Teachers, corporate leaders, scientists, and experts from various professions need to learn how to conduct workshops. After a successful workshop, all participants will have new skills, be informed and grow. Ideally, each participant should have the opportunity to interact and learn actively during the workshop.
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Part 1 of 4: Preparing for the Workshop
Step 1. Determine the purpose of the workshop
Write down the goal of the workshop you want to achieve, for example: teach skills, provide information, or raise awareness. What do you want to teach the participants? Maybe you want to teach a specific skill, cover a topic in everyday life, or share an experience to inspire participants. Consider the goal you want to achieve and why. You can hold workshops for:
- Teaches how to write a persuasive cover letter.
- Teaches how to convey bad news to patients.
- Teaches 5 techniques so that quiet students want to ask/give opinions in class.
- Teaches how to prepare effective presentation materials using Powerpoint.
Step 2. Decide who will attend the workshop
Do participants need to know each other or not? Did the participants understand the topic to be discussed or did they not know at all? Did the participants attend the workshop on their own accord or to fulfill the requirements for passing the internship? The answers to these questions will affect the preparation of the workshop.
For example: if the participants already know each other, you can immediately start a group activity. If they don't know each other yet, hold activities to warm the atmosphere, and give participants the opportunity to introduce themselves
Step 3. Hold a workshop in the morning or afternoon
Choose the right time so that participants are not sleepy and able to concentrate during the workshop. Do not hold workshops in the evening after working hours because participants are usually tired and tend to get bored quickly.
Step 4. Distribute the workshop advertisement
Distribute flyers, put up posters, or contact businesses to get more participants interested in the workshop. Determine the right workshop title, make an attractive ad design. Provide a brief explanation of why people need to attend workshops and what the benefits are. Make an illustrated flyer with eye-catching words.
Step 5. Find 8-15 participants
Workshops are not lectures that are usually attended by many students. The number of participants should not be too large for them to ask questions, practice skills and work together, but should be large enough to keep the workshop enjoyable. The number of participants should be 8-15 people.
In some cases, you cannot determine the number of participants. If there are a lot of participants, think of creative ways so you don't get overwhelmed. For example: a workshop attended by 40 participants can be divided into 5 groups with 8 members/group. Involve several facilitators or other speakers to support the organization of a workshop with a large number of participants
Step 6. Prepare participants before they take part in the workshop
Some workshops may be attended if participants have already done assignments, for example: studying journal articles, writing short stories, or reading other people's writings. If participants have to do assignments before attending the seminar, let them know in advance.
Set clear deadlines if participants must submit assignments first. Inform how participants present their assignments. Do they have to submit assignments in printed form or just email them?
Step 7. Prioritize the workshop objectives
Workshops can last from 30 minutes to 3 days. Whatever time you have available, you may only have a limited amount of time to explain your knowledge to your audience. Instead of providing detailed explanations in a short time, choose topics that are useful to participants, for example: skills, techniques, and information that participants need. Prioritize these things in the work plan.
Step 8. Prepare teaching aids
The way adults learn varies greatly. There are people who find it easier to learn with a visual approach, an oral approach, doing a practicum, or a combination. Prepare various techniques for delivering workshop materials to anticipate this way of learning, for example: preparing papers, audio-visual equipment, computer-based materials, and doing role plays.
Step 9. Prepare printed materials
Consider whether you need to prepare reading material, case studies, glossaries of important terms, and quizzes ahead of time so that there is still time to correct if there are typos or material that needs to be corrected. Choose a font size large enough for easy reading. Provide a title and date for each document so that participants can use the workshop materials at a later date.
- If the reading material is a bit lengthy, send it to the participants first so that they can prepare themselves before attending the workshop.
- If you're going to be distributing a lot of documents, it's a good idea to give participants a folder so they can store the files neatly. The handouts should be distributed to participants once they are bound in book form, especially if you want to hold workshops on a regular basis.
Step 10. Prepare audio-visual materials
You need to prepare presentation materials in the form of slides, videos, or sound recordings in advance. First, make sure that everything can be displayed properly and stored in a format that is in accordance with the facilities available at the workshop.
Take the time to consult with the audio-visual technician at the workshop so that the material you prepare can be presented properly. Keep in mind that your computer may not be compatible with the projector in the workshop or no speakers may be available. Make sure the room you will use during the workshop is able to accommodate the equipment you have
Step 11. Prepare computer-based materials
If participants have to answer questions using a computer or conduct online discussions, prepare the material as early as possible. Consider whether participants should bring their own computers or devices. If necessary, inform participants of this.
If participants have to do activities online, consult the plan with the technician at the workshop site to make sure there is wireless internet facility and ask for the password first
Step 12. Hire experts, speakers, and assistants
Depending on the topic and number of participants, you may need to involve someone else as a facilitator. For example: experts can demonstrate new medical techniques, humorous guest speakers can explain the benefits of workshops through anecdotes, and assistants can help you work with large groups. If you need other people's support, hire ahead of time. The workshops would be even better if they had enough time to prepare.
Step 13. Determine the group activities to be carried out during the workshop
Interaction between participants is one way of learning in the workshop. Look for information on various group activities according to the topic and purpose of the workshop. Activities can be done in pairs, in small groups, or in large groups involving all participants. Make sure you give everyone the opportunity to actively participate. Group activities can be:
- Debate. Form two groups that will defend each other's opinion.
- Share the results of the discussion. Ask questions for discussion and provide opportunities for participants to think about their own answers. After that, ask participants to choose a discussion partner, discuss their opinions with their discussion partners, and explain the group's conclusions to all participants.
- Question and answer session. If you will be presenting a lot of information, give participants the opportunity to ask questions about the workshop material. You can answer it yourself or ask other participants to answer.
- Role play activities. Assign participants to role-play by practicing what they have just learned.
- Brainstorming session. Ask participants to share as many ideas as possible and then write them all on the board. After that, invite participants to evaluate all the ideas they put forward.
Step 14. Take time to rest
People tend to focus on assignments and remember lessons when they can take a break. Make a break schedule of at least 5 minutes every 1 hour. While this will shorten the duration of the workshop, this method provides more useful results.
Step 15. Don't overdo the material
In general, activities during workshops take 10-20% more time than expected. A question and answer session that you expect to be 10 minutes usually ends after 12 minutes. Allow sufficient time for each main activity or important topic to be discussed. As much as possible, do not discuss the material excessively because participants will feel tired and in a hurry.
If you are worried that the workshop will finish early, anticipate it by preparing additional activities that support the learning process. That way, you'll be prepared in case the workshop finishes early
Step 16. Choose a good catering service
Provide healthy food and drinks for the participants because the workshop requires a lot of energy. Ideally, consumption costs have been taken into account in the workshop costs so that participants do not have to spend more money to pay for consumption.
Do not provide food that is not nutritious because it only provides energy for a moment, but after that, participants will be sleepy, bored, and tired quickly. Choose healthy foods and snacks that increase energy, such as: fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads
Part 2 of 4: Preparing for the Workshop
Step 1. Arrive early
Take the time to organize the room and adjust to the situation at the workshop site. Meet with the audio-visual technician, catering service provider, or team member before the workshop begins. Allow enough time to anticipate in case problems occur or you have to make schedule adjustments just before the workshop starts.
Step 2. Prepare all the equipment before the participants come
Make sure your computer, laptop, projector and speakers are working properly so you don't have to make repairs and the workshop runs smoothly. If needed, ask a technician for help when setting up audio-visual equipment because people who are experts in technology can prepare the equipment well.
Step 3. Arrange chairs for participants
The arrangement of seats is determined by the number of participants, the capacity of the room, and the activities to be carried out. Ideally, the number of participants should be limited so that the seats can be arranged in a circle or semi-circle. Thus, they will know each other and communicate more easily. If participants are going to watch a video or watch a demonstration, arrange the chairs to form a semicircle or a straight line.
Step 4. Distribute workshop materials
If you need to distribute books or other materials, place them on a table or chair before the workshop begins to save time. Place documents in order and include clear titles. Other things that need to be prepared in the room, for example:
- Snacks and drinks.
- ID and workshop schedule.
- Pen and pencil.
Step 5. Greet each participant
Arriving early gives you the opportunity to prepare and cool off. In addition, you will get to know and interact with each participant before the workshop begins.
Part 3 of 4: Carrying out the Workshop
Step 1. Introduce yourself and open a workshop
After all participants have sat down, direct their attention to the workshop. Tell us your name and your first name. Explain that you have expertise on the topic of the workshop and why you would like to discuss it. Explain the purpose and benefits of the workshop to participants. Inform the workshop schedule so that participants can prepare themselves. Deliver the explanation in a few minutes.
- Although the topic of the workshop is quite serious, be humorous so that the atmosphere is more pleasant and participants feel more comfortable.
- Tell the things that have been provided for participants in the room and what they need to do. For example: ask participants to write their names and wear badges, have a cup of coffee, and share the material that has been distributed. Inform when the material will be discussed so that participants do not need to immediately read or prepare a laptop.
Step 2. Begin the workshop by breaking the ice
Ask participants to introduce themselves. Limit the introduction time by asking participants to say a few things, for example: their names and what they expect from the workshop. Allow enough time for each participant to feel comfortable speaking in front of the group, but not too long.
To make the atmosphere more intimate, ask each participant to answer a personal question, for example: “What is your favorite movie?” or “What song do you like the most?”
Step 3. Present a clear schedule of activities
You need to explain the schedule of activities so that the things you have prepared can be carried out properly and participants do not ask questions. Put a schedule on your desk and run the workshop on schedule. They will appreciate it if they have information about what you are going to do and why. For example, explain to participants the following:
- “First, we'll go over a case study to make sure you understand the problem. After that, we will form several small groups to find the most appropriate solution to the problem.”
- “Before you start learning a new computer program, we're going to cover some terms that you need to understand. After that, you will take a test to make sure you understand the term. Next, we will discuss various things through discussion sessions.”
- “Introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you. In a few minutes we will have a role play in pairs as counselor and student interacting.”
Step 4. Prepare alternative activities
In addition to preparing the workshop schedule, anticipate by preparing alternative activities in case the agenda needs to be changed according to the responses and expectations of participants. That way, you are ready if there are questions, suggestions, and requests from participants. Also prepare several choices of activities that will be determined by voting. This way, you can focus on the material that really matters, instead of on the material that isn't helpful.
Step 5. Use interaction techniques to convey information
Follow up the delivery of information by holding group activities so that participants better understand the information you convey. Interaction in groups is a very effective method for teaching problem-solving techniques. The technique of teaching workshops is different from teaching lectures. To make participants feel more valued, ask them to contribute their thoughts and opinions. Let participants teach each other what you teach them, for example by:
- Present information briefly and then ask participants to ask questions.
- Form several groups and then assign tasks to participants. After that, ask each group to present a report in front of all participants.
- Play the video and ask participants to discuss their responses in pairs.
- Give advice on how to solve the problem and then ask a few participants to do a role play.
- Invite an expert to demonstrate a particular technique and then have participants answer quiz questions about the technique.
Step 6. Don't talk too much
You don't need to keep talking and explaining small things during the workshop because participants will feel bored and irritated. Remember that workshops are not lectures or meetings as they involve more interaction, activities, and group work.
Step 7. Provide scheduled breaks
A break is an opportunity to absorb information and reflect. Inform participants of the break schedule before the workshop begins so they can determine when to go to the restroom, make calls, and attend to personal matters. Do not cancel the schedule of breaks, even if the availability of time is very limited.
Step 8. Change activity every 20-30 minutes
The ability to concentrate will decrease after doing the same activity for 20 minutes. Take advantage of this condition as a way to increase creativity, rather than as a constraint. Make changes by doing different activities, asking participants to rearrange their chairs, or taking breaks every 20-30 minutes to keep everyone engaged and motivated.
Step 9. Turn on the mood
Even if you are discussing a serious topic, participants will pay attention and it will be easier for you to understand the information if you occasionally share an anecdote. Think of an ethical and responsible way to tell humor when you're giving presentations, leading discussions, and activities. It also keeps participants relaxed, awake, and comfortable.
Step 10. Create an atmosphere of mutual respect and democracy
Treat each participant fairly and with respect. Each participant must have the same opportunity, for example to be the leader of a discussion group. Encourage quiet or shy participants to talk. In this way, everyone will feel heard and appreciated. Do not let the participants or yourself dominate the discussion.
Step 11. Be prepared for the unexpected
Workshops usually run smoothly assuming all participants come because they want to learn. However, there may be participants who do not want to participate or disturb other participants. Be professional in any situation. Show respectable behavior so that others will respect you. Explain what you expect from participants. If a participant annoys or harasses another participant, ask him or her to speak privately. Emphasize the importance of what you teach and explain that you expect participants to be mature and professional.
Step 12. Conclude the workshop by summarizing the material presented
Briefly explain all the material you covered during the workshop so that participants know what they learned and what skills they acquired. Restate the objectives of the workshop that you explained in your opening remarks and state that it is hoped that the participants will have achieved these objectives. Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and the new knowledge they have gained.
Part 4 of 4: Follow-up After the Workshop
Step 1. Ask for feedback before the workshop ends
Prepare an evaluation form and ask participants to fill it out a few minutes before the workshop closes. Give them enough time to comment and answer questions well. Direct feedback is useful for improving the quality of the workshop and developing the knowledge to be taught. Ask participants the following questions:
- What is the purpose of this workshop? Has this goal been achieved?
- What activities were most helpful while you were studying the workshop materials? What activities are not useful during your workshops?
- Is the duration of the workshop sufficient?
- Of the various workshop materials (papers, articles, quizzes, etc.), which are the most useful and which are not?
- What did you learn or develop through this workshop?
- What did your colleagues learn or develop through this workshop?
- Is there anything that needs to be changed or improved from this workshop? If so, please provide suggestions for improvement.
- Are there other workshop topics you'd like to take part in?
Step 2. Contact participants a few days or weeks after the workshop as a follow-up
Ask participants if you can contact them for input on the conduct of the workshop. Some people need time to reflect on their experiences during the workshop. You may gain new insights after contacting participants a few days or weeks later by asking the following questions:
- How well do you remember the information you learned during the workshop?
- Are you still thinking about the things you got during the workshop?
- What are the benefits of a workshop that helps you at work? Is there a more helpful way?
- After attending the workshop, what materials do you still use? What material have you discarded or ignored?
Step 3. Schedule follow-up workshops if needed
If enough participants are interested in the follow-up workshop, consider holding a level 2 workshop. Use this workshop to answer more questions, discuss topics in greater depth, or develop techniques taught in level 1 workshops. have been discussed and are suitable for participants with higher skills.
Tips
- Plan as best you can, but be prepared if the plan has to be changed during the workshop.
- Pay attention to participant responses during the workshop. If you are in doubt whether participants respond well to a particular activity, ask questions and ask for feedback.
- Set clear goals and how to achieve them through various activities.
- Tech tools are very useful, but make sure you can operate them properly! If you don't understand how to use a computer to make a presentation, ask for help or use another method.
