Planning your workshop: From big idea to real impact

Running a workshop that sticks in people's minds takes more than a good PowerPoint. You need clear goals, a tight timeline, and activities that pull people in. As someone who schedules dozens of collaborative sessions every month here at Doodle, I've learned that small details-like picking the right room layout or testing your video call link-can make or break the experience.

1. Start with a sharp purpose

Before anything else, pin down what you want participants to walk away with. Are you collecting fresh ideas for a product roadmap? Teaching a new process? Drafting a strategic plan? Write down one or two sentences that spell out your aim. For example:

"We'll use this two-hour session to gather three concrete marketing tactics for Q4."

Having a sentence like this on every flip chart and program invite keeps everyone on track.

2. Sketch your timeline, backwards

I block off key milestones at least six weeks before the event. Here's a simple schedule:

• 6 weeks out: Define goal, invite key decision-makers, choose dates

• 4 weeks out: Book venue (or video tool), draft agenda, line up any guest speakers

• 2 weeks out: Order materials, finalize slide decks and hands-on exercises

• 1 week out: Run a tech check, print name tags, send reminder with pre-reads

• Day of: Arrive early to set up, greet participants, run through the welcome script

Working backwards like this spots crunch points-if you leave venue booking until two weeks before, you risk settling for a windowless basement.

3. Pick activities that match your goal

Workshops can look very different depending on your focus. A brainstorming session might start with a 5-minute lightning round where everyone jots down ideas, then group those ideas by theme. A training workshop could lean on hands-on role plays and live demos. In a recent session on customer support, we split into triads so each person could play "agent," "customer," or "observer"-and then rotated roles every ten minutes to keep energy high.

No matter the format, alternate between:

1. Individual work (quiet reflection or writing)

2. Pairs or triads (deeper conversation)

3. Full-group sharing (capture big themes)

4. Design for real interaction

Slides alone won't cut it. I build in mini-challenges-like "find someone who shares your favorite work habit" or "pitch one idea in 60 seconds." These quick bursts get people out of their seats and talking. If your group is on Zoom, use breakout rooms for these tasks, and ask each team to drop one insight into the chat so no idea gets lost.

5. Nail the logistics

Technical glitches kill momentum. One time, our video room's built-in mic didn't pick up side-table conversations, and half the group drifted off during small-group work. Now I:

• Test every mic, camera, and cable in advance

• Have backup speakers and a spare laptop on hand

• Label supplies (markers, sticky dots, printouts) by activity

If you're running a remote session, ask participants to join five minutes early to sort out any login hiccups.

6. Lead with presence, not PowerPoint

Your job as facilitator isn't to lecture but to guide. Start with a quick icebreaker-like "share one surprising fact about your last work week"-to set a friendly tone. Keep an eye on the clock but let a rich conversation stretch if it's delivering value. When someone dominates the discussion, direct a question to someone quieter: "Amal, what's your take?" That simple move brings new voices into the room.

7. Capture decisions and next steps

Workshops that end without clear actions feel like a great chat with no follow-up. I use a "parking lot" flip chart to note off-topic but valuable points. At the close, I ask: "What's the one thing you'll try on Monday?" Then I photograph all our charts, type up bullet-pointed outcomes, and email the group within 24 hours.

8. Check back in

Two to four weeks later, send a quick pulse survey:

• "How helpful was the workshop?"

• "Which action item did you tackle?"

• "What slowed you down?"

At Doodle, we've found that these check-ins double the chance that teams actually roll out the ideas we uncovered together.

Running a workshop well means juggling purpose, people, space, and timing-yet it pays off in fresh ideas and real buy-in. I still get a thrill when I see participants light up at the moment a plan clicks into place. What part of workshop planning do you find most challenging, and how might you tackle it next time?