The Field-to-Flow Lab:Chicago Construction Operations & AI Working Exchange

Join Chicago builders in person to swap field-tested ideas on smoother construction ops and practical AI. The Field-to-Flow Lab: Chicago Construction Operations & AI Working Exchange Less industry talk. More operational progress. Construction teams rarely struggle because they need another technology presentation. They struggle because important information gets lost between people, systems, and job sites. • A field update does not reach the office in time. • An RFI sits in the wrong inbox. • A daily report is rewritten across multiple systems. • A schedule adjustment creates another round of follow-up calls. AI and automation may help. But before choosing another platform or tool, teams need to understand the workflow that actually needs fixing. The Field-to-Flow Lab is a 24-person structured working exchange for professionals across construction and the built environment. The evening is built around one simple sequence: WORKFLOW → FRICTION → CAPABILITY → PILOT Paid attendees arrive with one real construction workflow challenge. Through small-group working rounds, participants map how the process works today, identify where information or responsibility breaks down, compare relevant operating experience, and explore what a small improvement pilot might look like. The goal is not to force AI into every problem. Sometimes the right answer may be: a clearer process; better ownership; stronger integration; improved information flow; automation; or, where appropriate, responsible AI assistance. Who should attend This gathering is designed for professionals working across: general contracting and subcontracting; construction operations; project management; field leadership; architecture and engineering; BIM / VDC; digital delivery; construction technology; software implementation; process improvement; data and workflow automation. You do not need to be an AI expert. You should arrive with at least one of the following: a real operational problem; firsthand experience improving construction workflows; a relevant technical or implementation capability; a practical improvement idea. What happens in the room Participants move through structured small-group sessions focused on: Workflow Mapping What happens today, and where does the process start to break? Capability Exchange What experience, process knowledge, or implementation capability could help? Solution Reality Check Is this actually a technology problem? What would need to change before a tool or AI system could help? Pilot Definition What is the smallest useful improvement worth testing? Each paid attendee leaves with a clearer operational next step rather than another stack of conference notes. What this event is not This is not: a software expo; vendor demo night; AI training class; pitch competition; procurement event; generic networking mixer. Vendors and consultants are welcome when they participate as working peers. Context is welcome. Unsolicited sales pitches are not. What paid attendees receive Paid attendees receive: guaranteed in-person admission; Field-to-Flow Brief processing; facilitated working sessions; Construction Workflow Friction Map; Pilot Definition Worksheet; structured matching opportunities; digital working templates; post-event resource recap; Double Opt-in Follow-Up. Higher ticket tiers include additional preparation and matching support. Important project-data note Please do not bring or share confidential project documents, client information, proprietary pricing, credentials, or sensitive project data. Use anonymized examples. Do not enter project information into third-party AI tools during the event unless you are authorized to do so. Bring one construction workflow that keeps breaking. Map the friction. Find the capability gap. Define a pilot worth testing. Leave with a clearer next step. • 5:45–6:00 PM - Check-In + Workflow Cards Attendees check in, receive their Workflow Challenge Card, Construction Workflow Friction Map, and opening table assignment. • 6:00–6:10 PM - Opening + Working Rules Quick overview of the Workflow → Friction → Capability → Pilot format, confidentiality, timing, table rotations, and no-sales policy. • 6:10–6:35 PM - Round I: Workflow Mapping Small groups examine one real construction workflow, identify friction points, and clarify where information, ownership, or handoffs break down. • 6:35–7:00 PM - Round II: Capability Exchange New table groups compare operational experience, relevant capabilities, implementation gaps, and possible approaches. • 7:00–7:10 PM - Reset + Match Refinement Attendees update their Friction Maps while the organizer uses the pre-built Match Matrix to finalize Round III placements. • 7:10–7:35 PM - Round III: Solution Reality Check Participants pressure-test one workflow problem and ask whether the right intervention is process improvement, integration, automation, AI, or something simpler. • 7:35–8:00 PM - Pilot Definition Tables Groups define a small pilot, including the workflow, friction point, required capability, constraints, success signal, and next decision. • 8:00–8:20 PM - Next-Step Commitments Each attendee records one workflow to investigate, one person to follow up with, one question to validate, and one action to take within 7 days. • 8:20–8:30 PM - Closing Final instructions on Double Opt-in Follow-Up, Pilot Match Plus resources, privacy, and post-event next steps.