The Learning Lab experience is supported by both asynchronous and synchronous components. Each Learning Lab sequence includes a set of resources, an asynchronous discussion, and an interactive live session, all of which culminate in the development of a project or application to apply learning to local and specific contexts in support of the learning objectives.
Schedule
Part 1: Using AI to Develop and Enhance a Project Charter
November 2, 2026, 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET
Within the Initiating Process Group of the project life cycle, the Project Charter is often the first artifact produced. The Charter lays out the purpose of the project and describes how it supports the institution while providing background and other information that gives the project valuable context. Participants will select a current project from their institution that has not yet started, or has begun only recently, and use it throughout the Learning Lab.
Participants will:
- Identify the information available to support initiation of their project.
- Review a Charter template and identify the key information needed to develop the Charter.
- Apply AI to enhance the development of the Charter.
- Evaluate the AI-assisted content for gaps, assumptions, accuracy, and areas requiring human judgment.
Part 2: Using AI to Develop and Enhance a Project Schedule
November 4, 2026, 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET
As they continue through the project lifecycle, participants will move to the Project Schedule within the Planning Process Group. Many project management software applications allow users to enter project information such as tasks, owners, and due dates and create filtered summary views. When a project manager does not have access to one of these applications, spreadsheet software can also be used, with AI helping to develop formulas that create useful filtered summary views of project information. Participants will continue working with the project selected in Part 1.
Participants will:
- Use Charter from Part 1 and their knowledge of the project to begin developing the Schedule using a provided template.
- Apply AI to enhance the development and presentation of the Schedule.
- Use AI to develop spreadsheet formulas that create useful filtered summary views of project information.
- Validate AI-assisted formulas and outputs and identify areas requiring human judgment.
Part 3: Using AI to Develop and Enhance a Project Status Report
November 9, 2026, 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET
Tracking project progress is an essential part of managing projects. In the Monitoring & Controlling Process Group, the Project Status Report provides information to project teams and leadership to support effective project management. The Status Report builds on information contained in the Charter and Schedule, along with current information about the project. Participants will use these sources to develop their Status Report.
Participants will:
- Use the Charter from Part 1, Schedule from Part 2, and their knowledge of the project to develop the Status Report using a provided template.
- Apply AI to analyze and synthesize project information for inclusion in the Status Report.
- Use AI to tailor project information for different stakeholder audiences.
- Validate AI-assisted content to ensure that project health, risks, issues, decisions, and progress are represented accurately.
Part 4: Using AI to Develop and Enhance a Lessons Learned Summary
November 11, 2026, 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET
Once a project is under way, capturing its progress and how well it is or is not progressing provides valuable insights that can be applied to future projects. The Lessons Learned Summary, typically associated with the Closing Process Group, does not need to be limited to the end of a project. It can also be used at strategic milestones throughout the project life cycle to capture observations and insights about various aspects of the project. Participants will consider their selected project at a future point and assume it is either well under way or has been completed. They will draw upon information from their project and the artifacts developed throughout the Learning Lab to create a Lessons Learned Summary using a provided template.
Participants will:
- Identify successes, challenges, and other observations that could provide useful lessons from the project, referencing a provided template.
- Use AI to analyze project information and identify potential themes and patterns.
- Apply AI to organize and enhance the Lessons Learned Summary.
- Evaluate AI-assisted insights and recommendations against their own knowledge of the project and determine what should be retained in the Summary.
Lab Implementation Project
Throughout the lab, participants will work with a real project from their own institutions. Across the four sessions, they will explore opportunities to apply AI at different stages of the project life cycle while developing four connected project management artifacts: Project Charter, Project Schedule, Project Status Report, and Lessons Learned Summary.
By the end of the lab, participants will have practical experience using AI to organize, analyze, synthesize, and refine project information while applying human judgment to evaluate and improve the results. The four artifacts will provide practical tools participants can adapt and continue using with their teams or institutions.