Builder Day in a Box

01Overview

Builder Day is a full-day, hands-on experience where your entire Product organization builds, experiments, and learns together using AI-powered tools. This event brings together Product Management, Design, and Data teams to explore how AI can help ideate, validate, and share product concepts faster.

The goal is to make prototyping and analysis a natural part of everyday work, helping your organization become more AI-native where every builder can bring ideas to life quickly, creatively, and confidently.

Why This Works: Builder Day creates a safe space for experimentation, removes the pressure of production deadlines, and encourages cross-functional collaboration. It's a powerful way to build organizational confidence in new tools and methodologies while generating real, tangible work that can inform future product decisions.

02Goals & Outcomes

When planning your Builder Day, define clear goals that align with your organization's needs:

• Boost Confidence — Increase org-wide confidence in AI-assisted prototyping and analysis tools
• Spark Adoption — Encourage everyday use of new tools across Product, Design, and Data teams
• Accelerate Workflows — Encourage earlier prototypes and data insights in your product development lifecycle
• Build Culture — Strengthen your AI-native culture through hands-on experimentation

03Event Tracks

Builder Day works best with parallel tracks that allow different roles to focus on what they do best while still maintaining a shared experience.

Prototyping Track (Product Design + PM)

Objective: Create functional prototypes using AI-powered design and development tools.

Recommended Tools:

• AI-Enabled Design Tools – No-code, AI-assisted prototyping for quick UX explorations and early concept validation
• AI Code Editors – AI-first development environments for functional prototyping. Consider providing starter templates or repos to help teams get started quickly

Assignment Focus:

• Exploring new product ideas
• Validating user interactions
• Testing product concepts
• Building end-to-end workflows

Insights Track (Data + Research)

Objective: Use AI tools to uncover meaningful findings and implement automations in your data stack.

Recommended Tools:

• AI Analysis Platforms – Tools that help automate data synthesis and pattern recognition
• AI Code Assistants – For building custom data workflows and automations

Assignment Focus:

• Discovering patterns in user behavior or product data
• Automating data synthesis and reporting
• Turning data into actionable insights
• Building agentic AI tools for research

04Event Schedule

Structure your Builder Day to accommodate different time zones while maintaining moments of connection and support throughout the day.

Submission Requirements

Make it easy for participants to submit their work:

• A ≤5-minute video walkthrough covering goal, approach, and learnings
• A prototype or analysis link
• Submission via your team's communication platform (Slack, Teams, etc.)
• GitHub repo (optional)

05Preparation

Success starts with preparation. Ensure everyone feels confident and equipped before Builder Day begins.

Training Sessions

Schedule training sessions for key tools 1-2 weeks before the event:

• AI design tool training
• AI code editor workshops
• Data analysis platform tutorials

→ Figma Make · Cursor · Webflow App Gen

Pre-Work

Help participants get ready:

• Short warm-up assignments to confirm tool access
• Idea submission form to collect concepts ahead of time
• Setup verification checklist

Support Channels

Create clear support pathways:

• Dedicated communication channel for questions
• Open office hours for setup help
• Day-of vendor support (if applicable)
• Resource hub with guides and templates

06Awards & Showcase

Close out Builder Day with an all-org celebration recognizing creativity, learning, and impact. A judging panel announces winners and celebrates standout work.

Judging Panel

Assemble a diverse panel of leaders from across your organization. Consider including representation from:

• Executive leadership
• Product management
• Design leadership
• Engineering leadership
• Customer-facing teams

Prizes & Recognition

Each category winner receives recognition and a prize (consider gift cards, company swag, or professional development budgets). Winners' projects are announced during a live ceremony and shared company-wide.

Categories

• Prototype for Learning — For prototypes that show exploration and help clarify or test ideas. Ideal for early or low-fidelity prototypes focused on learning and insight.
• Interaction Design / Feel — For UX, motion, or usability demos that explore design interactions, flow, or behavior.
• Workflow / Systems Prototype — For end-to-end or multi-user journeys that demonstrate system thinking or connected experiences.
• Data, Insight, or Automation — For AI-powered analyses, automations, or data workflows that accelerate learning and decision-making.
• Creative / Experimental Use of AI — For bold, unexpected, or boundary-pushing uses of AI that inspire new ways of working or creating.

07Measuring Success

Define what success looks like for your Builder Day. Consider tracking:

08Resources & Templates

Create a resource hub with everything participants need:

• Setup Guides — Step-by-step instructions for accessing and configuring tools
• Training Recordings — Recorded sessions for those who can't attend live training
• Starter Templates — Pre-configured project templates to help teams get started quickly
• Idea Bank — Collection of example projects and inspiration
• Submission Checklist — Clear list of what to include in final submissions
• FAQ — Answers to common questions about tools, process, and expectations