Use Workshop Previews to Increase Participant Enthusiasm and Commitment (Facilitation Friday #43)
Session design and facilitation must respect people’s time and deliver the most value when they convene synchronously, whether online or in-person.
Movie trailers showcase an upcoming movie in a manner that builds anticipation of, and enthusiasm for, its actual release. Effective workshop previews can do the same.
Providing a session preview PDF is now standard practice for any advance registration workshops I present. The foundation of the preview is a 5-6 page PDF, but I am experimenting with complementary information in video or audio form.
When session evaluations ask about the session preview, an average of 87% of respondents said they read all or part of it. Of those individuals, 92% rated it as positively contributing to their learning and community connections.
Building Blocks of a Session Preview
Let’s tour the common components you may want to include in a session preview to help accelerate participants’ learning and community and build their enthusiasm and commitment for the session. The following preview was for a half-day workshop design and facilitation session involving higher education professionals. I provide each page of the preview followed by a brief description of it. Here is the actual preview PDF if you’d like the complete document.
#1 Introduction
A first-page introduction highlights an off-beat list of every job I’ve ever held, my relevant experience for this specific audience, and several paragraphs orienting participants to the nature of the learning experience and how they can prepare for it.
This section helps socialize people to the workshop and reinforces the program marketing. I find the more people know about me and what is likely to happen, the more they show up ready to engage fully.
The collage listing all the jobs I’ve held along with pictures of me at various stages in life is an unexpected way to share a bit more about me both as a person and as a professional. People generally have already seen my full professional bio on the workshop registration site.
#2 Content Overview and Key Questions
Acclimating participants to the content is the focus of page two. The goal? Build their comfort with, and enthusiasm for, the content and formats. I also explain use of collateral materials (slides, handouts, et al) to further manage their expectations.
Providing the core questions attendees will be asked during the session (1) gets them in learning mode and thinking about the session and (2) supports individuals who contribute best when they can think and reflect before responding.
#3 Pre-Work Assignment
A one-page pre-work assignment follows. I tend to select pre-session work that can be completed in 10 minutes or less such as reviewing this list of best and worst practices. Reading this list may provide some new learning or remind people of what they already may know. Both add to the overall value a workshop participant receives.
#4 Situations Participants Want to Learn About
I’m a big believer in pre-surveying participants whenever possible and sharing aggregated results in advance. Here I list all the different facilitation situations people want to learn more about.
I specifically note those we will formally attend to in the session (the boldface items) as well as explain how I hope to address others … again managing expectations and socializing participants to the workshop experience.
#5 Info About Other Participants
Prior to a session, particularly one with open registration, people often wonder about who else will attend. In some cases, sharing that registration list in advance is desirable. Highlighting some of what I’ve learned about the participants from the advance survey is something I always include. It helps people know how they compare to others in the learning community they will encounter.
#6 Favorite Facilitation Resources
Finally, I share a few of my favorite resources so participants can start reading and learning now if they so desire. The brief annotation helps people determine if a particular resource is of interest.
Attendees first gain access to this list after completing my advance survey (a mild bribe). I also include it in the preview so survey non-respondents have the information. Whenever possible, I display books during the session for people to browse.
Bottom line?
A lot of time often passes between registering for and attending a workshop or conference. We should leverage it intentionally to help achieve the desired outcomes for the event and increase the overall value participants receive. Thoughtful session previews are one simple way to do so.
Getting in Action
If you were attending a workshop, what else might you value receiving in a session preview?
For any meeting or workshop you might facilitate, how else might you preview the experience so participants arrive ready and enthusiastic about engaging fully?
Think about the (types of) people you generally facilitate and how they tend to process information. What implications might this have for any session previews you create?
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