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A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop

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How to become a (professional) facilitator

Facilitation is moving into the mainstream, and getting increasingly recognized as a rapidly growing profession and an essential set of skills.  A quick look at Google Trends told me that worldwide searches for the word “facilitation” have almost doubled from 2019 to today. A recent uptick in interest may be credited to the new needs of complex remote-first or hybrid workplaces. Whatever the reason, facilitation is on the rise.  Do you want to improve the way you run meetings or manage teams in your current position, or to set up your own freelance business? In this article, we’ll look at all you need to know if you are interested in…

10 great facilitation training courses (and more ways to learn facilitation)

Where can I learn facilitation? What facilitation training courses should I attend? How useful is it to get certified? Over at SessionLab we hear these questions all the time.  We're dedicated to sharing the benefits of facilitation in the world and increasing the number of people with facilitation skills, so we put together a handy list of the best facilitation courses you can join, remotely or in person. Boost your career and increase your confidence in leading groups with these hand-picked and vetted facilitation training courses. Facilitation skills are considered “the best kept leadership secret” (that’s from a 2021 Forbes article) and a workplace superpower. Knowing how to design a…

How to have a productive kickoff meeting (and empower your team!)

Have you ever been a part of a group project that went nowhere or was badly organized to the point of chaos? Perhaps no one knew who was accountable for what, everyone had a different idea of the goals, or the final results were poor. So, what went wrong? When it comes to empowering your team to do great work and complete projects, one of the most important things you can do is hold a kickoff meeting.   With a comprehensive project kickoff, you can position your team for success, create alignment and structure, and build resiliency to potential issues. By creating clarity, excitement, and preparedness in this short, focused meeting…

cycle of workshop planning steps

A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop

Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes and help you learn how to plan a workshop from start to finish. On a good day, facilitation can feel like effortless magic, but that is mostly the result of backstage work, foresight, and a lot of careful planning. Read on to learn a step-by-step approach to breaking the process of planning a workshop into small, manageable chunks.  The flow starts with the first meeting with a client to define the purposes of a workshop.…

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28 best Design Thinking tools and software

Design Thinking isn't just a buzzword. Bringing a human-centred design thinking process to your organization can help create meaningful solutions that solve the real problems your users are facing. But what tools exist to make design thinking more efficient and effective? In this guide, we'll share a working definition of design thinking and a collection of Design Thinking tools that will help you at every stage of the Design Thinking process. Since its debut in 1969 when Simon Herbert introduced the model in the Science of the Artificial, Design Thinking has revolutionized business models, processes of innovation and many aspects of product and service design. One of the reasons for…

What are facilitation skills and how to improve them?

Facilitation skills are the abilities you need in order to master working with a group. In essence, facilitation is about being aware of what happens when people get together to achieve a common goal, and directing their focus and attention in ways that serve the group itself.  When we work together at our best, we can achieve a lot more than anything we might attempt alone. Working with others is not always easy: teamwork is fraught with risks and pitfalls, but skilled facilitation can help navigate them with confidence. Facilitation can be a workplace superpower.  Whatever your position, career path, or life story, you probably have some experience in facilitation…

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Problem solving workshop

40 problem-solving techniques and processes

All teams and organizations encounter challenges. Approaching those challenges without a structured problem solving process can end up making things worse. Proven problem solving techniques such as those outlined below can guide your group through a process of identifying problems and challenges, ideating on possible solutions, and then evaluating and implementing the most suitable. In this post, you'll find problem-solving tools you can use to develop effective solutions. You'll also find some tips for facilitating the problem solving process and solving complex problems. What is problem solving? Problem solving is a process of finding and implementing a solution to a challenge or obstacle. In most contexts, this means going through a…

54 great online tools for workshops and meetings

Effective online tools are a necessity for smooth and engaging virtual workshops and meetings. But how do you choose the right ones? Do you sometimes feel that the good old pen and paper or MS Office toolkit and email leaves you struggling to stay on top of managing and delivering your workshop? Fortunately, there are plenty of great workshop tools to make your life easier when you need to facilitate a meeting and lead workshops. In this post, we’ll share our favorite online tools you can use to make your life easier and run better workshops and meetings. In fact, there are plenty of free online workshop tools and meeting…

How to Create an Unforgettable Training Session in 8 Simple Steps

How does learning work? A clever 9-year-old once told me: “I know I am learning something new when I am surprised.” The science of adult learning tells us that, in order to learn new skills (which, unsurprisingly, is harder for adults to do than kids) grown-ups need to first get into a specific headspace.  In a business, this approach is often employed in a training session where employees learn new skills or work on professional development. But how do you ensure your training is effective? In this guide, we'll explore how to create an effective training session plan and run engaging training sessions. As team leader, project manager, or consultant,…

How to create a course outline (and design an effective course)

A course outline is a short, concise document illustrating, at a glance, the general concept and design behind a training course or program.  Short. Concise. At-a-glance. As these words indicate, this is not a fully fleshed-out agenda, with detailed instructions for activities and timings calculated to the minute. The purpose of a course outline is to quickly communicate to your team and client what the course will be about. It should be essential, lean, and self-explanatory. Let's explore how to create a course outline and how to use it as part of your design process. If done well, course outlines can also serve as canvases upon which to build future,…

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What is Instructor-Led Training? ILT Complete Guide

When designing and delivering employee training, one size rarely fits all. While some skills and topics can be effectively taught in a self-paced environment, instructor-led training continues to be a great way to impart knowledge and skills experientially. But how do you ensure instructor-led training is engaging and cost-effective at scale? Whether you’re working in a virtual or live environment, this guide to instructor-led training will help you and your trainers deliver exceptional training experiences. We'll share share best practices, actionable insights and help you decide when instructor-led training is right for you and your team. What is instructor-led training? Instructor-led training (ILT) is a learning format where an instructor or…

How to run a Training Needs Assessment (tips + templates)

A training needs assessment (TNA) is a process through which training program designers come to define key elements of a future learning intervention (could be a class, course, program, experience, workshop).  The main aim of a training needs assessment is to clarify a current and desired state of things, and understand how to bridge the gap between the two. In this guide, we'll explore how to run a training needs assessment and share tips on how to use the information you receive and make this the basis of an effective learning solution. Training needs assessments come in many shapes and sizes. Let’s say, for example, that legislation which impacts your…

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