you work in 2 tools, Obsidian for markdown file editing and the terminal for Claude Code

Download: https://obsidian.md/download

VS Code / Cursor

Best for: Users who already use these tools or want code editing capabilities

Full-featured code editors
Can show hidden folders
Extensions for markdown preview
More complex than needed for pure PM work

Setup Guide

Nimbalyst Setup

Download: Visit https://nimbalyst.com/for-product-managers?ref=carlvellotti&utm_source=carlvellotti&utm_medium=ccforpms&utm_campaign=partner and click download
Install: Run the installer for your OS
Open project: Open your course folder in Nimbalyst
Split-screen: Position Claude Code terminal and Nimbalyst side-by-side

Obsidian Setup

Download: Visit https://obsidian.md/download (free for personal use)
Open your project: Select “Open folder as vault” and navigate to your course folder
Split-screen: Position Claude Code terminal and Obsidian side-by-side

Note: Ask Claude for the exact path if needed: What's the path to my course folder?

The .claude/ Folder

The .claude/ folder contains agents, commands, and settings. Access depends on your tool:

Tool	Can see .claude/?	How to access
Nimbalyst	Yes	Visible in file browser
Obsidian	No	Use Finder/Explorer
VS Code	Yes	Enable hidden files

To view .claude/ in Finder/Explorer:

Mac: Press Cmd + Shift + . in Finder to show hidden folders
Windows: Enable “Hidden items” in File Explorer View tab

When you need it: Module 1.5 (Custom Sub-Agents) and later. For now, focus on regular project files.

Note: Claude Code can always access .claude/ files regardless of your editor.

Real-Time Visualization Demo

When Claude creates or edits files, you’ll watch them appear in your editor instantly.

Try it:

Open your editor with your project folder
In Claude Code, ask: Create a file called test-visualization.md with some content
Watch your editor - the file appears immediately
Click it to read what Claude wrote

That’s it! No refresh needed. Files update in real-time as Claude works.

Editor Tips

Nimbalyst Tips

Watch for highlighted diffs when Claude edits files
The .claude/ folder is visible for building custom agents later

Obsidian Tips

Essential shortcuts:

Cmd/Ctrl + O - Quick Switcher (jump to any file)
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + F - Search across all files
Cmd/Ctrl + E - Toggle Reading/Editing view

Wikilinks: Connect documents with [[filename]] syntax for easy navigation

Tags: Organize with #prd #user-research #q1-2025 for filtering

Stay in Reading view for cleaner formatted display

VS Code Tips

Cmd/Ctrl + P - Quick open any file
Enable hidden files to see .claude/

Example: Real-Time Workflow

Without visualization: Claude creates files, but you’re unsure what happened or where they are.

With a visual workspace: Watch files appear instantly, click to review content, verify organization - complete visibility and control.

Best Practices

Do:

Use split-screen workflow constantly
Use quick-open shortcuts to navigate
Keep your editor focused on the project folder

Don’t:

Work full-screen terminal only (you’re missing half the value)
Worry about mastering your editor right now (just use it as a file viewer)

Troubleshooting

I don’t see any files

Likely cause: Wrong folder opened

Fix:

Ask Claude: What's the path to my course folder?
Re-open that exact folder in your editor
Your files should now appear

Common mistake: Opening a parent folder instead of the project folder itself

Example:

Wrong: /Users/yourname/Documents (too high level)
Correct: /Users/yourname/Documents/claude-code-pm-course

Files aren’t updating

Likely cause: Editor needs to detect the change

Fix:

Click outside and back into editor window (forces refresh)
Or: Close and reopen the specific file
Or: Restart the editor (rare, but works)

I see raw markdown instead of formatted text

For Obsidian: Press Cmd/Ctrl + E to toggle to Reading view, or click the book icon

For Nimbalyst: Content should display formatted by default (WYSIWYG)

Where’s the .claude/ folder?

Nimbalyst: Should be visible in the file browser

Obsidian: Hidden by design. Use Finder/Explorer:

Mac: Open Finder → Navigate to project → Press Cmd + Shift + .
Windows: Open File Explorer → Navigate to project → View tab → Check “Hidden items”

About This Course

Created by Carl Vellotti. If you have any feedback about this module or the course overall, message me! I’m building a newsletter and community for PM builders, check out The Full Stack PM.

Source Repository: github.com/carlvellotti/claude-code-pm-course

1.1: Welcome 1.3: First Tasks