Delivery Matters

Stories behind workshop plans,
sticky notes and markers.

Author: Deborah Rim Moiso

10 effective workshop rules for more productive sessions

Workshops are dynamic, participatory environments where collaboration thrives. To set the tone and ensure productive teamwork, it’s a common practice for leaders and facilitators to establish agreements at the start of a session—often called 'ground rules'. But why are workshop rules so essential? They create a framework for how groups work together, increasing clarity, preventing misunderstandings, and keeping discussions focused. Whether you’re leading a brainstorming session, a team alignment meeting, or a training workshop, ground rules set the stage for meaningful collaboration. In this article, we’ll explore what workshop rules are, why they matter, and how to use them effectively. You’ll find plenty of examples, practical methods for co-creating them…

A professional woman working in front of a wall full of sticky notes

How to run a workshop (with a free workshop design canvas)

Are you preparing to debut as a facilitator, trainer, or workshop guide? Maybe you’re a team leader who’d like to try out more collaborative methods but are unsure where to begin? You’ve come to the right place. In this quick starter guide we will go through all the essential information you need to confidently run your first workshop. Taking it step-by-step, we will look into how to craft an invitation, what to include in the opening section of your event, how to guide the group through activities, and what to do in closing. To get you started designing your first workshop, we've also included a free Workshop Design Canvas you…

A young woman reading a book in a library

The top 11 most recommended facilitation books you’ll want to read

Looking to fill your bookshelf (or e-reader) with essential texts on facilitation and workshop design? This is the place to be! Here at SessionLab, we've surveyed over a thousand facilitators, trainers, and leaders to uncover their top go-to facilitation books. Read on to find the 11 recommendations not to be missed! Reading facilitation books will help you understand the deeper roots of the role, give you a bedrock of activities and tools and of course, if you are purchasing these as actual books and putting them on a shelf, will also provide you with a lovely and appropriate background for all your video calls. Why facilitation books matter Facilitation is…

What is group facilitation? 12 tips for better group management

Group facilitation is more than just bringing people together in a room and hoping for the best. It’s about removing obstacles and creating the right conditions where collaboration can thrive. When a meeting or event flows well, it can feel like magic. But it actually isn't: you can easily improve your day-to-day meetings or stakeholder events by applying some simple group management tips. In this article, we’ll explore what makes group facilitation effective and share 12 tips to help you bring out the best in any group you’re working with. What is group facilitation? Whenever a group of people assembles to get something done, there is a need for guidance…

Six icons representing the roles of a facilitator. A compass for guide, a heart for community builder, a flag for team coach, a microphone for host, a dove for peacebuilder and a checklist for experience designer

What is the role of a facilitator?

Facilitators play a crucial role in helping groups have productive discussions and make tough decisions. As a facilitator, understanding the various roles you might occupy during a workshop or meeting can help things flow seamlessly and ensure group discussions and training sessions are effective. In this post, I’ll explore the six roles of a facilitator and how to use them in your practice. Each one highlights a unique set of skills that facilitators use to help groups stay focused, energized, and productive — much more than simply handing out sticky notes. 6 roles of a facilitator Facilitation is a relatively new field of interest and, as such, we don’t really…

What is a facilitator and what do they do?

As a professional facilitator, there are certain questions I find it really hard to answer. Such basic, chit-chat-at-the-dinner-party questions, in fact, that it’s almost embarrassing. Questions like: What is a "facilitator"? Why do people hire you? What is it that you actually do? To get to the bottom of these matters I’ll be using my own experience, that of colleagues from my networks and, in particular, data drawn from the State of Facilitation in 2023 report, which is based on over 1100 responses to a global survey. If you are considering starting a career as a facilitator or want to brush up on your skills, read on to be prepared…

a woman writing on a whiteboard with a sharpie pen

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 Forbes article) and a workplace superpower. Knowing how to design a meeting…

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.…

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,…

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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