Two tracks — running in parallel across the week
The deeper track. For practitioners who want to go further into a specific tool, workflow, or technique. Led by Regional Leaders and Lab members — the Lab (Layer 1) shapes the content, the Regional Practice (Layer 2) delivers it to the Studio (Layer 3).
Sessions are taught, with space for questions and exploration. The intent is not just to explain a tool — but to expand what someone can see themselves doing with it. One power-up per session. Go far into it.
Focus
Depth over breadth. One tool or workflow per session — methodology, edge cases, pushing the limits.
Format
Can run as after-hours sessions — one or two per week — removing the conflict with client work.
Who it's for
Practitioners who want to go beyond "how to use it" and into "how to push it."
Led by
Regional Leaders from the hackathon, with Lab member input on content.
The broader track. Here is a power-up we built. Here is what it does. Here is how to use it. Designed to bring the whole Studio up — accessible to everyone regardless of starting point.
Hands-on throughout. People leave having actually used the tool, not just watched it demonstrated. Mapped to DS service offerings where possible, so the connection between the tool and the work is obvious from the start.
Focus
Breadth across power-ups. Multiple tools in one session, connected to what people actually make day-to-day.
Format
Daytime drop-in sessions spread across the week. No single full-day commitment. Designed to sit alongside client work, not replace it.
Who it's for
All of DS. Every creative across the Studios — Layer 3 as primary audience.
Led by
Regional Leaders from the hackathon, with support from Fernando, Ana Rivera, and Videk on coordination.
When
July 2026. One week per region — AMR, EMESA, AP+ME. Weeks staggered so Regional Leaders can support across hubs where needed.
Delivery
In-person at the three hubs, with the ability to dial in. Hub-first. The in-person energy matters — these are not webinars.
Week structure
The equivalent of one full day, spread across five. Daytime drop-ins plus one or two after-hours sessions for the Open AI Lab track.
Layer connection
Layer 1 (Lab) shapes content. Layer 2 (Regional Practice) runs delivery. Layer 3 (all DS) is the audience.
Immediate next step
Reconnect call with all hackathon participants — within two weeks. Book hub dates and agree tool sequencing from there.
Tool prioritisation
Decided by studio leads and Regional CDs. Not all tools need to run in July — sequencing over coverage.
Immediate next steps
- Reconnect call with all hackathon participants — within two weeks
- Agree tool prioritisation with studio leads and Regional CDs
- Book hub dates for July across AMR, EMESA, AP+ME
- Confirm week structure and session count per region
- Determine which tools are ready for Open AI Lab vs Studio Sessions
- Brief Fernando, Ana Rivera, and Videk on coordination roles
Open questions
- Which tools are prioritised for July — not which are ready, but which matter most?
- Do weeks per region overlap, or run sequentially?
- How does the dial-in experience work for Studio Sessions — live stream, recording, or both?
- Who owns the content plan for Open AI Lab sessions — Lab members or Regional Leaders?
- What does success look like — how do we know Power-Up Days worked?
Northeast Asia — separate workstream. Different language context, different starting point. Not folded into the regional hub model. Format and approach to be figured out independently. TBC.
Other workstreams — running in parallel
Global calls peppered across both months. Not regional — anyone across DS can join. Esteban leads the first session on looping and it is ready to go. The series builds from there, one topic at a time.
Looping — Esteban, ready
MCPs and APIs
Token efficiency
+ others TBC
All DS
Owner TBC
Topic-led discussions built out across the second half of the year. Not a training format — a thinking format. First step is an open call for topic nominations from across DS. A content plan needs to be built and an owner confirmed.
Generative UI — first confirmed topic
+ open call for nominations
All DS
Owner TBC
Two more planned following Sprint Zero. September and December. Details being worked through in a separate planning session — not part of this conversation. Longer-term thinking (2027): regional hack days and a sprint week for build-profile roles, alongside the global hackathon format.
Planning TBC