Planning

A workshop plan teachers will still be using next week.

Get a workshop facilitation guide. Enter topic, audience, and duration.

Design my workshop

What you'll get

A complete workshop plan and facilitation guide

Workshop Designer, scroll to preview

Inputs the user provides

[[Workshop Topic]]
[[Audience / Participants]]
[[Total Duration (e.g., 90 minutes, half-day, full day)]]
[[Primary Outcomes]]
[[Group Size Estimate]]

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Deliverable

Workshop Facilitation Guide
Topic: [[Workshop Topic]]
Audience: [[ ]]
Duration: [[90 minutes]]
Facilitator: [[Name]]
Date: [[ ]]

Intended Outcomes: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to...

1. [[Outcome 1]]

1. [[Outcome 2]]

1. [[Outcome 3]]

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Agenda Overview (Energy Arc)

Time	Segment	Duration	Energy	Key Method
0:00	Welcome & Hook	8 min	High	Story or provocative question
0:08	Outcomes + Agenda	4 min	Medium	Visual roadmap
0:12	Icebreaker / Connection	10 min	High	Pair share or movement
0:22	Content Block 1	18 min	Medium-High	Mini-input + think-pair-share
0:40	Activity / Application 1	15 min	High	Hands-on or small group task
0:55	Debrief 1	8 min	Medium	Structured share
1:03	Break (if longer)
1:03	Content Block 2	12 min	Medium	Input + demo
1:15	Activity 2	12 min	High	Practice or design task
1:27	Final Debrief & Commitment	8 min	Medium-High	Individual reflection + pair share
1:35	Close & Next Steps	5 min	Warm	Thank you + resources + CTA

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Detailed Facilitator Script & Notes

Opening Hook (0:00-0:08)

Say: "[[Powerful 1-2 sentence hook tied to pain or aspiration of audience]]. Turn to a neighbor and share one word that comes to mind."

Icebreaker (example):

"Find someone you don't know well. Share your name, role, and one challenge you face related to [[topic]]. You have 3 minutes each."

Content Block 1 (key points to cover):

Point A with 1-2 examples or data

Point B

Use slide with minimal text + live demo or story.

Activity 1 Instructions (give verbally + on slide):

1. In groups of 3...

2. You have 10 minutes...

3. Be ready to share one insight...

Debrief Prompts:

What surprised you?

What will you try first?

What support do you need?

Closing Commitment:

"Write on a sticky: one specific action you will take in the next 7 days. Share with a partner. Post on the commitment wall if we have one."

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Materials & Logistics

Participant Materials (per person):

Agenda handout (1 page)

[[Worksheet or job aid]]

Sticky notes + marker

Facilitator Kit:

Timer (visible)

Slides or flip chart with key visuals

Backup printed instructions

Room Setup:

Tables for 4-6 (cabaret or rounds)

Wall space for posters or gallery walk

[[AV requirements]]

Tech Backup: Have offline version of any digital activity.

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Contingency & Timing Buffers

If running long: cut one content story or shorten final activity to 8 min.

If energy low after break: insert 2-min stretch or pair chat.

If group larger than expected: use "turn and talk" instead of full share-outs.

If tech fails: have printed examples and flipchart versions ready.

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Post-Workshop

Collect feedback (3 questions max: what worked, what to change, one takeaway)

Send resources + slides + action commitments within 24 hrs

Note any adjustments for next delivery

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This guide follows experiential learning principles (70/20/10) and adult learning best practices. Time every segment strictly and prepare two backup activities for high/low energy groups.

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Illustrative preview, your actual result is generated from your inputs.

How it works.

Provide topic, audience, duration and get a complete workshop facilitation guide in minutes — including agenda, activities, materials. Free AI workflow, no signup required to preview.

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Design my workshop

Workshop plan: objectives, timed agenda, materials, activities with facilitator notes, exit ticket, follow-up.

Format & standard

What good looks like.

What it must include

Criteria

01Clear learning outcomes and audience/level — the designer knows who this is for and what they will walk away able to do.
02Minute-by-minute agenda with segment timings and energy arc (open/icebreaker, content blocks, activities, breaks, close) — the day is designed, not a list of topics.
03Facilitator instructions and talking points per segment — the leader is not winging it or reading slides.
04Interactive methods (think-pair-share, breakouts, exercises, role play) with materials and setup notes — the workshop is not a long lecture.
05Engagement and participation techniques plus logistics (room, AV, handouts, supplies) — the designer has thought about the room and the humans in it.
06Debrief/reflection and action-commitment close — the workshop does not end with 'any questions' and people leaving with nothing.
07Contingency and timing buffers — the facilitator can flex when things run long or short.

Signals of expertise

Quality

✦Uses adult-learning/experiential design (70/20/10, doing not just telling) and times the energy arc — the workshop is built for how adults actually learn and stay awake.
✦Writes a timed facilitator script with prompts and debrief questions — the leader can deliver consistently and transfer the learning.
✦Plans for logistics, participation, and commitment — the designer has run workshops and knows what kills them.

Common mistakes

Pitfalls

×Lecture-heavy with no activities or interaction — adults check out and remember nothing.
×No timings or facilitator cues — the leader runs long, skips the close, and the workshop feels chaotic.
×Ignoring energy and attention curve or no application/commitment step — people leave inspired but do nothing different on Monday.

A workshop plan teachers will still be using next week.

How it works.

Design my workshop

What good looks like.

What it must include

Signals of expertise

Common mistakes

More in Planning.