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Designing Successful Workshops: A Workbook On
Designing Successful Workshops: A Workbook On
DESIGNING SUCCESSFUL
WORKSHOPS
This workbook on Designing Successful Workshops will introduce you to the design and
implementation of successful workshops in your own setting/s.
The goal of this workbook is to describe a number of principles and strategies that can be
used to make workshops more effective. The effectiveness of a workshop leads to two
outcomes: “demonstrable learning or skill development and change or improvement in
practice”. (1) We hope that this workbook will help you to develop workshops with this level
of effectiveness.
We recommend that you complete the entire workbook as topics, or steps, are integrated.
The workbook will guide you through the following process:
3
Getting help
If you are having difficulties with the workbook itself, or if you would like some help with
regards to some of the content of this workbook on designing successful workshops, please
contact us at:
Your feedback
We hope that you find this workbook useful and we encourage you to give us feedback by
emailing us at facdev.med@mcgill.ca.
4
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Faculty Development Office opened in the fall of 1994 with the aim of assisting faculty
members in their roles as educators, researchers, and administrators, using a broad range
of methods to achieve faculty goals. Faculty Development endeavors are coordinated by
members of the Faculty Development Team who work together closely with the Associate
Deans for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education, chairs and program directors in all
of the schools, and in collaboration with colleagues throughout the Faculty of Medicine. We
design and implement faculty-wide and departmental workshops and seminars. The
workshops are chosen in line with the needs of faculty members, and information obtained
through: needs assessments of faculty members in the Faculty at large; surveys of faculty
development activities across the country; the evaluation of specific faculty development
workshops; an analysis of why faculty members do not participate in organized faculty
development activities; and a systematic review of faculty development designed to
enhance teaching effectiveness (5).
Topics have included: leadership and change; role modelling; educating for cultural
awareness; interactive lecturing; teaching technical and procedural skills; evaluating
residents; writing for publication; PowerPoint; Reference Manager; and more.
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STEP 1
DEFINING A TOPIC
Here are some additional questions to consider which will help you to define the topic of
your workshop:
- Why is this topic important? (What will be the impact? Are you trying to address an
identified issue/problem by offering this workshop? Was this topic identified as a training need
within your group?)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
* TIP: An educational need has been defined as the gap between the current level of
knowledge, behavior or performance, and the desired, optimal or ideal level. (4)
- What expertise is available to prepare and conduct this workshop? (Do you have a
content expert working with you on this workshop? Do you have a team member with
experience in facilitation?)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
* TIP: Having both a content expert and a facilitation expert will help you in the
development and in the delivery of your workshop, as both parties provide valuable,
complementary expertise, which will help to ensure that your workshop is a success.
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IDENTIFYING THE TARGET AUDIENCE
Intended Audience: (What background do your future participants have? How much will they
know about the topic and how much will it differ from one person to the next? What do you
think will be their expectations?)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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STEP 2
CONDUCTING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Consultations with colleagues and experts (e.g. individual interviews and focus groups –
with target group, participants, and experts)
Literature reviews
8
NEEDS ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET
Outline which assessment methods and data sources you plan to use:
Assessment Methods:
Data Sources:
9
STEP 3
DEFINING WORKSHOP GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Defining your workshop goals and objectives is one of the most important steps in designing
a workshop.
Overall Goal(s) of Your Workshop: (What are you trying to achieve? Why is it important
for you to do so?)
*TIP: Determine your goals carefully, for they will inevitably influence your
choice of teaching method, the sequence of proposed learning activities, and
the evaluation strategy. (6)
10
Definition of ‘Objective’: A statement describing a proposed change in a learner – a
statement of what the learner is to be like when he/she has successfully completed a
learning experience. (8)
*TIP: Statements describing objectives should begin with the phrase “by the
end of the workshop, the learner will be able to: ...” followed by an active
verb that demonstrates that learning has taken place. (4)
To help you write your objectives, you may wish to refer to the grid on page 10 called
“Levels of Educational Objectives”, a modification of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational
objectives.
11
On the left-hand column of this grid are levels of learning. The “knowledge level”, at the top,
is the most basic form of learning and the “evaluation level”, at the bottom, is the most
advanced. Once you have established what level of learning you would like your workshop
participants to achieve, you can refer to the right-hand column for examples of verbs which
can be used in defining your objectives.
Knowledge define
list
Recall information. match
name
recall
Comprehension classify
describe
Interpret information in own words. explain
identify
review
Application apply
choose
Apply knowledge or generalize to new situations demonstrate
illustrate
solve
Analysis analyze
compare
Break down knowledge into parts and show contrast
relationship among the parts. criticize
differentiate
Synthesis arrange
construct
Bring together parts of knowledge to form a whole create
and build relationships for new situations. organize
synthesize
Evaluation appraise
assess
Make judgments on basis of given criteria. evaluate
judge
predict
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STEP 4
DECIDING ON TIME FRAME AND NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
Intended Time Frame: (How much time do you have to give your workshop? Do you want
to include a break for the participants? Will the participants need to move from one room to
another during the workshop and, if yes, do you need to allow time for that?)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Intended Number of Participants:
*TIP: The number of participants in a workshop can have a big impact on the
level of interaction. To ensure interactivity, you will need to choose a
workshop format appropriate for the number of participants. For example,
the format could combine a plenary session & small group sessions, or it
could be small group sessions only. Ideally, small groups should include no
more than 8-12 participants. You should also ensure that you have planned
for an adequate number of group facilitators.
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STEP 5
DEFINING AND DESIGNING WORKSHOP CONTENT
Now that you have established your workshop objectives and time frame, it is time to
brainstorm about the content that will be covered in your workshop.
Use the diagram on page 14 to establish what content elements will be associated with each
of your objectives. Content does not refer to teaching methods but to the knowledge, skills
and attitudes that will be communicated to the participants.
For example:
For a workshop on effective teamwork, one of the objectives could be: to help participants to
recognize and reflect on their own behaviour in teams. A content element that could be
included to meet this objective is to present the ingredients of effective teamwork (e.g.
communication, common goal).
For the same workshop, another objective could be to describe strategies to improve team
function. In this case the associated content element could be looking at ways to improve
communication (e.g. regular team meetings) or common goals (e.g. clear articulation).
15
Objective 1: Objective 2: Objective 3:
16
STEP 6
MATCHING TEACHING & LEARNING METHODS TO CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES
Before we start looking at the teaching and learning methods that can be used in your
workshop, here is an outline of key principles of adult learning (which should be kept in mind
when choosing teaching and learning methods):
Here are examples of methods commonly used in workshops, the majority of which promote
active participation and interaction (10):
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Practice – with opportunities for feedback
Video reviews
This next step will help you to match the content elements that you came up with in Step 5
with the appropriate teaching and learning methods. Refer to the graph below and list your
content on the left-hand column, then match this content with the most applicable method.
18
MATCHING TEACHING & LEARNING METHODS TO CONTENT *
Content Method(s)
______________________
* Consider the pros and cons for each method.
19
STEP 7
CHOOSING TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES
*TIP: Remember that people remember 20% of what they hear, 30% of
what they see, and 50% of what they SEE and HEAR. (Labonté, 1972)
With your workshop content in mind, establish whether you will need any teaching visual
aids or resources. Here are some examples:
Written Materials:
e.g. Handouts
Case vignettes
Study guides
Worksheets
Bibliographies
Audio-Visual Materials:
e.g. Slides
Flip charts
Videos/films
Computer-Aided Instruction:
e.g. On-line discussion groups
On-line cases and quizzes
Web-based teaching groups
20
Using the grid provided below, match the content elements of your workshop with the
teaching aids that will be required:
21
STEP 8
DESIGNING A WORKSHOP PROGRAM / AGENDA
The next step is to establish the order that the content should come in as well as the amount
of time that should be allocated to each content element. In planning your agenda, consider
pace, focus and variety. Whenever possible, try to allow for extra time in order to enable
flexibility.
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*TIP: Flexibility is one of the key ingredients of a successful workshop. As
important as it is to plan ahead, it is even more important to be prepared to
abandon your prepared agenda! (6)
*TIP: Vary your activities and your style: Make sure that the workshop flows
at a pace that keeps the participants’ attention. Appropriate pacing implies,
moving the workshop along while leaving room for the group to slow down
or speed up the presentation. (6)
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STEP 9
DESIGNING THE WORKSHOP EVALUATION
Consider the following questions. Your answers will help you to design the evaluation form
for your workshop. A sample evaluation form is available on page 24 to help guide you.
Why?
What?
When?
How?
Who?
24
**TIP: At a minimum, a practical and feasible evaluation should
include an assessment of utility and relevance, content, teaching and
learning methods, and intent to change. Moreover, as evaluation is
an integral part of program planning, it should be conceptualized at
the beginning of any program. It should also include qualitative and
quantitative assessments of learning and behaviour change.
(4 & 11)
25
Sample evaluation form
Please rate the plenary and small group sessions in terms of how useful you found them.
26
STEP 10
FINE-TUNING THE WORKSHOP PLAN
It is important to understand that each element in the workshop design influences the other:
the choice of goals and objectives have an impact on the content, which has an impact on
the choice of teaching methods and aids, which, in turn, influences what will be evaluated
and how.
Goals and
Objectives
Evaluation
Content
Teaching
Methods and
Aids
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STEP 11
RECRUITING AND PREPARING WORKSHOP FACULTY
To encourage group discussion and experiential learning, it is recommended that you recruit
an adequate number of workshop faculty. In order to maximize interaction, the participants
should be divided into small groups of 8-12 participants. This size group should be relatively
manageable for the group facilitators.
Who will you recruit? (How many workshop facilitators will you need?)
What will be their role? (How many experienced workshop facilitators should you have on
the team? How many content experts will you need and do they need to be paired with an
experience facilitator?)
If they are not involved in the development/design of the workshop, how will you
prepare your workshop faculty? (Will you ask for their opinion once the core of the work
has been done?)
When will you hold your “dry-run”? (A “dry run” is an opportunity to go through the
workshop materials with the workshop faculty and make any necessary adjustments.)
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*TIP: A “dry run”, during which the workshop objectives, content and
process are reviewed and the final plan is confirmed, can be very
helpful. Through collective planning and understanding of the
workshop rationale, “buy-in” and a sense of ownership are promoted.
In addition, both workshop content and process (i.e., how the session
will be run) should be reviewed. At times, a written handout with
suggested guidelines on how to conduct the session can also help to
ensure uniformity and success. Immediately following the workshop, a
“de-briefing” session can be held, to highlight what did – and didn’t –
work, and to plan for the next time. (4)
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STEP 12
DETERMINING LOCALE AND WORKSHOP BUDGET
The layout of the room used for a workshop can help or hinder the dynamics of the group
during a workshop. A room where all participants can see each other (i.e. not a classroom or
theatre style layout) will assist the workshop facilitator in creating a more interactive learning
environment.
Intended locale/room:
Other possiblities:
30
Budget:
The budget for your workshop should be agreed at the start of the project. The outline below
indicates some of the major cost items of a workshop, but this list may not include all items
that apply to your situation. An Excel template that may be useful can also be found at:
http://www.mcgill.ca/medicinefacdev/resources/teaching/
Workshop Costs
Honoraria................................................................................... $_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
* A template Excel spreadsheet for budget planning is available on the Faculty Development
website at: www.mcgill.ca/medicinefacdev/resources/teaching.
31
STEP 13
Here are a few ideas related to marketing which you may wish to consider if you need to
advertise your workshop and/or recruit for participants:
e.g. Letter
Flyer
Brochure
Website
Email
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STEP 14
FINALIZING ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS – SAMPLE CHECKLIST
Workshop Preparation
Conduct needs assessment
Define workshop objectives
Design content
Decide on teaching methods and aids
Design workshop evaluation
Prepare program
Workshop Locale
Reserve rooms
Confirm rooms
Organize refreshments/lunch
Order necessary equipment
Workshop Finances
Determine workshop costs
Prepare budget
Seek financial support
Publicity
Determine workshop publicity strategy
Design announcement/s
Send announcement/s
Workshop Participants
Record registrants
Prepare list of participants’ contact
details
Send confirmation
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Pre-Workshop Checklist Deadline Done Comments
Workshop Faculty
Recruit speakers and small group leaders
Organize date and location for dry-run
Send out reminder for dry-run
Workshop Materials
Prepare list of participants
Prepare workshop materials and handouts:
Written handouts
Case vignettes
Role plays/Simulation scenarios
Individual/Group worksheets
Study guides
Bibliography/Readings
Workshop evaluation forms
Models
Print/copy workshop materials & handouts
Prepare participants’ packages
Prepare group leaders’ packages
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Lined paper and/or coloured paper
Pencils/pens
Static images
Organize workshop supplies
Registration
Organize registration procedure
Prepare sign-in sheet
Prepare small group assignments
Prepare name tags
Post-Workshop Checklist
Revise list of participants: e.g. actual
participants, cancellations, on-site
registrations
Compile evaluations
Send follow-up letter to group leaders
Send follow-up letter to participants
Acknowledge financial support
File workshop materials
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STEP 15
CONDUCTING THE WORKSHOP
Here are few suggestions related to the delivery of a workshop which you may wish to
consider:
Room set up
An appropriate room set up can help to facilitate group interaction. As an example, you
should ensure that all participants can see you and each other. Theatre style set ups may
be appropriate for a mini-lecture section within your workshop, but not for the interactive
section.
Introduce yourself and the facilitators of the workshop to the group. If the group is small, you
may want to ask participants to briefly introduce themselves, and to state their expectations
of the workshop. If the group is large, you may want to ask the group members to introduce
themselves by a show of hands in response to questions such as: “How many of you
are….?”
It is important that the group understands your objectives and what you are trying to
accomplish. This section can also be used as an opportunity to solicit participants’
expectations for the workshop. This will inform the facilitator and provide an opportunity for
the facilitator to manage expectations.
*TIP: Tell the group what you hope to accomplish in the available
time. Specify what you will and will not do. Try to match your
objectives to the participants’ needs. Outline the schedule of events
so that the group members will know what to expect. (6)
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Encourage active participation
Interaction is important but participants must feel like they have taken some new knowledge
away at the end of the workshop. Knowledge of your participants will help you to target your
material appropriately and ensure that you meet the group’s needs and expectations.
Mini-lectures are definitely permissible in a workshop. They often help to set the tone, to
cover the basic data, and to ensure a common ground for discussion. Participants should
have an opportunity to respond to the presented information. Questions and comments from
the participants should also be encouraged.
Review Step 6 of this workbook. It is important to respect the group’s previous knowledge
and experience, motivation to learn, potential resistance to change, and ability to function as
co-learners. (4)
For a list of a variety of teaching and learning methods and aids, consult Steps 6 and 7 of
this workbook. Make sure that you plan for flexibility and time for questions, comments and
examples/cases from the participants.
Promote reflection
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Summarize your session
Firstly, re-state what you have tried to achieve in the workshop, your original goal. Secondly,
synthesize the main points that came out of the workshop and small group discussions. You
may also want to ask participants what their main individual learning point was and follow up
by discussing their action plans, i.e. how they will implement/apply what they have learned.
Getting the participants to evaluate your workshop will help you improve in the future. Refer
to Step 9 of this workbook for additional information on how to design the workshop
evaluation.
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