AI workshops for companies: format, duration and what you actually get
A workshop is not a talk with exercises. It only pays off when participants work on their own tasks and leave with something that lasts within the organisation. This article describes a structure that has proven itself in practice – including the points where workshops regularly fail.
Preparation: no use cases, no workshop
Two weeks before the date, we ask each participant for two or three recurring, time-consuming tasks from their daily work. That list is the material for the day. Without it, you get a tour of tools that is forgotten within three weeks.
In parallel, we clarify the framework: which systems are in use, which data may be used and whether an internal policy for AI tools exists. If there is none, a first draft is often the most valuable result of the day.
Agenda of a full workshop day
- Orientation (45 min) – what language models do, what they do not do and why they are sometimes convincingly wrong.
- Ground rules (30 min) – which data may go in and which may not: customer data, HR data, contracts, health data. The FADP and the GDPR in practical rather than legal terms.
- Hands-on practice (90 min) – participants work on the tasks they brought: writing instructions, checking results, refining.
- Automation (90 min) – from a single task to a repeatable process: templates, interfaces and where a real integration pays off – and where it does not.
- Assessment and priorities (60 min) – all ideas on an effort-benefit matrix, then the first three steps with owners and dates.
Group size, duration, composition
- 8 to 16 people – with fewer, the range of examples is too narrow; with more, not everyone gets to work.
- Half day or full day – half a day covers orientation, ground rules and first attempts. The step to automation needs a full day.
- Mixed roles – business units, IT and one person from management. Without decision-making authority in the room, results remain non-binding.
- Own devices – people work on the systems they will actually use afterwards.
What exists at the end of the day
- A prioritised list of use cases with an assessment of effort and benefit.
- A draft internal usage policy: permitted and prohibited data, review duties, responsibilities.
- A collection of tested instructions for the most frequent tasks.
- Three concrete next steps with names and dates.
Everything else – satisfaction scores, a good atmosphere – is pleasant, but it is not a result.
The four most common reasons an AI workshop fizzles out
- No mandate from management. If the topic is delegated and never followed up, nothing happens.
- No tools after the workshop. People who are enthusiastic on Tuesday and have no access on Wednesday lose interest.
- No ground rules. Without clear data protection guidance, you get either paralysis or uncontrolled growth – both are expensive.
- First steps that are too big. An initiative with a six-month horizon dies before the first visible result. Two weeks is the right size for the first step.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an AI workshop take?
Half a day (three to four hours) for the basics and first hands-on use; a full day if automation and a usage policy are also to come out of it.
Do participants need prior knowledge?
No. The only requirement is that each person brings two or three of their own recurring tasks.
May real company data be used in the workshop?
Only after clarification. We usually work with anonymised or non-critical data until the internal policy is in place and the environment has been reviewed.
Can the workshop take place at our premises?
Yes, anywhere in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Online delivery is possible, but on site is considerably more effective for the practical parts.
Planning a keynote or workshop?
Send us the date, the audience and your time slot – you will hear from us within two working days with a topic proposal.