Run smoother, smarter and stronger projects.
Master every stage of project delivery with this seven-part series. Pick one, two, three workshops or attend them all!
Join a seven-part workshop series led by James Louttit (PMI Project Manager of the Year 2023) and author of Leading Impactful Teams.
James makes complex ideas simple and practical for designers from all arenas so you can apply them to your current brief the same day.
Book a single workshop to target specific skills, combine a few to strengthen your toolkit or the full series to take on the complete project management journey with James.
Who Should Attend
This series is designed for creatives of all disciplines who want to run projects with more confidence and less stress. Whether you’re a freelancer juggling client briefs, a studio lead managing teams or a designer inside an agency balancing deadlines and stakeholders, you’ll gain practical tools to deliver smoother, more successful projects without losing your creative spark.
Programme objectives – what you’ll take away
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Pick an approach that fits your brief. You’ll learn when to plan things out vs. test-and-learn—and how to mix and switch methods as your project evolves.
- Make meetings count. Use simple moves like the SAVE Technique, Lean Coffee, clear agendas, time-boxing and quick write-ups so your sessions end with decisions, owners and next steps.
- Spot problems early and get help. Capture assumptions and top risks in plain English, then share a focused “top 3” so the right people support you. Learn how to make it clear what the consequences of your risks are and get support and help from your client to take it from “you Vs me” to “you & me Vs the problem”.
- Do less, better. Be clear on what’s in and what’s out; focus on the tasks with the biggest payoff. (No more “change-request purgatory.”)
- Build a plan you can follow. Show key dates and check-ins, add go/no-go points, keep some buffer, and update it as things change.
- Help your team do great work. Organise short check-ins, a 1:1 model that works well, and delegation tips to help your team grow in their role.
- Keep stakeholders aligned. Show trade-offs clearly (time/scope/cost), communicate well, and make decisions visible to all involved.
What you will Experience
These workshops are highly interactive and practical, designed to balance content with hands-on activities and group discussion. Each session blends proven project management tools with real-world application, so you can put ideas into practice immediately.
Bonus: registration includes a complimentary copy of the audiobook of Leading Impactful Teams by James Louttit.
Ahead of each workshop, we recommend reading the suggested chapters to spark ideas and questions for the discussion. While not mandatory, this preparation will help you get even more out of each session and bring richer insights to the group conversation.
Schedule
Workshop #1: How to Approach Your Project — Agile, Waterfall & Everything In Between
Friday, 28th November – from 1 to 2pm
Workshop #2: Meeting Facilitation — Getting the Most Out of Your Time with People
Friday, 5th December – from 1 to 2pm
Workshop #3: Scope & Prioritisation — Maximising the Value of the Work You Do
Friday, 16th January 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Workshop #4: Planning — How Much to Plan, How Much to React (And How to Deliver Those Plans!)
Friday, 30th January 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Workshop #5: What Could Go Wrong — Risks: Identify, Talk About & Get Support
Friday, 13th February 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Workshop #6: Managing Teams — Prioritisation, Motivation & Empowering for Success
Friday, 27th February 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Workshop #7: Stakeholders — Decisions, Support & Delivering What They Want
Friday, 13th March 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
**See below for content of each workshop.
Fees
1 Workshop
Member*: €75 | Non-Member: €99
Bundle up and save:
3 Workshops
Member*: €150 | Non-Member: €198 – buy 3 at the price of 2
ALL 7 Workshops
Member*: €375 | Non-Member: €495 – get 2 free sessions
*Current Members of IDI, IAPI, ICAD, 100 Archive and Interiors Association (IA) working in the private or commercial semi-state sector and based in the Republic of Ireland can avail of subsidised fees on the workshops! Find out how to become a member and avail of the subsidies.
Content
Friday, 28th November – from 1 to 2pm
James will show you how to choose the right way to run your current brief: agile sprints, milestone-driven waterfall, or a smart hybrid.
How it can help: Cut confusion, pick an approach in minutes, and get a one-page template you can apply today.
What to expect: Overview of the 3 main approaches to delivering projects, when to use each one, and how to mix and match them so it works for you and your team. An activity to review your own project and pick the best approach and a discussion with peers about what will work.
Friday, 5th December – from 1 to 2pm
Designer reviews shouldn’t drag. Learn simple moves to run crits, client check-ins, and vendor calls that move work forward.
How it can help: Steal ready-to-use tactics—tight agendas, time-boxing, “Parking Lot,” and Lean Coffee—for your very next meeting.
What to expect: Practical meeting and brainstorming approaches that will improve your sessions and ensure you and your clients get the most out of them.
Friday, 16th January 2026 – from 1 to 2p
Too much to do, not enough hours? Learn how to estimate work well (planning poker), prioritise work and focus on the highest value things.
How it can help: A clear ‘value versus effort’ way to rank work so you do less, better— and make proper trade-off decisions on your project.
What to expect: Identifying and prioritising scope, estimating using planning poker and making good decisions with your client.
Friday, 30th January 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Understand when to be reactive, proactive or planned – which types of work suit each approach, and how to mix the three up so that your project is ultimately successful.
Also – avoid the biggest planning mistake most people make – confusing effort with duration – they are not the same!
How it can help: Develop a plan that you can confidently share with stakeholders, and then consistently hit milestones and build trust in your process.
What to expect: Build a plan together from a sample client brief, plus Q&A to adapt it to your deadlines.
Friday, 13th February 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
From client sign-off to access to the right people, there are things that can be done to help make sure things don’t go wrong. Translate risk into plain English and have a proper discussion about it with your clients or your boss.
How it can help: Understanding Assumptions, Risks, Issues & Dependencies helps bring them to light throughout the project. Having regular discussions about them can ensure you are aligned on the project and make it much more likely you’ll achieve the client’s goals.
What to expect: A quick risk-impact exercise around a real design scenario in your business and how to share that with the people who can help.
Friday, 27th February 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Leading collaborators, juniors, or suppliers? Pick up day-one habits for delegation, motivation, and energising check-ins.
How it can help: Provides practical routines (short stand-ups, human icebreakers, crisp write-ups) you can use this week.
What to expect: Learn tactics for motivation, delegation, empowerment and engagement that will change the way you and your team work together and help everyone achieve more.
Friday, 13th March 2026 – from 1 to 2pm
Turn stakeholder noise into clear decisions with option-based updates and visible checkpoints.
How it can help: Simple decision rhythms and trade-off conversations you can use right now to win support on your live brief. Learn how to engage and negotiate with stakeholders and develop listening techniques and approaches that will improve your relationships.
What to expect: Explore different ways to engage with stakeholders, understand the 3 types of project documentation that can help unlock better transparency and engagement and join the group discussion and Q&A.
About the trainer
James Louttit is a project management expert who makes complex ideas simple for creatives, managers, and anybody without a project management background. PMI Project Professional of the Year 2023 and author of Leading Impactful Teams, he brings a practical, people-first toolkit you can apply to your current challenges immediately.
He trains people and teams across a variety of sectors; his workshops are hands-on, visual and no-jargon.
In his Design Skillnet series, James will show you how to choose the right way to run your project, facilitate interactive sessions that end in great buy-in and good outcomes (SAVE technique, Lean Coffee), spot risks early and get help, and build a plan you can actually follow.
James is passionate about bringing the Design Skillnet webinar series to life for people of all disciplines working in the creative industries.
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