Workshop Facilitation Techniques

WORKSHOP FACILITATION TECHNIQUES

The use of facilitation is an increasingly important part of business life, since a collaborative approach to working is widely recognised as the most effective way to make decisions, capture requirements, plan projects and gain consensus.

The focus is on a team-based approach, with the right people and skills being brought together to produce high quality outputs in a short time. In order to do this in the most effective way, a trained facilitator is essential.

Overview
This course is designed to explore the rich communication skills and techniques required to successfully facilitate workshops and meetings in a business context. Interactive theory and practical sessions engage delegates in a variety of realistic scenarios. From ice breakers and energisers to handling difficult people and situations, this course is the ideal choice to discover and develop new facilitation skills.

Duration
This is a 2 day course.

Prerequisites, evening study and examinations
There are no pre-requisites for the course. There is some informal work on the first evening, where delegates choose a technique to practice and prepare a workshop for the following day.

Course Objectives
This course will enable delegates to:
- Facilitate workshops
- Choose techniques to improve the effectiveness of workshops
- Understand and handle difficult people and situations
- Understand their own impact and effect on a workshop
- Find materials and networks to further develop their learningand skills as a facilitator


Who Should Attend
Those who are likely to be involved in facilitation, including:
- Project Managers
- Team Leaders
- Business Analysts
- Systems Analysts
- Facilitators requiring a refresher for their skills and exposure tonew ideas and techniques
- Those wishing to improve their effectiveness at runningworkshops and business meetings


Course Content
Manage the Event
- What is a facilitator
- What does the facilitator manage
- What is a workshop
- NLP and well-formed outcomes
- Planning the workshop
- Checklist for success

Manage the Process
- What happens in workshops
- Choosing appropriate decision making techniques
- Techniques for managing the process
- Force field analysis
- Ishikawa diagram
- Gap analysis

Manage Groups & Individuals
- Self awareness
- Group dynamics
- Difficult people and situations
- Techniques for managing dynamics

Paradigm Preserving, Stretching and Breaking
- Group stages
- Group maturity levels
- Techniques for different levels and stages
- Icebreakers and energisers

Completing the Process
- Support organisations
- Tools
- Networks
- Qualifications

Evening Study
- Preparing a workshop