Keeping Workshops Practical

Considering delivery limitations and active learning techniques

Jun 4, 2006

Logistical constraints, audience engagement and practicality of content are important factors of corporate training workshop design.

In the first article on workshop design, we discussed keeping workshops focused by looking at the need for the training, who the audience is and the key messages the workshop needs to deliver. In this article we'll look at how to keep workshops practical, consider logistical constraints and determine ways to keep the learning active.

4. What are your delivery limitations?

If your workshop is part of a conference or a lunch and learn, you may have an hour or slightly more. If your workshop is a stand alone, you may have up to 6 hours to work with. The amount of time you have will determine how many activities and how much content you can cover. Draw up an outline of the workshop and designate the time needed for each segment to make sure the total is within your timeframe.

A projector and a computer may not be available. Technology can be your best friend when demonstrating software applications or web based tools and your worst enemy when there are glitches (power outages, servers down, broken equipment and the like). If you plan to use technology, always have a low-tech back up plan. Also consider whether you need flip charts or white boards and if the room be set-up to accommodate small group work. If you are presenting your workshop in a conference center or hotel, the event staff can help you determine the best room set-up and can provide a quote on audio-visual rentals. Private AV rental firms are another option if your company does not have presentation equipment.

Sometimes the answer is simple - down the hall - but other times employees are spread all over North America or internationally. If distance is a factor and it isn't feasible to budget travel expenses, activities and other design elements need to be tweaked or removed entirely if they are not conducive to teleconferencing or interactive meeting software.

5. How will you keep the learning active?

Active learning techniques engage the audience. If the activities simulate the work environment, then the relevancy of the content is hit home. Adults need this interactivity to not only keep things interesting but to appeal to different learning styles. These techniques can be completed as small group or individual work depending on the number of participants and the time constraints.

See the following blog entries on each of the following methods of keeping learning active:

6. Is the information practical?

Corporate training, above all else, needs to be practical. This is the difference between corporate training and academic training. If the content is not linked to the audience's day-to-day tasks, the return on investment (ROI) will be low. It is important to thoroughly understand the challenges that staff face regarding this content and build in an activity to guide problem solving and/or suggest solutions in the summary. It is dangerous to make assumptions about the real workplace as you'll lose the respect of your audience if your assumptions are inaccurate. Consult company experts and view the workplace yourself to see first-hand what they will be up against when they return to work.

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The copyright of the article Keeping Workshops Practical in Designing Training Tools is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish Keeping Workshops Practical in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.