• December 11, 2021
• Nava Priya
• No Comments

• Introduction
• Importance of the 5 Ws and 1 H
• Determine the workshop goals
• Choose a Type
• Build a Team
• Research Your Audience
• Outline Your Budget
• Create An Agenda
• Learn From Your Competition
• Pick an Appropriate Date for the workshop
• Draft a Communication Plan
• Create a Marketing Calendar
• Develop content
• Get A Good Location
• Strategise The Layout
• Plan The Activities
• Consider Partnerships
• Gather Tools
• Review Workshop Best Practices
• Do a Huddle
• Host a Dry Run
• Host a Post-workshop Analysis

Introduction

Here’s everything you need to know before, during, and after your session to ensure it goes smoothly.

1. Importance of the 5 Ws and 1 H

   The big picture of your workshop is made up of the 5 Ws (and 1 H). You’ll have an excellent guide for yourself and collaborators after you’ve written it down, so everyone from the start is on the same page.

Meanings of 5 Ws and 1 H

• Where will the workshop be held? Who is organising it, and who is going to participate?
• What sort of workshop is it, exactly? For example, a professional training workshop is likely different from a yoga workshop.
• When will you be able to accomplish it? Is it a one-time occurrence or a series of events?
• What is the location of the workshop? Will it be in person or virtually? Where do you anticipate participants to be located, and when do you intend to have the meeting?
• Why is this workshop necessary, and why now? What are the objectives of the training?
• How will you go about putting this workshop in action based on what you currently know?

2. Determine the workshop goals

   You probably already know how to make S.M.A.R.T. objectives, but coming up with workshop goals has its own set of difficulties.

   The first consideration is experience level. If you’ve organised a similar event before, you may use previous data to identify what worked well and areas that need improvement. If you don’t, you’ll have to uncover whatever you can about the situation so that you know what to anticipate. Look in your area for comparable happenings and ask if the organisers will send you some information.

   Second, you’ll need to predict how many people will come. If you’re organising training for a business, the attendees will likely be expected to attend. Don’t worry about turnout in that situation. However, if you’re planning an event without a guaranteed audience, check out statistics on your workshop’s typical attendance rates and compare them to others of the same kind.

3. Choose a Type

   The way you plan the topic of the workshop determines a workshop. For example, if you’re hosting a virtual training session, you’ll need to provide your host with the right audio equipment to make it interesting.

4. Build a Team

   Like any major project, a team can help to alleviate the burden. Even if your workstation is exclusively for your company’s staff, you may be able to enlist the aid of your coworkers, friends, or speakers. Begin by asking stakeholders what they might contribute. Establish a weekly meeting and calculate each participant’s time commitment.

5. Research Your Audience

   Look for what sort of material (video, audio, memes, etc.) appeals most to them. Consider your target audience’s goals and begin generating ideas for activities based on those. If you have direct contact with your target audience right now, put out a poll or survey so they can provide ideas.

6. Outline Your Budget

   Make a spreadsheet with all of the items needed for the workshop. Include everything from the venue, rental equipment to digital advertising. Determine whether hosting the workshop is worthwhile as per your intended agenda.

7. Create An Agenda

   Consider the overall tone of your workshop. The first step is to define what you’ll be teaching and who will lead it. Include an effective presentation, a breakout session that encourages attendees to connect, and a closing assessment or Q&A to complete the event.

8. Learn From Your Competition

   Look at similar occasions online to get a sense of what planners typically do and how you might improve upon it. Look for workshop durations, activities, themes, bonuses, and descriptions to assist you in planning your event.

9. Pick an Appropriate Date for the workshop

   Keep your audience in mind while choosing your possible workshop dates and times.

10. Draft a Communication Plan

    Ask the following questions:

• How will you communicate with your attendees?
• What types of communication channels should you use to communicate with them?
• What are the other elements you could include to add value to your workshop?

11. Create a Marketing Calendar

    Do you have an excellent place to start? A mailing list and 1-2 social media platforms should be more than enough starting points. For each content you create, schedule time to develop, approve, share, and reply to comments.

12. Develop content

    Create 3-4 pillars on which to base your material. One possibility is your workshop; however, the others should be about intriguing related issues. Remember that you’re not trying to build a community and creating a platform to connect with people and offer them relevant information.

13. Get A Good Location

    Create a wish list of locations or venue types if you’re hosting in person. Determine the software platform you’d want to use if you’re hosting remotely.

14. Strategise The Layout

    Use event diagramming tools to plan the layout of your workshop. You’ll need places for event check-in, activities, breakout rooms, and any other special areas you want to include, such as an outdoor spot for post-workshop goodies.

15. Plan The Activities

    The best workshop begins with an icebreaker related to the topic, followed by your main event and a decompression period. This is also when you should do some competitive analysis. Take elements from other events and modify them to suit your style.

16. Consider Partnerships

    Consider collaborating with your partners that can help your target audience or event. A workshop on data science career opportunities, for example, would be more engaging if an industry expert were a guest speaker, which would benefit your event.

17. Gather Tools

    This step covers everything from pencils to a projector to your preferred email newsletter platform. The plan has to be made in advance if you need to have something delivered or try out some software.

18. Review Workshop Best Practices

    Make sure your speaker understands what energy to bring to the event. Also, bear in mind that while you should plan the presentation, you should also allow room for the event to flow with the group’s mood. As a result, give people space to speak, improve some of your words, and have an addition or two in your back pocket just in case you go faster than planned.

19. Do a Huddle

    Take time to prepare with your staff in the days leading up to the event. Review everyone’s duties, go over your day-of plan, and develop a Plan B for critical agenda items if you haven’t already.

20. Host a Dry Run

    This step is essential if your workshop is virtual. All hosts should be checked for internet speeds, video and audio quality, and lighting. Software programs should be tested for any necessary updates before you can utilise them.

21. Host a Post-workshop Analysis

    Researchers came up with a system for quantifying the impact of workshops in a study by teams at the University of Oxford, University of Manchester, and other institutions. “It’s important to understand why we want to measure impact in the first place, as well as balance it with the amount of time required to put together the workshop and devote time to assessing it,” according to their conclusion.

    So, have you ever hosted a virtual or onsite workshop? If yes, we’d like to know your thoughts and inputs.

Reference:

• webinar planning best practices guide