In A Nutshell

An effective workshop plan must cover all aspects of the workshop - both context and content.

 

Workshop Context

  • Audience

  • Scheduling and duration

  • Location

  • Equipment and other logistics

  • Known inputs

  • Outcomes to be realised

  • Preparation plan

Workshop Content

  • Ice-breaker

  • Set of activities to move from inputs to outcomes

  • Sequencing of activities

  • Timing of activities

  • Timing of breaks

  • Closure activity

  • Specific roles within the workshop

The preparation plan defines the tasks and responsibilities that must be completed to ensure that the workshop will be ready to run at the scheduled date and time.

Workshop planning can be a time-consuming activity. Given the cost of running a workshop and the potential value that can be created, this investment in planning is rarely wasted.

References

There are many online resources to help identify effective activities that contribute to the outcomes of the workshop. For retrospectives, Retromat provides a wide range of activities to fit the 5 Step retrospective pattern.

Liberating Structures provides a wide variety of workshop activities that focus on encouraging equal participation from everyone in the room - Including and Unleashing Everyone. The activities focus on building an environment of psychological safety from which everyone can fully participate.