Masterclass: Design Smarter, Not Harder

Design Smarter, Not Harder is a three-part masterclass built for AEC marketers who need to produce polished, professional proposals — without the learning curve. Across three focused sessions, you'll move from InDesign fundamentals to table systems that survive last-minute edits, to image prep workflows that look advanced without requiring advanced skills. Each module is designed around the 20% of tools that do 80% of the work, so you spend less time fighting software and more time winning work. Walk away with a practical, repeatable design process that raises the quality of every proposal you touch.

Full program: 3 CEUs | Each Program: 1 CEUs

Module 1: The 20% of InDesign That Does 80% of the Work 
Thursday, May 28 at 2:00 - 3:00pm EST

InDesign can feel overwhelming, especially when deadlines are tight and proposals are complex. This session breaks the platform down to the essential tools and concepts that matter most for AEC marketers, helping participants gain confidence, work more efficiently, and produce cleaner, more consistent documents.

What we'll cover:

• How InDesign actually thinks (frames, hierarchy, flow)
• The features marketers misuse vs. the ones that matter
• Paragraph styles, spacing, and alignment that instantly clean pages up
• Common mistakes that make files feel “broken”

Module 2: Tables and Visuals That Actually Communicate
Thursday, June 4 at 2:00 - 3:00pm EST

Tables and structured visuals are some of the most challenging — and unavoidable — elements of AEC proposals. This session focuses on practical strategies for designing tables, matrices, and simple supporting graphics that are readable, compliant, and resilient to change. Participants will learn how to treat structured content as a system, using hierarchy and consistency to improve clarity without over-formatting or constant rework.

What we'll cover:

• Designing tables and graphic elements for clarity, not decoration
• Building tables that can handle edits without breaking layouts
• Building table styles that are flexible, consistent, and easy to update
• How to create on-brand visuals and graphics that support your message

Module 3: Photoshop for Non-Photoshop People
Thursday, June 11 at 2:00 -3:00pm EST

Clean, professional visuals are critical in proposals — but most marketers don’t have time (or desire) to become advanced Photoshop users. Enter: one-click tools that eliminate advanced skill requirements. This session focuses on fast, confidence-building image prep workflows that eliminate unnecessary complexity while maintaining quality and credibility.

What we'll cover:

• One-click background and object removal in Photoshop
• When image quality matters — and when it doesn’t
• Preparing images so they scale and behave properly in InDesign
• Using Adobe AI as a helper, not a replacement for judgment