Jon Simmons’ Post

For the #instructionaldesigners, #designthinkers, #Informationdesigners, #workshopfacilitators I'm curious to see good examples of workshop activity facilitator templates (good = examples you like). The helpful 1-pagers that describe an activity, the amount of time needed, supplies needed, prompts, etc. I'm doing some benchmarking between what I've seen/used in the past and what others have used and like now. Feel free to DM me if you want to share and don't have a specific link. Thanks in advance! #workshopdesign #workshopactivity #facilitatortemplates

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀? 🤔 That's the question I tackled in yesterday's webinar, where I had the pleasure of hosting a session on workshop design. It was fantastic connecting with fellow facilitators and exchanging best practices for creating impactful workshops. In a 90-minute (okay, more like 110 minutes 😅) session, I covered my five key steps to designing a workshop: 👉 Step 1: Meet the customer and gather the right information 👉 Step 2: Design the workshop agenda 👉 Step 3: Prepare the workshop content 👉 Step 4: Get yourself ready 👉 Step 5: Facilitate the magic I shared various tips for each step, presented the tools I use to design sessions, and shared a real workshop case study to show these tools in action. Thanks to the participants for their great energy and questions: Veronika Hamminger Kat Mather 🚀🏰 Christian Münch Nicole Mitter Marte Kjørstad Avalon Klein Diana Borek Saba Umair If you’re interested in receiving the slides and recording, comment: Workshop Power. #Facilitation #Workshops #WorkshopDesign #Experience

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by choices when designing a workshop? How do you navigate the complexities of selecting the right approach and tools? Workshop design doesn’t have to be an exercise in decision paralysis. One of the key strengths of the workshop design process is its flexibility—it can seamlessly integrate with any existing conceptual framework. Whether you’re working within a structured model like open-explorer-close or something entirely different, workshop design principles can enhance your approach rather than replace it. By layering workshop design elements—such as clear entry and exit strategies, gap analysis, and assessment points—over your chosen framework, you’re not just following a formula; you’re creating a tailored experience that addresses specific participant needs. This approach liberates facilitators from the endless question of "What activities should I use?" Instead, it allows for a more thoughtful consideration of how to achieve desired outcomes and assess progress. The goal is to move beyond just selecting activities and towards designing with purpose, ensuring every element of the workshop contributes to a meaningful learning experience. #WorkshopPlanning #Facilitation #DecisionMaking #CreativeCollaboration

#Upskilled! I’m really excited to share that I’ve completed the Workshopper Master Program by AJ&Smart I've learnt the art of "Workshop Design" – not just facilitation. I now have a deeper understanding of what it takes to #facilitate a successful #workshop, new methods and exercises to implement, and ideas for how to make workshops even better, more fun, and more productive. And whether it’s a branding or marketing strategic workshop – or perhaps a design thinking or creativity workshop – I’ve got a whole new set of tools that I can use. As we're entering Q4, it’s a great time to reflect on 2024 efforts and create a new strategy for 2025. Meaning: a great opportunity for some good workshopping, team building, and action-taking. I am personally excited about my upcoming workshops and seeing how they can be even better than before. Thank you to Jonathan Courtney and the team AJ&Smart for creating a great program and community. If you are thinking of enhancing your facilitator skills, I highly recommend checking it out! #facilitation #upskilled #workshop 

Creating kick-ass workshop templates with 3 simple principles that support you make an impact Templates: the unsung heroes of workshops. They're more than a resource. They're about igniting creativity, ensuring participation, and driving meaningful outcomes. But how do you craft a template that enhances your workshop's effectiveness? Let's dive in. 1. Clarity is King Start with headlines that capture the essence of each task. Follow sharp and concise instructions to cut through any confusion. Your template should speak for itself, guiding the journey without extra explanations. 2. Navigational Ease Ensure your template is a journey, not a maze. Use obvious design or signposts leading from one section to the next. Offer a flow where participants focus on completing it, not figuring out the path. 3. Space to Breathe Crowded templates stifle creativity. Empty spaces invite reflection and contributions, whether on paper or digital. Think of it as creating room for ideas to bloom. And before rolling it out, test and refine! Crafting a template is both an art and a science. It can take time. But the reward is a workshop that runs better, engages more and achieves its goals. The best bit... Once perfected, these templates become a reusable asset. They ensure consistency and save time for future sessions. What are your favourite templates? #FacilitationByDesign #Workshops #Facilitation #Coaching #LearningAndDevelopment #TrainingAndDevelopment

The biggest improvement in the team presentation training came when we used ....flip charts. Why? Because they are wonderfully analogue. The message and speaker stay front and centre. A bold marker pen. Some simple hand-sketched diagrams. Keywords. Are all you need to communicate a clear message. Removing the software means focusing on the speaker and their connection with the people in front of them. The notes on the charts prompt the speaker to what they want to say. Plus, nothing on a flipchart is set in stone. The speaker can add an idea midway through a presentation. They can invite an audience member to contribute their ideas. It's a work in progress because it is handwritten/drawn. Finally, the flip chart has a beautiful reveal. A big arm sweeps to turn the page & show what is next - very exciting for the audience. Flip charts seem basic. But their power comes from their simplicity. If using one on stage is impractical, then using one as you prepare is an excellent place to start. All the leaders on our #InnovateUK training sessions have benefited from working their presentation out with a flipchart. Try it. #publicspeaking #presentationskills #agency If public speaking is part of your BD strategy in 2024 and you want to be the best speaker at the event, let's talk Martin Barnes

Workshop Party People! Thank you to everyone who has signed up to join me for the webinar next week! Designing for engagement in workshops, meetings (yes, meetings are workshops), courses (yes, each session is a workshop), and events (a collection of aligned workshops) begins well before people arrive. Each of your workshop party people should arrive with a sense of: — who you are and why you are a credible guide — what they are expected to learn and do — how the outcomes they will help create matter Designing Engaging Workshops is the first free workshop in my Design Skills Workshops series. If you’re signed up by Friday before noon, you’ll see how I approach building engagement and motivation momentum. You can register here: https://lnkd.in/gWqpzQvy Cheers ~ Dawan P.S. It was so fun peeking at the registration list. I’m seeing new people and recent connections mixed in with people I’ve learned and created with before.  P.P.S. In my head while I was typing much of this: all of us, smoke machine, lasers, DJ, we are reaching for the lasers, reaching for the lasers, reaching for the lasers, . . . #designthinking #facilitation #training #workshops #learning

What criteria do you use when selecting activities for your workshops? How do you ensure these choices align with your overall goals? In workshop design, it’s easy to get caught up in the "what"—what activities to choose, what tools to use. But the real power lies in focusing on the "why" and "how." Effective workshop design goes beyond a mere selection of activities; it’s about connecting those activities to clear goals, understanding participant needs, and strategically addressing gaps in knowledge or skills. When we design workshops with a deep understanding of the learning objectives, assessment points, and the participant journey, we’re able to move past the "spray and pray" approach. Instead, we create a cohesive experience where every activity serves a purpose, contributes to the learning process, and helps participants reach the desired outcomes. This mindful approach not only enhances the quality of the workshop but also empowers facilitators to lead with confidence, knowing that each element of their design is thoughtfully aligned with their goals. #PurposefulWorkshops #ActivityDesign #LearningGoals #FacilitationTechniques

What’s the most frustrating thing for you about creating and leading workshops? I’m doing a few new things in 2024. One of them is delivering live Design Skills Webinars at Fluid Hive. I’m thinking about starting with topics connected to workshops. I have some topic ideas, but we’ve seen what happens when someone sits alone in a room and comes up with bright ideas about what other people are thinking, doing, feeling, and believing. So, what’s your most frustrating thing about workshops? If you’d like me to let you know when the first webinar is, you can do that here: https://lnkd.in/gnbAVjw7 Stay lucky ~ Dawan