Workshop Facilitation Toolkit
Overview
The Workshop Facilitation Toolkit skill provides specialized capabilities for designing and facilitating effective workshops. This skill enables creation of comprehensive workshop agendas, engaging activities, facilitation guides, and adaptations for hybrid/remote settings.
Capabilities
Workshop Agenda Creation
- Create workshop agendas with time allocations
- Balance content and interaction
- Plan realistic timing with buffers
- Design progressive flow
Ice-Breaker and Energizer Generation
- Generate appropriate ice-breakers
- Design mid-session energizers
- Match activities to audience and context
- Create virtual-friendly options
Brainstorming Activity Design
- Design brainstorming activities
- Apply divergent thinking techniques
- Create structured ideation sessions
- Enable inclusive participation
Voting and Prioritization Exercises
- Create voting mechanisms
- Design prioritization exercises
- Enable democratic decision-making
- Generate consensus activities
Facilitation Script Generation
- Generate facilitation scripts
- Create timing cues
- Develop transition phrases
- Prepare contingency responses
Participant Materials
- Create participant materials and handouts
- Design worksheets and templates
- Prepare pre-work instructions
- Generate takeaway summaries
Hybrid/Remote Adaptations
- Design hybrid/remote workshop adaptations
- Select appropriate digital tools
- Plan for technical contingencies
- Enable equal participation across modalities
Usage
Design Workshop Agenda
Design a workshop agenda for:
Purpose: [Workshop goal]
Duration: [Available time]
Participants: [Number and roles]
Include activities, timing, and materials needed.
Generate Ice-Breakers
Recommend ice-breaker activities for:
Workshop Type: [Type]
Participants: [Number and familiarity]
Setting: [In-person/Virtual/Hybrid]
Provide 3 options with instructions.
Create Facilitation Guide
Create a facilitation guide for this workshop:
[Workshop agenda]
Include scripts, timing, and contingency plans.
Adapt for Remote
Adapt this in-person workshop for remote delivery:
[Workshop design]
Recommend tools and modified activities.
Process Integration
This skill integrates with the following business analysis processes:
- requirements-elicitation-workshop.js - Elicitation workshop facilitation
- stakeholder-analysis.js - Stakeholder workshop sessions
- consulting-engagement-planning.js - Client workshop design
- change-readiness-assessment.js - Assessment workshop facilitation
Dependencies
- Workshop templates and activity libraries
- Facilitation best practices
- Digital collaboration tools knowledge
- Time management frameworks
Workshop Facilitation Reference
Workshop Agenda Template
WORKSHOP: [Title]
Date: [Date] | Duration: [X hours]
Location: [Venue/Platform]
Facilitator: [Name]
OBJECTIVES:
1. [Objective 1]
2. [Objective 2]
3. [Objective 3]
AGENDA:
| Time | Duration | Activity | Method | Materials |
|------|----------|----------|--------|-----------|
| 9:00 | 15 min | Welcome & Intro | Presentation | Slides |
| 9:15 | 10 min | Ice-breaker | Activity | None |
| 9:25 | 45 min | Topic 1 | Discussion | Whiteboard |
| 10:10 | 15 min | Break | - | - |
| 10:25 | 45 min | Topic 2 | Brainstorm | Post-its |
| 11:10 | 20 min | Prioritization | Dot voting | Dots |
| 11:30 | 20 min | Action Planning | Small groups | Template |
| 11:50 | 10 min | Wrap-up | Plenary | Parking lot |
PRE-WORK:
- [Pre-work item 1]
- [Pre-work item 2]
MATERIALS:
- [Material 1]
- [Material 2]
Ice-Breaker Categories
| Category | Duration | Best For | Examples | |----------|----------|----------|----------| | Quick intro | 5-10 min | New groups | Two truths and a lie | | Team building | 15-20 min | Collaboration focus | Common ground | | Energizer | 5 min | After lunch/breaks | Quick challenges | | Topic warm-up | 10-15 min | Subject introduction | Experience sharing |
Brainstorming Techniques
| Technique | Description | Best For | |-----------|-------------|----------| | Classic brainstorm | Free-form idea generation | Broad exploration | | Round robin | Each person shares in turn | Equal participation | | Silent brainstorm | Individual then share | Introverted groups | | Brainwriting | Write, pass, build | Building on ideas | | 6-3-5 | 6 people, 3 ideas, 5 rounds | Structured ideation | | SCAMPER | Systematic prompts | Innovation focus |
Prioritization Methods
| Method | Description | Best For | |--------|-------------|----------| | Dot voting | Each person gets X dots | Quick prioritization | | MoSCoW | Must/Should/Could/Won't | Requirements | | Impact/Effort | 2x2 matrix | Project planning | | $100 game | Allocate fake budget | Trade-off decisions | | Ranking | Forced order | Clear priorities |
Virtual Workshop Tools
| Tool Type | Examples | Use Case | |-----------|----------|----------| | Video conferencing | Zoom, Teams, Meet | Main session | | Whiteboard | Miro, Mural, Jamboard | Collaboration | | Polling | Slido, Mentimeter | Quick feedback | | Breakout | Platform breakouts | Small groups | | Documents | Google Docs, Office 365 | Co-creation |
Facilitation Best Practices
- Start on time: Respect punctual participants
- Set ground rules: Establish norms early
- Balance participation: Draw out quiet voices
- Manage time: Keep to schedule with buffers
- Park tangents: Use parking lot for off-topic items
- Summarize frequently: Check understanding
- Document visibly: Capture on shared space
- End with actions: Clear next steps and owners
Difficult Situations Responses
| Situation | Response | |-----------|----------| | Dominant participant | "Let's hear from others..." | | Off-topic discussion | "Let's park that for later" | | Conflict | "I hear different perspectives..." | | Low energy | "Let's take a quick break/energizer" | | Technology issues | "While we fix this, let's [backup]" | | Running late | "Let's adjust by [specific change]" |