Facilitator notes
Use the showcase to help teams share what they built and what they learned. The format can be a demo day, a shorter share-out, or a recurring team meeting. The goal is learning, not a polished launch event.
1. Identify strong facilitators: Choose facilitators who can keep the session clear, positive, and on schedule.
2. Keep it lightweight and fun: Keep demos short. Ask participants to pre-record if you want a smoother session or a record people can watch later.
3. Prizes: Choose a few award categories before the build portion starts so teams know what to aim for.
Showcases and demos
Award category ideas
Use prizes to create celebration and momentum for your AI transformation.
Pick two or three award categories that match your internal goals. Focused categories drive better outcomes than broad AI exploration. Use the examples here as inspiration.
Boldest idea or best fail
Use this to reward a team that tried something ambitious and shared what they learned, even if the build did not fully work.
Works well when: teams are just getting started - it reduces the fear of failing in public.
Best use of AI
Use this to reward a build that shows a useful or creative application of your AI tools.
Works well when: you want to reward genuine skill-building with the tools. Good for any group.
Biggest workflow shift
Use this to reward a team that changed a day-to-day workflow, not just a single output.
Works well when: teams have had time to rethink their ways of working.
Crowd favorite
Decided by audience vote. A simple way to celebrate the demo that resonated most with the room.
Works well when: always - it boosts energy and gets everyone involved.
Impact at scale
Use this to reward work that other teams can reuse or adapt.
Works well when: your group is more experienced and building for broad impact.
Best team collaboration
Use this to reward strong collaboration across roles during the build.
Works well when: you want to reinforce cross-functional ways of working.
Just getting started?
Keep it simple. Start with two or three categories. For a first event, pair "Boldest idea or best fail" with "Crowd favorite" so teams feel safe sharing unfinished work. Add specific categories once teams are more confident.