Workshop toolkit template

Use this template to go from a blank mural to a workshop structure in no time! 

Save time preparing for sessions and be ready for last-minute events. This template contains the building blocks to structure your murals for any workshops or meetings. 

With clear, customizable blocks, organize your session and tailor the experience with specific instructions. It’s the smart way to align your content with participants’ needs, ensuring your workshops are efficient and engaging.

The workshop toolkit template helps you:

• Engage with the perspectives of your participants, fostering an environment ripe for empathy and deep insight.
• Leverage structured activities to distill the collective wisdom of your group, leading to more nuanced and informed choices.
• Fine-tune your workshop's output to align with participant feedback, ensuring the results are actionable and meaningful.

How to use the workshop toolkit template

To effectively use the workshop toolkit template, follow these steps:

1. Outline the agenda and objectives

Begin by defining the overarching goal and specific objectives of your workshop. Then, create an agenda that aligns with these aims. Consider the sequence of activities, timing, participant engagement, and how each segment contributes to the workshop's objectives. Ensure this agenda is clear and accessible to all participants and provides a roadmap for the session.

2. Design your session

Tailor the workshop to fit your goals by considering the following:

• Participant profiles: Who'll attend, and what are their needs or perspectives?
• Workshop activities: What exercises, discussions, or content will you include?
• Resources needed: Identify any resources or tools required for the activities.
• Environment setup: Arrange the physical or virtual space to suit your interactive methods.
• Roles and responsibilities: Assign tasks to facilitators and participants to support the flow of the workshop.
• Documentation plan: Decide how to capture feedback, ideas, and outcomes.

Use the customizable sections of the template to organize these aspects, making your workshop both engaging and effective.

3. Execute your plan

With the structure in place, conduct your workshop. Guide the activities as planned, facilitating discussions and engaging participants. Make sure that all voices are heard and that the environment is conducive to sharing and creativity.

Try these tips to ensure a smooth and engaging session:

• Break the ice: Start by creating a welcoming atmosphere. Encourage participants to introduce themselves and share their background or expectations. If you can't think of an icebreaker question to kick things off, we've got 100 good options for you.
• Offer guidance: Provide participants with essential tips for navigating the workshop tools and space. Clearly outline the ground rules to foster a respectful and productive environment. 
• Organize ideas: Use a “Parking Lot” or similar area to note off-topic questions, ideas, or thoughts that arise during the workshop. This practice ensures that no idea gets lost and can be revisited later.
• Encourage feedback: Throughout the workshop, provide opportunities for participants to share their thoughts and reactions. Whether through direct discussion, feedback forms, or interactive polls, capturing these insights is crucial for understanding the impact of your session and making the necessary adjustments.
• Share resources: Equip participants with additional materials like links to online resources or tools related to the workshop's theme or activities. Providing these resources supports continued learning and the application of the workshop content beyond the session.

4. Review and adapt

After the workshop, collect feedback and review the outcomes. What worked well? What could be improved? Use the insights gained to refine future workshops, applying what you’ve learned to make each session more effective than the last.

Post-workshop reflection is critical for continuous improvement and mastery. Here's how to maximize this phase:

• Gather comprehensive feedback: Reach out for detailed input from all participants, including what they found most engaging and areas they felt could be enhanced. 
• Analyze with a constructive lens: Look beyond the surface of comments and scores. Seek to understand the reasons behind participants' experiences. What specific elements contributed to the successes? Where were the disconnects or missed opportunities?
• Celebrate successes: Acknowledge and share what went exceptionally well. Identifying strengths boosts morale and helps codify best practices for your team's methodology.
• Strategize for improvement: Pinpoint areas for enhancement and develop actionable strategies. Consider how different approaches, formats, or content better align with your objectives and the participants’ needs.
• Document and share learnings: Create a summary of insights and actions taken. Share this with your team or broader community to foster a culture of openness and collective learning.

Tips for running a workshop with this toolkit template:

To run a successful and immersive workshop, you should:

• Use the space: Don’t feel obligated to use every template section. Tailor the space to your needs by keeping what’s useful and clearing out the rest to minimize clutter.
• Personalize your approach: Add session-specific instructions and information. This practice sets clear expectations and guides participants through the workshop's flow.
• Manage your content: Lock elements to prevent accidental edits and unlock them when updates are needed. Remember to group related items for organized discussions and ungroup when you need to isolate ideas for clarity.
• Highlight key ideas: Assign tags to sticky notes to categorize key points and make essential ideas stand out.
• Facilitate navigation: Encourage participants to zoom in for detailed discussions and zoom out for a broader view of the workshop canvas, ensuring everyone stays oriented and engaged.