Cuyahoga Community College
ZLSS9001 - AI Spark Lab
Course Description
AI Spark Lab is a workshop built around applying AI to a specific business outcome, moving from awareness to action. Participants bring their own business project and work on it directly — no lecture, no hypotheticals. In this immersive, eight-week business accelerator, you'll work alongside experienced AI and business advisors. Our consultants provide you with direct feedback, more hands-on support and faster problem-solving during the lab for your AI-enabled business initiative. Prior to the course start date, you'll complete a readiness and opportunity assessment (complete the AI Spark Scorecard), which gives you immediate results, pre-lab action steps and focus areas all before coming to the first session. Upon completion of the AI Spark Lab, you will leave with an AI Road Map, AI Spark SolutionTM, 90-Day AI Action Plan, prompt library, workflow templates and the opportunity to earn the AI Productivity & Innovation PractitionerTM certificate.***Optional Extra Session (Week 9): An extra Showcase session is available on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. More details will be provided during the first session.
Course Outline
Weeks 1 – 4 | AI SPARK STARTERS
Week 1: AI Essentials (NextGen): Build foundational AI fluency and practical usage patterns to improve day-to-day execution, communication and decision support
Week 2: Mastering Sales With AI Strategies: Apply AI to revenue workflows, lead handling, follow-ups, proposals, messaging and repeatable sales motions
Week 3: Innovative Content Monetization: Create high-value content assets that support growth through marketing, education and monetized digital products
Week 4: Custom AI Chatbot and Solution Development: Design and configure a purpose-built assistant aligned to a defined internal or customer-facing use case
Weeks 5 – 8 | AI SPARK SPRINTS
Weeks 5 – 8: Agile MVP Development Sprint: Participants select one real business or industry problem and sprint toward a minimum viable product (MVP) using Agile methods and PMO governance.
Week 9 | AI SPARK SHOWCASE
Week 9: Optional Showcase: An extra Showcase session is available on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. More details will be provided during the first session. Participants may present their MVP, outcomes and next-step implementation plan in a structured Showcase environment.
Learner Outcomes
- Explain core AI concepts in practical language and identify appropriate use cases
- Document a business/work problem as an AI-ready use case (problem statement, stakeholders, data inputs, success measures)
- Apply AI tools to improve productivity in at least one functional area (e.g., sales, marketing/content, operations)
- Produce a lightweight PMO-style plan: milestones, risks, roles and an execution road map for implementation
- Demonstrate an applied deliverable (prototype, workflow or chatbot concept) aligned to measurable outcomes
Notes
Before registration, every applicant completes a short AI Spark Scorecard to help identify where AI can create the greatest impact in their business. Complete the AI Spark Scorecard
Contact Valerie Hawkins at 216-987-2862 for more information.