Educational Workshop Planning

Most workshop evaluations questions are ineffective. Try these two questions to drive behaviour change and generate insights. In my 23 years of designing and running learning and development experiences, I've found that asking the right questions can be a gamechanger. Especially if you're self-employed. And you want to charge more for your services. Because you drive behaviour chance. So, forget the mundane sliding scale rating: ❌ The session ❌ The material ❌ The facilitators Here are two simple questions that support impact 📝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩? This question forces participants to commit to a specific action. ↳ It’s not just about learning; it’s about doing. 📝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩? This question uncovers potential obstacles. ↳ It also shows that you care about their long-term success, not just the workshop. Why these questions work: ✅ Prompt reflection on learning. ↳ A critical step in the learning process. ✅  Provides proxy measure of impact ↳ Reflections guided to consider action. ✅ Provides insights on obstacles ↳ Allowing you to improve the workshop Next time you run a workshop, ditch the old evaluation forms. Try these questions instead. Support behaviour change Demonstrate impact Increase your fees Give it a go. ~~ ♻️ Share if you found useful ✍️ What other powerful questions do you use in your evaluations?

I had a chance to facilitate a workshop for 130 people. Here what makes it a success. 💡 CHOOSE THE RIGHT METHOD With 130 people and it needs to be a workshop not a seminar, we decided to break into 6 group which every group had 1 facilitator. We only have 2.5 hours so we needs to stick on the timing and start end on time in each activity. 💡 ENGAGING SESSION Need to ensure that each participant feels involved although they are part of a big group. It could be done by asking the representative of each group to share their opinion during plenary session or to ensure everyone contributes during small group discussion. 💡 MANAGE THE ENERGY This is a shared responsibility with the co-facilitator. Need to ensure that everyone is engaged in the discussion, have high energy, and eager to participate. When we see the energy down then we could have a quick intermezzo or icebreaking session to bring the energy back. 💡 PERSONALIZATION The small group discussion format is important to ensure that everyone have their voice to be heard which less likely to be done if we only have 1 big group with 130 people as participants. 💡 CHECK THE IMPACT Make them share the insight, key learnings, and also next action plan that they could implement in day to day work to make their work more effective and efficient. The success of a workshop is always combination of having clear objective to come up with the right format, good preparation, well coordinated facilitators, and good execution on the day. As facilitator, it is important to have high energy when we deliver the session since our energy is contagious. If anyone has additional tips for a successful workshop facilitation, feel free to write in the comment section! DM me for any potential collaboration!

A Practical Guide for Event Organizers Based on the Zero Project Team's experience organising the Zero Project Conference, we have put together this practical guide for event organizers to create inclusive events where everyone can fully participate. No event will ever be 100% accessible but with this guide there is practical advice for practical decisions—not final or one-size-fits-all solutions, nor a scientific approach to conference accessibility. It does not offer perfection, but rather realistic and actionable insights. One key takeaway from the guide: involve local DPOs early and engage directly with participants. Practical advice and direct feedback from participants lead to more realistic, effective, and cost-efficient solutions while avoiding last-minute challenges. Download the accessible PDF now and explore ways to make your event more inclusive! #ZeroProject #InclusiveEvents #AccessibilityGuide #CRPD #WeAreBillionStrong #AXSChat #HumanInclusion #LifeUSA #accessibility #A11Y

🎤 Getting Hybrid Conferences Right = Inclusion Done Right In the past month, I’ve been able to actively participate in excellent conferences because they nailed the hybrid model. 👏 When you make conferences accessible online, you open the doors to: ✅ People with disability ✅ People in regional and remote areas ✅ Carers and parents ✅ Anyone who can’t easily travel for so many reasons Done well, hybrid means you can reach a lot more people and include people who so often miss out on being part of the conversation. Hats off to DSC and Centre for Australian Progress who know how to do this well. ✅ Top Tips for Running a Great Hybrid Conference 1. Make Online Participation Equally Valued Give online attendees a visible presence — allow them to ask questions, join breakout rooms, and appear on screen. Assign a dedicated facilitator for online participants to monitor chat, raise questions, and ensure their voices are heard. 2. Invest in Good Tech and Support Use high-quality AV equipment, microphones, and cameras. Have tech support available throughout the event, both on-site and online. Test everything with both in-person and remote attendees. What's holding us back from doing this better? Please share your thoughts and your tips in the comments. #Inclusion #Accessibility #HybridEvents #DisabilityInclusion #Conferences #Leadership #AccessMatters This image is a screenshot from a hybrid conference. It shows disability advocate El Gibbs speaking at a podium, wearing a black T-shirt that reads "THE FUTURE IS ACCESSIBLE" in bold white text. El is wearing glasses and a dark face mask, and is standing in front of a blue banner that reads "LEADERSHIP 2025" with the date and location "JUNE, PARLIAMENT HOUSE" visible. At the top of the image is the Zoom interface, with multiple participants joining the event online, including Dr George Taleporos, Craig Wallace, Peter Bacon MDEA, Alex Kelly, Madi Weston, and others. This layout highlights the hybrid nature of the event — combining in-person and virtual participation at the Centre for Australian Progress #Leadership2025 Conference

🎯 Yesterday’s YPO Germany–Switzerland–Austria Day Chair training turned big ideas into how we actually do it. Amazing insights that make it look so easy but are super hard to execute like a pro. Plus these are frameworks you can (and should) use for any meeting, company event or client workshop. What landed for me: 🪑 The Three-Legged Stool (make every event stand): 📚 Learning — design for actionable takeaways (not keynotes-for-show) 🤝 Networking — engineer peer exchange (tables, rotations, F2F moments) 🎯 Experiencing — offsites/socials that anchor memory & momentum 🧭 E-CODE in practice (not on a slide): 👥 Engage Peers: create a safe haven; use member expertise & peer-to-peer formats 💥 Compel Content: clear outcomes, diverse voices, thought-provoking activities 🧠 Open Minds: multi-sensory, whole-person learning; challenge assumptions 🏁 Deliver Value: know the audience; exceed expectations in planning & follow-through 🌟 Extraordinary Resources: the right facilitators, venues, and tools to lift the bar 🛠️ Sell the event like a pro (the 60-sec Elevator Pitch): ❌ Don’t speak too fast / cram 15 minutes into 1 ❌ Ditch jargon & acronyms—make it understandable ✅ Practice until conversational (human > robotic) ✅ Actually use the pitch to do targeted follow-ups 🔁 Close the loop (so learning compounds): ✚/Δ Plus/Delta at the end → what worked / what to improve 🧪 Separate content feedback from logistics → cleaner signal for next time Events aren’t “nice to have” — they’re our engagement engine for peer-to-peer exchange and new ideas. Proud of this learning group and grateful for an excellent facilitation. 👥 I’ll tag our facilitator and the team on the photo. 👉 Question: What’s one detail you’ve used to turn a good event into a transformational one? #YPO #GSA #Learning #EventDesign #ECODE #Community #BetterLeadersThroughLifelongLearning

[53] Fifteen Best Practices for How to Lead a Workshop On Wednesday, I gave a workshop on how to give a workshop—very meta, I know. Andreas Schröter invited me to a be.boosted event where the new generation of fellows will soon be leading their own workshops. So the timing was perfect! But what actually matters when planning and running your own workshop? Here are 15 best practices I’ve developed over the years: ---------- PREPARATION & PLANNING ---------- ⏳ 1) Time Your Workshop Realistically Less is more—don’t overload. For a 60-minute session, plan 30 minutes of content and 30 minutes of interaction. ☕ 2) Include Breaks (Even in Short Workshops!) Attention spans fade fast. Give a 5-10 minute break every 45-60 minutes to keep energy up. 🎤 3) Start Strong—Skip Awkward Intros Ditch the long bios. Open with a question, story, or surprise: "What made the best workshop you’ve attended great?" 🙋 4) Engage Participants Immediately Ask easy, low-stakes questions in the first five minutes: "What’s one word that describes how you feel about leading a workshop?" 🖥️ 5) Prepare Interactive Elements—But Only With Purpose In my humble opinion, many workshops are currently overusing interactive elements like complex quizzes or flashy slides just to seem impressive. Interaction is great, but only when it serves a clear purpose. ---------- DURING THE WORKSHOP ---------- 🎭 6) Get Participants Doing Something People remember what they do. Use polls, breakout rooms, or whiteboards. Example: "In pairs, share one example from experience." 🤫 7) Embrace Silence—Give Thinking Time Ask a question, then wait at least five seconds. If no response: "Take 10 seconds, then type in the chat." 🔁 8) Repeat Key Takeaways Say it → Show it → Let them say it. Reinforce key points with slides, stories, and activities. ⏱️ 9) Manage Time—Stay on Track Use a timer and give reminders: "Two minutes left!" Always build in buffer time. 🛠 10) Have a Backup Plan for Activities No answers? → Share an example. Too fast? → Add a bonus prompt. Too quiet? → Start with 1:1 or small groups. ---------- CLOSING & FOLLOW-UP ---------- 📌 11) Summarize Clearly Before Ending Never stop abruptly—people need closure (and so do you). The final moments of a workshop are often the most important, yet the least prepared. ✅ 12) End with a Call to Action Encourage immediate application or long-term reflection. Example: "Before you log off, write down one thing you’ll use in your next workshop." ❓ 13) Leave Time for Questions—But Make It Engaging Instead of "Any questions?", try more concrete questions such as: "What additional experiences have you had that we haven’t discussed today?” 📚 14) Offer Follow-Up Resources Share slides, key takeaways, or further reading. If possible, offer to answer follow-up questions. 🎉 15) End with Energy & Gratitude Avoid awkward fade-outs! Close with a final thought. If possible, rehearse your closing as much as your opening.

One of the most important things we can do as CME writers (especially now!) is to write with our learners, not just for them. We have a responsibility to continually ask: Who is this for, and how will they actually use it? Because without that lens, even the most evidence-based content can completely miss the mark. Here are five ways I return to an audience-first mindset, especially at those times when I feel a bit too removed from the real people behind the data. -- 1. Go beyond the job title. What do they do in a typical day? What time pressures are they facing? How do they chart? What’s the reality of their clinical context? -- 2. Remember that learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Our learners are dealing with system pressures, electronic medical records (EMRs), team dynamics, and, yes, burnout. Great CME acknowledges that context, even in small ways. -- 3. Talk to your learners. A handful of focused interviews or email conversations can completely reframe how you think about the activity you’re developing. Ask what they’re struggling with. What helps and what doesn’t. You’ll walk away with insights that no amount of literature can offer. -- 4. Listen in unexpected places. Check Twitter (or yes, Threads). Browse specialty Reddit subs. Follow your audience on LinkedIn. Social listening provides us with access to language, tone, and certain perspectives that are rarely seen in published papers. -- 5. Be willing to shift your assumptions. Our learners may not want a slide deck. They might prefer a podcast they can listen to on the drive home. Or a series of clinical vignettes. Holding our preferred formats loosely allows us to meet people exactly where they are. -- Want to take your audience analysis one step further? Write with Self-Determination Theory in mind – the idea that your audience of adult learners will be most motivated when three needs are met: Autonomy – the ability to choose and self-direct Competence – the belief that they can succeed Relatedness – a sense of connection to others When we write CME grounded in empathy, real-world context, and a diversity of formats, we’re helping to create more valuable experiences that support each of those needs. And that’s when the learning sticks. If you’d like my audience analysis cheat sheet (the one I use at the start of every project), just drop “Audience” in the comments and I’ll send it your way!

The Week Before Your Workshop Determines Its Success … After leading more than 1,000 workshops across the world, there’s one golden rule I’ve learned: Preparation, preparation, preparation. The week before your workshop is not the time to relax — it’s the moment to make or break your success. Here’s what great preparation looks like: • Know exactly who will be in the room — their names, their roles, their personalities, and their interests. • Understand their stakes — what motivates them, what worries them, what they hope to get out of the session. • Design your flow carefully — tailor your techniques and tactics to fit the group, not just the agenda. • Practise, practise, practise — rehearse key moments, transitions, and how you’ll handle tricky situations. • Visualise success — mentally walk through the day: how will you open, how will you energise, how will you land your key messages? Even after 1,000+ workshops with the proven FORTH Innovation Method I still practise before every session I facilitate. Not because I’m nervous — but because respecting the group means showing up 100% prepared. Great workshops are not spontaneous magic. They are the result of disciplined preparation behind the scenes. The real work happens before you even enter the room. #Preparation #WorkshopFacilitation #Leadership #InnovationWorkshops #FacilitatorTips #WorkshopDesign #PracticeMakesPerfect #designthinking #innovation

You may think ChatGPT and the likes will revolutionise higher education. But a much better use of AI is…  ...how it can support the creation and editing of multimedia content—making the process faster, easier, and more collaborative. Tools like Descript & Hipclip use AI to revolutionise the way we edit our video and audio content, which, for obvious reasons, has become crucial in academia. These AI-powered content editing tools offer: Effortless Transcription AI-powered tools significantly enhance the transcription process by converting audio and video files into text with remarkable accuracy and speed. This efficiency is particularly beneficial for generating subtitles, scripts, and other text-based content, thereby reducing the time and effort traditionally required. Text-Based Editing A revolutionary feature of these tools is the ability to edit audio and video content through text manipulation. Users can cut, copy, and paste sections as if editing a document, making the process intuitive and highly efficient. Enhanced Collaboration These platforms support real-time collaboration, allowing users to share projects, leave comments, and work seamlessly with team members across different locations. This capability is analogous to using Google Docs for multimedia projects. Rich Multimedia Integration Users can easily incorporate images, sound effects, and video clips, supporting various multimedia formats. This functionality enriches the content and enhances engagement. Voice Over and Dubbing AI-driven voiceover features enable the creation of natural-sounding synthetic voiceovers, facilitating corrections and additions without requiring extensive re-recording. Benefits to academics and researchers: Efficiency ➡ These tools streamline the content creation process, from transcription to final edits, allowing more time for producing high-quality research and teaching materials. Cost-effective ➡ By consolidating transcription, editing, and collaboration into a single platform, these tools reduce the need for multiple software solutions and services. Accessibility ➡ Precise subtitles and transcriptions make content accessible to a wider audience. Have you used any AI-powered content creation tools? Your insights and recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Please share your thoughts below. 👇 #AI #Research #AcademicWriting #University #HigherEducation #EdTech #SciCom P.S. Would you like to see how this works in real time? Happy to run a live session!

Want more productive workshops? Try stopping them sooner. Workshops often lock people in a room for two or three hours and expect them to do their best thinking on demand. Do we really have to hold people hostage to be productive? Lately, I’ve been using a technique I call "Echo Sessions." Instead of forcing deep work to happen in real time, we kickstart an activity, get clarity, but then stop just as people are getting into it. That pause is intentional. It’s based on the same principle as the Pomodoro technique—when you leave something unfinished while still feeling engaged, you'll find it easy to return to it later and give it space to percolate. Instead of dragging out a long workshop, I schedule an Echo Session later—often in the same day—where everyone brings their independent or small group work back for discussion, iteration, and action. Why does this work? ✅ Encourages Deep Work – People get time to think, research, or create in their own way, rather than being forced into artificial collaboration. ✅ Optimizes Meeting Time – Workshops should be for shared understanding, decision-making, and iteration—not for quiet focus time. ✅ Respects Different Work Styles – Some need time to walk and think. Others need to sketch. Some want to research or tap into AI. Echo Sessions give people time and space to work in the way that’s best for them. ✅ Creates Natural Momentum – Stopping at a high-energy moment makes people want to continue later, giving them space to create, rather than leaving them drained from a marathon session. ✅ Reduces Calendar Lockdowns – Instead of monopolizing hours at a time, work is distributed more effectively and meetings are only used when necessary. Most importantly, this approach treats participants like adults. It gives them flexibility and agency while ensuring that meetings serve a clear, valuable purpose. We don’t need long workshops. We need better workshops. Curious—how do you approach workshop fatigue? Would this work in your team?