About this Event
Course overview
An effective AI workforce begins with clearly defined responsibilities.
This program introduces a structured approach to designing AI assistants that support specific business functions. You will examine how assistants, automated workflows, and agents differ, and determine which approach is appropriate for a selected business process.
You will define an AI role, configure a focused assistant prototype, and map how its work connects with people and other systems. Particular attention is given to reference information, handoffs, quality standards, and approval requirements. The central project is one bounded prototype with a clear understanding of its capabilities, limitations, and requirements for operational deployment.
Who should attend
Business owners seeking to expand capacity; operations managers responsible for repeatable processes; team leaders exploring assistants for internal work; consultants developing AI-supported services; and entrepreneurs designing new business processes.
Example projects include an internal knowledge assistant, research briefing assistant, proposal preparation assistant, or content planning assistant.
Prerequisites and preparation
Basic experience using conversational AI is expected, including entering instructions, refining responses, and reviewing results. No programming experience is necessary. Bring a laptop, a clearly defined process, and nonconfidential reference materials. Completing AI-Native Today is useful but not required. Live business-system integrations are not required for core exercises.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
Distinguish between an assistant, a predefined automated workflow, and an agent.
Select a business task suitable for a focused AI prototype.
Define responsibilities, inputs, outputs, and boundaries for an AI role.
Configure and test one assistant through a guided no-code approach.
Map handoffs and develop a pilot plan covering reliability, cost, and ownership.
COURSE 2 | CURRICULUM AND PARTICIPANT DELIVERABLES
Curriculum
Six one-hour modules including instruction, discussion, and applied work.
Module 1 Designing the AI Workforce
Examine a business process and identify where specialized AI support could contribute. Compare assistants, automation, and agents. Select a role with a clear purpose and manageable scope.
Working output: An AI role map and selected prototype use case.
Module 2 Defining Responsibilities and Operating Instructions
Write a role brief establishing what the assistant should do, which information it should use, and what lies outside its authority. Define response standards and when to request human input.
Working output: A role specification and operating instructions.
Module 3 Configuring an Assistant Prototype
Configure an assistant through a guided no-code process. Add appropriate reference materials and test representative requests. Examine the effect of incomplete or outdated information.
Working output: One configured assistant prototype.
Module 4 Coordinating Work and Handoffs
Map how the assistant receives work, produces an output, and passes it to the next person or process. Explore integration concepts through demonstrations and identify approval points.
Working output: A workflow map showing handoffs and responsibilities.
Module 5 Testing Quality and Reliability
Evaluate ordinary requests and difficult cases, including missing information, ambiguous instructions, and unsupported claims. Establish acceptable performance and escalation criteria.
Working output: A test record and quality-control checklist.
Module 6 Planning an Operational Pilot
Demonstrate the prototype and identify improvements. Define a limited pilot covering ownership, access, expected costs, maintenance, and success measures.
Working output: A phased pilot plan with readiness criteria.
Learning experience
Conceptual briefings, guided configuration, workflow analysis, and prototype review. Participants develop one assistant while considering how other AI roles could support a larger process.
What participants will take away
An AI role map, configured assistant prototype, operating instructions, workflow diagram, test checklist, and pilot implementation plan.
Networking: One hour of facilitated peer discussion, professional connection, and exchange of implementation ideas, in person at Guild Hall Learning in Cambridge.
Delivery schedule and review notes
Time Eastern
Session
9:00–11:00 AM
Modules 1 and 2
11:00–11:15 AM
Break — 15 minutes
11:15 AM–12:15 PM
Module 3
12:15–12:45 PM
Lunch break — 30 minutes
12:45–2:45 PM
Modules 4 and 5
2:45–3:00 PM
Break — 15 minutes
3:00–4:00 PM
Module 6
4:00–5:00 PM
Professional networking and facilitated discussion
Preparation and delivery
Bring a laptop, charger, current web browser, and access to your email for account verification. Use nonconfidential or anonymized materials. Course-specific accounts and any subscription requirements will be confirmed by the instructor before tickets go on sale; do not purchase subscriptions in advance. The day includes a 30-minute lunch break and two 15-minute rest breaks. Lunch is not provided; participants may bring lunch or purchase it from local sandwich shops. Snacks and water are available.
Instructor biography
David Martelli
Educator, Technologist and Entrepreneur | Founder, Guild Hall Learning
David Martelli brings together three perspectives that shape how he teaches AI: the technical depth of a systems engineer, the practical judgment of a business owner, and more than a decade of experience helping people understand complex ideas.
His career includes more than 15 years in the high-tech industry, spanning systems engineering, program management, and software development, with work at Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Department of Defense. That experience grounds his instruction in the realities of building and implementing technology—where reliability, clear decisions, and execution matter.
David also brings extensive classroom and educational leadership experience. He has taught robotics, computer science, physics, and mathematics in Boston public schools and served as Director of Technology and Head of Computer Science and Engineering. Across these roles, he has developed the ability to recognize where understanding breaks down, explain difficult concepts in familiar terms, and guide learners toward independent application.
Today, David leads Guild Hall Learning, a network of STEM education centers where he develops programs and teaches audiences ranging from small groups to full auditoriums. As an entrepreneur and educator, he understands both the demands of running an organization and the process of building new capabilities.
His workshops bring that combination directly to professionals navigating AI. Participants learn how the technology works, where it can contribute to their goals, and how to evaluate and apply it with sound judgment. David makes sophisticated ideas approachable while preserving the depth people need to put them to work.
Registration and participant information
Attendance and tuition
Each course takes place in person at Guild Hall Learning fom 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern. Enrollment is limited to 12 participants per course. Tuition is $695, including Eventbrite ticketing fees. Guild Hall absorbs these fees; no separate ticketing fee is added for the participant. Online attendance is not currently offered.
Accounts and subscriptions
Proposed preparation: Bring a laptop and charger, use a current web browser, and have access to your email for account verification. An account with the instructor-designated conversational AI platform will be required for applied exercises. Additional creative or assistant-building accounts may be needed for particular courses. David will confirm the platform list and whether free accounts are sufficient before ticket sales open. Participants should not purchase paid subscriptions until course-specific instructions are issued.
Event venue & nearby stays
Guild Hall - Educational Makerspace, 17 Sellers Street, Cambridge, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.