All effort begins with management perspective and understanding what needs to be delivered to be called a success.  Some call this, “knowing what DONE looks like.”

• First and foremost, articulate and codify the deliverables.
• Understand the organizational holarchy and the impact of failure. The value of the initiative, project, or meeting should be stipulated by the amount of money and wasted FTE at risk if the project fails.
• Listen, listen, listen. We will speak with the project team, the business community, the sponsors, the customers, and other stakeholders to ensure clarity and alignment.  An effective workshop leader understands the political risks and potential personality issues.
• We will conduct a quantitative, FAST risk assessment. Know that if you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it.
• When considering multiple workshops or multiple days, we will build a project plan for the series of meetings and workshops required.
• Create a comprehensive pre-read package that will include (at minimum):
  • Workshop purpose, scope, deliverable, and simple agenda
  • Glossary of terms used in the above statements, and other material to be provided during the workshop
  • Detailed questions that will be asked during the workshop
  • Objectives and goals of the organization and the project being supported
• Build a simple approach (ie, agenda) for each session based on discrete deliverables.

As we get prepared for each workshop we will:

• Take the basic approach for each session identified above and expand into the detailed activities we will use, identifying break-out sessions and procedures.
• Create an annotated agenda including review material, ground rules, and appropriate audio-visual support.
• For example, in a recent three-hour session to facilitate building Key Measurements, our annotated agenda was eighteen pages.

Provide a smooth segue from the meeting deliverable to use by the product or project team:

• Distribute clear and valid documentation from the meeting.
• Follow-up personally with the development teams to de-brief the findings.
• Obtain any calibration of meeting notes from meeting participants.
• Submit evaluation report of meeting or workshop effort, including benefits and concerns from your own performance or team.