Laptops opened, teams formed, and within hours non-destructive testing professionals moved from whiteboard sketches to working artificial intelligence agents tied to real inspection scenarios. At the American Society for Nondestructive Testing’s annual meeting in Orlando, the format shifted from listening to building as members advanced through a guided sequence that culminated in a live demo round. The energy came from doing real work on real problems with coaching in the room.
This approach transfers skills, strengthens a tech-forward brand, and creates a clear business case for sponsors who want meaningful engagement. The playbook below shows how any professional association can adapt this model for member learning, positioning, and non-dues revenue.
Hands-On Builds Transfer Skills And Confidence
Professionals learn faster when they create something useful. Evidence from a recent peer‑reviewed systematic review found that time‑bounded, collaborative builds develop capability, teamwork, and persistence when they are designed with clear goals and coaching. A complementary scoping review in health professions education showed accelerated skill uptake in short, structured cycles that put learners in the driver’s seat. An evaluation study in 2024 documented gains in teamwork and problem solving when participants moved from passive content to concrete projects. By tying instruction to a tangible build, participants absorb ideas and retain them through direct application.
The ASNT program made that research visible in practice. The two‑day sequence began with a plain‑language session on agent fundamentals, progressed into a coached build, and concluded with judged demos. Members could preview the structure in the public workshop description and the conference schedule. This cadence kept cognitive load manageable while ensuring that every team shipped a usable prototype that mapped to real inspection and reporting tasks.
Facilitation powered the learning. As the workshop facilitator, I framed problems in clear, nontechnical language, set expectations for measurable outputs, and circulated to unblock teams quickly. In my experience facilitating and consulting for organizations, I find that strong facilitation turns curiosity into momentum and safeguards quality. It helps newcomers take the first step without fear while nudging advanced participants toward stretch goals that fit the clock. The room stayed focused, inclusive, and productive because facilitation set the tone and modeled good practice.
ASNT took steps to prepare well for the learning before the meeting. For example, members got to preview the event through a webinar I led a month before the conference that introduced practical agent patterns for inspection workflows. Likewise, I sent the workshop participants links to sample agents for non-destructive testing for them to try out before the event, such as:
- Report Generator Agent – drafts compliant NDT reports of tests
- NDT Method Selector & Advisor – helps choose and apply the most effective method for a specific inspection scenario
- NDT Buyer’s Guide – vendor-agnostic advisor across NDT methods and equipment
- Evident Scientific NDT Equipment Advisor – supports technicians, engineers, and buyers on specialized Evident Scientific NDT tools
Facilitation And Brand: Position Your Association As The Tech‑Forward Convener
A well‑run build signals that the association convenes the practical frontier of its field. Members arrive expecting rigor and leave with new capability that they can use the next day. That shift elevates the association from a passive content publisher to an active guide for applied innovation. In Orlando, the AI Agent Battle sat alongside technical sessions, council meetings, and the main stage program in a way that integrated learning, community, and visibility. The conference hub reinforced that placement and helped prospective attendees understand the value of participating.
High-quality facilitation also served the brand. An experienced facilitator sets an inclusive tone, enforces transparent judging criteria, and moderates demos so that contributors at different experience levels feel seen. That atmosphere matters to sponsors as well as members. Partners such as Evident Scientific, which provided the materials that formed the basis for one of the sample agents I built prior to the workshop to demonstrate NDT agent case studies, want their tools used in real workflows, not only in demos. They also want credible guardrails that preserve the association’s neutrality. The combination of clear rules, consistent coaching, and a public showcase gives sponsors a setting where their products helped teams ship working agents without overshadowing the educational goal. That balance strengthened trust in the room and online, including among members exploring ASNT’s broader learning resources and considering whether to return for the next conference cycle.
The educational upside is durable when the design follows the research and facilitation stays strong. Time‑boxed teamwork builds shared vocabulary and confidence. Participants leave with working artifacts and a plan for next steps at the worksite. For many professionals, that experience changes what training means inside their organizations, because they can now point to concrete outputs rather than course notes.
As Barry Schieferstein, the Chief Operating Officer of ASNT noted after the event:
- “I was struck by how the AI Agent Challenge transformed what a conference experience can be. Instead of talking about innovation, our members were building it, creating real AI agents that connect directly to nondestructive testing practice. For ASNT, this was more than a workshop; it was a statement about how associations can lead their industries into the future. We proved that hands-on, coached learning not only transfers skills faster but also creates deeper engagement for members and sponsors alike. It showed that associations can be at the forefront of applied technology, not just in what we teach but in how we learn together.”
Fund The Program And Launch A Member Agent Library
A build‑and‑battle format creates distinct value for multiple stakeholders, which leads to a durable revenue model. Attendees are willing to pay for premium, hands-on learning that advances their careers. Sponsors are willing to pay to feature products in realistic use with engagement that goes deeper than a booth drop‑by. Research shows that well‑designed activation outperforms passive exposure. A longitudinal activation analysis demonstrated stronger brand outcomes than advertising‑style sponsorship, and a 2022 Nielsen analysis linked smart activation to improvements in conversion‑related metrics. These findings translate outside sports when the activation is authentic, measured, and connected to real tasks in the room.
Structure the economics to reward quality. Offer a premium build track with limited seats and a clear syllabus, a spectator pass for the final demo session, and a virtual clinic included with build registration. For sponsors, define a limited number of integration slots tied to specific use cases. Require that any product featured during the build directly supports those use cases and is presented through coaching, not sales pitches. Publish transparent judging criteria and keep the judging panel independent of sponsoring companies. These design choices protect trust while creating meaningful engagement that sponsors value.
Treat the event as a product launch. ASNT can turn the build into an ongoing library of member‑facing agents for nondestructive testing. Start with common patterns such as report drafting, method selection assistance, and equipment advisory. Invite volunteer members to contribute agents that solve everyday problems and credit them prominently. Where appropriate, co‑develop specialized agents with sponsors, with clear governance that discloses roles and preserves editorial control. Offer access as a member benefit or a modestly priced subscription that includes quarterly updates and clinics aligned to the events calendar. The same approach can power internally oriented agents for staff and volunteers that accelerate tasks like drafting conference emails, answering routine member questions, and assembling technical recaps. With training and oversight, these internal tools improve service levels and model responsible use for the community.
Conclusion
Hands‑on building turns members into creators and positions the association as the trusted convener for applied innovation. The Orlando build showed how a clear structure, strong facilitation, and transparent judging can lift learning outcomes and sponsor value at the same time.
The next step is to productize the momentum. Curate a member library of field‑ready agents, welcome volunteer contributions, collaborate selectively with sponsors, and pilot internal agents that streamline staff and volunteer work. With this approach, ASNT and peer associations deliver immediate skill transfer, strengthen a tech‑forward reputation, and build a repeatable source of non‑dues revenue that grows with every cohort of builders.
About the Author
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky PhD, serves as the CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and authored the best-seller Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams. He was named “Office Whisperer” by The New York Times for helping leaders overcome frustrations with Generative AI. He serves as the CEO of the future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts. Dr. Gleb wrote seven best-selling books, and his two most recent ones are Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams and ChatGPT for Leaders and Content Creators: Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI. His cutting-edge thought leadership was featured in over 650 articles and 550 interviews in Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, Time, Business Insider, Fortune, The New York Times, and elsewhere. His writing was translated into Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Korean, French, Vietnamese, German, and other languages. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting, coaching, and speaking and training for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox. It also comes from over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist, with 8 years as a lecturer at UNC-Chapel Hill and 7 years as a professor at Ohio State. A proud Ukrainian American, Dr. Gleb lives in Columbus, Ohio.
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