A packed itinerary can leave executives with many impressions and no shared conclusion. We would rather protect time for reflection than add a visit that does not answer the group’s question. The right programme starts with what the team needs to understand when it returns home.
Define the learning question
An illustrative brief might be: “Our leadership team wants to understand how organisations move from AI demonstrations to approved workflow experiments.” This gives each session a job. Research can explain technical constraints; an operator can explain adoption; the group can then decide which assumptions to investigate internally.
For a small executive group, assign a sponsor who owns the business question and a programme lead who coordinates preparation, contributors and changes. Confirm the actual participant count and access conditions rather than treating a sample group size as a venue capacity.
Sample two-day itinerary
Illustrative timings, not a booked programme. Travel slots are placeholders and need a location-specific plan. Hosts and speakers are unnamed because none is reserved through this page.
| Day / time | Session | Question it serves | Output | Confirmation needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1, 09:00–10:00 | Opening briefing and participant questions | What are we trying to learn? | Shared question list and assumptions | Briefing lead, room and language |
| Day 1, 10:00–11:30 | Research or infrastructure perspective | What constraints matter for our use case? | Notes on capabilities and limits | Host, access, group size and session scope |
| Day 1, 11:30–12:30 | Transfer and reflection | What was evidence, and what remains uncertain? | Questions for the next discussion | Actual journey and meeting space |
| Day 1, 13:30–15:00 | Practitioner conversation | How did a team change a workflow? | Context, choices, measures and limitations | Contributor agreement and sharing rights |
| Day 1, 15:30–16:30 | Group synthesis | Which assumptions changed? | One-page comparison and open questions | Facilitator and note-taking owner |
| Day 2, 09:00–10:30 | Complementary company or expert perspective | Does the first lesson hold in another context? | Differences and transferable conditions | Host or expert confirmation |
| Day 2, 11:00–12:00 | Business translation | What applies to our organisation? | Candidate investigations and dependencies | Internal workflow evidence |
| Day 2, 13:00–15:00 | Action-planning workshop | What should we investigate next? | Owners, evidence to collect and review dates | Decision-makers and facilitator |
| Day 2, 15:00–16:00 | Closing decision record | What will we take forward or stop? | Agreed next steps and unresolved issues | Sponsor approval and follow-up scope |
If a session requires substantial travel, interpretation or restricted access, reduce the number of sessions. Do not absorb every change by removing the reflection time.
Select perspectives before selecting names
Use the Barcelona AI ecosystem guide to identify types of organisations. The Barcelona Supercomputing Center is a research and computing institution; CIDAI focuses on applied AI innovation and adoption; Tech Barcelona connects the technology ecosystem. These references help research the local landscape. They are not confirmed hosts, AISB partners or bookable contributors through this template.
A useful shortlist can include a research perspective, a business practitioner and a contrasting implementation experience. Ask each prospective contributor what they can discuss, what evidence they can share and what is outside their remit. Avoid constructing a programme around brand names before agreeing a purpose.
Confirm access and alternatives
Before booking, record written confirmation for the session, named contact, audience, language, room or site access, photography and recording terms, cancellation conditions and any fees. A public tour and a private expert session are different arrangements.
Plan an alternative for each external dependency: a practitioner discussion at the group’s meeting venue, a remote expert conversation or a facilitated review of publicly available material. Describe the alternative honestly; it is not an equivalent site visit.
Do not assume a conference speaker is available for a private engagement. Current affiliations, availability and terms require separate confirmation. International participants also need a realistic transport, accommodation and accessibility plan.
Bring the learning back to work
For each session, write four notes: the observation, its source, what may transfer, and what needs verification. At the closing workshop, choose the investigations the team can own. Give each one a next review date using the thirty-day follow-up plan.
If the group’s main need is already a decision about its own priorities, compare the expedition with an AI strategy workshop. Travel and outside perspectives should serve that decision rather than delay it.
Methodology
Use this as a planning template
Published by AISB on 4 October 2026. The agenda is an original editorial example, not a delivered client case, a quotation or a reservation. Contributors, access, delivery responsibilities and costs must be confirmed for the actual group.
Discuss the learning component of your Barcelona visit
Describe the business question, group, dates and language. Any proposed support and external access will need a confirmed scope.
Frequently asked questions
What should a two-day AI learning expedition produce?
A useful output is a record of what the group learned, which assumptions changed, what can transfer to its business and who owns the next investigation. A collection of visits alone is not an action plan.
Are the visits in this sample itinerary confirmed?
No. This is an editorial planning example. Hosts, access, experts, languages, confidentiality, transport and fees require separate confirmation before booking.
Can a research centre visit replace a practitioner discussion?
They answer different questions. A public tour can explain an institution or infrastructure; a practitioner discussion may address a business workflow or adoption decision. Confirm the session purpose and the person available rather than assuming a tour includes consulting.
Published by
- AI Summit BarcelonaEditorial team
Related reading
Barcelona's AI Ecosystem: A Guide for Corporate Visitors
Understand research, applied innovation and technology community perspectives in Barcelona. Build a visit around your business question and confirm every host and access arrangement.
Which AI Learning Format Fits Your Business Problem?
Start with the decision or workflow you need to improve. This comparison explains what each format can produce, when to choose another approach and how to write a useful brief.
Corporate AI Programme Costs: What to Include
An open scope and budget framework without invented price ranges. Define the actual group, preparation, contributors, logistics and handover before asking for an estimate.