Workshop design and facilitation

WORKSHOP
DESIGN AND
FACILITATION
A N I N T R O D U C TO R Y G U I D E
© 2018 Improvement Skills Consulting Ltd. 1

DESIGN
“ S TA R T W I T H T H E E N D I N M I N D ”
( S T E P H E N C O V E Y )

4 REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EFFECTIVE
WORKSHOP
A clear purpose
Defined outputs
An appropriate process
Agreed resources
Start by defining what you want to achieve as a result of
the workshop. This is the “Why?” of the session and tells
everyone what will be better/improved by the end.
Sometimes, facilitators start by defining the outputs that
will be created as a result of the workshop before
agreeing the purpose. The danger is that you focus on
“What?” will be produced rather than what must be
achieved.
The workshop process answers the “How?” of the session.
This includes the structure and timing of the session as
well as how the Facilitator(s) will enable the participants to
achieve the workshop’s purpose. Facilitation skills and
behaviours can make or break an otherwise well-designed
process.
The workshop resources include who should be there,
what roles they should play, as well as the logistics
required to make the session a success.

RULE OF
THUMB
3 hours of preparation per hour
of workshop
Up to 3 days of design and
preparation for a 1-day workshop

A CLEAR PURPOSE
• Develop a compelling purpose for the workshop which…
– Reflects the interests of those participating
– Is an optimistic prediction about the result of bringing these people together
• The purpose should describe what will be better/different at the end of the workshop
Workshops often fail
because the purpose is
unclear, too broad or too
narrow.
(Bunker & Alban 1997)
The purpose needs to be
broad enough to allow
flexibility and innovation
while providing focus and
direction.
(Cady, Dannemiller & Spalding 2003)

DEFINED OUTPUTS
• Outputs are the tangible products that will exist as a result of the workshop
• They may include:
– Action Plans
– Reports, presentations
– Agreements on ways of future working, decisions made, policies agreed
– Analyses of data, risks, opportunities
• You may need to design templates or recording frameworks to enable participants to
produce these outputs during the workshop or the facilitator(s) may need to produce
them after the workshop

AN APPROPRIATE PROCESS
AGENDA
• At its simplest, the workshop process is an
agenda for achieving the purpose and
producing the outputs
• In practice, you need to design a process
that is structured enough to signpost key
activities but flexible enough to allow for
change, based on emerging contributions
from the participants
• You also need to have in mind how the
achievements of the workshop will be
followed-up to maintain momentum
FACILITATION
• Large group sessions need at least 2
facilitators; one to manage the current
process and the other to be looking ahead
at upcoming sessions in case they need to
be changed (content, process or timing)
• The facilitator’s role is an enabler; your focus
is on “them” (the participants), not “me”
(however much of a subject matter expert
you might be)
• The facilitator helps channel the knowledge
of the group to achieve a useful outcome

AGENDA PLANNING
• What activities and conversations
are needed?
• In what order?
• How much time should be
allocated to each?
– There’s a balance between the
amount of participation and
engagement in the design and
the number of activities and
conversations you can include
Session 1
Activities
Conversations
Outputs
Session 2
Activities
Conversations
Outputs
Session 3
Activities
Conversations
Outputs
Purpos
e
Outputs
Participation &
Engagement
Activities &
Conversations

PARTICIPANT PRE-WORK
• Participant pre-work can enable to you to
cover more during the workshop
• It might include:
– Reading
– Watching a video
– An online activity (survey, self-assessment,
course)
– Preparing individual inputs for the
workshop
– Discussing the workshop aims with
someone else (boss, colleague, coach,
mentor)
• Don’t assume everyone will do it!
Session 1
Activities
Conversations
Outputs
Session 2
Activities
Conversations
Outputs
Session 3
Activities
Conversations
Outputs
Purpos
e
Outputs
Pre-work Pre-work Pre-work

SESSIONLAB – AN ONLINE TOOL TO
HELP WITH SESSION PLANNING
www.sessionlab.com
With the Training
Planner you simply
drag & drop your
blocks where you want
them.
Think of it as a
spreadsheet combined
with sticky notes…
only better!
However often your
session plan evolves –
you can add new
blocks, delete or
rearrange –
SessionLab will
automatically adjust
your timings.

PLAN FOR EMERGENT DESIGN
• You may need to be prepared to
change the design throughout the
workshop depending on how the
conversations flow and the
expectations of the participants
• If you run behind your planned
schedule, adjust upcoming activities;
don’t shorten planned breaks and
don’t over-run the advertised end-
time
• Diverge/Converge is a useful design
principle for guiding activities and
conversations:
General
problem
Specific
solution
Specific
proble
m
Discover Define Develop Deliver
Discover
insights into
the problem
Define
an area
to focus on
Develop
potential
solutions
Deliver
solutions
that work

PARTICIPATION METHODS
• Small-group exercises with flipchart
presentations
• Pairs-work exercises
• Asking open questions and recording
answers on a flipchart (plenary or small
groups)
• Online collaboration/voting tools
• Brainstorming with, or without, PostIts
• Individual, written exercises
• Group discussions (plenary or small
groups)
• Role-plays
• Action planning sessions

ONLINE COLLABORATION TOOLS
e.g.
www.mentimeter.com
www.polleverywhere.com

PREPARATIONT H E D E V I L I S I N T H E D E T A I L !

WORKSHOP RESOURCES
WHAT FACILITIES DO YOU NEED?
• Room
– Layout for plenary and/or small-group activities
– Wall space, flipcharts or whiteboards
• Facilities
– PC, Screen(s), Cables, Connectors
– WiFi
• Materials
– PostIts, Pens, Paper, Masking Tape/BluTak
– Session Plans, Handouts
• Refreshments
• Facilities for anyone with special needs
WHO NEEDS TO BE THERE?
• Participants!
• Facilitator(s)
• Chair-person
• Note-taker
• Others?

TOOLS FOR SHARING RESOURCES
EVERNOTE MS ONENOTE

CHECKLIST – BEFORE THE SESSION
Top Tip:
Be there
early!
Does everyone
know about it
(aims, times)
and where it
will be held?
Do they know
about any pre-
work or what
they need to
bring?
Is the
equipment
available and
does it work?
Is the material
available?
Are you
having
refreshments?
Have you
arranged not
to be
disturbed?
Is the room
laid out how
you need it?
Have you checked
sight-lines and
acoustics?

ON THE DAY“ P L A N S A R E N O T H I N G , P L A N N I N G I S
E V E R Y T H I N G ”
( D W I G H T D . E I S E N H O W E R )

BEFORE PARTICIPANTS ARRIVE
Confirm roles and responsibilities
with co-facilitator(s), chair-
person, note-taker(s)
Walk through the session plan so
everyone knows the running
order
Run through any slides or visual
aids to make sure they are in the
right order and there are no
typos
Lay out the facilitator's table so
everything is accessible and in
the right order

SESSION CHECKLIST
At the Beginning
Has everyone turned up?
Have the participants done any pre-work reading
or preparation (if required)?
Throughout the Session
Does everyone understand what you are talking
about?
Does everyone understand the relevance of the
session?
Has anyone "switched off"?
Are you going to complete the session on time?
At the end of the Session
Provide details of where to go for further
information or help
What did they think of it? – critique and
feedback
If there is a follow-up session, what preparation
do the participants need to do?
Date, time, venue for any follow-up session(s)

INTRODUCTIONS
Welcome everyone Introduce yourself
and other helpers
Run through the
purpose, agenda and
any ground-rules for
the session
Answer any questions about
these
You may also need to cover
domestic arrangements and
health/safety matters
Introduce the “car
park” if you need
one to record issues
that can’t be dealt
with in the session
With large groups it
may not be possible
for everyone to
introduce
themselves
You may need an icebreaker
exercise for this

MANAGING THE
GROUP“ N O P L A N S U R V I V E S F I R S T C O N T A C T W I T H
T H E E N E M Y ”
( H E L M U T H V A N M O L T K E )

MANAGE THE
ENERGY OF
THE GROUP
Ensure people spend more time working on activities or engaged in
discussions than watching presentations
Alternate between passive listening and active participation
Keep any presentations short
Rule of thumb: aim for 1 slide per 4
minutes of presentation
Give people opportunities to get up and move around
Encourage small-group working, perhaps in stand-up huddles
Schedule frequent breaks
Rule of thumb: aim for a break every 45-
50 minutes
Put energy into your interaction
with the group
Tone of voice, body language

TIPS FOR
RUNNING A
SESSION
Remember
Remember they are
probably as nervous as
you
Listen
Listen carefully as long
as necessary for people
to express themselves
Relate
Relate material to
participants' experience
and background
Allow
Allow participants to
progress at their own
pace
Develop
Develop an atmosphere
of freedom to make
mistakes & ask
"silly"/"obvious"
questions

ORIENTING THE GROUP TOWARDS
ACTION
The facilitator may need to:
• Get the participants to brainstorm action
points, including owners and timescales
• Introduce prioritisation tools and techniques
• Introduce decision-making frameworks
• Help the group to define problem and
solution statements
At the end of the workshop,
the facilitator should:
• Recap the objectives
• Summarise the process that has
been followed
• Confirm the action plan

REACHING CONSENSUS
Use (visual) group problem-
solving tools and techniques
Use facts, logic and clear
objectives
Don’t dodge conflict or
“fudge” issues
Allow people time to think
Encourage different
opinions
Remain positive and
focused on the workshop
purpose

HANDLING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
• Acknowledge the
situation – be open
• Avoid win-lose or
blame
Step 1
• Find out what the issue
is
• Get facts and specifics
Step 2
• Involve others, if
appropriate
• Take action - handle,
diffuse or park
Step 3
“Seek first to understand,
then to be understood”
(Stephen Covey)

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS
“DIFFICULT PEOPLE”
• Establish ground-rules at the start of the session
• Build on the contributions of the positive people
• Don’t let the “talkers” dominate
• Find ways to bring in the quiet ones
• Make use of small group working
• Avoid win-lose
• Check your understanding before responding

MANAGING INDIVIDUALS
ENCOURAGE THE POSITIVE TYPE POLITELY INTERRUPT THE
TALKERS AND THOSE WHO
RAMBLE ON
LET THE GROUP DEAL WITH THE
“KNOW IT ALL”
LET THE GROUP DEAL WITH
THOSE WHO TRY TO TRIP UP
THE CHAIR-PERSON OR
FACILITATOR

WATCH OUT
FOR…
People not
listening
People not
contributing
People
dominating
conversations
Destructive
arguments

ASKING QUESTIONS
Lob:
Throw the question to the
audience
Let them pick up the topic
Direct:
To a named individual or
group
Brings specific people into
the discussion
P-P-P:
Pose the question – Pause
– Pounce (on somebody
likely to be able to answer)
Gets them thinking
Useful early on;
non-threatening
Use later on;
can be
threatening

TYPES OF QUESTION
USEFUL
• Open
– Start with What, Where, When, Why, How,
Who
– Result in an explanatory answer
– Good for opening-up discussion
• Closed
– Start with Can, Will, Did, Would, Do
– Result in a “yes” or “no” answer
– Good for confirming facts or closing down
discussions
NOT USEFUL
• Leading
– Suggests an answer
– “You agree with that, don’t you?”
– “Would you prefer blue or red?
• Multiple
– Rolls 2 or more questions into one
– Confuses the listener as to which one to
answer
– Usually results in an answer to the last
question
Top Tip:
Use people’s names at the start of a question, not at the
end.
They are more likely to “wake up” and be able to answer
it.

AFTER THE
WORKSHOP“ E V E N T U A L L Y , P L A N S M U S T D E G E N E R A T E
I N T O H A R D W O R K ”
( P E T E R D R U C K E R )

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WORKSHOP
• Thank everyone for their contributions
• Take any urgent actions you committed to and get back
to people who are expecting a response from you
• Write up and circulate any outputs generated by the
participants
• Review any feedback that has been gathered formally (or
informally)
• Reflect on what went well and what could have been done
better
– With your co-facilitator(s), chair-person, note-taker
etc.

AFTER THE WORKSHOP
• Ensure you carry out your agreed actions and let everyone
know when they have been done
• Circulate any follow-up materials or resources to the
participants and/or organisers
• In some cases, you may be expected to write a post-
workshop report
• Complete your lessons learned review, noting any specific
actions for future workshops
• File/archive your workshop materials

CONTACT
• ian.seath@improvement-skills.co.uk
• 07850 728506
• @ianjseath
• www.improvement-skills.co.uk

Workshop design and facilitation

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