How can I make sure my workshop ends on time?

How can I make sure my workshop ends on time?

Here are the tips I use to finish my workshops on time:

  1. Create a workshop schedule with a breakdown of every activity (including introduction, breaks and conclusion) and assign a number of minutes for each activity. To do that you can use the free Workshop planner template

    1. Use a timer to know how much time is left in each activity. You can make that timer visible to all by using an app like Big Timer.

    2. Add the starting time for each activity. For example, next to an activity, I write: "10:15", so that I know that this activity should start at 10:15 if we are on time. This helps double-check quickly during the workshop if we are on time, if we still have some margin of error, or not.

  2. Add a buffer at the end of your workshop (I often use 30 minutes) as a margin of error in case an activity takes longer or you need to improvise another activity on the spot.

Q&A: Workshops and facilitation with Service Design

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Workshop fatigue

  • What is workshop fatigue or survey fatigue?
  • How do you combat workshop fatigue or survey fatigue?

Preparing a workshop like a service designer

  • What does it take to create a workshop?
  • Where can I find workshop templates and ideas?
  • How can you run a good workshop without preparation?
  • ▶️ What's the perfect meal and food for a workshop?
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  • How can I make sure my workshop ends on time?
  • When is it best to force a on-site workshop?
  • ▶️ How can I start the preparation of a workshop?
  • How long does it takes to create 3 workshop scenarios?
  • ▶️ How to make workshops exercices easier for participants
  • How to prepare workshop slides when there is no projector?
  • What apps do I use to plan my workshops?
  • Are homework exercices before workshops a good idea?
  • How to transform a workshop schedule in slides in one minute within Notion?

Custom workshop Canvases

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  • What makes a good custom workshop canvas?

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Running and facilitating a workshop like a service designer

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  • What's the right way to facilitate a workshop or meeting?
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  • How do you celebrate achievements in a creative way in a workshop?
  • What are passive boards and how to use them in workshops?
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  • How Can You Clarify Feedback from Decision-Makers?
  • Can You Break Down a Workshop into Small 5-Minute Moments?

Creating focus

  • How do you help people stay on topic during a workshop?
  • ▶️ How can I manage conflicts in workshops?
  • ▶️ How to create common ground between teams that have a lot of disagreement?
  • How do you ensure people can get unstuck in a workshop or meeting?

Decision making

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  • How can I avoid group think and biasing in remote workshops?

Creating a workshop report like a service designer

  • ▶️ How can you be quicker and more efficient when you have to create a report about a workshop?
  • ▶️ What are the different levels of a workshop report?
  • What do I include in a workshop report website?

Mass participation workshops

  • How can you align people in mass participation workshops?

Synthesis in Service Design workshops

  • How do I manage to do live synthesis in workshops and stakeholder conversations?