AI Hands-on Bootcamp
Three days of hands-on practice, starting from zero to master AI, automated workflows and agents, and leave with 3 AI assistants built for you.
Learn moreExecutive AI Management Training
Two half-days to turn “what AI can do” into “the 3 things my company does first”, leaving with a one-page AI roadmap for your business.
- 2 half-daysOne week apart
- 7 hoursIn class + 45-minute one-to-one
- 6–12 peopleSmall executive group
- €890Per person
EXECUTIVE AI PROGRAM · 2 HALF-DAYS
No coding. Learn to decide what AI should do first.
This course is not about programming. It is about how business leaders judge whether AI is worth pursuing, what to do first, how much to invest and how to manage the risks.
Requirements: no technical background needed. Bring the business problem you most want to solve; the course is built around your company.
Who it's for
- 01Founders, chairs and CEOs
You have heard a lot about AI but are not sure what it means for your business or how much time and budget to commit.
- 02Department head
Heads of sales, purchasing, operations or finance who have been asked to “start using AI” and need a method to turn ideas into executable projects.
- 03Family business successors
You want to drive digital transformation and need a clear rationale and plan to convince management and your team.
- 04Companies preparing to adopt systems or AI
You are evaluating ERP, CRM or AI tools and want to clarify needs and priorities before spending money.
What will you leave with?
- 01A one-page AI roadmap
3 priority use cases, owners, budget ranges and 90-day milestones, ready to put into action when you are back at work.
- 02Validated priority use cases
Selected with AI use case cards and a value × feasibility matrix, and validated with your team between the two sessions.
- 03Clear costs and returns
Use an ROI calculator to estimate each use case's cost, hours saved and payback period, so you do not invest on gut feeling.
- 04An AI use policy ready to publish
A draft policy setting out permitted tools, data that must not be entered and human review requirements.
Full syllabus
Two Saturdays · One-to-one review
DAY 01 · SATURDAYDay 1: Understand AI, find use casesWhat AI can and cannot do, the state of the market and a use case workshop3.5 hours
- 01
Opening: each participant takes 2 minutes to introduce their company and the business problem they most want to solve. This list of problems becomes the case material for both days.
- 02
What AI can do for your business: the difference between large language models, automated workflows and agents; live demos of 3 use cases (sales follow-up, purchase reconciliation, customer service knowledge base); and what AI is not good at.
- 03
The market in public data: AI adoption and the implementation gap, why most companies stall at the pilot stage, and what successful companies get right.
- 04
Use case workshop: walk through your company step by step along acquisition – sales – purchasing – warehousing – delivery – finance – HR – customer service, fill in AI use case cards and rank your top 3 with a value × feasibility matrix.
- 05
Peer review and mentor feedback. Homework: validate your top 3 use cases with 2 managers and map your current systems and data.
Deliverables3 AI use case cards + use case priority matrix
- 01
DAY 02 · SATURDAYDay 2: Run the numbers, manage the risks, set the roadmapData foundations, costs and returns, compliance and governance, and a 90-day plan3.5 hours
- 01
Homework review: which use cases passed team validation, which were rejected, and why.
- 02
Data and system foundations: where the data AI needs lives (ERP, CRM, spreadsheets, email); a quick data quality check; and placing yourself on a six-dimension maturity assessment.
- 03
Costs, returns and selection: buy off the shelf, configure or build custom; cost components (subscriptions, model usage, implementation, maintenance, staff time); working through one use case live with the ROI calculator; and questions to ask when evaluating vendors.
- 04
Risk, compliance and governance: the EU AI Act's risk tiers and what it actually requires of SMEs (AI literacy, transparency); GDPR and customer data; what a company AI use policy should cover; and which steps require human review.
- 05
Organisation and 90-day roadmap: who is responsible, who to train first and which metrics to use; each participant completes a one-page roadmap and reviews others'.
DeliverablesROI calculator + draft AI use policy + one-page 90-day roadmap
- 01
AFTER · ONE-TO-ONEAfter the course: one-to-one roadmap coachingOnline, within 2 weeks of the course45 minutes
- 01
Roadmap review: the mentor checks each use case, owner, budget and milestone to make sure they are clear and actionable.
- 02
Choose the first pilot: define its scope, required data, success criteria and sign-off date.
- 03
Next steps: team training plans, public support you can apply for, and common pitfalls to avoid.
DeliverablesRevised roadmap + first pilot project definition
- 01
Teaching approach
30%Explanation50%Workshop20%Feedback
Classes use simulated materials, so you do not need to share your company's real data. If the one-to-one session needs to look at your actual situation, we can sign an NDA first.
Mentors
Our mentors are from the SHEPHARD team, which has long provided digital consulting, system integration and AI implementation services to businesses. The cases and methods used in class come from real projects.
Meet our teamCourse information
- Schedule
- Two Saturday mornings, one week apart
- Duration
- 7 hours in class + 45-minute one-to-one coaching
- Class size
- Small executive group of 6–12
- Format
- In person in Madrid or live online
- Teaching language
- Taught in Chinese, with case materials in Chinese and Spanish
- Certificate
- SHEPHARD Academy completion certificate and record of hours
Fees and enrolment
€890/ person
€690 for a second participant from the same company. Dates and places are confirmed in the announcement for each session.
The completion certificate and record of hours can serve as one record of how your company meets the AI literacy requirements of the EU AI Act (this does not constitute legal advice).
Includes
- Course handouts and case materials
- AI use case cards and use case priority matrix
- ROI calculator
- AI use policy template
- 45-minute one-to-one roadmap coaching
- Completion certificate and record of hours
FAQ
I am not technical at all. Will I be able to follow?
Yes. The course is about judgement and decision-making, not programming. Every concept is explained through real business scenarios.
Why are there two sessions?
In the week between sessions, you take the use cases chosen on day 1 back to your company to validate with your team. On day 2 you run the numbers and plan based on those results, which makes the roadmap more reliable.
Will the course try to sell SHEPHARD's services?
No. The course covers a range of tools and approaches. The roadmap is yours, and whether you need an external partner is entirely your decision.
How does it differ from the AI Hands-On Bootcamp?
The executive course answers “what to do, how much to invest and how to manage it”; the AI Hands-On Bootcamp answers “how to build it yourself”. We recommend leaders take the executive course first, then send their teams to the bootcamp.
Can I bring a colleague?
Yes, and we recommend it. A second participant from the same company gets a reduced rate, and building the roadmap together makes it easier to drive forward back at work.
Can you run a private session for our company?
Yes. A private session uses your company's own business processes as case material, with adjustable content and timing, quoted separately.
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