Thank you for providing a workshop at my event.  I hope this document is of use to you; if there is anything I can do to improve it, please contact me with your feedback.

 

1. The Early Planning Stage
   
   
   1. Presentation versus practical
      
      I believe there should always be an interactive element to any workshop, whether it involves a simple 'questions and answers' session at the end, or a full-blown, interactive demonstration.
      
      Think carefully about the subject matter.  Would your message be most effective if you held the attendees' attention by standing before them on a stage with props, for example using graphs and slides to show the results of your research; or does the audience need to learn about your subject by doing something as you are talking, for example learning a new painting technique.
      
      
   2. The desired outcome
      
      What do you want this workshop to achieve for you?  Do you want the attendees to go away with some accurate information they can use at home?  Are you hoping they will be so affected by what you have to say that they are motivated to go way and immediately take some form of positive action?  Do you simply want them to have had a good time? Remember, also, to give them something to take away with them, if it helps them to understand your message.
      
      
   3. The attendees
      
      In order to select the best style of presentation, consider very carefully the expectations and needs of the attendees. What sort of language would be most appropriate to communicate your message to them? Formal? Fun-loving? What do they expect to get out of your workshop? You must ensure that the attendees' expectations match what you are prepared to offer, either by compromising on what you were going to do, or by warning them upon arrival (or better still, beforehand) how the workshop will progress. If you are running a small, intimate workshop, where people will be invited to share personal views, you may wish to encourage trust within the group by giving everyone a chance to say something before you begin the workshop proper.
      
      
   4. Your role
      
      Decide on what your role should be within the workshop environment. Are you a leader? A facilitator? A demonstrator? Defining your role will help you to create the most effective style of presentation, in turn producing the most positive and productive response from the attendees.
      
      
   5. Available resources
      
      Carefully consider what budget you have for this workshop. Will you be paying for everything out of your own pocket, or does the event organiser have funds to spare? Should you charge for handouts, etc.?
      
      Also, ask for full information about what is available to you at the event. Is there a power point, flip chart, table, chair, etc.? Although it is a good idea to help your message across with props, be careful that you choose something that is appropriate to the workshop, rather than something you enjoy using. Also, take care not to use too many props or you may find that it has the opposite to the desired effect, and your audience becomes confused or concentrates on the props rather than what you are saying.
      
      How much time will you need/have? If you have a lot to cover, or you are covering topics that could be separated from one another, consider running a series of workshops instead of one long one.
      
      
2. Putting It All Together
   
   
   1. The three stages of a workshop
      
      Like a story in a book, or a play on a stage, your workshop will seem much more polished if you consider it in terms of having a beginning, a middle and an end. If you cannot decide what to include in your workshop, think about it as three frozen moments in time. What are you doing in each of those 'moments'? How are the attendees reacting? What should happen next?
      
      Once you have pictured those 'moments', write them down on some paper and use this as a framework on which you can build the rest of your workshop. Don't over-plan your workshop, though, or you may find it difficult to adjust if you need to make changes on the day.
      
      
   2. The beginning
      
      This will normally include a greeting, including a little about yourself (be succinct and only include what is directly relevant to the workshop). Ensure that everyone is in the right place by confirming the name of the workshop, and then further introduce your workshop by giving an outline of what you intend to cover and what you are setting out to achieve by the end. Let the attendees know whether they are welcome to ask questions during your workshop, or if they should leave all queries and comments until the end.
      
      
   3. The middle
      
      By the middle of the workshop, your attendees should completely understand the nature of the topic, and should also be used to following your style of presentation. If your workshop is due to run for more than an hour, consider giving the audience a mental break in the middle, as it will help them to re-focus if they were starting to find it difficult to follow you. There are a few ways you can do this:
      
      
      • by shifting your physical position - if you have been standing in one place, move to another area of the stage, or come down among the audience;
      • by changing your intonation - slow down, and emphasise the important points
      • by using a prop - show pictures, use objects to represent things you are talking about
      • by using humour - take care as this can backfire with some topics!
      • etc.
      
      If your workshop is due to run for more than three hours, I would strongly recommend that you give your attendees a refreshment break, and a chance to visit the toilet! If you are expecting young children, I suggest you do this earlier. When they return, be sure to give a brief summary of what has happened so far, and an idea of what is yet to come. It is a good idea to regard each section of your workshop as having a separate beginning, middle and end if your attendees leave the workshop to take a break and return later.
      
      
   4. The end
      
      Alert your attendees to the fact that your presentation is nearly over by slowing down and giving a summary of what you have covered. Thank them for attending and ask if there are any questions or comments. If they need handouts to take away with them, let them know how to obtain one. If appropriate, let the attendees know how they can find out more information, take action, or contact you in the future. If you are due to give a second workshop to follow on from this one, remind the attendees where and when to turn up.
      
      
3. Setting Up
   
   
   1. Before the event
      
      Give yourself enough time to run through the workshop, preferably with a person whose opinion you trust. Make sure you have a list of things to take with you, and get them ready well in advance. If you need things to be ready for you on the site, give a list to the event organiser in advance and also when you arrive to ensure that everything is ready and waiting for you at the start of the workshop. Agree with the event organisers who will be responsible for setting up the chairs, tables, etc., and who will put them away again afterwards.
      
      
   2. Just before your workshop starts
      
      Just before your workshop starts, ensure everything is laid out and ready. Take a quick look to make sure your notes are in the right order. If you are nervous, close your eyes and think relaxing thoughts as you become aware of your breathing through your abdomen. If you are shaking or sweating, make yourself as comfortable as possible and then try to forget it, as dwelling on those things inevitably makes it worse. Remember that the attendees have come in support of what you are doing, not to pick you to pieces! They are your friends.
      
      
4. Your Workshop
   
   
   1. At the start
      
      Allow a few minutes for people to be seated, but do not allow the workshop to start too late because the audience is chatting. Be brave and confident - don't forget that the attendees probably don't know what you are like as a workshop organiser even if you are shy on a one-to-one basis! The attendees have come because they are interested in your workshop. Put some energy into the start of the workshop, and people will feel even more motivated to pay attention and stay interested. Be aware of your body language - don't fold your arms or talk for long periods with your back to the audience. If appropriate to your topic, don't forget to smile!
      
      If you are running a small workshop, make it more intimate by grouping yourselves in a circular fashion, and ask each person to give their name and why they decided to come to the workshop.
      
      Decide carefully as to when you will pass on any handouts, as you need to balance the need for paper-based information during the workshop against the likelihood that people may read sections of the handout at random, rather than to listen to what you are saying. Ensure they understand that you will remind them when it is time to turn a page.
      
      
   2. During your workshop
      
      A lot of workshop organisers worry that the attendees won't like them, or the workshop will be a failure. Don't concern yourself with this to the point that it upsets you. As the workshop progresses, look at the faces in the audience and if you need a confidence boost, find eye contact with someone who is clearly interested in what you have to say and accept their positive feedback.
      
      You may occasionally have to deal with unwanted interruptions, or negative input from a member of the audience, so try to think in advance how you would react if this happened. Many successful workshop organisers respond to this sort of input with humour. A reasonable response would be to ask the person to leave all feedback until end. Say it with a smile, or even a grin!
      
      If you workshop requires a lot of input from the attendees, ensure that everyone feels comfortable and understands what is expected of them. Watch out for confused expressions, and if you are running a practical workshop, walk around and take a look at what people are doing, and offer words of encouragement. If anyone is struggling, spend extra time with them, but do not neglect the other workshop attendees. If you think someone is not having a good time, quietly go over to them so as not to draw too much attention to the two of you, and ask if everything is alright. Offer to help them out with the practical side of the workshop for a few minutes.
      
      If you have a lot of people at your workshop, and you find they are not generating many ideas between them, split them up into smaller discussion groups, give each group the topic to consider and ask them to come back to the main group to report the outcome of their discussions. If you notice that someone is not talking in the discussions, consider asking him/her for his/her opinion, as s/he may be feeling too shy to find a way of joining in. If someone is talking too much, join in by asking if anyone else has something to say.
      
      
   3. At the end of your workshop
      
      Run through all the signals so the attendees know their last chance to comment in front of the others is about to happen.
      
      When responding to a question or comment, take a moment to consider your response carefully before speaking, and try to be as clear and concise as possible.
      
      If you ask for comments and questions, and no one responds immediately, have a frequently asked question ready and use this to give them extra thinking time. You will probably find that this encourages others to join in afterwards. If you still don't get any questions, though, thank them for coming and take your time when leaving, as many people will come up to you on your own, rather than to talk in front of everyone else. The workshop organiser should, within reason, be the last person to leave the room.
      
      When someone asks a question, ensure that the rest of the audience understands what is being asked before you give your answer. This ensures that you maintain that feeling everyone has that they belong in the workshop and understand what is happening. Sometimes, a person will want to ask a question but feel quite shy. This may cause him/her to stammer or take a long time to think of the right words. Allow him/her enough time to ask the question, but don't be afraid to gently prompt them if you understand what it is s/he is trying to ask.
      
      If you are asked a controversial question, and don't know quite how to respond, offer the opportunity to the rest of the audience, and assume the role of facilitator instead. Be careful that you mediate effectively to ensure that opposing viewpoints do not lead to a more offensive clash. If things appear to be getting out of hand, remind the people involve that they can agree to differ. If they continue, state that you don't feel it is productive to continue with the debate and invite them to further discuss the issues after the workshop is over, so that you can allow other people to ask questions.
      
      The simplest way to ensure that everyone has a good time at your workshop is to acknowledge them individually with eye contact. As you end the workshop, take a moment to look all around you in silent appreciation for those who listened to everything you had to say. Above all, congratulate yourself - if the hard work you put into the workshop means that just one attendee feels positive about your workshop, you have still done a wonderful job!
      
      
   After your workshop is over, you may decide to reflect on your performance, how the attendees reacted, and whether or not you feel you have achieved your goals. Going through this process in an objective manner will help you to improve your future workshops.